Chapter 1
Two weeks on the hunt, and now Theo Reese was dressed like a wanker from one of those popular spy movies. He tugged on the black bow tie and fully committed himself to killing the woman who’d forced him to wear a tuxedo. After chasing her through New York, London, Edinburgh, and now back to New York, he was more than ready to grip her slim neck in both his hands.
Then he’d squeeze until her stunning blue eyes bugged.
Maybe. Okay. He wouldn’t kill her. Even as pissed as he was, he’d never harm a woman. Well, probably. This one had taken subterfuge to a whole new level, so he would like to scare her a little. Plus, the woman was a witch, so it wasn’t like she couldn’t defend herself. Creating fire out of air was like breathing for her people.
Chatter and the clinking of glasses filled the opulent ballroom of New York’s most exclusive hotel. Women in long sparkling dresses and men in tuxedos milled around, drinking champagne and laughing. Christmas lights blinked green and red from trees placed in every corner.
Discreet waiters refilled glasses and offered canapés.
Theo sighed. He wanted a steak, damn it. Little mushrooms filled with green stuff would just make him hungrier.
Where the hell was she?
His contacts had said she’d be attending the fundraiser to save some otter in some forest somewhere, and he’d had to pretty much give up a kidney to get a ticket. A gold-encrusted ticket. He didn’t get it. Why not just save the money on tickets, clothes, food, and drink…and give it to the damn otters? Buy them all a new river and forest somewhere.
He caught a scent. Through the heavy perfumes and fragrant appetizers, a scent he knew well beckoned him. Woman, intrigue, and Irish bluebells from her native home.
Lifting his head, he followed his nose. Even for a vampire, he had enhanced senses.
Her laugh, tinkling and surprisingly deep, had him turning left.
Ah. There she was. He’d finally found the witch. His entire body tightened, and the blood rushed from his head right to his cock. From one little sighting of her. Fuck. Taking several deep breaths, he calmed his body and cleared his mind.
Ginny O’Toole wore a sapphire colored gown that matched her eyes perfectly. The bodice was old fashioned, glimmering with sparkles, and narrowed to an impossibly small waist. Her breasts were full, her hair naturally white-blonde, her skin flawless, and her stature petite. Three hundred years ago, she’d been too thin for popularity. Fifty years ago, she’d been the ideal woman. Now, in the day and age of curves and diversity, she stood out as almost unreal. As more of a doll than a real woman.
An air of fragility clung to her, in direct opposition to strong and fierce modern woman.
Yet men flocked to her, quick to give protection, just as much today as in the past. The morons didn’t realize that her pretty face masked a predator. One who used wiles and weakness to get what she wanted. False weakness. Oh, physically she lacked strength. But mentally, she was a manipulative bitch.
She was talking to a tall man who had his back to Theo. Short blond hair, wide shoulders, strong energy. Was that a shifter? Yeah. Feline. Probably lion.
Theo launched into motion, easily winding through the human throng, and reached them in seconds.
Ginny’s eyes widened and then her mask dropped back into place. “Theo.” She smiled, and if he couldn’t hear her hammering heartbeat, he would’ve been fooled into believing she was actually pleased to see him. Since she’d been running from him for weeks after hacking into the main computer at one of his family’s estates, he knew that to be a lie. “Theo Reese, please meet Jack Jacobson,” she said.
Jacobson turned and held out a hand. “It’s a pleasure.”
Theo shook his hand, lowering his chin. The shifter shaking his hand was an information broker by the name of Jackson McIntosh. They’d never done business, but Theo had seen dossiers on the guy. “Jack Jacobson?” he murmured, barely flashing his canines. “That’s a nice pseudonym.”
Jack nodded. “I like it.”
“Your business here is concluded,” Theo said, releasing Jacobson and grasping Ginny by the elbow. Her bones felt fragile beneath his hand, so he loosened his hold automatically.
She didn’t struggle, as if she could. Instead, her smile widened. “Actually, it is. Please get back to me with your answer soon, Jack.”
Heat rushed down Theo’s back. The woman thought he was so daft he wouldn’t figure out what she was trying to sell? He had an idea of what information she was looking to get rid of, and that ended right now. “There’s a chance your deal might be dead in the water,” he said evenly.
Jack’s green eyes twinkled. “Perhaps.” Then he sobered, his gaze moving to Theo’s hand. “Let her go.”
Jesus. The woman brought out the defender in everybody. Even criminal middlemen who were well known to broker anything—legal or illegal. “No,” Theo returned.
“You are so very sweet to worry about me.” Ginny patted Jack’s arm with her free hand. “Theo and I are old friends. No need for concern.”
Old friends, his ass. Theo didn’t bother to smile. If she wanted to play the polite game, she could damn well do it by herself. He didn’t play games. Ever.
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “You certain?”
