Aden did a quick mental check of his vampire children, and finding them all well and alive, he asked the question he wasn’t sure he wanted answered. “What is it?”
“Earl Hamilton called. They’ve lost Sidonie Reid.”
Aden grew very still. “Lost her? What does that mean?”
“She left the city this morning in the company of”—Bastien checked some scribbled notes—“William Englehart. We don’t know much about him yet, other than he’s a lawyer from her hometown. Hamilton’s guy said—”
“She left the city,” Aden repeated flatly.
Bastien studied Aden carefully. “Yes, my lord. Englehart picked her up this morning in his personal vehicle.”
Aden slapped his laptop closed, fighting against the urge to do something violent. Had Sidonie dared to continue seeing a human lover after being with Aden? Was she really that stupid?
“What else?”
“Hamilton’s man said they seemed friendly.” Bastien looked down, reading from his notes. “She had no luggage other than her computer and a garment bag, and they—” He broke off with an uneasy glance at Aden who was sitting perfectly still, his hands flat on the desk.
“Continue,” he said.
“They kissed when she got in the car.”
Aden’s jaw was so tight, he thought the bones would break. He was surprised at the intensity of his own reaction, but she was his. Maybe not forever. He didn’t do forever. But for as long as he wanted her, and he fucking did not share.
“What else?” he demanded.
“They drove to her parents’ home together, although it’s not clear whether Englehart stayed at the house with her, or went elsewhere. Reid didn’t leave the house the rest of the day. There was a party, starting late this afternoon and going into the evening. It looked like the party was winding down when Reid suddenly jumped in a cab and hit the train station. By the time our guy parked and got inside, she was gone.”
“So we don’t know where she is,” Aden observed coldly. “What about Englehart? Where’s he?”
Bastien blinked and immediately grabbed the phone.
“And tell Hamilton I want his guy fired.”
“Yes, my lord,” Bastien said, then conveyed the orders to Hamilton with a few terse words before disconnecting.
“Sidonie has a cell phone,” Aden growled. “Get someone tracking it.”
“Already done, my lord. It’s turned off right now, but the minute it comes back on, we’ll pick up the ping and start tracking her.”
Sidonie’s phone was off. Aden could think of many reasons why a woman would turn her phone off, and he didn’t like any of them. He was trying to think of what else they could do when the phone rang. Bastien answered, his posture radiating tension. Intellectually, Aden knew none of this was Bastien’s fault, but he wasn’t inclined to let him off the hook. If Aden had to suffer, Bastien could damn well suffer with him.
“Sire,” his lieutenant said, disconnecting the phone once more, but keeping it in his hand. “Englehart is at his parents’ home.”
“But Sidonie isn’t there.”
“Definitely not, my lord.”
“So where the fuck is she?”
The phone rang again. Bastien glanced at him, but Aden waved a hand, telling him to answer the fucking thing. Another terse conversation, and Aden saw Bastien’s entire demeanor change, becoming if not relaxed, then at least less tense.
“Ms. Reid’s phone just pinged, my lord. She’s on a train,” Bastien reported, seeming puzzled by this latest news. “Fortunately, at this time of night, there aren’t many trains moving. We’re fairly certain she’s on her way back here, to Union station. We won’t know for sure until the phone switches cell—”
“She’s going home,” Aden interrupted. “Let’s greet her, shall we?”
SID WOKE WHEN the train slowed to enter Union Station. She slitted one eye open carefully. No Vasco. Sighing in relief, she gathered her things, thinking she’d take a cab home.
But as she made her way through the station toward the cab stand, Vasco appeared at her side.
“I have a town car,” he said, taking her elbow. “I’ll give you a ride home.”
Sid felt a trickle of unease. It was one thing to flirt on the train, but something else entirely to stalk her through the station and touch her uninvited. She jerked her arm away from him.
“That’s all right,” she said firmly, “I’ll take a cab.”
“Don’t be silly,” he insisted, his eyes going flat as his fingers closed around her arm. “It’s far too late for that.”
Unease turned to genuine alarm, and Sid stared around, looking for help. The station was busy, but no one was paying attention to them.
“Look,” she said, trying to remain calm. “I appreciate the offer, really. But I don’t know you, and I’d really rather—”
“Sid!”
Sidonie looked up at the sound of her name and saw Kage striding toward her, a big smile on his face and one arm raised in greeting, as if they were long-lost friends. Next to her, she felt Vasco stiffen. His grip tightened enough to leave bruises, and she thought for a moment that he was going to make a break for it and drag her with him.
But then Kage was there, flashing a hint of fang as his fingers gripped Vasco’s wrist and forced him to release Sid’s arm. Kage wrapped an arm around Sid, placing himself between her and Vasco, who backed away with a hissed curse.
“This isn’t over, vampire.”
Kage grinned. “Bring it on, human,” he said dismissively, then guided Sid toward the exit.
“Thanks,” she said breathlessly, trying to keep up with his long strides. “That guy was a jerk.”
“He was more than a jerk. He knew who you were.”
She glanced up at him as they left the station and climbed into the SUV Kage had left parked illegally.
“He knew you were a vampire,” she said in sudden understanding.
“Right.”
“How would he know that?”
“I couldn’t guess.”
“You mean you won’t.”
His gaze cut over to her. “Same thing.”
“Not really. How’d you know I was on that train?”
“You should ask Lord Aden.”
Sid rolled her head back against the seat. She could push for answers, but there was no point. The one thing she’d learned about vampires was that they were completely loyal to their Sires. That loyalty could be compromised, according to Dresner, if a vampire was strong enough to break away. But Sid’s impression of Aden and his people was something closer to a brick wall. They were solid.
If Aden didn’t want Kage to talk to her, he wouldn’t talk.
She looked up in surprise when Kage pulled the SUV up in front of her building and stopped, clearly waiting for her to get out. She’d expected him to take her to Aden and had to stifle the surprisingly strong surge of disappointment.
“Thanks,” she said, forcing a smile. “For rescuing me.” Although she still wondered what exactly she’d been rescued from.
“No problem,” he said, giving her a quick sideways smile. “See you around, Sid.”
She made a beeline for the elevator, giving her doorman a wave as she went by. She was beyond tired and imagined she could hear her bed calling to her with its down comforter and soft sheets. Her hallway was empty as she unlocked her door and stepped into the quiet darkness of her condo. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it with a sigh of relief, then pushed away and was already stripping off her jacket when she made her way down the short hall to her sparsely-furnished living room. Her bedroom was on the other side of that open space, and she could see the white of her comforter gleaming in the moonlight from a window she rarely covered. That was her only goal for tonight. Bed.