"I tried to, but they prefer Corky's version. I suspect they think being your first will make them famous and give them some airtime on Corky's show."
"Och. So it's fame and no' me that attracts them. Was there an important reason ye called me here?"
"I'm afraid so." Vanda peered through the screen. "Look at the bar."
His gaze shifted to Cora Lee, whose blonde head was close to a stocky male Vamp. Ian's stomach twisted as recognition clicked in place. "Dammit to hell."
Vanda cast him a worried look. "Then you know who he is?"
"Aye. Jedrek Janow." Ian had last seen the murderous Malcontent in the Ukraine the night he'd gone there with Jean-Luc and others to help rescue Angus and Emma. Jedrek had been there with Casimir, but when the Malcontents started to lose the battle, both Jedrek and Casimir teleported away, leaving their Russian comrades behind to be vanquished.
Shanna's father and his CIA Stake-Out team maintained a constant surveillance of the Russian-American vampires, and they kept Connor informed since he'd managed to plant the listening devices in their headquarters. Unfortunately, the bugs had been destroyed a few nights ago. Jedrek was being thorough.
"He usually hangs out in Eastern Europe," Ian explained, "but he's recently been put in charge of the Russian-American coven in Brooklyn."
"But he's Polish," Vanda protested.
"Half Polish, half Russian, and Casimir's right-hand man." Ian regarded Vanda curiously. "How do ye know him?"
A hint of pain flickered across her face. "Let's just say he got along really well with the Nazis. He's a vicious killer, and he enjoys it."
"A Malcontent poster boy." Ian peered through the screen. "He's drinking Bleer to fool Cora Lee into thinking he's a regular Vamp."
"Unfortunately, it's not that hard to fool Cora Lee."
Ian strained his ears, but he couldn't hear Jedrek's low voice over the din of loud music and squealing women. "I need to know what he's saying."
Vanda frowned, considering. "If I go down there, he'll recognize me and—oh, I know. There's an intercom on my desk that connects to the bar. I use it when I need to talk to Cora Lee. This way."
She strode to a door partially hidden behind a sheer red curtain. Ian followed her down a flight of stairs and into her office.
"Is this it?" He reached for the intercom on her desk.
"Wait. It's a two-way connection," she warned him. "We'll have to be perfectly quiet."
He nodded and pushed the button with his finger.
"So you know Ian?" Cora Lee asked.
"Sure," Jedrek replied with a fake Brooklyn accent. "We go way back. I can't get over the way he looks now."
"I know! I didn't even recognize him at first," Cora Lee confessed. "I can't believe he got older like that."
"And you say it happened in Texas?" Jedrek asked.
"That's what Ian told me."
"Sweetheart, could you get me another Bleer? This stuff is freakin' fantastic. Roman is a genius."
"He sure is. You know him, too?"
"Who doesn't? The guy's famous," Jedrek commented casually. "But you know what? He looks a bit older, too."
"Yep, all of a sudden he turned gray at the temples."
"But he didn't go to Texas, did he?" Jedrek asked.
"Nope, he was here when it happened. Land sakes, I can't imagine why anyone would want to look older."
"They would if there was a really important, secret purpose behind it," Jedrek said.
Vanda gasped, and Ian shook his head to remind her to stay quiet. No doubt she had grasped the full danger of the situation. If the Malcontents acquired the means to stay awake during the day, they would slaughter Vamps who were helpless in their death-sleep.
The phone on Vanda's desk rang, and Ian quickly lifted his finger off the intercom button to break the connection. Vanda grimaced and answered the phone.
Ian dashed back up the stairs to the VIP harem room and peered through the screen. Cora Lee must have heard the ring, for she'd answered her phone. With a confused look, she hung up. Meanwhile, Jedrek was scanning the surroundings, his eyes narrowed. No doubt he suspected something.
Ian considered teleporting down to challenge him, but before he could weigh the pros and cons, Jedrek vanished.
"What's happening?" Vanda rushed into the room.
"He's gone."
"That damned phone," Vanda muttered. "It was the dancer I fired Thursday night. He heard Corky was planning to sue me, so he decided to have a go at me, too. The bastard."
"I'll get the name of Angus's solicitor," Ian offered. "He's the best in the Vamp world. And doona fash over Corky. I'll pay to settle with her. I canna have ye suffering on my account."
"But I'm the one who attacked her." Vanda dragged a hand through her spiky hair. "And now we have this mess with Jedrek Janow. He's not going to stop until he knows what caused you to age. And if he gets his hands on that drug—"
"I know. They'll kill us in our sleep."
Vanda pressed a hand to her brow. "This is all my fault. I made you too famous, and now you're in danger. Jedrek will hunt you down. He'll—he'll—"
"It will be all right."
"But I completely screwed up," she cried. "You're like one of my little brothers to me. And I lost all of them. I can't stand to lose you, too, not when it's all my fault."
"Shhh." He pulled her into an embrace and patted her on the back. "I doona blame you, Vanda. Yer heart was in the right place. But I would appreciate it if ye could tell Cora Lee and Lady Pamela to keep their bloody mouths shut."
"I will, I will." Vanda stepped back and sniffed. "And I'll keep trying to find you the perfect mate. I'll make a list of the girls who want to meet you, and I'll interview them myself to weed out the ones who just want to be famous."
Ian figured that was all of them, but he didn't want to belittle Vanda's offer. "That would be great. Thanks."
She squeezed her eyes shut. "I want you to be happy, Ian. And safe." When she opened her eyes, anger flashed in them. "So help me, if that Jedrek bastard hurts—"
"Vanda, promise me ye'll do nothing about Jedrek Janow. Leave him to me and Connor."
She heaved a sigh. "Okay, but please be careful. He'll want answers, and you're the one who has them."
"I know." Ian realized Jedrek could be hunting for him right now. And the first place he'd search would be Roman's townhouse. "I need to use your computer."
He dashed down the stairs to Vanda's office and accessed the tracking device in Toni's handbag. She was back at the townhouse. All alone.
Ian's stomach clenched. Toni, he thought, just before he teleported away.
CHAPTER 13
A hot shower helped take the chill out of Toni's bones and relieve the ache in her bruised hip. She leaned over to wrap a towel around her wet hair, and as she straightened, she accidentally brushed her hip against the counter.
"Ow!" She eyed the bruise. It had swollen to a lovely shade of purple that coordinated well with the red scars on her torso and breasts.
"Toni!"
She jumped at the sound of Ian's voice coming from her bedroom. Her hip knocked against the counter. "Ow! Dammit!" She grabbed on to the towel bar to keep from falling.
"Toni, are ye all right?" Ian pounded on the door. "Is someone hurting you? Should I teleport in?"
"No!" What was he doing out there? "I…I have the entire offensive line from the New York Giants in here. Oh yeah, I'm feeling good! Second down and eight to go."
There was a pause. "Ye're jesting, right?"
She snorted. "Brilliant, Sherlock."
"Come out now. We need to talk."
Not that again. "I don't have any clothes. Go away."
"I'll close my eyes."
Now it was her turn to pause. "I don't believe you."