“You coming, partner?”
Zack has passed me and is waiting next to one of the bureau’s many black Chevy Suburbans parked near the entrance.
Before I can answer, a silver BMW convertible pulls into the lot. It whizzes by, making a sharp right turn and pulling up to the row of SUVs directly in front of Zack. The car’s curves are sleek, its paint job gleaming. A woman steps out of the driver’s side. Zack’s eyes are glued to her. I can’t blame him. Her long legs emerge first, toned and sporting a pair of expensive red heels that boldly accentuate her black-and-white dress. As she approaches Zack, she removes her dark designer sunglasses and the silk scarf covering her head. She’s pretty, even-featured. Her makeup is meticulous. Long blonde hair spills out and hangs loose in waves that brush her shoulders.
The tension in Zack’s body tells me the woman is more than a stranger stopping to ask for directions. He knows who she is and he’s not happy to see her. His shoulders bunch; his mouth turns down. I can’t quite make out what she says to him as she approaches, but his response is clear. He shakes his head and motions her away. The gesture is understated, discreet, but it carries with it a sense of finality. He looks past the woman, at me.
Her head turns, following his line of sight. Her eyes connect with mine briefly before she dons the glasses once again. The fraction of a second is all she needs to convey a warning. All I need to determine that she, too, is Were. One intent on marking her territory? I resist the urge to let my hand slide to my hip, where my gun rests securely in its holster. I choose instead to annoy her further by smiling and waving.
“You waiting for an invitation, Monroe?” Zack calls out before climbing into the Suburban and closing the door, effectively dismissing Miss Fancy Pants.
As I approach she turns on her heel. A confident toss of her head in Zack’s direction says she’s gotten her message across. Now that she’s seen me, now that she’s convinced I’m not a threat, she doesn’t bother to spare me a second glance. By the time I reach the Suburban, she’s returned to her car, climbed inside and fired up the engine. With a squeal of tires, she’s gone.
But not before I notice the license plate. South Carolina. It’s reflex to store the number away in the back of my mind.
I open the car door. “I get the feeling she doesn’t like me.”
Zack is waiting behind the wheel, hands at the ten- and two-o’clock positions, knuckles white. He avoids looking me in the eye. “She doesn’t like the fact we slept together.”
He says it casually.
“You told her we slept together?” I ask, sliding into the passenger seat.
His gaze meets me head-on. “Would you have preferred I lied?”
“She your girlfriend?”
He throws the car into reverse and steps on the gas. “Ex.”
I wonder if the status came before or after the revelation. It doesn’t matter. In the month we worked together I came to know Zack’s moods well enough to interpret this one. With one single syllable, he’s effectively closing the door on that subject.
It’s okay.
Zack can have his secrets.
I certainly have mine.
PRAISE FOR THE ANNA STRONG, VAMPIRE SERIES
“Many unexpected twists and turns . . . Packed with action that is sure to chill readers to the bone.”
—Examiner.com
“Fast-paced . . . Fans of the series will be stunned by this powerful, twisting thriller.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Haunted offers true edge-of-your-seat drama . . . Buckle up, because megatalented Stein is heading into severely hazardous (and unputdownable) territory!”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
“Dynamic . . . Anna is what every urban fantasy heroine should be. A tough, gutsy, complex character who delivers what’s promised.”
—Smexy Books
“[Anna is] a badass, no-mercy kind of girl . . . If you want some kick-ass vampire in your life, this series is just for you!”
—Under the Covers Book Blog
“A kick-ass heroine readers will delight in . . . Crossroads will take readers on some twist[s] and turns that won’t let you put this book down until the very end, and then you will be hungry for the next installment.”
—Fresh Fiction
“[A] powerful novel . . . Stein continues to challenge her gutsy heroine, both emotionally and physically . . . Another for your must-read pile!”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
“I just love the character Anna. She has grown so much from the beginning, and I believe she is finally coming into her own in Crossroads . . . There were some surprises that I wasn’t expecting . . . Make no mistake, Anna is growing into what she could become, and it is good to see. If you love strong female leads, then this series is for you.”
—Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)
“With each book in the series, not only have Stein’s characters become stronger but so has her writing . . . Hard-hitting urban fantasy with a hard-hitting female lead.”
—Fresh Fiction
“From the opening chapter of this terrific series, Stein has sent her gutsy heroine on an uncharted journey filled with danger and bitter betrayal . . . In this pivotal but emotionally brutal book, skillful Stein reveals some critical answers and delivers some devastating blows. Like a fine wine, this series is improving with age. Brava!”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
“The fifth book in the exceptional first-person Anna Strong series is a powerful entry in an amazing saga.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Ms. Stein has a true gift in storytelling and continues to add exciting new elements to this well-built world. Retribution is an engrossing read with an action-packed story line and secondary characters that are every bit as intriguing as the heroine. This is a must-read for fans of the series!”
—Darque Reviews
“Urban fantasy with true depth and flair!”
—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
“As riveting as the rest . . . One of my favorite urban fantasy series.”
—Darque Reviews
“Action fills every page, making this a novel that flies by . . . Dynamic relationships blend [with] complex mysteries in this thriller.”
—Huntress Book Reviews
“An exciting, fast-paced novel . . . First-rate plotting.”
—LoveVampires
“Dazzles readers with action-packed paranormal adventure, love and friendship. With many wonderfully executed twists and turns, this author’s suspenseful writing will hold readers spellbound until the very end.”
—Darque Reviews
“Snappy action and plot twists that will hold readers’ interest to the last page.”
—Monsters and Critics