"Brovik's dogs are searching for her. They'll be watching you closely now. If she approaches you, they'll contact him immediately." He took a good look around the bedroom, running his fingers over the silk draperies. "Didn't spare any expense, did he?"

"What will Brovik do?"

"She's tried to cozy up to me, but I've never trusted her overtures of friendship. Asking about you and whether I'm happy in my work- just to gauge the depth of my loyalties."

Another strand insinuated itself into the pattern. "You still didn't answer my question."

He winced. "He'll execute her."

"I won't be party to that."

Kurt took me by the shoulders. "If you don't cooperate, he'll do the same to you!"

"Not if he never knows. If I see her, I'll warn her, and you won't tell."

"Mia, you put me into an impossible position!"

"Brovik puts you in this position. You'd be better off far away from him. But you're still in thrall to him, aren't you?"

His anguished expression didn't make me feel better.

I scowled. "He's using me to keep you in line and I don't like it."

"What choice do we have?"

"You never heard me say this. Promise me, Kurt."

"It could be very bad for us." He pulled the drape aside, looking out over the park. "That park looks like a cage in the zoo."

I snuggled against his shoulder. "It keeps people out, not in."

"Cages come in all kinds. This one we stand in is particularly fine." He broke abruptly away. "You can't accept a record alb.u.m from me me but from but from him him, well that's entirely different. You accept real estate real estate?"

"Don't be stupid! I sent him away." It was now or never. Taking a deep breath, I finally said the terrifying word, "I love you, Kurt."

Those beautiful eyes turned arctic cold. "Don't play Mia, now is not the time."

I gestured to the piano I'd bought for him. "Would I have gotten that if I didn't plan on keeping you around?"

"For me?" He caressed the concert grand in the bay window. He couldn't resist opening it and touching a key. A beautiful rich tone filled the room. He struggled to remain cool but his voice trembled, "Doesn't this qualify as barter?"

"No chains Kurt, not for us, not ever. We belong together. It's that simple."

A tear glided down his sharp cheekbone. "You sent him away for good?"

"I love you, you dope. What else could I do?"

Kurt's voice grew harsh and strained, "It grows difficult... with Brovik. I've seen too much bloodshed. I dislike Leisha, but I won't betray her. The dogs I can't help, but she's eluded them in the past."

"Hopefully she will again." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "How long can you stay?"

His bittersweet smile crept over his face. "How does eternity sound?" We kissed. His mouth never tasted sweeter. We held on so tight it left momentary bruises. He rummaged in his jacket pocket, bringing out a pretty little carved box. "You can accept this now?"

I turned the box about in my fingers, admiring the intricate ivory inlaid design. "It's gorgeous- thanks."

He shook his head. "Open it. After all these years, I'd hope to give you something better than a box."

I opened the catch. Nestled inside the satin lining was the same b.u.t.terfly pendant I'd sold years before. I was astonished. "How on earth?"

"I started looking for it as soon as you told me about it. The shopkeeper you sold it to contacted the purchaser. I offered three times its value, but that's beside the point. It seemed only right it be returned to you"

"You've kept it all these years?"

I trembled as he took it out and hung it around my neck. Tears ran down my face. He reached out and brushed them away. "Someday, Mia, we'll walk hand-in-hand in the sun."

EIGHTEEN.

A few blissful weeks later, Kurt reluctantly left. Every time I went out from then on, Brovik's dogs dogs would trail me around town at a discreet distance. I couldn't even hunt without them following. It was irritating, to be observed in such an intimate act, so I waited as long as I possibly could. would trail me around town at a discreet distance. I couldn't even hunt without them following. It was irritating, to be observed in such an intimate act, so I waited as long as I possibly could.

Finally, a Nor'easter blew in. Rain fell in sheets. I was ravenous now. So, in spite of the dogs dogs, I headed to the park via subway.

Two dogs followed me out of the Columbus circle station into the storm. Wind whipped up through the cavernous streets. Stinging rain feel sideways as I set out toward the park, driven by a natural force stronger than the storm. The dogs cursed after me, taking shelter in a doorway to wait the rain out.

I sniffed out a vagrant, crouching beneath an underpa.s.s, and took him swiftly. It was easy to dig a makeshift grave in the muddy ground beneath the trees to bury the body. I wiped a film of perspiration and rain from my brow when I caught a scent more seductive than the corpse's alcohol-sweat stink. Immortyl female with a hint of Chanel Number Five. The soft swish of her garments preceded her. Her step was sure and swift.

A brown velvet voice called out in the darkness, "Mia?"

That husky note was engraved on my brain. I rose from my muddy knees. She melted out of the shadows, auburn hair purple with rain, lioness eyes glittering amber. Her warm golden skin gave off a burnished glow. It still hurt to look at her, she was so f.u.c.king amazing.

"Been looking for you for weeks, girl."

"It's a big town."

She stood perfectly motionless, her control already finely honed with the kind of eerie stillness that usually takes decades to develop, not an errant muscle twitching in her chiseled face, long hands hanging at her sides. "We need to talk," she said.

"Shoot."

She looked around. "Can we go somewhere out of this rain?"

I shook my head. "Brovik's dogs, they're watching me but I gave them the slip. They don't like the rain but we can duck under that bridge for a minute. Make it quick if you want to live."

Annoyance flashed over her. She nodded and we both slipped under the sheltering underpa.s.s.

"You won't turn me in to your little boyfriend, will you?"

"Why should I protect you?"

She looked as if she wanted to say something nasty but changed her mind, appealing to me instead, "I never wanted this."

"Ethan gave you the history lesson?"

"Just when I thought nothing could be worse."

I was tired of games and wanted her to spit it out. "You want something from me?"

"I need your help."

"I'm the absolute bottom of the social order. What in h.e.l.l's name can I do?"

"Kurt's real sweet on you, but I've never been able to win his trust. Always checking up on me, spying, sent dogs to follow me when I went out, sneaky little thing."

"Brovik's orders obviously."

"But his loyalty is only up to a point. Kurt fought with the old man for months before he first let him come here. Now every time Brovik wants him to do something ugly, he pressures Kurt with threats to your safety. Your boy is stretched." She crossed her arms over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "I'll lay it out to you. Got a chance to acquire a small biotech firm. I need money, big money. Brovik has the numbers. It can be diverted, a little here, a little there. Kurt knows everything about Brovik's little enterprise- has the scientific contacts- but most importantly he goes to Zurich once a month. Lots of money pa.s.ses through his lily-white hands."

"Kurt's life wouldn't be worth a dime. Neither would ours for that matter. Besides Brovik is already a step ahead of you."

"He can be taken out. There has to be a way. In the meantime, I'd hide you both somewhere. We'll be partners. Anything we eventually make we split."

"Kurt isn't in this for the money."

"He likes to live well Mia." She looked at my muddy knees. "I know for a fact he doesn't like to see you scrounging in the pockets of dead mortals."

"That's all over. Ethan's back."

Now her face registered genuine shock. "You're s.h.i.tting me? You aren't back with him?"

"No, he just gave me what he owed. I couldn't do that to Kurt."

She raked her eyes over my face. "The boy's got it bad, but somehow I figured it wasn't the same for you."

"At first, Ethan had such a hold on me. You know how it is."

She shook her head. "I had a life, Mia. I'm a d.a.m.ned good attorney and I worked like h.e.l.l to get where I was. Filthy b.a.s.t.a.r.d stole all the things I'd achieved. Maybe you can't appreciate just how much that means for a woman like me- but I'll find a way. And let me tell you something, I always always get what I want." Her face and voice suddenly softened. I didn't trust it. "What about you Mia? It's a chance for you and Kurt to really break free. He's about to fall apart, girl. A little nudge is all he needs." get what I want." Her face and voice suddenly softened. I didn't trust it. "What about you Mia? It's a chance for you and Kurt to really break free. He's about to fall apart, girl. A little nudge is all he needs."

The thought was tempting but I couldn't see Kurt betraying his master for anything. "He's tough. It'd take a miracle to push him over the edge."

Her long soft fingers smoothed a lock of wet hair away from my face. Her velvety voice turned maternal, very seductive, "When I first saw you, I was shocked at how small and young you looked- like a beautiful child. When I learned you were still alive, I thought, how did she survive? Kurt told me how you've been abused out here. But you survived Mia, you're stronger than anyone knows. But I can see how tired you are of it all. I can shelter you, take you someplace safe, none of them will ever hurt you again."

Pheromone perfumed the air. She took my face in her hands and gently kissed me, tongue sliding softly into my mouth, over the tips of my fangs. Distant voices made the hairs on my neck suddenly p.r.i.c.kle.

I pulled away. "Leave! Don't come back! I won't rat on you. Go!"

Her eyes registered pain and loneliness. The bronze G.o.ddess was actually flesh and blood? She pressed a card into my hand. "My cell. Call, if you ever change your mind."

"Go, the rain's letting up. They're looking for me."

She rose, scanning, a tigress scenting the air. Dangerous. Unpredictable.

"I'll draw them downtown. Careful."

"Always am." She opened her coat to show a concealed pistol. "You do the same, little sister."

She melted into the trees and disappeared. Moments later, I scented my watchdogs on the bridge above my head. I set off running opposite Leisha's direction. They shouted curses, jumping down to follow me out of the park. I laughed. I'd dodged another bullet so to speak, but my luck was rapidly running out.

NINETEEN.

New Years Eve. The last of the millennium arrived. Although Kurt wanted to spend it with me in New York, Brovik, worried his systems might crash, kept him home to troubleshoot.

Weird night, unseasonably warm and all this talk about the turning of a century and a new millennium was unsettling enough, without Sanjivani's ghost whispering in my brain. I needed to walk and walk, away from crowds to clear my head. I gave Brovik's dogs the slip in the throng milling around Times Square, and headed east toward Fifth Avenue.

Along the way, I pa.s.sed one of those small exclusive hotels Immortyls tend to frequent, where one of my suitors had once taken me for his recreation. I glanced warily into the lobby window as I pa.s.sed, wondering what might be lurking there.

I was horrified to spot a familiar figure seated on a small sofa, toasting champagne with a group of academic types.

Someone opened a door. He caught my scent immediately and looked up. I'll never forget those yellow-green eyes, even disguised with steel-rimmed gla.s.ses. The metal briefcase in his lap abruptly snapped shut as our eyes locked. Dirk smiled slowly, rising to shake hands with the mortals.

Sloughing off my shock, I bounded away, but he caught me at the next corner, backing me up against a building with a knife against my throat.

"My, what do we have here?" He tugged my short-cropped hair.

"You're the proverbial bad penny."

"I've a string of beauties at home. Chasing self-important tarts isn't my line these days. But why not avail myself of the convenience?" His finger hooked the b.u.t.terfly around my neck. "Brovik's monkey gave you this? The diamonds in this case are much nicer." He pushed himself against me.

"Go f.u.c.k yourself."

"c.u.n.t." Dirk clapped his hand over my mouth, dragging me toward a car waiting at the curb. He pushed me inside, ordering the driver to floor it. I bit his hand. He yelped and slugged me hard. That was the last thing I heard. A needle jabbed my thigh and everything went black. Dirk clapped his hand over my mouth, dragging me toward a car waiting at the curb. He pushed me inside, ordering the driver to floor it. I bit his hand. He yelped and slugged me hard. That was the last thing I heard. A needle jabbed my thigh and everything went black.

Severe hunger pangs woke me up but full consciousness eluded me. I kept falling and falling into darkness. He'd bled me. I was chained to a huge old four-poster in a darkened room, overhead track lights spotlighting me. My throbbing head was securely fastened to the headboard.

Dirk moved toward me, his huge naked frame covered in knotty muscle, reddish hair and bizarre tattoos. Lightening symbols decorated one arm and a death's head the other. Serpents twined around swastikas on his chest. The shining stainless steel contents of a small case he held glittered in the light. Small liquid-filled bottles stood in a row on the bedside table.

His skull face loomed over me. "Awake?"