A cryptic Stay out of it and a resigned I know you won't stay out of it, so be careful.

Was this vamp my soul mate or what?

I dialed his number, but hung up after the third ring. Really. What was I going to say? He would just start questioning me and I would have to lie and, well, that was no way to treat a soul mate. Better to let the whole thing blow over. I wouldn 't have any reason to lie, and honesty was the best policy. Until then? Avoidance.

My mother gushed, "Margie, you're so witty. I'm so lucky to have you as a daughter -in-law," and I eyeballed the small window near the ceiling. No way was I squeezing my b.u.t.t through that, but I could totally flap my way out if things got too deep.

I pulled out my new pink nail polish. I was just swiping my baby toe when Nina knocked on the door.

"You can't stay in there forever."

I finished up the toe and moved on to my nails. "I'm not staying in here forever. I'm escaping through the window in a matter of minutes."

"You can't do that. We need you for Truth or Dare."

"Now I'm really out of here."

"I know it's kind of lame, but it was Mandy's suggestion. She thought it would be a great way for us to get to know one another."

"I lived with my mother for four hundred and ninety-nine years. Trust me, I know all I need to."

"Your ma brought two cases of blood."

My stomach gave a traitorous growl. "I'm not hungry."

"It's imported."

My fangs tingled and I swallowed. "N-no thanks."

"Come on. It's girl time."

"It isn't girl time. I'm here on business. How am I supposed to concentrate and hone my matchmaking skills with my mother here?" "It's just a few days. As soon as you find Esther, we all go home."

"Esther?" I went for a laugh. "Esther who?"

"I saw the b.l.o.o.d.y sofa, remember? I know you. You're like a pit bull. She disappeared on your watch. You're not just going to let it go. Besides, what else would bring you to Texas? And don't give me that c.r.a.p about finding your inner strength. You can do that at Bloomingdale's like the rest of us."

"She's in trouble." I told her about Mordred and the ritual. I ended with a "I know she's here, but I can't seem to get a solid on her exact location."

"You're thinking about it too much. You need a break. Play some Truth or Dare and have a little fun. Maybe it'll help."

"Getting grilled by my ma hardly qualifies as fun."

"Please." Her voice softened. "You can't leave me out here by myself. I might slip up and start crying and then she'll know."

I debated with my conscience for the next five seconds, capped the polish and hauled open the door. "I'll play Truth or Dare, but if she mentions Spin the Bottle, you're on your own."

She grinned. "You're the best friend a vamp could have."

"Don't remind me."

Barry had finished his opening act and Kid Rock came on as the headlining attraction. The b.u.mp and grind melody of "Cowboy" vibrated the air around me and sent a burst of desire pulsing from my knees to my shoulders. My toes sank in the sand.

The breeze whispered across my bare skin and made the concho fringe on my bikini tinkle.

Kid kept wailing about the sunshine shining, and every nerve in my body wound tight. Need pulsed through me. I felt s.e.xy.

Seductive. Ready.

As if on cue, the deep, mesmerizing voice sounded behind me.

"Take off the corset."

"Your wish is my-Wait a sec. A corset?"

I glanced down. Sure enough, the bikini was gone. Instead, I wore a white lace-up, complete with drawstring pantaloons.

The song faded and the wind picked up, whipping at me and plastering the thin material to my skin. I wiggled my toes. Hard, rough wood sc.r.a.ped the bottom of my feet. The floor seemed to tilt and I grasped at the handrail as a wave of seawater welled up over the side and drenched me.

Forget my beach oasis. I was standing at the helm of a pirate ship (a la Rudolfo and Gwen). My heart skipped its next beat as I turned to face my kidnapper.

Okay, so this wasn't so bad.

Ty's blue eyes gleamed with neonlike intensity. His long, dark hair hung loose around his shoulders, framing his handsome face.

He was bare-chested, his shoulders broad, his arms ripped. He wore only a pair of tight black pants that left little doubt that he wanted me.

"Kiss me," he commanded, and I stepped forward. My arms slid around his neck and I tilted my head back. I closed my eyes and brushed my lips against his- "Help!" The cry shattered the whole Stockholm thing I had going on. My eyes snapped open and I twisted around in time to see Esther struggling in the water. Only it wasn't water. It was a thick, sticky crimson that sucked at her.

I tried to jump in, but Ty's arm stole around my waist and jerked me back against his body. He held me immobile while the blood sucked Esther under.

I struggled and the arm clamped tighter.

"Forget about her, dear. You shouldn't be running around, worrying over a lowly made vampire."

Dear?

I twisted, only to find my mother standing behind me. And Nina. And Mandy, who carried a two -headed baby who looked like Eddie Munster and Lawrence Welk.

My eyes snapped open to the dim light of the motel room. I sprawled in the one and only chair. Nina and my mother were piled on the bed, while Mandy snored softly on the roll-away. There wasn't a two-headed baby in sight.

I glanced at the clock. It was five thirty A.M. Still an hour until daybreak. The truth that Mandy shaved her legs only during the summer, Nina had a secret crush on David Ha.s.selhoff, and my ma had once dated Napoleon had obviously been too much excitement for one night. They'd crashed early.

Stretching my sore neck (we're talking one of those plastic upright chairs), I pushed to my feet. My heart chugged like a freight train and my nerves buzzed.

I downed half of one of the bottles that my mother had brought, but it did little to ease the tightening in my stomach.

I could still feel the sea salt on my skin and smell the b.l.o.o.d.y sea surrounding me. Esther 's image alternated with Eddie and Lawrence, and I knew there was no way I was going to fall asleep right now.

I grabbed my purse and my cell and went out for a walk.

At least I intended to walk. To clear my head. To relax.

Before I knew it, I was standing outside the Quick Pick. The store had not opened up yet so Merlin's men were nowhere in sight.

They were keeping an eye on Mordred and he couldn't very well buy cigarettes if the place was closed.

I stood in the parking lot in the exact spot I'd seen Mordred parked. The smell of dried blood still hung in the air and my chest tightened.

The back of my eyes burned and I blinked. I turned and was about to walk the perimeter of the store once again, when I spotted a discarded matchbook.

Kneeling, I dusted off the faded white cardboard and stared at the gold script. The Waldorf.

My eyes went blurry again. Crazy, I know. It was a used-up matchbook, for Damien's sake. It wasn't like I'd found a finger or an ear or something equally gross.

Not yet, that is. Panic rolled through me and I pushed to my feet. I backtracked Mordred's steps to the front door of the store, my eyes peeled for anything else he might have dropped. A receipt. A room key. A map to his present location.

Other than a few cigarette b.u.t.ts and the wrapping from a Slim Jim, I spotted nothing.

I was just about to call it quits and head back to the motel when a strange awareness shot up my spine. My hands shook and my heart paused. I tried to whirl, but a hand shot out, gripped the back of my neck and hauled me backward.

Here we go again.

"C ome on," I blurted as I found myself yanked backward, across the street and into the woods. "The store's closed and Mordred's nowhere in sight. This totally does not count."

"You're an idiot."

"And you're a cheap, fashion clueless goon ..."

My words stalled as two important points registered in my panicked brain. One, I could still feel my legs (i.e., no sedative poking me in the a.s.s) and two, the familiar voice wasn't anywhere close to what I remembered from my earlier run-in with Cheap and Cheaper.

No, this one was deep. Mesmerizing. And really, really p.i.s.sed.

"I knew you couldn't keep your nose out of it," Ty growled. "I knew it."

He whirled me around and my gaze did a quick up and down to make sure it was him.

Black jeans outlined his long, muscular legs. A black leather vest-and nothing but the vest-emphasized his broad shoulders and rock-hard chest. He had his hair pulled back in a ponytail. A black Stetson sat low on his forehead, and I had the crazy urge to yell Ride 'em, cowgirl and hop on.

While I was cruising s.m.u.t Lane, Ty had already made a detour onto Mad as h.e.l.l Boulevard.

He quickly killed the sliver of hope that this was another one of my fantasies. His mouth drew into a thin line. His eyes narrowed into a glare that could cut the average human to the quick.

But I was a vampire. An equal match. A superior one if you bought all the hype my parents had dished out over the years.

I squared my shoulders and summoned my most haughty expression. "Since when did you become my boss?"

"You're sinking into something you don't understand. You have to back off." When I opened my mouth, he held up a hand.

"Don't give me that c.r.a.p about being here on business. I know why you're here. Half of f.u.c.king New York knows why you're here."

I started to deny it but my conscience made me clench. "I have a new client. He owns a ranch outside of town. I'm hooking him up with several eternity mates."

"I don't care if you're hooking up the Loch Ness Monster. You need to give this up and go home before you find yourself in even deeper."

"I can't just leave. He's already paid me a full retainer."

That, and Esther needed me.

"It's too late for her," he said, and I knew he'd picked up on my thoughts loud and clear.

"She won't actually die until the ritual. That gives me almost a week to find her." I wanted to beg for his help, but I knew Merlin wouldn't think twice about killing Ty. Like every Other out there, he considered all made vampires expendable. Worthless.

"The only reason Merlin hasn't killed you is because you're born," Ty said, confirming my thoughts. "He would have to explain himself to too many higher-ups. Unless he had proof that you interfered. Then he could justify his actions."

"You mean his warning wasn't just a warning?"

"What do you mean?"

"I sort of ran into Merlin. He warned me to stay away from Mordred. Actually, he did more than warn me. He had a video camera set up." The reality of what had happened crashed down around me and my hands trembled. "He said it was to record the apprehension so his men could use it as a training film. But it wasn't, was it? He wanted a play-by-play of me crossing the line."

And I'd given it to him.

"I know you like Esther." Ty's voice drew me out of the mental a.s.s-kicking I was currently giving myself. "But is that enough to risk your own afterlife?" He shook his head. "For once, stop fighting what you are, Lil, and go with it. Put yourself first."

Easier said than done.

I'd been born with a conscience in addition to my crackerjack fashion sense. I couldn't even feed Killer generic cat food. I sure as h.e.l.l didn't stand a chance of living an eternity with Esther's death on my conscience.

"Please." Ty's gaze gleamed with emotion and my chest hitched.

"Why are you here?" I heard myself ask.

"To talk some sense into you."

"But why?" The question hung between us for several long moments as indecision warred in Ty's gaze.

You know why. The answer finally whispered through my head.

"I want to hear you say it. If you're really committed to this relationship, then stop holding back."

"Ditto."

"What's that supposed to mean?"