“I wouldn’t put it like—”
She slapped him and stormed upstairs.
Robertson moved to stop her, but Matthias shook his head as he rubbed his stinging cheek. “No, let her go, Tim. I deserved it.”
* * * *
Taz locked the bedroom door behind her. What kind of hell was she in? This must be a dream, a coma. She’d been in an accident and was hallucinating in a hospital bed.
She didn’t know who to trust. How could she trust Matthias? He had an agenda, and she didn’t know how to separate fact from fiction.
Yeah, he was cute—he was a hunk. Under different circumstances she’d give her left tit to be in his bed every night. But she couldn’t trust his motivations. She lay on the bed and closed her eyes.
Damn them all!
She wanted to be mad at Robertson and couldn’t. He was family. She wasn’t just a job to him—he really cared about her. Now with the truth out, the fact that he didn’t seem to have any family of his own made sense. He’d done his best to help her, prepared her as much as he could without revealing anything. At any time, she instinctively knew, he would have laid down his life for her, out of love and loyalty.
* * * *
Taz returned downstairs after calming down. She found the three men sitting at the kitchen table. She slid into a chair on the other end, away from them.
“I’m sorry I slapped you,” she mumbled to Matthias.
He nodded. “I did warn you your emotions might run out of control.”
She studied her fingernails. “You ain’t kidding.” She took a deep breath and glanced down the table at the men. “Any ideas what happened?”
“I still don’t know who’s behind this,” Matthias said. “We need to get out of town. I already have a planned business trip to Yellowstone.”
“You do?”
“I originally wasn’t going to take you, but now I have to.”
Another surge of rage washed over her. “Cut the reluctant bullshit. Why don’t you just admit the reason you hired me was to work your way into my pants? Last night proves you can. Quit playing around and get it over with.”
“Anastazia, I told you I will not take advantage of you. Did I hire you to have you close to me? Absolutely. But I mostly hired you because you’re good at what you do.”
She focused her anger on Robertson. “And you had something to do with that.”
“Robertson didn’t push you into your line of work,” Matthias said. “If I remember his recollection of the conversation, you told him you wanted to be a ‘fixer.’ Like him.”
She thought back. He was right.
Damn him.
Matthias continued as if he hadn’t heard her thought. “If I knew making contact like this would put your life in danger, I would have come up with an alternate plan.”
She pushed back from the table, wanting to be as far away from him as possible. How much of her feelings for him were due to his funky vampire charm?
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I’ll stay here, thank you very much.”
“You don’t have a choice, I’m afraid. We leave this afternoon.”
She stared at him. She wasn’t sure what shocked her more—the recent revelations or that statement.
Matthias sensed her outrage. “Anastazia, you don’t understand. Someone wants to hurt or kill you. I cannot protect you if I’m not with you.” His condescending tone of voice did nothing to soothe her ire.
“You just left for Europe for a few days and felt pretty safe doing that.”
“That was stupid of me. Had I known then what I know now—”
“You said you didn’t know what was going on.”
“—I never would have left,” he continued as if she hadn’t interrupted. “Anastazia, you don’t understand. They have a purpose, and they will not stop until they succeed or we stop them. I will never forgive myself if you are hurt. Or worse.”
She stood and started to walk away. Suddenly, Matthias stood in front of her, forcing her to take a step back. He moved so fast she barely saw him.
“Get out of my way, Matthias.”
“No. You have to listen to me. I know this isn’t the way you want to handle—”
She shoved him. It was like pushing against a firmly rooted tree, but he moved.
“I’m not going with you. I’m going to pack, and then I’m taking the first flight out of Tampa to LA, and go back to work for Bob Stanley. I’ve had it with you and this crazy mess.”
“I’m sorry, Anastazia, but I can’t let you go.”
“Try and stop me.” She bolted for the front door. Outside, a guard stationed there turned. Matthias yelled for him to stop her, and she wheeled on the three. Matthias, Robertson, and Albert, who now had something in his hand, all took a step back from the force of her gaze. She turned and focused on the guard again.
Screw it. If she had this seriously wacky hypnotism, by God, she’d use it.
Taz ignored the sickening roll her stomach took as she fixed her eyes on the guard. “Let me out. Now.”
The guard’s eyes widened. Matthias yelled as the man moved to the side, out of her way.
She stepped through the door when something painful hit her in the back, between her shoulders. And as the front porch swooped up to meet her face-first, the world went dark.
Chapter Sixteen
The air in the room felt cool. Taz heard indistinct voices in the distance and a droning noise she couldn’t place. Her head hurt like a son of a bitch. She started to sit up and felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t. You shouldn’t move yet.”
Robertson.
She focused on him. Where was she, and what the hell was that noise? Her ears felt weird—
She was in a plane. The private cabin in the corporate jet.
Goddamn it.
Robertson looked at her and shook his head. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I tried to get to you first, but Albert was faster.”
She worked her jaw, trying to pop her ears to relieve the pressure. “What the hell did he hit me with?”
“A tranquilizer dart. He was afraid you might react badly to the news. Then a syringe of Versed finished you off before you fully came to.”
“He tranqued me? I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.” She started to sit up, and he helped her.
“Taz,” he said quietly, “you had no right to do what you did to that guard. That’s the kind of thing you cannot, must not do. Not unless a life depends on it.”
“I was being held against my will.”
“Do you think I’d let anyone hurt you?”
“You damn sure didn’t help. And you let them drug me?” She yanked her arm free.
“It was for your own good. You must calm down, let us help you through this transition. You were out of control.”
“Transition? You can look me in the eye and call it a transition? That’s so not the word I would use. Hellhole, nightmare, disaster—want a thesaurus?”
He sat next to her. “I know your world has been turned upside down. I know you can’t stand not being in control of your life. I know you’re mad at Matthias, and me, and Albert. I’m sorry. Calm down and look at this from our point of view. We couldn’t risk you turning on one or all of us and hurting someone. You are not a prisoner.”
“Then why the hell couldn’t I leave?”
“Because I agree with Matthias. Until we can get to the bottom of this, your life is in danger. Why don’t you try working with him instead of fighting him? He’s got enough to worry about trying to keep you safe without you fighting us every step of the way. You also need to learn about your new way of life.”
“Oh yes, that pesky ‘I’m a vampire’ problem. Why can’t you teach me?”
He shook his head. “I don’t have near the powers you and Matthias do. My job was to prepare you as much as I could to get you to this point. We had no idea you were as strong as you are. I taught you to remain in control, have empathy for others.
Now you need to put every bit of that to good use.”
She wanted to push him off the plane. “How is the guard?”
“He’s okay. Matthias made him forget what happened. You didn’t hurt him, but he’ll be reassigned to corporate out in LA. He can’t have contact with you. Not until you learn to control yourself.”
Guilt swamped her. “I wasn’t trying to hurt him.”
“We know, but you don’t understand the full implications of your abilities. That’s what we’re trying to tell you. You have to learn.”
“Oh, great. Luke, I am your father.”
Robertson smiled. “That’s not funny.”
“You’re laughing.”
“I can’t help it with you sometimes.” He sighed and shook his head. “Work with us. Trust us. And admit that, in this case at least, you need help.”
She took a deep breath and shoved her anger back. “Fine. I’ll play nice. Can I make Matthias’ head explode?”
“Wait until next year. I’m due for a raise.” He smiled, finally getting a laugh out of her. He squeezed her hand. “Matthias is up front in the cabin. Why don’t you join us?”
Anger tried to regain a foothold, and she struggled to hold it back. This was all Matthias’ fault. If it wasn’t for him, she’d still be in LA, happy and oblivious, working for Bob Stanley and logging a respectable number of billable hours every week. Not almost getting stabbed by something that was a not-demon. “No. I don’t want to talk to him yet. Where are we going?”
“Yellowstone. To a small airstrip just north of the park. We’ll transfer from the jet to a puddle jumper in Livingston, and fly to Gardiner from there.”
“I didn’t pack.”
“I packed for you.”
“How long have I been out?”
“After Albert shot you, you started coming out of it in fifteen minutes. We were surprised, because what he loaded you with should have kept you down at least an hour. He had to dose you twice more before we could get the plane off the ground. You threw off each dose a lot faster than we expected.”
“How long have I been out?” she asked again.
“Five hours.”
“I’m going to pop his head like a grape,” she snarked without much enthusiasm.
“I’m sure that will be a great comfort to him, dear.”
The door opened. “My ears are burning,” Albert said. “Is she awake?”
“Give me a reason not to beat the crap out of you, Albert,” she snarled.
“My dear, believe me when I say it pained me to do that. My priority is keeping you safe. I will do whatever it takes to accomplish that. I’m not out to win a popularity contest with you.”
“Got that right.”
“You must be hungry, after that display. Would you like something to eat or drink? We have soda, tea, coffee—”
“You are a sucky flight attendant.”
“Quite. I can get you something hot or cold to eat. Sandwich? Soup?”
Robertson glared at her. “Mind your manners, Anastazia.”
“I was the one drugged like a rabid monkey, if you remember.”
“Because you were the one acting like a rabid monkey, dear. Please bring her some soup and a water with lemon,” Robertson told Albert.
“And a vodka,” she said.
Robertson shook his head, overruling her. “No. Not after all those drugs.”
When Albert left, Robertson turned on her and grabbed her arm, shaking her. “Don’t you understand? Someone is after you. This isn’t a game, Taz, and it’s not a traffic ticket you can talk your way out of. They are going to hurt or kill you. Unless you work with Matthias, they will succeed.”
“I don’t like being played.”
“He’s not trying to play you. He’s not trying to get you to sleep with him. He’s trying to make you understand his point of view. He’s worried about you. We all are. We will give our lives to protect you, but you must stop fighting us. We need your help to keep you safe.”
She looked at him, not used to him talking to her with that depth of emotion and concern. The parental bossiness she was used to, but not the worry.
The worry scared her.
“I don’t like being told I can’t leave when I want.”
“And we don’t like telling you that. We want this over quickly so you can resume as normal—”
“Ha!”
“—a life as possible.”
* * * *
They transferred from the jet in Livingston. The small prop plane landed safely at the Gardiner airstrip. The town was small but active. It was early summer, tourists flocking into Yellowstone through the north entrance at the iconic stone archway.
Robertson and Albert left to make sure their arrangements were complete while Matthias took Anastazia to a small cafe on Park Street, the main strip through town. She promised Robertson she would behave herself and, for the meantime, stop fighting.
If she did, Albert promised not to dart her again.
They sat on the covered patio outside the restaurant. Matthias looked over his sunglasses at her. “Do you trust me?”
“Not really.”
His eyes twinkled. Her heart jumped, betraying her. Why does he have to be so damn handsome?
“You won’t be disappointed,” he promised.
She didn’t respond, which he apparently took as a yes. She still felt pissed off, but she knew he was trying to make amends.
He ordered two buffalo burgers and relaxed in his chair. “I’m sorry your life has been turned upside down.”
“No you’re not.” She was still trying to be mad at him. Make him pay, mentally at least, for everything that happened.
Childish much? Absolutely. She felt it was her prerogative. She never asked to be brought into this.
Matthias smiled. “Taz,” he said, “you had to find out sooner or later. I couldn’t risk you going to a doctor and falling into the government’s hands. When you were young, Robertson took you to our doctors, so there was never any worry.”
“So dramatic.”
“Truthful. If the government got ahold of you, there wouldn’t be much I could do to get you free. I’m powerful and connected, and fifty years ago, hell, even twenty years ago, I could have easily sprung you. But not today, not with all the high-tech security they have.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“I know it takes some getting used to.”
“‘Getting used to?’ Did you learn the art of understatement from Robertson?”
He looked out over the street, his face an impenetrable mask. Yellowstone’s stone arch was visible across the field. “Anastazia, you have no idea. I have buried more friends and loved ones than you could ever imagine.”
It finally struck her he had a history—a long history—that she was not privy to.
How many women? How many children? she thought before she could stop herself.
Matthias smiled, looking wistful and sad. “No children. None that lived. Health care was woefully lacking back then.”
She forced herself to ask. “And the women?”
He slowly nodded. “I had a wife. We married before my family history was revealed to me.” He wouldn’t look at Taz. “She wasn’t of the line. She died during childbirth with our third child. She was only twenty. I was twenty-one. I haven’t married since.”
“But you’re not a hermit.”
“No, I wasn’t.” He looked at her. “Do you really want to do this? Do you really want to go there?”
Did she?
Not really. “I guess not.”
He fiddled with his napkin. “It doesn’t matter who was or wasn’t in my past. Just like it doesn’t matter who’s in your past.”
“But you know who’s in my past.”
“For your information, Robertson didn’t pry. He ensured your safety and maintained his discretion. It’s not like I had your house bugged.”
Ew, creepy!
“Besides,” he continue
d, ignoring her mental commentary, “while there are men out there who enjoy screwing any woman they can get their hands on, especially when they can have any woman they want, I am not one of those men.”
“Aw, only you could take a potentially sweet comment and turn it totally narcissistic. Any woman you want, huh?”
His voice hardened. “Would you like a demonstration?”
Her heart skipped a beat as heat flooded her face. “You mean, wow me with your undead charms?”
“Don’t call me that. And I wasn’t talking about you.”
Taz’s nerves felt especially out of sorts. Maybe a result of jet lag on top of the effects of the tranquilizers and the stress, but she wanted to bust his balls to Brazil and back for the hell of it.
Because she could.
“Don’t be an asshole, Matthias.”
He leaned forward and took off his sunglasses, squinting a little against the glare, his voice low. “I’m not trying to turn this into a pissing contest, Anastazia. I’m trying to answer your questions.”
“Somehow, you answering my questions always pisses me off.”
“Then quit asking.”
“Right, great way for me to stay in the loop, big guy.”
“You questioned my ability to have any woman I want.” He placed his sunglasses on the table.
Unfortunately, the waitress chose that moment to return with their order. She placed the plates on the table. Before Taz could warn Matthias not to do it, he looked up at the woman and smiled, fixing her with the full force of his deep, blue eyes.
The waitress froze and stared at Matthias. A dreamy smile washed over her face.
The only other customers on the patio were at the far end and couldn’t hear. Deep in the pit of Taz’s stomach, a sick stirring twisted her insides.
“You are a beautiful woman,” Matthias murmured to the waitress, who smiled even larger if it was possible. She wore a wedding band on her left hand.
“Thank you,” she said.
Taz’s heart pounded. She wished he’d said it to her, not the waitress.
Matthias turned to face the waitress. He lounged in his chair, casually draping one arm over the back. “Would you like to go down on me right now? Just drop to your knees and pull my dick out of my pants and suck me off?”