Unexpected emotion filled her chest. Tears filled her eyes. She had a vampire uncle. Well, she did if he wasn’t the ghost.
“This ball is moving quite a bit,” Kylie said. “I think—”
“I know,” Della said. “Here’s my plan. I’m going to tell Burnett part of the truth. I came here to see if I could find Chan. He won’t know I’m lying if I tell that truth.” She grabbed the phone to call him.
But before she punched in the first number, she heard a loud crash from the front, and then came footsteps, as if someone, or more than someone, was heading right toward them.
“Shit.” Della dropped the files on the desk, her skin prickling with a sense of danger. She took a flying leap forward to the door. Kylie beat her there.
Della inhaled, prepared to fight as the sound of footfalls moved closer. Then three figures came hauling ass down the hallway. She met the lead guy’s gaze and her fear subsided. The stubborn shape-shifter with beautiful brown eyes stopped running. Relief flashed across Steve’s face. Then the relief turned to anger.
Behind Steve, Perry and Lucas came to a sudden stop. Then all of them moved into the room, looking angry.
“What are y’all doing here?” Della demanded.
“What the hell is that?” Perry asked, motioning to the large duct-tape ball moving on the floor.
“Just a few marsupials,” Miranda said, and ran up to Perry and put her hands on his chest. “I saved Della and Kylie by turning those creeps into kangaroos.”
“I told you this could be dangerous,” Steve growled.
Della frowned at him. “And I told you I’d be fine. And I am, we all are.”
“And we caught the bad guys.” Miranda’s smile came with a ton of pride. “And he’s really bad.”
“You shouldn’t have tried to do this alone,” Lucas snapped, his eyes still glowing orange, but he was looking at Kylie, not Della.
Kylie stepped closer to him. “We weren’t trying to do anything. We didn’t think it would be dangerous, but it doesn’t matter, because we handled it.”
“You could have been hurt,” Lucas said. “All of you could have been hurt. Why didn’t you tell us about this and we could have handled it?”
Della frowned at Steve. What all had he told them? Shit, he had to have told them almost everything for them to be here.
“This was stupid,” Lucas snapped.
For some reason, Lucas’s attitude reminded her of Burnett’s chauvinistic attitude, and the residual anger lingering in her chest swelled.
“Why was it stupid?” Della asked. “Why would we run to you instead of taking care of it ourselves? Is it because we’re girls? Do you think having a penis makes you superior?”
Perry laughed. “It’s not the penis, it’s the strength.”
“Strength?” Della asked, fuming. “You want me to show you who’s stronger?”
Perry laughed at her as if she wasn’t serious. And okay, maybe the twerp could transform into a giant dragon and do more pushups, or pick up an automobile easier than her, but she had speed.
“Strength isn’t everything,” Miranda said, pride in her voice, as she frowned at her beloved shape-shifter. “I’m not very strong, but I saved the day.”
“It could have gone badly.” Lucas glared at Della.
Della glared right back.
Lucas looked at Kylie as if expecting her to defend him. “You all could have been hurt.”
“We could have,” Kylie said, her words not angry, but confident and firm. “Just like you could have on any of your missions for the Were Council.”
“My missions are completely different.” Lucas gestured at the mass of duct tape inching across the floor. “We would have been more capable to handle this.”
Kylie’s chin came up a notch, telling Della that the chameleon wasn’t about to back down. “I hate to admit it, but I think Della’s right. You,” her gaze shifted to Steve and Perry, “all of you think because we’re girls, we’re weak. But we aren’t. And we weren’t doing anything that was dangerous. We came to ask an old vampire a few questions. An old vampire who we knew was into helping vampires. We didn’t know we were going to stumble across a vampire-trafficking organization.”
“Damn, is that what this is?” Perry asked.
Miranda nodded, again looking proud of herself. Not that Della begrudged her. She’d really saved their asses.
Kylie continued, “That said, we dealt with it. And with class, I might add.” She waved at the wrapped ball of kangaroos. “And if that isn’t being capable, I don’t know what is.”
“It’s not about who’s more capable, damn it!” Steve growled out. “It’s the fact that we care what happens to you. Of course, you,” he pointed at Della, “are more afraid of someone caring about you than any situation you could find yourself in.” He stormed out.
Della stood there, embarrassed that Steve had blurted out something so personal. The bad thing was that she couldn’t deny it. She’d take on bad guys any day of the week before putting her heart on the chopping block.
Kylie, looking a little miffed, spoke up. “Look, we’re about to call Burnett to resolve the rest of this. If he’s gets upset about this, you shouldn’t be a part of it.”
A deep frustrated sigh came from Lucas. But when Kylie motioned for the door, he didn’t argue. He left. Perry cut Miranda an almost apologetic look and followed Lucas.
“Male chauvinistic pigs!” Della fumed, her anger still boiling, her heart still aching.
“They can’t help it,” Kylie said. “Holiday says it’s in their DNA. They think they were put on earth to protect us. But that doesn’t mean we have to like it, or accept it.”
“I don’t like it either,” Miranda said, then smiled. “That’s a lie. I do like it a little. I love it when he worries about me. I guess that makes me weak, huh?”
“No, it doesn’t,” Kylie said. “I like that Lucas wants to take care of me, I just don’t like it when he acts like I can’t take care of myself.”
They both looked at Della as if to get her opinion, but all she offered was a nod. Of course, you are more afraid of someone caring about you than any situation you could find yourself in. Steve’s words rolled around her head, bumping against her heart. And God help her, all she could think was that if Steve was so worried about her, maybe it wasn’t really over. Then another unsettling thought hit. Like Miranda, she kind of liked Steve being protective. But contrary to what Kylie said, she did see that as a weakness. One she needed to work on.
Kylie glanced at the moving duct-tape ball of kangaroos. “You’d better call Burnett before they work their way out of there.”
“I’d love to see them try,” Della muttered. She started to dial Burnett and then stopped again. “Why don’t you two leave, too? I’ll tell Burnett I snuck off and did this alone.”
Kylie made a face. “Do you think he’ll believe you managed to do this all on your own?”
Della frowned. Kylie was right. She might have taken on two of the goons, but five would have been too much.
“Yeah, and how are you going to explain that they’re kangaroos?” Miranda asked.
Della grinned. “Well, I was thinking you could change them back before you left, but now that I think about it, when one of them says something about being hopping mad, Burnett will see your mark all over it.”
Della paused and looked back at the wiggling mass of slimeballs. “But you two know he’s going to be spitting mad. I hate that you two will get in trouble.”
“He can’t get any madder than he did when I turned him into a kangaroo,” Miranda said.
“He can’t be that mad,” Kylie said. “We got some bad guys. And we don’t have a scratch on us.”
Kylie was wrong. Burnett seemed mad from the moment he answered the phone. She’d given him the bit of truth that she’d decided to tell. She’d come here to see if she could find anything about her cousin Chan and accidentally stumbled across an organization that was forcing newly
turned vampires into becoming indentured servants. Since the whole Chan bit wasn’t a lie, Burnett wouldn’t know she was withholding.
He calmed down a little when she assured him they were all fine, not a scratch on them. While still on the phone with her, he used his office phone and called some FRU authorities in Houston and had them coming there within five minutes. He would be there in about half an hour. The fact that Burnett could do that amazed her. Just how fast was he?
When she hung up, she went outside quickly to hide her uncle’s file in Kylie’s car. She’d just hidden the file in the trunk and slammed it shut when a peregrine falcon landed on it.
Della stared at the bird. “The FRU are due here any minute. You should leave or you might get your ass in a sling.”
She saw the bird turn its little head first left, and then right, as if checking whether anyone was watching. Then magical electrocharged bubbles started popping off. “I don’t care if I get in trouble,” Steve said, and hopped down to the ground, landing only a few feet in front of her.
Della shook her head. “Well, I don’t want you to get in trouble, so leave.”
He closed his eyes a second, then opened them. “I just wanted … I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry I overreacted yesterday, and then just now in there. I just … worry about you.” Honesty and emotion sounded in his deep voice.
Her chest gripped. “I’m fine. Look, I’m not hurt.”
“Then why are you bleeding?” he asked.
“I’m not bleeding,” she said.
“Your nose.” He grabbed the hem of his shirttail and brought it up to her nose.
When he pulled back, she saw the red stain. She touched her nose. “I don’t even remember being hit.”
“You wouldn’t remember,” he said. “I’m sure you were more worried about your friends than yourself.” He dropped the hem of his shirt and glided his finger across her cheek. “Am I forgiven?”
The soft touch sent currents of breath-catching emotion right to her heart. “I wasn’t the one who was angry,” she said.
“I know, but you weren’t the one who lost their cool, either. And the only reason I came here today was because … I just freaked out about you being hurt and all I could think was I’d been ugly to you.”
She swallowed the lump of emotion down her throat. “I can’t make you any promises, Steve.”
“We’ll see about that,” he said, and smiled.
That was his way of saying he’d prove her wrong. And part of her almost wished he would.
“Did you find anything out about your cousin and uncle?”
She nodded. “It’s true, my uncle was turned into a vampire.”
“Do you know where to look for him?”
“No, but at least I know for sure now.” It was a start, Della told herself, and she knew she wouldn’t stop without finding all the answers. But now she needed to find out about her aunt.
“I’ll help any way I can.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. A soft, sweet kiss. Her eyelids fluttered closed and she longed to lean closer. She ached to be held, to feel his strength around her.
When he pulled back, he had a frown on his face. “You’re still warm.” He reached up to touch her brow.
She caught his arm. “I might have a little cold or something. Now go before you get caught here.”
“A cold?”
“Go,” she insisted.
“Fine. But call me as soon as you can.”
She nodded, and the bubbles appeared around him as he returned to bird form. Then, not wanting to leave Kylie and Miranda with the ball of kangaroos too long, she took off toward the door.
But before she got inside, two dark sedans squealed up in front of the funeral home, and six FRU agents hauled ass out of the car, charging right at her. Before Della could say anything, they had her circled. Two vamps, a were, a warlock, and two shape-shifters. And from the looks of them, they didn’t know if she was friend or foe.
One of them grabbed one arm and another caught her other. Freaking fantastic. First she was confronted by the bad guys, and now it was the good guys.
“Let me go,” she seethed. “I’m the one who called you.”
A snarky-looking shape-shifter moved directly infront of her. Reaching over Della’s shoulder, he grabbed her by her hair and yanked her head back. “You speak when you’re spoken to!” he said in a threatening voice.
Before she questioned the wisdom of it, her kneefoot shot up and caught the jerk in the balls.
Chapter Twenty
The FRU agents calmed down as soon as Della told them her name and repeated that she’d been the one to call Burnett. Well, all of them calmed down except the lead agent, whose boys she’d offended. When he was able to stand, he moved in as if to confront her. The lone female agent, a were, stepped between her and the ball-busted shape-shifter.
“Move,” the angry agent seethed, his hand still fisted between his legs.
The agent looked back at Della as if she was considering it, then refocused on the angry agent. “She’s one of Burnett James’s students, and the last person who affronted one of them is doing desk work in some unknown town in Montana. Do you really want to do this?”
“I don’t give a flying—”
“What’s the problem?” Burnett landed with a thud beside the group.
“She attacked me!” the shape-shifter bit out.
In a clipped voice, and very few words, Della gave her side of the story. The female were nodded when Burnett asked if that was correct. Burnett’s eyes went red with fury at all the agents for coming in hostile when he’d informed them of the situation.
Unfortunately, he saved some wrath for Della, Miranda, and Kylie. Or, at least that’s the way it appeared three minutes later when he set them down on the sofa in the back of the office and threatened their lives if either of them did more than breathe. He didn’t say another word, didn’t even ask one question. He and the six other agents stood around the duct-taped orb of kangaroos, each of them looking more puzzled than the other.
“What kind of animal is that?” one asked, pointing to the snout protruding from one little open spot in the ball.
The female were turned her head and studied the nose. “It looks like…”
“Kangaroo.” Burnett shot Miranda a look.
Miranda smiled, but then she frowned when she saw Burnett’s expression. “How can he be mad?”
“Being mad, for Burnett, is like blinking. It’s a natural reflex,” Kylie said. Burnett turned his head and glared at Kylie. “But don’t worry, he always comes around,” she added in a confident voice.
“I hope so,” Della whispered, studying the team and thinking that one day she’d be doing this. Well, she hoped she didn’t run into a ball of kangaroos, but she’d be working cases. Dealing with bad guys. Heck, it felt damn good knowing she’d helped stop Mr. Anthony from practically enslaving newly turned vamps. Would Burnett see this as a plus on her part? Or would he accuse her of doing something stupid? Knowing Burnett, it would be the latter.
The group of agents started talking about if they wanted the criminals turned back into vamps before unrolling them. The agent who drew Della’s attention the most was the woman. She seemed savvy, but tough as nails. No makeup, not a piece of jewelry. Nothing about her said feminine. Even her hair was cut short.
Was that what it took to be a female and work for the FRU? You had to let go of anything feminine and put on a don’t-mess-with-me attitude? Were all the male agents like Burnett, and a female agent had to constantly be on guard, afraid she might be viewed as weak?
Burnett and the warlock agent walked over to the sofa. “Please tell me you can change them back.” Burnett spoke directly to Miranda.
She nodded.
“What kind of spell is this? Blood or herb?” the warlock asked.
Miranda looked worried. “Mind to pinkie. It wasn’t preplanned or ordained.”
The agent’s brow puckered and he looked back at Burnett. “She
’s lying. It would take a high priestess to pull off a five-part transformation curse off the cuff.”
“She is a high priestess,” Della said, refraining from calling the man an asshole. How dare he question Miranda when the evidence was wrapped in duct tape.
“I’m not a high priestess,” Miranda said, sounding embarrassed. She touched Della’s arm as if to say it was okay. “My mother is, or was. She’s since stepped down.”
Burnett stared at Miranda. “Are you lying about the spell?” he asked, listening to her heart. Della tuned in as well. Not because she doubted Miranda but to check her hearing.
“No,” she said. The little witch’s heart didn’t flutter.
Burnett refocused on the agent.
“But she couldn’t—“
“You heard her,” Burnett snapped.
The warlock didn’t look convinced. “But to do a curse like that would take one of the highest degrees of power.”
“Then I wouldn’t recommend you piss her off by calling her a liar,” Della spouted out. “Sometimes she has trouble controlling herself. Ask Burnett.”
Burnett let out a low growl and motioned for the agent to leave. Then he glanced back at Miranda. “How were you able to pull this off?”
Miranda shrugged. “I don’t know.” The girl’s green eyes grew a sheen of tears. “They were going to hurt Della and Kylie. I panicked and just did it.”
Della found her chest filling up with warmth. Kylie reached over and held Miranda’s hand.
“And you did a great job,” Kylie said. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Me, too,” Della added.
“Group hug,” Miranda said, holding out her arms.
“No damn hugs!” Burnett snapped. “You can undo it, right?” he asked.
“I’m pretty sure I can.”
“Oh, hell!” He raked a hand over his face. “Try to do it. Try really hard. I don’t think our jail is set up to house kangaroos.”
Ten minutes later, the six agents—seven counting Burnett—had the five vampires handcuffed and at the door, waiting for the bus to transport them to the FRU jail. They’d get their day in court, but the evidence they’d found in Mr. Anthony’s phone pretty much condemned them.