they thought she’d
been hurt or taken they wouldn’t have
wasted time dealing with red tape when
her pack would be doling out the
punishment to her kidnappers. “What
about the van and dead shifters?”
“The cops are running the DNA on them
but they scented at least two additional
shifters not part of our pack. Wolf
shifters.” A soft, deadly growl emanated
from him, filling the room and sending a
chill down her spine.
Her father rarely raised his voice and
she knew that the quieter he got, the
angrier and deadlier he was. In the past
shifters had gone up against him thinking
to make a reputation by killing an Alpha,
but they always failed. While he might
seem like a laid back Alpha, her father
moved like lightning and struck with the
viciousness of a sledgehammer. He hadn’t
claimed southeast Florida easily, but he’d
held onto it for a long damn time. When he
was in wolf form . . . she shuddered. It
was definitely best to stay out of his way
then. “Did they recognize them?”
“No.”
“Is this about business or one of Miguel
or even Carlos’s cases?” Since Carlos
was in the vice and narcotics division, it
stood to reason this could be about him
too. Though coming after her was just
plain stupid, and druggies and pimps were
all about survival. She found it hard to
believe this was related to Carlos.
“Don’t know yet but we’re going to find
out. I’ve got feelers out all over the city. If
anyone knows anything, we’ll know it
soon enough. Until then you’ll have an
escort to and from your clinic. No
arguments.”
Melina wasn’t about to argue. She
didn’t have a death wish. “Okay.”
Her father’s eyes slightly narrowed.
“Why do I feel like you gave in too
easily?”
Grinning, she stood and kissed him on
the forehead. “I’m not stupid. Someone
wanted to take me, probably to hurt you or
the pack. I want pack protection.” She just
didn’t want to be a prisoner, something
her father had obviously realized since he
was letting her work. If he hadn’t, it was
something she’d have fought tooth and
nail.
“I don’t want you to see the vampire
again.” A soft warning.
Her claws nearly unsheathed, her inner
wolf hating the order, instantly rebelling at
the thought of staying away from Kiernan.
She was surprised by the intensity of her
reaction. “The vampire has a name, and
I’m a grown woman. I can and will make
my own decisions about my love life.”
Her father rose. “Melina—”
The office door swung open and her
mother strode in, all five feet two inches
of her. “Nevada.” There was a warning
note in that single word. When her mother
said her father’s name like that, he usually
listened. Melina bit back a smile and
hurried out of the room, only stopping to
kiss her mom on the cheek. Her father
might be Alpha but he didn’t like getting
on her mother’s bad side. And Amelia
Rodriguez had a serious temper. No one
liked to provoke her, especially her mate.
Even though her mom hated the idea of her
dating a vampire she’d never tell Melina
she couldn’t. Probably because she knew
Melina would fight it even more.
Right now she just wanted the chance to
get to know Kiernan, to find out if the
crazy attraction between them had the
possibility to be more. Something deep
inside her ached with a hot, burning need
every time she was near him and she
simply couldn’t ignore it. Part of her
wondered if it was what shifters
considered the mating call. Then she
dismissed that idea. He couldn’t be her
mate; he was a vampire.
Even so, her family’s vendetta with
Kiernan’s coven was ancient history as far
as she was concerned. It was time to put
the past where it belonged.
* * *
Kiernan glared at the smoldering mess in
his living room, but that wasn’t what
bothered him. It was the fact that he’d let
Melina go last night. The most primitive
part of him had wanted to throw her
been hurt or taken they wouldn’t have
wasted time dealing with red tape when
her pack would be doling out the
punishment to her kidnappers. “What
about the van and dead shifters?”
“The cops are running the DNA on them
but they scented at least two additional
shifters not part of our pack. Wolf
shifters.” A soft, deadly growl emanated
from him, filling the room and sending a
chill down her spine.
Her father rarely raised his voice and
she knew that the quieter he got, the
angrier and deadlier he was. In the past
shifters had gone up against him thinking
to make a reputation by killing an Alpha,
but they always failed. While he might
seem like a laid back Alpha, her father
moved like lightning and struck with the
viciousness of a sledgehammer. He hadn’t
claimed southeast Florida easily, but he’d
held onto it for a long damn time. When he
was in wolf form . . . she shuddered. It
was definitely best to stay out of his way
then. “Did they recognize them?”
“No.”
“Is this about business or one of Miguel
or even Carlos’s cases?” Since Carlos
was in the vice and narcotics division, it
stood to reason this could be about him
too. Though coming after her was just
plain stupid, and druggies and pimps were
all about survival. She found it hard to
believe this was related to Carlos.
“Don’t know yet but we’re going to find
out. I’ve got feelers out all over the city. If
anyone knows anything, we’ll know it
soon enough. Until then you’ll have an
escort to and from your clinic. No
arguments.”
Melina wasn’t about to argue. She
didn’t have a death wish. “Okay.”
Her father’s eyes slightly narrowed.
“Why do I feel like you gave in too
easily?”
Grinning, she stood and kissed him on
the forehead. “I’m not stupid. Someone
wanted to take me, probably to hurt you or
the pack. I want pack protection.” She just
didn’t want to be a prisoner, something
her father had obviously realized since he
was letting her work. If he hadn’t, it was
something she’d have fought tooth and
nail.
“I don’t want you to see the vampire
again.” A soft warning.
Her claws nearly unsheathed, her inner
wolf hating the order, instantly rebelling at
the thought of staying away from Kiernan.
She was surprised by the intensity of her
reaction. “The vampire has a name, and
I’m a grown woman. I can and will make
my own decisions about my love life.”
Her father rose. “Melina—”
The office door swung open and her
mother strode in, all five feet two inches
of her. “Nevada.” There was a warning
note in that single word. When her mother
said her father’s name like that, he usually
listened. Melina bit back a smile and
hurried out of the room, only stopping to
kiss her mom on the cheek. Her father
might be Alpha but he didn’t like getting
on her mother’s bad side. And Amelia
Rodriguez had a serious temper. No one
liked to provoke her, especially her mate.
Even though her mom hated the idea of her
dating a vampire she’d never tell Melina
she couldn’t. Probably because she knew
Melina would fight it even more.
Right now she just wanted the chance to
get to know Kiernan, to find out if the
crazy attraction between them had the
possibility to be more. Something deep
inside her ached with a hot, burning need
every time she was near him and she
simply couldn’t ignore it. Part of her
wondered if it was what shifters
considered the mating call. Then she
dismissed that idea. He couldn’t be her
mate; he was a vampire.
Even so, her family’s vendetta with
Kiernan’s coven was ancient history as far
as she was concerned. It was time to put
the past where it belonged.
* * *
Kiernan glared at the smoldering mess in
his living room, but that wasn’t what
bothered him. It was the fact that he’d let
Melina go last night. The most primitive
part of him had wanted to throw her
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