before. That’s vampire. European or Russian royalty.”
“You tellin’ me we got a vampire nobleman just deciding to drop in for a visit?” Colt grumbled.
China snickered, crossing her arms. “Since when would that be so strange for you two? You are Cy Jackson’s boys, after all.” She had a point.
Miss Arliss pointedly ignored her. “Based on the size of their dirigible, I’d say it’s either a very small vampire nobleman with a very big inferiority complex or an entire battalion of vampires.”
“Have any idea which royal house it might be?” Remington asked.
Miss Arliss squinted in thought. “Could be Petrov, or the house of Drossenburg. Both have bat wings in their insignia.”
“Nothing like a little subtlety,” Colt muttered. His brother caught his gaze, and Remington knew Colt was thinking the same thing he was. Colt turned toward the female Darkin. “You two stay put. We’re going to check this out.”
“And miss all the action? No, siree,” China spat back, her face hard with determination. Blast. Remington tensed.
In a flash her form began to change. Everything grew smudged and shapeless for a moment as the particles rearranged themselves into the form of a great golden mountain lion. The mountain lion roared, baring an impressive set of white canines, and everyone took a big step back. He’d only seen her transmogrify once into the hellhound, and he still found it impressive and a bit surreal.
Miss Arliss was pressed against the wall, her porcelain complexion a definite shade paler than normal. Maybe she’d never seen a shape-shifter like this before. Only a desk stood between the two of them, and the big golden beast began to pace his offices, its head bent low and ears pinned flat to its enormous head. All that stored up hostility between the Darkin females was plain and out in the open now. He didn’t have time for this, not with vampires outside his office doors.
“If she wants to go out and greet the vampires, I think you ought to accommodate her,” Miss Arliss offered, a tremor in her voice.
Colt grimaced. He pointed at the cougar. “Fine. Come along, but don’t attack unless they provoke. Got it?”
“We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with first,” Remington added. The big cat growled low and deep and blinked in acknowledgment.
“We’ll be right back,” Colt said to Miss Arliss, then opened the office door.
“Unless there’s trouble,” Remington said with a smile. “Then we’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”
Chapter 5
Remington’s mind reeled as Colt cursed under his breath. Remington wasn’t sure if his brother’s reaction was to the vampires looming overhead or to China dogging their footsteps in mountain lion form.
Through the leaded glass doors they could see the dark shadow of the dirigible on the street. It meant the sun was at its zenith. No chance the passengers would come out unless they were fully covered in protective clothing, which left them vulnerable as far as Remington was concerned. So why park the thing smack dab over the center of Tombstone in broad daylight instead of waiting for dark? Clearly this wasn’t an attack. In his estimation as an attorney, they needed something.
“What do you reckon they want?” he muttered as they clomped down the stairs, guns at the ready, the golden mountain lion trailing behind them with soft, padded thumps.
“Hard to say. But make no mistake, they’ll want something,” Colt answered as they swung open one of the double doors to the sidewalk. “You know vampires. They always have an agenda.”
A wash of dry heat, smelling of horse, dust, and the oily scent of creosote, tightened the skin on Remington’s face. The heat shimmered in the air, distorting everything beyond the massive shadow of the dirigible overhead that blotted out the desert sun.
A ladder, constructed of rope and wooden rungs, hung down from the topmost of the three decks of the airship. It swung perilously
“You tellin’ me we got a vampire nobleman just deciding to drop in for a visit?” Colt grumbled.
China snickered, crossing her arms. “Since when would that be so strange for you two? You are Cy Jackson’s boys, after all.” She had a point.
Miss Arliss pointedly ignored her. “Based on the size of their dirigible, I’d say it’s either a very small vampire nobleman with a very big inferiority complex or an entire battalion of vampires.”
“Have any idea which royal house it might be?” Remington asked.
Miss Arliss squinted in thought. “Could be Petrov, or the house of Drossenburg. Both have bat wings in their insignia.”
“Nothing like a little subtlety,” Colt muttered. His brother caught his gaze, and Remington knew Colt was thinking the same thing he was. Colt turned toward the female Darkin. “You two stay put. We’re going to check this out.”
“And miss all the action? No, siree,” China spat back, her face hard with determination. Blast. Remington tensed.
In a flash her form began to change. Everything grew smudged and shapeless for a moment as the particles rearranged themselves into the form of a great golden mountain lion. The mountain lion roared, baring an impressive set of white canines, and everyone took a big step back. He’d only seen her transmogrify once into the hellhound, and he still found it impressive and a bit surreal.
Miss Arliss was pressed against the wall, her porcelain complexion a definite shade paler than normal. Maybe she’d never seen a shape-shifter like this before. Only a desk stood between the two of them, and the big golden beast began to pace his offices, its head bent low and ears pinned flat to its enormous head. All that stored up hostility between the Darkin females was plain and out in the open now. He didn’t have time for this, not with vampires outside his office doors.
“If she wants to go out and greet the vampires, I think you ought to accommodate her,” Miss Arliss offered, a tremor in her voice.
Colt grimaced. He pointed at the cougar. “Fine. Come along, but don’t attack unless they provoke. Got it?”
“We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with first,” Remington added. The big cat growled low and deep and blinked in acknowledgment.
“We’ll be right back,” Colt said to Miss Arliss, then opened the office door.
“Unless there’s trouble,” Remington said with a smile. “Then we’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”
Chapter 5
Remington’s mind reeled as Colt cursed under his breath. Remington wasn’t sure if his brother’s reaction was to the vampires looming overhead or to China dogging their footsteps in mountain lion form.
Through the leaded glass doors they could see the dark shadow of the dirigible on the street. It meant the sun was at its zenith. No chance the passengers would come out unless they were fully covered in protective clothing, which left them vulnerable as far as Remington was concerned. So why park the thing smack dab over the center of Tombstone in broad daylight instead of waiting for dark? Clearly this wasn’t an attack. In his estimation as an attorney, they needed something.
“What do you reckon they want?” he muttered as they clomped down the stairs, guns at the ready, the golden mountain lion trailing behind them with soft, padded thumps.
“Hard to say. But make no mistake, they’ll want something,” Colt answered as they swung open one of the double doors to the sidewalk. “You know vampires. They always have an agenda.”
A wash of dry heat, smelling of horse, dust, and the oily scent of creosote, tightened the skin on Remington’s face. The heat shimmered in the air, distorting everything beyond the massive shadow of the dirigible overhead that blotted out the desert sun.
A ladder, constructed of rope and wooden rungs, hung down from the topmost of the three decks of the airship. It swung perilously
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