Amaury pulled against Quinn and Zane, but the two didn’t give an inch. With defiance he glared at Samson. “I’m with you, but if anybody harms her, God help him, because I’ll hunt him down and tear his heart out.”

Samson nodded. A moment later the two New York vampires released him.

Samson’s basement was a veritable arsenal of weapons. The need to survive two centuries of wars had made it necessary to be prepared for everything.

Amaury took his weapons—several stakes and a semi-automatic with silver bullets—and familiarized himself with the blueprint of the building. Everybody did the same. Nervous energy rippled through the room. Again, Samson made sure each member of the team knew their position.

After they synchronized their watches, they stalked upstairs.

Amaury watched how Samson pulled Delilah into the kitchen for a private talk. Nina stood in the hallway. He saw her look at the vampires as they congregated there. Nobody said a word, yet they eyed her suspiciously. Amaury took her aside and stepped into the living room with her.

“We’re going to smoke out Luther.” Did she know this already? He searched her eyes, but found nothing suspicious, only concern. For him?

“Take me with you.”

“No. It’s too dangerous. You’re safer here.” If she was truly on Luther’s side, she would interfere and give their positions away. And in the melee? She could get hurt.

Amaury sensed her apprehension and wrapped her into his embrace. Not wanting to be overheard by his colleagues, he whispered into her ear, “Chérie, please stay here. If anything happened to you, it would kill me.”

Nina lifted her lashes and looked up at him. “You come back in one piece, okay?”

“I promise.”

She attempted a smile, but it was miserable at best, as if she knew of the danger ahead. “Can I take that to the bank?”

He chuckled, trying to put her at ease. “Like cashier’s check—it’s guaranteed.” He took her lips and kissed her passionately. Her arms tightened around him, and her lips responded with the same passion as earlier in the night. No, his Nina was no traitor. She couldn’t be. This kiss felt true, not like a lie.

With his mind, Amaury reached out to her, but before he connected with Nina’s mind, Gabriel’s voice came from the hallway. “Ready everybody?”

Amaury pulled himself out of Nina’s arms. It was time to fight.

Thirty

“I’m hungry. How about you?”

Nina turned to Delilah who stood at the door to the kitchen. “How can you eat now?”

The house was eerily quiet now that all vampires but the butler were gone.

“I can always eat. And right now I eat for two. How about I cook us something? Come, join me.” She waved her into the kitchen, and Nina followed.

“You don’t look fat. I can’t believe you’re eating for two.” She didn’t mean to insult her, but Samson’s wife truly looked perfectly proportioned.

Delilah laughed. “I’m pregnant. Juice, water?” She pointed at the bottles in the fridge.

“Water is fine.” Nina took a seat at the counter. “I was wondering whether you were human or not, but I guess that clears it up. I’m assuming vampires can’t get pregnant.”

“Amaury didn’t tell you? Men, they often forget the most obvious things.”

She and Amaury hadn’t exactly had an awful lot of time to talk. They’d barely discussed their own relationship, if it could even be called a relationship.

“Here.” Delilah handed her a glass.

Nina took a sip.

“I’m sure he’ll explain all important things to you soon. When I first blood-bonded with Samson, there was so much I didn’t know—”

“Excuse me, explain what to me?” She couldn’t follow Delilah’s ramblings, as nice as the woman was.

“The blood-bond and everything that goes with it.” Her hostess made it sound like that was the most obvious answer.

“That’s okay. I don’t really need to know anything about that. Once this is all over I’ll just go back to my regular life. The less I know the better.” It wasn’t like she wanted to write a book about the mating habits of vampires.

Delilah’s face looked distraught. “But, you can’t leave him now.”

“Amaury?” No, she didn’t want to leave him, but there was no future in whatever they had. She wasn’t naïve. Amaury had everything. There was no reason for him to saddle himself with somebody like her. Sure, she could try to keep him interested in her for as long as possible, but at some point he would stray and look for something new. “That’s really just a fling.” She had to downplay what they had. The less importance she gave whatever was between them, the better.