He wanted sin.

Sweetness.

Another step.

She’d left him.

He’d find her.

Another step. Another.

Then he was running. Rushing as fast as he could. After her.

The truck rumbled to a stop. Cassie glanced at the men near her. They looked dazed, and that was the way they should look. She’d told them to forget everything that had happened in the back of that truck.

So far, her command seemed to be working.

She heard voices. Footsteps. Then the doors were being opened once more.

Cassie stood in the middle of the truck. The men were against the back wall.

Jon frowned up at her. “What the hell? Where’s the phoenix?”

She smiled. “Next time, instead of leading your prisoners, maybe you should follow behind them,” she advised him. “That way, you might actually notice when someone escapes.”

He leaped into the truck.

She saw his face—her breath sucked in. “Dante burned you.” She didn’t remember the fire at Keith’s house.

Jon shook his head. “Where the hell is he?”

“He ditched the ride a while back.” Her chin lifted. “And now you’re left with me.” This was it. The moment she’d waited for. “Take me to Vaughn.”

Jon blinked at her.

“Take me to Vaughn.” Her heart was a drumbeat in her ears.

Jon took her hand. Led her to the back of the truck. They jumped down.

And headed toward the long, flat building on the right. Two armed men blocked the door, but Jon waved them aside.

The interior of the building smelled of . . . blood.

“Do your superiors know what you’re doing?” Cassie asked. Just how far-reaching was his madness?

“I don’t have superiors. I do what the hell I want.”

“Do they know that?” Cassie asked, glancing back to the guards. “Or did you tell them all that you’re still working for the government?”

He stopped. Frowned at her. “Where are we?”

Crap. “Vaughn. Take me to Vaughn.”

A woman rushed up to them. Cassie recognized her. The blonde—Dr. Shaw—who’d taken all of those samples from her at the ranch. It was hard to forget someone who’d made her bleed.

“The vampire,” Jon blasted at her. “We need him.”

Dr. Shaw’s eyes widened, but she turned on her heels. Jon kept his hold on Cassie and pulled her down the hallway, following the other woman.

The scent of blood grew stronger.

“Where’s Keith?” Cassie asked nervously.

“I have a guard at his house . . . in case any of your other friends show up.”

And they would. Jamie. Charles. Eve. Cain. It was just a matter of time until they all walked into the trap.

They’d be taken to Jon, too.

I’ll stop him.

One step at a time. She would do this.

Dr. Shaw pushed open a heavy metal door. An operating room waited inside. Vaughn was . . . oh, jeez, Vaughn was on the table, and it looked like someone had tried to carve out his heart.

“Vaughn!” Cassie ran toward him.

His eyes opened. “Shouldn’t . . . be here . . . Go . . .”

“You shouldn’t be here, either.” The fact that he was still alive with that kind of injury . . . he hadn’t returned to a human state. She could see the sharp points of his canines. Fangs.

He was strapped down to that table. She saw the switch for the release button on the straps, and lunged toward it.

Only to find her way blocked by Dr. Shaw. “What do you think you’re doing?” the other woman demanded.

It should be obvious. “I’m getting him out of here.”

“Jon!” Dr. Shaw screamed. “What’s happening?”

Jon shook his head, but didn’t advance.

“Get out of my way,” Cassie said, pitching her voice low. “Just step to the side and get—”

Dr. Shaw started to laugh.

That laughter chilled Cassie.

The chill got even worse when Dr. Shaw said, “Really, half-breed? You think you have enough power to tell me what to do?” Then Shaw’s gaze turned to Jon. “Grab her and hold her.”

Even Cassie could feel the power in the woman’s voice.

Jon immediately grabbed Cassie.

She stared at Dr. Shaw in shock.

“What?” Shaw’s perfectly arched blond brows rose. “Did you seriously think you were the only siren around? How do you think I convinced that crazy bastard”—she pointed at Jon—“to keep me alive?”