He stilled. “You’re lying. I can hear it in your voice.”

Cassie glanced at Eve. “Go, please. Take the tunnel. I’ll meet you in New Orleans. We can meet up at Vaughn’s dad’s place.” It was the safest rendezvous point that Cassie could think of. “Midnight tomorrow. I will be there.”

Or she’d be dead.

Eve nodded. She knew all about Vaughn and his father—they’d also been tied to Genesis.

After a grim moment, Cain took Eve’s hand, and they ran for the door.

Cassie sucked in a couple of deep, hard breaths. Think, think! She had to keep Jon out of the lab. Had to keep Vaughn and Trace and Jamie safe.

And Dante . . .

If she went out there to Jon, would he leave the lab alone? There was a chance he might just take a deal. A big might. Her fingers trembled, but she pressed the intercom once more. “I come to you, and that’s it. You let Charles go. You leave.”

“You’re hardly in the position to bargain!”

“Fine, then I don’t come to you, and I stay in here and I shove a knife into my chest.” Totally bullshitting. Would he be able to hear that lie, too? Please, don’t. “Then you can get the samples from my dead body—how about that? Will that work for you?”

His eyes widened. “Don’t!”

Maybe she did have some power.

Jon hesitated, then spat out, “Fine. You come up to me. When I’ve got you, I’ll send good old Charles here down.” His smile was dark and twisted. “But get your ass up here now, Cassie. Now.”

She jumped back and whirled for the door.

She found her path blocked by one very enraged phoenix shifter.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Jamie had found Charles’s keycard tossed away. His fingers were slick with sweat as he slid it across the panel that secured the vampire’s room. The vampire—Vaughn—would be in there, waiting.

The door opened soundlessly. Jamie had his stake in his hand. He wouldn’t hesitate this time. Not even for a second. He’d go in, and he’d make the kill.

I won’t be afraid.

He’d be just like Dante.

Jamie stepped into the room. His gaze scanned to the left. To the right.

He didn’t see the vampire. But, the guy had to be there, right? He had to be.

“Hellooo . . .” the vampire whispered. He lunged at Jamie.

The guy had been on the freaking ceiling.

“Heard you . . . coming . . .” His teeth went for Jamie’s throat.

“You are not going out there.” There was no way Dante was letting Cassie risk her life.

“I can’t let Charles die!”

“He won’t. I’ll go drag his ass back inside.” Easy enough. There was no need for Cassie to be at risk.

But she was shaking her head at him, sending her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders. “Jon will attack you—”

Uh, yeah. Dante was a phoenix. Was that supposed to scare him?

“Let him try.”

“He’s controlling fire. He died. He’s like you,” she said, voice rising. “And if he’s like you—”

She thought that jerk was strong enough to send him to hell, for good?

Dante pulled her into his arms. Kissed her. Hard. Demanding. “He’s another experiment.” He knew that had to be the case. He just didn’t understand how the hell it had come to be. A phoenix made, not born? “He’s new, and I’ve got plenty of age on my side.” Like vampires, a phoenix’s power increased with age. “I can defeat him.”

“Dante, I won’t let—”

“Sweetheart, don’t make me shove you in a closet again.”

Her eyes slit. “Try it and you won’t like where I shove you back.”

He kissed her again. “Let me fight this one. You keep working on your cure.”

He did not want her facing Jon again. That man had hurt her, tracked her—that guy deserved a beat down.

Or a burn down.

But then Dante heard a scream. A long, terror and pain filled cry.

Cassie’s breath caught. “Is that . . . Jamie?”

He’d left the kid in his room. He’d made sure he was safe.

Cassie ran for the doors.

“I’m done waiting!” Jon shouted at the same instant. “Charlie boy is dying now, and that death is on you!”

Dante caught Cassie’s shoulders. “Find Jamie,” he told her as he felt a tremble ripple through her body. “Make sure he’s all right. I’ve got the bastard upstairs.”