Cain inhaled deeply, and luckily he could still smell the cheap aftershave the vampire wore.

He followed the trail, speeding up even as the street became steeper. It wound around a corner, and Cain stopped for a moment, sniffing again. The scent was becoming fainter.

Shit! He had to get closer.

Cain ran farther up the hill, his eyes searching for any sign of the vampire, his nose constantly examining the air around him until he finally had to admit that he’d lost him.

Cain looked around the neighborhood and realized that he’d reached Twin Peaks, the area where Thomas lived. What had the vampire wanted here? Or had he merely come up here to lead him on a wild goose chase? In any case, considering how close to Thomas’s house he’d lost him, it was better to alert Thomas.

He oriented himself and turned right at the next street, then headed farther uphill. At the bend before Thomas’s house, he heard a noise and stopped, remaining behind the bushes along the bordering property. He peeked out from his hiding place and saw the garage door of Thomas’s house lifting. He was about to step forward and wave to Thomas, when his eyes zeroed in on the scene playing out in the garage. Surprise made him hold his breath.

Eddie sat on his motorcycle, the engine running. Thomas stood next to the bike, his arms around Eddie, his lips fused with the younger vampire’s. Eddie leaned into him, one hand on Thomas’s nape, his head angled for a passionate kiss, one that seemed to go on forever.

Thomas wore only a robe. Eddie was fully dressed in his motorcycle leathers. They looked like two lovers saying goodbye after making love. It was written as clearly on their faces as if they’d shouted it off the rooftops.

Cain stepped back behind the bushes, not wanting to watch their intimate embrace any longer. They deserved privacy, and would certainly not appreciate it if they knew they were being watched. After all, nobody at Scanguards knew they were lovers, which could only mean that they went to great lengths to hide their relationship. And he wasn’t one to nose around in other people’s business. If Thomas and Eddie didn’t want anybody to know what was going on between them, he wouldn’t be the one to divulge that secret.

He was only surprised at himself that he’d never noticed the chemistry between them. It was so clearly visible now. How had it escaped him all these months he’d been with Scanguards?

He’d always considered himself a good judge of people, and figured he’d see beyond the things others were trying to hide. Obviously those two had fooled even him.

Cain turned back and quietly took a path leading between two houses to walk down the hill, not wanting to be seen by Eddie when he drove by with the motorcycle. He would call Thomas on the phone and tell him about the other vampire, so he would not suspect that his and Eddie’s kiss had been witnessed.

34

Eddie parked his motorcycle in front of Quinn’s Pacific Heights mansion and rushed up the stairs. The message he’d received had said to hurry. He rang the doorbell and waited. From the inside he could already hear several voices. Something was up. Before he could wonder what was going on, the door was opened by Quinn.

“I got here as fast as I could,” Eddie said without proper greeting.

Quinn waved him inside. “Come in. You’re one of the last. Thomas with you?”

Stiffening, Eddie shook his head. Did anybody know about him and Thomas? Had somebody noticed anything in the way they interacted at the office? “No, should he be?”

“Just thought he might be with you. He didn’t reply to the text I sent him.”

Eddie shrugged, trying to appear unaffected and walked past Quinn toward the source of the voices. The door to the living room was ajar. Eddie pushed it open farther and perused the room.

He was surprised to see half of Scanguards assembled, and they’d brought their wives.

He turned his head to Quinn. “What’s this about?”

“You’ll find out when everybody else does. So, go and mingle.”

He swept his gaze over the crowd and caught Samson’s eyes. Noticing him motioning to approach, Eddie walked to him, stopping in front of him.

“Hey, Samson, you know what this is all about?”

“You’ll find out. So, how did the meeting with Luther go?” Samson’s eyes seemed to want to look through him.

Eddie evaded his gaze and feigned interest in a spot of dirt on his leather jacket. “Fine.”

“Did you get what you wanted?” Samson continued.

No, he didn’t get the answer that he’d wanted to hear, but he couldn’t very well tell his boss about that without revealing what was going on. He still wasn’t sure that he was okay with the direction his life was taking. As he looked past Samson, he noticed his sister talking to Portia.