With a hate group targeting her, Jessie Coulter’s hiding and hoping to avoid being staked as a vampire. Stupid fanatics don’t even realize she’s not a vampire. At least not yet.

Devon Knight couldn’t get Jessie out of his mind even after she brushed him off. When he learns she’s been targeted by a society determined to exterminate vampires, he steps in to protect the woman who has haunted his thoughts.

Jessie can’t deny the heat raging between them. It flares so hot that it’s impossible to resist. Devon’s discovered her secrets and he’s not about to leave her to face danger alone. Now they both have to survive the people coming to kill them.

Formerly Published in an anthology under the title of Devon’s Vix.

A shiver crawled up her spine. Is someone watching me? Jessie Coulter swallowed and took a deep breath. For the hundredth time, probably no. Steven’s paranoia over the fanatic’s in the Society was really getting to her.

Not that the location was helping much. Shadows blanketed the corridor between the two metal warehouses. The click of her shoes on the pavement echoed in the corridor. Gray walls rose high on both sides, caging them in. It seemed deserted and totally devoid of life, not even a rat scurried along the dusty concrete. Aside from a couple boxes and a trash bin at the very end, the area was barren.

Get control. She straightened. There hadn’t been any threat in weeks. It was just the creepiness of being on the night shift and investigating the warehouse district. A totally deserted warehouse district. Where in the hell are the security guards? The silence around this place was damn creepy.

No sign of any vampire. Much less two vampires fighting like the report had indicated. She glanced to her right. Joe shrugged. Her partner glided down the alley, the black uniform almost as good as camouflage in the darkness.

Nothing like wandering around lost, looking for their target. Jessie touched her shoulder and activated the microphone. “You have anything on your side, Shawn?”

“Not a damn thing. Not even a sign of a disturbance. Nothing destroyed. Are we sure someone isn’t making prank calls?” Shawn asked.

“No, we’re not. There’s nothing here, but dispatch said the call came from within one of the warehouses.” Jessie turned slowly. If two vampires had even roughhoused around here, there should be some destruction.

“So presumed to be a legitimate report,” Shawn said. “Keep investigating. If we don’t find anything, we’ll regroup. If there are or even were vampires here, we can’t ignore it.”

This whole situation stunk, but, at least, it was only a waste of time. It could have been so much worse. Jessie stalked forward as Joe crept along beside her. She rounded the corner. Nothing strange.

Another dumpster rested in the alley, but no destruction and the big, bay doors on the warehouse remained closed with a big padlock still intact to secure them. Everything seemed normal for an area like this. No evidence of even a scuffle happening recently.

She sighed. Why would someone call in a prank call for this place? Not a lot of places to sit, watch, and laugh at the stupid agents wandering around looking for something that wasn’t there.

She eased to the side, peered behind a recycling bin, and lifted the lid to check inside. Nothing other than a whole bunch of trash.

She turned to the end of the alley. A shadowy form appeared at the corner of the building. Jessie tensed. Who is that? No light. No call to identify themselves. The muscles across her shoulders tightened. Unless Shawn and James were being asses, this might not be a prank call.

Jessie’s hand fell to the non lethal weapon at her side. This probably wasn’t good. Her fingers glided over the grip and curled, ready to draw. She took a deep breath and focused her light on the figure.

“Stop. Hands up. Paranormal Protectorate Agents. Who are you?” Jessie pulled her taser as the person took another step forward.

“Just a citizen looking to get a little footage of a few paranormals.” The young, black-haired male stepped into the light. He clutched a phone in his hand.

“Do you see any fucking paranormals, you idiot?” Joe stepped forward.

“I see one who’s going to die and prove that they’re trying infiltrate and take over our society.” The man smiled and raised his phone.

Son of a bitch. Jessie spun, her taser raised. Two men rushed toward them, silver daggers glinting in the light.

“Stop!” Joe shouted as he too pulled his taser.

The men didn’t even hesitate. Jessie fired. The probes hit center mass of the right one. The man jerked as current jolted into him. The man on the right lurched forward, ripping the taser leads away. Jessie reached for her gun.

Joe’s gun roared to her right. The fanatic fell. Her heart pounded. Oh, damn. One at least injured, the other tased. She ran her hand through her hair. Not a good thing. Tonight would confirm Steven’s suspicions. And she wouldn’t be able to persuade him that she’d be fine.

She spun. Is that fucking cameraman going to attack now? He stood there, but Shawn and James stood there as well holding him at gunpoint.

Fucking idiots from the Society of Pure Hearts. Stupid fanatics thought that revealing things like teen vampires fighting or them killing a vampire, werewolf, or other paranormal would somehow make things go back to the way it was before the paranormals had revealed themselves. Yeah, them getting film of a fight or something not known could cause some fear, but nothing would change the laws already in place that protected both paranormals and humans. It was what the Paranormal Protectorate did—enforced the laws and oversaw the conflicts between paranormals as well as paranormals and humans.

“You know Steven’s not going to buy the they’ll get bored and go away excuse again. This is number three and this was definitely intentional.” Shawn shook his head.
“Ambulances, police, and other agents are on the way.”

“Good. Steven’s going to have kittens about this.” She ran her fingers through her hair.

“I think it will be something a lot larger, maybe even in the bovine family.” James grinned.

“Funny. You know I asked for the day shift to hopefully stay out of protective custody, but he couldn’t get me on it until the end of this week.” She tapped her foot on the dusty pavement. Freaking protective custody. She’d barely talked Steven Carson, the commander of the Dallas Protectorate, out of it the first time. And now that was shot to hell. She could be in custody for the rest of her life if they didn’t find a way to catch everyone in that cell.

“I don’t think that would work on these idiots. They aren’t the smartest and I think they’re kind of set in their ways.” James cuffed the man who’d tried to record the attempted murder.

“Blind is more like it. They ignore the most obvious things.” Shawn shook his head.

Jessie looked from the video man to the two attackers. It all seemed too easy. Sure, there had been a sneak attack, but it definitely wasn’t up to par with some of the other Society attacks. She sighed. Probably better to take this as a win. No agent had been hurt and the attackers had been caught. Maybe they’d been overconfident.

The police arrived as well as the agents from the Protectorate. The attacker Joe shot still lived and was rushed to the hospital. They were separated and questioned by both the police and the Protectorate agents. When they finished, she stood with Agent Olson, the man who questioned her, waiting.

“Steven wants you back at the Protectorate. He’s sent more agents to help secure the area here. You’re in danger and he wants you out of it.” Agent Olson glanced toward the van.

She clenched her jaw. Not like she could argue it if she wanted to keep her job. There were some hard choices in her future, but for the time being, she’d do as he asked to have a possibility to return. For as long as she was still human.

Jessie accompanied Olson back to the Protectorate. He pulled up the side where the agency cars were parked. She sighed. Time to get this over with.

She hopped out and strode to the sidewalk. Two men jumped out from between two cars wielding silver daggers. One rushed her. She gasped. He ran, eyes locked on her. Her hand rose, knife grasped in his hand. She glided to the side, twisting his arm. Her heart raced. What the hell? Again?

The knife dropped. He wrenched and slammed into her. She crashed into the side of the Protectorate, bouncing off one of the large, reflective windows. He grabbed her and slammed her into the window again.

“You’re going to die, vampire bitch.” The man grated.

She reached down, grabbed his dick, and twisted. He gasped, eyes widening, but he didn’t release her. Son of a bitch. She shoved. Space opened, and she twisted free. She backed up and pulled her gun.

“Don’t move.” She took a deep breath. When were these attacks going to end?

The man froze.

She shifted on her feet. Fucking hell, would they ever realize she wasn’t a vampire? At least, not yet.