"How did they get a news chopper?" I asked. The helicopter had the logo for one of the local channels painted on it.
"Good question, let's check," Tony grinned and walked over to one of the FBI agents. They talked for a while, with Tony nodding occasionally. I didn't listen in.
"They say the news channel didn't report a missing chopper and all of theirs are accounted for so this one was fixed up," Tony told me. "I'm sure they thought they could bluff long enough to take their shot and after that, it wouldn't matter."
"These weren't Middle Eastern terrorists," I said, looking Tony in the eye.
"No, they're not," he sighed. I didn't tell him what I feared the most over the whole thing—I was afraid that Saxom's progeny were now pulling strings big time, trying to cause a major rift somehow or bring about global warfare. One or two of the men in the chopper might have had ties to terrorists, but I couldn't say that for sure. All it would take, though, would be a rumor to get the fear started.
"Don't worry, we'll keep this under wraps," Tony was reading my mind. I just hoped he could continue to keep this secret while those behind all this were taken down quietly.
"Lissa, how did you get inside that chopper?" Dusty came over to ask his question.
"You want I should show you?" I quipped, offering the agent a smile.
"Is it dangerous?" He quirked an eyebrow at me.
"No. Come over here by the SUV." He followed me until we were behind Tony's vehicle. I grabbed his hand, turning both of us to mist. There were planes parked at gates along a nearby terminal—some of them loading and unloading passengers. I took him inside one of the planes easily, setting him down in a seat at the back of the plane. Dusty stared at me as if he wanted to laugh, scream, or both.
"Now, we need to leave before somebody comes to claim their seats," I said and got us out of the plane as easily as we'd gotten aboard in the first place.
"That's a really rare talent," Tony was waiting for us when we got back. "I expect you to keep quiet about this, Agent Howell, or you'll place Lissa's life in danger."
Dusty nodded, his eyes wide. Normally I'd have placed compulsion for him to forget about this and I might still. But Tony had given away most of my secrets. What was left?
"Do people become vampire if you bite them?" Bill asked questions on the drive to the hotel. Agent White laughed.
"No," Townsend answered. "It takes a long and complicated process to make a vampire. You're not an ideal candidate. None of you are." That offended them, I could tell.
"You're not an ideal candidate because you're young and healthy," I explained. "In addition to it being hard to do a turn, the candidate must be of good character and death must be imminent. They don't take people who are in good condition. What would be the point?"
"What about werewolves? Do you become one of those if they bite you?" Arthur asked.
"You've been watching too many scary movies," I said. "Werewolves are born, not bitten. Get that out of your head right now."
"But you seem so benign," Dusty said.
"We are, until we rip somebody's head off," Agent White nodded. "Just ask those four guys in the chopper."
"I saw them," Bill said. He had—four bodies, with separated heads, had been hauled away by the FBI.
"Don't ever take the wolves for granted, either," I said. "They appear human, work as humans. There are a few I know that are in the military or are lawyers and doctors, even. That doesn't mean they don't go howl at the moon or can't track a scent for miles. They can and do."
"So, what happens if you bite someone, then?" Dusty was back to the question.
"Agent Howell, if a vampire bites you, it'll be the best sex you've ever had," Tony grinned.
"He's kidding, isn't he?" Dusty laughed.
"Um, well." I didn't finish, Agent Townsend did.
"He's not kidding."
"Even if a guy bites?"
"They can withhold it if they want," Agent White said, "but trust me, it's better with the climax. You don't notice the teeth in your throat so much."
"Tony, are you sure telling them all this is in their best interest?" I asked when Tony and I walked behind the others into the hotel. "I'm not sure it's in my best interest."
"I'll have White place compulsion and tell them to forget he placed it," Tony soothed. "Nobody's gonna rat out my baby." He put an arm around my shoulders.
"Tony, what are you doing?"
"What I should have done earlier. You saved our asses, Lissa. I ordered more wigs for you, by the way. This is your last one," he flipped a strand of my expensive, human hair wig. "And since you lost the others in the line of duty," he grinned at me.
"You really are a piece of work, you know that?"
"I do. Just ask me, I'll tell you all about it."
"When you were young and fought with your brother, who won?" I asked tartly.
"How do you think I was so well-prepared for Special Ops?" he chuckled.
"You lunatic."
"Nah, that's my brother."
"Tony, there's something you should know."
"What's that, baby?" He pulled me against him. The others had already gone upstairs; we were waiting for another elevator.
"These two vampires from the house in Georgia? They were probably under the influence of someone else's compulsion. This last one seemed to be waiting for the building to blow while he was inside it. Plus, these two were brothers. I can smell the kinship."
"Do you think White and Townsend can do that?" Tony turned to face me, placing hands on both sides of my jaw, his thumbs stroking my cheeks.
"I don't know," I sighed. "The two oldest vampires I know can't do it."
"Is your fiancé one of those?" Tony leaned forward and kissed my forehead.
"No, but he's not far behind them," I mumbled against his chest. It felt good to lean against him like that—to let his heartbeat soothe me.
"I always heard that the older the vampire, the more dangerous they are," Tony said softly.
"They don't live that long by being nice all the time," I replied. We took the fourth elevator that came along so the others wouldn't come looking for us.
"We have to get going," White and Townsend were leaving Tony's suite when we arrived. "I placed compulsion already; they won't know anything if somebody asks them about us," Ken White grinned. "And they don't remember the compulsion, either. I sent them to their rooms to sleep. If you need additional security, besides Lissa here," he turned his grin on me, "you'll have to send for it yourself."