Kerrelyn Sparks: Eat Prey Love

Caitlyn gulped. “No.” She touched her sister’s arm. “I can’t believe Dad would ever harm his own grandchildren.”

Shanna grabbed Caitlyn’s hand and squeezed. “He thinks Tino is completely mortal. Please don’t tell him—”

“I would never,” Caitlyn assured her. “I could never allow an innocent to suffer.” That was exactly what had caused her fiasco at the State Department.

“Thank you.” Shanna hugged her. “So now you need to know what the job offer is about. MacKay S and I provides security for good Vamps like Roman. And they investigate and hunt down Malcontents. You would get to travel all over the world, using your language skills to help them with their investigations. And you’ll be making the world a safer place for mortals. Would you like more information from Emma?”

“Not really. To be honest with you, I need some time to assimilate all of this. Part of me is still thinking this is a weird dream and I’ll wake up.”

“I understand, but there’s actually more stuff I need to tell you.”

Caitlyn lifted a hand to stop her. “Not now, please. I’m feeling a little…dizzy with information overload.”

“All right. We’ll stop for now. I’m sorry to shock you so much, but when I heard Dad was planning to hire you, I wanted to show you our side of the story before you made up your mind. At least now you have a choice.”

“I’ll think about it.” Caitlyn stood. And she would definitely talk to Dad to see if his story matched up. “Maybe I should go.”

“Oh no!” Shanna jumped to her feet. “You just got here. And you haven’t met Roman and Tino. Please stay a little longer.”

One look at Shanna’s beseeching blue eyes and Caitlyn knew she couldn’t go. She was finally reunited with her only sister. How could she let something like a little vampire problem come between them?

She winced. Okay, the vampire problem wasn’t little. It was colossal. It was freaking bizarre. But even so, she wasn’t prepared to reject her sister over it. Or her innocent young nephew and niece. “I’ll stay, but I’d like to be alone for a little while.” So she could pinch herself to make sure she was awake.

“There’s my office. You could use that.” Shanna’s eyes lit up. “Or you could take a walk in the garden. It’s beautiful right now. The bulbs are blooming.”

“That sounds good.”

“Perfect. Come on.” Shanna led her past the women, who smiled and waved.

Caitlyn waved back, forcing a smile. No wonder she’d sensed how close-knit these women were. They were all keepers of the Big Secret, the hidden world of vampires.

Shanna exited a glass door into the courtyard. Caitlyn steeled her nerves as she joined her sister. Great. Now she was outside with a bunch of bloodsuckers playing basketball. The shiver that skittered down her spine wasn’t caused entirely by the chilly night air.

She reached beneath the strap of her handbag to fasten the top button of her bright yellow cardigan sweater. Her gaze wandered over the basketball players as she looked for the gorgeous mystery man. She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but chances were he was a vampire.

A shocking image speared her thoughts. Shanna’s daughter had black hair. “What does your husband look like?”

“He’s gorgeous.” Shanna led her closer to the brightly lit basketball court. “Golden brown eyes, shoulder-length black hair.”

Caitlyn gulped. Oh, God, please don’t let me be attracted to my sister’s husband.

“Hey, Teddy,” Shanna greeted a young man with a white stripe bleached down the middle of his dark hair and a referee whistle looped around his neck. “This is my sister, Caitlyn.”

Teddy glanced up from his stopwatch and clipboard. “Nice to meet you.” His attention returned to the game.

Caitlyn leaned close to her sister. “Is he…?”

“He’s mortal like us,” Shanna reassured her. “So how’s the game going, Teddy?”

He checked his stopwatch. “Two minutes to go in the last quarter. Claws ahead by two. Oh, another slam dunk by Phineas.” He marked his clipboard. “Fangs are tied.”

“Go, Fangs!” Shanna pumped the air with her fist, then grinned at Caitlyn. “Tino’s on the Fangs team.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened as her nephew floated up in the air to give Phineas a high five. “He’s flying again.”

“Levitating,” Shanna yelled over the shouting players. “See the guy next to Tino? That’s my husband Roman.”

Caitlyn let out a whoosh of air in relief. Roman was good-looking, all right, but he wasn’t her gorgeous mystery man. She scanned the court, searching for him. Now that she could see all ten players close up, she came to a startling realization. Apparently, vampire men were extremely handsome.

Then he broke from the pack, and she forgot all about the other handsome guys. Good God, he was magnificent. Stealthy, graceful, and wild. Exotic. She covered her mouth when a strangled whimper escaped.

And his head turned. His steps slowed to a stop.

Her hand fluttered down to press against her chest. Oh God, he was looking right at her. Her heart pounded, thundering in her ears. His loose black hair was wild about his shoulders. His black T-shirt was stretched tight across a muscular chest. His golden brown eyes narrowed on her and his gaze sizzled through her, hot and electric.

“Carlos!” a teammate yelled just as he hurled a pass.

Bam! The ball slammed against Carlos’s head and he stumbled to the side.

“Carlos!” his teammates shouted in dismay.

He rubbed his head, then glanced again at Caitlyn. He didn’t attempt to stop his redheaded opponent, who took the ball. As far as Caitlyn could tell, he wasn’t paying any attention to the game. He was completely focused on her.

“Uncle Angus!” Tino yelled from beneath the goal.

The redheaded man tossed him the ball. Constantine levitated up to make a basket.

Teddy blew a whistle. “Game over. Fangs win!”

Constantine’s team whooped in victory and took turns tossing the birthday boy into the air. The other team soon joined in the celebration.

Caitlyn noticed Carlos talking to the redheaded man, the one her nephew called Uncle Angus. The two men strode through a glass door leading to the first wing and disappeared down a hallway. A jab of disappointment pricked her. He hadn’t bothered to meet her.

“Mommy!” Constantine ran to Shanna and flung his arms around her. “Did you see me? I made the winning basket!”

“You were fantastic!” Shanna lifted him in her arms. “I’m so proud of you.”

“He scored more points than I did.” Roman wrapped an arm around Shanna’s shoulders and kissed her cheek.

“That’s because Uncle Angus always passes the ball to me,” Constantine boasted. He looked at Caitlyn curiously. “Hello.”

“This is my sister, Caitlyn,” Shanna told him. “Your aunt.”

“Then you know Grandpa?” Constantine asked, his blue eyes wide with hope. “Did he come with you?”

“I’m afraid he couldn’t make it.” Caitlyn ached for the little boy. “But I’m delighted to finally meet you.”

“Me, too.” He grinned and reached out to her.

Caitlyn’s heart squeezed in her chest as she took him from her sister and felt his little arms wrap around her neck. In that instant she knew she could never let anyone hurt this little boy, no matter what kind of blood flowed through his veins.

“Thank you for coming.” Roman extended a hand to her.

She swallowed hard.

Tino pulled back to look at her. “You’re afraid?”

“No, I’m fine.” She quickly shook hands with Roman.

“Caitlyn just found out about vampires,” Shanna explained, “so she’s still in shock.”