Reaper was standing in the field, out in the open, armed but feeling uncomfortably vulnerable, when the black Porsche pulled in. The headlights blinded him, but he quickly stepped aside, out of the glare. The door opened, and a man emerged.

"Hello, Rivera."

Reaper was surprised that the man knew his real name. He'd thought no one besides Roxy knew that. But there was something vaguely familiar about the voice, and as the man stepped closer, Reaper strained to see him clearly.

"Do we know each other?" It was impossible to see him with the blazing lights at his back.

"Turn off the lights," the man commanded someone in the car.

Briar-or so Reaper assumed-obeyed. The lights died, and he blinked and refocused on the man's features. And then recognition dawned. "Gregory Adams?"

"A sharp memory is a good quality in an operative. I see yours hasn't dulled with time."

He remembered the man. A CIA agent he'd worked with once or twice during his former life. And rapidly the pieces began clicking into place. "You're working for the Agency. Now. As a vampire."

Gregory shrugged. "They want you back. A vampire for an operative, one trained to kill, one they can control with a pair of trigger words-can you imagine how valuable you are to them?"

"They know about me."

"They know everything about you, including that you've reinvented yourself as an executioner of rogues like me. Hell, Rivera, you're one of their biggest operations. They made me into a vampire, set me up as a rogue, gave me your triggers. My mission was to lure you to me, capture you alive and return you to them."

"Was?"

Gregor smiled slowly. "I've found I like my new life a lot better than my old one. The power. I kill at will, I take what I want. I've amassed a small fortune already, and all I want is more. More money. More power."

"My power."

"Now you're getting it."

"You'd have to kill me to take my power, Gregor. And that's not going to be an easy thing to do."

"Easier than you think, my friend. Now, let me tell you how it's going to go." He turned slightly, though he never took his eyes off Reaper. "Briar, love. Get out of the car."

The passenger door opened as Reaper watched, and she stepped out. His eyes narrowed. She didn't look well. She looked haggard. She was trying to block but, in her condition, not succeeding. He could feel the pain, the weakness, rolling from her in waves. He shot a furious look at Gregor. "What the hell have you done to her?"

"Just this." Gregor moved his hand, and Briar screamed and dropped to her knees, hands flying to her neck.

And that was when Reaper saw the collar around her throat. He felt ill when he realized..."Stop. Damn you, stop it!" He took a single step toward Gregor.

Gregor held up the remote in his hand. "Uh-uh-uh," he said. "One more move and she gets another jolt."

Reaper went still as Briar fell face-first on the ground and lay there, trembling and moaning. Grimly, he shifted his gaze to Gregor. "All right. Just tell me what you want me to do."

Seth, Topaz and Jack each went to a corner of the house with an apple-sized rock and a haphazard plan. Peg the chosen drone with the rock, laugh uproariously and run like hell. They planned to lead the drones into the forest behind the house, hopefully with enough of a head start to get to the designated spot first, take up their positions and ambush the bastards when they arrived.

While they did so, Roxy would-with luck-be leading Vixen and Reaper to the van and driving them to safety.

Seth didn't even know if Reaper was still inside the house. He was certain Vixen was, though, and if he got himself dead, that was fine by him, so long as the result was that she got out in one piece.

He gave the others time to get into position, waited for Jack's whistle, which was the agreed-upon signal, and then he wound up like an all-star pitcher and let fly.

"His" drone stood at the front left corner of the house and was very close to Gregor's window, which was now Vixen's window. Roxy was crouching in the bushes, ready to rush to that very window and pitch pebbles at it to try to get Vixen's attention the minute the drone was gone.

The rock hit Mr. Big But Dumb right between the eyes, and he dropped like a sack of potatoes.

"Shit!" That wasn't what was supposed to happen.

Roxy parted the azalea bush and peered out at Seth with a look of "what the hell now?" on her face. Seth shrugged and made a slicing motion across his neck with a forefinger. Then he quickly located another rock, targeted the next closest drone and flung his missile.

This one reacted as predicted. He rubbed his shoulder where the stone had slammed into him, cussing a blue streak at the pain and scanning the night to see who the hell had thrown the rock.

Seth stepped out of his cover, sent the guy a smile and a wave, then turned and ran full bore into the woods. He could hear Topaz and Jack racing through the trees, as well, brush crashing, twigs snapping, footfalls pounding in a regular, rapid rhythm, then stopping suddenly when their owner leapt over some obstacle or other.

The plan should work, Seth thought, as he ran, weaving around tree trunks, ducking to avoid low limbs, and leaping over stumps, deadfall and roots. The drones were big, bulky, far from graceful. Powerful, yes, but not lithe or flexible. Meanwhile, he, Jack and Tope could run and leap like freakin' gazelles.

And that was what he did. When he hit the clearing, he could still hear the drones coming, and they didn't sound far away. But Jack and Topaz were there waiting, each standing directly beneath a large tree. Topaz had chosen a willow, Jack an oak. Seth moved quickly to his tree, a sugar maple, and at his nod, they each pushed off, jumping high, catching hold of a limb, pulling themselves into a secure position.

Seth settled into the crotch of the tree and took out his tranq gun. He didn't know how many drones would be coming-all of them, he imagined-but they'd taken every bit of ammo they could find. He hoped it would be enough.

He glanced across the clearing and spotted Topaz, seated far from the tree's trunk on a fat limb, looking as comfortable as if it were a park bench. Tendrils of willow hung before her face like a lace curtain. She was ready. Jack stood in his oak, feet braced on two separate limbs that forked outward from the center, while his back was pressed to the trunk. He was ready, too, his gun in his hands.

And then all hell broke loose as the drones came thundering into the clearing. Seth took aim, then fired. Then he loaded another dart, took aim again, fired again. Two drones fell. Two more, as Topaz and Jack did just as he had. And then another pair.

The tranq guns were silent, the sound of their darts hissing through the night barely noticeable, but by the time the second round of drones dropped, the others knew something was going on and began looking around.

There must have been twenty of them, besides those already out of commission, Seth thought. And within a second or two they were going to narrow down the source of those tranq darts, and probably yank him and his colleagues out of their trees like bears plucking juicy blueberries.

He loaded and fired again. And again. And then one of the drones was looking right at him, snarling, pointing, charging.

He shot the bastard, and the one behind him, but a third was leaping into the tree before Seth could load again.

A dart rocketed into the drone's shoulder, though, and he went stiff, fell backward out of the tree and hit the ground.

Topaz gave Seth a wave and went back to targeting drones. They were on to her location now, as well, surging toward her, but Jack and Seth managed to hit them before they did any damage. One got up high enough to grab her by the leg, and she bashed him in the head with her gun; then Jack managed to sink a dart into his backside, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Dammit, they just kept coming, and ammo was running low. Seth only had three darts left, and he could see at least seven or eight more drones. He shot one. A second went down, hit by one of his cohorts. A third came to his tree and started up it, as a fourth roared toward Jack's tree. Numbers five, six and seven were still on the ground. Two more darts, Seth thought, and fired at the drone climbing up his tree but missed.

The dart landed on the ground as the drone climbed higher. It took a swipe at Seth, hit him in the side and damn near knocked him right out of the tree. Pain screamed through him as he struggled to get his last dart into the gun. He glanced across the clearing for help, but both Topaz and Jack were busy with drones of their own.

Seth got the gun loaded as the drone hit him again, and this time he fired at close range and the dart sank deep into the drone's neck. He released Seth and fell to the ground, landing back-first. The three other drones on the ground looked straight up at Seth and then came at him, reaching for the tree. One jumped and landed on a limb right beside him. Seth had to react on gut instinct, and gut instinct said, "Get out of the tree where the two-ton drone vampire just landed," so he did. He jumped, clutching his now-useless gun.

He had no more ammo. The two other drones were under the tree, and they turned as they followed his progress through the air and onto the ground, and then they came at him, flanking him.

He could hear Topaz struggling with her drone, and the last time he'd looked, Jack had his hands full, as well. Seth was cornered, but then he glimpsed the misfired dart lying on the ground, and he moved fast. He dove for it, rolled as he grabbed it and leapt to his feet again in one smooth motion. Then he jammed it into the gun, aimed at one drone and fired.

The hulk went down, and Seth pointed the gun at the second one. "Hold still now, unless you want what he just got."

The drone stood still, frightened by the unloaded weapon, at least momentarily. Seth glanced over his shoulder at Topaz just in time to see her gun falling to the ground as a drone leaned over her in the tree. Then she jammed a dart into her attacker's chest with her bare hands.

Seth shifted his gaze left and spotted Jack beating in a drone's skull with the butt of his weapon, until the bastard finally toppled from the tree.

Topaz shoved with all her might, pushing the now unconscious drone off her chest and letting his body thud to the ground. Then she jumped out of the tree, bent to pick up her tranq gun, walked calmly over to where Seth stood and shot the only remaining drone, the one standing before his unloaded gun.

The guy went down in a heap, and she nodded at Seth. "You're welcome."

"Uh, thanks."

Jack jumped down, as well, and came to join them. "You both okay?" he asked, but his eyes were only asking Topaz.

"I'm fine. You, Seth?" She looked him up and down.

"Yeah, I'm good," he said, noting that Topaz's eyes were on Jack almost before he'd answered.

"I'm okay, too," Jack said. "Let's get out of here, okay? Before more of these brain-dead lummoxes show up."

"Best idea you've had all night," Seth told him.

Vixen broke the lock on the little cage and opened the tiny door, reaching inside to help the woman crawl out, but the woman in the cage cringed away from her touch, so she backed off a little. "It's all right," she whispered. "I'll get you out of here somehow."

"You're one of them."

They were the first words the woman had spoken, and her voice was weak and raspy-and yet there was an underlying strength to it. A defiance that seemed out of place, given her situation. Vixen was surprised to hear it, and a little bit awed, as well.

"I'm a vampire, yes," she admitted. "But I'm nothing like the one who's been holding you. Although I guess, in your place, I'd be just as wary. He's the only one you've ever met, isn't he?"

The woman nodded shakily, pulling herself out of the cage, then standing straight with obvious difficulty and trying to hold her shredded dress together. "I didn't even know they were real before," she said.

Vixen went to a closet and took out a large white shirt, one of Gregor's. She handed it to the woman, who quickly grabbed it, then backed off and pulled it around her.

"What's your name?" Vixen asked as the woman slowly, clumsily, fastened the buttons with trembling hands.

"Ilyana."

"I'm Vixen."

"What will you do with me, if you do manage to get me out of here?" Ilyana asked.

"Nothing. I mean, help you if you need it, but other than that, what you do is entirely up to you. Though-before you take off, it would probably be good if you'd let me tell you a few things about yourself."

Ilyana stared at her. "What could you tell me? You don't even know me."

"I know about your rare blood antigen, your bleeding disorder, and the weakness and lethargy that have probably begun to show up."

The woman's eyes widened. But then she turned sharply, gasping, as something hit the window.

"Easy. Let me check." Vixen hurried to the window and peered out. Roxy was standing below, waving her arms. "Ilyana," Vixen said softly. "You've been in this room a while. Is there an alarm on this window?"

"No. He opened it tonight, only a little while ago. There was no alarm. I didn't see him do anything to shut one off or anything."

"Thanks." Opening the window and almost holding her breath while she did it, Vixen sighed in relief when no alarm sounded, then leaned out.

"The others lured the drones away," Roxy called as softly as she could and still be heard. "Now's your chance. But hurry."

Vixen nodded and pushed the window up all the way. "Come on, Ilyana. We have to go now."

The woman came to the window and looked out. "There's no way to climb down."

"That's why we're jumping."

Ilyana swung her head toward Vixen, staring. God, she had stunning cheekbones, Vixen found herself thinking. "That's impossible," the violet-eyed woman said.

"It's barely a hop for me. And you're going to have to trust me on this one. You won't be hurt. Just get on my back."

"I weigh more than you do. You can't possibly-"

"You're taller but thinner. Besides, I'm a vampire. I could take three of you out that window without a problem. Now, are you coming with me, or do you want me to leave you behind?"

Vixen turned, presenting her back to Ilyana, and waited.

"I must be out of my mind," Ilyana whispered, but she moved closer and wrapped her arms around Vixen's neck. "Then again, even if we land full force and break every bone in us both, it'll be better than staying here."

"We're not even going to break a nail," Vixen said. She dropped her hands to grip Ilyana's legs, then drew them around her own waist, hiking the woman up higher on her back as she did. "Hold on."

Roxy hadn't liked what she'd had to do, but that hadn't stopped her from doing it. As soon as Seth took off and every drone guarding the mansion had lunged into the woods in pursuit, she emerged from the azalea bush, slipped her blade from its sheath and knelt over the unconscious drone Seth had hit with his first stone.

Quietly and cleanly, she sliced his throat. Blood flowed, though not with the high-pressure-hose-type force she would have expected from a vampire. But then again, these drones weren't vampires-exactly-though she didn't know what they were. His blood flowed slowly, gently, but steadily. He was dead in a matter of moments.

Next Roxy turned and pitched pebbles at the window until Vixen opened it and looked down. Roxy waved at her, told her to come on, and Vixen nodded, vanished, and then a moment later returned to the window again.

Roxy had only an instant to glimpse a pale silvery blond head behind her, and then Vixen was sailing to the ground, her own red hair flying in the wind. She wasn't alone.

She hit the ground, bending deep to absorb the impact, then straightened slowly, lowering the other woman's legs to the ground at the same time.

The blonde got her footing and stared at Roxy, fear in her eyes. She wore a large white shirt, a man's shirt, buttoned and hanging to her thighs. Beneath that, the ragged remnants of a dress were visible. She had hair that reminded Roxy of David Bowie.

"Ilyana, meet Roxy. Roxy, Ilyana," Vixen said. "No time for more, we've got to go find Reaper and Gregor. Where's the van?"

"We're not taking on another-"

"She's one of the Chosen, Roxy. I found her in a four-by-four cage in Gregor's bedroom. We have no choice but to help her out. Now, where the hell's the van?"

Roxy met Ilyana's eyes and nodded once. "Sorry. I didn't know. Shirley's this way. Hurry, before more drones show up."

"What's that mean?" Ilyana asked. "'One of the Chosen.' What is that? And who's Shirley?"

"Shirley's my van. The rest-" Roxy gave her head a shake. "No time for the rest. We'll explain it all to you later, hon. Just come with us."

"We've got another friend in serious trouble," Vixen said. "Ah, the van. Thank God." She'd spotted it in the distance and picked up the pace, running toward it, leaving Ilyana to accompany Roxy at a more mortal gait.

"Where are the others?" Vixen called from the passenger seat.

"Good question. They were supposed to lead the drones into an ambush in the woods, but they were limited on ammo and-"

Vixen?

Hearing Seth's summons in her mind, Vixen held up a hand. I'm here. I'm safe. But we have to go to Reaper, Seth. He's in trouble.

Before she could say any more, he was opening the van's side door and climbing in. He reached for her, but when she drew back, he settled for a hand on her cheek. "You really are okay."

"Yes."

Only then did he notice the blonde in the middle seat, right in front of him. "And you brought us another stray. Welcome to the gang, Blondie."

Ilyana frowned, clearly unsure what to make of Seth. He didn't fit the mold, Vixen thought. He probably didn't seem like a vampire at all to the woman.

"What's the deal with Reaper?" Seth asked.

Topaz and Jack climbed into the back and closed the doors, and Roxy started the van and began driving.

"Turn around, Roxy," Vixen said. "We need to go the other way. I remember the directions exactly. Reaper asked Gregor to meet him there alone, but he didn't go alone. He took Briar with him."

"Hell," Seth said.

"How far?" Roxy asked.

"Not far. Turn right-there," she said and pointed. "Three more miles on the right."

"Got it," Roxy said, and floored it.

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