The fear in his gut churned to anger. Without Maya in his life, all light would vanish from it. After the hours he’d spent with her in bed where she’d allowed him to touch and kiss her, he’d felt happier than he ever had in his entire life. He’d floated on Cloud Nine until he’d met up with Zane to get a detailed update on his investigations.

The results Zane had presented had been bleak. Of all possible vampire males who could be responsible for the attack on Maya, some of Scanguards’ own were on the list. A frown crossed Gabriel’s face when he recalled the names on the list: names of vampires whose whereabouts couldn’t be confirmed at the time of the attack. Men he’d known for a long time: three excellent guards from Scanguards, and even Ricky and Zane were on the list.

Zane, straightforward as he was, had admitted to him that he too didn’t have an alibi, at least not one that could be verified—apparently he’d been at some dive fucking anything in sight. And true to his modus operandi, he’d wiped everybody’s memory of him. Apparently, Ricky had done the same at a different nightspot. Considering his recent breakup with Holly, that was to be expected and certainly not unusual.

Gabriel swallowed away his doubts. No, nobody that close to them could be responsible for this. If he couldn’t trust his own people, who could he trust? But still, could he simply dismiss the possibility because they were one of them? Zane had been in Maya’s room when she’d woken, but he had made no attempts at approaching her since. Was it deliberate? Was he staying away from her so he wouldn’t attract any attention?

And Ricky—he’d shown up at the house, and his lustful look hadn’t escaped Gabriel when he’d shaken Maya’s hand. He couldn’t really blame the fellow either. Maya was beautiful. Who wouldn’t lust after her?

The noise of two motorcycles halting in front of the house interrupted his dark thoughts. Gabriel rushed to the door and swung it open to see Maya rise off the back of Thomas’ Ducati. Eddie was riding the second bike. Gabriel had known instinctively that if somebody could find Thomas, it would be Eddie. After all, he spent the most time with him.

Still seething with anger over Thomas’ irresponsible action, he suppressed his urge to run to Maya and take her into his arms. He had to deal with Thomas first and make it clear to him that any further actions that endangered Maya couldn’t be tolerated and would be punished.

As the three marched toward him, Gabriel stepped aside to let them enter. He slammed the door as soon as they were inside the foyer.

“Did you have any idea what you were doing, Thomas?” Gabriel thundered. “Maya  could have been attacked out there.”

“Gabriel, she was never in any danger.”

Gabriel crossed the distance between him and Thomas and went nose-to-nose with him. “You had no right to take her out of the house and put her at risk. I forbid you to—”

“Gabriel, stop!” Maya cut in. He snapped his head toward her and found her standing with her hands at her hips. “That’s enough. I asked Thomas to get me out of the house. I’ve been cooped up here for days. You can’t keep me locked up here forever.”

“Is that what you thought? That I’m keeping you prisoner?” All he’d done was protect her. Didn’t she realize that?

“It sure feels like it,” she grumbled under her breath, but Gabriel had no trouble picking up her words. They hurt.

“I was only trying to protect you. The rogue is still out there. He could strike at any time—you’re not safe out there.”

“I’m not safe anywhere! But you can’t protect me from everything.”

“I can,” Gabriel protested. “And I will. Even if I have to—”

“Lock me up and watch me twenty-four hours a day?” Maya tilted her chin up, defiance clearly written in her beautiful face.

“That’s not what I wanted to say.”

“But you were thinking it. I’ve led an independent life up till now. And I won’t change that—not for you or anybody else. Nobody will control me.”

He took a step toward her, but she raised her hand, making him stop in his tracks.

“I have to be able to defend myself. I can’t rely on somebody else to be there for me all the time.” She turned.

“Maya, listen.”

But she continued up the stairs. “I’m going to sleep. My mind-control lesson with Thomas has exhausted me.”

Mind-control lesson? Gabriel spun around to face Thomas, who still stood in the hallway together with Eddie.