But maybe, just maybe, she could have one last, wild ride with her dragon.

She parted her lips, wanting to feel his mouth on hers, to taste his breath on her tongue.

He stepped back. Drew in a deep gulp of air. "There's-I came in here-because Cammie wants to see you."

"Cammie?" She felt like she'd just been doused by icy water. "Why does she want to see me?"

As a rule, she wasn't exactly good with the kiddies.

She'd saved the girl. Gotten her back with her uncle. End of story.

"She won't talk to me," Adam said, running a hand over his face. "She gets quiet every time I go near her." His lips twisted. "She just talks to that boy, and she keeps asking about you."

"Uh, what about me?" She'd probably scarred the kid for life. Dragging the girl through that hellhole, shooting a vampire in front of her-oh, yeah, not exactly scrapbook moments.

He shrugged and looked a bit helpless. "I-I don't know. She just wants you." His voice hardened.

"So I told her I'd get you."

Ah. Now this was the Adam she knew so well. The hardass. The do-what-I-say dragon.

Lucky for him, she was curious about the kid. Maya found her boots. Finished dressing. Her gaze scanned the room. "Where's my gun? My knife?" She'd sure feel better if she were armed in this den of wolves.

"The wolves didn't feel too safe leaving the gun and the silver bullets around you."

Smart of them.

Adam bent down, drew her knife from his boot. "But I kept this for you."

The blade had been cleaned. It glinted, beautiful and deadly. Her fingers closed around the hilt.

"Thanks." Who said the way to a girl's heart was candy and flowers? She'd take weapons any day.

She tucked the knife away, already feeling better. Claws, teeth, and a blade. Yeah, she was getting back to her old self.

Which meant that, pretty soon, it would be time to hunt.

And time to leave the dragon behind.

Damn. Why did that thought make her ache?

CHAPTER 15

Adam watched Maya creep into Cammie's room. His vampire looked nervous as hell and she kept glancing to the left and the right-like she expected to be attacked.

By a nine-year old.

Cammie sat on the bed, dressed in a pair of pale blue pajamas. When his guards had arrived-

they'd flown in the minute he had Cammie safe-they'd brought Cammie's clothes with them. And for an instant, the girl had smiled. An instant.

Cammie looked up at Maya's approach and her eyes widened.

"Uh, hi, kid." Maya rubbed her palms over the front of her jeans.

Cammie stared at her, swallowed, then cast a quick glance over at Adam.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, forcing a smile. Cammie talked to him, but only when she absolutely had to do so. He was worried about the tension he sensed in her, the fear that bubbled below the surface.

Adam eased back, moving to stand next to the wall. He tried to keep his body as still as possible, wanting to watch and see just why his niece seemed so fascinated by Maya.

Hell, maybe it was just a family addiction.

Because the vampire most definitely fascinated him.

The fucking wolf had better stay away from her.

Adam clenched his teeth, fought the burn of jealousy in his heart, and waited.

Maya eased onto the edge of the bed.

Cammie's head cocked to the side. "Can I see your teeth?"

"Uh, sure." Maya smiled, baring her fangs.

His niece jerked back.

"Hey, wow-it's okay. I didn't mean to scare you." Maya rubbed her temples. "Look, your teeth get pretty sharp, too, right? I mean, I've seen your uncle's-"

"I hurt someone." Whispered words.

He saw Maya's spine straighten. "You did? Well, if it makes you feel better, I've hurt lots of someones."

He had to close his eyes a moment at that one. Not exactly what he'd been hoping she'd tell his young niece.

"I…b-burned her. She wanted t-to b-bite me…so I burned her." Cammie's chin jerked up. "I-I didn't mean t-to, I just-"

"It's all right, kid." Maya's hand reached across the bedding. Touched the tips of Cammie's fingers. "You did what you had to do in order to protect yourself."

She shook her head. "I hurt her, b-bad."

"And she would have hurt you." Maya obviously wasn't trying to sugarcoat things. He wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not, but now that Cammie was talking, he wasn't about to interrupt.

"You did the right thing," Maya continued, her voice firm. "Don't let it eat you up inside. You saved yourself, that's all that matters."

"I see her wh-when I close my eyes. I see her. "

"You'll probably keep seeing her," Maya said matter-of-factly. "And you'll hurt and you'll cry and then you'll realize that you're alive, and you're strong. Then one day, those images you see-

they'll just stop."

"When?"

"When you're not scared anymore."

"Do you…ever s-see things that scare you?"

Not likely, Adam thought.

"Sometimes," Maya said slowly.

"Like what?"

What would scare a fierce vampire who'd killed demons and shifters? "Spiders." Maya gave a quick shudder. "I hate those hairy eight-legged freaks."

Cammie giggled. Giggled. But as fast as her lip had curved into a smile, the brief hint of humor faded and sadness flashed across her face.

"What about you, Cammie? What else scares you?"

Adam watched the little girl's hands tremble. "Vampires."

Maya didn't so much as flinch. "Yeah, we can be pretty scary." She lowered her head toward Cammie. "And you sure were introduced to the worst of our lot."

A tear tracked down Cammie's cheek. "Yes."

"Those vamps-they'll never hurt you again. You'll never even so much as see them for the rest of your life." The words sounded like a vow.

"P-promise?"

No hesitation. "I promise."

The little girl's breath pushed out in a rush. "You don't-you don't look like them. I mean, besides the teeth, you don't."

Adam inched forward, just enough to catch Maya's smile. "What do I look like, then?"

"An angel." A flush stained his niece's cheeks.

His gaze shifted back to Maya.

She laughed, a quick deep laugh that filled the room-and hit him in the heart. "Oh, kid, trust me on this, I'm no angel."

"I think you are." Hushed. Cammie's eyes were on her hands. On the fingers that Maya held.

"You saved me. Took me away from th-those m-monsters."

Silence. Maya stared at the girl's bent head.

"I would have died without you," Cammie whispered.

"Your uncle never would have let that happen."

Damn right he wouldn't.

A tear fell onto the bedspread. "My mom's dead."

Cammie was sure opening up to Maya. Adam couldn't remember the last time the girl had talked so much. Even before the kidnapping, she'd never-

"Yeah, so is mine." A pause. "Hard, isn't it?"

A nod. Then. "M-my dad, he's gone, too." Cammie's blond head tilted back as she gazed at Maya.

Adam rubbed his palm against the ache in his chest.

"Your uncle told me that," Maya said, still not looking at him.

"I-is your dad gone? Or is he-"

"I never knew my dad. It was just me and my mom. Then when she passed, well, it was just me."

She finally glanced back at Adam. "But you're not alone like I was. You've got your uncle."

Cammie turned her bright stare toward him, blinking away tears.

"You know what he did, Cammie?"

The girl shook her head.

"He came all the way to Los Angeles to find me-because he knew that I could find you ."

"He did?"

"Um. He was attacked by wolves, and vampires, but he just kept fighting-kept looking for you."

The tears fell faster.

"You know why he did all that?" Maya squeezed Cammie's hand.

The small blond head shook in a quick "no."

"Because he loves you." Maya motioned Adam toward the bed. "When you've got somebody like your uncle who loves you, you don't ever need to worry about being alone or being scared-

because he'll always take care of you."

As long as he had breath in his body.

Cammie's lips trembled. She jumped out of the bed, ran to him, and threw her arms around his stomach.

Maya swallowed. Smiled faintly.

Then she stood and walked out of the room.

Adam held Cammie as tight as he could.

Thank you, Maya.

Shit. She was crying. Maya hurried past the guards at Cammie's door-human guards that Adam had told her that he'd brought in for the kid's protection-and nearly ran for the balcony doors at the end of the long hallway.

Crying. Her. She swiped away the tears and pushed open the glass door. All because a kid reminded her of-

A life long ago. A life she'd forgotten. Tried to forget .

Her temples pounded viciously now. A steady, aching drumbeat of pain.

She'd been like Cammie once. Scared to death. Terrified of being alone.

But she hadn't been lucky like the kid. There'd been no Uncle Adam in her life.

What if there had been? Maybe things would have been different.

Maybe she wouldn't be a vampire.

Maybe she'd be living a normal life. With a husband, a kid of her own.

Or hell, maybe she wouldn't. Maybe fate just had a plan for everyone, and the plan for her had been-

To become one of the monsters that little girls feared.

The terrible throbbing in her head stabbed at her, and Maya winced. Damn, what was happening? Why was-

Come.

Her fingers reached out, grasped the wrought-iron railing and clenched. No, not yet. She wasn't ready.

Come.

The whisper in her mind-not a whisper any longer. A hard demand. A call that cut straight to her soul.

Come.

She stared into the night, knowing without any doubt that the Born Master had risen.

And he was calling his family home.

Come.

The words she'd spoken to Cammie played through her mind, battling that insistent call.

Those vamps-they'll never hurt you again. You'll never even so much as see them for the rest of your life.

P-promise? I promise.

The wrought iron began to bend beneath her fingers.

Come.

A promise had been given.

Cammie didn't need to live in fear.

Maya tilted her head back, gazed up at the bloodred moon. A killing moon. Fitting for Nassor.

Maybe fate had planned this night for him. And for her.

"I'm coming, you bastard. I just hope you're ready for me." Because she'd bring hell to his door.

Adam held Cammie while she cried, cradling her against his heart and silently vowing that she'd never know fear again.

He'd protect her and make damn certain the vampires who'd taken her didn't see another sunset.

He lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the bed. Her cries were muffled now, but her hold was still as fierce and desperate as before.

He lowered her carefully onto the mattress, then arranged the pillows beneath her head.

She sniffled and caught his hand. "I love you, Uncle Adam."

"I know, baby." He pressed a kiss to her brow. It was a nighttime ritual they'd practiced the last five years. "I love you."

"Always?"

"Always."

She smiled at his usual response and some of the fear finally faded from her gaze. He stayed with her, sitting by the bed until her lashes lowered and her breathing eased into the natural pattern of sleep.

Cammie had been the bright spot in his life from the first moment he'd seen her.

He'd never understood how his brother could give her up. So much joy-so much life-in such a little body.

He pushed back a strand of her hair. Hoped that her dreams would be good and that the nightmares wouldn't slip inside.

When he was certain she was settled for the night, he eased slowly from her room.

He stopped to speak to the guards at her door. Guards who'd flown in that afternoon from Maine to protect Cammie. "You stay with her," he ordered, "every second, until I return."

The men nodded.

Adam exhaled. Things weren't finished with the vampires, not yet.

But they damn well would be-very soon.

He followed Maya's scent down the hallway, stopped at the glass balcony doors, and stared out at her.

Maya's back was to him. Her head tilted back as she gazed up at the dark sky. In the distance, he could just make out the glittering lights of the Vegas Strip, shining like a beacon across the desert.

"Do you always mark what's yours?" Lucas's voice rasped from right behind him.

He'd known he was there, of course. He'd caught the wolf's smell the minute Lucas climbed the stairs.

His gaze drifted down Maya's back. Her jeans hung low on her slender hips, and the T-shirt she wore had ridden up, exposing the pale flesh of her lower back and the black etchings of her tattoo.

Not his mark, but it could have been.

Might as well have been.

The light on the balcony was dim, but with his enhanced vision, he saw the dragon tattoo easily, and he knew that Lucas could see it, too.

"You need to stay away from her," he told the wolf, not bothering to turn his head. He enjoyed his current view too much.