Maybe he should have told Nina right there and then that he’d changed his mind about the apartment search. Or at least that he wanted to put it on hold until he could figure out what he wanted. But he wasn’t prepared for the questions his change of heart would have raised. Besides, he really didn’t know what he wanted: stay with Thomas or leave?

25

Thomas set the piece of paper he’d studied for the last minute down on his desk and started typing on his keyboard. The new owner of Al’s shop was a corporation, and only a PO box had been given as an address on the deed. Like hiding behind a PO box could really prevent him from finding the people who had bought out Al. He’d already checked the California Secretary of State’s website, but again only found a PO box. Now he brought up a trusted website he often used to investigate companies and individuals who had something to hide and went to work.

K Industries was a Delaware corporation, which indicated that whoever had set it up liked the tax-advantaged status of that East Coast state. Again, only a PO box was given as the address of the company, but upon further digging, Thomas found more. The name of an attorney in California appeared on one of the company documents filed with the state of Delaware, though he was unable to find the names of any individuals who owned the company. It appeared that the company was owned by other companies—definitely a ploy to keep the real owners of K

Industries hidden. He followed the trail of the companies which led him to various off-shore tax havens and finally to a dead end.

This only left the attorney who’d filed the papers. Thomas typed the attorney’s name into the Bar Association’s website and hit return.

“Bingo!” he said as the web search returned the attorney’s name with an address in San Francisco. He jotted it down on a piece of paper and slid it into his pocket. At least he had a place to start. The attorney would have files on his clients in his office. Somebody had to have paid him.

Thomas rose from his chair and walked toward the door. He’d check in with Zane to see if his colleague had found anything else, and then head out to see what he could find in the attorney’s office.

As he opened the door and took a step into the hallway, he noticed Eddie standing at the board where the assignments were posted. Two other vampires walked past him. Desire awakened instantly.

“Eddie,” Thomas called out to him.

Eddie’s head immediately whirled in his direction, his eyes wide as if he’d gotten caught.

“Do you have a minute?”

Looking around himself, Eddie approached hesitantly. “I should be getting ready for my patrol.”

“It’ll only be a minute,” Thomas added and motioned to his office.

Eddie dropped his lids as if to avoid looking at him directly, then brushed past him and entered. Thomas squeezed in behind him and closed the door.

Inhaling, he took in Eddie’s scent. It was just as enticing as earlier in the day.

“You left early.”

Eddie’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’ve got lots of work to do.”

“You should have woken me before you left the bed.” Thomas leaned in closer, noticing how Eddie pressed himself against the wall at his back.

“I just couldn’t sleep anymore.”

“Was I keeping you awake by snoring?”

Eddie shook his head. “You didn’t snore.”

“I’m glad.” Thomas brought his face closer to Eddie’s, dropping his gaze to his parted lips.

Were they trembling slightly, or was he imagining it? “It would be awful if you didn’t want to sleep in my bed because I snore.”

Eddie’s chest heaved. “I, uh, I . . . ”

“Of course, there are other things that may keep you awake in my bed. I won’t always be able to guarantee that you get a lot of sleep when you’re with me.” Thomas let his lips hover less than an inch over Eddie’s and inhaled his heady scent. He felt him suck in a breath. Without pressing against his mouth, he continued, “I enjoyed what we did. Every single second of it.”

Eddie’s eyes closed. “Thomas, I’m not sure . . . I don’t think I can . . . ”

“Shhhh. I’m not making any demands.” Not yet, he thought. But soon he wouldn’t be able to hold back and would ask for what he wanted. “I hope you’re not mad at me for biting you. But the temptation was too great to resist. You tasted too good.” Even now he could still taste Eddie’s blood on his tongue, and the mere thought made him hard.

Without thinking, he pressed his hips into Eddie’s.