“Being a vampire isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.”

“In what way?” Oliver shot back.

“For starters, no more days on the beach,” Zane responded lightheartedly. For a moment, he wondered whether he really missed the sun. He’d been living in the dark for so long that he could barely remember what it would be like to enjoy the rays of the sun on his skin. Besides, the darkness suited his mood. Particularly right now.

“Like there’s ever any beach weather in San Francisco. The entire summer is fogged in, and when we do get our obligatory three days of hot beach weather, it happens on a Wednesday afternoon when everybody has to work.”

There was some truth to Oliver’s statement. “Yep, the weather is a little temperamental here. Of course, you could always call in sick.”

Oliver frowned. Nope, the kid wouldn’t neglect his duties. His loss.

“So, if that’s the only thing I’m giving up by becoming a vampire, it’s not a hard choice to make.”

Zane shook his head. “The turning is painful.”

“I’m no wuss.”

“Nobody’s saying you are.”

“For gaining immortality and all those awesome powers I don’t mind going through some pain.”

“With all those powers comes vulnerability. Besides, a long life can be very lonely.” Like Zane’s. Lonely and consumed with hatred.

“I wouldn’t worry about that.” He flashed his charming grin. “Imagine, I can have all the girls I want.”

“Right.” As if that had anything to do with being a vampire.

Zane consulted his watch. “I’d better go.”

“See you tonight.”

Zane headed for his Hummer and drove to Samson’s house in Nob Hill. Since it was well before sunrise, the streets were nearly deserted. He preferred it that way.

He pulled in front of Samson’s garage and parked the car. Lights were ablaze in the Victorian mansion. He knew that even Delilah had adjusted her habits to be awake during the night and asleep during the day so she and Samson could live a near-normal life. Well, as normal as living with a vampire could ever be.

Samson opened the door himself and ushered him inside.

“You wanted to see me?”

Zane nodded.

“Let’s go to my office.”

Zane followed on Samson’s heels and practiced in his head how to start the conversation. Unfortunately, he wasn’t one for diplomacy, and there was really no easy way to talk about what he needed to say.

When he shut the door behind him, Samson turned to face him, resting his butt on the massive mahogany desk.

“So, what’s going on?”

Zane shifted his feet and tried to adopt a casual stance but failed. “It’s about my assignment.”

Samson raised a hand. “Hold it right there. We’ve gone through this. We decided that you’d have a low stress, low risk job for a while until things have blown over and we can be sure—”

“That’s not what it’s about. We shouldn’t have accepted the job.”

Samson gave him a stunned look. “What? Listen, Zane, just because you’re not keen on this assignment doesn’t—”

Zane interrupted once more. “We shouldn’t have taken it, because what we’re doing to this girl isn’t right.”

Samson narrowed his eyes. “Are you questioning Gabriel’s and my decision?”

Zane widened his stance. “Yes, I am.”

“Explain yourself.”

“Do you have any idea what her father is asking us to do?”

Samson clenched his jaw. “If you need clarification beyond what’s in your briefing file, I’m more than happy to explain it to you again: she’s a volatile young woman who’s grieving for her mother and acting out. We’re there to make sure she doesn’t hurt herself.”

“Bullshit!” Zane spat. “That’s what her father is trying to make us believe. It’s a lie.”

Samson pushed himself off the desk and squared his stance. “You’d better have something to back up that accusation.”

“Portia’s father is trying to keep her away from any men so she won’t have a chance of losing her virginity before her twenty-first birthday.”

“Get real.”

Zane could virtually see what was going through Samson’s mind. As a father of a hybrid daughter himself, he knew what this meant. And by the frown on his face, Zane understood that Samson would never impose this fate on his own daughter. He would make sure she would lose her virginity well before her body set into its final form, even if he had to line up potential lovers himself.