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I hadn’t had this nightmare in years Hadn’t experienced the horrible dreaued me as a child But it was back He was back

And he wore the face I’d seen when I touched the brand

Less than twelve hours later, I stepped into the elevator of Claude’s opulent condo building, after the suspicious-yet-polite doorman received perht not live traditionally, but he did live in style The building was set on Chicago’s Gold Coast, the nicknaan The vieere certainly worth the title, but the prices clinched it A person practically needed a pile of gold to buy one

The elevator ticked up the floors, and ht my personal sidear ahy I’d brought a gun with me when I wasn’t on a case Or even on the job Dao And I wasn’t supposed to be running down a case that didn’t even exist

Anger was good It grounded ed on my hair and tried to calm down Fiery redhead was just too cliché Had to keep a lid on the rage, although anger was far preferable to longing for so I couldn’t have After all, it was obvious that Claude struggled with no such emotion

In my hand, I clutched the folded paper The portrait of a psychotic killer But I didn’t need it

I saw him every time I closed my eyes

It was a face I’d seen for the first tihtht straight onto a flight bound for Chicago

A ping sounded as the elevator doors announced that I’d reached the penthouse A short hallway revealed only a single door How hbors? Whatever If I’d had centuries to accuh-rise, too

I’d not allow myself to be intimidated by a shiny apartment

Dressed far less impressively than he had been earlier in the day, Claude answered the door He earing an AC/DC T-shirt and jeans so worn they looked older than er twisted his estured for me to enter, but I paused in his doorway, unsure for a er But I hadn’t expected hieneral rule, just didn’t look tired

"You called the station to check up on me," he said It wasn’t a question

"Of course I did You showed up with an un and no paperwork, and you expected ator do you take me for?" I ached to mention the man from the vision--the vampire Claude kneho he was, that much was obvious But there was direct, and then there was rude And rude wouldn’t get me the answers I so desperately needed

And I wasn’t so sure I should show er drained froht I should have expected that" A hint of a sa rooet me a soda Decorated in an understated style, the condo was lovely, if a bit plain A few antique furnishings and paintings that offered to sweep htened the room and made up for the lack of other personalized touches

And any plainness was made up for by the view The lake stretched so far that a person

Claude swept back in, and I snagged a coaster frolass The coffee table as old and pitted, but in a purposeful style

"So are you going to tell me what this is about?"

He raised an eyebrow at that, and the grin on his face never faltered "What? No accusations ofation is this?"

I shrugged "You’re a good cop, by all accounts And I don’t see you taking et to cash your paychecks"

He laughed at that, and my mouth went dry The man was more than attractive, with his intense eyes that belied his casual look But laughing…damn

So not fair to the women of the world