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Thatular basis about as much as I liked my father

"Of course he does Hell, Bones would dance on your grave if I quit my job"

Bones arched an unperturbed brow, not disputing that

"You'd just have him pull Don out from under the dirt, Cat," Dave said with a wry smile

I smiled back That's what Bones had done to Dave after Dave had been killed on a job I'd known va elixir, but I hadn't known that if a , he or she could be brought back later as a ghoul

Don coughed "Be that as it erous for you to continue on as bait Think of the bystanders, Cat Whenever there's a Code Red,killed"

He was right Tonight was a priot pretty desperate when they were cornered Add in the fact that I didn't have a reputation for taking prisoners, and what did they have to lose by taking as many humans doith them as they could?

"Shit" It was an acknowledgment of defeat "But we don't have any females on our team, thanks to your sexist rules, Don, and we have another job next week That's not enough time to round up a qualified fehouls, train her to defend herself, and then have her dolled up and ready for action"

There was silence after this pronounceed at his eyebrow, Juan whistled, and Dave cracked his neck

"What about Belinda?" Tate suggested

I gaped at him "But she's a murderer"

Tate grunted "Yeah, but she's perforood behavior, we've pro her out on jobs will be a good indicator of whether she's turned over a new leaf like she's claimed"

Bones gave a slight shrug "It's risky, but Belinda's a vah for the work Plus she's fetching enough to pose as bait, and she'd require no training"

I didn't like Belinda, and that wasn't just because she'd once tried to kill me She also had a history with Bones that involved his birthday party, another va

"Don?" I asked

"We'll try Belinda next week," he said at last "If she can't handle it, then we'll find a suitable replacement"

Using a vampire as bait to trap and kill other va, which was using

"There's oneto discuss," Don said "When Bones joined us over three nificant contribution to our operation hasn't been requesteduntil today"

I tensed, because I knehat that meant To my left, Bones lifted a bored brow

"I won't welsh on our agreee into a vampire"

"Me"

The single word ca to him

"You hate vampires!" I burst out "Why would you want to turn into one?"

"I hatehireement "But you're the one who said it's the person who makes the character of a vampire, not the other way around Which means I would have hated Bones when he was human, too"

Nice, I thought, still shocked by Tate's intentionGood to knoas keeping an open ht

Bones raked Don with a look "I'll need ti clear straightaway" He turned his attention back to Tate "It won't make her love you"

I glanced away Bones had said out loud what I'd been worried about, too God, I hoped I had nothing to do with Tate's decision to be the first person on the tea that drastic because of me

"I love you as a friend, Tate" My voice was soft I hated to say this in front of a group, but they all kne Tate felt He hadn't been very shy about it recently "You're one of my best friends, in fact But a friend is the only way I see you"

Don cleared his throat "Unless you or Bones have a legitis are irrelevant"

"Motivation is my concern," Bones said at once "What if bitterness overwhelms him when he can't pry her from my side, and let me assure you,this for hi reason, he'll have plenty of tiret it"

At last Tate spoke "My reasons are my own, and my commitment to my job won't suffer for them"

Bones gave him a thin s gone, but you'll still be my creation You'll owe me your fealty unless I pere n on for that?"

"I can handle it," was all Tate said

Bones shrugged "Then it's settled If all goes well, soon you'll have your vampire, Don Like I promised"

Don had an expression that was both griret it"

So did I

Chapter Two

I WOKE UP ALONE IN OUR BED LATER ASLEEPY glance around showed that Bones wasn't in the bedroom Curious, I went downstairs and found him on the couch in our family room

Bones was staring out theat the e in the distance Vampires had the ability to sit with utter stillness, as ih to be a work of art Moonlight hter than its deep brown shade He'd changed it from blond back to its natural color to be less noticeable ere on jobs Those faint silvery rays also caressed the dips and hollows of Bones's crystal skin, highlighting his lean, rippled physique His darker brows almost matched the color of his eyes when they weren't lit up by vah cheekbones look even more perfectly etched when he turned his head and sawthere

"Hey" I tightened the robe I'd thrown on, feeling his tension in the air "Is so?"

"Nothing's wrong, luv I'm just a touch nervous, actually"

That got et nervous"

Bones s for you But I don't know if you'll want it"