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Angus arched a brow.
Emma dropped her stake back into her bag. "Why would the Russians transform you?"
Phineas frowned and shuffled his feet. "They wanted easy access to some drugs. Their queen bitch is making that poison."
"You mean Katya?" Emma asked.
"Yeah, her royal highness bee-yotch." Phineas waved a hand in the air. "She had her evil minion kill me, then she acts like she's done me some big favor. Made me sleep on the floor in her basement like some kind of dog. And when I tried to go back to my family, she - she threatened to kill them all."
"I'm so sorry," Emma whispered.
"We've stayed here long enough." Angus retrieved his cell phone from his sporran. "Alek could return with a dozen Malcontents. We'll teleport to the townhouse."
Phineas winced. "I ain't very good at that teleporting."
"I'll take you." Angus punched in a number on his phone. "Ian? Ye wanted advance warning. This is it. I'm coming in with two." He dropped his phone back into his sporran, then wrapped one arm around Emma and pulled her close. Then he motioned for Phineas to approach.
Phineas gave him a wary look.
"'Tis either us or the Malcontents," Angus told him. "Do ye want to spend an eternity attacking the innocent just to survive?"
Phineas took a hesitant step forward. "But I don't even know you, man."
"I'm Angus MacKay." He grasped Phineas around the shoulders. "Ye've made the right decision."
Phineas snorted. "Maybe I'm just coming for the Blissky."
Everything went black, but only for a few seconds. Emma's feet landed solidly in the foyer of Roman's townhouse.
Ian was standing by the staircase, his weapon drawn. His gaze passed over her, clearly not seeing her as a threat, then focused on Phineas. "Who are you?" He marched toward Phineas, raising his sword.
"Shit!" Phineas ducked behind Angus. "What's with you guys and the swords?"
"'Tis all right, Ian," Angus said. "I brought him here on purpose."
Ian nodded. "I had to make sure he hadn't coerced ye somehow." He slid his claymore back into its sheath.
Phineas peeked around Angus. "You know, you guys wouldn't have to act so macho all the time if you weren't wearing those skirts. It's called compensation, you know."
Ian grimaced. "Are ye certain I canna skewer him?"
"Nay." Angus patted Phineas on the back. "He's going to stay here for a while."
Ian gave him a dubious look. "Who are ye, exactly?"
Phineas lifted his chin. "I'm Dr. Phang."
"Oh." Ian's eyes widened. "Ye're here for Shanna then?"
"Shanna who?"
"Shanna Draganesti," Ian said. "She's having a baby."
"I didn't do it!" Phineas stepped back, raising his hands. "I don't even know a Shanna."
Emma laughed.
"Ye're no' the father," Angus growled.
"That's what I always say." Phineas planted his hands on his hips. "But does anyone ever believe me? No."
"We believe you." Angus turned to Ian. "He's no' a real doctor. His title is somewhat... honorary in nature."
"That's right." Phineas nodded. "That's me, I'm honorary."
"And he's working for me now," Angus announced.
Phineas blinked. "I am?"
"He is?" Ian looked skeptical.
Emma smiled. Tonight had given her an excellent opportunity to watch Angus in action. She liked what she saw. He was a noble and kindhearted man.
He folded his arms over his chest, studying Phineas. "Can ye fight, lad?"
"What do you think? I'm from the Bronx."
"Ye must follow our rules," Angus continued. "And the main rule is ye can never harm a mortal again. No biting. Ye'll take yer meals from a bottle. Can ye do that?"
"Hell, yeah." Phineas looked at Ian. "Hey, you got any more of that Blissky around here? I'm still hungry."
"No more Blissky tonight," Angus ordered. "Ian, bring him a warm bottle of Type O."
"Sure." Ian strode to the kitchen.
Phineas wandered around the foyer. "You all stay here?"
"I'm just visiting," Angus explained. "Connor, Ian, and Dougal live here. Ye can live here, too."
"No shit?" Phineas's eyes lit up. He peeked into the library. "Cool."
"I expect ye to work for me."
"In exchange for room and board. I get it." Phineas peered into the living room. "Whoa, what a mother of wide-screen TVs. Do you get the Knicks?"
"Ye'll be working under Connor, and ye'll be paid twice a month."
Phineas spun around to stare at Angus. "Paid? Like real paychecks?"
"Aye."
Phineas's mouth dropped open. "No one's ever offered me a real job before."
Angus regarded him sternly. "Doona make me regret it."
"No, no. I'll be cool. I - I need a job. I have family that depends on me. I can send them some money, right?"
"Of course. But ye canna tell them what ye have become, or what kind of work ye're doing. Believe me, they willna understand."
"I kinda figured that." Phineas's eyes glistened with tears. "I have a little brother and sister. They're staying with my aunt, but she's got diabetes real bad, so she can't work. They all depend on me, and I - I've been real worried about them."
"You have no parents?" Emma asked.
Phineas shook his head. "My mom died of AIDS, and my dad ran off when I was little. I've been worried sick about my family. They don't know what happened to me, and those damned Russians wouldn't let me go."
Angus nodded. "Ian can drive ye home for a wee visit." He removed a wad of bills from his sporran. "This is an advance on yer first paycheck. Leave it with yer family, for I canna guarantee how often ye can go back to see them."
"That's cool, brother." Phineas accepted the cash.
Ian came back with a bottle of blood which he passed to Phineas. "I'm Ian MacPhie. I still doona know yer real name."
"Phineas McKinney." He took a swig from the bottle.
Ian blinked. "McKinney?"
Angus smiled. "Apparently he's Scottish."
Ian studied him with narrowed eyes. "I've known a few McKinneys over the years, but they never looked like him."
Angus shrugged. "He's one of us now. After ye drive him home for a wee visit, ye need to start his training."
"What training?" Phineas gulped down more blood.
"Martial arts and fencing," Angus replied.
"Oh hell, brother, I already know how to fence things."
Ian laughed. "We mean sword fighting."
Phineas's mouth dropped open. "You mean I get one of those gargantuan mother switchblades?"
"A claymore, aye." Ian grabbed Phineas by the arm and led him to the front door. "Ye'll be a warrior just like us."
"Cool." Phineas glanced back at Angus before leaving. "But I ain't wearing no skirt!"
Emma laughed as the door shut. "You're a sweet man, Angus MacKay."
He snorted. "I dinna help him entirely out of kindness. The Malcontents outnumber us, and Roman is opposed to transforming more honorable vampires. It puts us in a bind."
"I see." Emma nodded, then smiled. "But I still think you're sweet." He'd seen a goodness in Phineas that many would have overlooked.
Angus stepped closer to her. "So ye find me attractive, do ye?"
"Yes. And I trust you." What a huge change in just a few days. Only Angus could have managed that.
He held her by the shoulders. "Then trust me on this. Ye're in grave danger. I want ye to spend the night with me."
Chapter 16
Somehow Emma didn't feel that a night alone with Angus MacKay would be entirely danger-free. But it would definitely be exciting. "It's not as bad as you think."
Angus frowned at her. "Alek knows ye're the slayer. No doubt he's told Katya by now, and they're looking to murder you."
"Maybe, but they don't know my name or where I live. Until they figure that out, I'm relatively safe."
"Relatively is no' good enough. They know ye're mortal and easy to kill. They know I'm helping you."
"All the more reason for us to separate."
