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Now wasn’t any different when his hand slid over her shoulders, gently massaging the tension knots. “For real, though, I’m worried about you. Even Gio said you’re different than you used to be. Something’s off. It’s not just the stalker, right? Do you want to talk about it?”
She stiffened despite the massage. “I’m fine. I just think jumping back into the mate tour right after all the world-ending drama taking down the old Council was a little draining. Lots of pressure to keep up with the news and be relevant. I’ve been thinking about leaving the tour and going out and doing interviews with vampires or their former victims. Just a lot on my mind and things to work through.”
“I think people would eat that up, but it might be a little…”
“Dangerous? I know. Ava wouldn’t let me right now, and I don’t know if now is the best time, anyway. Things are still too fresh with their trauma. But maybe in a couple months I can convince her.”
There was no way Ava would allow it. Not after how easily vampires had been manipulating and kidnapping mostly femaleshifters over the years. Both men and women worked for blood slaves, but females tended to be easier to kidnap, and easier to manipulate, leaving them to use kidnapped male shifters as controlled muscle. Vampires had eventually come to a truce with the Alliance as a whole, but individually, the vamps were still going rogue, and dangerous to be around.
“Good luck with that.” He snorted, then squeezed her arms before moving away.
“If y’all are done, I’m going to bed.”
“For now. Gio’s girl had to go back to her room, but I wouldn’t rule out another round.”
She groaned and cracked her back, closing her laptop as she stood. “Ugh. Maybe I can get a couple hours sleep then. Close the door on your way through.”
“Nope. Door open until we find the stalker. I’ll check the cameras from the hotel in the morning. Night, Bai.”
“Night, Kee.”
Flipping off all her electronics, she climbed back into bed, finally exhausted. She knew they wouldn’t find anything on the cameras tomorrow, but she didn’t say that. She had checked her own, and when the stalker placed his notes, the camera feeds had gone black long enough for him to get in and get out. He had to have a video jammer. The only glimpse she had gotten of him was when she possibly saw him at the corner of the bar when he dropped the note into the tip jar. Before, her assessment of his behavior had her thinking he was an outcast, a loner and probably someone who couldn’t get women to pay attention to him. But the figure she saw in the shadows was large, ominous, and stealthy. Without being near him, she could only guess, but she had a sinking feeling he was an alpha. And once one of those latched on, he’d never let it go.
No, she wouldn’t be sharing that information with Keoni or Gio. Not if she wanted to keep living her life the way she wanted.
Chapter 3
Monday, November 1
9:45 a.m.
Strong arms closed around her, and she was yanked from her nightmarish dreams. With a gasp, she opened her eyes, looking around wildly. Reality broke through and the faceless man in her dreams disappeared.
“It’s me. You’re okay. I got you.” Gio’s scent enveloped her, so she forced herself to relax and pull away, but he held on tightly.
“Let me up, you’re crushing me. I can’t breathe, damnit.”
Reluctantly, he released her, and she rolled to her knees away from him, trying to recover from her dream. Like all her dreams lately, it had started with the overwhelming scent of her mate invading her senses, and the usual lust crowding her body. Normally, she leaned into it, allowing herself that small moment of weakness in her sleep. But tonight, her normal dream had turned dangerous, and the faceless body of her mate had morphed into the chilling thought that this was her stalker. He had hovered over her, pinning her hands down, and his kisses on her neck had turned into bites, his canines ripping out her throat. Soundless screams gargled and died in her dreams, so she was grateful Gio had woken her, but she looked up at him now, confused at his presence.
“You were screaming in your sleep. I could smell your fear—come here.” He reached for her, and her first instinct was to resist, but he was right. She needed to calm down, and she didn’t have the energy to resist right now. Her back to his chest, she let him spoon her, and slowly, her heartbeat slowed, and she could think again. His big hand splayed across her chest, his thumb making small circles on her collarbone. She could feel the evenness of his breath in her hair and soon, she was breathing normally, almost asleep yet again.
When the banging on her blocked door jerked her out of the half-sleep she had fallen into, they both sat straight up. Gio jumped up, passing through the door to his and Keoni’s room, pointing at her. “Stay in here.”
Once he disappeared through the adjoining door wearing only basketball shorts, she heard Keoni join him at their hallway door.
“Like hell.” She wasn’t going to sit back and let them handle her stalker without her. Yanking her baby-pink short robe over her matching pajama set, she moved quickly to join them. She had just gotten to their living area when they opened the door to the hallway together, Keoni first. She couldn’t see past their big bodies, but she heard the anger and confrontation in their voice. When she tried to squeeze past them, she felt Keoni’s intimidating alpha aura for the first time.
“Can we fucking help you?”
“I’m not here for you. I’m looking for Bailey from Aisling. This is her room, correct?”
“That’s none of your business. She’s—”
“Keoni. It’s fine. Not him. Now, let me through.” She had recognized the Alpha from last night, and she tried to force Keoni to let her through, but he wouldn’t budge.
“I need to speak with her for a moment. Give her and Travis my apologies for my behavior. My sister also needs to apologize.”
There was a long silence, but finally Gio turned and let her through the doorway. She had never seen Keoni like this, and there was major posturing going on between him and her mystery Alpha, but it only annoyed her.
