Jedrek Janow hid behind a large maple tree, on the grounds at Romatech. He'd instructed Yuri to park a mile away from the entrance gate. Then they'd teleported onto the grounds and zipped through the woods to the main building.

"The parking lot looks completely covered with surveillance cameras," Yuri whispered. He crouched next to Nadia behind a snow-capped bush. "And the guards sweep through these woods every fifteen minutes. We can't stay long."

"We don't need to." Jedrek eyed the number of cars in the parking lot. There were more Vamps here than he'd expected. "Are they workaholics or holding an orgy?"

"They have a mortal priest who performs Mass for them on Sunday night," Yuri said.

"And you forgot to mention that to me?" Jedrek ground out between clenched teeth.

"We thought they stopped," Yuri protested. "They did stop for a while. We blew up their chapel last August."

So the sweet little bottle-sucking morons had started going to church again. They made him want to puke. "I hope they're praying for salvation. They'll need it." He glanced at Yuri's long duffel bag. "Get the RPG ready."

"Yes, Master." Yuri unzipped the bag and carefully removed the shoulder-launched rocket weapon. He loaded a grenade.

"I heard the Vamps have a party after Mass," Nadia whispered. "They give out free Chocolood."

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"And how would you know that?" Jedrek asked softly.

She eyed him warily. "I never went. It was some of the other girls in the coven. They were curious." "Stupid cows," Jedrek grumbled. "Tell me, Nadia, have you ever watched a vampire burn to

death?" She shook her head. "Answer me." "No, Master. I have not." "You're in for a special treat. You will show your gratitude to me later tonight." She hugged her knees to her chest. "Yes, Master." He smiled. She was bending to his will now. Yuri lifted the rocket-propelled grenade to his shoulder. "Ready." "Good. We'll wait for them to return to their cars, then blow a few of them up," Jedrek said. "And

when the survivors are running about like frightened little mice, we'll locate MacPhie or Draganesti and get the information we need." His attention snapped back to Romatech when the front door burst open.

A lone figure ran out.

"Jackpot," Jedrek whispered. It was Roman Draganesti. He was running around the parking lot, looking frantically for something. "The fool is unarmed. Take him." Yuri set the RPG down and pulled a long silver chain from his duffel bag. He wrapped the ends

around his heavily gloved hands.

Just then, two sword-wielding Highlanders zoomed out the front door, headed straight for Draganesti. Yuri hesitated. "Is there a problem?" Jedrek asked dryly. He recognized the Scotsmen as Connor Buchanan and

Ian MacPhie. "That's Buchanan," Yuri said. "He's the one who killed Sashenka." "Then you should be eager to avenge him." Yuri slowly drew his sword. "I'll be outnumbered." Jedrek rolled his eyes. He was surrounded by cowards. He unsheathed his own sword. "Keep

Buchanan busy. I'll grab MacPhie and teleport away with him."

Just then, Draganesti halted and cocked his head toward Romatech. He raced back inside, followed by the two Scotsmen. The door banged shut. "You fool," Jedrek hissed at Yuri. "Your cowardice ruined our chance."

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Yuri hung his head. Nadia shivered. "It's cold. Can we go home now?" "I still don't know what caused Ian MacPhie to age," Jedrek grumbled. "Why do we need to know?" Nadia asked. "Nobody wants to age." Jedrek wrapped a hand around her neck and squeezed. "You dare to question me?" "I was wrong. Forgive me, Master." Jedrek released her. His real concern was how Draganesti had managed to invade their Brooklyn

headquarters during the day. He just had a sneaking suspicion that MacPhie's sudden aging was

somehow connected. He wanted answers. Tonight. After a few minutes, a lone car pulled into the parking lot. A young man emerged from the black Lexus. Jedrek recognized him from the photos he'd studied. This was Gregori Holstein, vice president at Romatech and good friend to Roman Draganesti.

"He'll know their secrets." Jedrek turned to Nadia. "Talk to him. Distract him, so Yuri can take him."

"Yes, Master." She edged toward the parking lot. Gregori removed a stuffed black garbage bag from the trunk of his car. He was singing to himself, repeating two words. Staying alive, staying alive. How fitting.

"Teleport him here," Jedrek ordered. "I want some time with him."

"Yes, Master." Yuri crept toward the parking lot, keeping low.

"Excuse me." Nadia approached Gregori.

He turned toward her. "Miss, what are you doing here?"

"Is this where they have the party with free food?"

"Yes." Gregori looked at her closely. "Are you all right, miss?"

"I'm so...very hungry." Nadia stumbled to the side.

Gregori dropped his garbage sack and caught her. Yuri zoomed up behind him to grab him, and a

second later, they both materialized next to Jedrek.

"What the--" Gregori grimaced as Jedrek looped the silver chain around his bare neck. Gregori's skin sizzled where the silver burned it. "The silver will keep you from teleporting away." Jedrek passed the ends of the chain to Yuri. "I

have a few questions." "Go to hell," Gregori growled. "He sent out a telepathic message," Nadia warned him as she joined them in the woods.

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"I heard it." Jedrek grabbed Gregori's head and plunged into a swift and ruthless psychic assault. It was a trick he'd learned over the centuries. He'd accidentally destroyed a few brains before he'd perfected his technique.

Gregori stiffened, trying to resist the invasion, but he was a young vampire, easy prey for Jedrek. He swept through Gregori's memories like flipping through a scrapbook, until he found the one he wanted.

A short Vamp in a white lab coat was talking to Draganesti. "The results are clear, sir. For every day you take the Stay-Awake drug, you will age a year. I recommend you stop using it immediately."

"That's why he turned gray?" Gregori asked.

"Silver," a blonde woman corrected him. "Roman, I agree with Laszlo. I don't want you to take the drug anymore."

"But you need help during the day with the baby," Roman protested.

"Master," Yuri hissed. "They're coming!"

Jedrek noted the guards pouring into the parking lot. He released Gregori, and the Vamp slumped forward, held up by the silver chain around his neck. "Shove him back to the parking lot."

Yuri yanked the chain free and pushed Gregori toward the parking lot. The injured Vamp stumbled toward the parked cars just as the guards zoomed toward him.

Jedrek grabbed the RPG and rested it on his shoulder. He selected the car closest to Gregori and the Vamp guards. He smiled as he pulled the trigger.

Toni was sitting in the security office with Howard Barr, silently ruminating over Ian's pigheaded behavior, when Howard jumped to his feet. "Shit!" He punched the alarm, then ran to the stash of weapons. He stuffed a pistol in his belt.

"What?" Toni scanned the monitors, but couldn't see well without her contacts. "Someone kidnapped Gregori from the parking lot!" Howard charged out the door with swords and pistols.

"Oh my gosh." Toni threw on her jacket and stuffed a Taser and some wooden stakes in her

pockets. Her heart raced. It was time to face her demons. She sprinted down the hall. The Vamps, naturally faster, had already grabbed weapons from Howard and zoomed outside. Shanna was in the foyer, trying to hold a wriggling Constantine and comfort Radinka at the same time.

"I don't care what they said, I have to go out there!" Radinka rushed to the front door. Toni beat her there. "Stay behind me." She flung open the door and dashed outside. Boom! An explosion ripped through a car. Pieces of metal and glass shot outward while flames

and smoke burst upward into the night sky. Toni halted in shock. Behind her, Radinka screamed. Constantine started crying.

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Toni walked forward slowly. An odd, echoing noise buzzed in her ears, making the screams and shouts seem far away, and though she knew she should move faster, her body wasn't cooperating. A car was on fire, but with all the parked cars nearby, more explosions could happen any second. Heat from the fire lapped at her face. Smoke cleared, and she saw bodies lying on the pavement.

Something snapped inside her, and suddenly she could run. "Ian!" She charged forward, her boots crunching on shattered glass. Where was he?

"Gregori!" Radinka ran to her son and collapsed beside him. He lifted a bloody hand to her face. Toni gasped, then coughed as smoke invaded her lungs. Her eyes stung as she desperately searched for a red and green plaid kilt. "Ian!"

He rose to his knees on the glass-strewn pavement, then slowly stood. Blood trickled down his legs.

"Ian!" She ran to him and cried out when he straightened. His face was torn and bleeding. She clutched his shoulders. "Oh, Ian. Your beautiful face." Tiny shards of glass were embedded in his skin.

"Careful, ye'll cut yerself," he whispered. "Go back. It's no' safe here." "I don't care." She plucked a shard of glass from his sweater. "I'm sorry I was rude to you," he said. "I really doona want to date anyone else." "That's good." Tears filled her eyes. "I'm afraid I'm becoming very...selfish where you're

concerned."

His smile looked a bit gruesome with all the blood on his face. "Can ye help the wounded get back inside?" She looked around and saw that most of the Vamps had risen to their feet and were grabbing their

weapons.

Wincing, Ian leaned over to retrieve his sword. "I need to check the grounds. They could still be here." "You're not in any shape to fight." "They're only flesh wounds." He flexed his bloody hand around the hilt of his sword. "Dougal,

Phineas, come with me!" The three bloodied warriors dashed toward the woods. Connor lifted Gregori in his arms and strode back to Romatech, Radinka jogging alongside them.

Roman helped Howard Barr to his feet. "I can walk." Howard limped toward the front door with a slash in one leg. Shanna ran to Roman, still holding Constantine in her arms. Other than a few scrapes, Roman

looked fine. "Hurry back inside," Roman warned them. "There could be more explosions." In the distance, sirens wailed.

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Toni wondered how they would explain this to the police. She glanced around the parking lot. It wouldn't do to have swords or wooden stakes lying about. She spotted a black garbage bag on the ground next to a black Lexus.

She peeked inside. Video games? Had Gregori brought these to work? They were all brand-new and unopened.

"I'll take that." Dougal grabbed the bag and zoomed to the front door. "But--" Toni jumped when Ian suddenly appeared beside her. "What's the deal with the sack of toys?"

"A secret Santa thing." Ian ushered her toward the front door. "The woods are clear, but we could tell where they'd been hiding." "Yeah, man." Phineas dashed up to them. "The freakin' cowards teleported away." Toni winced at the blood on Phineas's face. "You two need some medical attention."

"Roman and Laszlo can patch us up," Ian said. They entered the foyer and found everyone headed to a waiting room. Toni glanced down the hall and spotted Dougal with the garbage sack of video games. He was opening the locked door across from the nursery.

"Come." Ian ushered her into the waiting room.

Father Andrew was praying with Radinka. Others were sitting silently as if the full force of shock had finally overcome them. Connor was pacing back and forth, with Constantine following him, mimicking Connor's gait.

When the little boy spotted Toni, he ran up to her with his arms raised. She picked him up and

gave him a hug. "Roman and Shanna are in the operating room with Gregori," Connor explained. "He was hit the worst."

"Will he be all right?" Toni realized Constantine had closed his eyes and was falling asleep on her

shoulder. "He has some major cuts and burns," Connor said, "but if he makes it till sunrise, he'll be able to heal during his death-sleep."

The operating room door opened, and Roman and Shanna stepped out. "Gregori will be fine," Roman announced, and everyone sighed with relief. Radinka rushed forward. "Can I see him?" Roman nodded. "He's conscious. Laszlo's giving him a blood transfusion." After Radinka went into the operating room, Roman moved toward Connor and Ian and lowered

his voice. "Some bad news. Gregori said a Malcontent did a Vulcan mind meld on him, whatever

that is, and the Malcontents now know about the Stay-Awake drug." "Then they'll know ye're the inventor," Connor said. "I want to take you and yer family into hiding tonight."

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Roman frowned. "Very well. But I want to tend the wounded first and deal with the police."

"Howard can deal with the police. We're leaving as soon as possible," Connor ordered. He turned to Ian. "Ye'll be in charge here." "But what about the Christmas Ball?" Shanna asked. Connor shrugged. "'Tis no' important." "Of course it is," Shanna protested. "Everyone's coming. We have to do it, Roman." "I'm more concerned about your safety--" "We'll be safe," Shanna interrupted. "Angus and Emma are coming. And Jean-Luc, Zoltan,

Giacomo--they'll all be here. You can't get any safer than that."

Roman exchanged a glance with Connor. "She makes a good point. We'll have a small army here." "And I refuse to let the Malcontents destroy our Christmas," Shanna argued. "If we cancel, it'll

look like we're scared of them."

Connor hesitated. "They could still try to infiltrate the party. And they would target Roman for capture because he knows how to make that damned drug." "It's a costume ball," Shanna said. "They would have trouble recognizing him." Her face lit up. "I

know! We have a hundred Santa Claus costumes. All the men can wear the same costume. It'll totally confuse them."

Roman grinned. "I like it." A hundred Santa Claus costumes? Toni wondered. Why would a bunch of Vamps have Santa costumes? Was it somehow related to what Ian had called the secret Santa thing?

Connor nodded slowly. "'Tis crazy enough it might just work. But we're still leaving tonight.

We'll come back for the ball on Tuesday." "Agreed." Roman was halfway back to the operating room when Dougal opened the waiting room door.

"Roman, the police are here." "Howard will handle it," Connor said. "Where is he?" "Laszlo was bandaging his leg." Roman peered inside the operating room. "Howard, are you

done? The police are here." "I'm on it." Howard limped across the waiting room to join Dougal in the hallway. Roman's gaze wandered over the Vamps in the waiting room. "Phineas, you're next." He strode

into the operating room with Phineas following him. "Come on, Connor. I'll look at your cuts." Shanna ushered the Scotsman to the operating room. "Ye're a dentist, no' a doctor," Connor grumbled.

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"If I can pull teeth, I can pull the glass out of your face." She shoved him inside and glanced back. "You're next, Ian."

Toni winced. "That's going to be fun." Radinka left the operating room, smiling. "Gregori's going to be just fine. Here, let me take the little one and put him to bed." She took the sleeping Constantine in her arms and left the room.

"Ye should get some sleep, too," Ian told Toni. "Ye've had a rough day."

"It wasn't all bad." Her gaze wandered to his mouth. Between the terrible hospital visit and the awful explosion in the parking lot, there had been a glorious kiss. Hopefully, Ian would know what she was referring to, since she didn't dare mention it in a room

full of Vamps with super-powered hearing. He stepped closer. "Ye doona regret it? Ye called the first one a mistake." "I was confused. I'm still confused." She shook her head. "I don't know what to make of all this.

And I still need to talk to you. It's really important." "Ye're ready to spill yer secrets?" "After they take care of your cuts." "I'm fine." He glanced around the room. "No' here. Come on." He led her from the room.