Page 78 of Golden Eagle

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“Just a second!” Nikita called after she knocked on the apartment door, and it was a long moment before he came and opened it. He was out of breath, his face flushed in a way it never was, his mouth a little swollen and damp. “What?” he asked in response to her expression, too winded to scowl properly.

“Your hair,” she said.

He smoothed it ineffectually with one hand and waved them in with the other.

Sasha was on the couch, loose-limbed and sprawled, though he drew upright as they entered; there had been hands in his hair, and his cheeks blazed with high color.

Jamie cleared his throat and looked toward the TV – which was off, and not even a good distraction.

Trina didn’t feel like sparing them. “Hey, guys,” she drawled. “Been busy?”

Sasha laughed and ducked his head, blushing furiously.

Nikita shrugged and tried to play it cool, which just made him look ridiculous. “Oh, you know…”

“I think I do know.”

He sighed. “Why are you here?”

That sobered her up quick. “Jamie told me what Lanny’s been up to. It’s not good. I thought – if you were willing – it might be good to have backup.”

“A cop needs backup?”

She suppressed a shiver. “This time? Yeah, I think I might.”

~*~

“You’re late,” Lanny said when Alexei finally showed up, cheeks red from the cold, winded from hurrying. Then he noticed he wasn’t alone. He growled. “Who’s that?”

“Dante,” Alexei said, hooking a thumb toward the stranger.

Dante – and what kinda douchebag name was that? – was tall, leggy, and dressed in a black satin bomber jacket over a floral-print shirt, dark hair slicked way back, shiny and stiff as a helmet. He offered a little wave. “Hey.”

Vampire.

Lanny growled again, and showed his fangs.

“Stop that,” Alexei said, matter-of-fact, and Lanny felt the sharp nudge of his sire’s magic pushing against his own. A forceful shove of his ability to compel. It didn’t work – not the way it would have on a human – but it shocked Lanny into silence. “Dante’s a friend. He wants to help with our Gustav problem.”

“Youtoldhim?”

“He’s trustworthy.” But Alexei cast a glance back at the guy like he was only hoping that was true.

Lanny gave him a displeased glare – both of them – but decided, ultimately, that he didn’t care. Bigger fish to fry. “The big one’s not here yet.”

“Big one what?”

Another glare. “The guy I fought last night. The one who cleaned my fucking clock.” He had to spit on the ground afterward, the words tasted so bad. “He’s on the list, though.”

“And drawing most of the wagers, I’d guess,” Alexei said. “Alright. So?”

“So I’m gonna beat him this time.”

“And how are you going to manage that?”

He didn’t like being doubted, especially when he already doubted himself. “I’ll think of something.”

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