problem." Vanda regarded her sternly. Toni had a feeling she didn't approve. As Ian introduced everyone, Vanda's gaze flitted over Bri
and Teddy, then came to rest on Carlos. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Carlos smiled slightly. "I like your cat suit." "Thanks." Vanda adjusted the whip she used as a belt. She opened a door that revealed a narrow
staircase. "This is the back entrance. I figured you don't want anyone to see you going up there." "That is correct." Ian led them up the stairs. Toni stepped through some hanging strands of beads and brushed back a gauzy curtain. "Good
grief." "Wow," Bri whispered. "It's beautiful. It looks like Princess Jasmine's boudoir."
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"Glad you like it." Vanda swept into the harem-styled room. "As you can see, there's food and drink on the table and plenty of big cushions for resting." She pointed at two doors across the room. "That's the restroom and the main stairs."
"It's perfect." Toni wandered over to the carved wooden screen. She could see the club below. "Thank you, Vanda."
She adjusted her belt with an annoyed look. "Ian's a good friend. I'd do anything for him." "So would I." Toni glanced at Ian. He was at the refreshment table, pouring himself a glass of Bleer.
Vanda stepped closer. "Would you give him up?" Toni stiffened. "Why would I do that?" "Because he wants a true mate," Vanda insisted. "Someone who can spend eternity with him. You
can't do that."
"I don't know how things will work out," Toni said. "But I do know I'm in love with him." She heard a gasp behind her. "You're in love with a vampire?" Sabrina screeched. Toni winced as everyone stared at her with shock or dismay on their faces. Everyone except Ian.
He was watching her intently, his eyes sparkling with emotion. She lifted her chin. "Yes, I'm in love with Ian." He walked toward her, a smile slowly forming on his lips. Vanda scowled at him. "You said all you wanted was a vampire." "I changed my mind." Ian was grinning now, and the sharp points of his fangs showed. Sabrina pressed a hand to her chest. "Toni, how could you?" "How could I not?" She pulled the heart pendant out from behind her green sweater. The gold
chain and heart glimmered in the soft overhead lights. "Thank you for sending me your heart." Ian halted and his grin faded. "I dinna send that." Toni blinked. "But it came this afternoon with a note that said, All my love." Ian zipped toward her, and with a quick wrench of his wrist, he broke the chain around her neck. "Ian--" Toni gasped when he dropped the pendant on a low table and smashed it with his fist. He picked up a small metal piece. "That's a tracking device," Carlos said. Ian dropped the device on the floor and crushed it with his heel. "I'll summon Phineas and Dougal
here, and we'll teleport everyone to Romatech." He stepped away, closing his eyes briefly. Toni realized he was sending out a psychic message.
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Sabrina clutched her arm. "Who--who would want to follow us? Is it my uncle or the police?" "Worse," Carlos muttered. Teddy's eyes lit up. "The evil forces! They're upon us!" Shots exploded below in the club, and screams filled the air.
Chapter Twenty-one
Ian dashed to the wooden screen to see what was happening below. He spotted Jedrek Janow with a pistol in his hand and a sheathed sword hanging from his belt. Jedrek shot twice in the air and laughed when the women scurried about, screaming. Thankfully, most of the women had enough sense to teleport away.
"Toni, call Dougal and Phineas, so they can use yer voice to teleport straight to this room. And tell them to bring extra weapons." When Ian had sent out a psychic message, he'd merely summoned them to the Horny Devils. But now he didn't want them to accidentally teleport into the turmoil below. And he didn't want to send another psychic message that Jedrek could overhear.
Toni whipped her cell phone from her pants pocket.
Sabrina started crying, and Teddy tried to comfort her. Vanda and Carlos were peering through the wooden screen. "They're taking hostages," Carlos said quietly. Ian looked at the scene below. About ten of the lady Vamps had frozen in fear and failed to
teleport to safety. Stanislav and Yuri were using silver ropes to lasso them like frightened heifers, while Jedrek stood on stage, smiling as the silver burned their skin and made them scream. The