a vampire or if I’m still a human, right? So tell me something, Syn, what are you going to do if I don’t change. Are you the one who’s going to put me in my grave? I mean, it’s killing two birds with one stone, isn’t it. You silence a problem for the species and collect cash from the mob. It’s a smart move.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I? I watched the videotape. It’s on a cop’s phone incidentally—so FYI, they’re onto you. The CPD and the FBI. But hey, you can take care of that, can’t you. Just a little erase job on their memories and you’re scot-free. Or are you? What are you going to do about the videotape? The records. The reports. Things are going to be tricky if any of that falls into the media’s hands.”
Syn crossed his arms over his chest. “I saved your life last night against those lessers.”
“No, you tore a bunch of your enemies up because that’s your job, and obviously because you like to kill. It had nothing to do with me.”
“Didn’t it? Were you in my mind at the time?”
“No, I was on the sidelines, watching how much you get off hurting people.”
Looking away, Syn shook his head. “Slayers are my enemy and soon to be yours.”
“If I turn. And we both know that’s not a done deal, is it. I could not go through the transition, in which case, I’m an issue for you. But again, and fortunately, you’re really good at killing, aren’t you.”
As he tried to think of what he could say, without lying, that was, she lowered her voice. “I don’t want to ever see you again. You lied to me about what I am. You lied to me about why you were around me. I . . . I made love to you, thinking that you were someone— something—you’re not. And I have to live with all that. But I am not adding one more goddamn thing to that list of bad choices and stupid delusions.”
Syn glanced over his shoulder. When he looked back at Jo, she had started moving away, all the while, keeping her eyes on him as if she expected him to hurt her.
I did the right thing, he thought. He’d made the right decision.
“Wait,” he said.
“No.” Jo shook her head, her red hair moving around her shoulders. “No more. I can’t stand looking at you—”
“I came to introduce you to my cousin. He’s willing to be available for you if you go through the change.”
When she stopped dead, Syn motioned to the shadows.
As Balthazar stepped into view, Syn felt like he’d been shot through the chest. But in so many ways, his life had led up to this point.
Yup. The only way to care for the female he loved . . . was to let her go to another.
Jo focused on the male vampire who emerged out of the shadows. He was built like Syn, powerful and dominating, and his coloring was the same. Dark hair—not-Mohawked though—and pale irises. But his features were different, and mostly in the eyes. His were more narrow.
Or maybe it was just that they’d narrowed the moment he regarded her properly.
To his credit, he didn’t do a head-to-toe sweep on her body, and there was absolutely nothing sexual in anything about him.
“This is Balthazar,” Syn said roughly. “He is a fine male of distinction—”
“Actually, I’m a thief.” When they both looked at him, the vampire shrugged. “We need to start this out on a truthful note. I’m a thief, but I’m not ever going to steal from you, and I only want to help.”
He put his hand out. And seemed prepared to wait until she felt comfortable touching him. No matter how long it took.
Jo approached slowly. It was hard to see anything other than Syn, and her emotions made that tunnel vision worse. But the idea that she might have to . . .
“Hi,” she said, extending her own palm.
As they shook, the male stared at Syn, something passing between them. Like a vow. Or a promise.
Jo released her hold and lowered her arm. “Who do you steal from? And what do you take?”
Balthazar shrugged. “It depends. Sometimes it’s because they have so much they need a haircut to make things fairer. That’s my Robin Hood shtick. Sometimes it’s because they have something I want. I’m less proud of that one, and I do try to even that score. You know, give them