into the world to wreak havoc for the next half-century and beyond.
I'd always known Hitler was far too evil to just die.
"My grandpere wasn't made by Mengele," Adam finished. "But by a voodoo queen."
"Not all the monsters came out of the Black Forest," Mandenauer explained. "There are things walking the earth so ancient it is beyond the scope of our minds. Every culture has its myths, legends, and monsters. Each day new beasts are born and others mutate by accident or design." He spread his hands. "Magic, if you will. What worked to kill them once, does not a second time. This is why my Jager-Suckhr society is getting larger with each passing year."
"It's a wonder I've never caught wind of you," Adam said.
"We are a secret society."
"Yet you told me"
"I am sure you can keep my secret as you have kept your grandfather's for so long. I've sent agents here before. None of them were able to discover anything until this one. And they all disappeared."
"Maybe they got tired of working for you."
The two men held each other's eyes like two alpha wolves over a fresh kill.
"Maybe," the old man conceded.
They both turned away at the same time.
I knew as well as Mandenauer did that Adam had taken out those he'd sent But the Jager-Sucher didn't seem angry about it. Instead, he appeared intrigued.
"Will you give me a chance to end the curse?" Mandenauer pressed.
Adam rubbed his forehead, his hair swinging forward to cover his face as he considered the request If the cure didn't work, Mandenauer would most likely kill Henri, then Adam. From the looks of Mandenauer, he'd probably kill Luc and only lose a single night's sleep.
"All right" Adam murmured. "I'll give you one chance at a cure, but I won't let you kill him. I'll kill you first"
"You can try," Mandenauer said, and pulled out his cell phone.
While he gave orders to someone named Elise, Adam beckoned me. 'I'm going after Grandpere. I want you to take Luc out of town. In case de miracle cure doesn't work."
"Or in case it's bogus."
He smiled and brushed my hair off my cheek. "Great minds, cher"
"All right" I agreed. "But I need to know if the cure is successful; then I can bring Luc home."
Adam lifted his chin in Mandenauer's direction. "He'll know."
"So will you."
"You can't contact me until you're certain de cure has worked, and if it hasn't you need to disappear. If Mandenauer kills Henri, I'll be searching for you, and I won't be me anymore."
I remembered Henri's cold eyes, his vicious words, the blood he'd spilled just for kicks. I didn't want to see Adam like that. I'd do anything to keep his son from seeing it Still -
"You wouldn't hurt Luc."
Sadness flickered over Adam's face. "Wolves are very good parents, but werewolves could care less about their young. To them a child is just another midnight snack."
I winced.
"Promise me." His voice was urgent; his gaze, intense. "Promise you'll take care of him if I can't."
"Of course."
His eyes gentled. "Thank you."
Mandenauer ended his call. "My assistant is on her way. She has the cure and will meet us at your mansion hi - " He glanced at his watch. "Three hours. Is that enough time for you to locate the beast?"
"It'll have to be."
Adam stared into my face. I answered his unspoken question with a faint smile, and he kissed me on the forehead, men disappeared.
Ignoring Mandenauer's curious gaze, I touched the place where Adam's lips had brushed. A good-bye if ever I'd felt one. I guess he wasn't as confident as Herr Mandenauer that the cure would work.
The old man still watched me. "I have to run some errands," I said, and headed for the mansion.
Mandenauer followed. I hoped he didn't plan to stick to me like gum on a shoe until Adam came back. If he did, I'd have to take drastic measures.
My eyes searched the underbrush for a great big branch or maybe a rock.
To distract him, and because I was curious, I kept asking questions. "What is this cure? A serum? A pill?"
"No. Although Elise has invented an antidote that can restore the bitten if they are injected before the first change."
"Which would be handy if you were around some when you were attacked."
He shot me a speculative look. "My point exactly. Most people aren't, and they don't realize they've been infected until it's too late."
"Then what do you do?"
"That is where the cure comes in."
"What is it?" Mandenauer didn't answer,