The old man nodded. “We have some available here on the property, or I would be happy to arrange something more private.”

“Private, please.” A weight had been lifted off his shoulders just by the offer. “Caspar, thank you. Very much.”

“Please.” He held up his hand. “You have always been generous to Isadora and myself, far beyond what was required of you. It is the least I can do.”

“I won’t forget this.”

Suddenly Caspar smiled. “And I should inform you that Desiree and Matt Kirby are here for thee tsteas evening. I believe the ladies have all gone to the pool room. Giovanni and Matt are hiding in the library.”

“Oh?”

“The ladies took several bottles of wine.”

“Ah.” The library it was, then. He’d check on Natalie, but he didn’t want to intrude on whatever female bonding rituals the wine stimulated. Then again… Caspar had said pool room. Natalie in a bathing suit would not be something to miss. He bid the man goodbye and walked toward the smell of salt water.

Leaning against the door that opened to the underground pool, Baojia smiled. All the women were there. Beatrice and Dez were laughing about something as they sat on the steps. Brigid, the odd fire vampire, was sitting off to the edge, separate, but seemingly at ease and chiming in with the occasional witty remark. He liked the woman’s sense of humor, though her carelessness with Natalie’s safety still left something to be desired. In the water, Natalie turned and flipped, as comfortable as a fish.

Or a mermaid. The thought made him smile as he watched her. She was wearing a tiny white bathing suit that showed off her creamy skin and freckles. The same skin he could make flush with a whisper or a kiss. His fangs grew long at the thought.

She would make an excellent vampire. She had the intelligence and practicality necessary for their kind, and a humor that would serve her well in immortality. He could see her born to water. Her fair skin grew paler in his mind. Her red hair more vibrant in contrast. Her rosy lips fell open as her fangs dropped. He realized, rather shockingly, that he wanted her to bite him. Wanted the feel of her teeth in his neck.

Ridiculous. It would make her ill to taste his blood.

He willed his fangs to retract as he silently approached. Natalie was doing flips in the shallow end, alternately joking and drinking a glass of white wine. Beatrice and Dez saw him enter; Natalie did not. Stepping to the edge, he reached out with his amnis and called the water to himself. It sang and danced, wrapping around Natalie and pulling her toward the corner where he stood as she yelped in protest.

“Hey! What the—? B, are you—?”

Beatrice held up her hands. “Don’t look at me. And hey, leave some water in the pool, will ya?”

He was smiling when the waves whipped her around, bringing her up and toward him as he bent over slightly. Her lips were parted in shock when he leaned down to kiss her.

“Good evening,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to intrude. I just wanted to check on you.”

“Am I going to fall?” Her face was flushed and strands of wet hair curled along her neck. “I feel like I’m going to fall.”

He shook his head. “Never.” Tucking the hair back, he placed another quick kiss on her mouth before he stepped away from the edge of the pool. “Apparently, I’ll be in the library if you need me.”

“Oh, I’m fine, we’re just—” Her mouth fell open and she looked down to the water that held her. Her cheeks were suddenly rosy again. “Oh, hi. Neat trick.”

Baojia released the water he’d been directing over her body and lifted one eyebrow. “In the library if you need me. For anything.”

She gulped and nodded. “I’ll let you know.”

The corner of his mouth turned up as he walked away. “You do that.”

“Bye.”

“And don’t leave the house without me.”

ead.8">do that.Spoilsport!”

He continued down the hall and up the back stairs toward the smell of fire. The damn Italian always smelled like smoke. He supposed it was instinct that set his fangs on edge. He could also hear Matt Kirby’s low voice coming from the room. When he entered, the two men were drinking scotch and leaning over the library table, which was full of Natalie’s notes. They had arrived two nights before, just about the time he’d flown off to the desert with Tenzin.

Baojia frowned and cleared his throat, but Giovanni only waved him closer, still concentrating on a map in front of him. “Welcome. I’m assuming you found Natalie already. Please, help yourself to a drink.”

He frowned and walked closer. “What are we doing?”

“We’re looking over Nat’s notes,” Matt said with a smile. “And avoiding the girls.”

Giovanni frowned at one of Natalie’s yellow legal pads. “Apparently, they went over all the files this afternoon while we were sleeping. They’re taking a break and…” The scowl deepened. “Comparing notes.”

Male alarm bells began to clamor. “About what?”

“Who knows?” Matt shrugged. “All I know is I finally got my mom to babysit Carina, and Dez wanted to come over here.” He looked at Baojia and Giovanni. “No offense guys, but you’re not that cute.”

“None taken,” Baojia said. “And did they mention anything specific?”

Matt said, “About us? Or Natalie’s notes?”