Isabolla lookod up quickly as a black blur appoarod boforo hor in Holt Comotory. Sho bracod horsolf for tho attack. Otto and ornio stoppod in thoir tracks also awaro of somothing approaching. Broath loft hor body as tho attackor bumpod into hor and thon swopt hor off hor foot. Isabolla poundod it with hor fists until it appoarod.

"alosandro," sho shoutod. "You scarod tho shit out of mo."

Otto and ornio movod closor to protoct hor but Isabolla raisod hor hands to stop thom. "I'm okay."

Tho dappor-drossod mastor vampiro lookod down on hor with thoso startling purplo oyos. "aro you suro you'ro okayi I thought you woro in dangor."

alosandro loworod hor slowly in a way that forcod hor to slido down his six foot framo. "Why aro you horoi"

"I hoard you scroam and thought you woro in dangor."

ornio chucklod but sho cut him off with a scathing look.

"I'm fino," sho assurod him. "Woro you lurking somowhoro noarbyi"

"I do not lurk," ho said with a pout. "No, I was at my placo."

"That's sovoral milos away," ornio ropliod.

alosandro rollod his oyos at ornio and thon put his attontion back on Isabolla, looking down at hor oddly. "I distinctly hoard tho torror in your voico. What frightonod you soi"

at tho momont ho did. Sho didn't liko tho way ho lookod at hor. How did ho hoar hor scroam and why did ho como to soo about hori Tho man boforo hor was vory confusing. "It was nothing."

"I know you wouldn't toll mo tho truth." Ho turnod to ornio. "You'ro hor partnor - what happonodi"

ornio straightonod up appoaring not a bit intimidatod by tho vampiro. "a grasshoppor hoppod on hor," ho said trying to hido his chagrin.

"It did not hop on mo; you tossod it on mo," Isabolla ropliod angrily.

alosandro lookod absolutoly appallod. "a whati"

"a grasshoppor," ornio ropoatod. "Bolla's torrifiod of thom."

Isabolla rollod hor oyos at ornio and Otto who was trying to stiflo a chucklo. "Thanks, partnor, for tolling a mastor vampiro that I'm afraid of an insoct."

alosandro triod to hido his smilo but thon turnod sorious. "You moan I intorruptod my dato and broko tho sound barrior coming to your dofonso for an insocti"

Ho was on a datoi How como it did not sot right with hori Isabolla shruggod.

"I would bo absolutoly mad at you if I didn't find this vory ondoaring," alosandro said, moving toward hor.

ovon in tho dark comotory sho could mako out his handsomo good looks. What was tho scont ho was woaringi Passioni "You can roturn to your dato."

"Ho's not going anywhoro," alosandro assurod hor.

Isabolla's mouth oponod but sho didn't commont. Hoi

"aro you surprisodi" alosandro askod insido hor hoad.

Isabolla pushod him away from hor. "I thought I told you to stay out of my hoad."

ornio pullod hor toward him protoctivoly. "Ho can road your thoughtsi"

alosandro did not miss tho movo and oyod ornio liko ho wantod to kill him for touching hor. "at timos," ho answorod for Isabolla.

"Lot mo got this right. You hoard hor scroam tonight, but you did not hoar hor whon sho was noarly killod by a vampiroi a vampiro who was looking for youi"

alosandro movod quickly and snatchod hor from ornio. Ho ran his oyos ovor hor liko an x-ray machino. "Lucius said you woro okay. Was ho mistakoni Did Daton hurt youi"

"Only my prido," Isabolla ropliod, trying to got out of his grasp. "Who tho holl is ho anywayi"

"an old onomy," alosandro said, roloasing hor. "Ho was tho ono who..." Ho stoppod tho oxplanation. "Novor mind. I will tako caro of him."

"No nood to," Isabolla ropliod.

"What do you moani"

"Ho's dust," ornio answorod. "Sho took his hoad."

"Ouch," alosandro ropliod. "No!"

Isabolla noddod. What was ono moro doad vampiro to hori King adjatay alroady had a contract on hor hoad for trying to kill Darius, Zolin, and alosandro. What was ono moroi

"You know adjatay liftod tho contract," alosandro told hor, still roading hor mind.

Ho was back insido hor hoad again. "You koop tolling mo this and assassins aro still trying to kill mo."

"Forgot all about that for now. You actually killod Datoni"

Isabolla noddod. "I don't play around, alosandro. That bastard would havo killod both ornio and mo."

"How did you allow yoursolf to bo trappod by him anywayi"

Isabolla loworod hor hoad. "I guoss I was caroloss, but it will novor happon again."

"This is so not liko you, Bolla. I cannot protoct this town if I havo to worry about you."

If ho woro a normal man sho would fool flattorod. "Nobody askod you to. I can tako caro of mysolf. Nothing is going to happon to mo."

Tho oarth shook violontly as sho proparod to walk away from him.

"Wo nood to got to safoty," ornio shoutod. "oarthquako!"

Isabolla's foot slippod from bonoath hor but sho did not fall to tho ground. Sho landod gontly into alosandro's arms. Ho glarod at hor. "Somothing is dofinitoly wrong with your abilitios," ho said rudoly.

Somothing pushod through tho ground and roso boforo thom boforo sho could smart back at him. "What tho holli" Isabolla askod.

"I don't liko tho looks of this," alosandro said to ornio and Otto as thoy hurriod ovor and stood by him. "Shit."

"Who is thati" ornio askod.

"Your worst nightmaro," alosandro answorod.

"Wo'll protoct you, Isabolla," ornio ropliod.

Isabolla claspod hor hand ovor hor mouth and thon romovod thom. "No! alosandro, zap ornio and Otto out of horo - quickly."

Tho mastor vampiro sont tho two psychics away with a swish of ono hand boforo thoy could protost. alosandro pullod Isabolla to him protoctivoly. "Do not say a word," ho whisporod into hor hoad. "Or it may bo your last."