“And her friend in Leesburg somehow gets her hands on our book and sends it to Shay’s ex-boyfriend. Is anyone else disturbed by this?” Sorcha added.

“I’ve been disturbed for the past month,” Brodie said. “Vampires and demons, and now we’ve got to ask who in his right mind would go up against the Mighty Faelan and Cody MacBain.”

***

Malek reached through the shattered window and felt for the baby’s pulse. None. A smile crept over his lips. Her face was plump, cherubic, eyes closed as if asleep. The fire hadn’t reached her yet, but it would soon. Perhaps it was the frustration that had been building for the better part of two centuries that caused him to run one long claw down the tiny shoulder, bared by a flowered sundress.

A large owl swooped down, landing in the crooked branches of a pine, as Malek watched the letter fill with blood. Destroying her would eliminate his enemy before he was even born. He stepped back from the flames so his human skin wouldn’t sear, while the owl watched with round, unblinking eyes. Malek let out a roar of triumph. The job was done. All he needed now was the book.

The ping of shovel on metal brought Malek back to the present.

The halfling in the grave raised his head and grinned, showing long, yellow teeth. “We found it, Master.”

Malek kicked dirt off his shoe and ran his finger over the name etched under the angel’s wing as the men positioned the ropes. Had he been tricked? Had he spent the past twenty-six years deceived by mere humans? If he was right about the contents of the grave, Shay Logan and Cody MacBain must be killed without delay. The night breeze ruffled his hair, irritating him. “Hurry.”

The men stood on each side and slowly raised the tiny casket. Moonlight glinted off the white lid.

“Move!” He shoved them aside, grabbed the shovel, and wedged in under the lid, prying it open. He looked at the satin trim and tiny pillow. No body. His claws extended, bones stretched, and skin thickened. “No,” he roared, as the others ran for cover. “No!”

***

Cody brushed a strand of hair from Shay’s forehead. His neck tingled, like it always did when she was near. He touched her lips, remembering the agony of those few moments he feared she was dead. He couldn’t live without her. He was deceiving himself if he believed otherwise, yet he couldn’t force her to love him.

There was also Jamie to worry about, and what Shay had said after the accident. Maybe he misheard. Jamie hadn’t mentioned it, and Cody hadn’t had the guts to ask. If Jamie had gotten Shay pregnant and abandoned her, Cody would kill him. Or was that why Jamie was here? Had he just found out Shay carried his child? That might give him cause to stalk her.

“She needs rest,” the sullen nurse said, refilling Shay’s pitcher of water.

Shay and Bree had been checked out at the hospital and released, both suffering from concussions. Cody had gotten Marcas to find the closest clan nurse to make sure the women followed orders, but looking at her dour face, he regretted it. The woman had the bedside manner of a goat.

“Ba…” Shay turned her head, her fingers gripping the sheet over her stomach. “Baby.”

Cody’s ham sandwich started climbing up his throat. He tried convincing himself again that she was just saying something that sounded like baby.

The nurse moved closer, staring at Shay. “Is she pregnant?”

“I don’t know.”

She looked at him as if he were a worm. “You don’t know?”

“She’s not married.”

“I thought you were her husband.”

He shook his head.

“Who are you?”

“A friend.”

“Humph,” she said, as if he’d tricked her. “Well, go on, now, and let her rest. You can come back later. You should get some dinner.” She touched her nose. “And take a shower.”

She was right. He could smell his own sweat. He’d spent every spare moment near her, trying to outlast Jamie, who was doing the same. Both of them bounced back and forth between sitting with Shay and standing guard. What would he do if Shay was carrying Jamie’s child? His stomach knotted up just thinking about it. Cody pulled two Rolaids out of the packet he kept in his pocket since Shay was back. His phone rang. It was his FBI contact.

“Someone’s opened the grave.”

Cody walked down the hall to his room. “Shay’s grave?”

“And they opened the casket. The body’s gone. Want to tell me why someone would open a twenty-five-year-old grave?” Sam asked.

To see if a body was inside? “You’re better off not knowing. When did it happen?”

“Probably dug it up during the past thirty-six hours. Police are blaming vandals.”

Cody kicked off his boots. “We both know it’s not.”

“You might. I don’t know what the heck it is. This stuff’s getting old. I could lose my job.”

“I know. I appreciate all you’ve done for us.” Sam wasn’t even a buffer, one of the humans who knew about the warriors and helped hide their secrets so warriors could fight evil without fear of being arrested by the ones they fought to protect. They had buffers at all levels, local, state, and international. In this day of information and technology, the warriors needed help covering their tracks. Usually an entire generation served as buffers, which helped keep the knowledge contained. Sam was more effective than most of them. Cody should make it official.

“Enough to tell me what it’s about? I’ve covered up stuff I can’t even explain. Like that drug bust in Albany. Those men in that hotel weren’t… normal. I feel like I’m the freakin’ X-Files.”

“I know. If you want me to, I’ll explain after all this is over, but you might wish I hadn’t.” The clan wouldn’t like it either, but Sam deserved some answers.

“Nothing would shock me concerning you. I’ll try to keep the grave robbing away from the press, but I can’t promise anything. This stuff stirs up public interest, and it’s getting close to Halloween.”

Cody hung up, took a quick shower, and headed back toward Shay’s room before Jamie got back and monopolized her time. All the while, Cody thought about Shay’s fake grave and how close she’d come to having a real one today. He had just replaced the brake pads and rotors on his truck the week before. Had he screwed something up? If this was his fault— His train of thought was interrupted when he ran into Lachlan, Marcas, and Ronan on their way out.

“Heard from the mechanic yet?” Lachlan asked.

“No. He towed the truck. He’s checking it out now.”

The nurse appeared at the top of the stairs, carrying a tray. She glared down at Cody, who had one foot on the bottom step. “Where do you think you’re going?”

The woman acted like it was her bloody house. “To check on Shay.” He glared back, daring her to stop him.

“You can’t. She has someone with her. He requested a few minutes of privacy.”

Cody bounded up the stairs, head exploding with visions of the blond intruder. He heard his brothers and Ronan behind him.

The nurse planted herself in the way, and Cody stopped, rather than plow her down, which is what he would have preferred to do. The door was cracked. Cody saw Jamie lean over and press his lips to Shay’s forehead.

“What the hell is he still doing here?” Cody asked. “I thought he left.”

“He’s her boyfriend,” the nurse said, as if Cody had misled her into believing he was Shay’s husband.

“Boyfriend, my ass.” He started toward the door, but Marcas grabbed his arm.

“Give him a break,” Lachlan muttered. “Jamie’s a good guy.”

“If he’s a good guy, why did he take advantage of her? He was sent to protect her, not—”

Marcas lifted one brow, the way he always did when he knew more than he let on, which was most of the time. “Sure you want to go there, little Brother?”

Cody had sometimes wondered if Marcas knew the truth about him and Shay.

“Yeah,” Lach agreed. “Who went and told Shay her whole life was a lie, before the clan even had time to prepare her?”

Cody looked at Jamie, feeling the knife twist inside. Shay had spent months with Jamie, talking with him, sharing her life with him. He gritted his teeth. Sleeping with him. Maybe getting pregnant by him. “I’m going in,” he said, brushing the nurse’s hand aside. “Time’s up, Waters.”

Marcas and Lachlan followed. Ronan put his hand on the nurse’s back. “We’ll just be a minute,” Ronan said, winking at her. “What can it hurt? She’s sleeping.”

The nurse flushed, looking at all five men dwarfing the room. She rolled her eyes. “Five minutes, then I’ll toss all of you out. I don’t care how big or how good-looking you are.”

***

“Come on, Cody, we don’t have all night.” Shay glanced over her shoulder as she ran toward the barn. The weather was warm for October, and the smell of fall reminded her of pumpkins and the haunted trail they used to make every Halloween. They had grown too old for monsters and demons and fake swords. She missed it. Missed the closeness. They were all growing up, and it scared her. She was afraid she would wake up one morning and they’d all be gone. How would she live? They were her family, her whole life.

“I thought Nina already checked the barn,” Cody grumbled behind her. He was home from college for a few days. He seemed different, older, as if he knew things she didn’t, and it bothered her. They’d always shared everything. He looked different, too, taller, his shoulders broader, and muscles popping out everywhere. He was also grouchy as a bear. He had barely spoken two words since he arrived. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he was avoiding her. It made her sad, since he was all she had thought about for months.