Page 35 of Midnight Kiss

Haldren finished off his drink but held onto the empty tumbler. “So what have you been doing for the past few weeks?”

“Ensuring no one else gets the book,” I said. “And there have been some complications, Haldren. For instance, the apartment the target lives in is warded.”

“Warded.”

“By a Hunter,” I said. “I’m currently tracking down the one who is responsible.”

Haldren nodded.

One of the two ways to remove a ward was to kill the creator. But why kill the Hunter when I could have Emily remove it for me? And have easy access to her apartment. And to her.

Haldren set the glass down beside the decanter and tapped the crystal side with one finger. “I have always believed in your abilities,” he said. “It’s the reason I specifically chose you for this task, but I can’t keep the commanders at bay for much longer.”

The mention of the commanders brought a chill to the room.

Haldren and I stared at each other through that coldness. The commanders were the three vampires who ran the U.C., elected above all those who were in it, above the lieutenants like Haldren and the enforcers like me.

The ultimate goal for many enforcers and soldiers was to end up as one of the three—to climb to the top. I had no such lofty aspirations. I wanted … I wanted death. The death of the vampire who had started it all, and if working for the U.C. would bring me to my goal, I would serve them.

“Alex,” Haldren said slowly. “If there is something keeping you from fulfilling your duty, I need to hear it.”

“If I could have more information about this book, I might?—”

“I can’t give you anything else, and you are going to have to stop asking unless you want to be replaced.”

“Fine.”

“One week.”

“What?”

Haldren raised a finger. “One week. You have seven days until I put Cassia on the mission.”

I clenched my jaw, my fangs threatening to sprout. “Haldren.”

“I’m serious. I have to do what’s good for the U.C. There are thousands of vampires relying on us, millions of humans,” he said. “This is bigger than our personal relationships.”

I didn’t particularly enjoy the insinuation from him. “Fine.” And then I turned and strode out of the office. I let the door slam shut behind me and walked down the long hall toward the elevator.

The view of the city was lost on me. Usually, that beauty would be the single pleasure I enjoyed on the way to my apartment in the U.C. headquarters. Lately, there was only one view I enjoyed, and it was of the side of Emily’s apartment building. The view through her window of her sleeping peacefully in her bed.

I entered my apartment and moved toward the kitchen, leaning against the marble countertop and bringing out my phone.

It was almost time.

The phone rang in my hand.

“Hello,” I answered it, irritably.

“What’s eating your shorts?” The vampire on the other end was an interminably annoying little creature. A rogue vampire who I’d kept in contact with for … purposes.

“I can’t talk for long,” I said.

“Need I remind you that you were the one who asked me to call you, Boss? It’s not like I’ve got all the time in the world.” He guffawed at his joke. “Y’know, apart from eternity and all of that.”

“Julius,” I growled.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. What’s up, Boss? What do you need?”

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