Page 50 of Shadow Hunter

They stayed like that for a long time. Him pressing her against the alley wall. Her cradled in his arms. Neither of them wanting to resurface, until the sound of some drunken teenagers yelling profanities from two blocks over sent Tiffany reeling into a fit of giggles.

“You’re a mess,” she whispered, gripping his face in both hands and appraising where his blood had dried all over his face.

“So are you.” He grinned, snapping his teeth at her nose like he planned to nibble some of it off her.

She smiled then, before finally her set her on her feet again.

“Caius is the one spreading the virus,” she said, breaking the momentary silence.

Damon’s gaze swept over her.

“I don’t know how, but I overheard him speaking about it on the phone, talking about the virus spreading and saying that no new vampire would escape its reach.”

Damon stood in silence, calculating all their possible next move.

As much as he’d like to, he couldn’t just rush in and kill Caius. If he killed the bastard out in the open, all Caius’s loyalfollowers would swarm him, and even in the unlikely event that he survived, he’d be revealed as a hunter in two seconds flat, not just to the vamps alone, but to every supernatural in the city. He’d need to assemble his team before he was prepared to do that.

No, he needed to get Caius alone, somewhere he could take him out in private.

Then he could figure out how to deal with containing the vamp infection without Caius further aiding its progress.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Tiffany quickly beat him to it.

“You need to get Caius alone, but you’re never going to manage that unless I lead him to a secluded spot, and you rush in.”

Shaking his head, Damon kneaded the base of his neck to ease the tension. “That won’t work. What happens if he attacks you during your meeting? I won’t be there to save you.”

“That’s a risk we’re going to have to take.” Tiffany let out a long breath and placed a hand on her hip. “The Execution Underground can equip you with pretty much any electronic device you need, right?”

He raised an eyebrow. He didn’t think he liked where she was going with this.

A small smile curved her lips. “Have them make me a panic button. One I can keep somewhere Caius won’t see it. Then, if anything happens, I’ll hit it. You’ll have the receiver, and you can trail us, so you’ll be able to rush in if I need you.”

“I don’t know, Tiffany.”

Narrowing his eyes, Damon analyzed her expression. She couldn’t be cocky about this. But from the look on her face, she was serious, focused. Whatever anger she’d harbored, whatever emotion she’d kept simmering under the surface since he’d first found her in the club was abated, for now at least.

It killed him to agree to put her in harm’s way for even a moment, but he’d be right there to save her. He always would be.

“I’ll set up a meeting with Caius, and then we’ll go from there,” she said, already confident he would agree to her plan. “If all goes well, I’ll hit the button when I get him where we want him, danger or not. I’ll make sure it’s completely private. Somewhere safe.”

“And then no more hunting?” He lifted a brow.

“Not until I’m officially trained,” she agreed, before she cast him a wry smirk. “Though if you think I won’t do everything in my power to ensure the Execution Underground allows women to join their ranks someday, you’re a fool.”

He smiled. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“So, we’re agreed?”

He gave a single nod.

She had to know he didn’t like it one bit, but they had no other choice.

Not with so many innocent lives at stake.

Whipping out her cell phone, Tiffany pressed the number two and then hit send.

“What are you doing?” He lifted a brow, but Tiffany simply waved a hand.

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