Page 37 of My Mr. Vampire

With a few deft clicks on her iPad, Natasha brought up surveillance footage. I looked down at the screen and saw that date. It was from earlier this week. The grainy black-and-white image showed Marisol lurking outside our doors, her dark eyes scanning the area as if plotting her next move.

“Look at her,” Natasha said, disgust dripping from her words like venom. “She’s clearly up to something. I will be prepared for whatever she has planned.”

“Did you share this with the security team?”

“Not yet. I wanted to show it to you first.” She added.

“I don’t need this right now. Harlen seems to think Teresa is still in town and she will try to stir up trouble.”

“You have two women trying to cause you problems.”

“It sure seems that way.” We exchanged uneasy glances.

“Boss, there’s no need to worry. We cleaned up after the Alonzo situation and we’ll do the same with Marisol if need be.Teresa, on the other hand, may be more difficult to track down because she is a vampire. But I can send her picture out also.”

“We need to be prepared for anything. Harlen seems to think Teresa is up to something.”

“Do you trust your brother is telling you the truth?”

“I don’t know. But he seemed genuinely concerned.”

“Either way, we will be on the lookout.” Natasha was good at sounding confident.

“She might try to infiltrate the club. Marisol or Teresa.”

“I will never let that happen.” Natasha assured me. “Marisol is just a human, and Teresa was a human just a few years ago.”

“Less than ten years.” It was somewhere around seven or eight years.

“She could never best me or any of the guys. We are trained. She is not.”

As much as I hated to admit it, Natasha was right. My concerns were probably unwarranted. I just wanted to keep Chanel and Morgan safe. My need to protect after what happened to Morgan’s boyfriend was clouding my judgment. The thought of moving Morgan out of the apartment complex felt like an admission of defeat, a sign that we were letting Marisol dictate our actions.

“Natasha, I know I sound concerned,” I said finally, my voice heavy with the weight of my decision. “We need to ensure their safety. But they’ll stay close to me. That’s the best way to keep them safe.”

“Boss, you don’t have to worry. Nothing will happen to your humans,” she vowed like a good obedient soldier.

“We’ll face this threat together, as a family. That’s what we’ve always done, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”

As my words filled the room, I could feel the resolve of my head of security strengthening. Natasha’s loyalty was unwavering, even in the face of danger. We were bound by love,trust and respect, and nothing, not even Marisol Lopez, could tear us apart.

“Come to my office.”

I went down the hall to the office with Natasha close behind me. The image of Marisol lurking in the shadows outside the club haunted me. I paced back and forth in my office, rubbing the back of my neck in frustration.

“Boss,” Natasha said. “I understand your loyalty to Harlen, but we can’t ignore the risk he can pose to everyone here. We need to do something before it’s too late.”

I stopped pacing. “Like what?”

“We need to keep an eye on him. He can’t be in the inner circle until he proves his worth. I understand he is your brother. But the maggot isn’t my brother. I do not trust him. He shows up here at the same time as your ex.”

“I asked him about that, and he made it appear to be a coincidence.”

“Whatever. I still don’t trust him.”

“Natasha...” I began, feeling the conflict swirling inside me. It was a battle between my love for my brother and my responsibility to protect those who depended on me. “You’re right. Something needs to be done. What do you propose?”

“I can have someone watch him 24/7. And needs to report to me. If he wants to be part of the team.” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

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