Dylan strode through the underground parking garage toward the rear of the building where another elevator was located. This one would take him to FPA headquarters located beneath the federal building. The metal box moved underground in a straight line, parallel with the subway. It cut travel time, and it made things easier. If there was any type of emergency, none of the agents needed to drive down the busy New York streets.
Dylan pressed his finger against the call button. A red light flashed as his fingerprint was read. When the light turned blue, the elevator opened. He stepped inside and stood in front of the camera. A light beam projected from the device, performing a retinal scan. When he passed the security requirements, the elevator door closed and started rapidly moving.
"Welcome back, man." Axel's voice boomed from the speaker. "We've missed you."
"Thanks." Dylan smiled up at one of the cameras. "It's good to be back."
"Why did you call an emergency meeting?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Are you okay?"
"Axel, I'll see you in the conference room."
When the elevator came to a stop, the doors opened. Dylan stepped out and strode down the hallway, walking toward the conference room. He kept his back straight and his head held high as he stepped inside the room. There were only a few agents sitting around the table, and he assumed it was because the others were out of town, working.
"Do you want to take a seat?" Abram asked.
"No, I'll stand." Dylan stood in front of the men, agents that he considered family.
"Why did you call this meeting?" Braig questioned.
"Yeah, man, what's going on?" Ian interjected.
"Shouldn't you be locked away with your True Match?" Evan winked.
"I'm sure you all heard about the car bomb in New Orleans. I called Gideon's pack for help. They cleaned the scene with Max so that it wouldn't get on the news."
"It was all in the report, Dylan," Abram said. "You did the right thing."
"What you don't know is that Emmett, my True Match, was badly injured. He was going to die. I gave him blood to try to heal him, but it wasn't enough. Emmett died on the way to the pack house."
"He made it through the transition."
"Yes. It was pretty traumatic to watch, but he was strong, and he pulled through. He's a vampire." All eyes were trained on him. Nobody said a word, so Dylan continued. "I know it's against the law to change a human, but I didn't have a choice. I wasn't going to lose my True Match. Whatever the punishment is, I accept it."
The other agents looked toward Abram, waiting for their leader to pass judgement.
"It's an old law that was put into effect to protect humans. Your True Match was dying, and you saved his life. I think I can speak for everyone at this table when I say that we would do the same thing in your position. You aren't going to be punished."
"Maybe it's time to write an amendment for that law," Braig suggested. "Hell, there are a lot of old laws that need to be taken off the books. Times are changing."
Abram nodded. "The council has been working to rewrite some of our stricter laws. The punishment doesn't always fit the crime, and that needs to change. We can talk about that at a later date." Abram rose from his seat. He walked around the table and stopped in front of Dylan, holding out his hand. "Congratulations, man. I know you've been waiting a long time for your True Match."
"Thanks." It was true. Dylan had been waiting many lifetimes to meet the one fate had chosen for him.
"Now that you've confessed, are we done?" Ian asked. "Because I've got a hot date with a sexy doctor."
Dylan chuckled lightly. "Yes, we're done. You can all leave."
The FPA agents rose from their chairs in unison. They walked by, one by one, each congratulating him and welcoming him back home. Emmett had been right. He'd been right all along. Dylan had missed this place. It wasn't just the job. It was the other agents. His family.
"You should go back home," Abram suggested. "I'm sure Emmett is worried about you. He probably thinks we're beating you."
Dylan scoffed. "No. He wasn't worried at all. In fact, he's the one who convinced me to come home."
"Smart guy."
"Yeah," Dylan agreed. "He's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"I'm looking forward to meeting him."
"I think Emmett might be a good fit for the team."
"He's got experience with law enforcement and an impeccable record. But he'll need some serious training before he can go out in the field. He needs to learn how to fight against paranormals."
"I haven't talked to him about becoming an agent yet, but I'll let you know what he decides. Either way, he should start training. He needs to be able to protect himself."
"Let me know what he decides."
"I will." Dylan took a deep breath. "I'm gonna go home and climb back into bed with my man. I'm tired."
"We'll talk later."
"Yeah. Later."
Dylan left the conference room and went home.
When the elevator doors opened at his place, Dylan was able to breathe a little bit easier. He didn't like being away from Emmett, even if it was only for a short time. Since meeting his True Match, they had spent almost every moment together.
Dylan strolled back to his bedroom. He stripped down and climbed back into bed with Emmett. Dylan wrapped his arms around his True Match and pulled the man against his chest.
"I love you," he whispered.
Dylan closed his eyes. He pressed his nose against the back of Emmett's neck and inhaled, pulling the man's scent into his lungs. Closing his eyes, Dylan fell asleep with a smile on his face.
THE END