Be Still My Vampire Heart(3)

 

Angus enjoyed another gulp of Blissky. "'Tis no' Whelan. The man hasna got the balls for it."

 

Connor handed him the next profile. "This is Garrett Manning."

 

"Whoa!" Gregori jumped to his feet, pointing at Garrett's photo. "That guy was on the reality show last summer." He gave Connor a stunned look. "You told me Austin was masquerading as a contestant, but you didn't say anything about this guy."

 

Connor shrugged. "There was no reason to tell you."

 

"Aye." Angus nodded. "Ye're not important enough to know everything."

 

Gregori made a face. "Piss off."

 

Connor chuckled. "I seriously doubt Garrett is the slayer. He has verra little psychic power, and he was busy doing the reality show last summer when the first slayings occurred."

 

"Well, who else is here?" Gregori turned over Garrett's photo. "Whoa, a babe."

 

"Aye." Connor nodded. "The last two are female."

 

"A female mortal killing male vampires?" Angus plunked his bottle on the desk. "'Tis no' possible."

 

Gregori snickered. "So much for your theory about needing balls." He made a grab for the bottle of Blissky.

 

Angus stood, taking his bottle with him.

 

Connor passed him the next profile. "A female slayer would explain Austin's protectiveness."

 

"Whoa, baby. She's hot." Gregori grabbed the photo.

 

Angus studied the profile on Alyssa Barnett. Psychic power: five. She was brand-new to the CIA. No field experience prior to the Stake-Out team. "She's no' the slayer."

 

"Bummer." Gregori dropped the photo and reached for the next profile. "How about this one? Emma Wallace."

 

Angus stiffened. "The Wallace?"

 

"You mean like Braveheart?" Gregori's eyes widened. "Hey, did you guys know him?"

 

Connor snorted. "The puir man was executed long before we were born." He turned to Angus. "'Tis a common name these days."

 

"'Tis the name of a warrior." Angus snatched the profile from Gregori. Psychic power: seven. Black belt in several styles of martial arts. Trained by MI6 in antiterrorism. His heart began to pound. Could it be true? Could the slayer be a female?

 

"Sweet." Gregori was practically drooling over her photo.

 

Angus set down his bottle and yanked the photo from Gregori's grasping fingers. His heart stammered and lunged up his throat. No wonder Gregori was panting like a hound dog. She had creamy pale skin that contrasted dramatically with her rich brown hair. Her eyes were a golden-brown that glimmered like amber. There was a sharp intelligence in her eyes. A strong will. A fierce passion that marked her as a warrior.

 

"She's the one," he whispered.

 

Connor shook his head. "We canna be sure until we catch the slayer in the act."

 

Angus set her photo down. Her eyes seemed to be following him, calling to him. "We'll catch her. Tonight. Connor, you take the northern half of the park, and I'll take the southern half."

 

"I'll come." Gregori took a swig from Angus's bottle. "I can spot a good-looking babe a mile off."

 

"Hey." Angus grabbed his bottle back. He'd been so intent on Miss Wallace's photo, he hadn't seen Gregori nabbing his Blissky. "And what will ye do when a black-belt slayer knocks ye down and whips out her wooden stake?"

 

"Oh, come on, dude." Gregori straightened his tie. "No woman wants to kill a sharp-dressed man."

 

"Angus is right." Connor gathered up the profiles and photos and closed the folder.

 

"Ye're no' prepared to fight a slayer. Stay here and tell Roman what we decided to do."

 

"Damn." Gregori tugged at his shirt cuff. "Not fair."

 

Angus removed a pewter flask from his sporran and filled it with Blissky. "'Twill be a long night. This will keep me warm."

 

"I'll fetch my claymore, and we can go." Connor headed for the door.

 

"Wait." Gregori's mouth twitched. "You two guys are going to Central Park in the middle of the night, wearing skirts?" He laughed. "No one's gonna believe you're looking for a woman."

 

Angus glanced down at his kilt. "I dinna bring any trousers."

 

Gregori snorted. "You mean you own some?"

 

"Doona worry." Connor rested a hand on the doorknob. "Today was St. Paddy's Day. The city is full of men in kilts. No one will think twice about it."

 

"What will you do if you find her?" Gregori asked.

 

"Have a wee chat," Connor replied as he left the room.