Sexiest Vampire Alive(23)

Since the night before, he’d come up with a few reasons why a president’s daughter would hide from the spotlight. It could be the president who wanted her hidden. If she had a history of crime or drug abuse, he wouldn’t want the media to know. If she was suffering from a mental disorder, he might keep her locked up in the proverbial attic. Or maybe she was simply an embarrassment. A few tacos short of a combination plate. Or too ugly. Or too shy.

Shy? What a laugh. She’d marched right up to him and let him have it. Who are you? What do you want?

Mentally challenged? Ha! She was a scientist. A Ph.D. And she looked only about twenty-five. The girl was obviously brilliant.

And beautiful. Not in the skinny, carefully crafted superstar look that her sister Madison had mastered. Abigail was a little shorter, a little more curvy, and a hell of a lot more exciting. She was different. And real.

At first he’d thought she had pretty hazel eyes and curly brown hair. But when she drew closer and more into the light, he’d become fascinated with the subtle changes in her appearance. Flecks of gold and green glimmered in eyes that were big and beautiful without makeup. Her pink mouth was sweetly sculpted, her lovely face so expressive.

Across the room, her curls had seemed sweetly innocent, but close up, they looked wild and soft to touch. He’d noted a glint of dark auburn in her chin-length hair and a pale smattering of freckles over her sharp little nose.

There was a fire in her just waiting to be lit.

And like a fool, he’d completely screwed up. He’d been so focused on her, he’d forgotten about the stupid mirror.

Sean Whelan cleared his throat and nudged Gregori with his foot, forcing him back to the present.

The men in power were grumbling among themselves. Gregori didn’t need super hearing to realize they were busy determining his future and the future of vampires around the world. As if they had the right to decide who was worth saving. He took another sip of cold blood to cool the frustration simmering inside him.

“So what if they drink from bottles now?” the national security advisor asked. “They must have fed off humans for centuries. I don’t see how we could ever trust them.”

“Exactly,” the director of Homeland Security agreed. “I don’t believe for a second that they’re harmless, not when I know some people in South Dakota and Nebraska were murdered by vampires.”

“It’s true they could present a serious threat,” CIA director Caprese said. “But if we ally ourselves with them, we could direct that threat at our enemies.”

Gregori sipped more blood. Plan A was already falling apart. No big surprise there. But Plan B might succeed.

“This all sounds ridiculous to me.” General Bond glared at Gregori, then at the CIA director. “How come you didn’t tell me about this sooner? You wait till tonight to show me a weird-assed video, and you expect me to believe it? It’s bullshit!”

“I understand how you feel,” President Tucker told the general in a conciliatory tone. “I was skeptical, too, when I first saw the video.”

“Excuse me, General,” Sean Whelan cut in. “As head of the CIA Stake-Out team, I can confirm the existence of vampires. I’ve been studying them for six years.”

“So you say,” the general muttered. “But where’s the proof? Have you killed any of these so-called vampires?”

“I can’t bring you a head to mount on your wall,” Sean said. “They turn to dust when they die.”

“Really?” General Bond gave Gregori a speculative look as if he were contemplating testing Sean’s claim.

Gregori stuffed the bottle back into the ice bucket. “If you don’t believe me, fine. Maybe a lot of people will refuse to believe it. We can spread the word ourselves that it’s all a hoax, so I won’t waste any more of your time.” He stood.

“Wait.” The president raised a hand. “We still have much to discuss. Please have a seat, Mr. Holstein.”

Gregori hesitated.

“Already two of the major networks have examined the video and declared it authentic,” President Tucker continued. “We estimate over forty percent of the public now believes, and that number is growing daily. To be blunt, Mr. Holstein, you need our help. We are prepared to discuss a mutually beneficial alliance with your kind.”

Gregori sat down. Here goes Plan B. “We will gladly consider an alliance. We already have one with the British government.”

A bunch of jaws dropped. Gregori ignored Sean’s fierce scowl and proceeded to tell the other men about MacKay Security and Investigation and how Angus MacKay had come to the rescue during World War II.