“Why do I have to do this?" Gator demanded.Cuz you're such a pretty boy. Our photographer isn't going to fall for one of us as the tied up model," Nico pointed out.Dumbest plan you've ever come up with," Gator rumbled. "Offering myself all trussed up like a Christmas turkey to a serial killer who likes to torture people isn't too smart.”

“Suddenly gator was framed in the doorway, grinning at them, his black unruly hair tumbling into his face and his piercing blue eyes bright with laughter. "Oh, I see you are most friendly with each other. And Lily was so worried." He turned his head. "Ian Tucker, come look at this. Our man has found himself a little kitty cat.""Shut up, Gator, or I'm going to shoot you." Nicholas put the gun away and looked down at dahlia. She had the covers pulled up to her chin. Here eyes were enormous and getting bigger by the moment as more Ghost Walkers crowded into the doorway to gape at the sight of Nicholas, the loner, in bed with Dahlia."And you said he didn't know what to do with a woman," Tucker Addison accused the tallest of the group, Ian McGillicuddy. "I stand corrected." Ian gave Nicholas a small salute.Dahlia made a small distressed squeak. Nicholas picked up the gun. "I'm going to start shooting if the lot of you don't get out and close the door.""What a poor sport," Gator groused. "And this is my house.”

“The vampire had to be pretty hard up to come after someone who looked the way she did-like Frankenstein’s bride.”

“I don't suppose you cook?" Tucker inquired hopefully. "Did you think because she can start fires she'd be great with a grill? Gator asked.”

“Other people's houses are right on top of this one," he said. "I think they could take one step and be in our living room.""You haven't seen the courtyard yet, Gregori. The house opens up to a courtyard in the back, and it's immense and in quite good shape." Savannah began heading up the stairs, ignoring his grousing."I hate to think what you would call bad shape," he muttered as he followed her upstairs."I wonder why everything is so dusty," Savannah said. "I had the real estate people come in and clean and get things ready for our arrival.""Do not touch anything," Gregori hissed softly, and very gently caught her shoulders to put her behind him."What is it?" Instinctively she lowered her voice and looked around, trying to see if there was some danger she had been unable to sense."If people came and made up the bed and prepared the house for your arrival, then they would have removed the dust too.""Maybe they're incredibly incompetent," she suggested hopefully.Gregori glanced at her and found the hard edge of his mouth softening. She was making him want to smile all the time, even in the most serious of situations. "I am certain any company would work overtime trying to make you happy, ma petite. I know I do."She blushed at the memory of how he did so. "So why all the dust?" she asked, deliberately distracting him."I think Julian left us a message. You have remained with humans so long, you see only with your eyes."Savannah rolled her eyes at the reprimand. "And you've lived in the hills so long,you've forgotten how to have fun."The pale eyes slid over her, wrapping her in heat. "I have my own ideas of fun, cherie. I would be willing to show you if you like," he offered wickedly.Her chin lifted, blue eyes challenging. "If you think you're scaring me with your big-bad-wolf routine,you're not," she said.He could hear her heart beat. Smell her scent calling to him. "Perhaps I will think of something to change that," he cautioned her.”

“That be the jealousy talking," Gator said, in no way perturbed. "I can't help the way the women love me. I was born with the gift."The men hooted and made rude noises. "You were born with a gift of bullshitting." Sam pointed out, "but that's about it." He looked at Dahlia. "Pardon me, ma'am, but its the truth.""I rather thought it was," she agreed.”

“Do you think anything else can go wrong tonight?"Kaden turned to look at Nicholas coming up behind her and nodded. "Yes ma'am. I'd say all kinds of things could go wrong.”