Her dad promised a life motivated by hate, while her sister's world offered a life filled with love. In the end the decision was easy.
Caitlyn had driven to Romatech, ready to accept the job with MacKay Security & Investigation. She wore her most expensive suit and high heels. She'd twisted her long hair into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. Instead of her red silk embroidered bag from Singapore, she brought a black leather handbag.
As much as she wanted this job, she was still wary about entering the world of vampires. Just in case it was dangerous to display a bare neck in their presence, she'd knotted a silk scarf around her throat.
As she strode toward the entrance, her heart began to pound. Was Carlos inside? Had he thought about her at all?
The door opened and Emma MacKay greeted her. "Come in."
"Thank you." Caitlyn stepped into the foyer, her stiletto heels clicking on the marble floor. Maybe she'd overdressed. Her new boss was dressed simply in jeans and a green sweater. Hard to believe she was a vampire. Emma looked and acted so normal.
Emma locked the door and pressed some buttons on a security panel. "We have to be careful at night because that's when the Malcontents might attack."
"Shanna told me a little about them," Caitlyn said. "They hate the synthetic blood that's manufactured here."
"Yes. They adhere to an archaic belief that vampires are superior and have the right to use and abuse mortals however they like. The truth is they were a bunch of thugs when they were alive and becoming Undead has only made them worse. They're a bunch of vicious killers, and we're doing our best to defeat them."
Caitlyn suppressed a shudder. Shanna had made the job sound like an exciting adventure - traveling around the world, making it a safer place for mortals - but now she wondered just how dangerous this job could be. "What kind of powers do the Malcontents have?"
"Levitation, teleportation, mind control, super-speed, and enhanced senses," Emma explained as she led Caitlyn down a hallway on the left. "But don't worry. We have some excellent Vamp warriors on our side with the same powers. And we have employees with all kinds of talents and abilities. Shape shifters, mortals - in fact, we recently hired a mortal who can detect lies. Robby's wife, Olivia MacKay. You may have met her."
"I did. When I moved into the townhouse this morning, I met Olivia and Lara."
Emma smiled. "Aren't they lovely?"
"Yes." Caitlyn had taken an instant liking to them both. She realized that Olivia had been the woman in the gazebo the night before. Of course she didn't meet the man who had made Olivia squeal. He was dead during the day.
"I'm a bit concerned that I don't have the right credentials for this job," Caitlyn admitted. "Lara told me she used to be a police officer. And Olivia worked for the FBI."
Emma stopped her with a touch on the shoulder. "They have their own talents, but yours is truly unique. You can learn a new language in a few hours, right?"
Caitlyn nodded. "And I can understand any language that's spoken."
Emma's eyes widened. "That's amazing. Good heavens, we could have used you a month ago. We were hunting for Casimir in Bulgaria, and none of us knew the language."
"Who is Casimir?"
"The leader of the Malcontents." Emma gestured to the right. "This is the nursery for Shanna's children, and next door is her dental office. They should be arriving soon."
The top half of the nursery door was open. Caitlyn peered inside and saw shelves full of toys, books, and stuffed animals. A rocking chair sat in the corner. The carpet was printed to look like a town with streets and buildings.
She smiled to herself. Her sister might have given birth to half-vampire children, but she was managing to give them a fairly normal childhood.
Emma sighed. "I have to be honest with you. We have no plans to ever put you in a dangerous situation, but we're dealing with a dangerous enemy so it could still happen. Every MacKay employee undergoes some self-defense training just to be safe. Are you all right with that?"
Caitlyn swallowed hard. There was no avoiding the potential danger. Even if she had joined her father's Stake-Out team, she would have needed to be prepared for a possible confrontation with a Malcontent. At least by working for MacKay S & I, she'd be surrounded by Vamps who possessed the same powers as the Malcontents. And she'd be able to see her sister, niece, and nephew. "I understand the danger."
Emma nodded. "We'll do our best to keep you safe." She snorted. "Shanna would probably stake me in my sleep if I let anything happen to you."
A door opened down the hall, and a big man in a kilt stepped out. Caitlyn recognized him as the redheaded man who'd played basketball the night before.
"Angus." Emma strode toward him, smiling. "This is Caitlyn Whelan."
He extended a hand. "Pleased to meet you, lass."
Caitlyn shook hands with him. "Thank you."
Angus wrapped an arm around Emma. "Have ye convinced Miss Whelan to work for us yet?"
When Emma hesitated, Caitlyn spoke up. "Yes, she has. I would be delighted to work for you."
Emma's face lit up with a big grin. "That's super!" She hugged Caitlyn. "Thank you, dear."
Angus chuckled. "Excellent."
"Yo, dudette." A tall male filled the doorway, grinning at Caitlyn. He was dressed in khaki pants and a navy polo shirt. "Welcome to the hood. I'm Phineas McKinney, aka Dr. Phang."
Caitlyn remembered him from the basketball game, too. "You're a vampire doctor?"
"I'm the Love Doctor." He winked. "Available every night for consultation regarding your romantic queries."
"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
"I'm sure you've noticed all the happily married couples around here." Phineas flipped up the collar on his polo shirt. "Is it a coincidence that all this conjugal bliss abounds while the Love Doctor's in the house? I think not."
Angus snorted. "Doona let his jesting fool you, Miss Whelan. Phineas is a fierce warrior on the battlefield, and the enemy has learned to fear him."
"Oh yeah, I'm bad." Phineas moonwalked back. "Bad to the bone, baby." He spun in a circle, then went up on his toes. "Ow!"
"And if he can behave in a professional manner" - Angus gave him a pointed look - "I'll be promoting him to head of security here at Romatech."
Phineas halted in the middle of his dance routine, his eyes widening with shock. "No shit? I mean, really, sir?"
Angus's mouth twitched. "Really. Ye'll be in charge here. Connor will still be around, but his main focus is keeping Roman and his family safe."
"Aye, aye, Captain." Phineas saluted.
Angus turned to Caitlyn. "Ye'll have to undergo some self-defense training. Carlos has been assigned as yer trainer until he leaves on his trip."
Caitlyn took a deep breath. Where was Carlos going? Was it the trip he had argued about last night before getting slapped and punched? He'd mentioned something about needing a mate, but she didn't want to dwell on that. The important thing now was that he was going to train her. That meant time alone together.
"Let me get the forms for you to fill out." Emma slipped into the office, and Angus followed her.
Caitlyn stepped inside and was instantly intrigued by the wall of surveillance monitors. She spotted the main foyer and hallways in Romatech and recognized the cafeteria. She saw the front parking lot and the basketball court. The gazebo and gardens.
She gulped with a sudden thought. If anyone had been in this office last night, they would have seen her and Carlos kissing. She struggled to remember. When she'd returned to the cafeteria, Howard had been there, eating cake. Maybe the kiss was still secret. The hottest, most glorious kiss of her life.
She turned away from the monitors and noticed that the back of the office was caged off. What a huge arsenal of guns, rifles, and swords! Her skin prickled with alarm.
The most violent act she'd ever perpetrated in her twenty-six years was the smashing of cockroaches with her rain boots. And that had been a traumatic experience, considering the gargantuan size of roaches in Southeast Asia. She might be a complete wimp when it came to a big, vicious vampire with fangs.
Think of this as an adventure, she reminded herself. She'd always hated violence, but she loved adventure. And she wasn't one to give up easily. She'd been brave enough to live in strange, exotic places. Strong enough to survive even though she'd always felt alone.