s happening on colby's ranch?"

"i think so," ben said. "he skirted the issue, but he didn't altogether deny it either. i think his worm of a boss tried to get her place cheap and tony went along with it. twice, in the course of the conversation, he said maybe colby wouldn't be so high and mighty when she realized she needed a man to help her. i think in his twisted way, tony thought he could force colby to ask him for help."

"as if!" colby all but snorted. "i'd never ask that rat for help. you should have seen him when he thought i was alone out by the mines. he and that..." she trailed off, biting down hard on her lip. she didn't want to talk about ernie carter, or think about rafael standing, covered in wounds, his fist buried in the man's chest. she closed her eyes, feeling sick.

ben shrugged. "tony has delusions, colby, but i think he had opportunity and in his own twisted way, motive."

she sat up straight. "you don't suspect him of killing pete, do you?" tony was many things, but he wasn't a murderer. she didn't want to try to tell ben there were vampires and puppets in his county. he would lock her up in a padded cell, but she couldn't have tony arrested for murder.

"tony isn't smart enough to commit murder and get away with it. he drinks too much and he talks when he's drinking. no one would help him cover up a murder."

colby let her breath out slowly. "if it's that worm clinton daniels causing all the accidents to my ranch, how are we going to catch him? he'd send tony or one of his other men-he'd never dirty his own hands."

"whatever you're thinking about doing, colby," ben warned, "don't."

"well, someone has to stop him. i'm not going to be happy putting tony in jail if daniels put him up to it."

rafael, always a shadow in her mind, touched on her plans, irritated that ben could read her so easily. he caught her thoughts, meeting daniels casually for a drink, flirting with him, trying to get information on tape from him. could she kiss him? she wasn't certain she could go that far.

i do not think so. i would have to kill him. rafael was matter-of-fact about it. and then you would have to deal with my wrath.

spare me the male drama. this is serious. clinton daniels is a snake. i've struggled for months trying to hold things together.

"you stay away from daniels, colby," ben said. "i'm not putting up with your shenanigans in the middle of dead bodies and disappearances."

colby grinned at him. ben had used his sternest voice on her. "ben, darling, no one says 'shenanigans' anymore."

she felt the darkness then, heard the roar of a beast. rafael turned his face away from her, staring out the window, his back to them, but she knew fangs exploded in his mouth. he was fighting a dark instinct that seemed to be riding him hard.

what? she pushed a hand through her hair, irritated all over again.

you call this man by an endearment when you will not even contemplate the possibility of caring for me. how do you expect your lifemate to react?

it was almost a snarl. her heart thudded hard against her chest. ben? you're jealous of ben? are you nuts? ben thinks i'm loony. he loves me like a sister or something. and i love him back the same way.

do not speak to me about loving another man when you refuse to love me.

rafael, ben does not try to take over my mind and rule me like i'm some brainless sex toy. maybe you should try to learn a little something from him.

ben does not try because you do not belong to him.

"oh, for god's sake!" exasperated, colby jumped up. "men are idiots. i can't take this. i really can't. ben, go away and take rafael with you."

ben looked completely confused. "you never make any sense, colby."

"i make perfect sense, ben. men don't make sense. i need rest. i'm upset and i'm cranky and frankly if you don't get out of my house, i'm setting the dog on the both of you." she glared at rafael, her hands on her hips.

he straightened slowly. it was a lazy movement, but catlike and sensual. or predatory and sensual. colby couldn't decide which. whatever it was, she could hardly breathe with him staring at her. devouring her. stripping off her clothes and claiming her with his black hungry eyes. he took one step toward her and stopped abruptly, the smoldering intensity riding from his gaze, replaced by ice-cold calculation. she instantly felt the darkness creeping through the sky, invading her lands.

what is it? but she already knew. it was out there, maybe watching, maybe after paul again. the vampire had risen.

he knows i am not yet at full strength and he wishes to test me in battle. the vampire will always take the advantage.

'"then don't go. stay here with me." colby crossed the small distance between them, catching his arm. "wait until you're stronger." it was perverse, and totally an about-face, her motions swinging wildly out of control at the thought of rafael in danger. she couldn't stop herself from clinging to him even though she'd wanted him gone only moments before.

ben threw his hands into the air in exasperation. "two minutes ago you were throwing us out and setting the dog on us, now you want us to stay. colby, get a handle on your emotions."

rafael bent his head toward colby. he framed her face with his hands. "you know i have to go, meu amor. paul is in too much danger to let this pass."

"then call nicolas."

he pressed his forehead against hers, blocking out ben, the vampire, everyone, until there was only them. colby and rafael. "you know i cannot. he is too weary, too far gone. he fights the darkness every moment."

"he'll fight it more if anything happens to you," she whispered. "rafael, don't go alone. that's what he wants."

"do you know something about these disappearances, de la cruz?" ben demanded. "if you're meeting someone dangerous, i'll go with you."

rafael didn't turn his head, but kept his gaze fixed on colby's. "i thank you for your concern but i must handle this problem alone. perhaps you could drive to the everett ranch and take colby with you. tell juan and julio to watch the boy."

he kissed her. took possession of her mouth the way he did with no coaxing, no light foreplay, instead claiming her, branding her, his mouth hot and hungry and demanding a response. colby wrapped her arms around his neck, her body melting into his, completely oblivious to ben's presence.

rafael put her from him and turned and walked out. colby went to the window to watch him go. he simply dissolved, was no longer there, but she caught sight of a harpy eagle winging across the sky.

"i hope to hell you know what you're doing, colby," ben snapped.

"i hope so too," she said absently.

"come on, i'll take you to the everett ranch."

"i can't go, ben, but will you make certain paul and ginny are safe?"

"are you sure?" he shoved his hat on his head.

"very." she didn't turn her head, just watched out the window until the giant bird had disappeared behind the foliage of the trees. her heart sank. "i have too much to do."

"be careful, colby, and take care of that leg."

she'd all but forgotten about her leg. rafael had healed the cut. long after ben had driven away colby continued to stare out the window into the night, blinking back tears. she finally put her hand into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper with natalya's cell phone number.