"i know, but a world without drake on the streets is a better world. if he does decide to make a grab and tries to take her back to his car, i'll be the diversion. i'll maneuver him back to the trees instead. he'll have no choice but to head there if i'm too close. we take him once he's over the hill."

we both knew drake would not surrender. in a case like this, it was within our rights to use a "reasonable amount of force" to bring him down, which is how it was worded in the description of a citizen's arrest. i loved the ambiguity, since "reasonable" for an imp meant a considerable amount.

"here." nick held out a small black device. it was thin and about the size of a pack of gum. it worked like a vibrating pager between the two of us. if i depressed my button, the one nick carried would go off. small, easy, and effective. "one buzz for visual contact, two for a change of plans, continuous for backup. we rendezvous at the southeast corner of the building if anything goes wrong."

"got it." i took it from him and swapped out my id, which i stuck in the glove box next to my glock. i maneuvered it into my pocket, positioning the device facing out, so i could activate it through my spandex.

slipping from the car, i disappeared over the knoll.

i picked a place with the best vantage point. there was still time before the last of the daylight vanished. drake wouldn't come until full dark. i inhaled, curious to see what i could identify with my new nose. i immediately caught stale popcorn, a mixture of greasy fast food, and more than a hint of human urine. gross. it wasn't a surprise with everyone slurping a super-sized soda. i just didn't need to know about it. i picked up a family of rabbits nearby. i was surprised to find i liked the smell. it was a sweet musk and it made me hungry-hungrier than i already was, which wasn't saying much.

for the next hour and a half, cars entered the lot but few left. around nine, the main area stayed full. it was late summer. at nine-fifteen the streetlights blinked on, triggered by the fading light, spreading dull pools of light over the asphalt. ten minutes later, when the sky settled into darkness, our man drake pulled into the lot.

i knew it was him by the make and model of his car. the battered lincoln continental floated up the lanes, right into the overflow area. my hip buzzed a second later, nick alerting me to his arrival. drake swung his boat into a spot not ten feet from where i crouched.

his features through the car window were sharp and hawkish. once he turned off his engine, his fingers immediately started drumming the steering wheel. he glanced over his shoulder every two seconds to survey the lot.

you're not getting any tonight, boyo.

he'd make his move tonight. there was little doubt.

the thought of permanently wiping that smirk off his face sent a sweet rush of adrenaline racing through my veins, much stronger than it had been earlier today.

prey.

the word flashed through my mind like a rocket and suddenly my wolf stood at attention, front and center in my mind. she wanted a fight. uh-oh. i couldn't fight a dominion battle now, all hell would break loose if i lost.

she growled. it was a low menacing sound.

shit.

drake chose that moment to ease himself from the car. he half slouched, half crept his way through the parked cars. i had no choice but to follow, but i tried to reason with my wolf as i went. you have to let me have this one. i edged along the tree line, staying low, keeping him in my sights. i can't let you have control again. we already did that, and i'm not looking for a repeat of the farmer fiasco. this is too important, you have to let me lead.

the wind shifted and i caught a whiff of something faintly sulfuric. a beat later an overwhelming sense of otherness hit me, climbing along my skin like a warning. the hair on my arms rose to attention and my body gave an involuntary shudder. my sensing had kicked in and i'd picked up drake's magic, clearly marking him as a supe. that was handy. my wolf sat up straighter, scenting real danger for the first time. crap.

i knew the moment drake picked his target, because the scent of his lust wafted over me. his pheromones were repellent, like stale moldy bread. i wrinkled my nose and tried to breathe through my mouth as i crept closer. his lust scent, mixed with the rotten egg smell-the demonic part of his otherness-was now officially burned into my memory banks like a bad acid trip. my brain efficiently categorizing it away for later. wolves could recognize scents, even years later. not exactly a smell i wanted in my arsenal, but it was good to know that if he got away, i could track him down.

drake's victim, or victims in this case, were two girls of no more than fifteen or sixteen. the girls giggled as they walked, totally consumed by their discussion of the boys they planned to meet inside. they were perfect targets. too totally preoccupied with their upcoming adventure to notice the odd man lurking a few car lengths away from them.

i slid in closer, shielding myself behind the last tree at the edge of the lot. it wasn't much of a cover, but drake was fully absorbed. the noxious amount of lust he was emitting told me he was using all of his primary brainpower on seizing his victims instead of keeping alert for possible danger-which made him a dumbshit, as well as a pedophile. i was only four car lengths away from the group now.

drake eased forward, and i dropped to the ground. the girls were chatting more animatedly as they approached a large gap separating this lot from the main parking area. drake would lose them if they cleared the last row of parked cars.

"can you believe how danielle acted last night? she just threw herself at him. i was so embarrassed for her."

"i know, it was ridiculous. as if he would ..." the skinny blonde in the light blue sundress stopped talking in midsentence. she faltered for a moment, shaking her head. "becky, i ... i think i left something in the car. i ... i need to go back." her voice was stressed.

"what do you mean? what'd you leave?" becky was a foot taller, with long brown curls.

"i dunno ... but i have to get it. i'll be really quick ... i promise."

so our friend drake did have persuasion skills. i hoped like hell that was all he had.

"we're already late, jen," becky said impatiently. "just forget it. honestly, it can't be that important if you can't even remember what it is."

"um." jen struggled. she was hearing one thing from her pal, and another in her head. "no ... you go on ahead ... i'll catch up. i'll be really quick. i promise. i just have to get ... this thing."

becky clearly wasn't willing to leave her friend alone. go, becky. she started trailing after the now departing jen. "i don't know why you're doing this. we're already late." two paces in becky stopped abruptly. she shook her head. after a short pause, she mumbled, "um, okay, jen. you go get it and ... i'll wait for you ... in the theater." even though becky was clearly getting a missive from drake to leave, it took her more than a few seconds to actually tear herself away and head in the opposite direction. she was warring with herself. people with strong will were always harder to persuade than those without.

controlling two individuals was going to be a double struggle for drake. it sapped a lot of energy to do a dual persuasion, as nick could attest to, and i hoped he was motherfucking tired.

becky trotted off toward the movie theater, while jen wandered back toward her vehicle. drake followed behind her like a shadow, keeping a single car in between them as he went. another shot of sweat-laced, moldy pheromones wafted up my nose. he was getting more and more aroused. it made me want to tear his arms from his body.

i was still on the grass, waiting for an opportunity, when my wolf lunged to the surface with no warning whatsoever. she barreled into my psyche like a hammer exploding down on a nail, demanding control in a rush of power. my arms shot forward and i sprang onto the balls of my feet.

she wasn't going to take no for an answer this time.

with gigantic effort, i forced myself to my knees in the grass. i was furious. goddamn it, i'm not going to lose control again! do you hear me? this is my body and we do what i say when i say it! i plunged my hands into the earth hard enough to break all my nails to the quick. i clutched at the dirt like a life-line, trying to ground myself in my humanness. as she fought for control i closed my eyes and pushed back as hard as i could. i couldn't let my wolf take control, it wasn't an option. if she ruled me, i could kiss my life goodbye.

my arms trembled with the need to change, my muscles shifting under my skin. i clenched my teeth. i couldn't believe i'd been stupid enough to think i could come here tonight. i was a newborn. a ticking time bomb. i had no control. what was i doing here?

i opened my eyes and glanced frantically around me. i had to get out of here. right now. nick could handle drake by himself. i wrenched a hand out of the earth and was about to push the vibrate button twice, when jen's childish sound of alarm rent the air.

drake had made his move.

i spotted them quickly. he had her around the waist. jen was struggling, fighting for her life. in his anxiousness, he must have dropped his persuasion over her. either that or he just wasn't strong enough to manage both girls at the same time after all.

there was no way i was letting sweet, blue-sundressed jen become drake's latest victim.

no more time to think; i had to act. i closed my eyes once again, and with all the power i could gather i grabbed my human side and shoved it into the forefront of my mind in one massive mental heave. my wolf rose against the tide, snapping and growling, doing her best to block my human instincts as she fought for her own. she wanted to win.

but i wanted it more.

beads of sweat broke out along my skin, prickling my fore-head. i continued forcing the pressure forward, making it count, not relenting. it was like pushing against a giant rubber band, i had no idea if i was gaining ground. it bowed one way, and then back the other, as we both fought hard for command. i threw one more shock of energy into it and a loud tearing sound reverberated along my senses, like a massive sheet of paper being ripped in half. my mind pulled apart like a photo negative, one side gray, the other side black. both still the same image, but now fully separate.