I open my eyes, unsure of where I am for a moment. Blinking a few times, I see Adam's profile before me. He's lying on his back with one well-muscled arm behind his head, his eyes closed. I lie there without moving and study his face.

His lashes are sinfully long and dark against his face. His features are hard marbled edges that scream to be touched. Adam's beautiful in a purely masculine way. His presence here is comforting. And a little voice in my mind whispers that I'm not alone.

Inevitably as I lie here, uninvited memories from the night before come crashing like violent waves inside my head. I inhale sharply, and Adam opens his eyes as he turns to look at me. His face flashes concern for an instant before it smooths back to the unreadable mask. His eyes search my face.

His attention makes me feel self-conscious so I look away as I roll onto my back. The moment suddenly feels too intimate, and I can't help but feel vulnerable again. I loathe feeling helpless.

Once again, I fell apart, and he picked up the pieces and brought me home. Why does he keep saving me? Why does he care?

Sitting up, I swing my legs over the side of the bed. I try to clear my head of the fear that threatens to suffocate me once more. I'm safe. The sun is up. I'm home.

My hand finds the pendant hanging against my chest. I feel rather than see Adam rise from the bed behind me. He moves around the bed to stand in front of me. Raising my gaze to his I see him looking at the pendant in my grasp.

"Your Hunter succeeded where I failed. When did he give you the Pog an bhais?" he asks with a hard look in his eyes.

When I don't answer he pulls his gaze from the pendant, and looks at me, waiting. I'm awake now and anxious to know about the pendent that saved my life.

"The what? I can't even pronounce that. What is it?" I ask, confused, but interested.

This relic is the only reason I'm alive right now. I'm eager to learn every detail I can.

"It's called the Kiss of Death, and there are few in existence," he says, turning to leave the room.

I jump up to follow on his heels. Looking down at myself I notice that I'm still wearing my now wrinkled clothing from yesterday. I feel gross and self-conscious. I'm torn between hounding Adam for information and taking a shower. Curiosity wins over hygiene, and I follow him into the kitchen.

He starts gathering what he needs to make a pot of coffee. I watch him with wonder as he moves about my kitchen as though he's done this task hundreds of times and knows where everything is. It's pointless to ask since he ignores certain questions, so I don't even bother to ask how he knows my kitchen so well.

I lean against the counter and watch him start the coffee maker. Next he pulls out a pan from the cabinet and eggs from the fridge.

"Why don't you take a shower while I make you something to eat?" he asks as he works.

My mouth hangs open. I would never expect this domestic display from him. It feels weird and nice at the same time. Closing my mouth, I head for the shower. I can now say that watching a man perform domestic tasks is surprisingly sexy.

Does he know how to cook eggs?

***

After a quick shower I dress in yoga pants and a large sweatshirt. My hair is in a wet bun at the nape of my neck when I return to the kitchen. Still feeling like I was run over with a truck, but noticeably cleaner, I emerge from the bedroom. I notice the drapes are drawn tight, making the room darker than I usually keep it during the day.

A plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and blueberries sits on the table along with a steaming cup of coffee. I look from the plate to Adam, who is sitting in the opposite chair. He watches and waits. I smile shyly and sit down.

"Wow, who knew you could cook? How do you know how to cook eggs when you don't eat them yourself?" I ask as I start to devour the food.

I missed dinner during all the craziness last night, and only now realize how famished I am. He looks pleased by the way I'm inhaling my food.

"I learn a great deal from watching others. It's not a gourmet meal. No skill required," he says, still watching me eat.

After finishing half the plate, I ask, "What is the Kiss of Death? What does it do?"

Again he is looking at the pendant hanging from my neck.

"From what I've heard no vampire can harm you as long as you wear it. I've never seen one. The charm is exceptionally rare and valuable. I'm surprised the Hunter would part with it. You obviously mean more to him than I originally assumed." Adam looks at me thoughtfully. "I may kill him after all," he says sounding sincere. "Tell me what happened last night." His face is hard lines again.

I'm starting to believe he likes to talk about killing Gabe to draw a reaction from me—or maybe he likes saying it.

"Zac set me up. He claimed to be a new client, so I went to meet him, but of course that was bull. I was certain he was going to kill me." My mind is wandering into that dark place again.

"It was like he was thrown across the room when he tried to attack me. At first I thought you had found me, but then he started talking about the charm I was wearing. He was furious that I had it." I become lost to the memory, staring into my coffee cup. "I hate him!" I blurt, and shake off the nightmarish thoughts.

Without meaning to, my hand finds the pendant, and again I clutch it tightly.

My gaze returns to Adam. His eyes have the faintest glow about them. I don't know if he's reacting to my anger or his.

"He has other ways to reach you. You cannot be alone, even during the day. Not even the charm will stop him when he sets his mind to something," he says.

Now Adam looks like he's lost in memory. Could he be reliving one of his own nightmares from the past?

What scares a vampire?

I want to ask him about the woman Zac spoke about, but I don't know if it's the right moment. Sounds like we will be spending plenty of time together, so I wait.

"Don't you need to eat?" I ask carefully. I certainly don't want any misunderstandings during our forced time together.

Adam raises his eyebrows at me, and I know what he's implying. I shake my head at him, and sip my coffee.

"I'll take care of that when I need to," he says as he rises.

He walks into my bedroom, and I hear the shower going after a minute. Oh, boy. I don't know about this. He doesn't even close the bathroom door. I think we need to lay down some ground rules. It would be like him to walk through my condo naked just to see my reaction. I choose to sit on the patio until he's done.

After a short time, I can hear him speaking to someone. Curious, I walk back inside and see that Adam is dressed in the same clothes as before. His hair is damp, and he's talking to someone on his cell phone. The smell of my soap hangs in the air as I pass him. Lemongrass.

"I don't care what you have to do, Jacob, but get your ass here by tomorrow." He ends the call and slips the phone in his pocket. He runs his hand through his hair, then walks over to the curtains to pull them closed again.

"Who is Jacob?" I've visualized Adam as a loner up until now. Before he can answer my front door buzzes. We glance at each other before I move toward the door.

"Are you expecting anyone?" he asks, coming up behind me silently.

Before I can answer he stops several feet from the door and tenses. I stop when he does. My face goes white from his reaction.

"It's your Hunter," he says, with a serious hint of displeasure.

He stays behind me, and I give him a dirty look.

"Go away," I hiss, but he doesn't move. I roll my eyes at him and turn to answer the door. Gabe is standing in the hall, looking as displeased as Adam.

"Hey!" I say, smiling.

I'm actually happy to see him. Especially after last night.

I open the door wide, and motion for him to enter. He doesn't move, and I realize he and Adam are glaring at one another. The vicious look on Gabe's face is a bit of a shock. He's usually so mild mannered, but he looks like he's ready to kick some vampire ass at the moment.

Looking between the two of them, I roll my eyes and pull Gabe into the condo. I turn and push Adam further into the room. They both allow me to manhandle them into opposite positions in the living room, but they never take their eyes off one another. I sit on the sofa, but they both remain standing.

"Oh for crying out loud! Will you both sit down so we can talk about the psycho vampire running around Phoenix?" I stand and cross my arms over my chest.

What is with these guys?

"Adam, this is Gabe. Gabe, this is Adam." Gabe takes a seat first, and Adam follows suit.

Gabe is the first to speak. "I was hoping you were keeping better company by my return. Why is he here, Sam?" Gabe's body language is anything but relaxed, and both men look as though they are ready to pummel one another at any moment.

"Keep talking, Hunter, and I'll cut out your tongue and feed it to her cat," Adam says as his eyes start to glow.

Oh shit!

"I'd like to see you try, Vampire," Gabe says, as the temperature in the room seems to get colder.

They both stand before I see either of them move. Wilbur lets out a little cry, and runs to my room. Maybe I should follow him.

I didn't miss the fact that Gabe moved almost as fast as Adam. I feel like I'm moving through water as I jump up to place myself between them. This doesn't feel like a safe place to be, but I don't know how else to keep them apart. I'm taking a huge gamble that their concern for my safety will outweigh their desire to rip each other to shreds.

"Stop it, both of you! If you can't sit here like adults, then you can leave. What is wrong with the two of you?" I ask, annoyed.

The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end. I shiver visibly and glare at Adam.

"Can you turn it off! I'm freezing," I say, waiting for them to leave or sit back down.

Still glaring at one another, they sit back down. I don't dare leave them alone, so I grab the throw off the sofa and wrap it around my shoulders before sitting back down.

"If you two are done with your pissing contest, I'd like to say thank you, Gabe."

I can actually feel electricity or something else in the air that I can't explain. I noticed it when they started bantering with one another.

Power comes to mind. The air feels charged with it, almost tangible.

Gabe looks at me, confused. "What for?"

I seem to have his full attention again as he pushes his glasses up on his nose, looking more like the Gabe I'm used to.

I must admit that this Bad-Boy-Gabe is rather attractive, as well. Who would have thought he had it in him? He must know what Adam is capable of, and still he isn't backing down. Either he knows how to defend himself, or he's not as smart as I thought he was.

"I was attacked by a vampire last night, and the pendant you loaned me saved my life," I say, giving my words a moment to sink in.

Gabe throws an angry look at Adam, and asks, "Where were you?"

"She did not tell me she was meeting someone, and she does not ask permission, if you have not noticed. What are you implying, Hunter?" Adam asks, and the hairs on the back of my neck start to tingle again.

I can feel the hum of energy, and I have the impression that it's coming from both of them.

Okay...Gabe is not as normal as I originally thought.

"Stop this! I can't do this if you keep looking to pick a fight with each other. I'm okay, Gabe. Adam has already saved my ass a few times. This was a result of my own carelessness. I'm still trying to figure out all this vampire crap—it's a lot to take in. What I need is answers. Gabe, what are you, by the way?" I ask finally.

Gabe looks uncomfortable, but he turns his body toward me in his chair.

"I can see that he's already told you that I'm a Hunter. That is to say, my family hunts anything preternatural and dangerous to the average human. It's a family thing, passed down for more than two thousand years. It's not something I chose, I was born to it," he says, and looks over at Adam. "I won't share any more information in front of him. Can we go somewhere more private, or better yet, he can leave."

"She's not going anywhere with you, and I'm not leaving," Adam says, crossing his arms over his chest, which seems larger than usual.

"I can keep her safe. She's in danger by your very nature. I don't understand why she's even spending time with your kind," Gabe says, hatred dripping from his words.

For the first time I catch a hint of Irish in his accent—ever so faint, but there all the same.

"Did she tell you I'm staying here?" Adam says, leaning back in the chair, lacing his fingers together and putting them behind his head.

My mouth drops open, and I blush. Gabe looks at me, a question in his eyes.

"He's sleeping on the sofa, and sometimes he stays outside," I say too quickly.

Why do I even need to explain myself to either of them? Arghhh!

Gabe doesn't look happy, but he says nothing more on the matter.

"Gabe, why does the charm not affect Adam?" I ask.

This is something I'd been wondering about since I woke, and remembered that Adam brought me home.

"The charm only protects you from a vampire who means you harm," he says, and glares in Adam's direction again.

Interesting.

"Okay. Well, I need to run some errands for a job that I need to wrap up. I should be safe wearing the pendant during the daytime. I don't need a bodyguard each and every hour of the day. And I can let one of you know where I am at all times. Deal?" I look at them hopefully.

"No," they say in unison. They look at one another in surprise and maybe a trace of annoyance.

After much back-and-forth, debating various strategies for my safety during the day and night, it's agreed that Adam will handle the evening hours and Gabe will stay close by during the day.

I tried to argue that I don't like this arrangement, but they are united in the notion that I am not to be left alone at any time. Gabe said he would take a sabbatical from the university as long as was needed. When I try and argue this point, I'm overruled.

It feels odd to be the center of attention for two completely opposite men. They may be easy on the eyes but I'm not used to depending on anyone else and none of this situation sits well with me. I'm not sure this is going to work. If Zac had not attacked me, I would never have agreed to this.

***

Two days later, Gabe and I have settled into a comfortable, if not delusional, rhythm with one another. Even after spending several days stuck with each other's company, I'm still crushing on him despite the odd circumstances. We talk about family, his living, and my parents' absence. I enjoy hearing about his family. Even though there is tension, there is also love, respect, and warmth as he speaks about them. I envy his large family.

Adam is another story entirely. Our time together is tense and volatile. He continues to be angry, brooding, suggestive, and arrogant, which bugs the heck out of me. He watches me constantly, and isn't the least bit shy about it. This alone unnerves me and keeps me on edge. His random moments of gentleness are fleeting and few, and afterwards he seems angrier than usual. I don't understand him, or why I let him upset me so.

Adam has talked to this Jacob person several times. He hasn't told me, but from his phone conversations it sounds as if this guy Jacob has arrived in Phoenix now.

***

Gabe is down the hall at his place grabbing some notes that he wants to read while we kill time until Adam shows up. Adam promised to take me out to a bar soon to keep me from going stir-crazy.

After a couple of days with my new roommates, I'm sitting on the patio reading a novel when my cell phone rings.

Dayna's name shows, and I answer. I haven't talked to her in several days since my life has been on hold. "Hey Dayna. What's up?" I ask, hoping she doesn't want to go out anywhere. I don't want to lie to her anymore.

"Hello, Sam. Don't say anything that would cause me to want to hurt your friend. I know you're under lock and key these days." Hearing Zac's voice, and the fact that he's calling from Dayna's phone, make me want to scream, but I don't. "If you want to save your sweet friend, then do exactly as I say. If you follow my directions perfectly I'll spare Dayna. A simple trade. You, for your friend's life. Meet me by midnight," he says and gives me an address. "You'll need to figure out how to leave your guard dogs behind. If I suspect they are near—she dies. Her death or her liberation will be on your hands. Do you understand me, Sam?" he asks, still using a conversational tone.

"Yes," I say in a whisper. I'm trying not to shake, because if I start there will be no hiding it from Gabe or Adam.

"Good. Adam will need to feed. I've been watching, and it's been his habit to visit one of your neighbors around eleven. I recommend you use that time wisely. I'm looking forward to seeing you, Sam," he says as the line goes silent.