“Like you wear panties,” Tate muttered.

I punched him. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I only go without when I’m on a job!”

Instead of being incensed by Tate’s knowledge of my underwear, Bones gave me an odd look as he sat in the chair Don indicated. Don set up a line and a bag and inserted the needle, since Dr. Lang, the head pathologist, still didn’t want to stick Bones himself.

“Kitten, are you still hunting vampires without your knickers on?” he asked with that same strange countenance.

“If I’m playing the bait, yes, but if it’s a search-and-destroy, no. Why?”

His lips twitched. “We’ll talk about it later,” he demurred.

I pounced. For him to look so peculiar, there had to be something to it.

“Tell me now.”

Five sets of eyes regarded him expectantly. Only Don didn’t look intrigued at this exchange. His eyes were glued to the IV bag filling with red liquid.

Bones’s lips twitched more. “It’s just that you can expand your wardrobe, luv. Not that I’m advocating it, of course, but then I’m biased. That thing I told you about no knickers making a difference when it came to luring vampires…well. I might have stretched the truth a bit.”

“You what?” My mouth dropped open in incredulity.

Juan gave Bones the most admiring look he’d bestowed on him yet.

“You talked her into going without panties all these years? Madre de Dios, now that’s impressive. I could learn a great deal from you, amigo.”

“You lied to me.”

I ignored Juan’s praise and advanced until I pointed a finger in Bones’s chest, which shook with suppressed laughter.

“Now, Kitten, it wasn’t exactly a lie. Merely an embellishment of the truth. I told you vampires found that right irresistible, and some do. Myself, for one, whenever I’m around you. And do you remember how you were back then? So uptight and prissy, I couldn’t resist needling you. Really, in all fairness, I never intended to let it go on this long-”

My voice trembled with wrath. “You perverted, depraved bastard, how could you!”

“What a mean trick,” Tate agreed instantly.

Bones reached out to me, chuckling, but I slapped his hand.

“Don’t touch me. You’re a dead man.”

“Since before you met me,” he agreed, still grinning. “I love you, Kitten.”

“Don’t try to get out of this. We’ll see if you love me when I pay you back.”

“Even then I will love you,” Bones called out as I stomped away. “Even then.”

I watched with empathy as the tremors ripped through Tate. The white cup that had held half a pint of Bones’s blood fell from his trembling hand. Bones gripped him by the shoulders until the glaze faded from Tate’s eyes, he stopped shaking, and he breathed without sounding like he was choking.

“Let go of me,” Tate snarled as soon as he could talk.

Bones released him. Tate inhaled several deep breaths, and his widened gaze met mine.

“Jesus, Cat. This isn’t like before at the cave. What the hell is in that asshole’s blood?”

I didn’t respond to the insult but only to the question. “Power. The blood you had before was from a weaker, shriveling vampire, so it doesn’t compare. Are you okay now?”

“Everything is so loud, and so clear.” He shook himself like a dog flinging off water. “And the smell! Goddamn, Juan, you stink! Didn’t you shower today?”

“Fuck off,” Juan growled, looking sheepish. “I showered, but I ran out of soap. Didn’t know we were getting sniff tested.”

I knew to suddenly have a vampire’s sense of smell was an incredible thing. It was like being born blind and then later recovering your sight. You couldn’t believe how much you’d missed.

“All right, Juan, you’re next.”

After all three men had been given blood, we proceeded to the training room. It went well, though I’m sure my guys had other views over their treatment at Bones’s hands. Don was nervous, but he visibly relaxed when Bones revived Tate after their bout and sent him on his way with constructive criticism and even praise. Tate took his place by my side and made one statement about the experience.

“Bastard hits harder than a fucking freight train.”

I just smiled. “I know.”

“You’ve schooled them brilliantly, Kitten.”

Cooper had just been perked up with a blood chaser, and Bones glided over to me.

“They are without a doubt the toughest humans I’ve come across,” he said to Don next. “With the additional strength of blood, they’ll be equal to a young vampire.”

Bones kissed me on the forehead as he spoke. That single touch, combined with the past couple of hours of watching his shirtless predatory ballet, made me react in a purely instinctual manner. My loins clenched, greedily demanding attention.

Uh oh. I had to get out of here. Fast. Before the boys picked up on the fragrance of my lust.

“I’m off to clean up; I’m sweaty. I’ll, ah, see you all later,” I said, and practically ran out of the room in my attempt to salvage my dignity.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I heard Tate ask, with an edge to his voice. “Wrong way, Bones. The men’s showers are in the opposite direction.”

“I’ll file that away with all the other information that doesn’t pertain to me” was Bones’s mocking reply.

I ignored them and kept going, reaching my locker room, shutting the door, and stripping off my clothes in a blur. A cold shower, that’s what I needed.

Tate’s voice still reached me through the door. “Got something you’re embarrassed to show us, vampire?” he taunted.

Bones merely laughed. From the sound of it, he was almost at the door.

“Just not stupid. Where would you rather be?”

“Don’t answer that,” I heard Juan caution Tate, and then Bones came inside my locker room.

I was already under the cold spray of water. When Bones turned his eyes to me, I shivered, but it had nothing to do with the chilly liquid.

“Not here. It’s…inappropriate.”

Bones removed his pants and kicked off his shoes in a single motion that made my breath catch. He came toward me, reaching behind me to turn the water from cold to hot.

“Sod ’em,” he responded, kneeling in front of me. His mouth caressed my stomach. “I want you, Kitten, and you want me.” His tongue snaked out and moved lower with relentless accuracy. “That’s all I care about.”

I clutched his shoulders as my knees went weak and my worries over propriety went out the metaphorical window. The hot water poured over us in much the same manner as the blood now racing through me.

“I’m going to fall,” I warned him with a gasp.

“I’ll hold you,” he promised throatily.

I believed him.

When we emerged an hour later, my face was flushed from sex, the heat of the shower, and the look Tate gave me when I walked into my office. He was waiting for me there. Bones had stopped by the lab again for more blood extraction, per Don’s request.

“Christ, Cat, you couldn’t even wait until later to crawl into the coffin with him?” Tate asked, giving his head a disgusted shake.

That succeeded in dampening my good spirits. “First of all, none of your business, and second, how do you know we weren’t just talking?” We weren’t, but that wasn’t the point.

Tate snorted rudely. “My senses just got put on steroids, remember? Not only could I hear you-now I can smell it on you. You reek of it, even after your shower.”

God, how could I be so stupid? Frankly, I was used to being the only one with extra perceptions.

“Then I switch to my first point, which is that it’s none of your business.” No way was I going to cringe under his gaze.

Another snort, but with bitterness this time. “Yeah, you’ve made that crystal-clear.”

The pain on his face stopped my next spiteful remark. “Tate. I’m not trying to hurt you or prove anything. What happens between him and me doesn’t have anything to do with you.”