Night Unbound [Claiming series, #1]

- 6 -

Julie found her first night on her new job rather...different. She didn't know exactly how to describe it. Asher, far from being a lion who seemed always on the edge of pouncing, just relaxed. Well, what else would he do?

He was till clearly weakened from his encounter with the demon. He made no pretense of working, just sat on the sofa, sometimes closing his eyes as if another wave of pain washed through him. She wanted to ask why he kept doing this, kept exposing himself to such dangers, but figured she'd get another of his non-answer answers. Or maybe, and possibly worse, she'd hear a truth that would make her unhappy. He seemed to deal out both kinds of responses regularly.

Regardless, with him sitting right there, she couldn't even ask Mackenzie about him. She did, however, have plenty to learn from Mackenzie about the job basics: where everything was located, which cases were active files, where and how they did most of their online research.

And the Rolodex.

The Rolodex fascinated her. Different colored tabs marked the cards.

"The red ones are always to be put directly through to Asher if he's here."

"Important people?"

"Vampires," Mackenzie said.

Julie blinked. Apparently, she hadn't totally moved past the shock. "Uh...there are more?"

Asher spoke almost sarcastically. "I regret, madam, I am not the last of my kind."

"I meant here. In town."

"Yeah, sure, just a couple," Mackenzie said. "Some of these live elsewhere. Anyway, when they call, it's important. Always."

"Ok. Blue tabs?" There were a half dozen of those.

"Clergy members who help us out." Mackenzie flipped to one. "This is Father Dan. He helps us most, and he's the only one who really knows what Asher is. The thing is, unless you're talking to him or one of the red-tabbed cards, watch what you say. You're going to have to learn to cover."

Julie nodded, concealing her surprise that any clergy worked with Asher, and that one apparently knew what he was. She was starting to get used to having her preconceived notions turned on end. "I already did that last."

"What happened?"

She told Mackenzie about the neighbor who had complained and what she had said.

"Oh, lovely," Asher drawled from the couch. "Now I'm a dog trainer."

"Did you want me to tell him the truth? My friend the vampire is in there fighting a demon?"

He merely looked sourly at her and said, "It pains me that my assistants have to become such inventive liars."

Mackenzie sniffed. "I think it pains you more that you were called a dog trainer."

He made a grumpy sound.

Mackenzie looked at Julie. "I think he's hungry."

"Quit telling me what I am. I'll let you know."

Mackenzie made a face. "Men don't change at all just because they become vampires. Give them a little demon gash or two and they act like cranky babies."

Julie couldn't help it. She giggled and got a glare from Asher.

"As for the rest of these people," Mackenzie continued, "the yellow tabs are clients, the green tabs are sources. And none of them, absolutely none of them, knows."

Julie nodded. "I understand."

"We do everything possible to make Asher seem human."

A snort from the direction of the couch.