"Why do you bring this child here? You know it's dangerous for the pack." The shifter king reprimaded Mark. The kind, Richard, knew that the woman would come for the child.

"You should not have gotten mixed up with her, much less to mate with her, Mark." Mark bowed his head in obedience to his king. Richard, the king of all shapeshifters was angry that one of their own had mated outside of the species.

"It's not that I"m angry at the child, she is beautiful but this woman, Mia, she is a danger to us. You know that Mark! Why her? Why not a...a..human?!" Richard said with animation.

"A human? You would rather us mate with a human than a witch?" Mark's voice was full of disgust. He loved Mia, she loved him..what had gone so wrong?

"Yes, yes..witches are unpredictable creatures. Some are good, but others," Richard growled, bared his teeth and leaned forward, "are bad and she, my dear shifter, is bad. Your daughter will be like her but like you as well, the combination will save her that is if.." Richard stopped as he leaned back into his chair.

Mark's eyes widenend, "That is if what?"

"If we can keep her mother away, if she doesn't find her," Richard said with a heavy sigh.

"She'll never find her.." Mark growled. Deep down, he just knew Mia wasn't all bad, was she?

********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Mia handed Vicki a picture of Mark and Jaden, their infant daughter.

"She's beautiful," Henry commented. Vicki eyed him and shook off the feeling that Henry would love to have a baby but surely not after all this time? Vicki thought to herself. She focused her attentions back to Mia.

"Do you have a list of friends, contacts, family members?" Vicki asked.

"Some, but his family..." Mia tilted her head at Vicki, "You do understand the nature of this case don't you? Your ad does say no case too strange," Mia reminded Vicki, as if she needed reminding.

"That's right, Mia so far, there has been no case too strange, yet. I need all of the information I can get if I'm to start somewhere," Vicki told her firmly. Mia sighed as she asked for a pen and paper. While she was writing, Vicki thought she caught a glimpse of her eyes change momentarily. Shaking it off as just another issue with her RP, she let it go. Vicki took notice of Henry's intense stare and frown, his brow deeply furrowed as the muscle in his jaw twitched slightly with the clenching of his teeth.

"Henry, you okay?" Vicki asked.

"Fine."

"Wow, I'm convinced," Vicki replied as she shook her head. Mia handed Vicki a piece of paper with the names of Mark's friends, "..or ones that I"m aware of." she offered. Vicki thanked her and told her she would call if she had anything. After Mia left, Vicki shooed Coreen out, told her to close the door and confronted Henry.

"We are supposed to be partners. Now, in case you're unaware of what that entails, specifically it means to share information," Vicki said as she moved to stand near Henry. Her close proximity was intoxicating to Henry, his keen senses were on overload.

"If I tell you, you cannot let anyone know at least, not until we find out what she is," Henry told her. He had moved to within inches of her. Vicki could feel herself feeling trapped and aroused simultaneously.

"Well..yeah..sure.." she tried to seem at ease. What she was? Is that what she heard?

"Wait..did you say 'what' she was?" Vicki tilted her head and frowned.

"Yes, I did," Henry told her, "I heard her, in my head."

"Really..what did she say Karnak?" Vicki teased.

Henry turned to leave, "Wait," Vicki grabbed his arm. He glanced down at her arm then back to her face.

"Why? So you can once again put yourself in danger as you go rushing in before finding out all of the facts, no thanks. You're not invinsible, the tattoos proved that." Vicki winced and rubbed her wrist upon his reminder she had been branded. Henry continued, "We're partners, you said we should share everything. I did and yet, you make light of it," Henry started to leave once more. Vicki gritted her teeth and sighed. Damn how she hated apologizing but she did need his help.

"I'm sorry, okay, I'm sorry I didn't take you seriously, please Henry, just sit," she offered the couch to him. Reluctantly and only for her, he agreed to talk to her.

"I think she's some type of supernatural being, what, I don't know but I cannot communicate with someone else unless they have an ability," he told her.

"What about half-blind stubborn people?" Vicki smiled.

"That too, but this was as if she turned my mind on and used to as a frequency," Henry shook his head in frustration. He needed to know what was going on. This was unfamiliar to him and he wasn't thrilled with the idea that someone knew what he was.

"What did she say?" Vicki finally asked.

"She said, "I know what you are," Henry's eyes were full of fear.

"I'll stake the bitch for you, will that help?" Vicki was dead serious and Henry, even being stressed and worried, smiled that crooked sexy smile that made Vicki's heart skip a beat.

Vicki smiled too and she meant it, she would stake her if necessary. Henry was touched by her display of protectiveness.

Maybe, just maybe, he could break through that hard shell exterior and touch her heart...