Not me, Sony and all. Except for those who do.

CHAPTER 3

"Myra!" exclaimed Nick, as if he had never seen the woman before.

"Nick?" asked Cary in a strange sounding voice that sounded like it was anticipating a great meal. "Who is this?"

Nick introduced the two and Myra observed Cary. She had thought Nick a good looking man but this one took the cake. When, all of a sudden, had her husbands brooding ex-partner become such a social butterfly?

"Hello, have you known Nick long?" asked she.

"Since he's come to Reno. He stayed with me for a while his flat was getting made up."

The music changed and My Prayer came wafting over the microphone. The singer was doing a pretty good job of it and Cary gave an evil little smile.

"Mrs. Schanke, would you care to dance?" he asked, just as Esme and Kitty came back up.

Myra was a little taken aback. Something about these people…

"I promise, I won't bite," said the vampire with a huge grin that showed lots of gleaming white teeth. Though the fangs didn't show, the smile was still lethal looking and Myra took an involuntary step back then regained her composure.

"Alright," she agreed, finally and swallowed as Cary led her to the dance floor.

Her husband came up with a couple of drinks and saw his wife in another man's arms. Nick quickly explained why Myra was dancing with a complete stranger. He also introduced Kitty.

"Mignon, would you care for this dance," coyly asked Esme of Nick.

"Yes, I would," he answered, part to dance and part to keep an eye on Cary, who he did not trust in the least. Cary reminded Nick of LaCroix in so many ways, except he was not so controlling. However, they were both dangerous creatures to be around—for both vampires and humans.

Kitty looked Schanke over.

"Would you like to dance, seeing as if my date is tripping the lights with your lovely wife?"

Don jumped at the idea. Imagine if the folks back at the Precinct could see him now, dancing with this beautiful woman. Also what would they say about Nick back home? How did he get this way? Was there something in the water? Kitty looked at him.

"Cat got your tongue? You look like you have a million questions and no answers, Don."

Schanke blinked. Don? No one called him that really, but it sounded good coming from her.

"I do. It doesn't make much sense. I've known Knight for years and this is the first time I've seen him willingly at a fancy affair. He used to kick up quite a fuss back then. But now--."

"People do change, Don. Even those such as Nick can change," she said reasonably. "So is the change for the good or the bad?"

"I haven't decided yet," admitted the detective, "but I will find out. We don't need to be back until Sunday night so I have all week yet." He smiled. "And when Don Schanke gets on a case, it gets solved."

"No doubt," said Kitty.

""""""""""

"So," said Cary to the dark haired women in his arms, "you're a friend of Nick?"

"I've known him for years. However, I never felt like I really knew him."

"Trust me, Mrs. Schanke…"

"Myra. Call me Myra. You make me feel old. How old are you anyway? 20? 21?"

Cary thought for a split second. "25."

"Really? You look so young." Myra took a rather graceful spin. "What would you be hanging around an old guy like Nick?"

"Nick isn't old. He's in his thirties."

"Still, he doesn't seem like the same person. It's almost as if he changed personalities when he moved," Myra observed, not recognizing the truth behind the statement. "So, what do you do for a living, as young as you are?"

"I own my own company. It was sort of inherited." That was not the truth but if these Schanke people were to do investigating they would find out how old he really was. It was simple enough for the company was incorporated back in the 1970's, which would make him a baby running it. So Esme came up with the back story of his father owning the company and of Cary himself being a junior. He didn't like it, he didn't want to think of his own sire in any way associated with his undead life, but it had to be done.

"What do you do?"

"Inbound telemarketing," said the vampire with a perfectly straight face.

"Telemarketing? Are you one of those people who call me at dinner time?"

"No, trust me. We don't call just anyone. We don't call anyone at all. They call us."

"So what do you sell?"

"Have you seen infomercials on the television? Those products, well, some of those products," Cary gave a small smile. "We also sell some special items only available through us."

"Skin Pretty, the firm I do part time work with, sells on those things sometimes. In fact, that's how we were able to take this trip. I won a contest."

Cary smiled prettily. "Well congratulations, Myra. Skin Pretty? What do they sell?"

"It's like Avon, but better. We sell cosmetics and facial products. We are also getting into toys and other merchandise. In fact, the contest was selling Halloween products."

That earned a raised eyebrow which the mortal found attractive. There was something very seductive about this man which she couldn't quite put her finger on. He was really not very personable but he had something.

"Halloween? Little early, isn't it?"

"Not for us. We start early, to get a jump start on the competition. Plus it takes a couple of weeks for the order to come in."

The music was ending and Cary gave her one last twirl and handed her off to her husband, taking his date back. They would be interesting, these humans. He grinned and kissed a surprised Kitty.

""""""""""

Nick and Esme were finishing up their dance when they noticed Myra returned safely and Cary taking Kitty and giving her a big smack on the dance floor to the last notes of the song.

"What's he up to?" asked the vampress.

"Who's to say he up to something?"

Esme laughed.

"Nick, mignon, I know Cary very well. He doesn't toy with mortals. If they have no use to him he kills them. You don't understand the depth of it. If he's leaving that human alone, cher, he has reason, comprenez-vous?"

"I don't. Those mortals are my friends and he knows not to touch them. Maybe he has some hare-brained scheme up his sleeve, but they will live through this. I know this for a given fact.

"They might live through it, but they would be affected," persisted Esme.

Nick looked at her sideways as the music ended. He realized that she did not like Cary at all. Not one bit, not even a little. He told her this and she agreed.

"No, I don't. It goes back a long way, mignon. I respect his position and his authority but like him? Non."

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him. He asked for a favor anyway and I think I know the person I want for it."

"Careful of his favors—giving or taking. He keeps tally."

Nick laughed.

""""""""""

The next song was a zinger—Good Golly Miss Molly and Nick partnered Myra. He wanted to talk with her, though it was tough so he waited until Diamonds and Pearls came on, a request from someone.

"Having a good time?"

"I am. I need to thank Skin Pretty for sponsoring this." Silence for a verse. "Tell me, Nick. What are you doing? Is this some midlife crisis you're going through?"

"Midlife crisis? No, why?"

"All of this," she indicated the ballroom with a sweep of her hand. "The fancy girl, the dress up, the friends. These people are not Natalie Lambert types."

"I know. As president of the charity though I do need to network and these events help hundreds of people."

"Now that's the Nick I know."

""""""""""

"What are you up to, Cary?" asked Esme, who accepted a dance from him.

"Nothing at all. Why would I be up to anything? These mortals are Nick's friends so they're safe from me. I cherish that friendship too much to ruin it."

"Alex would be so jealous," she teased him, knowing how much it annoyed him.

Cary's eyes yellowed some and he growled.

"Alex hasn't anything to do with this. I like Nick as a friend, hard as it is for someone like you to believe anyone has friends."

Esme's eyes narrowed.

"You, monsignor are an arrogant son of a bitch and I hope you get caught in some dawn!" she hissed at him, piqued.

The male vampire's eyes narrowed at the insult, one of the worse to throw at their kind.

"Go to hell, Esme. The only reason I put up with you is because of your damned company. If it wasn't for that, you would have been destroyed along with your mentor."

"He wasn't my mentor. He was my lover and there is a difference. Besides, I saw the light, as they say."

Cary scoffed at that.

"Lover. That's the other reason I put up with you. Nick seems to care for you and I wouldn't want anything to happen to him."

"Why? Why him?"

"He's my friend and a good one and not in the way your perverted little mind thinks."

It was Esme turn to scoff.

"Speaking of perverted little minds, your boyfriend just came in the door."

Cary turned and saw Alexi Borisnovo standing there, staring at him.

""""""""""

"How long have you known Nick?" asked Kitty of her dance partner, Don.

"Since he became my partner back in 1992. He's a good guy. A little strange, but a good guy."

The brunette smiled.

"Yes, he seems to be. He's very well-liked around town. He's always welcome at my club."

"You run a nightclub? Boy, Nick sure knows how to find them. You know, he always went to this dark club back in Toronto called The Raven. It was run by his ex. Or at least I think she was his ex, he never did explain that partnership…"

"Ex? You mean Janette?"

"Yeah, Janette. Beautiful French woman. Like a dark version of your friend there," he pointed at Esme.

"I think there might be a little bit of a difference," laughed Kitty. "Oh no, look who just came in?"

"Who?"

"A…acquaintance. Just an acquaintance."