"Why are you telling me this?"
"Honestly? Because I see how much you care about this woman. You care, and you're scared shitless about it. You're afraid you're going to lose her, and right now you'll do anything to hold on to her."
"I'd kill for her," Dante said quietly. "I would die for her."
"Yes. I know you would. Maybe you can see how easy it would be to lie, cheat, or even give up your life's purpose to help her--to do anything, risk anything, if it would mean protecting her from any more hurt."
Frowning with new comprehension and suddenly unable to despise the agent any longer, Dante turned to look at Chase. "You said you had no female in your life, no family or obligations beyond your brother' s widow... "
Chase smiled vaguely. Etched in misery and longing, the vampire's face said it all. "Her name is Elise. She was there tonight, when you and Tegan came to pick me up at my home."
He should have known. He did know, on some level, Dante acknowledged now. Chase's reaction when the woman came outside had been virulent, unhinged. It was only when he saw her potentially in harm's way that he lost his usual cool. He'd looked like he'd wanted to tear Tegan's head off for touching the female, a possessiveness that went beyond simple defense of one's kin.
And by the look on Chase's face, he was alone in his affection.
"Anyway," the agent said abruptly. "I just... wanted you to know that I'm sorry for everything. I want to help you and the rest of the Order in any way I can, so if there is anything you need, you know where I am."
"Chase," Dante said as the male turned to leave the room. "Apology accepted, man. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry too. I haven't been fair to you either. Despite our differences, know that I respect you. The Agency lost a good one the day they cut you loose."
Chase's smile was crooked as he acknowledged the praise with a short nod.
Dante cleared his throat. "And about that offer of help... "
"Name it."
"Tess was walking a dog when the Rogues attacked her tonight. Ugly little mutt, not good for much more than a foot-warmer, but it's special to her. Actually, it was a gift from me, more or less. Anyway, the dog was running loose on its leash when I saw it a block or so away from Ben Sullivan's place."
"You want me to go retrieve a wayward canine, is that where this is heading?"
"Well, you did say anything, didn't you?"
"So I did." Chase chuckled. "All right. I will."
Dante dug the keys to his Porsche out of his pocket and tossed them to the other vampire. As Chase turned to be on his way again, Dante added, "The little beast answers to the name Harvard, by the way."
"Harvard," Chase drawled, shaking his head and throwing a smirk in Dante's direction. "I don't suppose that's a coincidence."
Dante shrugged. "Good to see that Ivy League pedigree of yours comes in handy for something."
"Jesus Christ, warrior. You really were busting my ass since the minute I came on board, weren't you? "
"Hey, by all comparisons, I was kind. Do yourself a favor and don't look too closely at Niko's shooting targets, unless you're very secure about your manhood."
"Assholes," Chase muttered, but there was only humor in his tone. "Sit tight, and I'll be back in a few with your mutt. Anything else you're gonna hit me up for now that I opened my big yap about wanting to get square with you?"
"Actually, there might be something else," Dante replied, his thoughts going sober when he considered Tess and any kind of future that might be deserving of her. "But we can talk about that when you get back, yeah?"
Chase nodded, catching on to the turn in mood. "Yeah. Sure we can."
Chapter Thirty
When Chase strode out of Dante's living quarters into the hallway, Gideon was waiting there.
"How's it going in there?" the warrior asked.
"She's still unconscious, but I think she's in good hands. Dante is determined that she'll be all right, and once that warrior gets an idea in his head, there isn't much that's going to stand in his way."
"True enough," Gideon chuckled. He was holding a portable video device, which he now turned on. " Listen, I tapped into some Rogue activity on satellite surveillance earlier tonight. More than one of the subjects appear to be Darkhaven civilians. You got a minute to take a look, maybe provide some ID for us?"
"Of course."
Chase glanced down at the small screen of the hand-held as Gideon called up the images and fast-forwarded to a specific frame. The night-vision footage, zoomed in on a decrepit building in one of the city's industrial slums, showed four inpiduals exiting from a back door. By the gait and size of them, Chase could tell they were vampires. But the human they were stalking had no idea.
The recorded feed played on, and Chase watched, repulsed, as the four Darkhaven youths closed in on their prey. They attacked swiftly and savagely, like the Bloodlusting predators they were. Gang-style attacks on humans were unheard of among the Breed; only vampires turned Rogue hunted and killed like this.
"Can you tighten up this frame?" he asked Gideon, not really wanting to see more of the carnage but unable to look away.
"Think you recognize any of them?"
"Yes," Chase said, his gut convulsing as the focus closed in on Camden's disheveled, feral appearance. The second sighting of the youth in the past few hours, and irrefutable evidence that he was beyond retrieving. "They're all from the Boston Darkhaven. I can give you their names, if you like. That one there is called Camden. He is my brother's son."