“Of a sort. What brings you here?” He smiled, watching her reaction.

She returned his smile and moved nearer. “I came in search of pleasure.”

His grip on her hip tightened. “And have you found it?”

She shook her head.

He spanned her waist with his hands, bringing their lower bodies together. Her breasts brushed across his chest and he felt the stirrings of desire.

“You’re attractive.”

Her smile widened. “Thank you. So are you.”

He laughed and she joined him.

He moved her hair behind her shoulder and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Then he brought his lips to her neck.

Instantly, he could hear her heartbeat speed, the blood pumping through her veins. She slid her hands up his chest and brought them to his hair, gently scratching at his scalp.

He brushed his nose against her throat and kissed her intently, careful not to let his teeth puncture her skin. There would be time enough for that. Satisfaction was always sweeter when delayed. And he had always prided himself in being a master of satisfaction.

She sighed in his arms, pulling him closer.

He continued to kiss her, enjoying her enthusiastic moans. When the scent of her arousal became too much, he pulled back.

She opened her eyes. “Why did you stop?”

He stroked his thumb across her lower lip. “I want to be the only one to hear your cries when I taste you.”

She nipped at his thumb, her eyes sparkling. “Yes, please.”

He took her hand in his. “Come.”

He led her from the dance floor and toward one of the halls. A youngling, who acted as a guard, bowed to the Prince and stood aside so they could pass.

At that moment, someone moved to stand in front of them.

“Lorenzo.” The Prince nodded at his second in command, gripping the woman’s hand more tightly.

Lorenzo was Italian by birth and a distant cousin of the Medici family. Born in the sixteenth century, he had transformed when he was twenty years old. His dark hair was curly and hung to his shoulders, while his eyes were a light brown. In size, he matched the Prince, but he was younger and far less powerful.

“Forgive the intrusion, my prince.” Lorenzo’s eyes flickered to the woman’s and back again. “But there’s a situation that requires your attention.”

The Prince swore. “Can’t it wait?”

Lorenzo lifted his hand, revealing a cell phone. “I’m afraid not.”

The Prince scowled at the device. He despised them. They weren’t permitted in Teatro for security reasons.

If Lorenzo was using one, something must have happened.

He turned to the guard.

“Escort the woman to one of the rooms and see she is not disturbed.”

He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. “I’ll be with you momentarily. There are drinks in the room. Please enjoy yourself while you wait.”

She smiled up at him and nodded, following the guard down the hall.

The Prince watched the curve of her backside as it swayed in her tight blue dress.

“What is so important as to interrupt my entertainment?” The Prince turned angry eyes on his lieutenant.

“An incident at Santo Spirito.”

At the very mention of the name, the Prince stilled.

Cassita.

“What kind of incident?”

“Perhaps we should move this conversation somewhere private.”

Angrily, the Prince stormed toward the exit of the club, pushing beings and humans aside as he crossed the dance floor. He threw the door open and stepped into the alley. It was raining.

Lorenzo followed, closing the door carefully behind him.

“We need privacy,” he said to the security guard.

The guard nodded and moved to the far end of the alley.

“What happened?” The Prince placed his hands on his hips, his voice low.

“A feral appeared in Santo Spirito. It killed an Interpol agent.”

The Prince pressed his lips together. “Witnesses?”

“I’m told there are a few. Fortunately for us, the agent was not in uniform.”

“Other casualties?”

“Just the feral. Ibarra and Aoibhe killed it and gathered a few younglings to help them remove the corpses and attend to the scene.”

“What about the border patrols?”

Lorenzo shook his head. “No one reported a breach.”

The Prince scowled. “Double the border patrols immediately and call a meeting of the Consilium after sunrise.”

“The local police received reports by telephone. Officers are at the scene, but our contact has delayed the face-to-face questioning.”

“Exactly what was reported?”

“Witnesses saw a man dressed in black threatening a woman. She escaped into one of the apartment buildings. Then the man attacked another man, killing him. There were reports about Ibarra and Aoibhe, but those reports have mysteriously disappeared.”

Lorenzo smiled.

The Prince took a moment to process the report. “The woman was threatened by the feral?”

“So I’ve inferred.”

The Prince’s eyebrows knitted together. “Why isn’t she dead?”

“Witnesses claimed it didn’t approach her. She must have been wearing a talisman.”

The Prince rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “Do we have names for these witnesses?”

“Yes.”

“We cannot erase the event without arousing more suspicion. Have our contact see to the interviews personally. Remind him to check for cameras or telephones that might have taken photographs. He can amend the reports, if need be.”

Lorenzo bowed. “Yes, my lord. And the woman?”

The Prince forced himself not to react. “If she’s wearing a talisman, no one will be able to approach her. I’ll investigate the matter personally.”

The lieutenant gazed at him curiously.

“What about the dead agent?”

“Aoibhe has probably burned the corpse by now. Tell our contact to focus everyone’s attention on the missing person investigation that will no doubt ensue and to plant evidence that links the scene to organized crime. That’s plausible enough. The witness reports and physical evidence should support a knife attack, rather than a feeding. If an unruly witness were to disappear . . .” He gave Lorenzo a meaningful look.

“And the other woman?”