Wait. He shook his head. He still needed to find out about Toni. He rolled toward the bedside table and grabbed the cordless phone. His vision blurred as he punched in Connor's cell phone number. Just a few more minutes, that was all he needed.

"Hello?" Connor sounded sleepy.

Ian stretched on his back, holding the phone to his ear. "Tell me about Toni."

"Is that you, Ian?" Connor yawned. "Call me later."

"Tell me about Toni. How did ye find her?"

"I came across her in Central Park." Connor yawned again. "Monday night."

And this was only Wednesday morning. Ian opened his mouth, but no words came out. His eyes flickered shut.

"Three Malcontents," Connor's voice slowed, "attacked her…verra vicious…"

No wonder she hated vampires. Ian lost his grip on the phone. Was she planning to stake them all in their sleep?

As death-sleep dragged him under, he wondered if he would ever wake again.

CHAPTER 3

I deserve to be happy.

I will accomplish my goals.

I will achieve something meaningful with my life.

I am worthy to be loved.

Toni repeated her morning affirmations as hot water sluiced down her body and steam billowed around her. She just needed to believe. Yeah, right. In the last few days, her life had started spiraling down the toilet.

I deserve to be happy. She sighed. Her family didn't believe in her, so why should she? She turned the water off. She needed to toughen up emotionally and not let other people drag her down—people like Ian MacPhie.

How could a dead guy be so handsome? She pulled back the shower curtain. Why couldn't he have been mortal? For one fleeting, wonderful moment, she'd thought he was human. But no. Swish down the toilet. He was one of them.