The hallway of the apartment building was darker than the street. Mary Grace grabbed Mike's waistband, so he could guide her along. He never even slowed, but went up a flight of stairs. When he stopped she ran into his back. "Damn. You're as hard as a brick wall." She rubbed her sore nose.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Male egos. "Well it wasn't intended as one."
"Thanks." He knocked twice. "Calian," he bellowed. "It's Mike. Let me in."
Light spilled into the hallway from a door down the way. A gorgeous blonde woman leaned in the doorway and observed them. Mary Grace bristled when she asked, "I'm not Calian, but will I do?"
Mike turned to face her. "Sorry. No. Do you happen to know if he's...?"
"This had better be good, half-breed." The door beside them swung open.
"Jesus," Mary Grace mumbled, "What is this, Supermodels, Inc?"
The man in the door was every bit as attractive as the blonde down the hall. Tall and buff, his waist length hair was tawny, framing a chiseled face. And if that wasn't good enough, he was gloriously, mouth-wateringly naked. He leaned down and sniffed in Mary Grace's direction. "Nope. Just your usual everyday run-of-the-mill Werecats." He glanced at Mike. "She's human," he announced.
"As perceptive as ever. You gonna invite us in or make us talk in front of the neighbors?"
Calian stepped back and waved them into his home. "Come in. Hey Mutt." He scratched the dog's head. "I'll go put something on." He chuckled when he caught Mary Grace eyeing his endowments. "I wouldn't want to make your woman discontent."
"Huh," Mike snorted. "More likely you're feeling intimidated in my presence."
Both men laughed. Mary Grace concentrated on not blushing, but as usual it was a futile effort. Her face flamed, but her voice was cool. "Maybe neither of you is up to my usual standards."
Calian whooped and slapped Mike on the back. "At last, you've found a woman worthy of you." He shook his head in disbelief as he strode toward the bedroom. "And she's human."
"You'd think that was a disease. A vile disease." Mary Grace was tired of being assessed and found wanting.
"Oh, I like humans," Calian announced as he returned, pulling a t-shirt over his head. "Especially beautiful young female humans."
"Back off, cat man," Mike growled.
Calian sniffed again. "You haven't had her yet. She's still fair game, my friend." He sauntered over and slung an arm over Mary Grace's shoulders. "How'd you like a tour of my apartment?"
"Mary Grace, meet Calian. Calian, Mary Grace. Now get your paws off her. We need to talk."
Calian sighed. "If you insist." He leaned down to whisper in Mary Grace's ear, "If the breed isn't man enough for you, just come see me."
"I'll do that." She laughed. "And thanks for the offer."
"No problem. Now what's brought you to my world?"
"We're chasing Althazor."
Calian whistled.
"He has kidnapped a little girl and is jumping from realm to realm." Mike ran a hand through his hair. "We can't figure out why he wants her, but knowing him, it can't be good."
Calian sat down on a chair, leaning back on two legs. "And Mary Grace is here, why?"
"I'm a cop," she answered. "I was at the scene, and when Mike started to slide, I grabbed on for the ride."
"She's kidding, right?" Calian looked to Mike for confirmation.
"Nope. Afraid not. She wouldn't go back."
Calian smirked. "She wouldn't, huh? I've never known you to bring a human between worlds."
"That's because I never have. Now, what I was hoping was that you'd check out the area and see what you can find out about his location."
)
Michael Angelo: Ancient--immortal--powerful--jaded. Fed up with his self-appointed role as protector of all things innocent, he is determined to spend some time relaxing and enjoying the company of his dog. Mary Grace Chapman: A tough, competent cop who takes her job and her family seriously. With both feet firmly planted in reality, no one could be less prepared for the sexy half-angel who saves her sister in a freak accident. When a hostage situation gone terribly wrong lands them in an alternate dimension, Mary Grace is forced to admit life might not be as cut and dried as she once believed. Especially when she realizes they're surrounded by Were-creatures, vampires, and demons. But her determination to rescue a scared little girl leads her into a world of discovery, altering her life on many levels.
