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rearview mirror. He couldn’t see Sanctuary following, but the hairs on the back of his neck were tickling. They were out there.
    “The research those goons back there were looking for.”
    “You mean those goons you hired to make you look good, and to foster a false sense of security in me?” she asked.
    He was right, her mind didn’t stop, it just went off on some weird tangents. “Damn, I wish I’d thought of that a couple months ago. It would have made things so much simpler.”
    Now she did glance at him. The black and white of his night vision caressed the planes of her profile. She wasn’t a beautiful woman, but she was sexy, with an earthy, girl-next-door kind of cute tossed on top. With a snort that did nothing to diminish her appeal, she muttered, “And I’m supposed to believe you’re some sort of genius.”
    Despite the danger, he couldn’t help being amused. “I never said I was some sort of genius. You’re the one who gave me that appellation.”
    “I think I was overly impressed with your ability to crack my security code.”
    He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I think the proper statement would be that you were thrilled that I cracked your security code.”
    Another glance, this one as autocratic as any queen had ever tossed. “That doesn’t even make sense.”
    “It does if you were bored and looking for a little mental challenge.”
    “I’m a top research scientist in a lab that will give me whatever I want. How on Earth would I be bored?”
    A shadow in the side-view mirror caught his eye. The faintest flicker of light. Not a solid image, but something more dangerous. Sanctuary. Rubber squealed against pavement as he made a sudden left turn. “You lack social challenge.”
    Grabbing the armrest, she asked, “Are you saying I’m awkward?”
    He checked the rearview again. “No. I’m just saying it’s been awhile since you had someone to match wits with.”
    Her eyes narrowed and she glanced at the passenger-side mirror. There was no way she could see Sanctuary. Though she had to be terrified, she didn’t betray an ounce of fear. His admiration for her, which had been building over the past few months, increased that much more. “And you appointed yourself my court jester?”
    The arrogance of the tone made him smile. “I may have been toying with taking on the role.”
    That might just have been a huff that preceded her mandate. “Well, if I’m going to have an opening for a court jester, then I’m not taking the first applicant that comes along. There will be an application process. I assure you, my prime requirement will not be a determination to win the position by subterfuge.”
    Shit . They were coming up fast on the crossroads at the edge of town. East circled back. West headed into the country. He headed west. The rows of houses got farther in between. The yards larger. “I haven’t tricked you.”
    She looked behind again. “So you say.”
    “Yes, I do.” He couldn’t see the flicker in the mirror anymore, but the hairs on the back of his neck were practically dancing. “Hold on.”
    He hit the gas. The powerful engine roared to life, accelerating with the bit of his energy he poured into the engine, giving it that extra boost just as a Sanctuary vampire appeared in the rearview.
    This time there was nothing fake about her gasp. “What was that?”
    “Just one of those trumped-up goons you think I conjured.”
    “Seriously, what was that ?”
    He couldn’t blame her for the shock. Sanctuary didn’t improve in looks when they were up close and personal. “I already told you—Sanctuary.”
    “And what the hell is Sanctuary?”
    “An arrogant bunch of vampires ...” He took the next corner too fast, levitating the car as it tilted up on two wheels, holding it on the road until gravity took over again. The wheels hit the road with a thump. “Who seem to think your research on how genes and amino acids interplay in nutrition is damn interesting.”
    Jane’s