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him alone.”
    “But—”
    “Alone. If you have a problem with that, I'll talk to Milton. I'm sure he'd be interested to hear about last night.”
    “No. It's okay. I'll wait here.”
    Her reaction confirmed what Craven had suspected. Layla was more than just an assistant to Milton.
    A young female vampire greeted Craven with an insincere smile. He followed her into an office which was all chrome and black leather.
    “Sit,” Lassiter said. He did not stand or offer to shake Craven's hand.
    “Thank you for seeing me,” Craven said.
    “You have ten minutes.”
    “I'm looking for my fated mate. She was snatched from my apartment in Terroun territory.”
    “What makes you think I can help?”
    “She's Krell's daughter. I think her disappearance may be connected to his death.”
    “I still fail to see why that has anything to do with me.”
    “Louise saw her father's killers. One of them was a vampire.”
    “That's nonsense. We have no interest in the affairs of shifters. She must have been mistaken.”
    “What about the attack on Jesters?”
    “I'd hardly call it an attack.”
    “What would you call it?”
    “A few youngsters had a little too much to drink, and—” He hesitated. “Lost control.”
    “That's not what I heard.”
    “Then you heard wrong.”
    “I heard it was a co-ordinated attack. I heard it was a massacre. I heard—”
    “Frankly, I don't care what you heard or what you think you know. I've told you what happened.”
    “Rather a coincidence that it happened the same night as Krell was attacked and killed.”
    “That's just what it was. A coincidence.” Lassiter stood up. “Now, if you don't mind, I'm rather busy.”
    “Where were you the night before last?”
    “What business is that of yours?”
    “A man with a build similar to yours abducted Louise from my flat.”
    “I've listened to enough of your nonsense. You should leave now while you still can.”
    “Is that a threat?”
    “The door's behind you.”
    “If I find out you have taken her or hurt her in anyway, I'll come looking for you.”
    “That, I'll look forward to.” Lassiter grinned—his fangs bared.
     
      
    “Well?” Layla asked when Craven returned to reception.
    He ignored her.
    “What happened in there?” She tried again as they walked back to her car.
    “I'm done here,” he said. “Take me back to the border would you?”
    “Don't you want to see Milton before you leave?”
    “Just take me to the border.”
     
    “What will you do now?” she asked, as they drove back towards his territory.
    “I'll keep searching until I find her.”
     
    *********
     
    “Any joy?” Hill asked.
    “Nothing.”
    They were in Craven's office.
    “Did you have any problems over there?”
    “The new Alpha was most accommodating. Almost too accommodating.”
    “What do you mean?”
     “An Alpha might tolerate another Alpha in his territory under exceptional circumstances, but why would he welcome me with open arms.”
    “Doesn't that show he has nothing to hide?”
    “Does it? Or is that just the impression he wanted to convey?”
    “Did he allow you to travel through their territory unaccompanied?”
    “I had his assistant with me. Layla—a nasty piece of work who claimed to have been a friend of Louise.” Craven pulled a face—just the thought of that little bitch made him sick to his stomach. What kind of person would try to seduce her friend's mate? “I also met with Lassiter—head of the vampires.”
    “How did that go?”
    “It didn't. He denied any knowledge of Louise's abduction or Krell's death. When I mentioned Jesters nightclub, he brushed it off as if it had been nothing. I wouldn't trust anything he said.”
    “What now?”
    “I keep on searching.”
    “Where?”
    “Everywhere until I find her.” He put his hand on Hill's shoulder. “I need you to do something for me.”
    “Anything.”
    “I need you to take over as Alpha.”
    Hill spun around to face Craven.
    “I can't do