Night of the Living Dante (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 4.5) by Nikki Jefford Page B

she was part
of his secret life. She was a damn good informant with almost a sixth sense for
stumbling onto vampire activity.
    It was more than that. Janine was a pro. She knew how to
blend in with drug addicts, devil worshippers, and Goths who hung around
vampires like anemic groupies.
    Besides, with Janine Dante didn’t have to feign the whole
safe sex, protect against STDs, and wear a condom bull crap. He could neither
transmit nor contract an STD. Nor could he impregnate a woman. This might have
upset him if he didn’t love his job so much. Children had no place in his life.
Humanity needed him and fatherhood was a sacrifice he was happy to make.
    “Keep sniffing out vampires and we can spend more time
together,” Dante said.
    “Yeah, well, I’ve sniffed out a particularly foul rodent.”
    “Yeah?” Dante asked, sitting up in his seat.
    “Name’s Renard. Nasty piece of work.”
    “So, let’s wrap things up here, head back to Fairbanks,
and kill him,” Dante said. “That’s what I call a doubleheader.”
    Janine shook her head slightly. “Trouble is he doesn’t
stick around town for more than a weekend here and there.” She gave a soft
sigh. “What’s the vamp activity like in Anchorage?”
    Dante shrugged. “Don’t know. Melcher said he’d rather send
me up here for now. He keeps promising some local work. But I do have an
exciting piece of news. I’m going to be a mentor.” Dante puffed out his chest.
    When Janine didn’t say anything, he looked over. “New
recruit needs my guidance.”
    Janine smirked. “Poor guy.”
    “Young woman, actually. Senior in high school.”
    Janine stiffened. After a long pause she said a
begrudging, “Lucky you. You get a sweet little high school girl to follow her
hot trainer around like a puppy.”
    Hot.
    Dante grinned wide.
    “Nah, I’ve already got Tommy.” He glanced at Janine from
the corner of his eyes. Her shoulders relaxed the slightest bit.
    Suddenly, the Jeep’s headlights reflected off something
and beamed back into Dante’s eyes. He slowed the vehicle and squinted. A small
truck appeared in the headlights. Beyond the truck, a small cabin loomed along
the faint edges of light.
    Dante stopped the Jeep, left it in first gear, and turned
off the headlights and ignition. Darkness engulfed the vehicle and with it,
Dante and Janine inside. He could barely make out the cabin twenty feet in
front of them.
    "This would make a great set for a scary movie,”
Dante said.
    Janine looked over. Dante couldn’t read her expression,
but he did hear a soft grumble.
    “Come on,” Dante said. “You can be my leading lady.”
    “So long as I’m not the damsel in distress.”
    “Never. You know I don’t go for that type.” Dante reached
over and squeezed Janine’s knee.
    She became quiet and still. Dante’s hand traveled slowly
up her thigh. He slid his fingers into the warm space between her legs. Janine
tensed. Any second, she’d bat his hand away. She was one dedicated informant—always
thinking of the mission first. It was yet another turn on in Dante’s book. Once
a vampire bit her, she’d get in the mood.
    A faint light appeared inside the cabin’s small square
window.
    There’d be time to mess around later. He pulled his hand
away. “Don’t look now. The natives are restless.”
    Janine’s hand shot forward. The glove box sprung open, and
a light popped on inside. She pulled out a pistol and clip. She rammed the clip
into the chamber with the palm of her hand and holstered it against her hip.
    Damn, she was hot right before a kill.
    “Who am I going in as?” she asked.
    “How about Janet?” Dante grinned. “As in Janet Jackson.”
    Janine sighed. “Let’s just do this.”
    “I’m ready to do it.”
    Finally, Janine laughed… and smacked him against the
chest.
    As they stepped out of the car, two vampires emerged from
the cabin holding flashlights. From where Dante stood, they looked like
featureless silhouettes behind the beams of