THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

on, Delano, I just want to have a civilized conversation.”
    For seconds, there was only silence. Ainsley imagined she could hear Delano’s heart thudding. Or maybe it was her own.
    “Hold your fire,” he said at last. “For now.”
    “Much appreciated.” Janecek bared gleaming white teeth in a smile, but he didn’t lower his weapon. “Like my new duds? I gotta say, it’s a little hot under this gear.”
    “Nice. Did you kill the fireman you stole it from?”
    “Nah. I just left him unconscious. He’ll be fine.” His shrug was barely perceptible beneath the bulky fire-fighter’s jacket. “Call it a late Father’s Day gift.”
    Delano’s hand tightened on Ainsley’s so hard, it was all she could do to keep from crying out. Then it slackened again.
    “I am not your father.”
    “Well, how do you like that?”
    Janecek fixed his gaze on Ainsley, facing her fully for the first time, and she caught her breath.
    Dear God, he was stunning. Wavy blond hair that touched his collar, flawless skin, strong white teeth, dark eyebrows and green, eerily feline eyes.
    “But I guess you’d understand that whole foster parent thing, wouldn’t you, little one? So anxious to disown us.”
    Ainsley’s heartbeat faltered as she belatedly began to absorb the meaning of his words. Delano had fostered Janecek? His enemy?
    “Del?” She glanced up at him, but his gaze was still fixed on Janecek.
    “What? You didn’t tell her about our relationship? I’m wounded.”
    “Why would I volunteer that information?” Delano spat the words out. “To think I kept your worthless hide alive, allowed you to reach maturity, and you repay me by preying on the vulnerable. It’s my deepest shame. One I hope to atone for some day, God willing.”
    Janecek snorted. “Did you hear that, Ainsley?”
    The creature knew her name! And, oh, sweet Jesus, he’d known she’d been in foster care. What else did he know? She looked into his glittering green eyes and saw the truth there. A lot. More, perhaps, than she knew herself. She sagged against Delano, clutching his arm.
    The creature transferred its attention back to Delano. “And you. I should think by now you’d realize your God has forsaken you.”
    “Just because you willingly surrendered your own soul doesn’t mean the rest of us have.”
    “Face it, Delano. After all these years, he’s forgotten you. He’s never going to come to collect your shriveled-up soul. You’re stuck here, locked inside your own personal, self-loathing prison of flesh.”
    Delano’s bicep bulged beneath her hands.
    “Shut up.”
    Janecek grinned. “Aw, come on, Dad, call me Radak. Just once, for old time’s sake.”
    “I should have left you in that monastery to starve to death after you killed the last of the monks.”
    “Now that cuts.”
    “Look, if you’ve got something to say, say it, before a real fireman comes jogging over to see why you’ve strayed so far from the scene.”
    “Straight to the point, as ever.” When Delano held his silence, Janecek sighed. “I come to offer a truce. Give me what I want, and I’ll leave you alone in your lab to tinker with your toys.”
    “A truce?” Delano snorted. “And what would your price be for that?”
    Janecek’s odd eyes fixed on Ainsley. “The woman.”
    Beside her, Delano went rigid.
    Dear God! They were talking about her. But why would Janecek want her badly enough to engineer this dialogue, unless he thought it would hurt Delano?
    “Forget it.” Delano ground the words out.
    “Think about it,” Janecek urged. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty of her precious blood squirreled away by now for your experiments. You don’t need her anymore.”
    Ainsley put a hand to her head, battling a new surge of vertigo. Blood for his experiments? Her blood? Is that why he’d been drawing it daily?
    “You’re a killer. I wouldn’t turn a rabid dog over to you, let alone a human being. And even if I had no such scruples, I’d be a fool to accept your word that you’d keep the peace. I made that mistake once, which is the only reason you live and breathe today.”
    “Del, what’s he talking about?”
    Janecek laughed. “Don’t tell me she doesn’t know!”
    Delano growled.
    “Oh, this is priceless! He really didn’t tell you?” He threw back his head and laughed again.
    “Del?”
    “Later, Ainsley,” he said, keeping his gaze locked on Janecek. “You’ve had your answer. I’ll give you nothing, save perhaps a