Free Stay the Night by Lynn Viehl

Richard on the experiments she had been conducting on Kyn blood. Alex’s interviews with some of the early refuges escaping the Brethren persecution in Europe had prompted her to test how Kyn blood reacted to heat. Although the Kyn had long believed that fire was one of the few things that could kill them, Alex had proven otherwise, and that it might be possible for the immortals to heal from even the worst burns.
    Alex didn’t think she was the only one who had discovered these facts, either. After reviewing many arson reports prepared by the European police, and learning that no Kyn remains had ever been recovered by authorities, she theorized that the Brethren might be using fire not to kill but to capture and disable the Kyn.
    Michael agreed that her findings were troubling, but he was more concerned with managing the consequences of the Brethren’s latest campaign of terror. He now ruled over most of the survivors of the arson attacks, as nearly all of them had fled to America. He also felt strongly that actions had to be taken to safeguard the refugees and redistribute them in Europe and Asia to create new strongholds rather than concentrating their numbers on one continent.
    Then there were the rumors of a growing desire among the Kyn to launch a counterattack against the Brethren and wipe out the order once and for all. Michael had no love for the zealots, but as Alex had often pointed out, to declare war on the Brethren in this day and age might finally expose the existence of the Darkyn to the rest of humanity. If government and military leaders learned of the race of immortals secretly living among them, immortals who could heal spontaneously and whose individual talents rivaled that of comic-book superheroes, the Brethren would be the least of their problems.
    Michael joined them. “We have cleared customs.”
    Alex couldn’t help the slightly jaded look she sent his way. “What you mean is, you used your talent to lift the memories of our coming through here from the guy’s mind.”
    He shrugged. “That is how we go through customs, chérie .” He studied her face. “Do you wish to rest before we call on Geoffrey?”
    Alex knew she could fake exhaustion, avoid meeting Geoffrey, the suzerain of London and host of the gathering, and spend the day in one of the luxurious hotel suites the Kyn kept leased and ready for visitors. Being alone with Michael would definitely soothe her bruised soul. But Geoffrey was expecting them, as was Richard, and this time she had serious business to put on the table.
    Alex knew she couldn’t keep dodging her responsibilities. Technically speaking she was no longer a human being. After years of research, trial and error, she was beginning to believe that nothing short of a divine miracle would ever reverse her condition. Being infected with the Kyn pathogen didn’t change the fact that she was still a physician, sworn to save lives. The Darkyn were her people now, and she had to start taking care of them.
    â€œI’m not that tired,” she told Michael. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Chapter 4
    C hris opened her eyes, saw the plaster sunflower medallion in the center of the ceiling above her, and wondered why she’d expected to see a painting of tree branches making lace out of a blue sky. Then her body reminded her, from the ache between her thighs to the tenderness of her lips, of the other bed in which she’d spent a good part of the night.
    With Rob . . . She put her hand over her face. She’d done things with him that weren’t even mentioned in the Kama Sutra, but she hadn’t bothered to ask him his full name. Why the hell didn’t I just go jogging?
    Three sharp knocks startled her up into a sitting position.
    â€œAgent Renshaw?”
    That was her new partner’s voice, which meant she’d overslept. “Give me a minute, Agent Hutchins.”
    She shoved sheets