Pete Shapiro was a partner in the pop-up nightclub Grotesque, and the others called him Eeyore because he always saw the negative in any action. Trent had wanted to make their location permanent, but he didn’t like the idea. He had no one in his life and he liked it that way, but they were starting to invite him to BBQs, birthday parties, football games and such. With the other partners married now and things changing, he should probably get out of the partnership.

Pete Shapiro’s company-issued phone beeped as he walked down a deserted hallway in Rothchild’s Labs where he worked. Jenna Harper, one of the scientists from the facility, had entered the building. She belonged here, but coming in now at midnight was odd, so he would need to check it out. The other security guard, Anthony, asked if he had seen the alert and Pete said he would check it out.

Jenna had been asked to test a new food flavor ingredient to be added to burgers distributed worldwide. The first time she’d run it through the Gas Chromatograph a strange ingredient had shown up that couldn’t be identified. Her boss wanted her to just sign off on it, but she refused. This time, he didn’t give her a choice and told her to just write her report and let it go. She had given the report to him, but she’d held back some of the sample that the company had given her and was going ahead with testing it on her own. The results made no sense. Using her computer, she described the molecule and came up with more information and was not pleased. Why would a flavor company want an ingredient like that in their food? She needed to talk to her friend at the FDA. She believed the additive was added to make people hungry, and it seemed to be mildly addictive; if so, that was a crime that needed reporting. The lights flickered a few times and suddenly her internet connection was gone! She took a photo of what she had typed and deleted it from her computer. She would have to send it from home. Afraid of not getting back into her lab, she took the sample with her.

Just as a security guard came to get her, an alarm went off about a breach. Anthony had not answered when Pete tried to contact him. The backup generators didn’t come on as expected. All the doors were electric and would remain closed. But how were the intruders getting in? He had to get the scientist to safety. But before he could, he smelled the reek of goblin! He had no time to hide her and he transformed to his gargoyle! When they got outside of the fence, he sent a text to Donal Foley, head of Foley Security, and let him know about the goblins. While they waited to be picked up, he paced, realizing that Jenna was his fairy, his mate. He father had died a slow death when Pete’s mother died, and Pete would not risk his heart like that with any woman.

Donal picked them up and Jenna asked to stop at her apartment to change clothes. When they got there, the building was in flames! Now it was a matter of protecting Jenna from whatever was going on out there. There were no coincidences. The goblins were trying to hide something. Jenna was taken to a Professor friend of Pete’s who had a lab in the middle of nowhere. She sent her test results to her FDA friend, then heard a noise outside. When she opened the door, she was roughly grabbed and a hood put over her head! No one would know she was kidnapped. Pete had gone back to Philadelphia. Would they kill her? Was were their intentions? And how would Pete ever find her?

I really enjoy this series. The characters are well-defined and very realistic. The tension and suspense keeps the reader deeply involved in the story. Would Pete be able to track her down once he knows she is missing? Would he be able to rescue her in time, assuming he could even find her!