Melissa F. Olson's thrilling FBI vampire procedural Nightshades series concludes with Outbreak The Chicago field office of the Bureau of Preternatural Investigation is facing its deadliest challenge, yet―internal investigation! Alex and Lindy are on the hook, and on the run. But when all of the BPI’s captive vampires are broken free from their maximum security prison, and Hector finally steps out of the shadows, Alex must use every trick to stay ahead of both the BPI and the world’s most dangerous shade. Confrontation is inevitable. Success is not. PRAISE FOR NIGHTSHADES "Melissa F. Olson writes with razorblades made of moonlight, cutting through shadows to share with us the beating heart of her characters and story. My only problem with being immersed in Nightshades is that I had to keep coming up for air. If I could breathe words, they’d be hers." ― Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award Winner “A page burner that left me wanting to be able to one click that next book! You will not be able to turn away from Nightshades ”! ― Shannon Mayer, USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental series " Nightshades is a fast-paced, action-filled clash between federal agents and vampires. For anyone looking for a new twist on the old mythology of bloodsucking fiends, Melissa F. Olson knows how to deliver the sharp end of the stake.” ― Christopher Farnsworth, author of The President's Vampire and Killfile " Nightshades is a tautly written paranormal mystery, and Melissa Olson’s bloodsuckers don’t screw around. This is a suspenseful, fast-paced, enjoyable read―a bloody-knuckled X-Files with a dash of Silence of the Lambs , featuring the scariest vampires this side of Peter Watts’ Blindsight ." ―Marko Kloos, author of the Frontlines series Melissa F. Olson is the author of the Scarlett Bernard series of urban fantasy novels for Amazon's 47North and the mystery The Big Keep . She lives in Madison, WI, with her family and two comically oversized dogs. Outbreak By Melissa F. Olson, Lee Harris Tom Doherty Associates Copyright © 2018 Melissa F. Olson All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-250-17630-1 CHAPTER 1 Lindy's brownstone Late Friday night SPECIAL AGENT ALEX MCKENNA was about three hours past complete exhaustion, but he lay awake, staring at the ceiling of a vampire's bedroom. "You okay over there?" Lindy asked. He rolled over to look at her. She was lying on her side, wearing nothing but a sheet pulled up to her waist. Her head was pillowed on her hands, arms covering her breasts. A small smile played on her face, but there was a trace of nervousness, too. "Yeah. I'm okay. Just ... wow." "Dear Penthouse," Lindy intoned. "I never imagined I'd sleep with a vampire, but tonight all my dreams came true ..." Alex threw back his head and laughed. "I wouldn't say I've been dreaming of sleeping with a vampire. I was more just wanting to sleep with you. " "Was it what you expected?" Lindy asked. Alex reached over, playing with a loose strand of her blond hair. Lindy was one of the oldest and strongest shades on earth, but at the moment she looked lovely and vulnerable and ... human. So human. No wonder shades had gone so long without being discovered. He had almost lost her earlier in the night. The shade they'd been pursuing, Reagan, had shot Lindy with a dart of methamphetamine, which had short-circuited her system. When Alex found her, for a few terrifying minutes he'd been certain she was dead. "Yes and no," he said. "I was a little ... mmm ... apprehensive. About keeping up with you." Now it was Lindy's turn to laugh. "You watch too many movies." "Well, yeah, probably. But it was ..." He was too embarrassed to continue, so he amended, "It was really nice." She rolled her eyes. "Talk about damning with faint praise." Alex leaned over and kissed her. "Thank you," he told her when they finally broke apart. "For sleeping with you?" "For trusting me." Lindy pulled away then, sitting up with her back to him. "Alex ..." she said after a long moment. "I haven't told you everything." "About what?" "About my brother." Now he sat up too. "Okay ..." She looked at him over her shoulder. "There's something you should see." Lindy stood up, sliding into a robe, and Alex pulled on his boxers and followed her across the bedroom to a closed door that he had figured for a closet. There was a bureau next to it, and Lindy opened the top drawer, dug around, and produced a little key. She unlocked the door, flipping a light switch just inside. Then she stepped back so Alex could get through. "I'll give you a minute," she said, not meeting his eyes. "I need to feed the cat anyway." Curious, Alex stepped past her into a large closet or small dressing room. It was empty ... but three of the walls were covered in thick brown paper, the old-fashioned kind that was still sometimes used to wrap parcels. And every single bit of paper was covered in information, like an enormous flow chart. At the center of it all