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"‘Commodity’ was a poor choice of words with you," Christophe ad "You’re a man of admirable if tiresome responsibility Unfortunately, post–Millenniuas is not much populated by individuals with scruples Do you realize how much concentrated silver nitrate was on those fil a solid metal robot? The mother lode You must suspect that silver-poielders are a new force on the paranor with one"
"Outta my private life And I knohere that silver familiar Delilah’s locked into caul–rock star’s long, aled "Powers can rub off like fleas in a place teeas is nowadays"
"You sent Delilah a lock of your damn hair like soirl then And I didn’t know the ‘damn hair’ had a life of its own that would transfer to her More likely her own latent powers aniain
Was he uneasy? Lying? Or telling an inconvenient truth? Ric didn’t kno to read it, but he sensed the Inferno kingpin was hiding a deeply personal reaction
"Delilah has a wild talent," Christophe said "Better watch out You’ve caught her silver powers, so your dead-dowsing abilities ine Delilah free, willing and able to raise her favorite vintage filuy-to-guy taunt designed to distract hiirl," Christophe said "Every power in toill be afterher, as you call the robot And, you forget, I non the film you filched her fro her"
"Exactly, not deliberate Not planned, just like the case of the silver fanosed powers" Christophe’s sle to your post–Millennium Revelation talent did put you a step beyond your usual bounds of dowsing for the in-ground dead That was a focused but useful talent when you worked in law enforcement You realize what you’ve just done to raise the so-called Silver Zombie from a movie screen? That makes you an ‘invaluable coas"
"I can live with it"
The albino’s perpetual inky-black sunglasses lifted to reflect the flas "So you think," he said idly
Ric sensed Christophe was taking his colad he hadn’t bothered to correct one misconception Ric had been born into a family of poor rural Mexican water-dowsers, a boy only able to raise dead things, long before the Millenniuht supernaturals out into the open and had exposed weird abilities in ordinary people
"Sit" Christophe’s guitar-riffing right hand gestured to a spot three feet away on the sprawling couch On top of having untold money, influence, and probably unknoers, he was a freaking rock star
"Sit down, Montoya Relax You’re aave you shelter and protection after the Karnak vamps tried to eat you for brunch?"
Ric sat "I didn’t ask for sanctuary here, with you, Christophe"
"Call me Snow Someone had to provide you with secure R and R tiht a de lord down on us all Why didn’t you kill your old tormentor when you had the chance in Wichita? You deserved to take your revenge on El Demonio and law enforceo I was law enforcement We’d want the bastard alive and in custody so we could break his organization"
"Youenabled you to raise a CinSih the Ily coalition that’ll be wanting you dead or on its payroll"
"Is that why you’rean offer you think I can’t refuse? That I live at your hotel frouys supposedly wanting lass set on a built-in Lalique glass table, savoring the drink Delilah had created to annoy him, an Albino Va, but the jury that could rule on that issue hadn’t even been picked yet
Ric could see why the man infuriated Delilah He was unflappable
"It’s the ideal solution to"It is an offer you can’t afford to refuse"
As Christophe’s head had lifted to speak, Ric spotted a bruise as dark as cherry amber underneath the pink-ruby-studded black leather collar he wore onstage, and now, apparently, off
Pink albino eyes were ultrasensitive to light That would explain the constant sunglasses and syrantly sexy rock star wanted to conceal a passion bruiseor a bite?
Ric didn’t want to speculate about Christophe’s sexuality any more than he needed to knohat brand of supernatural he was Sorcerer, it looked like, but looks were especially deceiving in a Vegas tee with paranormal creatures and effects The nicknae identity as Cocaine, the lead singer of the Seven Deadly Sins band His stage persona reeked of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll
Ric bet Delilah would have a fit to knoas seriously poith the guy instead of just watching a o as a small boy in Mexico that so in here would beaardSnow" Ric sipped his own cocktail
The pale lips sive you a whole floor," he said, folding his are "A private elevator for Miss Street to coo discreetly on her errands of surveillance andother matters"
"I like my house"
"A suburban ranch-style equipped with a smart-ass computer? It has a certain earthy charh now, Montoya You were in the FBI You know that"
"Perhaps not safe enough forher"