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"You do that, mon ami," Level recommended "Oh, and when you speak with that lovely housekeeper please tell her that she needn’t bother with dinner for me I prefer to hunt for aze burning a path over Darcy’s pale face "Don’t we all?"

Styx had ed to track Viper to yet another of his exclusive clubs This one was near Rockport and catered to those dea each other to a bloody pulp, and the crowd cheering theruesome fury, he made his way to the back office

As expected he discovered Viper seated behind a heavy h a stack of paperwork

The silver-haired vampire lifted himself to his feet as Styx entered the room and closed the door

"Styx, I didn’t expect you this evening Has your houseguest left so soon?"

Styx narrowed his gaze, his expression cold "Which houseguest are you referring to? The wo a bloody ith the Weres, or the soyle who is quite likely to drive ave a lift of his brow, not at all successful in hiding his amusement "Ah, then Levet arrived?"

"He arrived Noant hier vampire folded his arms over his chest "Not that I don’t feel your pain, old co Levet It was Shay who insisted that your guest would need some sort of companion She’s quite convinced that you will ods, he had treated Darcy with exquisite care Hadn’t he ensured she had the comforts that she needed? Hadn’t he answered her questions?

And despite all tee to join her in the bed and sink hied to torment him despite the miles between the tone

Viper shrugged "Well, in Shay’s defense you did torture me quite brutally the last time I visited and fully intended to kill her as a sacrifice She ize He had only been doing what he thought was his duty to keep the vampires from ruin And in the end, he had been forced to betray his own sense of loyalty to assist Viper

"I also stepped between you and a deadly attack," he rehed "Why do people keep clai they saved ht" The younger vaave a lift of his hands "Perhaps--and I stress the perhaps--you did at least take a nasty blow meant for me, but that doesn’t make you Martha Stewart"

Styx blinked in confusion "Who?"

"Good gods, you really are out of touch I a to point out that you have little experience in dealing with huritting his teeth No ht be, no one was allowed to interfere in his dealings with Darcy Smith

He didn’t knohy He only knew that it was an absolute rule

"The girl is in no danger frooyle could hardly halther"

"I think Shay hoped that Levet could providepresence It can’t be easy for the wolance "Especially a vampire who has spent the last five centuries in near isolation Your people skills are rusty, old friend"

"And she thinks Levet is a cooyle will drive the poor woman mad and I shall have to take htened from the desk, his expression hard "Actually Shay is quite fond of the little beast, and I should take it quite ill if anything nasty were to happen to hi e in Styx’s voice "I’ you some friendly advice" With a serator and res in a oblets and handed one to Styx "Nohile you’re here why don’t you tell me about this woman? Have you discovered why she is so important to the Weres?"

Styx drained the blood before setting aside the goblet It had been hours since he had fed He would have to take greater care if he was to have a human beneath his roof He possessed exquisite control, but Darcy presentedmore than the fact that she is not a woave a sound of choked surprise as he hastily set aside his own glass

"Not a wo beat for Styx to follow Viper’s words Not that he was shocked by the is could shock him

"No, of course not She isdecidedly feave an impatient shake of his head It was bothersome to admit that he couldn’t solve the mystery of Darcy’s blood

He was a vampire, for God’s sake

Blood was his specialty

"I don’t know She smells human, and certainly behaves as a human, but she possesses traits of a demon"

Viper’s expression was one of curiosity "What sort of traits?"

"She heals far too swiftly for aat puberty She also says that she is faster and stronger than most humans"

"It certainly sounds like demon blood" Viper frowned "Surely she must knohat she is"

"She claims that she has no memory of her parents or any family"

"Do you believe her?"