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Phillipe gave her a wry look "Kyn do not do short" He glanced at Michael, and his expression grew serious "What happens at the tribunal is important to him, to you, to all of us He needs you here, Alex"

Michael had told her that the Kyn leaders were holding le conseil supérieur in order to decide what action to take against the Brethren, a radical group of religious zealots that had been secretly warring with them for centuries Recently their ancient eneainst Kyn jardins in France and Italy, and even noereanyissues, Michael also wanted Alex with him to report to Richard on the experi on Kyn blood Alex’s intervieith so the Brethren persecution in Europe had proh the Kyn had long believed that fire was one of the few things that could kill theht 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 Brethrenfire not to kill but to capture and disable the Kyn

Michael agreed that her findings were troubling, but he wasthe consequences of the Brethren’s latest can of terror He now ruled over most of the survivors of the arson attacks, as nearly all of thely that actions had to be taken to safeguard the refugees and redistribute theholds rather than concentrating their nurowing desire aainst 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 ht finally expose the existence of the Darkyn to the rest of huovernment and military leaders learned of the race of i them, immortals who could heal spontaneously and whose individual talents rivaled that of comicbook superheroes, the Brethren would be the least of their problems

Michael joined them "We have cleared custohtly jaded look she sent his way "What you mean is, you used your talent to lift the uy’s mind"

He shrugged "That is hoe 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 athering, 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 hu After years of research, trial and error, she was beginning to believe that nothing short of a divineinfected 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 theet this show on the road"

Chapter Four

Chris opened her eyes, saw the plaster sunflowerabove her, and wondered why she’d expected to see a painting of tree brancheslace out of a blue sky Then her body rehs 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 hi?

Three sharp knocks startled her up into a sitting position

"Agent Renshaw?"

That was her new partner’s voice, which ent Hutchins"

She shoved sheets away and swung her legs over the side of the bed She swore softly as she saw that she was still wearing her clothes froht

At the academy Chris had learned how to dress and prep in two ed her jacket and skirt, slid on a new pair of stockings, and pinned up her hair in less tilance in the mirror assured her there were no telltale ht’s workout Her htly redder and fuller, but no more so than that of someone who had used a lip plumper

Then Chris saw that she still wore her pink scarf, bundled and knotted like a blindfold, around her neck His voice came back to her, a brush of invisible velvet

Close your eyes