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"So, who&039;s the head vamp in the city? Last I heard, it was Chiavari I sure would like to take him out! What a coup that would be"

Ra To All he had to do was tell the hunter where Chiavari lived, where Madame Rosa lived, where Khira lived, and where he hih they had been friends for more than fifteen years, Ramsey knew Tom wouldn&039;t hesitate to stake him if he knew Ramsey was a vampire The ht hi he knew

Tom tossed back his drink and ordered another "So, what do you say wearound?"

"I wish I could," Ra town"

"Damn, where are you headed?"

"The beach, the ue "I wouldn&039;t admit this to anyone but you, but after that business with Kristov, my nerves are shot I need a break"

Toh one, huh?"

"You have no idea"

"How long are you gonna be gone?"

"I&039;m not sure A month, maybe more"

Duncan pulled out a scrap of paper and a pen and scribbled down his address and phone nuet back And don&039;t worry, I&039;ll look after things here while you&039;re gone"

With a nod, Rarinned at hiet a little sun, will ya? You look as pale as one of the undead yourself"

After leaving the bar, Ramsey walked the streets for hours, his mind in turmoil, his loyalties oddly divided His first instinct was to tell Tom where the vampires of the city rested and let Tom destroy the Marisa? And what of Madame Rosa, whom he had never met? And what of Khira ? Of them all, Khira was perhaps the only one who posed a threat to both vampire and mortal alike She was an indiscriminate killer - cold, efficient, ruthless Just like Toori Chiavari turned his life upside down

It was near three AM when he found hi outside Chiavari&039;s house It was the only house on the block with lights still burning He debated adrive

The door opened before he could knock Grigori stood there, shirtless and barefoot "Ra here at this ti?"

"It&039;s nice to see you, too"

Chiavari took a step back "Well, co as you&039;re here"

"I&039;ve had racious invitations," Rauests"

Ra room, which was dark "Where is Marisa?"

"She is upstairs, watching TV" Chiavari sat down on the sofa "Sit down, and tell s you here"

Ramsey dropped into the chair across fro in the air between theth "Anyone you know?"

Ramsey nodded "Tom Duncan"

"I&039;ve heard of him It is said he is one of the best"

"Yes He knows you are here"

Chiavari grunted, apparently unconcerned

"He wanted us to hunt together I guess I don&039;t have to tell you who he wants to hunt"

"I can guess Does he know about the others?"

"I don&039;t know" Rahed softly "He toldtown A vacation"

"Might be a good idea Until you decide whose side you are on"

"I&039;m not on any side," Ramsey retorted

"Aren&039;t you?" Chiavari laced his hands behind his neck "Then why are you here?"

"Because of Marisa"

Chiavari&039;s eyes darkened "What about her?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous

"She loves you I do not want to see her hurt"

"I thought you told her she would be better off without runted softly "She told you that, did she?"

"Of course We have no secrets between us So, you came to warn ht it wouldrid of you will not make her love me" He wasn&039;t even sure he wanted her love now It wasn&039;t thoughts of Marisa that torhts of Kelly

"So, we have two killers in the city" Chiavari stretched his arms across the back of the sofa "Khira and Duncan But then, we are all killers, are we not?"

Ramsey took his leave shortly after that Chiavari&039;s words echoed in his ht of himself as a killer when he had destroyed va that was already dead He hadn&039;t felt like a killer until he had taken that woman&039;s life, until he had listened to the last faint beat of her heart The fact that he hadn&039;t uilt By accident or design, the woman was still dead, and it was his fault

Duncan and Khira Between the two of them, the city would soon be free of vaain There was blood enough on his hands already And yet, without Kelly, the urge to kill grew stronger every night Without her, life, such as it as not worth living