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"Do you think I&039;s in the city?"

"Are you?" She stared up at hi?

Ramsey sat in the chair across from her, but his nearness offered little comfort She lifted a hand to her chest, felt the solid shape of the cross beneath her sweater If Grigori attacked her, did she have enough faith to believe the cross would protect her?

"Would you believe ori looked at Ras?"

Raht Alexi doesn&039;t need that much blood to survive, not after all these years"

"Alexi doesn&039;t kill because he needs to," Grigori retorted "He kills because he enjoys it"

Ralanced at Marisa Her face was pale, her eyes ith interest and revulsion "I haven&039;t killed anyone in this city I never hunt where I live"

"Yeah, right," Ramsey muttered

"It&039;s true, whether you believe it or not" His words were for Ra Marisa For reasons he didn&039;t care to examine too closely, it was important that she believe hiaze et a cup of coffee Edward, would you like soori watched Marisa and Rae of jealousy that they could share so as ordinary as a cup of coffee For the first tier ahis face impassive, he went to stand in the kitchen doorway Ra at the table Ra out the , the cup in her hand untouched

"Do you have any idea where Alexi goes to ground?" Ramsey asked

"No"

"Well, I&039;ve looked in all the places I can think of He&039;s not in any of theaze froraveyards Deserted buildings and houses E the local hotels, but that takes time"

"I&039;ve sensed his presence on ori re with us Sohing out of the other side of his face when I drive my stake into his heart" For all his soft-spoken words, there was nothe hatred in Ramsey&039;s eyes, or the fervor in his tone

"He orihere, in which case we&039;re wasting our ti for his lair"

Ramsey nodded "That&039;s always a possibility Still, I don&039;t think we should start looking into the surrounding areas until we&039;re certain he&039;s not holed up here soori re place every day, or every week, and if that&039;s the case, we ori shook his head "I think the only e&039;ll catch him is if he lets us"

Ramsey&039;s hand reached up to curl around his crucifix "I will see him dead," he vowed "One way or another I swear it Tell ht hours?"

"Do I look like a fool, Ramsey?"

"Not at all, but if I knew more about you, perhaps it would make it easier to find Alexi"

"All you need know is that I never hunt in the same city where I take my rest"

"Fastidious of you"

"Quite"

Ra ho day Miss Richards, thank you for the coffee" He went to the sink and rinsed out his cup, then placed it on the counter

"Quite fastidious," Grigori lared at hied friend?"

"All in good tiood time" Raht, Miss Richards"

"Good night, Edward Thank you for co by"

A thick silence fell over the kitchen after Ra to do, Marisa placed Edward&039;s cup in the dishwasher, then poured herself a cup of coffee she didn&039;t want

"What if you can&039;t find Alexi?"

"I&039;ll find hiori nodded, waiting for her to go on, to ask the questions he read in her eyes

"You told Edward you don&039;t hunt where you live"

He nodded again

"But - " She lifted a hand to her throat "But you do hunt?"

"I do what I must to survive, Marisa Would it make you feel better if I denied it, denied what I aarded him a moment "You don&039;t look like a vampire"

"Indeed? Have you known many of us?"

She placed her cup in the sink, and then folded her arms over her chest "Of course not"

"How should I look?"

"I don&039;t know" She shook her head as an iella&039;s Dracula formed in her mind: tall and dark and undeniably sexy in a white linen shirt and long, flowing cape "Maybe you do look like a a vahts, and then, as a howl screaht, he froze

"What was that?" Marisa exclaiently "There are no wolves in the city, Marisa"

"It&039;s hi ?"

"Would you rather I met hih Just remember, he can&039;t come in unless you invite him"

"That&039;s not much comfort"

"It&039;s the best I can offer you"

His dark eyes moved over her, deep, fathomless eyes that held secrets she didn&039;t want to knoareness huainst her skin, warue And then, abruptly, he was gone

Marisa blinked, startled by the sudden emptiness she felt inside, by the realization that he had not left the house by the door, but had siician