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The clan chief of London gave a s sense of humor"

There was a brief pause as the two predators became familiar with one another Tane used the opportunity to run a practiced glance over the female’s slender body attired in jeans and short sleeved sweater beforeVictor ore a dark pair of chinos matched with a charcoal silk shirt

He could easily detect the silver dagger hidden beneath Victor’s shirt and catch the scent of the handgun tucked in an ankle holster So far as he could determine the female didn’t carry any weapons

At least not the mundane sort of weapons

She had witch’s blood running through her veins, which un

"Charon," Victor drawled, the silver eyes narrowed "And a Jinn" He tested the air "No Half Jinn"

"As you say," Tane growled, bristling in warning

There was the sound of footsteps behind him, then a completely unprovoked blow to the center of his back as Laylah felt the need to vent her displeasure

Meeting Victor’s aly shifted to the side so Laylah could step out of the cell, her face still concealed by the hood

"My name is Laylah"

"A beautiful name," Victor’s mate ift to step into the tense silence, her smile kind "I’m Juliet and this is Victor" She sent the varimace "My mate when I choose to claim him"

Tane stepped toward the clan chief, his body rigid with the compulsion to put as much distance as possible between Victor and Laylah

"I must speak with you in private," he derabbed his arm "Tane …"

"I ue with va to place an arm around Laylah’s shoulders

"But I have questions"

"So I heard Co between cells, obviously headed for the nearby stairs "I think I have the answers you want"

Tane’s brows snapped together in disbelief as he watched the to to drive hiers in front of his face "Earth to Tane"

He jerked to ?"

Victor arched a brow "Does it matter?"

"Laylah is a creature banned by the Commission As soon as she leaves the tunnels she will be vulnerable"

"So? It’ll save you the trouble of… shit" Victor’s hurabbed hiainst the wall of the cell "Unless you have an overwhelest you release me"

Tane was rarely stupid

He’d learned a brutal lesson in ever allowing his emotions to overco a perilous habit of charging from one bad decision to another

A pity there wasn’t a da he could do about it

"The Jinn ishis hold on the older vampire

Victor s the lingering fury that Tane could scent in the air

"I doubt the Oracles would agree" "I will deal with them later"

Victor folded his arms over his chest, a speculative expression on his noble features

"What’s going on, Tane?" he demanded "You have a reputation as a ruthless bastard who does your duty and disappears back to your hidden lair Like Batman, without the creepy butler"

He hesitated He wasn’t about to share his strange obsession with Laylah, but he was going to have to offer some explanation if he wanted Victor’s help

"Would you believea hunch?" he at last said

"Yes," he agreed with a reo somewhere more co out of the dungeon, his Italian leather shoes clicking against the stone floor Tane was barefoot as usual Who gave a rat’s ass for expensive leather? Silence trumped fashion any day of the week

Tane hurried to catch up with the clan chief, reaching his side as they clirand ritted

"She’ll be safe with Juliet," Victor promised with an offhand tone that made Tane’s jaw clench The vampire was lucky that Tane had need of hi to capture her"

"Don’t worry" Victor sical artifacts that could fill the Louvre So the cache are a hundred amulets, charms, and crystals that will keep Laylah hidden froh the black and white foyer of the Palladian ilded balustrade Froh the marble hall that held a priceless collection of Greek statues set in shallow alcoves and a coved ceiling painted with fierce angels battling a horde of de walls were covered by crimson silk panels, the rich color echoed in the upholstery of the traditional English furnishings and heavy velvet curtains that had been pulled aside to reveal a line of arched s that overlooked a sunken garden