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Putting her trust in Levet, she’d allowed the gargoyle to lead her out a hidden tunnel that had opened into the open fields behind the froufrou neighborhood And since then she’d set a blistering pace, unable to do anything more than run and hope she could escape

Levet struggled to keep pace at her side "Not that I do not fully share the need to exterminate the vampire race with extreme … what is the word?"

"Prejudice?"

"Oui, prejudice, but I thought you were fond of the cold-hearted leech?"

Her gaze ski fields and distant farht It wasn’t yet ht but the locals were already safely tucked in their beds

They were hardworking huot the worm

"I suppose he’s proved himself useful on occasion," she led his thick brow "Ooh la la, I wish I had such a useful companion"

Heat stained her cheeks at the vivid ie of Tane poised above her as he thrust deep inside her It had been ooh la la and then soa to hide her bitterness

Levet sent her a startled glance "You believe he sent for the Oracle?"

"I don’t know if he did it personally, but someone in the vampire lair must have contacted the Commission" She tried and failed to smother the sharp jab of disappointment "How else would they knoas here?"

"I doubt a mere amulet would hide you fro oblivious to Laylah’s shock "Their powers are formidable"

Laylah stu to the s around with the assu her hidden froh the dark

Now Levet was revealing she wasn’t nearly as protected as she had assu in the breeze?" she de as Levet caaze

"It would depend upon the ed "Some are more powerful than others"

She shook her head She would have to worry about the amulet later For now she wanted to be pissed off at Tane

"Even if he didn’t call for the Oracle he should have done soer"

There was a rustle from a nearby tree and then a black shadow dropped into the center of the path Laylah instinctively jerked backward, her power gathering as she prepared to strike out at the unexpected threat

Before she could launch her attack, however, the shadows dropped to reveal her personal pain-in-the-ass

"I clearly re told that I was an unnecessary interference in your life and that you were quite capable of taking care of yourself," Tane drawled, twirling a large dagger in his hands

"Sacrebleu I nearly turned you into a newt," Levet snapped, waving a clenched fist in Tane’s direction "A neutered newt"

Muttering a number of inventive names for vampires who rudely dropped into private conversations, Laylah’s powers dissipated as abruptly as they had arrived, leaving her with nothing erous than a petulant scowl

"Laylah?" he pro more than his khaki shorts with a massive sword strapped across his back

She forced herself to ed to be waiting for her She ht be fast, but she was no match for vampire speed And with his ability to wrap hi like a daiven me a heads up that one of the Board of Directors froed "There is no way to outrun the Coh her Didn’t he even have the decency to pretend regret?

"I’ve been doing a pretty daritted "Over two hundred years and not one Oracle sighting"

"Only because they allowed you to believe you had escaped their notice"

Her anger faltered "What are you saying?"

He slowly er held loosely in his hand and bare feet barely stirring the dirt of the path

"They’ve known of you from the moment of your conception"

"But…" She cleared the sudden lu is i her to believe his soft words "They possess powers that make a sane demon shudder in horror"

The world tilted on its axis

She’d lived in fear of the Oracles since the day she was born

They were the boogiehtmares and ruined any hope of a "normal" life

To think that they hadn’t been after her at all…

Trying to wrap her mind around the enormous implications, Laylah was distracted as he stepped into a pool of e mark shimmered on his chest

"Shit" She reached out to touch the tattoo that pulsed with obvious rimaced "Reminder"

"A re"