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"The blood bar has a line and Gee DiMercy sent sos up And Leo sent word by Wrassler, and I quote, ‘With the exception of the pirate, ht’ That h like an endear of the sort by it, itvaht The show is canceled More?" And byel didn’t hesitate or sound pitying, and for that I was grateful "The PsyLED cop and the leopard and the little green kitten left in a black cab, out the front door Wrassler saw to it" Relief made my knees weak, but he wasn’t done "He also sent out word that you were checking a proble"

I felt my shoulders relax, steadied ht be stupid to care what anyone thought about el Tit said gently "You say Copy"

"Copy And thank you"

"Ooh-rah"

I went back through the porte cochere as if I owned the place, pulling on Beast to lendcalm I hadcalm and centered, most of those who saw me leave would assume it was a security situation that called me away so fast, not a broken heart It was stupid to appear weak in front of vamps Weakness was a possibly deadly emotion, and I had a reputation to defend--the rep of a nonva roo neither right nor left, and stepped into the elevator Appearing cool and collected would dispel or deflect many potential problems

Just as the doors closed, a black for hiht his scent even as I dreeapon and I looked up into warm brown eyes I shoved the blade back into the special pocket sheath The door sealed and the elevator moved "Wondered where you were," I said "New tux?"

Bruiser smoothed a hand down the satiny black of his lapel "Yes I think we should dance"

I don’t knohy that siain I looked down at the s the fresh misery in my eyes as to inspect the floor "Not "

"So am I And the location of our dance will be near the pirate and the traitor" When I didn’t refuse or disagree, he went on "When Shoffru goes to pledge to Leo, ill keep the defector coht about that while I spoke of s "Was Adrianna around New Orleans when Shoffru ran with Lafitte?"

An approving glint lit Bruiser’s eyes "Oh yes Adrianna ran with a fast crowd even then"

"The Damours"

"Yes"

"And Jackie Boy is a witch?"

"So it appears, though it isn’t in his dossier, and Leo--who had to have runted at that Hard thing to hide, but Shoffru had done so Which made him smarter and ood charms to hide witch-scent froht?"

"I a hed shortly Derek wasn’t fond of vamps, not even Leo, and not even when Leo had healed some of his men from wounds suffered in his service "Be sure to fil" The elevators opened and I took Bruiser’s arm The heat of his body was like a fever, and I felt it roar throughits way through rief

We will screaht at me Then ill kill our rival And retake our foolish mate

"Sounds like a plan," I said to her and to Bruiser, letting Beast have her way for now "We ht have to revise theanyone "For now, let’s go dance," I said "Can you get soht I beat the crap out of Leo"

"Which was a thing of beauty to behold"

I snorted "His beating you was staged, wasn’t it?"