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Prologue
Malibu, California
The wo the air of the candlelit roo-dead composer From behind her, a dark, slenderup thedifferent, soers fro his hands dance over the keys of the venerable concert grand in an upbeat tune Leaning lightly against hi, their bodies touching with the familiarity of old lovers From the hallway came the sound of footsteps and the door opened
"It is nearly tihed "Thank you, Albin" She stood, pressing her pal away nonexistent wrinkles Her lover offered a hand to assist her around the bench and she accepted it with a sraceful embrace "Matias," she chided softly, fondly He’d been a dancer when they o Not that he looked old None of them did; they were Vampire, their appearance forever frozen in the aspect of youth
Alexandra glanced toward the big s and the black night beyond There was not even the faintest glea dawn, but sunrise was near; she could feel it The dour Albin drew closer, loo in the candlelight
She looked up at him in surprise, then tilted her head to listen as an odd rat-a-tat sound echoed nearby, repeating over and over Matiasquickly past her, but Albin stopped hi asped, then turned and reached out for her, a look of utter disbelief on his boyish countenance She caught hi her down even as he disintegrated in her arrief swept over her as she stared up at Albin "Why?" she asked
The red-haired valance before spinning away The room’s double doors slammed open with a crash, and two uns held before theed a few sharp words with the invaders, then turned to regard her with hooded brown eyes
"Coain, her hands now brushing the dust of her dead lover from the satin "This is aaway until she touched the srabbed one of her slender are hand
"He’ll kill you for this," she said
"Perhaps," Albin agreed, then bared his fangs "Or perhaps I’ll kill hihly, but Alexandra shook hiave her a ive the erin
The candle flames fluttered briefly in the vah the re after the sun’s light had overwhelmed their small brilliance
Chapter One
Cynthia Leightonlot of the Malibu Sheriff’s station, her tires squealing slightly on the gritty pave Land Rover canition and ja them into the pocket of her leather jacket With one foot out the door, she twisted around and leaned over to the square, pink box sitting on the passenger seat It was tied with plain string, a tidy little bow centered almost exactly on the top of the thin cardboard She slipped her fingers carefully under the bow and lifted Then sliding out of the truck, she used one booted foot to slam the door shut
The station house was a utilitarian building on a back street near the courthouse, with unadorned concrete stairs leading to a pair of double glass doors in heavythrough the open door with a sentle down the stairs
The desk sergeant gave her a big grin as she cah "Hey, it’s Nancy Drew!"
Cynthia put the box down gently on the counter "This is for you," she said with soeant Adaer "Nancy, you are the wo and opened the box, freeing the glorious aroar and fat to waft around the room
Cynthia hissed draers forked against evil "Take it away!"