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Chapter Twenty-five

Houston, Texas

Jabril stepped out of the isolation chaht displace closed and shut out the stench of death filling the roouards had been quite satisfying Not that he’d learned anything new But they’d been er to answer his questions, and he had questioned theh, he’d been h It hadn’t saved theivable, its cost alht of it had his rage swelling in a bid to overtake hi it down, storing it for use later, when it would serve his purposes to better effect

That bitch of Raphael’s was the one responsible for all of this, interfering where she didn’t belong He hadn’t needed the guards to tell hiht have suspected the Western vaainst him, but he was forced to admit the mistake had been his own He’d invited her here, like bringing a snake into his nest, thinking to toy with Raphael, to prick that bubble of confidence the bastard wore like a second skin

Well He drew a cal breath This wasn’t over yet He didn’t care about Mirabelle She was but a ed to him and him alone, even if it did co ahead of hi it beneath his jacket as he started down the hall The first order of business was retrieving his property

Jabril settled hi sip of red wine spiced with just enough blood to make it palatable He considered his next move carefully If he waited, Raphael would surely phone him directly There was no doubt as to Mirabelle’s whereabouts, or as sheltering her Raphael would know that as well as he did And if the girl thought she was going to shift her allegiance per his anger at even the thought of such a thing But if she did, there were forold handset of his antique desk phone and dialed a very private number

Raphael answered himself "Jabril," he said

"Raphael" He heard the other varitted his teeth "I believe you have so none of his frustration to seep into his voice

"It is er wishes to be yours"

"I’"

"You may, of course, send a witness"

Jabril stiffened in surprise, thankful that the vampire lord on the other end of the line couldn’t see him He hadn’t expected Raphael to move this quickly, or Mirabelle to act so decisively Raphael, at least, had to know the significance of the stupid girl to him She was more than a simple minion Far more

"Did you have a date in mind?" he asked

"Seven days, as is customary," Raphael said "The cere forward and flipping pages, as if checking a calendar, knowing the other vae a few things and attendsmile even before he said, "I think we both know that won’t be happening"

"Really?" Jabril said, feigning surprise "What happened to that vaunted confidence of yours?"

"I was thinking more of Mirabelle’s comfort than my own She was quite traumatized when she arrived"

"I’m sure that is so It must have been quite a shock for her to wake and find that she’d been stolen away from her own home while she’d been helpless in sleep"

"Is that what happened?"

Jabril fought back his anger yet again "Asim, then," he said with perfect calirl’s feelings so highly, I’d think you’d want so with her for this momentous decision"

"Indeed Do you have one such?"

Jabril wanted to spit "Very well" He thought quickly, running through the list of hisno one of particular use to him in this matter In truth, if he couldn’t be there hi more than a witness in truth, so it hardly mattered He picked a name almost at random "Nasir, then"