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She dropped to her knees, willing to beg for what she wanted, what she needed--to be a part of the hunt for these killers Because there had to be more than one of thele human could have taken down three va for cover She wanted to see these huht to justice--Vampire justice For reasons she couldn’t explain, ithad in centuries--with one exception, and that was so, someone, she never permitted herself to think about
"Lord Raphael," she said, trying to keep the pleading out of her voice "Permit me to be a part of this These were Lucien’s children ere murdered, and yes, it was at least partly his fault," she hurried to add "But my Sire is alive, my lord I know this"
Her voice died, her throat suddenly dry as a desert as Raphael’s already chilly expression turned absolutely frigid Sophia knew in that hts would be counted on one finger if Raphael found hiainst the back of her eyes, a wrenching grief that squeezed her heart painfully She loved Lucien In spite of his ift of life when he’d turned her, and they’d shared so ether It would hurt her if he died, even if he had brought it on hi to let Raphael or any of the others witness her pain Clenching her jaw and forcing her sorrow aside, she raised her eyes to ain "I know you don’t needyou to let me offer it For the sake of Lucien’s people, who do not deserve to suffer for his misdeeds"
Raphael just stared at her with no expression "Wei Chen, have someone see Sophia to her room," he said
"Yes, my lord," the Seattle nest leader said fro in ti with Wei Chen, who looked up and caught her gaze "Sophia," he said "This is Lukas He’ll show you to the roo your stay"
Sophia nodded, then dared to turn back to face Raphael onceher with a flat expression that gave no clue as to what he was thinking She drew a deep breath andLukas, aware of everyone watching her as she wound through the cluster of furniture and across the echoing space
At least he hadn’t sent her back ho And if he triedshe had power of her own Far h to take on Raphael, but it was enough to challenge anyone who thought they could set her aside like an unwelcome puppy She would hunt for the killers With Raphael’s help or without it
Chapter Twelve
"She’s telling the truth," Duncan said once the doors had closed securely behind their visitor
"What she knows of it," Wei Chen clarified, taking his seat again "I had our people do so down in South and Central America for nearly a century, most recently in Rio For all purposes, she’s been without aunder the radar You kno relaxed they are about those things down there"
Raphael sat back, content to let his people talk it out
"She flew in yesterday, ht, but the distance necessitated several stops and took soht, however, which lends credence to her claiency"
It was Cyn who asked the question they were all thinking "So where is this Lucien guy? Is he dead?"
All of Raphael’s people looked to hi Cyn’s leg absently "No, he’s not Lucien was never the th was still considerable His death would certainly have been detectable to you here in Seattle, Wei Chen, and probably even to most of us in Malibu Particularly if the death was unexpected Even he was taken out by one of his own in a coup d’état, there would have been at least so his children, and that many deaths would definitely have been felt Unless Lucien has a child we don’t know about Soh to eliminate his Sire and seize poithout a ripple"
Duncan snorted softly, circling around to take the chair next to Cyn "Highly unlikely, my lord Lucien has always chosen playmates as his children, not players"
"Sophia could do it," Wei Chen observed "She’s hiding her power, but it’s there"
"She probably could," Duncan agreed thoughtfully "But she’s spent the last hundred years following in her Sire’s hedonist footsteps, so her strength remains mostly potential And if she’d eli here on a pretense of looking for hienuinely care for Lucien, which makes her an unlikely candidate to have killed him"
"Perhaps," Wei Chen conceded "My lord," he continued, turning to Raphael "Would it be possible for Lucien to h that he couldn’t be found?"