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"Aren’t you cutting it kind of close?" she asked worriedly Duncan was taking the smaller of Raphael’s two jets Small was a relative term when it came to private jets, but she couldn’t re she’d ever known She was pretty sure it couldn’t h, and both of the pilots were Vaers in reassurance "We’ll be stopping in Atlanta tonight, going on to DC tos Duncan ," Raphael explained "He needs to land in Washington as soon as possible after sunset so he has the entire night to ith"

Raphael dropped his arhtened his hold, effectively pulling her hand away froh, but she knew he’d planned it His vampire possessiveness couldn’t perht her back to her biggest complaint about this whole affair

"I still don’t see why he has to go there all alone Why can’t some of your people--"

"It’s taken care of, lubimaya," Raphael said patiently "You ainst the automatic comeback that came to mind She did trust theht of souys couldn’t see the forest for all those testosterone-laden trees

Juro appeared at Raphael’s elbow "Everything is set, ave Duncan a brief nod "Good fortune, Duncan," he said, then walked back to stand near the waiting li into sohtly from the waist "It is has been an honor to serve at your side for so long"

"The honor has been ht We’ll see you often"

Cyn put a gloved hand over hernot to cry Now that the tiainst his chest, wrapping both arms around her "Go while you can, Duncan I believe hed and gave her a wink, then spun on one heel and, with vampire speed, disappeared into the Learjet in the blink of an eye The pilot made a brief appearance in the hatchway as the stairs retracted and the hatch was sealed, and before she knew it, the jet was taxiing out of the hangar and Duncan was gone

She turned in Raphael’s arainst his neck "I feel like a ," shethe tears from her eyes on the soft wool of his coat

Raphael chuckled and gave her a tight hug, before leading her over to the lih to look up at him and say, "Duncan tells one" As she slid into the cushy interior of the lirinned in satisfaction

"What was he thinking?" Raphael muttered before he ducked inside and pulled the door closed

"I heard that," she said as he settled her in the curve of his arm

"Of course, you did"

She huffed a laugh, then pulled back to see his face "I love you, you know," she said seriously "Even when I’m a bitch, I still love you"

Raphael touched his lips to hers in a lingering kiss "And I love you,vehicle rolled away fro its way down the hill to Marina del Rey and through Santa Monica before they finally hit Pacific Coast Highway Raphael held her against his side the entire ride, one hand stroking absently up and down her ar past Cyn was quiet, too, content to be with hihts ith Duncan far overhead as he winged his way into thelife

Chapter Two

A few ton, DC

The Learjet rolled up to the darkened hangar, a pale ghost of a plane appearing out of the shadows of a uel Martinez scanned the private airfield, his va the near darkness easily The place was nearly abandoned No one around but the lone tower controller who’d been paid well to look the other way and ask no questions

He returned his gaze to the arriving jet It was running nearly as dark as the night, with nothing but the gleah the windshield to light the pilot’s way into the black interior of the hangar It should have been impossible It would have been if the pilots had been huht was enough to see by

The aircraft eased to a gentle stop, its engines a loud burr of sound that hurt the ears and echoed off the flat spaces and high walls of the eines and the sudden silence was nearly as shocking as the noise had been

Miguel crossed the bare concrete of the hangar, nerves singing with excitement, with the awareness that his Sire was here at last He fisted his hands at his sides and straightened his back, deterood iiven

The hatch opened Miguel took one step and then another, until he was only a few feet from the open door The stairs deployed with a hydraulic hiss

A figure appeared in the hatchway, a tall and broad-shouldered ainst the unlit interior He paused briefly before ducking his head to clear the low overhead, then took the stairs doard quickly and with purpose

Miguel went to one knee "Sire," he said reverently, pleased that his voice revealed none of the jittery nerveshis muscles twitch beneath his finely tailored suit