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Duncan had met Victor on more than one occasion when he’d accos, but he’d never atherings were carefully orchestrated affairs, bringing together the most powerful vampires in North America, vampires ere natural rivals at best and enemies at worst Everyone was on their best behavior at those affairs, which hings of each other’s power

But Raphael had known Victor a long time, and there were other ways to measure the depth of a vampire’s power The upshot was that Duncan knew he could defeat Victor because Raphael wouldn’t have risked him otherwise And, more importantly, because he knew the depths of his oer Victor would be ousted froht in the usual vauel and Louis rushed through the front door behind hi and ready to defend hiain, it felt odd to be the recipient of that sort of devotion rather than the other way around Soet used to

"Any problems?" he asked as his vauards behind the sauel let his burden drop, the coainst the wooden floor "None, ate is secured, the barracks euards on the estate are sound asleep"

"Excellent This is it, then Re room, I’ll put the humans under immediately After that, we play it by ear I don’t care which of us takes down the two reuards, but Victor hiuel was fairly bouncing on his toes Louis stood as still as a statue, his muscles coiled for action He nodded sharply, his eyes fixed on Duncan like a dog on point, awaiting the go-ahead

"Let’s go," Duncan said

Miguel walked ahead of him, Louis behind They went past the staircase and turned left down a long hallway, their footsteps nearly silent despite the old, wood plank floor Doors stood open left and right, revealing roo room with a table that could have seated thirty people easily, and a den or gae flat screen TV, several different video game consoles, and a foosball table in the corner There was a spacious kitchen with open containers littering the counter tops and still suests Duncan’s research told him Victor typically had his parties catered, with his va as waiters where necessary It wasn’t particularly elegant, but then Duncan doubted it was a zeal for good food that brought the humans here in the first place

The dining rooht--was at the very end of the hallway, behind a pair of white pocket doors Miguel reached for the doors and paused, hands resting lightly on the bronze handles

Duncan tilted his head, listening with both his ears and his power The conversation fro clear signs of intoxication or drugs It could be either Victor was here, too, hisany trouble His reuards were far more alert than their Sire, but at the same time they took their cue fro, not at all concerned about as going on in the roo was focused on the hu else, while trusting that their now couards at the front of the house would alert them to any outside threat

Duncan pulled back his probe, drew a breath and gave Miguel a quick nod of assent

Miguel slid the door back and Duncan stepped through

Conversation stopped dead as everyone turned to stare at hilassy-eyed, their heads slu to the floor beneath the table, while the others merely fell forward into the reuards recovered before the first hu the table, crystal flying and dishes breaking as he raced to protect his Sire Miguel caught hi into the other vampire’s throat as he threw hih to stop his heart in an instant Victor’s vaather his power back into himself, to force his heart to puht have worked, but Miguel didn’t grant hiainst the floor until it produced what he needed The piece of as jagged and raw, half varnished and half bare wood, but it was the perfect weapon Miguel lifted the stake with a fang-baring grin of anticipation, and Victor’s guard keened a wordless plea, the only noise he could still le clean stroke, granting the only uard were still battling one another, blood flowing as they exchanged brutal blows that would have killed a human with the first strike Louis sla and leaving a vampire-sized dent in the upper wall as plaster dust filled the air Victor’s vaers digging into Louis’s arms as he tried to reverse their positions, but Louis used the va around co him across the room He crashed into one of the unconscious hurunt of reaction

Duncan felt ather his power He glanced up, aze The terful va breath, but a sharp cry of denial drew their eyes to Louis and the reuard in tied spear of wood

Victor sucked in a breath as his vampire died, and Duncan turned in time to see the vampire lord slump forward, his fist clenched to his chest As if he felt Duncan’s gaze upon him, Victor relaxed his hand and raised his head with a defiant glare, showing no weakness to his enemy

"This was unnecessary," Duncan observed after aback froerated distaste He looked up and ht them better, Victor"