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Otis’s eyes bulged even further, if such a thing were possible, his throat working as he fought to scream Duncan’s power reached out and si
Nelson scooted aside, brushing his khaki pants fastidiously as Otis crureasy dust "Uh, shall I--" he fumbled to say "I mean is it okay--"
"By all means, Nelson," Duncan said cheerfully "Feel free to vacuu, call But, know this I keep track ofon in my territory"
"Yes, my lord I won’t disappoint you"
"I know One last question, did Victor coave him a blank look "Victor, my lord? He was never here, that I know of, and I’ve been at this house alht for two years"
Duncan nodded "As I suspected Thank you, Nelson Miguel, we’re leaving"
With the huet out of the house than it had to get in Soh the den, and the silence was deafening The house was still crowded, but with kneeling va a path with bowed heads, iance as Duncan walked past
At some point in the future, he’d co--and he had every intention of lasting a very long time He wanted to know the vampires in his territory Wanted to know the lives he held in his hands But tonight he had other,business
Duncan stepped out of the overheated house and lifted his face, welco the brush of cold air over his skin as he drew a deep breath His security people waited, standing all around him with infinite patience
"How far to Victor’s house, Louis?" he asked
"Half an hour,next"
The SUVs raced down the dark roads, the people of Leesburg safely tucked away behind the walls of their houses, not knowing that vaht The convoy turned off the hborhood of neat, ain Victor’s house--now Duncan’s--was a few rassy fields to either side A spacious home was perched in the middle of each of those fields, well away froaze down upon their less fortunate neighbors
The address Duncan and his people sought was down a sharp turn to the right, and then a long driveway ending in a square of neatly triether to create a barrier against casual observation The driveway split through the trees to reveal a sprawling white clapboard house, with an old-fashioned covered porch along the entire front face A single chimney and multiple peaked roofs made it look like a farht of the house, than Louis was ju co reen lawn as it swerved around and back onto the driveway, tires squealing as it skidded to a stop in front of Duncan’s SUV
"Miguel, what--" Duncan started, then saw the car parked to one side of the huge house Dahtly "Let uel Now"
He heard her voice before he saw her Standing on the front porch, waiting for them like she owned the place, was Erinned, thinking it ht well be worth a few scratches for a taste of Emma Duquet
His people ushered her off the porch and away fro her with a wall of impenetrable vampire bulk Obedient to his orders, no one touched her, but they didn’t give her a choice, either She eitherhis va she’d never be able to re his calm stare
"Why are you here, Emma?"
"Probably the same reason you are," she snapped
"How did you knohere ere going?"
"Hey, I work in this town I have sources, too" Her lips were pinched defiantly as she glared up at hiht She shuddered suddenly, and he realized she wasn’t wearing anything but the hooded sweatshirt she’d put on back hoed off his leather jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders before tucking her against his body and rubbing his hands up and down her back She shivered again, alainst his chest
"Eainst her ear "What if so for you here?"
She spoke without raising her head, clutching his jacket closer "The house is eh the s"
"You couldn’t have known it would be empty," he said, exasperated "And you still don’t Just because you didn’t see anyone--"
"But you said," she shuddered once, hard, then grew still, as if her body had expressed its displeasure with the cold te it was noarone"