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Emma looked up as they finally made the turn onto Duncan’s street and the house cauard captain, "We’re coet us inside?"

"Definitely But, Marlon, you’ll have to park outside" His voice started juate I’ll ate as he could get, then wrapped a meaty arm around her waist and all but carried her forward He had to shove his way through the crowd, ignoring angry shouts and de that was going to stop the them in this crowd She hoped

"There he is," Marlon said, shouting to be heard above the noise of the crowd and the firefighting trucks and equipht not be able to get inside the house, but they certainly weren’t giving up on fighting it fro blackthe open gate and said a feords The officer looked up, then lowered his head and triggered his shoulder radio Ale two burly cops who hustled Emma and Marlon past the wall

"Ms Duquet," the black ht Security"

"Callhis hand quickly "What can I do?" She ran alongside Hissong as he spun and jogged over the lawn to the front of the house where some sort of command post had been set up

"First, you need to back o in that house"

"Look, Jackson, this isn’t even a real embassy, and I’m not sure what the law says about a situation like this, even if it was"

"But you’re a lawyer, right?"

"Yes, but I don’t have any authority to--"

"Good enough You’re acting as Lord Duncan’s agent in this, and as the only individual authorized to enter the premises"

"Then, maybe I should tell the fire depart said, stopping to regard her steadily "You absolutely cannot do that"

"But what if Duncan and the others are in there and they’re hurt?" Euished

"Lord Duncan knows the risks better than you do, and I’ve trained with Miguel for ten years This isn’t a matter of some lame protocol or diplomatic immunity This is a vampire’s residence I already have private fire contractors on their way, but in the hters all around them "--break into that house, the vampires inside will be completely vulnerable And what if that was the plan? Most of theerous job But what if just one of theoes in there, finds the va Emma jump in surprise "That fast, Emma It’s all over There’s a reason for these restrictions Lord Duncan’s a suel You have to trust them"

"I do, but--"

"No buts, babe You back me up, or you don’t talk to the fire captain at all There’s no other option"

E replied

E at the house The fire sees like that? They were still spraying water, and e Her heart stopped as she recognized what she was seeing That was Duncan’s rooht beneath the roo out big chunks of the wall She couldn’t see into the house, couldn’t tell if Duncan was there--the hole wasn’t that big and there ater spraying everywhere, and toothat they were in danger came back to her But she didn’t trust Dietrich Maybe the phone call had been a ploy to get Emma back here in time to die in the explosion herself

She looked at Jackson Hissong, his dark face glistening with dirt and sweat, hands on his hips as he studied her, waiting

"Fine," she said "We’ll do it your way"

Hissong nodded, as if there’d never been any other possibility He took her upper ar her forward "Watch your step," he warned "There’s a lot of crap on the ground"