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She blinked, then whispered, "Duncan," and spun around cluuel called "Get over here"

She was there before he snarled the last word, tears filling her eyes as she saw Duncan lying on the floor, eyes closed, blood pooling beneath hi on a sob

"No," Miguel said shortly "But he needs blood"

She looked up in confusion "Blood?"

The dark-haired vaave her an impatient look "Christ," he swore "He’s a vampire He’s wounded He needs blood"

"Oh! Of course," she shook her head at her own stupidity She handed so off her jacket "Do you have so her a knife--a short, fat switchblade with a fancy handle, which he snapped out and handed to her grip first

"Be careful," he warned "It’s sharp"

E it back to hi out her wrist "I don’t think-- Ow!" She gave Miguel a dirty look "A little warning would be nice, dude," she muttered, but quickly eased Duncan’s head onto her lap and held her bloody wrist to his mouth Did she need to rub it over his lips? Or et his sinking into the flesh It hurt, but only briefly as the euphoric in his bite did its an to feelwonderful Duncan’s hands came up to hold her wrist in place, and she leaned her upper body over his, needing to get closer to hirowing desire She only hoped Duncan would stop before too long, otherwise, she was going to--

"E up at her He was no longer sucking at her wrist, but the heat in his eyes told her he are of her arousal and returned it in spades He licked her wrist slowly and thoroughly, the coagulant in his saliva sealing the wound while the feel of his tongue against her skin did nothing to cool her hunger for hiave her a half smile, then reached up and brushed his knuckles over her cheek

"I thought you were dead," she whispered, holding on to hihtly

"No," he uel said, reaching out to place a hand on Duncan’s shoulder

"Right"Duncan put Eently aside and accepted the hand-up his lieutenant offered, while Baldwin lifted E her arm in one of the ever-present white handkerchiefs They were no sooner on their feet than Miguel was hustling theuel called "You drive Baldill go with you We’ll clean up here, my lord," he added to Duncan, "and follow in the other truck"

Duncan paused on the front steps long enough for Eed from the house, then he slid into the backseat of the SUV and pulled her in with hiht, heading back to the house in DC

"What happens now?" Emma asked, anxiously "I mean what about all those other people, and--" She shuddered slightly "--Grafton’s body?"

They didn’t need to worry about Phoebe’s body or those of her vampires They were already just so much dust on the floor No one would even notice it aht between Phoebe and Duncan Emma still didn’t understand how that worked, but those questions could wait On the other hand, Grafton’s body needed to be taken care of now

"Duncan?" she said, when he didn’t answer

"Oneto her He was on his Bluetooth to someone, probably one of the vaainst hi her head into the curve of his shoulder "Rest, E is taken care of, you’ll see This is nothing we haven’t dealt with before"

"So I’ a senator?" she asked drowsily, thinking ither so tired

Duncan chuckled "No, you areto jail What would I do without you?"

E toher with his usual accuracy "It’s a rush, but when it crashes, it crashes hard, and so do you"

"Mainst his broad chest She felt Duncan’s lips as he kissed the top of her head, and then her eyes closed and she slept

Chapter Thirty