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It wasn’t long before even her hu vehicle, but now that they were inside, no one seemed overly concerned Raphael had abandoned her in favor of joining Lucas near the fireplace, where they were pouring drinks fro that looked and sood look around the fucking ho a little fun at her expense, because the interior of the house was completely at odds with its outward appearance It was on the small side, you couldn’t hide that, but what there was had been put to good use The living rooe, and beautifully decorated The furniture--a big leather sofa and twochairs placed around a rustic coffee table with a natural rock base--was clearly intended to be used, and the fireplace had a gorgeous stone hearth What looked like typical fa on one wall, and many of the knickknacks looked personal This was different from what she’d typically encountered in her experience with vampires, most of whom tended to avoid personal et, it was just that it was difficult to maintain the bits and pieces of a life when it lasted hundreds of years It didn’t surprise her that it would be Lucas ent against the trend He seemed to relish the role of rebel

"Cyn!" Cyn turned as Kathrynsharply "I had to deal with a last e a few days off the grid, but it’s not to be"

"I understand," Cyn assured her "This is a really nice place"

"It doesn’t look like hing "The first tiht me here, all I could think of hether or not it had indoor plureed "That’s what I said to Raphael, too"

"You want a drink? I’ve got food for you and me They’d starve us if we didn’t take care of it ourselves"

"I forget about food soure, except I make up for it on the days when I do eat," Cyn co her to the small kitchen, which clearly doubled as a wet bar "You have vodka?"

"We have everything"

Cyn glanced over to the big couch where Raphael and Lucas were already deep in conversation She could see the faint swirl of red in the a, and knew they’d added blood She felt the sharp bite of jealousy Raphael wasn’t supposed to drink anyone’s blood, but hers

"Ice?"

"What?" Cyn asked, turning to look at Kathryn "Oh Yes, thanks"

Kathryn handed over her drink and stepped in close "We need to talk," she said allanced up and held her gaze for a lance at the two vampire lords Later she reement

Just then, a heavy car door punched the air out front, and she heard deep voices Jurohimself between the door and Raphael, while Jared took a step closer Raphael didn’t seereet his new guest

Following Juro’s cue, Cyn set her drink down and unsnapped the safety strap securing her Glock in place Kathryn caught thei over to open the door

"I’ over to stand with her lover Lucas only smiled and brushed the back of his hand down her cheek

"There’s no cause for alarht Juro’s eye, then le on the door and taking all the friendlies out of her line of fire Even Jared

Lucas sahat she was doing and snorted a quick laugh He shook his head and took a step forward, stopping right in front of Juro as blocking the door "Honestly, big guy You knoould never endanger Raphael"

Juro stared hi heartbeat, then nodded once and stepped away

Cyn expected some smartass remark from Lucas, but apparently he’d been sincere in his assurances to Juro, so he only nodded his thanks He opened the front door and walked outside, and the smell of dust and exhaust fumes wafted in A moment later and Lucas was back, and he wasn’t alone The newcomer, presumably Aden, was nearly as tall as Raphael, but bulkier, with thickly padded shoulders and arms beneath a leather coat His black hair and olive coins were probably Mediterranean He stepped into the roo in the roo in on Raphael Cyn tensed when Raphael stood to meet him, but Raphael continued to look perfectly at ease, and she re himself--and everyone else, if it came down to it

"My lord Raphael," Lucas said for Raphael a slow, respectful bow frohtened, then waited a beat, his eyes carefully assessing, before he crossed the roo

Raphael’s ie, but he shook Aden’s hand, and Cyn was struck by the unusual tableau Two big, beautifuleach other up, but with no overtly hostile intent For now Raphael gestured, inviting Aden to sit, and he did so, taking one of the chairs Lucas and Raphael took opposite ends of the sofa facing Aden, and, as if that was the signal everyone had been waiting for, the tension level in the house plu his for for her heartbeat to return to normal, Cyn went back over to the s it burn all the way down Kathryn joined her a e

"Guess I don’t need to worry about playing hostess, huh? No hors d’oeuvres for these guys," she murmured to Cyn as she twisted off the cap and took a drink

Cyn laughed "They heard that, you know," she said, not even trying to speak softly She’d learned long ago that it was nearly io outside? If it’s too cold, we’ll climb into one of the trucks and turn the heater on And I’ll tell you all the secrets of vampireland"