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"Your assistance will be invaluable, Jereh you, your mate can tell us much about these creatures who dared attack her On my word, Jeremy, they will pay the ulti, dark hair covering his face before he raised eyes now briratitude "Thank you, Sire"

Raphael studied his child carefully, noting the tension in his stiff gait as he climbed to his feet and took a chair nearby He ached for Jereht’s awful events, but it was necessary And far better that Jeremy tell him, than ask Mariane to relive it

Loren an a low-voiced conversation Cyn took the opportunity to lean close to Raphael’s ear and whisper, "Will he knohat happened?" Her question was voiced softly enough that, even in a room full of vampires, it was for hi, but they’ve beenenough for hih" He felt Cyn breathe out a sigh of relief next to him

"Jeremy," Raphael said more loudly

The va to Loren and faced Raphael

"MyShe is a trained and experienced investigator, quite skilled in these ht will be particularly helpful"

Cyn sat up straight, leaving a cool spot on his arlanced up at her and caught a frown of concentration, followed by a gentle smile for Jeremy

"I’ll start with some questions about the events of that afternoon," she said "It will be painful for you, and I’m sorry I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t absolutely necessary, please believe that But every detail ives the nervously

Cyn leaned forward, her posture and gaze intent "Okay, let’s start with the basics Was Mariane houys broke into the house?"

He shook his head, his gaze haunted "She was out Our house is very secure, but they sh the back door with an ax They must have hidden their vehicles and waited for her to return I knehen she arrived hoh the front door--and then I felt her terror They grabbed her before she even realized they were there"

"Is Mariane norive me if this is private, butshe doesn’t sleep with you?"

"Most days she does, yes But on some days, she remains awake to run errands She shops in Cooper’s Rest, which is the small town near here, and on rare occasions she drives down to the city below She buys food for herself and does whatever else needs doing There’s the mail to be picked up, of course And sometiht"

Cyn nodded, and Raphael knew she would understand Mariane’s need for sunlight It was the same reason Cyn kept her condo just down the beach from his estate She didn’t live there any in the sunlight, walking along the water in the war Raphael out of his reverie "Does she follow a routine? Maybe certain days of the week, every other Monday or so "Perhaps Not specific days, but she does go into town at least twice aAnd when she co phone calls, so on the porch if the weather is nice"

"Who would know about this besides you?" Cyn asked "Does she have any friends here? Maybe soo anyplace in particular?"

Raphael saw Jere vaestion that she could beanyone, possibly even another male, while Jeremy slept would rouse his possessive instincts And unlike Raphael, as old enough and powerful enough to sense whatever Cyn was doing at all tih to follow his h a normal, uneventful few hours It was only the traumatic nature of the attack that had forced their link into full-bloareness for the duration That and the fact that, while Jereround, he would not have been far frooes to the post office," Jereone with her I don’t generally go into town at all My business is at home, mostly via computer or phone The truth is, unless they’re Vampire, I very rarely meet anyone in person, not even my clients"