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He used up a bit more ti as they had before he’d spent twelve years in the Navy Unless he was showering with soht back to Sophia And damn if he didn’t still want her It would have been easy if she’d ht Or even if she’d become someone coether But tonight, standing there in the dark with her hand on his arm, the years had fallen away and he’d been back in that Central Ae, with the heat and hule all around hi his ears

Maybe he should just do her A quick roll in the sack for old tiet her out of his system But it wouldn’t be that easy with Sophie It never had been He’d loved her Hell, he’d been planning that white picket fence with her And now here she was back in his life

He heard a car in the driveway and turned, his bare feet slapping the wooden floor as he crossed to the frontHe snorted softly Yeah, here she was Back in his life

Colin pulled the door open as the lights clicked off on the Lexus sedan she was driving He was a little surprised Sophie kne to drive at all She hadn’t when he’d known her before Not that he knew of, anyway He scowled, reht

The light frohted her as she closed the car door and started toward hi theold for a one

He watched her face as she drew closer, searching for sohton?" he asked quickly

"No news But in its oay, that’s good Duncan--you know hiht? The blond vampire who’s Raphael’s lieutenant?" She waited until he nodded "Well, Raphael is Duncan’s Sire, the one who ether for ether Duncan is also quite powerful in his own right, which means he is far more sensitive to Raphael’s state of mind than anyone else, except perhaps Cynthia"

Colin nodded impatiently He appreciated the vamp history lesson, but what he really wanted to knoas how Leighton was doing

As if she knew his thoughts, Sophia explained "I tell you this so you’ll understand the reliability of Duncan’s assessment He reports that Raphael has sunk into the depths of his power" She held up a hand, forestalling his next question "It’s a trance of sorts, a deep, almost meditative state It permits hi he seeks, or in this case, the one thing he cares about, which is hisall of his considerable power on healing her, not just his blood, but theic you’d call it that ave a grim smile "It’s iued, he asked, "Do you have this ic?"

She looked surprised by his question "Yes, of course"

"So, it’s not just vampire lords, then"

"No, but it is directly proportionate to the individual va else to drive?"

Lost in conteic, Colin frowned at her question, then realized she was talking about his truck "Right," he said as his brain caught up hat he was seeing He juan sla doors "This baby is a total loss I’ll have to have it towed to Why?"

Sophia sniffed discreetly and winced "It smells of her blood It would be best if you didn’t drive it at all, not even to move it"

Colin rubbed a hand over his hair "Is the blood sht, after all"

"Not bad," she assured hihton’s that I ht now"

"Unsettled how?"