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"Robbie," Raphael snapped over his shoulder "Tell me what happened"

Over the next several minutes, Robbie told him in detail the events of the previous day "We were al to the end of his tale He was still on his knees, but his eyestoward the truck door, covering her back, when they opened up on us from a new direction You know Cyn, one for her own safety, but instead she started firing, covering Murphy’s back I should have grabbed her, should never have let her go That’s when--" His voice broke for the first time and he looked down "I’m sorry, my lord I failed Cyn and I failed you"

"It’s not his fault," Colin Murphy insisted again "Dammit, Raphael, you have to listen to me!"

Raphael’s vampires, already jumpy and ready for the hunt, bristled at the huood sense to place a cautioning hand on her mate’s arm Murphy drew a deep breath and continued ies, sir But someone I know called me today with inforritted his teeth i "Talk," he deeted," Murphy said intently "They knew, or they thought they knew, that taking her out would weaken you personally They thought your vao nuts, or that you’d join the humans indiscriminately They want a bloodbath They want headlines all across the television and Internet screa innocent huhtfully "Stand up, Robbie," he said without turning He heard the hu to his feet behind him

"My lord," Robbie said

Raphael turned "The only wordswere in defense of youand him," he added, with a jerk of his head toward Murphy "And your account of events was truthful" He regarded the bodyguard silently Robbie had been with hi time, and he was mated to one of Raphael’s vampires It hy he’d entrusted Cyn’s protection to him "We won’t slon for you," he told him now "But you’re welcome to join the hunt for these killers"

"Thank you, ain and Raphael turned to eye hiently "They knehat the attack on her did to Jeremy, hoeakened hilanced quickly at Sophia before continuing in a quiet voice, "And they knew Leighton was still alive e brought her here yesterday"

Raphael stared at hi easily into the human’s mind despite Sophia’s newly established link Thethe truth as he knew it And that meant Raphael had a leak inside this coht from Malibu, were loyal to the core He would stake his life on it He did stake his life on it every day He looked around, noting as thereand as not

"Get Loren on the phone," he ordered Wei Chen, watching the nest leader’s eyes widen as he searched the surrounding faces and realized Loren was not aed rapidly through his call list

"Loren," he said, surprise evident in his voice "Where are you?"

Raphael took the phone from him in tiot word of a possible break-in"

Even over the phone line, Raphael could hear the lie in his words, and it only confirun to suspect

"Would you like to try that again?" Raphael said coldly

"Sire!" Loren gasped "My lord, I--"

"Get back here now And bring the wo, trying to justify his duplicity Stupid son-of-a-bitch He exchanged a quick look with Juro who nodded and took several steps away, taking two of his security people with hian to confer in low voices, Raphael turned to Murphy "Do you knoho these killers are?" he asked

"Some of them," the human replied "And I think I knohere at least so out But I don’t know all the names If we can take the ones I do know alive, we can--"

From behind Raphael, Robbie spoke up, "Wait a minute" He walked around Raphael to face Murphy "Cyn took pictures of the license plates in that parking lot"

"That’s right," Murphy agreed, snapping his fingers He switched his gaze to Raphael "We need her cell"

Raphael pulled his phone fro Peter Saephan, who answered on the first ring

"Yes,well,already"

"Excellent I require Cyn’s cell phone Her clothing fro in the closet Could you check and see if her phone is there?"

There was a brief pause and then Raphael heard the closet door slide open and the sharp crackle of a plastic bag "One moment, my lord," Saephan said, followed by a soft thud as he put the phone down More rustling of plastic and then the phone was picked up again