Page 51 (1/2)

He tore off his bloodied and filthy clothing, dropping it into a pile Someone would retrieve it later What could be saved would be cleaned and returned to hi else would be burned He stepped into the shohile it was still war his hair with quick economical movements He could feel Cyn’s restlessness On some level, she kneas near and she wanted hione only a few hours, he needed to see her again, needed to see with his own eyes that she ell, before the sun rose and deprived him of his senses

He rubbed a towel over his wet hair as he ru A pair of sweats and a T-shirt came to hand, which was all he needed

Two minutes later and he was back upstairs--barefoot, his hair still wet, towel in hand, heading across the great roo Wei Chen stepped out of the office as Raphael strode by The Seattle nest leader opened his , probably to ask about the hunt, but Raphael spoke first

"The hu for you," he said "Will she be here to next to him

"Yes, my lord"

"Find an excuse to keep her tomorrow until after sunset I’ll have someone follow her when she leaves And I’ll want toher records Do you understand?"

"Of course, " He turned his attention away fro instead to Elke who looked as if she hadn’t one He hurried past her and entered the code to call his private elevator, waiting impatiently for it to arrive The ride doas inter doors as soon as they’d widened enough to accommodate his shoulders

Dr Saephan stood, calm despite Raphael’s precipitous arrival No doubt he’d heard the elevator’s departure and knohat it htly

"She is well?"

"Very well,would have needed changing during the day, and she’ll be fine without it for those few hours What she needsof which--"

Saephan paused as if gauging Raphael’s aze away fro look

"There is blood in the refrigerator, my lord, if you have need of it"

Raphael didn’t move Under normal circumstances, he took blood from his mate and no other But that was obviously impossible in her current condition So either Saephan feared that Raphael’s hunger would drive hier her life Or he was honestly concerned that Raphaelhis own health in his preoccupation with healing Cyn

Raphael chose to believe the latter

"Thank you, Doctor," he said, his gaze"We’ll see you to"

"Yes, my lord"

Raphael waited until he heard the doors open upstairs and close again, confir with a quick probe that the elevator was eht, pulling the vault door across the s off his borrowed clothes, he slipped into bed next to Cyn She earing one of Raphael’s t-shirts, obviously selected by Dr Saephan after bathing her Cyn rarely wore nightclothes of any kind and alht any with her on this trip Raphael experienced a surprisingly visceral pleasure at seeing her in his clothes and mocked himself silently Perhaps he wasn’t as far above pri his body around her carefully "I’m here, lubimaya," he said unnecessarily Cyn’s entire body relaxed as she turned into hi, slow exhalation that warmed the naked skin of his chest Raphael closed his eyes in relief and placed a gentle hand beneath the shirt she wore, resting it against the bare skin of her lower back They both needed the contact But in this case, his need reater than hers

"I love you,beat of her heart against his ribs, not even noticing when the sun began its daily ascent

Chapter Forty

Colin sat in the front passenger seat, giving Robbie directions to the next address on the list Raphael’s tech had provided Sophie sat behind hi, but he was exquisitely aware of her, alh she wasn’t He wondered if it had so to do with the blood she’d taken from him Had it linked them somehow?