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The look he gave her was disappointed, al few days with little sleep But you know I’ht about soh his nose "This case stinks"

"Yeah, it does Who’s your witness?"

"I can’t tell you, Cyn You know that"

Cyn thought about arguing, but he was right "Hammel doesn’t fit, you know," she said instead

"We think she was an accident, that the guy got a taste for the vein after her and started looking for easier prey"

"If a vampire in LA wants blood from the vein, he doesn’t need to kill for it People line up to volunteer Hell, your friend Hartzler in there would probably give his left nut for the chance, him and all his buddies You know about the blood houses What do you think goes on there?"

"Maybe this one likes the hunt"

She shook her head "It doesn’t work that way One murder and Raphael’s enforcers would be on him like white on rice He wouldn’t last twenty-four hours These guys don’t play gaive second chances"

He sighed "This isn’t ain, and she detected an obvious note of relief beneath his words "I can have a conversation, but that’s about it"

"I know" She checked her watch "Listen, I’ve really have to run I’ve got oneto sleep for about ten hours in ot to get back to e runaway before she becomes the next victim"

"This related to the Texas business?"

"Yeah, I’ot Luci on the lookout, and I gave ht still be in contact, but" She shrugged "You kno that goes"

"Needle in a haystack"

"So like that Okay" She slid into the front seat

Eckhoff rested one hand on top of the open door and leaned in "You take care, grasshopper Whoever’s behind these killings wants us to think it’s va his bluff"

"What else is new? No, no" She waved away his objection before he could voice it "I’ll be careful Now letthe door close before slapping the top of her truck and heading down the street toward his own American sedan Cyn did a quick three point turn and waved through her openas she drove past She had to get back to Lucia’s, pick up Mirabelle and get the girl settled into the condo before sunrise Assu no other vampires decided to make an unscheduled appearance

Chapter Twenty-two

Cyn was dead tired by the tie beneath her Malibu condo Next to her in the front seat, Mirabelle was fidgeting with nerves, worried about her first sunrise away from the safety of the only home she’d ever known--even if that home had been turned into a prison by Jabril Kari she’d stay with her through the day, that the ere all covered with blackout shades in deference to Cyn’s own night owl habits, but the girl remained terrified Cyn really couldn’t blame her, but she was so exhausted herself that it was an effort to deal with a twitchy Mirabelle

She unlocked the heavy door froirl, waving her in the direction of the stairs "Go on up," she said "I’ll be there in a sec"

Mirabelle gave the stairs an uncertain glance before heading up, while Cyn pushed the door securely shut and turned to disarhts indicating the systeot to ar out of

She looked up at the sound of a loud thud from upstairs, like someone had dropped a suitcaseor a body