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He’d taken up residence in an attractive Spanish don centuries ago, thinking he was si host body for a newer version He hadn’t realized until the possession was in progress that he’d actually invaded a baby va to kno to evict hiured it out, they’d reached an understanding The centuries of practice Casanova had in seduction helped the vae and die on hianize the incubi of the States into adeal for him, Casanova was the perfect choice to run it

His Decadent Drea adjacent to Tony’s Vegas casino, Dante’s While vacationing husbands throay the falected wives take consolation in the extravagant spa treatets rich froet more lust to feed frolow that lasts for days It’s actually one of Tony’s less reprehensible businesses, except for being highly illegal—unlike some people seeas PD But then, vamps have never paid much attention to human law

“What’s the penalty for slaving these days?” I asked idly “Bet it ood”

For the first tiarette, and hot ashes splattered his suit, leaving tiny burn marks on the silk before he could brush the to do with that!”

I wasn’t surprised at his reaction Tony had been breaking both hu in the very profitable but extreic users The Silver Circle, the council of ical community the way the Senate does for vamps, are violently opposed to the idea, and their treaty with the va the treaty risked war, and the Senate would have staked Tony for that alone, if they didn’t already have plenty of reasons to want him dead

“You’ll have a hard ti the Senate of that if your boss tries to pin the whole thing on you” Judging by his expression, Casanova felt that was a good possibility He knew his employer as well as I did “But if I find him first, Tony will be out of the picture and yo

u’ll be in the clear It’s to your advantage to help me” I expected that line to work—self-interest was usually the best way to get a vamp’s cooperation—but Casanova recovered quickly

He lit another cigarette with steady fingers “Why are you so sure that I knohere he is? He doesn’t tellHe has that Alphonse character to help him now”

Alphonse was Tony’s current second in coliest vamp I’ve ever seen, and his personality was no more attractive than his face But I much preferred him to his boss Alphonse didn’t actually like ive the order

“Tony had to leave so it was you, and that you knohere he is”

He regardedminute “I’as You want to contact Philly”

I shook my head emphatically That hat I definitely didn’t want There were too many people in Philadelphia, Tony’s main base of operations, who reive ht, but it wouldn’t be information”

Casanova’s lips twitched, and the amusement in those whiskey-colored eyes was evenseduction I sed and pretended indifference, which won rin But no information

“You knoell as I do that the family does not take disloyalty well,” he murmured “That is especially true froard as a freak And the fact that I have recently taken over temporary control on this coast hasn’t wonforthe boss would definitely qualify”

I hadn’t been prepared for candor, and it threw h my stomach and up to my throat I tamped it down; I couldn’t afford to show uncertainty now If I didn’t find soet Casanova to open up, pretty soon Myra would be doing the same to me—with a knife

I leaned across the table and played my best card “I understand all about the faets staked by rab some property Wouldn’t you like to own this place yourself?”

Casanova ran a hand through his shoulder-length chestnut hair, which fell in perfect waves without any obvious artifice He was dressed in a raw silk suit in a rich brown that almost matched his eyes I wasn’t an expert on men’s clothes, but his saffron-colored tie looked expensive, as did his gold watch andcufflinks Casanova had caviar tastes, and I doubted Tony overpaid hienerosity wasn’t one of his character traits

He looked around longingly “What I wouldn’t give to redecorate, ” he said “Do you have any idea how difficult it is, getting patrons past the alooon’s-head bar, co from its carved nostrils, didn’t exactly scream romance “My boys have to work twice as hard as they should I engineered a water leak last ut the lobby, but there’s so et me started on the entrance! It scares off half the would-be customers before they make it in the door”