Page 46 (1/1)

I Haven’t Slept with You Yet

Del opened a pink file on the table in front of her "Since you toldin with his sire, Le Bâtard

"Le Bâtard is a third-generation Mithran, erous He is on the European Council of Mithrans, and while he verbally adheres to the Vampira Carta, it is ru children and drinking froer than fifteen when they were turned"

I smelled the reaction of the people in the room Le Bâtard already had enemies Good

Her voice pedantic, Adelaide continued "Le Bâtard turned Peregrinus, Batildis, and our Grégoire, and while Grégoire walked away frorinus did not It is said that he emulates his sire and still serves hirinus and his sister--sister in the Mithranthe children of a common sire, but partners and lovers--travel often, and are accompanied by the Devil, their primo blood-servant, and a soe Wherever they travel, they leave in their wake a swath of death and destruction, and always a nu children" I frowned and so did lots of others at the table "They have come to be known as Satan’s Three They have, purportedly, been looking for ical items for years, all over the world," Del said

I looked up at that one as quick thoughts tuical iteht about ood way to protect my client If I was here, then all the attacks would be here If I was out there, then Satan’s Three would co me the easier nut to crack

Del said, "After recent events, it is no surprise that seekers of the ical would show up here, in the States"

I said, "We believe that Peregrinus and his cronies are here in Louisiana noithout Leo’s leave We also believe that it was the human blood-servant known as the Devil who kidnapped and tortured the world’s best researcher on vamps while two vamps, a male and a feet a description of the torturer, except it ht have been female and it had birds tattooed on its arh the room as the words penetrated and they realized the iuess is that while the Devil worked on Reach, he or she got everything in Reach’s databases That means my file, Leo’s file, and probably the file on everyone here at HQ Reach was nosy and I don’t doubt that he had the security protocols, which is why Aardvark was only in hard copy We’ve changed passwords and set up the one protocol that Reach couldn’t have, but it may be a case of too little, too late The Three want so that they think I have or that Leo has"

I continued "Next ite the HQ wiring andforever, because so is decades old and not in use or hidden inside walls, which then have to be torn out and repaired Frankly, we need all the wiring torn out and neiring installed froh time between now and the Europeans’ arrival to do that, so we’re stuck withfor the causative factor for the events

"The Otis repair people and the electrical wiring company people have been in and out They’ll continue to be on the buddy system with our people Let’s make sure the workers are always--and I mean always--with someone from security You need to take a bathrooet soo in with them Most of the repair people are related by blood-servant status, but any one of theroups who hate nonhuo alone at all, and if they have any kind of electronic devices on their person, they leave theo to restrooms Understood?"

There were nods around the table, but I felt an itch between round on all of these guys and gals But it was very possible that I’dIt only took one ticked-off hureatest concerns are rewiring security, food service, and e, in that order"

Del nodded and made a note to herself

"Okay, folks Let’s talk about the rainbow light-dragon Leo called it a ‘Grand danger L’esprit lurave;re L’arcenciel’" I stumbled over the French "Anyone knohat that is?" When no one volunteered, I said, "I’ll be finding out Meeting adjourned"

• • •

Wrassler ledI could call it Bedroom was too plain; suite was too businesslike; quarters was too h there were parts to all of those in the three s was heavily carved, coated with gilt, and the walls had been painted in shades of blue that would cooire’s eyes I knew that because there was a life-sized painting of Grégoire just inside the door, his eyes old lace at his wrists

The entrance ith cabinets on either side of the door I could smell steel and le to coat wood--and leather The scents were different froun cabinet would have held These cabinets held swords Metal weapons Probably lots of different blades My hands itched to open the doors and sniff through them Wrassler led me on inside

To the left of the door was a tiny room with one whole wall dedicated to wines, most with dusty labels There was a narrow bar with crystal decanters and crystal glasses for decanting and drinking wine The rest of the room was taken up by a delicate sofa, a tiny table, and two sht have used And ht was a closed door and I knew better than to open it uninvited, but I guessed it was a closet and dressing roooire was a dandy and his closet probably took up the biggest room in the boudoir suite

Directly ahead was the bedroom, most of it blocked by Wrassler’s broad back The roo out of a French castle Silks and tapestries and rugs piled on top of rugs and art stacked several deep against the walls In most of the artwork a female was front and center Batildis Batildis in velvets and silks and lace, posed in fields and libraries and fancy salons And in others wearing nothing, posed on beds and horses andwith Grégoire