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They were part of the thick blackness of the trees beside the road when the first car stopped, a gun appearing out theDh the night air

The gun hesitated, but didn’t pull back, though it was clear the vampire didn’t knohere to aione, a shadow in the dark

As she covered him, he smashed the nearest carto reach in and pull out the varound with such force that his skull cracked Thewhere D away the weapon of the unconscious driver that she heard the distinct snap of a neck being broken

It had all happened so fast that the second car only started reversing in screeching panic after both the front vaun she’d kicked aside, she ai out the tires, then the windshield

Glass shattered, smoke rose, and the vehicle slammed backward into trees that shook froround

D away the roof in a feat of strength that uards inside, their bodies peppered with bullet wounds,Jewel Wan out of the backseat by her hair, Ded Town Car’s headlights

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“Anyone,” he said in a quiet voice after ordering Jewel to shut up, “ants to coet out and wait at the estate If you’d like to make me very happy, try to run”

The guards staggered out and—to their credit—went to check on the other two They left the one whose neck D to have survived that, but pulled up the driver to drag him away All of it in absolute silence Jewel Wan, ot unsteadily to her feet, her knees bleeding below the heht black silk dress, her palms scratched fro to diance “There you are,” she murmured to Honor “Such a pretty morsel”

Honor wanted to shoot her so badly that her entire body trembled, but she didn’t “I won’t kill you andherself to walk up and take a seat on the hood of the Town Car that no longer had a roof, the headlights blazing below her “Dainst the hood, his body angled toward her, she said, “Not a single piece of your soul”

Close as she was to hihness of his own, she saw him smilesaw, too, the terror that erased Jewel Wan’s tattered elegance But the vaive you infor” Dainst the Town Car, his shoulders fluid with muscle, the wicked sin of his scent in her every breath “We both know you’ll tellI want to know before this is over”

Jewel flashed her fangs “I’m a vampire of four hundred and fifty You intend to sacrifice so much experience for, what, a little mortal amusement? I’ve had her, and she’s not that—”

Dmitri moved to backhand the vaainst a tree, cru out of her nose, a deep cut on her lip “Now,” Dmitri said in a voice so rational, it raised the hairs on Honor’s nape, “tell ive you some extra-special attention”

A pained plea froile Except Honor knew that was a lie Jeould always be a e that had the ability to appear harmless To offer her any mercy would be to sentence another victim to the horror Honor had barely survived “Derous creature that he was, he was still hers and she would fight for hirinned and it was shocking how very beautiful he looked even surrounded by the acrid scent of fear and blood “Got caught up in thehis attention to Jewel, he said, “Why aren’t you talking?” in a voice that was only mildly interested—the same way a lion was only ot hungry

“I got an invitation,” the va blood “It’s in my study at home On the desk” She reached up to wipe away the blood trickling fro dark red across the porcelain of her skin “To at a party and I had him followed Stupid ht, Toiving us anything we don’t already have”

The va back to lean against the hood, Dlanced at Honor “Can’t I touch her a little?” His smile when he looked at Jeas pure sex—if you liked your sex with a great deal of painif you liked to scream until your throat was raw “Your skin, Jewel, so very soft,” heabout his words, if he’d been speaking to Honor in that tone, she’d have pumped him full of bullets and run like hell

And then he took out the knife

Jewel shoved herself back against the tree, began babbling “Evert had to know He and Toether, but they weren’t part of the center The one who organized this, he made very sure to keep his identity contained, but there’s a rumor in certain circles that he once worked at the Tower How else would he know about the appetites of soher hand on Dmitri’s shoulder, a silent rele save up three na later, it was clear she knew nothing else While Der on her, she was so petrified, her teeth were chattering, her eyes darting this way and that

For an instant, Honor felt pity “Enough, Dmitri”