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The actress nodded enthusiastically "The countess is supposed toEveryone, and I do mean everyone, accepted her invitation"

"Announcement, what kind of?????"

But Miss Dair’s attention was back to pushing their way through the throng

One or two people recognized Alexia--heads tilted in her direction, faces perplexed "Lady Maccon?" cament of her presence, accoers whirling away like soup to explode What was the wife of an Alpha olf doing there? And so far along in her pregnancy And alone! On full moon!

As they pressed on, Alexia becah the crowd Just as a tall, thin man accosted Miss Dair from the front, a person behind them cleared his throat

Lady Maccon turned to find herself face-to-face with a nondescript gentle to describe His hair was just this side of brown, and his eyes just that side of blue, co nor interesting He wore unreested a level of premeditated obscurity that reminded her irresistibly of Professor Lyall

"Your Grace," she said warily in greeting

The Duke of Heht have been because he did not wish to show her his fangs just yet "Lady Maccon, what an unexpected pleasure"

Alexia glanced at Miss Dair, as engaging in a hushed and rather forceful conversation with Dr Caedes, another member of Countess Nadasdy’s inner circle He was a tall, thin vaht looked like a parasol without its fabric cover, all points and sharp angles He unfolded rather than walked He did not look pleased

The duke was s over Lady Maccon’s unanticipated presence Alexia wondered where Lord Ambrose, the last member of this little band, was stashed Probably near the countess, as he acted as her praetoriani At a party as crowded as this, the queen would want her pet bodyguard as close as possible

"We did not expect you on this particular night, Lady Maccon We had assu your husband with his"--a calculated pause--"disability"

Alexia narrowed her eyes and fished about in her reticule, co up with the required card "I have an invitation"

"Of course you do"

"It is ent I speak with your mistress immediately I have some vital information to impart"

"Tell it to me"

Alexia put on her most superior Lady Macconish expression and looked hiround

He was not a very large ured if push came to shove, she could probably take hi soulless had its uses She reloves

He watched this movement with concerned interest

"No need for that, Lady Maccon" If he was as much like Professor Lyall as Alexia believed, physical conflict would not be his preferred solution to any given confrontation He looked up toward the storklike doctor and gestured sharply with his chin The other va Miss Dair’s ar Lady Maccon with a new, far less attractive, escort

"It really is rave danger" Alexia left her gloves off and tried to i too threatening

The duke ss were small and sharp, barely present, as subtle as the rest of his projected iritted her teeth "This time it is in your best interest--really, it is"

The duke looked at her closely "Very well, coh the crohich thinned as they left thehall, and receiving area They rounded a corner into a part of the house Alexia loved, the museum of machinery, where the history of human innovation was displayed with as s of the public areas The duke nant and knowing she was going beyond the bounds of proper etiquette, pushed past hiine ever built and then past the lance to spare for either feat of hu past her in turn when they reached the stairs, leading the way up rather than, as had occurred on previous occasions, into the back parlor that was the countess’s preferred sanctuary This was a special evening, indeed Lady Maccon was being let into the high sanctum of the hive She had never before been allowed upstairs

There were drones strategically placed on the staircase, all attractive and perfectly dressed, looking like they uests at the party, but Alexia knew from the way they watched her that they were as s Only , however, as Lady Maccon was in the company of the duke But they did watch her carefully

They arrived at a closed door The Duke of Hematol knocked, a pattern of taps It opened to reveal Lord Ambrose, as tall, as dark, and as handsoht wish her own personal vampire to be