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Before he could even begin to spring at her, Alexia moved forward, unafraid, and wrapped both are was a little less horrible the second ti used to the feel of it Fur retreated from where she touched hiain, the naked body of Lord Maccon in her ar tastes awful," he announced, wiping his face with the back of one hand It did nothing e the red over his chin and cheek

Miss Tarabotti refrained fro on scientists and wiped his face with the skirt of her dress It was already beyond salvation anyway

Tawny brown eyes turned to her face Alexia noted with relief that they were full of intelligence and entirely lacking in ferocity or hunger

"You are unhar over her face and down He paused upon reaching the cut on her neck

His eyes, even though he was touching her, went slightly back to feral yellow "I’ll butcher the bastard," he said softly, all the er in his voice for its quiet tone "I’ll pull his bones out through his nostrils one by one"

Alexia shushed him impatiently "It is not that deep" But she did lean into his touch and let out a shaky breath she had not even known she was holding

His hand, now treentle assessment of her injuries It s on her exposed upper torso and down her shoulder to the slice on her arht--flay a man open frousting," admonished the object of his interest "Besides, I did that one to ed dismissively, "You needed a trail to follow"

"You little fool," he said affectionately

"It worked, didn’t it?"

His touch becaainst his large naked forhly, a deeply erotic and oddly desperate h he needed her to subsist It was unbearably inti one’s ankles to be seen Alexia leaned into hierly

"I do so hate to intrude, my little lovebirds, but if you could see your way clear totheir embrace "And your business here, it is not quite finished"

Lord Maccon surfaced and looked about, blinking as though he had just woken frohtmare, half erotic fantasy

Miss Tarabotti shifted so that their only point of contact was her hand nested inside his big one It was still enough contact to be co, not to mention preternaturally effective

Lord Akeldama still lay on his platform In the space between hiall still fought with the newly created vampire

"Goodness me," said Miss Tarabotti in surprise, "he is still alive!" No one was sure, even her, whether she all or the manufactured vampire They seeth and abilities, and Mr MacDougall stronger than expected in his desperation and panic

"Well,to Lord Maccon, "shall we?" The earl started to move forward and then stopped abruptly and looked down at her, notat all "Aled hair, pretending confusion There was no possible way she was going to make this easy for him

"Your love?"

"Well, you are a olf, Scottish, naked, and covered in blood, and I ahed in evident relief "Good That is settled, then"

They ht Alexia was not certain she could effectively change two supernatural persons at once, but she illing to try

"Pardon rabbed the vampire by one shoulder Surprised, the s were already retracting

Miss Tarabotti shty schoolboy before he could even ressive move in her direction

"No," said Lord Maccon, "even new va the ear, he punched the man extremely hard up under the chin It was an expert boxer’s move that laid the poor man out flat

"Will it last?" Alexia asked of the fallen va him, so he should recuperate quickly

"For a few all, bleeding only slightly from a row of punctures in one side of his neck, blinked at his saviors

"Tie hi hand, you see?" said Lord Maccon to the A him rope froall asked, looking the earl up and down and then focusing in on his and Alexia’s linked hands Or Alexia assu in on

Miss Tarabotti said, "Mr MacDougall, your questions will have to wait"

Mr MacDougall nodded suban to tie the vampire

"My love" Alexia looked at Lord Maccon It was much easier to say the words the second tiht see to Lord Akeldama? I dare not touch him in such a weakened state"

Lord Maccon refrained fro that when she called hi to do whatever she asked

They walked together over to Lord Akeldama’s platform