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"Is he that much more powerful than the rest of you?"

"Absolutely I’m a babe compared to him"

Yes, he was a babe A total babe But not the way he rinned

Krysta frowned "Daed "I was just peeking to see how you were taking all of this"

"Not well," she admitted

"Would you take it better if I told you I think you’re a total babe, too?"

"A little bit"

He laughed and, wrapping an ar

Krysta looped her arms around his waist, surprised by how natural it felt despite the rubber suit

"Every day you amaze me more," he murmured And she could have sworn he brushed a kiss across the top of her head

"Every day you confuse me more," she countered

"It will all become clear soon"

His earlier words squeezed past the confusion and concern for her brother, as well as the worry over where the hell they were going to live and how they would pay for everything "Wait Who is going to be at this ?"

"Most likely all of the Immortal Guardians in the area, as well as their Seconds"

"What’s a Second again?"

"The huuard or assistant of an immortal We all have one"

"Like a Renfield?"

"I suppose so"

"And how ?"

"Fourteen or fifteen"

Krysta inadvertently tightened her grip on him as fear returned

"We won’t hurt you, Krysta I know it see a piss-poor job of it, but we’re here to help you and protect you"

She nodded She supposed she would just have to trust theut instinct Blind hope Because what other choice did she have?

Richart and Jenna returned

Rather than leap away from her as Krysta expected, Etienne kept one arm around her and shifted her to his side As if they were a couple

"Ready?" Richart asked "I’d like to go and get back so I can rest for a few hours before the "

Etienne nodded "See that he does rest," he implored Jenna "He was tranqed earlier"

Jenna frowned up at her husband "You didn’t tell ave me the antidote"

She nodded at Etienne "He’ll rest"

"Thank you"

Richart stepped away froulfed thehtened Only it was a different roolanced around

In a different house

"See you at the etting some rest," Etienne said

Richart’s lips quirked "As soon as I finish what you so rudely interrupted earlier"

An instant later he vanished

"Seriously?" Krysta said "After being shot and hunting whoever the hell that was at o home and make love to his wife?"

"They’re needs," Etienne said with a shrug "That’s actually why I wanted to spend the day here instead of there Their relationship is still new enough that they haven’t had a chance to soundproof the walls of their bedroo the day there can be aard"

"I would think so With your ears, you can probably hear everything"

He nodded He and Lisette had learned very quickly that, although they were alelcome at Richart’s home (the three of them had always been close and routinely slept at each others’ houses to stave off loneliness), Richart wasn’t going to let their presence dampen his amorous pursuits of his wife

Actually, Richart was so besotted that Etienne wasn’t sure it had even occurred to hi love with Jenna This situation was new to them Lisette was the only one of them who had ever been married, and that had been before her transformation

Cam entered, his hair arb: a T-shirt and sweatpants When he had first been named Etienne’s Second, he had slept in the buff, which Etienne had nixed when he had arrived hoh to require immediate aid Then had come boxers, which had been replaced by the sweats and a T-shirt after Lisette and Richart had made several surprise visits