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The va to?"

"An asshole," Tate said at once I wanted to smack him

A dry laugh escaped the vaain at odds with his boyish appearance "Don't we all? I'm Anthony"

Score!IAnthony wasn't another h Bones assured me that ability was very rare

"You never answeredhis face

Tate rolled his eyes "Why should I? I' the festival"

"Let ive you soh to overhear, it would be co Tate sonny "When you meet one of us, you introduce yourself, and that includes who you belong to Or one of us et pissed and decide to teach you manners"

"Bones" Tate let the naain

Yes, I kneas part of the role, but I also knew he meant it, so I really wanted to smack him

Anthony glanced around, so quickly that if I hadn't been watching his every movement, I would have missed it

"You'rethat Tate," he murmured

Tate folded his arms "Isn't it your turn now?"

Anthony's s for Tate's reaction

Tate flicked his gaze around in much more of a pronounced manner I shifted, too, but in apparent confusion

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked

"Nothing you need to worry about, baby," Tate replied, givingsqueeze "Anthony here, uh, works for a co over the same contract If you ask me, I wouldn't mind if his boss wins it"

Anthony raised a brow "Really? That's a bold stateer about yourboss"

"Let's just say I had a chance to assist your boss before, but I didn't take it, and now I have buyer's reone hohtened from a relaxed stance to open defiance

Anthony must have heard about the part Tate played back at Mencheres's house right before it went boom, because he nodded

"What if your mistake could be remedied? I happen to know my boss would be very interested in any information acorporate spycould provide"

Tate smiled "How does your boss reimburse? Because I'd want moneyand protection"

Anthony waved a hand "You can't iine how handsomely my employer rewards those who serve her"

I'll just bet, I thought cynicallyUnless, of course, you're talking about the people who serve Patra because she's threatened to kill their family if they don't

"Do you have to talk about business now?" I asked,my voice petulant

Anthony seeh once-over, and there was nothing prepubescent in it How typical that his first reaction had been to dismiss me because I had a heartbeat

"Who's your friend, Tate?"

"Kathleen," Tate said, calling eous?"

"She is," Anthony agreed, littered "But with those looks, that red hair, and her heartbeat, she reminds me a lot of someone I've heard of"

There was open challenge in his voice I gave Anthony my most innocent "who, me?" look

"I like to role-play," Tate replied with an edge to his tone "So I had Kathleen change her hair color and wear contacts You got a problem with that?"

Anthony's arm whipped out, and he yanked ht one There was nothing on either but smooth, unmarked skin

Tate bristled even as I hid a sht, buddy No tattoo anymore Hurt like hell when Max sliced it off, not that you would have heard about that, but now its absence is co in handy

"You touch her again and we quit talking," Tate growled

Anthony seeood likeness of the real Reaper?"

Tate shrugged "Close enough to count"

I'd had my hair dyed back to its normal crimson shade, all the better to s contacts with blue flecks in theray Plus my skin was freshly darkened, all thanks to a quick rub from a self-tanner that helped hide its normal luminescence That had been Vlad's idea Drac was crafty indeed

So far, the role-playing act orking Anthony wasn't running for his life or his weapons

"Do you have to talk about thatother girl?"

I pouted, which would be expected, considering the topic Tate kissed the top of my head

"Not anymore, baby"

"Then can we go ho

Tate looked down on ent smile "Got a little business to take care of first, then I'm all yours"

Anthony licked his lips "Splendid I'll take you to my supervisor, Hykso, who can finalize our transaction Just letmy car around back Less notice that way"

"I don't think so, friend," Tate said, steel underneath his genial tone "You e your mind and decide to involve other people in our business, and I don't want to spend the rest of dead dead"

Anthony ed to appear offended "It never crossed my mind"

Tate sether"

Anthony chewed his lower lip with noresture was so boyish, he could have been one of the older kids waiting in line to get a picture with Santa He surveyed the people around us with indecision, either for the obvious leave-taking, or rets

I wanted a chance to nab Anthony's "supervisor" The higher up we could go on Patra's chain of coht would turn out to be

"If we don't go with hiainst Tate in a way that left nothing to the i as incentive