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Bones tapped his chin and gave Don a calculating look "Smart of you to realize how destructive Braot the politicians in a twist today? Terrorism Scares ' em sackless What can you offer that no one else can? An interrogator guaranteed to get all the facts, names, places, and plots quicker than they can say full-scale retaliation"
Bones paused to let his words sink in I was still shocked that Don had held back so from the rest of us
"You're offering to do that?" Don asked, openly skeptical
Bones chuckled without humor "Not e is, have hireen-eye information out of the bloke, then sit back and sell hihest bidder You'll be flush inside of twoan invaluable service to your country to boot Best of all, the Geneva Convention can kiss your arse, because the hostage-and his holders-won't even remember how it happened"
"You bastard!" Tate burst, advancing on Bones in a fury
"Sit down, soldier!" Don shouted in a tone I'd never heard him use
Tate halted in his tracks, staring at et ive a shit about our operation, this country, or anything else but her!"
"That's not the question, is it?" Bones asked icily "Doyou care about your operation, this country, or anything else but her? I see your love for her wouldn't interfere with your job Prove it"
I knew then that Bones had planned this ever since he'd ripped the roof off that liin to cover it
Don stood up "Well, Tate? What's your answer?"
Tate gave Bones a look of pure hatred "You order o"
Don sighed "You're the finestI believed about integrity being corrupted after turning into a vaaze flicked to Bones "I'll need soone too h"
Bones didn't flinch "Let me have Tate 'round another week, then you can ship him off and I'll provide you with a replacement"
Don turned back to s from here"
Even though this was for the best, I felt anguished for Tate I knehat it was like to be forced to walk away from the person you loved I just wished that with this absence, Tate would fall in love with so away froreat woht he wanted dangled just out of his reach
"Darowled to Bones
"I hope" The proper words failed me, so I just mumbled, "Take care of yourself, Tate," and walked out the door with Bones beside me
Chapter Nineteen
WE DIDN'T LEAVE RIGHT AWAY, WHICH WAS Bones's idea, not mine I went to my office while Bones went off to talk to Juan When the two of them came back fifteen minutes later, Juan looked paler, but he also seemed to be excited
"What's up, buddy?" I asked him
Juan glanced around my office "Bones,aqui? Ahora? "
Bones gave him an impassive look and shut the door "Si Listos?"
Juan's eyes met mine, and then he nodded "Si"
I was still translating when Bones grabbed Juan and buried his fangs deeply into his neck What thehell? Then what they'd been saying penetratedBones, here? Now? Yes Ready? Yes Oh God Juan must be the vampire replace any time
Juan's legs buckled and his eyes fluttered closed He lost consciousness, his body rapidly going into shock fro it Bones held hi harder at his neck Juan's face drained of color even as Bones's became pinker, alh his new te as it took for Juan to suck his blood back out of him
Juan's heartbeat slowed What had been a fast, nervous beating when Bones first bit hi spaces in between After a minute, Bones raised his head
"Kitten, hand me that letter opener"
It tookin front of me, but then I passed the requested iteed it into his own neck, blood spilling out froular He put Juan's head there, forcing his blood into Juan's mouth
Dave came in the door, an odd expression on his face Thin crimson lines streaed, like there was an electric storm nearby Bones held Juan to his throat, the letter opener still piercing his skin Juan's lips twitched His an to fasten of its own volition onto Bones's neck The letter opener fell unneeded to the floor, because Juan was biting at hi into the pale neck
Juan sucked on Bones's throat, tearing his flesh and sing in ravenous gulps Bones held hiiven back to hirasped Juan and tore hishi to curve with the first hints of fang
"No you don't, mate," Bones said
Davein the way of the now-insensible er
Juan continued to thrash for another minute before he shuddered violently Then his whole body went limp and his last few heartbeats went forever silent
Bones grunted in weariness and rolled off hi a vampire weakened him of power Not to mention he'd just been sucked dry
"You need a refill," I stated, and went to pass by Dave to get some plasma from our in-house blood bank
"Don't"
Bones was on his feet before I could blink
"Juststay right here, Kitten"
Understanding dawned The last tione away for "just atortured and nearly killed
"I'll get it"
The offer came from Dave, who seemed to remember
"No, you won't," Bones said "You'll stay right here on the very slio for her throat That way I wouldn't have to kill hi the blood up"
Jeez, he was being cautious The odds of Juan rising so soon and overcoue Dave ue meant he must be equally paranoid
"Why aren't we just putting him downstairs in the secured cell? That's what it's there for"
"Because, Kitten" Bones put Juan's lifeless body on the couch and stayed close to hi him with us"
It was several hours and a dizzying free-flying jaunt from the compound back to our cars later that we rounded the last curves on our driveway in the Blue Ridge
"Where e put Juan?"
Three cars behind I could hear hi sound of his I'd packed He'd just risen Five vampires were in the car with hi anywhere