Lost in Time by Melissa de La Cruz

Ben to release her so they could pounce on him.
    “Good, I need the money.”
    “Liar.” She motioned to his adoring crowd. “I think I’m keeping you from your fans.”
    “Ah, screw them.” Ben grinned. “It’s really good to see you, Legs,” he said warmly. “You want to come by the studio tomorrow? See a couple of other things? I promise I won’t try to sell them to you. Well, maybe not all .”
    He wanted to see her again. Allegra’s heart skipped a beat. “Sure. Why not.” She shrugged nonchalantly, as if she would only stop by if she had nothing better to do.
    His face lit up and he looked downright jolly. “Great! I’ll have the gallery give you the address.”
    Finally, one of the hovering guests, an older gentleman with a trimmed beard, grew tired of waiting. “Stephen, excuse my interruption, but you must meet one of our best cli-ents—he’s thrilled with your work and is insistent on buying the entire collection.”
    “One sec,” Ben told his dealer. “Sorry about this,” he said to Allegra. “Work calls. But stay. Enjoy the party. Some of the old crowd is here—a bunch of Peithologians, at least. You’ll find them at the bar doing shots. Old habits die hard.”
    Then he was gone, taken away by his guests who had come to celebrate his success.
    Ben was happy, friendly, fine. He was fine . Allegra resolved to feel happy for him, and glad that she had done the right thing in nipping their little affair—whatever it was—right in the bud. As she wandered in the direction of the bar to find her old friends, she couldn’t help but smile to herself. She was glad he’d liked her hair.

SEVEN
    Mirror Images
    Theirabductorsledthemawayfromthesouk,andSchuyler was shoved inside a vehicle that quickly sped away over bumpy roads. She thought she could feel Jack’s presence next to her, but she wasn’t sure. The hood they had thrown over her head was disorienting—not a normal dark cloth, but one that was made to subdue vampire sight; yet another weapon in the Venator arsenal. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but finally she was pulled out of the car and led indoors. Schuyler began to feel frightened, but she wanted to be strong.
    Are you all right? asked Jack’s calm voice inside her head. If they harmed you I will tear them apart limb by limb.
    So Jack was here. Relief flooded over her as she answered him. I am fine. Where are we? Who has taken us? Her mind raced—Venators from New York? Or had the Countess’s forces regrouped?
    Before Jack could answer, the hood was removed from her face, but it was quickly replaced by a knife underneath her chin, and her assailant was pulling her hair so that her neck was vulnerable. Jack was sitting across from her, similarly subdued, his hands bound. His glass-green eyes glinted in anger, but he kept his fearsome power in check. He could have killed them with a word, but once again, he had been restrained by his weakness—his love for her. With Schuyler in danger, Jack was effectively powerless, and she hated that most about herself, that she could be used to control him.
    The girl who held a knife at Schuyler’s throat was a beautiful Chinese Venator, dressed in a uniform denoting a high command, with three silver crosses embroidered on the collar.
    “Hold. This is one of ours.” Her companion, a stocky boy with an open face, gestured toward Jack. “General Abbadon.
    This is a surprise. Deming, did you not recognize him?”
    “Rujiel,” Jack said, using the Venator’s angel name as he carefully and expertly removed the bindings around his hands as if they were made of string. “I did not realize the West Winds had cast their lot with traitors. I am disappointed to find you and your brother answering to Drusilla’s command.”
    “We are no traitors,” Sam Lennox replied sharply. “The Countess might have turned the European Coven, but we do not do her bidding. And neither do we work for your sister anymore.”
    “Good thing, too,