entered.
“My lord. Cynthia,” he said in greeting. “We received an unusual request just moments ago. The call was forwarded from Malibu , and I do not believe the caller realizes you are here in Seattle .”
Raphael gave him an inquiring look.
“One of Lucien’s children, Sophia . . .” Duncan ’s voice trailed off and he shook his head. “Her formal name is quite lengthy, one of those aristocratic, lineage-revealing titles from old Spain . I don’t know that you’ve met her before, my lord. I have not.”
Raphael frowned thoughtfully, paging back through the thousands of vampires he’d met over his long life, some only briefly, others he’d spent decades or more with. He shook his head. “I don’t cross paths with Lucien that often, other than our annual Council meetings. But his lieutenant is male, so this Sophia holds no formal position with him that I know of. What does she want?”
“She has requested permission to enter your territory from Vancouver . In point of fact, to journey here to the Seattle area and secure guest privileges at the compound.”
Duncan turned and beckoned to Juro.
“I don’t like it,” Cyn said flatly, as Juro joined them.
All three vampires looked at her with carefully blank faces.
“Oh, cut the inscrutable vampire crap, you guys. Someone’s killing vamps, and now suddenly this chick shows up from nowhere and wants to drop in for a visit? You don’t find that even slightly suspicious?”
“More than slightly, I would say,” Duncan agreed. “But knowing what she wants could be helpful, whether she means ill or not. She claims to be on an errand for Lucien, so perhaps they’ve had similar problems in Canada .”
“When would she like to arrive?” Raphael asked.
“This evening, my lord. She is already at the border. If we grant permission, she is prepared to cross immediately, which speaks to a certain urgency on her part.”
Cyn stirred unhappily, but Raphael said, “Let her come, Duncan . Juro, arrange for two of our people to meet her with transportation. I want her here as soon as possible, but she enters alone, on my terms, or not at all. I will guarantee her safety, but no one else’s.”
Juro nodded. “A team was dispatched as soon as she called, my lord, to save time in the event you granted her passage. I will advise them of your permission and arrange a rendezvous with Sophia.” He pulled out his cell phone and was already punching in a number as he walked away.
“How long before she arrives?” Raphael asked.
“I would think an hour or two, my lord. If Sophia crosses the border and meets our team partway . . .” He shrugged. “It’s only the mountain roads that will slow them somewhat.”
Raphael considered this. Vampires had superior reflexes and far better night sight than humans. The roads wouldn’t slow them much.
“Very well. When she arrives, I will speak with her myself—”
Cyn spoke up immediately. “Raphael, what if—”
He raised a hand to stop the predictable objection. “We will take all necessary precautions, my Cyn.”
She flushed, but her eyes were full of rebellion when they met his. “Is there coffee around somewhere, Duncan?” she asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.
Duncan glanced at Raphael before saying, “There is a dining room across the way. Wei Chen houses a full shift of daylight guards on the compound, and there are one or two vampire mates who live here as well.”
“Thanks,” she said to Duncan , then shifted her attention to Raphael. “Since I’m not needed here, I’m going to get some caffeine. And then I’d like to ask Wei Chen and others a few questions . . . if that’s all right with you, my lord,” she added sarcastically. And with that, she spun on her heel and left.
Raphael watched her go, enjoying the sway of her hips, even though she was irritated with him. He turned back to Duncan with a wry twist of his mouth. “I think she worries even more than you do, Duncan
“My lord. Cynthia,” he said in greeting. “We received an unusual request just moments ago. The call was forwarded from Malibu , and I do not believe the caller realizes you are here in Seattle .”
Raphael gave him an inquiring look.
“One of Lucien’s children, Sophia . . .” Duncan ’s voice trailed off and he shook his head. “Her formal name is quite lengthy, one of those aristocratic, lineage-revealing titles from old Spain . I don’t know that you’ve met her before, my lord. I have not.”
Raphael frowned thoughtfully, paging back through the thousands of vampires he’d met over his long life, some only briefly, others he’d spent decades or more with. He shook his head. “I don’t cross paths with Lucien that often, other than our annual Council meetings. But his lieutenant is male, so this Sophia holds no formal position with him that I know of. What does she want?”
“She has requested permission to enter your territory from Vancouver . In point of fact, to journey here to the Seattle area and secure guest privileges at the compound.”
Duncan turned and beckoned to Juro.
“I don’t like it,” Cyn said flatly, as Juro joined them.
All three vampires looked at her with carefully blank faces.
“Oh, cut the inscrutable vampire crap, you guys. Someone’s killing vamps, and now suddenly this chick shows up from nowhere and wants to drop in for a visit? You don’t find that even slightly suspicious?”
“More than slightly, I would say,” Duncan agreed. “But knowing what she wants could be helpful, whether she means ill or not. She claims to be on an errand for Lucien, so perhaps they’ve had similar problems in Canada .”
“When would she like to arrive?” Raphael asked.
“This evening, my lord. She is already at the border. If we grant permission, she is prepared to cross immediately, which speaks to a certain urgency on her part.”
Cyn stirred unhappily, but Raphael said, “Let her come, Duncan . Juro, arrange for two of our people to meet her with transportation. I want her here as soon as possible, but she enters alone, on my terms, or not at all. I will guarantee her safety, but no one else’s.”
Juro nodded. “A team was dispatched as soon as she called, my lord, to save time in the event you granted her passage. I will advise them of your permission and arrange a rendezvous with Sophia.” He pulled out his cell phone and was already punching in a number as he walked away.
“How long before she arrives?” Raphael asked.
“I would think an hour or two, my lord. If Sophia crosses the border and meets our team partway . . .” He shrugged. “It’s only the mountain roads that will slow them somewhat.”
Raphael considered this. Vampires had superior reflexes and far better night sight than humans. The roads wouldn’t slow them much.
“Very well. When she arrives, I will speak with her myself—”
Cyn spoke up immediately. “Raphael, what if—”
He raised a hand to stop the predictable objection. “We will take all necessary precautions, my Cyn.”
She flushed, but her eyes were full of rebellion when they met his. “Is there coffee around somewhere, Duncan?” she asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.
Duncan glanced at Raphael before saying, “There is a dining room across the way. Wei Chen houses a full shift of daylight guards on the compound, and there are one or two vampire mates who live here as well.”
“Thanks,” she said to Duncan , then shifted her attention to Raphael. “Since I’m not needed here, I’m going to get some caffeine. And then I’d like to ask Wei Chen and others a few questions . . . if that’s all right with you, my lord,” she added sarcastically. And with that, she spun on her heel and left.
Raphael watched her go, enjoying the sway of her hips, even though she was irritated with him. He turned back to Duncan with a wry twist of his mouth. “I think she worries even more than you do, Duncan
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