the supernatural community, just as they’d tried to do with their other attacks over the last several days.
“Theater,” Tobias muttered.
What were the bad guys really up to with these distractions? He’d find out eventually, but he had all these little fires to put out first—before some of his own kind really got burned.
Jake and Jerame were stationed on the estate’s grounds, monitoring the approach of the enemy. His Crew was spread thin tonight.
“I had only Jerame guarding the house because it’s the last place I thought would be attacked,” Tobias informed Dee. “When I told a movie star to go about his business I thought he’d spend his off hours out partying, safe in the embrace of pretty girls and watchful paparazzi.”
“I thought he had a reputation for drunken brawls and sexual excess.”
“Turns out he’s a domestic sort. His bad rep’s a product of his publicist’s imagination and media manipulation by our very own Corbett twins.”
Dee tsked. “Is nothing sacred anymore? Young movie stars are supposed to be bad and reckless.”
“So are young Primes.”
“And what is a virile Prime doing lolling around his home? Please tell me he has a live-in harem. Andif so, how do I join it?”
“Don’t let Jake Piper hear you talking like that. Our ex-Tribe boy may believe you. As for our actor friend, he told Jake he’s having a business dinner.”
Dee was disgusted. “I bet his name’s not even James Wilde.”
“I don’t know of any vampires named Wilde. He lives too out in the open to be anything he seems to be.”
“Purists busting in on an orgy would be more fun.”
“It would be. But Purists busting in on a meeting of powerful Hollywood types is far more dangerous.”
“I’m sure they only believe in vampires at the box office.”
“For now,” he said in agreement. “But there’s a fine line between rumors and reality in these parts.”
“Better not to get vampire rumors started. What’s the plan, boss?”
“The Purists’ attack will be planned to start when the gate opens for the guests to leave. Putting film executives in danger will not endear our boy to the moguls, even if they don’t believe he’s a vampire. However, they’ll be much more understanding of pretty girls and watchful paparazzi.”
“I think I see where this is heading, boss. Want me to call Sasha Corbett, then get naked in front of the gate?”
“Call Sasha,” he said, “but you’ll be too valuablein a fight.” He glanced up the street where the seething energy of a pouting princess radiated from the darkness. “I’ve got another pretty girl in mind for the diversion.”
Mom’s going to kill me if she finds out about this
, Francesca thought as she pranced up the street—and prancing while barefoot, swinging her shoes in her hand, wasn’t easy.
But since she’d been wearing flats, which were decidedly not sexy, bare feet looked better. Her black skirt was hiked up nearly to her hipbones. She’d been wearing a lacy black sweater over a cami. Now she was wearing only the lacy black sweater. Her nipples were not appreciating the cool night air, but she was sure the watching males were appreciating her nipples peeking out through the sheer lace.
She carried a champagne bottle in her other hand. How the witch had gotten her hands on the wine at such short notice was a mystery. When she’d asked, Strahan had grinned proudly at the red-haired mortal and said, “Delilah McCoy is the most resourceful woman you’ll ever meet.”
“I am, you know,” Dee said, grinning back at Strahan.
The pair’s camaraderie ground against Francesca’s shield of indifference. Strahan and McCoy likedeach other; maybe it was more than liked. They certainly shared a purpose. They were Dark Angels and she would never be. She was an outsider Strahan only turned to for a moment’s help.
Jealous much, are you?
Francesca asked herself as she strutted up to the closed gate.
Yes
, she admitted.
But
“Theater,” Tobias muttered.
What were the bad guys really up to with these distractions? He’d find out eventually, but he had all these little fires to put out first—before some of his own kind really got burned.
Jake and Jerame were stationed on the estate’s grounds, monitoring the approach of the enemy. His Crew was spread thin tonight.
“I had only Jerame guarding the house because it’s the last place I thought would be attacked,” Tobias informed Dee. “When I told a movie star to go about his business I thought he’d spend his off hours out partying, safe in the embrace of pretty girls and watchful paparazzi.”
“I thought he had a reputation for drunken brawls and sexual excess.”
“Turns out he’s a domestic sort. His bad rep’s a product of his publicist’s imagination and media manipulation by our very own Corbett twins.”
Dee tsked. “Is nothing sacred anymore? Young movie stars are supposed to be bad and reckless.”
“So are young Primes.”
“And what is a virile Prime doing lolling around his home? Please tell me he has a live-in harem. Andif so, how do I join it?”
“Don’t let Jake Piper hear you talking like that. Our ex-Tribe boy may believe you. As for our actor friend, he told Jake he’s having a business dinner.”
Dee was disgusted. “I bet his name’s not even James Wilde.”
“I don’t know of any vampires named Wilde. He lives too out in the open to be anything he seems to be.”
“Purists busting in on an orgy would be more fun.”
“It would be. But Purists busting in on a meeting of powerful Hollywood types is far more dangerous.”
“I’m sure they only believe in vampires at the box office.”
“For now,” he said in agreement. “But there’s a fine line between rumors and reality in these parts.”
“Better not to get vampire rumors started. What’s the plan, boss?”
“The Purists’ attack will be planned to start when the gate opens for the guests to leave. Putting film executives in danger will not endear our boy to the moguls, even if they don’t believe he’s a vampire. However, they’ll be much more understanding of pretty girls and watchful paparazzi.”
“I think I see where this is heading, boss. Want me to call Sasha Corbett, then get naked in front of the gate?”
“Call Sasha,” he said, “but you’ll be too valuablein a fight.” He glanced up the street where the seething energy of a pouting princess radiated from the darkness. “I’ve got another pretty girl in mind for the diversion.”
Mom’s going to kill me if she finds out about this
, Francesca thought as she pranced up the street—and prancing while barefoot, swinging her shoes in her hand, wasn’t easy.
But since she’d been wearing flats, which were decidedly not sexy, bare feet looked better. Her black skirt was hiked up nearly to her hipbones. She’d been wearing a lacy black sweater over a cami. Now she was wearing only the lacy black sweater. Her nipples were not appreciating the cool night air, but she was sure the watching males were appreciating her nipples peeking out through the sheer lace.
She carried a champagne bottle in her other hand. How the witch had gotten her hands on the wine at such short notice was a mystery. When she’d asked, Strahan had grinned proudly at the red-haired mortal and said, “Delilah McCoy is the most resourceful woman you’ll ever meet.”
“I am, you know,” Dee said, grinning back at Strahan.
The pair’s camaraderie ground against Francesca’s shield of indifference. Strahan and McCoy likedeach other; maybe it was more than liked. They certainly shared a purpose. They were Dark Angels and she would never be. She was an outsider Strahan only turned to for a moment’s help.
Jealous much, are you?
Francesca asked herself as she strutted up to the closed gate.
Yes
, she admitted.
But
Similar Books
