Read Online Unforgiven (A Cyn and Raphael Novella Book 3) by D. B. Reynolds - Free Book Online Page A

in Mexico. Raphael’s plots always contained layers within layers. Enrique had been the lone hold-out on the Council, the last one of the old order. And she wondered if there was a connection between that private message for an old friend, and Raphael’s desire to have Vincent eliminate Enrique once and for all.
    Raphael’s eyes met hers across the room in silent communication. He claimed he couldn’t read her mind, that she had too strong a will for him to penetrate her thoughts. But that had been a long time ago, before they’d been joined by blood, before they’d grown as close as two individuals could be. Or maybe he simply understood her, because their minds moved in similar ways, both devious in their plotting . . . and merciless in their revenge.
    Except for that one time with Alexandra. It had been Cyn who’d persuaded Raphael to let his sister live. She’d been convinced that Alexandra’s death would come between them in the end, that Raphael would see his dead sister every time he looked at Cyn. But now, she thought she might have made a mistake. A living Alexandra was proving to be a huge pain in the ass.
    “Are we going to Mexico then?” Cyn asked. Three sets of vampire eyes turned to stare at her. “It’s the obvious question,” she said defensively.
    “Whoever took Alexandra will want to meet, face to face. There’s no reason to do this otherwise,” Jared told her. “But even if he’s helping behind the scenes, Enrique won’t want the meet to be in Mexico. He won’t want to be associated that clearly with the plot in case it goes wrong.
    That’s assuming he’ll have a say in the matter,” Juro commented. “Or that he even wants to know what they’re doing.”
    Jared nodded. “My guess is they’ll suggest somewhere in the South, but close to their safe haven across the border, just in case. They might even let us choose the final location, figuring we’ll trust them more that way.”
    “Why would they give Raphael that kind of an advantage? Cyn asked. “What’s to stop us from setting up an ambush?”
    Jared shrugged. “Pascal thinks he has us all fooled, that we won’t have time to plan anything once they contact us. They don’t know that we’re already aware of Alexandra’s escape, that we tracked their plane to Mexico. If we were doing a normal investigation, it would take hours just to discover Pascal’s absence and then connect the two departures. In the meantime, the two of them will have been in Mexico for hours. That plane departed just before sunrise and flew through daylight.”
    A phone rang on Raphael’s desk. “I told them to put the call through directly,” Juro explained. He leaned over and put the phone on speaker, then said, “Juro.”
    “Juro!” Pascal crowed as if he’d just rediscovered his long lost best friend.
    “I should have known,” Juro snarled convincingly. “I should have dusted you the moment we met.”
    “And made a mess for the lovely Lucia to clean up? I think not. How is she, by the way? You taking care of her?”
    “Get to it, Pascal,” Juro snapped, ignoring the other vamp’s attempts to rile him up.
    “Let me talk to Raphael,” Pascal replied, his voice suddenly all business.
    “Not going to happen,” Juro informed him. “You can fucking tell me whatever you have to say.”
    “You’re not calling the shots on this one, big guy,” Pascal said snidely. “It’s Raphael or no deal.”
    “Fine. No deal. You can keep her.” Juro reached to disconnect the call, making as much noise as possible in an obvious bid for Pascal to hear the movement.
    Cyn held her breath until it became obvious that the ploy had worked. “Whatever,” Pascal muttered finally. “He’s probably right there listening anyway, so here’s the deal. He comes alone, no bodyguard, no driver, no fucking security. We’ll let you suggest a place, so he feels safe. But he comes alone.”
    “And what do you get out of this deal?” Juro said