Hunted (A Cyn & Raphael Novella) by D.B. Reynolds Page B

I’m not telling you anyway. You’re a friend. But Raphael owns me body and soul.”
    “Yeah, yeah.” She glanced at Elke over her shoulder. “Think your lord and master is going to get his very fine ass in gear any time soon?”
    “Are you ready, my Cyn ?” Raphael said from way too close, his deep voice laced with amusement.
    Her head snapped around to find him standing right in front of her, one hand held out. She scowled as she let him pull her to her feet. “I hate it when you do that,” she muttered as they walked toward the waiting SUVs. The two lords were traveling in separate SUVs. They’d agreed on that much early on. Ostensibly, this was because Raphael and his party would be going directly to the airport after dealing with Magda. But Cyn knew the real reason was because they were getting on each other’s nerves. She could feel their growing tension like a constant, and fucking irritating, buzz over her skin. It was a relief when they finally climbed into their respective vehicles and drove away from the house, putting some distance and cold metal between the two powerful lords.
    “So what’s the deal?” Cyn asked Raphael once they finally hit the main road and started making good time. “You guys work out your issues?”
    Raphael’s sensuous mouth curved slightly as he put his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. “The kill is Lucas’s. Magda is his child.”
    “Well, that blows. Why’d I bother to track her down if we don’t even get in on the kill?”
    He studied her for a moment, his eyes gleaming silver in the darkness of the backseat. “You’re so bloody-minded, lubimaya ,” he said with obvious pride. “Is this is my influence? Or were you always this way?”
    “I didn’t stab other children on the playground, if that’s what you’re asking. Let’s just say that living with you has freed up my more primal instincts and leave it at that.”
    “So, it is me,” he concluded, chuckling happily.
    Cyn slanted a quizzical look at him. “Most guys would be freaked out to discover they’re living with a homicidal woman.”
    “But I,” he purred, skimming his lips over her cheek, “am definitely not most guys.”
    Cyn turned her head to catch his lips in a kiss. “No, you’re not,” she murmured. “And thank God for that.” She kissed him again. “So why are we bothering, if we’re not in on the kill?”
    “For appearances. Magda offended us equally, after all.” He paused a moment. “But mostly because Lucas thinks it will be fun to hunt together again.”
    Cyn rolled her eyes. “Not much of a hunt. I already found her for you. And for the record, if anyone else asked … no, forget it. No one else woulddare ask you to do something just for the fun of it. Except me, of course. But I don’t get why Lucas wants you to do it tonight. You guys are already on the verge of ripping out each other’s throats.”
    Raphael was spared from responding to that when Cyn’s phone rang. Frowning, she took a quick look. “It’s Robbie,” she told Raphael before answering. “Everything okay?”
    “Something’s going on, Cyn . There’s a new bunch of vampires who just arrived at the house, and I don’t think they’re friendlies.”
    “The challenge is active,” Raphael said softly, his vampire hearing having permitted him to hear both sides of the conversation. “Who is it?”
    “Do you recognize anyone?” she asked Robbie.
    “No one I know. There’s five of them, but one guy’s clearly in charge. He’s big, nearly as tall as Raphael, but darker, Middle-eastern looking.”
    “Aden,” Raphael said simply. He pulled out his own phone and hit a speed dial. “Lucas,” he said. “We have company.”
    “We’re minutes away, Rob,” Cyn said quickly, half listening to Raphael’s call. “You okay?”
    “Yeah, I don’t think they saw me, and I’m not sure they’d associate me with Raphael, even if they did. You need to get here, though.”
    Cyn disconnected