“Jaclyn,” he responded, pronouncing her name in the French way. Zhak-LEEN. She wasn’t French, but her people were. Christian didn’t know her entire story, but he knew she’d been born in Quebec, and that the Québecois version of the French language was her native tongue.
Jaclyn smiled warmly. “Raphael asked me to convey his regards, and to tell you he spoke with Vincent, who is understandably interested in whatever you might know about Hubert and any others. You’ll probably hear from him directly in the next day or two.”
Christian tilted his head in acknowledgment. “I’ll be happy to share whatever I know,” he said, and waited for her to get to the point. She hadn’t called him here to tell him about Vincent.
Leaning forward, her arms on the table, and her body language shifting to that of a confidante, she said, “Raphael also heard about the ambush last night.”
And there it was. The real reason for this meeting. “Ambush,” Christian repeated. “And did Raphael hear who ambushed whom?”
Jaclyn barked out a surprised laugh. “Direct and to the point. I like it. Anthony is claiming you murdered Noriega in order to get a jump on the challenge, that you feared the competition.”
Christian managed to confine his scorn to a raised eyebrow. He feared Noriega? That was hilarious. “And what does Raphael think?” he asked, since she seemed to be waiting for the question.
“Raphael has met you,” she said simply. “And his lieutenant, Jared, has met both you and Noriega. Let’s just say that the facts are in question.”
Christian tipped his head again. “Please convey my appreciation to Raphael for the update,” he said, and meant it. The Western lord hadn’t needed to let him know what Anthony was doing, or even that he doubted Anthony’s version of events. That he had done so indicated yet another level of support that Christian hadn’t counted on.
“Be careful, Christian,” Jaclyn said solemnly. “Anthony might be lacking in power, but he’s very shrewd, and doesn’t care who pays for what he wants. He’s also remarkably egotistical, even for one of us.”
“I lived a quarter century in Mathilde’s court. I understand what motivates a sociopath.”
She nodded her head silently. “You may not believe this, but Raphael is a neutral observer in the challenge. He wants the strongest champion to prevail. The South needs a strong leader.”
“I do believe that,” he said, with a confident grin. “Which is why I will be the one who prevails.”
Jaclyn smiled back at him. “I tend to agree with you. Unofficially, of course.”
“Of course.”
“You’re new to Houston, aren’t you?”
“More or less. We visited a few times to look at real estate.”
“So what can I help you with? Information on the city? The best blood houses?”
“We’re well set on those fronts. Marc is an excellent scout. There is one thing, however. I need a good dojo, preferably one with a master who embraces the discipline of Krav Maga.”
“Now, that I don’t know anything about, but I know someone who does,” Jaclyn said, and reached for the phone. She hit a speed dial button, then listened for a moment, before Christian heard the faint sound of a woman answering.
“Natalie,” Jaclyn said, sharpening Christian’s attention. “Could you come to my office for a moment?”
Listening intently, Christian could distinguish Natalie’s lyrical accent and sexy purr, even when all she said was, “Of course. I’ll be right there.”
Jaclyn hung up and said, “Natalie is our forensic accountant. I’m a financial analyst, which is why Raphael chose me for this assignment in the first place, but Jabril’s underhanded accounting schemes are well beyond my accounting abilities.”
“She arrived with Anthony?” Christian asked, wanting to learn whatever he could of the curious relationship between the vampire lord and Natalie.
“A few months after. Apparently, he knows her family or something. I don’t think she’s thrilled to be working here, but she’s quite brilliant at her job, and I’m grateful to have her.”
“And the dojo?” he asked.
“Oh, of course. Natalie is a fan of . . . judo, I think. ‘Fan’ isn’t the right word, I know. She has a belt of some sort. She’ll probably know what you’re looking for.”
“Excellent,” Christian said, and settled back to wait for Natalie’s appearance. He was feeling very smug about this night so far. Raphael’s tacit endorsement, Jaclyn’s more than tacit support, and now Natalie was being delivered right into his presence. He couldn’t have planned it better.
NATALIE WAS RELIEVED when Jaclyn called and asked her to come down to the office. She’d been sitting at her desk, staring at the same set of numbers for two hours, waiting for Christian to return her call. Why hadn’t he phoned her yet? Had Anthony gotten to him already? Had the Council moved against him, based on Anthony’s lies?
She shut down her files and snapped her laptop shut. Standing, she ran a nervous hand through her hair, smoothed her skirt, and pulled on her jacket, then slipped her glasses into her pocket and the computer under her arm. She knew she was developing a real paranoia about her work when she wasn’t even willing to leave the laptop while she walked to the other end of the house. But she couldn’t bring herself to leave it. And besides, she might need the information on it when she talked with Jaclyn.