She headed for the hall door, not looking left or right, not calling any attention to herself. Once out in the hallway, she went directly to the back stairs, and down to the kitchen, then out to the parking lot, and over to her little car.
She shivered when she climbed inside and closed the door, her fingers trembling as she inserted the key and started the quiet engine. She told herself it was just the cold night temperature making her shake. That her car had been sitting in the lot for too long, and the chill had settled in. She reached over and turned on the heat, but it didn’t seem to help. Nothing did. But she kept going, driving past the estate guards, waving at their cheerful greetings, and then turning onto the highway toward her townhouse.
She knew what she had to do. Christian would be upset, but he’d understand, she told herself. Once she had a chance to explain. He’d understand.
“AS SOON AS THE meeting’s underway, I want you back with Natalie,” Christian said, as he and Marc clambered down the stairs to Anthony’s office.
“I’d rather stay with you,” Marc said, when they started down the long hallway.
“Anthony probably won’t let you in the meeting, and having you sit on your ass in his waiting room would be useless.”
“But I’d be closer if you needed me.”
“I can hold them off until you reach me.”
“And if they gang up on you? What if this is Anthony’s final play?”
“I believe what I told Natalie earlier. First, Anthony’s style isn’t direct confrontation. When he comes after me himself, it’ll be from the shadows. And second, I need to be in this meeting, to hear whatever intel he claims to have, and to try and figure out his next move.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Not you, too,” he sighed, thinking of Natalie’s smartass response.
Marc laughed. “Nah, you really are my lord and master.”
They swung through the open doors of Anthony’s office to the sound of his receptionist’s trilled greeting.
“Good evening, Marc,” she all but sang. Her breasts were thrust out as she straightened to attention, and her eyes were only for Marc.
Christian swallowed a laugh, but Marc didn’t seem to mind. He smiled broadly at the admittedly pretty young woman. “MariAnn,” Marc said warmly. “You’re a gorgeous sight this evening.”
“Oh,” she said, blushing, as she brushed away his words. “Aren’t you sweet?”
Christian rolled a glance in his lieutenant’s direction, before addressing the girl. “Are the others inside?”
She swung her gaze to him for the first time, a look of surprise on her face, as if she hadn’t noticed he was there before. “Oh! Yes, my lord, I think you’re the last one.”
“Excellent. Marc?” he said, reminding his lieutenant what his orders were.
“I’ll be waiting, Sire,” Marc said, flirtation forgotten.
Christian gave a single, short nod, then pulled open the door to Anthony’s office. The remaining three challengers were all there, and they turned, as one, to regard him with very unfriendly looks. It was in the nature of vampires to be generally hostile to one another, particularly in a situation like this, with the challenge afoot. But Christian couldn’t help feeling that he was the common enemy here, the unifying force. It shouldn’t have been that way. After all, two of the remaining challengers were from outside the South. But somehow, he’d been transformed into the focal point of their dislike.
He looked around the office. And found no Anthony. What the fuck?
“Where’s Anthony?” he demanded.
A bulky vamp with pale hair, one whom Christian had never met before, shrugged negligently. “Taking a shit? Said he’d be right back.”
Christian spun for the exit, suspicion blooming into certainty. But as he reached for the edge of the half-open door, it was pushed wide, and Anthony was there.
“You’re finally here, Duvall,” Anthony said, his scratchy voice grating on Christian’s ears. “Sit. And have your lieutenant join us.”
Christian didn’t bother to hide his surprise. But he did conceal his suspicion. Anthony wanted Marc in the meeting? Why would he do that? None of the others had any backers with them.
“Well?” Anthony demanded. “Get him in here and sit down.”
Christian bristled automatically at the order. Anthony might be Lord of the South—for now, but Christian was not now and would never be his to command. He swallowed his irritation. It was important that he find out what Anthony was up to, and the only way they could do that was by sitting here and listening to the fucker talk. If he wanted Marc in the meeting, if that’s what it took to get this thing started, then it looked like he was staying. He’d have preferred to have Marc guarding Natalie, but Cibor was more than capable, and Jaclyn was, too.