Betrayed by D. B. Reynolds Read Free Book Online Page B

Jared silently. She’d been so fixated on Duncan being irreplaceable that, perhaps, she hadn’t given Jared a fair chance. Raphael had said he wouldn’t accept Jared as his lieutenant if Cyn objected, but what right did she have to object? So what if he wasn’t Duncan ? Nobody was, and Raphael needed a lieutenant he trusted.
    “I know teams went out tonight, looking for the sniper, or at least his location. Did they find anything?” she asked.
    “Not much. It’s too dark out there to see much, even for vampire sight. Steve Sipes is sending a team over at first light. I expect them to have more to report.”
    Cyn nodded. “I’ll go with them. I’ve seen the valley in daytime and have a pretty good idea of where the shooter was set up.”
    Jared sighed. “ Juro told me I wouldn’t be able to keep you away from this. He also said you’re good at it, so, we might as well join forces.”
    Cyn shrugged.   “Works for me.” She met his dark gaze directly. “I’ll play nice if you will.”
    He smiled, a flash of white teeth against dark skin. “We both want the same thing, Cyn.”
    “I want the head of this assassin on a stick, right alongside the guy who hired him. How about you?”
    Jared laughed then. “ Juro also said you were bloodthirsty. Warned me not to be fooled by your looks.”
    “ Juro’s a wise vampire. So, do we have a deal?”
    “Deal.”
    Cyn started to say more, but stopped when Raphael turned toward her and held out a hand.
    “ Lubimaya .” He never moved from across the room, but his voice whispered in her ear as if he were standing right next to her. She smiled at the sensation. He could as easily have called her name out loud, but this was so much more intimate. She took the few stairs quickly and joined the two vampires, taking Raphael’s proffered hand and letting him pull her against his side.
    “My mate,” he said to Lucas. “Cynthia Leighton. And this is Lucas, my Cyn. We were discussing him earlier.”
    “Lucas,” she said, offering her hand.
    Lucas’s eyes widened appreciatively as his gaze traveled the full length of Cyn’s body and back up again. She would have been insulted, but she saw the twinkle in his eye and knew the gesture was aimed more at tweaking Raphael than at her. He took her hand and would have pulled her in for a hug, but Cyn remembered Jared’s warning and was ready for the move. She moved one foot back slightly and put all of her weight on it. Lucas, surprised by the sudden resistance, caught her hand, but little else. He could have pulled her into his arms anyway; he was a vampire, after all. But that would have crossed a line into force, and while Cyn understood he was playing a game—with Raphael the intended target—she also knew he wouldn’t push it too far. Raphael might have a special relationship with Lucas, but his forbearance was limited, especially when it came to his mate.
    So, Lucas only laughed and settled for taking Cyn’s hand in a caressing grip, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss.
    “Such beauty. The gossip doesn’t do you justice, Cynthia,” he purred, the lilt of his Irish roots understated, but definitely there. “But, then, I’ve heard you prefer to be called ‘Cyn.’”  
    The way he said her name reminded her of Raphael when they’d first met. He pronounced it with exactly the same sensuous shading, as if they spoke of sin rather than simply saying her nickname. And the sin he had in mind wasn’t exactly missing church on Sunday, either.
    She met his smoldering gaze and laughed in amusement. Lucas frowned briefly, but gave her a good-natured grin. “I had to try,” he explained, suddenly all good cheer. “Gotta keep the old man on his toes.”
    “Practice your seduction elsewhere, Lucas.” Raphael spoke lightly, but there was a clear undercurrent of threat, and he tightened his hold on Cyn, moving her subtly away from the other vampire lord.
    Lucas bowed gracefully. “My apologies, Sire,” he said, his