He stood then and walked around the desk. Cyn rose automatically, stepping back to avoid touching him, but it was almost as if he pursued her intentionally, coming close enough to run his fingers down her arm to trail over the skin of her hand.

There was an odd feeling as he moved away and his fingers left hers. A spider web kind of feeling, as though he'd left something clinging to her skin. She fought an instinctive shudder, but he seemed not to notice, his attention already fixed on the silent young woman in the back of the room. She cringed as the vampire lord wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It was a practiced and yet awkward gesture, made more so by the difference in their heights—something Cyn hadn't noticed before now because the girl's submissive posture made her seem so much smaller than she really was. Cyn watched uncomfortably as Jabril all but dragged the terrified girl forward.

"Mirabelle chose to stay with us, didn't you, my treasure?” The threat was so thinly veiled Cyn couldn't imagine he thought anyone was fooled by the fond words. The girl gave a jerky nod, her gaze fixed firmly on the floor.

"Ms. Leighton can't hear you if you don't speak, darling girl."

"Yes!” she squeaked quickly. “I mean, yes, my lord. I wanted to stay."

He beamed like a proud parent. “My darling Mirabelle is shy, Ms. Leighton. She is our youngest and I'm afraid we indulge her. Children are so rare among us."

And thank the gods for that. “How long have you been living here, Mirabelle?” The girl's head came up, her eyes meeting Cyn's directly for the first time. In that brief moment, Cyn saw the rage burning behind the fear, quickly shuttered to show nothing at all.

"I was born here, ma'am,” Mirabelle said softly. “This was my home before—” She swallowed hard. “After the accident, my master was kind enough to move his household here so Elizabeth and I—"

"Nonsense,” Jabril interrupted. “How could I do anything less, child? Such a terrible loss for one so young. But we do what we can—"

"Wait,” Cyn interrupted. “Are you saying Mirabelle is the sister of the missing girl?” Which would mean she was not much more than seventeen herself.

Jabril was looking at her in surprise. “Yes, of course. Didn't I mention that?” He looked at Asim for clarification. “How odd. I suppose I think of Mirabelle as part of my own family now.” He stroked the girl's covered hair and Cyn fought the urge to slap his hands away.

"Did your sister—” She started to ask Mirabelle directly whether she knew her sister's whereabouts, but stopped mid-sentence at the flash of panic in the girl's eyes. “Did your sister take anything with her?” she said instead. “Anything to indicate where she may have gone?” Mirabelle seemed relieved and Cyn felt her unease grow.

"I don't know. Elizabeth doesn't live in this house, and we—"

"Too dangerous,” Jabril interjected quickly. “My men are well-trained and superbly disciplined, but they are still, after all, only human ... in many ways,” he amended with a little smirk at his own cleverness. “Elizabeth is a lovely girl on the brink of womanhood. I felt it better for her to stay in the servants’ quarters with the housekeeper."

"May I speak with the housekeeper?"

Jabril beamed at her. “You'll take the job then? Wonderful. Oh.” He paused, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him. It was such an obvious artifice that Cyn knew what his next words would be before he even spoke them. “Raphael won't mind you working for me, will he? We vampires can be so ... possessive. I wouldn't want to tread on any toes."

Cyn regarded him steadily before replying. “The only toes in my life are my own, my lord. Lord Raphael employed me for a short time for a specific task which I completed to his satisfaction. I'm sure he'll tell you the same."

"Ah, yes, we heard there was some ugly business out there. Something to do with Alexandra, wasn't it? Not that I can imagine anyone foolish enough to try to challenge Raphael, but still..."

Cyn laughed. “My lord, the key to success in my business is client confidentiality. I would no more share the details of Raphael's business with you, than I would your business with him. I'm sure you prefer it that way."

"Of course,” he snapped. He drew a calming breath through his nose. “You can start with the housekeeper,” he said brusquely. “I've already spoken to her, of course. To little avail, I'm afraid, but perhaps you'll get something useful out of her.” Gone was the charming vampire. He was clearly finished with Cyn and eager to get back to his own evening. “Mirabelle, why don't you take Ms. Leighton out to the back house? I'm afraid this has caught me at a bad time and I have much to do. Asim?"

Cyn watched, bemused, as Jabril and his henchman marched out of the room without so much as a “see you later.” Apparently, since his rather crude attempt to get gossip about Raphael had failed, he had nothing further to say to her. Her mouth quirked up in a half smile and she turned to Mirabelle to say something unflattering, but the words froze on her tongue. The girl was holding a hand close to her chest, palm out in warning. “This way, Ms. Leighton,” she said loudly, then gestured for Cyn to precede her through the outer door. Cyn shook her head in disgust. Why had she ever thought taking this job would be a good thing? Why not a vacation in Hawaii, Cyn? Vampires in Texas? What the hell were you thinking?

Chapter Five

As soon as they were outside, Mirabelle leaned her head back and sucked in the cold night air. Cyn watched her curiously. “Don't get out much?” she guessed.

Mirabelle jumped. “Forgive me,” she said quickly. “The servants’ quarters are this way.” She took off, shoulders hunched forward.

Cyn caught up to her and spoke quietly as they walked. “I see things, Mirabelle; I watch and make connections. It's why I'm good at my job. I know, for example, that Jabril doesn't really like women. Oh, he's not gay, never that. But he doesn't think women are worth much, does he?"

She glanced around quickly. “Let me show you something.” She opened her leather coat enough to reveal the Glock 17 nestled in its shoulder holster before covering it again. “They didn't even ask me if I was armed, much less pat me down. It never occurred to them a woman would be carrying, I imagine.

"I figure the only reason I'm here is because I did some work for Lord Raphael, out in California, and Jabril is hoping to piss Raphael off by calling me here to Texas. I wouldn't be surprised if he's actually hired someone else, someone with a penis, to do the real work.” She chuckled and glanced over. Mirabelle was silent, but she did seem to be listening. “It doesn't bother me, particularly. I get paid either way, and I've never been to Texas before.

"Anyway, given Jabril's low opinion of women, I have to wonder what you're doing here. And since this estate is owned by something called the Hawthorn Trust, which has public assets in excess of five hundred million, I figure it's not you he wants—no offense—but your money. How am I doing so far?

"Hey,” she said softly, seeing tears fill the girl's eyes. “I'm sorry. Sometimes I'm not fit for polite society."

"No.” Mirabelle rubbed her cheeks roughly, like a child. “No, you're right about everything. I'm so embarrassed,” she said miserably. “What must you think of me?"

"Don't you worry about it, honey. I know vampires and what they're capable of. So tell me, does old Jabril in there ever let you out of his sight?"

Mirabelle shook her head. “This is the first time I've been outside alone in ... God, it must be six months. Not since before summer when one of the maids went into labor unexpectedly. She should never have been in the house at that time of night. I don't know—” She shivered. “You should have seen the look on Asim's face when he realized what was happening.” A sad, bitter smile crossed her face. “You wouldn't want to see what almost happened after that. I didn't even wait for permission, I ran as fast as I could to get some help. Some human help. Someone to get that woman and her baby out of this place before—” She shuddered.

"Okay, maybe there are some things I don't know about vampires,” Cyn said with a grimace. “So, tell me Mirabelle, how did you get to be a vampire? I can't believe you actually chose to spend your nights with that bunch."

"No, I—” Mirabelle's head whipped around seconds before Cyn heard a door close followed by footsteps.

"Mirabelle?” A middle-aged woman appeared around the corner of the two-story building they were approaching. “What are you doing out here?” She gave Cyn a suspicious look. “And who's this?"

"Lord Jabril Karim sent me,” Mirabelle said stiffly. “This is Cynthia Leighton. She's a private investigator. She's going to find Liz."

The woman gave Cyn a skeptical look, peering over pale-framed glasses attached to a chain around her neck. She had graying brown hair pulled back into a bun so tight she'd never need a face lift, and her gray skirt and jacket looked more like a uniform than a suit. She took a step closer and held out a hand. “Mrs. Elaine Peach. I'm Lord Jabril's chief housekeeper. Mr. Asim said you'd be coming by tonight. I'll tell you the same thing I told him. I haven't seen the girl in a week. She doesn't exactly check in with me."

"What made you realize she was missing?” Cyn asked.

Mrs. Peach studied her, then gave a little sniff and headed back the way she'd come, with a little wave for them to follow. They walked around the corner and entered the servants’ house through a glass-paned door that led into a large, open kitchen. Ignoring the two men having coffee at the cafeteria-style table, the housekeeper kept walking until she reached an unadorned entryway. A small desk stood near what must have been the front door, with a simple bouquet of flowers in a cut crystal vase. The housekeeper finally stopped there and turned back to Cyn. “I don't actually have that much to do with Elizabeth. She has a tutor who oversees her schooling. But the woman was away for a week, a personal vacation, some family thing. I assumed the girl was...” She shrugged. “In her room, I suppose."