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“Are you telling me you didn’t kidnap him?”
“I’m not telling you anything,” Philippe returned, and went in for the kill. “But if you went down to the lower level, then you know Zaquiel’s not there. And his father has kept his disappearance quiet. No one outside of the Kral Syndicate knows Zaquiel was kidnapped but the slayers and the people in this room.”
“So you’re all in on it. Even Étan.” She shot the blond vampire a look of loathing.
And suddenly, I understood. Zoe was asking questions because she assumed I was listening. She wanted me to have the truth.
Étan growled. “He got to her. That Kral bastard got to her. It’s the only explanation.”
“You little fool.” Victorine bent down and gripped Zoe’s chin. “So you came to Paris willingly. He didn’t force you.”
I held my breath, waiting for Zoe’s answer. She had everything to gain by lying.
“No, he didn’t force me.” She pushed her mother’s hand away. “I came because I wanted to see what was going on for myself.”
Victorine’s mouth formed a tight, harsh line. “You’re helping him. A Kral.”
“Tell me he’s wrong,” Zoe shot back. “Tell me you’re not working with Slayers, Inc.”
“You ungrateful child, I did it for you. To keep you safe. Do you really think we can trust the Krals to keep the truce?”
“A dhampir.” Étan shook his head. “They’re weak, all three brothers. It was me who coordinated Zaquiel’s kidnapping. It was almost too easy. The man’s soft, a pushover for a sob story.”
Bastard.My fangs pricked my gums. How dare he mock my brother’s big heart?
I’d heard enough. I prepared to leave the shadows. I was damned if I’d let her face them alone.
But when I reappeared, I wanted the maximum element of surprise. And it wouldn’t hurt to keep them guessing as to who I really was.
Always do the unexpected.
They were so sure I was Rafael Kral? Maybe I could shake them up.
I smiled grimly and started to change my appearance.
“I told him you wouldn’t break the truce,” Zoe said to Victorine. “I came here to prove he was wrong, that you weren’t involved in it.” She glanced at Étan. “Thatweweren’t involved in it.”
Étan plucked Zoe off the couch. “You’ve gone too far.” He shook her like she was a child. “You’ve betrayed your mother and your coven, and embarrassed your syndicate.”
A killing rage filled my head. Étan had put his hands on Zoe. Again.
I dropped out of the shadows, switchblade in hand, as he backhanded her across the face so hard her head snapped to the side.
Then he did it a second time.
My vision clouded. A guttural sound ripped from my chest. “You sonofabitch.”
All eyes swung to me. My glamour was apparently letter-perfect. Even Philippe did a doubletake.
No one had expected to see my brother Zaq.
Etan shoved Zoe away from him and started to turn toward me.
But I had the element of surprise. It bought me the time I needed to plunge the long silver blade into Étan’s chest and up through his heart.
19
ZOE
