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partner had been adamant. Zacke was to stay inside
until the sun went down. And here he sat behind a
desk, waiting for his partner to call him. He resisted
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Faith V. Smith
the urge to snarl at his impotence. He hated waiting
for someone else to do his job.
His first thought after almost puking up his guts
had been for Miranda. Gideon left to check on her as
soon as Dr. D loaded the body in his van. But before
he peeled out of the parking lot, he had given Zacke
a piece of his mind.
Zacke would have argued with him, but Gideon
wore his don t mess with this southern boy s face.
Then he did something no one else had ever done.
He had gotten in his face and yelled. Don t be
stupid, man. Stop being a hero for once and look
after yourself. You have to be strong to help
Miranda.
The truth of his words filtered into Zacke s dizzy
head and slowly registered. He had to focus on what
needed to be done stop Gabriella before she killed
again.
To do that he had to regain the strength the sun
had sapped from him. He would follow Gideon s
orders, but not knowing if Miranda remained safe
played havoc on his nerves.
When his cell phone rang, he had it to his ear
before a second ring started.
She s fine, man. I spoke to her for a minute.
Did you tell ?
No, I told her I had a friend in the hospital and
just wanted to say hi.
Zacke hated that Gideon had to lie to Miranda.
But he didn t want her even more upset. He had
caused her enough distress for a lifetime.
He tried but couldn t stop himself from asking,
Did she mention me?
No, but she had an emergency coming in.
Zacke applauded Gideon s efforts to spare him.
At times, his partner could read him like a well-
loved book. The events of the past night had not
been mentioned, but he knew Gideon picked up his
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Kensington s Soul
emotional turmoil concerning Miranda.
Give her time, Zacke. She ll come around when
you explain to her what
Explain what? That my ex-girlfriend as you so
eloquently put it, is a murderer. That not only is she
a vampire but I m one also?
Well, sheesh, that ain t exactly what I meant.
Zacke sighed. I m sorry, but I would prefer not
having this conversation over the phone or even at
all
Have it your way, Zacke. I m headed back to
the station now. Do yourself and Miranda a favor.
Tell her the truth.
Before he could reply, there was a click and then
a buzz as Gideon hung up.
The seldom-used coffee mug he kept on his desk,
exploded into pieces as it hit the brick wall across
from him.
He left the shards of glass where they settled.
He would wait no longer. Sunset neared, and he
needed to find Gabriella before she awoke.
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Faith V. Smith
Chapter Nine
Gabriella smoothed the folds of her skirt over
her hips and awaited her prey. She expected her
quarry to arrive any minute and then she would put
her plan into operation. It had been a pleasure to toy
with her latest victim; just a bit of torture had
loosened the woman s tongue. The men she sought
frequented the Silver Lady Club.
She despised the depraved morals of this
century s inhabitants. In her day, women and men
alike had chosen their bedding partner in a more
discreet manner. Taverns existed, but only women of
ill repute and their favorites had frequented them.
Still, the several she had visited, recently, had aided
her in choosing her victims and would continue to do
so.
The young women she d killed had either been
looking for a one-night stand or a lasting
relationship.
She chose Savannah for her coming out for one
reason Lord Zachary Kensington.
From the beginning, he resisted the ties that
should have bound them after she d transformed
him. He repudiated her claim of ownership and his
refusal to become her mate angered her. He had
spurned her plans for unholy wedlock and rebuffed
all her thought commands. His will to defy her
appeared even stronger than before.
Zachary s strong will had been one of the traits
that drew her to him in the first place. And his
handsome and youthful looks helped to make up for
years of suffering an arranged marriage and then
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Kensington s Soul
marriages to old men so she wouldn t have to live on
the streets. She knew Zachary thought she killed her
first husband, but she was innocent in James s
death.
Innocent, but not sorry he had died.
He had been a tightwad and abusive. Claude, a
man she had met while at court, had taken care of
that problem for her. He d also changed her life by
transforming her into a vampire. She would have
been content to live out eternity with Claude, but
the wastrel had been careless. His last victim s
husband had taken his head.
Such a pity. Claude had been excellent in the
bedchamber, almost as good as Zachary. Her next
two husbands had died by her own hands and fangs.
Gabriella took a sip from her glass of beer. She
forced herself to swallow. Compared to the aged
wine and ale she had been served at court, it tasted
putrid. But it allowed her to blend in with the
mortals around her.
Hey baby, how about you and me getting out of
this joint?
Gabriella turned to her left and looked at the
man leaning against the bar. His come-hither
posture blocked her view of the door. She kept her
gaze on the man s hopeful expression as she set her
glass down on the bar s polished surface.
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