Page 9 of Love, Rekindled

Was he joking? Her brows snapped together. “I was snatched off the street, blindfolded, and forced to come here against my will. By definition, that’s kidnapping.”

“You were snatched off the street to rescue you from an ambush, and you were blindfolded because I’m not prepared for you to know the location of my temporary lair,” he explained in smooth tones. “You did, after all, kill me the last time our paths crossed.”

She flinched at his casual reminder of their previous encounter, but she forced herself to concentrate on his explanation.

“Ambush? What ambush?”

A muffled beep sounded, and Azrael shoved his hand into the pocket of his black slacks to pull out his phone. He glanced at the screen, an expression of satisfaction settling on his lean face.

“Ah. Just in time.” He surged to his feet. “Follow me, and I’ll answer all your questions.”

Jayla frowned, a dark premonition creeping down her spine as she rose and reluctantly followed Azrael out of the room and through a narrow corridor. Absently, she wondered where they were. A bunker? That’s what it felt like. Not that it really mattered. If she had to fight her way out, this was as good a spot as any other.

They turned through a maze of hallways, at last stopping at a closed door with a small window cut into the thick steel.

“Have a look,” Azrael commanded.

Jayla stepped forward, having to rise on tiptoes to glance through the window. Eye-level for most people was over her head. She didn’t know what she expected, but it wasn’t a room full of male vampires. Four of them wore red leather jackets and were tied to chairs with silver chains, while six others surrounded the prisoners, their faces grim.

“Do you recognize the vampires in the red jackets?” Azrael demanded.

She studied the males. They each had different hairstyles and features, but the hard, cynical expressions on their faces made them all look alike.

She slowly shook her head. “I’ve never seen them before. Why?”

“Two of them followed you from Dreamscape,” Azrael said. “The other two, my clansmen found just a block from where you were walking, apparently waiting for you to pass by. All of them were carrying crossbows with silver bolts.”

Jayla turned toward Azrael, more resigned than shocked by his revelation. “Why were you following me?”

He shrugged. “I was trying to determine the best way to approach you when I realized you were in danger. I called in my clansmen to help sweep up the riffraff.”

Her brows arched as she recalled just how easy it’d been for her to sneak into his Moscow lair. Fast forward seven hundred years, and he had guards who’d managed to overpower four armed assassins.

“You’ve upped your sidekicks,” she murmured.

“I learn from my past mistakes.”

“I wish I could say the same.” Jayla grimaced. She felt battered by the shock of Azrael’s return from death, and now the realization that her suspicion that Emile was setting a trap for her was all too real. Suddenly, she wanted to think of anything but the damned female determined to drive Jayla out of Hong Kong. Bitch. “You said that you had a bargain. Tell me what I get out of the deal.”

“I assume you would like to know who is responsible for sending four assassins to kill you.”

“I already know.” He started to frown, but she raised her hand. “What I don’t have is the proof I need to convince the clan chief of Hong Kong. Do you?”

“Not yet.” He nodded toward the door. “But my superpower is compelling vampires to obey me. I can haul them to the local clan chief and make sure they offer a full confession. It should be all the proof you need.”

She was abruptly struck by the distant memory of Azrael’s voice echoing through her mind. “I remember. You tried to use it on me.”

He gazed down at her, his searing blue eyes sweeping an appreciative gaze over her upturned face.

“You’re one of the few capable of defying my commands.”

A flutter of pleasure swept through Jayla. She scowled. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t a female who fluttered. Not. Ever.

“I’m special.”

He stepped toward her, surrounding her in his musk. “Without a doubt.”

She savored the raw scent that she’d thought lost forever. “What do you want in return for the information?”

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