The Vampyre Legal Chronicles - Daniel: Book: 3 Read Free

carries, harmed.
You will need to keep a careful watch over her. The Order want her in Dyunik
Monastery to test her abilities and ensure her magic is safe. I'm assuming she
is under guard?"
    Unable to contain his shock at the inquisitive nature of the
question, Duncan blinked.
    Now this was a surprise. Samuel Hindmarch, a vampyre whose
loathing of magic was well documented, worrying about a white witch? Were pigs
flying in the sky this evening?
    "Everyone," his blue eyes went glacial as he
emphasized the point, "in my clan and my family have taken all necessary
precautions to ensure the safety of my daughter-in-law and my future
grandchild. And just let me say this, anyone even thinking of attempting a
snatch and grab will find themselves at war with me ."
    " And with the Pattullo vampyres and our Centuri,"
added Cristophe in a low growl that was a clear warning.
    Samuel's brows rose. "Should an incident come to pass, you
can, of course, depend on my assistance, too."
    There was an undercurrent to the statement, something that
tickled the back of Duncan's throat, something that made his smooth brow
crease.
    "Your assistance , Samuel, has never been in
question," he said, wondering just what the hell was going on because he'd
never once doubted his friend's support. The fact he'd felt the need to state
it meant now he did doubt it. Their troika had been forged in blood and
death, a brotherhood which had held strong, invincible, for over two hundred
years. Was the strength of Gillespie, Pattullo and Hindmarch weakening?
Recently Samuel had become even more solitary in his habits, leaving much of
the cloak and dagger work that was so much a part of the Hindmarch trademark to
his sons. Unless he was attending their regular meetings in New York, these
days he rarely left his castle high on a rocky cliff on the coast of Cornwall
in England. Something was going on with his friend. Duncan just wasn't sure
what. Perhaps the time had come for him to pay a visit to Cornwall, for some
much needed one on one time with his friend? After all there were times when
even vampyres needed to talk.
    Other business and legal matters were discussed before he
said farewell to Samuel who was returning to England and Cristophe to Italy. Heart
heavy with what the future might hold, he watched them leave.
     
    As Duncan sank again into the wide leather chair on the
balcony, he gazed up into the night sky and the hairs on his arms, his neck,
rose.
    He heaved a weary sigh of deep annoyance.
    "Show yourself, witch."
    As if he was a welcomed guest the vampyre witch Ezekiel
moved into his line of vision, strolled across the sandstone floor to peer over
the edge of the balcony. Dressed in warrior leathers the color of the deepest
claret, the witch turned to look him dead in the eye. And he looked fucking
amazing. All lean hard muscle with the face of a dark angel.
    Power.
    Duncan felt it shimmer over his skin in the darkness and
knew what it meant.
    "Your magic is making my teeth ache," he growled.
    Ezekiel took a short step back.
    "The hemorrhagic Marburg epidemic in Rwanda is
contained for now, but it was a near thing. If we thought the Ebola-flu
outbreak is bad, it would be nothing compared to this virus," Ezekiel said
in a deep voice that rumbled in his vast chest. "I’ve received word of an
outbreak of a virulent strain of flu in the Tà Shãn province of China. The
centre for disease control suspect a bird/swine-flu hybrid. Blood samples have
already been sent to laboratories in Switzerland, France, United Kingdom and
the United States. The Chinese have moved quickly to contain the outbreak. A
town has been placed under quarantine."
    Three different contagions erupting across the world at the
same time?
    What were the odds?
    Duncan’s heart fell.
    "And so it begins."
    The witch lifted dark, dark eyes to the night sky.
    "It began long ago."
    True.
    But Duncan wanted to know what ‘it’ was?
    More to the point who or what were behind 'it'