Free Ashes of Midnight by Lara Adrián Page A

been ordered by Dragos to track down and assassinate the eldest members of the vampire race, had somehow now turned their sights on individuals within the Enforcement Agency.
     
“It’s not like any of the stuff we’ve been seeing among the civilian populations,” Gideon said. “Those killings are careful—shit, they’re practically works of art they’re so efficient.” He swung back around and typed something that brought up a morgue image of a bruised, bloodied Breed male who was missing part of his skull. “These Agency killings are brutal, very personal. One entire field unit was taken out man by man, and there’ve been some high-ranking agents—I’m talking director-level folks—who’ve been cut down, as well. Someone over there is trying to make a very loud statement. If you ask me, it reeks of payback.”
     
     
     
     
     
CHAPTER
Seven
     
     
A ndreas hadn’t come out of the library all day.
     
Claire sat in the foyer outside the closed doors, having quietly taken up her post on a small upholstered bench a few minutes after he’d driven her from the room with his bellowed demand that she go. Her back ached from the uncomfortable seating and she was exhausted, having not dared to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time.
     
She didn’t know what he was doing in there. She didn’t even know if he was all right. There had been no answer when she knocked on the doors a couple of hours ago to check on him. Now she sat on the little bench with her feet drawn up on the cushion and her arms locked around herknees, staring at the silent room as if a wild, rabid animal waited inside.
     
It was nearly sundown. It wouldn’t be long before the Enforcement Agency detail that Wilhelm was going to arrange for showed up to remove Andreas.
     
Claire knew she’d done the right thing in going to Wilhelm for help. She’d done the only thing she could, not only for her own imminent safety and that of her mate, but also for Andreas. The stark fear she’d felt for him last night had since muted into a wary kind of sympathy. He was so broken now. So raw with fury.
     
She only hoped he would have the sense to go quietly with the Enforcement Agents when they arrived. If he put up a struggle… well, she couldn’t even let her mind go there.
     
The latch on the library doors gave a soft click . Claire looked up, let her legs unfold and her feet settle on the foyer floor as Andreas came out of the room. He seemed much improved physically and even though he sent a dark glower in her direction, he appeared calmer, more rested than when she’d left him in there. Maybe there was hope that he could be reasoned with after all.
     
“You’re still here,” he remarked, plainly displeased. “I’d have thought you’d be hours away by now.”
     
“No,” Claire murmured.
     
Andreas scoffed. “Roth must know of a number of Agency safe houses in the area where he could have sent you. I’m surprised you didn’t bolt for one of them the first chance you got.”
     
Claire didn’t tell him that Wilhelm had ordered her to stay at the country house. It had bothered her then, but now, being forced to hold Andreas’s piercing gaze, she felt more than an inkling of shame to think that her matewould willingly keep her in harm’s way. Of course, she had never presented herself as a hapless, helpless female, and Wilhelm wouldn’t have expected her to remain in Andreas’s company unless he trusted she could handle the situation.
     
That rationalization felt a bit hollow when she recalled the caustic way he’d told her to do whatever she must to detain Andreas for the long hours until the agents were able to get there. You know him better than most. I’m sure you’ll think of something .
     
“It must be near dusk.” Andreas’s deep voice ran up her skin like a charge. “How long do you suppose it will take Roth to get here?”
     
Claire blinked, then shook her head. “I don’t know what you mean.”
     
His answering smile was cold, unconvinced. “Are you