Free Raphael by D. B. Reynolds

ahead, please,” she told Duncan. The video activated again, showing the driver of the black van having a conversation with one of the guards. The guard was arguing with him, gesturing toward the house, then back to the paperwork the driver was trying to offer him. She saw the van shift as the back doors were opened and four men jumped out, two going to either side of the vehicle. At the same time, the driver opened his door, ramming it into the guard talking to him and distracting the others. She scowled as the intruders opened fire; AK-47's mowed down the human guards almost before they could raise their own weapons. One of Raphael's men inside the wall did manage to rake the front window of the van, cracking the windshield, but within seconds all of the guards were down and the gate was open.
    Without audio, she couldn't hear what was said, but the driver was visibly cursing as he searched behind his seat and came up with a tire iron which he used to break out the rest of the glass, clearing the vehicle's front window. He barked a few words and his team piled back inside, before he drove beneath the camera's frame and out of sight.
    "When I came through the gate tonight,” Cyn said, “I saw at least six vampires on the gate itself and an uncounted number throughout the grounds and in the main house. Why were there only the four humans three days ago?” she asked.
    "Lord Raphael is in residence tonight,” Duncan explained quietly. “The main security detail travels with our master, which is why Alexandra has a separate unit. She prefers the comfort of familiar surroundings and rarely travels. When our master is gone, only her security detail remains."
    "But you have cameras on the gate, someone must have seen what was happening."
    Duncan nodded in agreement. “Again, with Lord Raphael absent, the gate would have been monitored from here at the manor house. There is a separate, smaller control room off the kitchen upstairs. It is used by the guards during the day.” He glanced at Raphael before continuing. “The traitor murdered the human guards here at the house before the van arrived and remained outside the vault after the others had retired for the day. We never thought—"
    "Shall we move on?” Raphael interrupted.
    Duncan bowed his head in acquiescence and turned back to the keyboard. The next bit of footage was from an interior camera and included some audio, although the quality was not very good. From the high ceilings and windows, Cynthia thought it must have come from one of the upstairs rooms. A young woman was playing the piano, something light and pretty. Mozart, she thought. The camera was behind her, so Cyn couldn't see her face yet. But long, black hair hung down her back in thick, shining curls, and she was small, almost childlike in size. A perfect size one, Cyn thought cynically. A man sat next to her, his hair just as black, but completely straight, cut blunt at the shoulder. He wore the same charcoal suit as Juro and the other bodyguards she'd see at the main house.
    Cyn felt more than saw Raphael step up behind her, felt his breath stir her hair as he whispered a name, “Matias."
    Cynthia glanced at him over her shoulder, uncertain if he'd intended her to hear, and then looked away from the naked pain on his face. She focused instead on the slightly Asian cast of Matias’ face, wondering how old he was and where he'd come from. This was the vampire Lonnie had told her about, Alexandra's supposed lover. The camera angle was high, but she thought the rumor was probably true. The two of them, Alexandra and Matias, seemed very relaxed together, like old friends, or old lovers.
    A man's voice said something off-camera and Alexandra's back stiffened. She stood and turned, Matias holding out a hand to assist her as she came into full view for the first time. Cynthia sucked in a breath. She looked so young, little more than a girl, almost doll-like in a full-length gown of peach-colored satin. Small