“It is a small request in the end, compared to asking long-standing rivals to put aside their differences for the good of the vampire nation.”

“True,” Leopold said. “When I think of the Hungarians finally burying the hatchet with the Polish, I can see a lot of good and progress coming out of that.”

“Closer to home for me is putting the rivalry between Los Angeles and San Diego aside. They have more in common than they realize, they just have old grudges that blind them to it.”

“Do you have all the arrangements for putting up so many foreign and local diplomats in one city?”

“The local hotels will be bursting at the seams, but it’s been taken care of.”

“Good. It must not have been easy putting up over four hundred spoiled princes and their entourages.”

“Not easy, but not impossible. We found suites for all the princes and nearby rooms for their retainers. We were also very careful that the Polish prince not have more amenities than the Hungarian one. Also, they are not in the same hotel. Just to be safe.”

“A wise idea,” Leopold said with a chuckle. “Well, it seems you’ve thought of everything.”

“We’ve been planning this for the better part of a year. I don’t know why the detail with the authoritarians was left out until now. I suppose it was a matter of not seeing the forest for the trees. We were so focused on creating peace we lost sight of how to enforce it. This will rectify that mistake.”

“At what cost is the question? Simone will have to exert all of her influence to keep these vampires playing ball.”

“She will. And she’ll do it well. I have no doubts about Simone.”

“If only others had the same confidence in her. Or at least gave the appearance of it. Our cousin Sensha for example. Of course she has her own agenda.”

“Sensha will never be content just to rule Brazil. She has her eye on being queen. Simone knows she will have to watch her back very closely while Sensha is in town.”

“Sensha thinks she is next in line for the throne. She conveniently forgets about me,” Leopold said.

“I would not underestimate her. It is not beyond her scope to do away with all obstacles between her and the throne.”

“As if we didn’t have enough to worry about with the sycophants lurking in the shadows. Tell me, any word on Draz?”

“Last I heard he was in Mexico meeting with some of the drug cartels down there. But for all I know he could be back in New York planning some way to interfere in this treaty signing.”

“I highly doubt the crime lord leading the sycophants would pass up the opportunity to cause trouble in the vampire world. Watch Simone’s back.”

“You’ve already warned me to do so. I can assure you, security is at its highest. We’ve even pulled the bounty hunters away from their regular duties to help bolster the security at the event alongside the authoritarians.”

“A wise allocation of resources. Plus, I’m sure there will be those like myself bringing their own security.”

“You can count on it. In fact, it was encouraged. It lightens our responsibility to each individual delegate.”

“Well, it sounds as though you’ve thought of everything.”

“We have. Don’t worry. Your cousin is well taken care of.”

“With you around I do not doubt it, old friend. Tell my cousin to call me if she needs me for any reason whatsoever. I have texted her once or twice, but hearing it from you might bring her around.”

“I cannot make her talk to you if she does not want to,” Rafe said, his fondness for Simone coming through. “But I will make sure she is aware of the resource that you are.”

“So clinical!” Leopold said with a laugh. “I won’t take offense since I know you measure everything very carefully before you take action and don’t commit to anyone in any way that can be held against you. It’s what I so admire about you. Tell Simone I am here for her. You too.”

“That means a great deal to us both, Leopold,” Rafe said, smiling widely.

“Farewell, my friend,” Leopold said before hanging up.

Rafe hung up the phone, feeling good about how the conversation had gone. He always felt that way when it came to Leopold. He wished he could say the same for all of Simone’s cousins. But there were more in her corner than not, so that made the others manageable at the moment.

His next call did not promise to be half as pleasant. He hit the intercom.

“Rachel, get me Bayram.”

“Yes, sir.”

Rafe sat back and waited. As he did, he withdrew his cellphone and glanced at the last message Renee had sent him. On impulse he texted her back.

Will you wear something sexy for me tonight?

He waited as a thought bubble popped up on his phone. Then, moments later, a reply.

I was already planning on it.

Good, he texted back. Although I am sure you could make a parka look sexy.

If this weather keeps up I may have to!

Rafe laughed.

I will keep you warm, he replied suggestively. He was probably pushing it with such a new and young acquaintance, but he was not a shy man. He knew what he wanted. The sooner he relayed to her that she was what he wanted, the better. He ignored the voice in his head telling him she was off-limits.

She didn’t reply at first. Then, after a moment, she texted: I’m going to hold you to that.

Chapter 7

Renee put her phone down on her desk with a smile. She wondered at herself for a moment. It was a little soon to be seriously flirting with the man. She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. But for some reason she couldn’t seem to help herself. She didn’t think it was because he was so foreign and exotic—she dealt with all sorts of cultures all day long.

But she tended to deal with the worst of those cultures. That was simply the nature of being a homicide detective. It was refreshing to be dealing with someone who was intelligent, sophisticated, and respectful of her and her job. So what if he outclassed her? She could class up enough to meet him halfway.

Besides. It was just a date. A date she shouldn’t be thinking about right then. She had done some legwork and had contacted the dead man’s next of kin and was presently examining his life for anyone who might want him dead. But the victim came from the same world Rafe seemed to come from. Upper class. Rarefied. The one percent. That, of course, made money the immediately obvious motive, but how could this possibly have been a plan? The heart attack and death were a by-product of the attack. It couldn’t have been predicted. It was a very inefficient way to plan a murder. Especially because the coroner’s report said nothing about a preexisting heart condition.