Undying Hunger by Jessica Lee Page B

“True. And rarely for the better.”
    “My point exactly about Christian,” Markus said, and stood. “He’s been Enrique’s fuck buddy for God knows how long. They probably hooked up right after Marguerite’s demise and her Calyxes were left behind—if not before.”
    “And you think Christian could be a threat to the Enclave because of his association with Enrique?” Kenric leaned onto the opposite chair and crossed his arms. “What would they be after? Enrique was Marguerite’s pawn, not the mastermind. After Eve, Guerin, and Alex’s run-in with him, I did my own investigation into Mr. Mateo.” Kenric stood. “My informants tell me he doesn’t have any significant following and appears to be keeping things quiet, staying mostly to himself.”
    For some reason, that bit of info didn’t make Markus’s gut feel any better. Unease still ran like an icy stream in his veins. “Yet isn’t it the quiet ones you always have to worry about?” Markus raised a brow at the master. “It doesn’t sit well at all with me that Enrique got that close to Alexandria. He and I weren’t the best of friends when we served Marguerite.”
    “And you think since Christian and Enrique have a connection, Christian may try to hurt Alex for Enrique to get back at you?” Kenric frowned. “I think you’re reaching, Markus. That cell has left you a bit paranoid.”
    Frustration’s ugly head reared inside Markus. “I know what the hell I’m talking about, Kenric. I’m not fucking delusional.” He braced his hands on the library shelf.
    “Alex lives in the heart of the Enclave,” Kenric said. “Even if what you’re saying is the case, Christian would have to be an idiot to try anything with her inside our walls. I have a hard time believing Enrique would go to such elaborate lengths to hurt Alex. She’s safe here, Markus. Believe me.”
    This was a sorry-ass waste of his time. But he wasn’t surprised Kenric didn’t believe him. Too much shit had gone down between them, and he doubted any member of the Enclave would ever take him on his word.
    “Sure,” Markus muttered and gave him a nod. “If you say so.” Alexandria’s protection would have to fall on his shoulders alone.
    …
    Several days had passed since he’d last heard from Christian. Enrique drummed his index finger on the aluminum shell of his laptop, staring at the clock on the toolbar. In less than sixty minutes, the sun’s rays would be licking at the horizon, singeing the edges of the darkness, burning it away. And he still didn’t know a damn thing!
    Whether or not his plan would run smoothly rode on the redhead’s coming through. On whether or not he could pull off an Oscar-winning performance for Markus and that tight-ass excuse for a master vampire.
    The cell phone on his desk vibrated, yanking Enrique’s attention from his laptop. Snatching the smartphone up, he checked the display and couldn’t stop the grin forming on his mouth. Christian.
    With a slide of his finger across the glass, he answered. “You’re inside?”
    “Worked just like you said it would,” Christian said in a hushed voice. “Sorry it took so long for me to contact you. I’m finally back out on the streets tonight to feed with Elle and Arran. Once I got them to give me a few minutes alone, I tracked down the female you’d planted with my phone.”
    “Good, good. I knew they’d never be able to resist the urge to rescue a lost and abused puppy.” Enrique snickered.
    “Didn’t hurt that the Enclave member who was out the other night happened to be the female I’d fed for Markus during her turn. She had this whole ‘I owe you one’ complex.”
    “Absolutely perfect.” Enrique kicked back in his chair and propped his legs up on his desk, his boot heels releasing a solid thud on the wood. “I couldn’t have planned that any better.” He snagged a pen from its holder and tapped out a melody on the laptop’s case. “Looks like whatever god is up there is