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his eyebrows.
Shaking his head, Declan headed for his room. He didn t want to be around
while the vampires fed. Sometimes their partners moaned really loud. It only
underscored to Declan that he needed to find a lover, but who was going to get together
with a slightly neurotic butler who had to be on twenty-four hour call for his boss. Few
men would put up with being second place to any job, much less one involving
vampires.
Back in his room, Declan pulled up his profile on the online dating site he
recently joined. He spent the next few hours going through the improbable bios and
dirty emails he d received while he had been working.
You re not still mad at me, are you?
Phoenix watched his best friend pour himself another scotch. The girls were
already gone, having been bundled into their limo previously arranged by the ever-
efficient Declan.
Stay away from my butler. I don t like to see Declan disturbed, Phoenix said.
It would take a natural disaster or a herd of dust bunnies to bother that man.
He s unflappable. Are you sure he s not a robot?
Phoenix gave a bark of laughter. Yes, I m positive.
Have you ever tasted his blood? Lorrie asked curiously.
No! He s my servant, not my food source. He scowled at his friend.
Lorrie flashed him a cheerful smile. Good, then you won t mind if I try a sip as
long as I don t steal him away. Lorrie s chatter ended when Phoenix flashed across the
room and wrapped his fingers around Lorrie s throat. He leaned in close so there was
no way his warning couldn t be heard.
If you ever touch a fang to my butler, I will rip out all your teeth and you ll
have to figure out how to suck blood through a straw. Phoenix shook his best friend,
slamming him repeatedly against the wall as anger burned through him like an out of
control brush fire. No one touches Declan.
Whoa, Declan s smooth voice broke through Phoenix s rage. Soft hands pulled
ineffectively at his wrist. Master Phoenix, let go of Master Lorrie.
He released his friend, pleased when he crumpled with a thump to the floor.
I beg your pardon, Declan, I lost my temper, he apologized to his butler. He
hated for Declan to see him at less than his best.
The butler stared at him for a long moment. Declan s eyes were the barometer of
his soul. Light green when happy, dark green when sad, and an uncertain hazel when
upset. Phoenix hated the hazel, the color facing him right then.
I think Master Lorrie might be the one you owe the apology to, Declan
reproved.
It s all right, Declan. I was baiting him. Lorrie climbed to his feet with a rueful
grin.
Declan raked a hand through his sunshine gold hair. He kept it cut in neat, even
layers that always made Phoenix long to ruffle it. Declan debauched would be quite the
sight. Not for the first time he wondered what his butler would look like naked and in
his bed, but he refused to upset his household by making a pass at the only person
keeping his world together.
Please refrain from getting yourself killed, Declan scolded Lorrie before
turning on the heel of one highly polished shoe and walking back out the door.
Phoenix glared at his friend. You got me into trouble. My coffee will probably
be cold when I wake up. He hated it when Declan was upset with him. Instead of the
smooth operation of a happy Declan, the entire household suffered.
Lorrie laughed. I can t believe you let that human rule your house with an iron
fist.
Phoenix shrugged. Declan keeps things in perfect order. That s an irreplaceable
skill. I won t have him worried about whether a visiting vampire is going to bite him.
He s off limits and that s final.
Lorrie picked himself up off the floor. Does he ever leave the house?
Of course. Phoenix searched his mind. Wednesdays. Every Wednesday, he
has off.
Where does he go? Lorrie asked, his eyes lit with curiosity.
Why the hell do you care? Stop speculating about my butler. In fact, go home.
We ll work tomorrow. Phoenix didn t like Lorrie s new interest in Declan. No one
should be thinking of his servant at all. Maybe he should stop inviting people to his
house, it only encouraged them to think Declan would be available. Other vampires
became jealous when they saw how efficient Phoenix s butler ran his household.
For the first time in centuries, his good friend rubbed Phoenix s nerves
completely raw. Not to mention the next day was Wednesday, the worst day of the
week. He didn t care if Frank, the under butler, did a decent job. He wasn t Declan.
Declan added a certain panache to everything. He didn t only bring Phoenix s coffee
but positioned it at the perfect angle with the exact amount of blood he liked.
Lorrie scowled. Tomorrow is Wednesday, isn t it?
Yes.
Maybe we should start having Wednesdays off. Frank never gets my drink
right, Lorrie mused.
Phoenix laughed. We don t get days off. You can t oversee the behavior of a
coven if you re not available when they need you.
Lorrie gave a long sigh. Fine. But I think giving the butler a day off is highly
overrated.
Me too. I ll see you tomorrow.
As Phoenix sat there watching the fire, Declan arrived with a familiar tray.
Phoenix watched as the butler set down the serving platter. A silver coffee pot and a
plate of his favorite cookies rested on top.
I thought you were off for the evening. By the way, how did you know I was
strangling Lorrie?
Declan smiled. Phoenix paused in reaching for his cup to admire the unusual
sight. Sometimes he forgot his stiff and precise butler was still in his early twenties. He
ruthlessly pushed that information to the back of his brain where it belonged.
You were making so much noise I figured I d best save Master Lorrie, Declan
explained.
Phoenix laughed. And how did you know it wasn t me being injured.
Beneath his fascinated gaze, Declan lifted one eyebrow. I don t think so. Master
Lorrie might be irreverent and not give you the proper respect your position deserves,
but he d never physically attack you, and if he did, I d take care of him.
Phoenix propped his chin on his hand, fascinated. And how would you stop a
vampire?
Declan held up his hand, showing off the wide antique ring he always wore.
This is a poison ring. I keep hemlock powder inside for protection.
Really! Concentrated hemlock powder could easily knock a vampire
unconscious, if not kill him. Pleasure filled Phoenix as he regarded his employee in a
new light. Meticulous, shy Declan had titanium balls to show his vampire boss he
carried around enough poison to take out a vamp. I never knew. Aren t you a man of
surprises? Wait, you ve always worn that ring.
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