Page 22 of Dark Gambit: The Play

What had the guy been thinking?

The structure was a glass and concrete rectangle that was supported by big pillars and perched over a cliff overlooking the ocean. It was beautiful, and the view must be spectacular, but the large expanse of glass made its occupants an easy target for snipers.

Marcel doubted that the windows were bulletproof.

Other than Sofia, they were all immortal, so bullets and even shards of glass wouldn't necessarily kill them, but they could knock them out long enough for the attackers to finish the job.

Perhaps Turner was using the compeller's tactic and luring him or his warriors by dangling their own pawn as bait?

Given that they had just removed the tracker from her, it didn't make much sense. If Turner wanted to flush out the enemy, he should have told them to leave the tracker in and surrounded the place with Guardians.

Perhaps he'd employed a bait-and-switch tactic?

Make the enemy think that they were complacent because the tracker had been removed, but surround the property with Guardians?

"How many Guardians did Kian send?" he asked the driver as the guy drove the minivan into a parking spot under the structure.

"Eight. Two are in the house, we are with you, and the other four stayed in Safe Haven. Why?"

"I was wondering about Turner's location choice. A house of glass is not easily defended."

The Guardian shrugged. "I trust Turner. He knows what he's doing."

"I hope you are right because all those windows are a sniper's wet dream." Marcel opened the door and offered Sofia his hand.

She looked up. "It's a beautiful house, and the curtains hide what's going on inside. Besides, who are you expecting to attack us?"

Was that her way of telling him that she wasn't expecting a rescue?

As if he believed anything that came out of her pretty mouth. He wasn't straight out accusing her of lying, though. Not yet.

Until Toven got a hold of her mind and forced her to tell the truth, Marcel was going to give Sofia the benefit of the doubt. But if she was lying, and she was expecting a rescue, then he could keep the pretense the same way he had done with her pendant.

"Yeah, you are right." He took her hand and led her up the stairs to the front door. "With the tracker gone, no one could have followed you here."

The Guardian who opened the door gave Sofia an appraising look before offering her his hand. "Hi, I'm Malcolm."

"I'm Sofia." She shook it. "Are you the boss?"

He laughed. "I'm not. Please, come in."

15

SOFIA

When the guy who had opened the door stepped aside and motioned for her to come in, the most beautiful man Sofia had ever seen rose to his feet and walked toward her.

This man wasn't human, she was willing to bet on it, but he wasn't Kra-ell despite his nearly black hair. He was too perfect, too cultured, and too refined. He lacked the savagery lurking beneath the surface of all the purebloods and most of the hybrids, males and females alike. There was an animalistic quality to them that was totally absent from this gorgeous man.

"Hello, Sofia." He offered her his hand. "My name is Tom."

It took her a moment to find her voice. "Hi," she croaked. "You must be the compeller."

He smiled. "I am many things, but I am not a compeller. Compulsion is an ability I was born with, but it doesn't define me, and I don't enjoy using it."

With that one sentence, he'd won her over.

"I'm glad. It's not right to take people's will away from them."