Demonbane (Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

see you again. I was afraid you had retired for the evening.”
    The thief gave a girlish giggle. “Why, Dutraad, the night is still too young for that.”
    “Tell that to my wife,” the baron mumbled under his breath. He extended an arm. “I would be honored if you would give me this dance.” He glanced up at Maklavir. “With your permission, of course, Maklavir.”
    The diplomat gave a cool smile. “But of course.”
    Kara took the baron’s hand with a smile. “Lead on, Dutraad. I hope that you are as good a dancer as you are a host.”
    The man smiled, then led Kara out onto the cleared area in the middle of the massive hall.
    Maklavir straightened his shirt. He cast his glance around the crowded room until he spotted the perfectly-formed figure of Bronwyn in her low-cut dress.
    “Right,” he breathed, forcing a smile onto his face. “Here we go—”
     
    Giggling, Dutraad and Kara crashed through the door into the darkened bedroom. The baron turned and shut the door behind them.
    Kara melted back against one of the wooden columns of the huge four-poster bed that occupied the center of the room, her hand splayed across her bosom. “But Dutraad,” she protested feebly, “what about your guests?”
    “Forget them,” he said, moving towards the beautiful woman. “They’ll be fine.” He took Kara in his arms and plastered her mouth with kiss after kiss.
    “But your wife—” Kara managed between kisses. “Won’t she—?”
    “She’s in the master bedroom, down the hall,” Dutraad proclaimed with a smile. “She won’t bother us, Kara dear, I promise.” He bent down and kissed the side of her neck with wild abandon.
    Kara glanced around the darkened bedroom, noticing the bookshelves and large desk against the wall. “This isn’t your bedroom?”
    “My private room. Now, please , Kara—”
    “I don’t know, Dutraad,” Kara said shyly. She pushed the eager man back a step with both hands. “What about Maklavir? If he finds us—”
    “He won’t,” the baron said with more than a hint of impatience in his voice. “He didn’t see us leave. I have men posted on the stairs. No one will interrupt us, Kara, I assure you.”
    “Good,” she said with a smile. “That’s what I was hoping you would say.”
    Dutraad pulled the girl to him and bent in for another kiss.
    Kara put a finger over his lips. “Please, Dutraad,” she laughed. “Perhaps some wine first?”
    The baron grinned lasciviously. “Wine it is, Kara dear.”
     
    “What in the Third Fire is keeping Maklavir?” Kendril shifted uncomfortably behind the billiards table.
    Joseph squatted beside him. He risked a glance over the top of the table. The doorway of the dark room was still silent and empty. “Don’t know. We have to give him a little time, Kendril.”
    “We don’t have all night,” the Ghostwalker grumbled. He glanced back at his friend in the darkness. “You have that Xoma scent?”
    Joseph lifted a small silver flask in his hand, and a thick cloth in the other.
    The music from the dance in the main hall sounded dully through the walls of the room.
    “Good.” Kendril peered at the door to the room again as if willing it to open. “We’ll have to move fast when she comes in. I’ll hold her, you knock her out with the scent. We can’t let her scream.”
    “With all the drunken aristocrats around the place, I doubt anyone would even notice,” Joseph commented.
    “All the same,” Kendril replied gruffly. He peeked out again at the closed door to the room. “I really hate this.”
    “What?” asked Joseph in surprise.
    “Relying on Maklavir ,” Kendril said through clenched teeth.
     
    “It appears that your wife has abandoned you, Mr. Maklavir.” Bronwyn ran a hand seductively along the diplomat’s arm and smiled. “I think I saw her leave with Baron Dutraad.”
    Maklavir took a sip of the wine glass he held. His gaze stayed on the dancers that dominated the center of the hall. “I believe she