Master of the Night Read Online Free PDF Page A

recognition.
    Not unlike his bloodline.
    Most of whom seemed to be at this party. Some were legitimate descendants through his son, but others had been fathered inadvertently by Reece himself when a condom had broken, or—before modern condoms were invented—he’d failed to pull out in time.
    The Maja’s Council frowned on birth control spells. They wanted the available pool of Latents as broad as possible, since the percentage they considered worthy to become Magekind was so small.
    Like Grace, Reece had always found the Magekind’s careless attitude toward their mortal offspring a bit appalling. Whenever he learned of one of his own children, he made sure they were provided for. The High Council did not allow the Magekind to marry mortals, so the best he could do was to offer them or their mothers jobs at Champion International. Some branches of his extended family had worked for the company for generations.
    â€œReece!”
    He turned to see the CEO of Champion International shouldering through the crowd. Steve Champion clapped him on the back and gave him a handshake, grip firm and warm despite the age spots on the back of his hand. “Glad you could make it,” the man said, his faded blue eyes lighting up in pleasure. “I know how busy you are.”
    â€œWouldn’t have missed it,” Reece told him with genuine pleasure. “I don’t see you enough these days.”
    Damn, time didn’t just fly, it was jet propelled. Reece could remember when Steve had been the bright-eyed protégé he had tapped to run the family company forty-five years before. The boy must be pushing eighty now. Soon—all too soon—Reece would find himself attending yet another funeral.
    Years ago, he’d tried to convince the Majae’s Council to send some pretty Maja to Turn Steve, but they’d refused. Evidently, the boy was one of those who couldn’t withstand the transition. Reece didn’t argue, having learned his lesson on that score two centuries before.
    Now he was going to have to bury yet another child he’d come to love.
    To make matters worse, he’d have to choose the lad’s successor. He dreaded that, too.
    On paper, of course, Reece was no more than a junior VP who should have no say in such a vital decision, which was supposedly made by CI’s Board of Directors. Usually Reece let the board and CEO run the company without interference, but this was different. The board would damn well approve his choice, even if he had to have a Maja magically convince the holdouts.
    When it came to CI’s future, Reece could be as ruthless as any other captain of industry.
    â€œI suppose you’re aware of this deal I’m trying to put together to acquire ComTec,” Steve said now, dropping his voice. He was one of the few at CI who knew Reece was a vampire. Like the others, however, he was under a spell that prevented him from speaking about it to anyone else, a safety measure the Magekind High Council had insisted upon.
    Reece nodded. “I’ve heard something about it.”
    â€œComTec’s CEO is here tonight. George Gavel.” Steve hesitated delicately before his voice dropped even more. “I’d appreciate it if you’d have a word with him. See how serious he is about this deal.”
    Reece smiled slightly. “For you, Steve, anything.”
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    An hour later he was listening to Gavel drone on about his golf swing when he scented a Latent that was definitely no descendant of his. Her enticing blend of musk and spice seemed to bypass his brain and wrap around his sex like long female fingers. As his body hardened in instant response, Reece glanced around the crowded ballroom for the source of the scent.
    Blue eyes met his over the CEO’s shoulder, amused and faintly mocking. A delicate blond brow lifted. The Latent’s carmine mouth quirked in a taunting half-smile.
    Then she turned with a roll of a