don’t wish the mind shield raised over me this time around, Tristan.”
“I will protect you as I see fit,” Tristan retorted. “I will allow him access to areas I deem safe.”
She frowned and said nothing. His answer had been more than she’d hoped for. The Queen’s brother was as good as the Queen was evil. But, she understood Tristan’s refusal as well as their anger. They feared that her brother would somehow be faithful to the Queen, even though she had exiled him many years ago. But they would understand once she explained everything.
She ignored their fury and their questions and stared into the swirling snow. She couldn’t see two feet in front of her, but she knew he was here. He had said if ever she was in trouble…
“There.” Tristan pointed at a white figure emerging in the snowflakes.
The males were about to go for their weapons, but she held up her hand, signaling for them to stop. Thankfully, they did. Huh, maybe she could semi-tame these males after all?
The Elder wore white-wolf-pelt clothing and carried a hand stick similar to the one the Queen carried. He walked slowly through the knee-deep snow, his boots barely making a sound. She waited impatiently as the Elder stomped through the snow and halted in front of them. His hair and beard were long and white, dangling past his chest. The length and color were an attest to his great age.
From behind her, her males growled with irritation and disapproval at the one who had saved her that night the Queen had decreed Satin was to become her lover.
“It’s been a long time.” the elder male smiled at Lisbeth and a welcome calm whispered over her despite her fear for Zeena’s fate. She knew the Elder was willing it into her and she welcomed the relief from the empath.
Although he was a pure-blood vampire, he held out his hand to her in the traditional human greeting. She accepted and they shook. Then he frowned.
“I sense a great alarm inside you, Satin. This friend of yours, Zeena. She is still alive. She is fearful, but thankfully the Queen has not physically harmed her.”
“Thank you, Elder, for reassuring me.” She turned to Tristan, Jaymes and Luca, who all glowered at the Elder.
“These three are my males. You may remember them?”
His bushy white brows creased and eyes narrowed as he stared through the swirling snowflakes past her and at them. He nodded. Disapproval shot over his face.
“They are hostile toward me. Their anger may very well be your downfall if they do not rein it in. They think too much with their emotions regarding you and not enough with their brains.”
The three males cursed at the Elder and Satin shook her head, signaling for them to be silent. Thankfully, they quieted.
“They will do my bidding. They can be trusted,” she reassured.
The Elder grunted, but distrust shone clearly in his gaze.
“You come to me to find a way to free your friend. She cannot be freed. The Queen will kill her no matter what you wish.”
“See? Just as I said,” Tristan snapped. He grabbed Lisbeth by the elbow, holding her so tight she figured he hoped he could prevent her from dematerializing. But she could do it and she would too in order to save Zeena.
He must have read her facial expression because he shook his head. “You cannot go back there.”
The other two males circled around her protectively. Luca grabbed her other arm and Jaymes slipped an arm around her waist.
Lisbeth shook her head as despair rocked her. “I am not leaving her there!”
“You cannot go back to Crimson Clan, Satin,” the Elder said softly. “The Queen will likely drain you of your lifeblood within hours of your return. It is a well-kept secret of her insatiable appetite of blood during sex. She has drained many of her blood slaves. I have been able to steal in and save but a few. But as I told you that night I came to your rescue, it is dangerous for me every time I slip beneath her mind shield.”
He shook his head. “The
“I will protect you as I see fit,” Tristan retorted. “I will allow him access to areas I deem safe.”
She frowned and said nothing. His answer had been more than she’d hoped for. The Queen’s brother was as good as the Queen was evil. But, she understood Tristan’s refusal as well as their anger. They feared that her brother would somehow be faithful to the Queen, even though she had exiled him many years ago. But they would understand once she explained everything.
She ignored their fury and their questions and stared into the swirling snow. She couldn’t see two feet in front of her, but she knew he was here. He had said if ever she was in trouble…
“There.” Tristan pointed at a white figure emerging in the snowflakes.
The males were about to go for their weapons, but she held up her hand, signaling for them to stop. Thankfully, they did. Huh, maybe she could semi-tame these males after all?
The Elder wore white-wolf-pelt clothing and carried a hand stick similar to the one the Queen carried. He walked slowly through the knee-deep snow, his boots barely making a sound. She waited impatiently as the Elder stomped through the snow and halted in front of them. His hair and beard were long and white, dangling past his chest. The length and color were an attest to his great age.
From behind her, her males growled with irritation and disapproval at the one who had saved her that night the Queen had decreed Satin was to become her lover.
“It’s been a long time.” the elder male smiled at Lisbeth and a welcome calm whispered over her despite her fear for Zeena’s fate. She knew the Elder was willing it into her and she welcomed the relief from the empath.
Although he was a pure-blood vampire, he held out his hand to her in the traditional human greeting. She accepted and they shook. Then he frowned.
“I sense a great alarm inside you, Satin. This friend of yours, Zeena. She is still alive. She is fearful, but thankfully the Queen has not physically harmed her.”
“Thank you, Elder, for reassuring me.” She turned to Tristan, Jaymes and Luca, who all glowered at the Elder.
“These three are my males. You may remember them?”
His bushy white brows creased and eyes narrowed as he stared through the swirling snowflakes past her and at them. He nodded. Disapproval shot over his face.
“They are hostile toward me. Their anger may very well be your downfall if they do not rein it in. They think too much with their emotions regarding you and not enough with their brains.”
The three males cursed at the Elder and Satin shook her head, signaling for them to be silent. Thankfully, they quieted.
“They will do my bidding. They can be trusted,” she reassured.
The Elder grunted, but distrust shone clearly in his gaze.
“You come to me to find a way to free your friend. She cannot be freed. The Queen will kill her no matter what you wish.”
“See? Just as I said,” Tristan snapped. He grabbed Lisbeth by the elbow, holding her so tight she figured he hoped he could prevent her from dematerializing. But she could do it and she would too in order to save Zeena.
He must have read her facial expression because he shook his head. “You cannot go back there.”
The other two males circled around her protectively. Luca grabbed her other arm and Jaymes slipped an arm around her waist.
Lisbeth shook her head as despair rocked her. “I am not leaving her there!”
“You cannot go back to Crimson Clan, Satin,” the Elder said softly. “The Queen will likely drain you of your lifeblood within hours of your return. It is a well-kept secret of her insatiable appetite of blood during sex. She has drained many of her blood slaves. I have been able to steal in and save but a few. But as I told you that night I came to your rescue, it is dangerous for me every time I slip beneath her mind shield.”
He shook his head. “The
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