hovered by a door leading into a bedroom. She sniffed the air and suddenly realized who she was looking at.
Christoph didn’t dare move with the sword against his throat, but he managed a glance at Analie. She edged around the perimeter of the room to get a look at the other Were. Once she could see his face, she froze, pressed against the wall.
Ashi narrowed his eyes at her. Immediately, she scurried toward Royce, keeping her gaze on the higher-ranking Were. Ashi obviously did not appreciate this.
“Show some respect,” he hissed through gritted teeth. His eyes flashed gold.
Instinctively, Analie’s knees hit the floor and she had both hands up in a “please don’t hurt me” gesture. Even looking like the alpha had chewed him up and spit him out, even with Mouse holding him at sword-point, Ashi was still the second most feared thing in her life.
Probably the first now that she had some firsthand experience with vampires.
Royce frowned upon seeing her reaction, snapping his phone shut and moving to block her line of sight to Ashi. Considering all she could see of the vampire was a mass of shifting shadows, the gesture didn’t help much.
He gently took her hands in his, noting how wide and frightened her eyes had become, pitching his voice low and soothing.
“Analie, why are you so afraid?” He’d called for her to find out if she knew anything about how the two had found their way to his haven. Had she been coerced into telling them? He shot a look over his shoulder, fury returning as he urged her to regain her feet and stand rather than abase herself before them. “Did he hurt you to make you tell him our location?”
The unspoken was obvious. If Ashi had, Royce would gladly gut him where he stood. Probably smiling while he did it.
Analie kept her eyes on Ashi, who was glaring at her as if he could tear her apart with his gaze. It was enough to give her jibblies big time , and she was sorely tempted to get back on her knees.
“What? Oh. No, I didn’t tell him where I was.” She felt like walking over to the nearest wall and putting her head through it. “I mean, he asked, but I said no. I didn’t tell him anything. He said he’d contact me later.” She thought it might be wise to add, “He didn’t hurt me.” Not entirely true, but she wasn’t actually harmed . This all sounded really bad summarized. “I’m not allowed to tell you this. I didn’t want Jo-Jo—uh, it’s kind of complicated, he’s sort of like my little brother—put in harm’s way.”
Ashi was obviously very displeased with the way she was speaking with the vampire. Rising from her position showing respect without his okay was hugely out of line. Talking to the vampire about their meeting was something he could barely comprehend.
John crept back into the room, nodding as Royce spared him a glance. Arnold was on his way.
Ashi started up a low growling that he quickly stopped when Mouse nudged him with her sword.
Though Royce wasn’t often given to showing much in the way of compassion, he put a hand reassuringly on Analie’s shoulder. “You don’t need to worry about that anymore. They won’t be hurting anybody when I’m done with them.”
Though that was meant to be comforting, the unspoken threat was clear. He continued in matter-of-fact tones.
“You certainly aren’t in trouble, and while I understand you feel you must adhere to the structure of your pack, until you’re returned to them, you answer to no one but me. If I’m not around, you look to John or Mouse.”
He gave her shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze before turning back to Ashi and Christoph. Analie watched with wide eyes as he paced slowly around the two, giving Mouse space so as not to come between her and her targets.
“You two are in a great deal of trouble,” he said quietly, clasping his hands behind his back. “Christoph, you should have known better than to come here. I’m totally within my rights to destroy you both.”
He
Christoph didn’t dare move with the sword against his throat, but he managed a glance at Analie. She edged around the perimeter of the room to get a look at the other Were. Once she could see his face, she froze, pressed against the wall.
Ashi narrowed his eyes at her. Immediately, she scurried toward Royce, keeping her gaze on the higher-ranking Were. Ashi obviously did not appreciate this.
“Show some respect,” he hissed through gritted teeth. His eyes flashed gold.
Instinctively, Analie’s knees hit the floor and she had both hands up in a “please don’t hurt me” gesture. Even looking like the alpha had chewed him up and spit him out, even with Mouse holding him at sword-point, Ashi was still the second most feared thing in her life.
Probably the first now that she had some firsthand experience with vampires.
Royce frowned upon seeing her reaction, snapping his phone shut and moving to block her line of sight to Ashi. Considering all she could see of the vampire was a mass of shifting shadows, the gesture didn’t help much.
He gently took her hands in his, noting how wide and frightened her eyes had become, pitching his voice low and soothing.
“Analie, why are you so afraid?” He’d called for her to find out if she knew anything about how the two had found their way to his haven. Had she been coerced into telling them? He shot a look over his shoulder, fury returning as he urged her to regain her feet and stand rather than abase herself before them. “Did he hurt you to make you tell him our location?”
The unspoken was obvious. If Ashi had, Royce would gladly gut him where he stood. Probably smiling while he did it.
Analie kept her eyes on Ashi, who was glaring at her as if he could tear her apart with his gaze. It was enough to give her jibblies big time , and she was sorely tempted to get back on her knees.
“What? Oh. No, I didn’t tell him where I was.” She felt like walking over to the nearest wall and putting her head through it. “I mean, he asked, but I said no. I didn’t tell him anything. He said he’d contact me later.” She thought it might be wise to add, “He didn’t hurt me.” Not entirely true, but she wasn’t actually harmed . This all sounded really bad summarized. “I’m not allowed to tell you this. I didn’t want Jo-Jo—uh, it’s kind of complicated, he’s sort of like my little brother—put in harm’s way.”
Ashi was obviously very displeased with the way she was speaking with the vampire. Rising from her position showing respect without his okay was hugely out of line. Talking to the vampire about their meeting was something he could barely comprehend.
John crept back into the room, nodding as Royce spared him a glance. Arnold was on his way.
Ashi started up a low growling that he quickly stopped when Mouse nudged him with her sword.
Though Royce wasn’t often given to showing much in the way of compassion, he put a hand reassuringly on Analie’s shoulder. “You don’t need to worry about that anymore. They won’t be hurting anybody when I’m done with them.”
Though that was meant to be comforting, the unspoken threat was clear. He continued in matter-of-fact tones.
“You certainly aren’t in trouble, and while I understand you feel you must adhere to the structure of your pack, until you’re returned to them, you answer to no one but me. If I’m not around, you look to John or Mouse.”
He gave her shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze before turning back to Ashi and Christoph. Analie watched with wide eyes as he paced slowly around the two, giving Mouse space so as not to come between her and her targets.
“You two are in a great deal of trouble,” he said quietly, clasping his hands behind his back. “Christoph, you should have known better than to come here. I’m totally within my rights to destroy you both.”
He
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