He’d just pulled on a pair of faded jeans and a loose cable-knit sweater when there was the sound of approaching footsteps. Returning to the outer chamber, Cyn watched the female vampire stroll through the doorway.
A small smile curved his lips.
Lise looked like a china doll. A tiny body that was currently covered by tight black leggings and a long, flowing shirt. Straight black hair that was chopped just above her shoulders, pale, delicate features, and startling blue eyes that could disarm the most suspicious predator.
But the second she stepped into the room, any assumption that she was a dainty, submissive creature was blown all to hell.
Even with ten feet between them, Cyn could feel the unnerving pulse of her power beat against him.
That power combined with her brilliant intelligence would have made her a formidable clan chief, but Lise had refused to enter the battles of Durotriges. She claimed that her off-the-charts IQ prevented her from doing something so stupid as to become the leader of a bunch of barely civilized demons with authority issues. Cyn suspected her decision had more to do with a mysterious male from her past than any fear of commitment to a clan.
He never pressed for details. He wasn’t about to lose the best lieutenant he’d ever had.
Halting in the center of the Turkish carpet that covered the stone floor, Lise allowed her gaze to take a slow survey of his large form.
It wasn’t sexual. It was a well-trained warrior judging whether or not Cyn’s return was some sort of trick that would put the clan at risk.
When she was at last convinced he wasn’t an illusion, or shape-shifter who’d assumed the identity of her clan chief, and that his mind didn’t appear to be compromised, she took another step forward, an almost smile touching her lips.
“So. You live.”
He flicked a brow upward. “Don’t get all choked up.”
She shrugged. “I knew you would return.”
“I doubt the rest of the clan shared your confidence,” he said, abruptly realizing his mind was only partially on his companion while the majority of his attention was focused on the startling acute sense of Fallon two floors above him. Bloody hell, had the female cast some fey spell on him? With a grim effort, he tried to slam the door on his unwelcome connection to the princess. “Did you have any challenges?” he demanded.
Lise’s smile widened, giving a glimpse of her sharp fangs. “Oddly enough most of the clan think that I’m—”
“Scary as hell?” he completed in dry tones.
“Intimidating,” she corrected. “Where have you been?”
“Fairyland.”
There was a startled silence before Lise narrowed her gaze. “Is that a joke?”
“Actually it’s a long story.” He gave a shake of his head. He didn’t want to discuss the fact he’d been magically transported out of the Chatri palace and caught in some dimensional limbo for weeks. He was still weirded out by the whole thing. “For now all you need to know is that no one can realize that I have returned.”
A rare hint of surprise touched Lise’s usually inscrutable face.
“Is there a particular reason why?”
“A request by an Oracle.”
Lise grimaced. “A wise vampire tries to avoid the attention of the Commission.”
No shit. Unfortunately Cyn hadn’t been given an option.
“Too late,” he muttered. “I’m just hoping to survive the next few days.”
“What can I do to help?”
And that was what made Lise the perfect second-in-command.
No unnecessary dramatics. No annoying questions he obviously didn’t want to answer. Just a request to know how she could assist.
“I will need you to continue with my clan duties.”