them the best we have. It is doubtful, but maybe—”
“Our best are here to keep our prisoner alive,” Sorin cut in.
Lucian looked to the front door and didn’t have to think long before making a decision. “Keep Brian and send Kurt. Once Sergei is stable, Brian may go over, too. Sergei can suffer; Vasily should not. Leave word to do whatever we can to ensure that man does not leave us or the family that is no doubt at their wits end right now. We cannot go through this again so soon.”
As Zlatan made arrangements, Lucian went up to shower. As he stood under the spray and watched the pink water circle the drain, he was tempted to send up a prayer for his friend, but didn’t. He and God had parted ways long ago, why ever would their creator do him any favors now?
♦ ♦ ♦
After waking alone, Yasmeen showered and got her search on. She was looking for Sorin, not Lucian, but ended up finding neither.
Hour after hour passed, a couple spent in the sitting room, a few in the library, a handful outside petting the nose of one of the horses while a man with a semi-automatic stood fifty feet away.
She thought and thought. About how Lucian had lost his father and siblings. About his obsessive need to get her under his control. To keep her hidden away. She wondered how he’d had his mother killed. Would he tell her if she asked? She thought about the way he touched her. How lost she became, and how addictive that was. The look on his face when she’d showed him the tail. She thought about what he’d done to punish her for trying to leave him. His cruelty. Had he extended it to last hours because she’d taken off her collar?
The one he’d placed around her neck last night, no matter what she did, would not come off.
I do not love you, Yasmeen. So why would I feel compassion for you?
As dinnertime approached, she once more made her way to the kitchen. She’d popped in and out all day, hoping to find the elusive cooks but had found nothing but prepared food. This time, she was tickled to see two women in residence. Both shared the same dark tones as the locals she’d seen in town when she’d gone in with Sorin. They stopped what they were doing to turn and smile at her. One was early thirties, the other mid-fifties. Yasmeen blushed when she realized the older one was the same woman who’d given her the ice tea the other day. She’d also served dinner the night Lucian had collared her.
“Hello.” She smiled but tried to hide her glee at finding them. “Um, do you by any chance speak English?” Pleeease, speak English.
Nothing but smiles.
Fuck. “Okay. Uh, Lucian? Mr. Fane?” She put her hand up to show someone tall.
They nodded, smiling.
“You know, that tall, brutally sexy dickhead who ditched me without so much as an I’ll-see-you-later?”
They came forward, shrugging, and even though they were darlings, Yasmeen wanted to scream in frustration. She swallowed the urge and held her friendly look.
“It’s okay. I’ll just continue wandering around this goth paradise and wait for the sound of my madman’s footsteps. Sorry to bother you. Maybe I should take this opportunity to run my ass off and hop on the next train to Paris, huh? Do you by any chance know where he stashed my passport? No? Damn. Okay, well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go cry my fucking eyes out then jump off one of the turrets.” She smiled widely and turned only to nearly run over a young boy who was gawking at her. He looked to be around twelve or thirteen.
“Oh! Hello,” she said carefully.
“Salut.” He was shaking his head as he looked to the younger of the two women. He pointed at Yasmeen and he ripped something out so quickly in his language she had no hope of recognizing it even was a language. The women gasped and grabbed Yasmeen’s arm. They started talking at once, the older one cupping Yasmeen’s face and patting her cheeks in a way she must do with her grandchildren all the time. For some reason, that made her throat sting.
“Hey, er, guess there’s no point in me asking what’s wrong because you can’t tell me anyway,” she muttered as she patted them back. Her smile was slipping.
“Lady say jump. Mihai tell.”
At hearing words she actually recognized, she spun