Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,14

a nap or whatever ye desire. It’s fine by me.”

Her eyes frosted, but she rose like a wooden mannequin. Swearing softly, he caught her waist and rose. “Okay, now I’ve insulted ye. You’re going to have to tell me what it is I’ve done wrong so I dinnae keep doing it.”

“It’s nothing you’re doing wrong.” Frustration crossed her face. “My actions are making you think I need . . . comfort. Care. Reassurance. That’s something an Inherited Servant never requires.”

“So what’s making you so mad? That you’re makin’ me think that, or that ye do need those things?”

She paled, even as she became more rigid. “I serve your Master now, Niall. Is this a question he requires answered?”

She’d gone to being pissy. Was that an improvement? Niall wasn’t sure if they were in range of Evan’s mind, but that question was quickly answered.

Are you children already fighting? Tell her I want her to do as you instructed. She’s not required to engage you further.

I didnae . . .

Niall, if you tapped her with a pencil, she’d shatter into a thousand pieces. You’re fucking with her paradigm, and she’s not yet strong enough for that. Leave her be.

I think she’s stronger than you think.

Steel is strong once it’s tempered. Put pressure on it before then and you’ll ruin it.

Alanna’s brown eyes lifted to Niall’s in question. “He says he wants you to take your injection and rest in the back until we land,” Niall said grudgingly. “That’s all.”

“It’s my pleasure to obey.” Sliding her hand from Niall’s grasp, she disappeared behind the curtain with her case.

He should listen to Evan. If he didn’t, the vampire would take a strip out of his hide, but it wouldn’t be the first time. His hide was pretty tough, all in all. After ten minutes, Niall followed her. She was sitting by a window, but until she placed her fingertips on the glass, he wasn’t sure if she was seeing any of the view. She made a circular motion as if following a bird winging its way through the sky, or tracing the clouds chasing them. Her lips moved, words without sound.

Servants weren’t like made vampires. If third-marked before age thirty, they didn’t stay the age of their marking, but matured until they reached thirty. The aging process stopped there, give or take a few years. He knew she’d become a servant at sixteen and was only twenty-nine years old now. However, at the moment, her brown eyes looked ten times that age.

Laying her forehead on the glass, she closed them, but kept her palm on the glass as if reluctant to lose the contact. He could stay motionless for quite some time, a skill all servants seemed to have, since even he’d had to endure some of those interminable vampire get-togethers Evan couldn’t avoid. So he continued to watch over her.

Her breath evened out, her fingers drifting down the window and into her lap, her shoulders dropping. Debra had brought him up to speed on the treatment side effects, which included a short period of fatigue directly after injection. Between that and the excitement of the day, he expected she was overwhelmed. She no longer had third-mark strength, after all. It was going to take a while for him to remember that, but probably not as long as it would if she’d been a he.

You going to be pissed if I engage her now?

Would it matter? I know what you’re thinking, neshama.

The fact that Evan used the Hebrew endearment said he hadn’t pushed it too far. Or Evan was engrossed in a project and would chastise later. Either way, Niall would take the opening.

Sliding his arms under her back and thighs, he lifted her, concerned by how light she was. He was going to have the stewardess make her that ice cream sundae for certain. For now, he’d put her on the couch, get her a blanket so she could be more comfortable. Hopefully she wouldn’t be one of those who got out of sorts because her hair got mussed. He could well imagine those thick red locks in disarray. Her hair fell to her hips, and he’d love to see it brushing her sweet, naked arse.

Stop being a rutting beast, he reminded himself. Christ, she was cold. Instead of going to the couch, he sat back down in the chair, cradling her in his lap. Her cheek lay on his chest, her hands coiled in her lap. He kept one hand on her