Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,173

merely a status symbol or a tool to him. That he valued her for who she was, a remarkable, brave, unexpectedly stubborn woman, her weaknesses and strengths both part of her appeal. He thought of how she’d gripped his hand, pressed her face into his palm, overwhelmed by the discovery. Seeing that change, feeling her flood of emotions not only from her mind but through that one contact on his palm, he knew the truth. If this woman was loved the way she should be, she would embrace her full potential. She was already amazing; with love, she would evolve into the realm of the extraordinary, a living work of art like nothing the world had ever seen.

He met the vampire assassin’s gaze squarely, forced himself to say words that could slice his heart in two like Daegan’s sword. “Whether or not she would stay in my care is irrelevant. She deserves to live for her own merits, not my whim.”

“But in the vampire world, it’s only a vampire’s whim that will give her any consideration at all.” Daegan sat back, studying him. From the faint flicker of Gideon’s expression, Evan sensed a conversation happening between the two men. Abruptly, Daegan rose, extending his hand.

“I’ll do what I can, Evan. You have my word.”

The band around his chest eased a few notches. He might not know much about Lord Daegan, but he suspected the male said nothing he didn’t mean. As he rose and clasped the assassin’s hand, Daegan tilted his head toward Gideon.

“Despite this poor excuse of a servant, you are correct. I do understand the value of a good one.”

Gideon raised a brow, but didn’t comment on that. Instead, he said, “If we’re done here, I’ll go kick Niall onto his feet for a short sparring match. Make sure his skills are still sharp.”

“No,” Evan said. When both men looked toward him, he softened the brusqueness of his reply. “Let him sleep. He needs it . . . more often now.”

He thought of Niall in a pillow fight with the sorority girls, roaring with laughter, yet so gentle while wrestling with them . . . Niall had been the subject or part of the scenery of so many of his works, but there were millions more in Evan’s head, a gallery that pressed in on him now, making him short of breath in a way that didn’t happen to vampires.

Realizing the conversation was best concluded, he nodded to Daegan courteously, then left the shelter, striding across the field toward his servants.

As Evan moved away from them, Gideon glanced at Daegan. “He’s that close? Niall?”

“The increased sleep patterns are the only real indication we have, other than the number of years. A few have lived up to a decade beyond the three-century mark, but if he’s already sleeping more, he will not be one of those.” Daegan came to stand shoulder to shoulder with his servant, both males watching the three. Alanna had straightened. Whatever Evan said to her caused her to come to him swiftly, take his hand. He swung her around, catching the herbs from her hand to examine them as she tried to take them back. He was obviously teasing her. With their enhanced senses, Daegan and Gideon heard him suggest throwing rocks at Niall to wake him, though they knew he had no intention of doing so.

“Do you think Lyssa will take that in to account, if they can break Stephen’s mark?” Gideon asked. “The fact that Evan will be alone soon?”

“You know her better than I do. What do you think?”

Gideon pursed his lips. “If she can manage it politically, I think she’d do it. She’s pretty much Head Bitch in Charge now. Don’t think anyone will mess with her on it. But Brian’s had piss-poor luck breaking any mark over five years old. The Council made him put it on the back burner. It seemed pretty pointless, anyhow. How many vampires would break from a servant after that length of time? Stephen’s kind of a onetime freak issue. Not worth the cost of the research, to their way of thinking.”

“Should I ask why you were asking Brian about such a thing?”

Gideon tilted his head as Daegan shifted closer, an intent look in his dark eyes that Gideon took for the sensual warning it was. One he couldn’t resist poking at. “Just keeping my options open,” he said lightly.

Daegan’s hand was on his chest before he could block him, using that electrifying speed to