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no reason for Trackers. He simply would have known where she was. The blood bond made her an extension of his body. It would have been like finding a finger or a toe. No one really pays attention to them, they're just there, and their location is felt. But, the King hadn't had enough of her blood to feel that fully. The only thing the King could sense was a faint flickering, like a ghost limb, telling him that she still breathed.

The driver gave him a towel, but the King swatted it away. After everything he did, if the girl died and he wasn't there - the thought made the King's insides boil. That stupid, petulant girl, he thought. And William helped her, no doubt. The Queen's pet, young William, probably took her to find shelter from the storm. It complicated things. The King had to make certain that if he didn't find Kahli - if he wasn't able to drink more of her blood - that someone else took the blame for his indulgence. Three dead girls from the Queen's private store would not go unpunished.

He tapped his long, tapered fingers together, staring at nothing, and thought that Will was the perfect person.

Chapter 17

Kahli groaned and rolled onto her side. Peeling back her eyelids, she looked around. Metal bars surrounded her. She was in the cage. Again. Except this time she wasn't bouncing around in the back of a truck. She was in someone's home. Before she could think, Kahli noticed the pain from her shoulder was better, although it still hurt. They must have fixed it after I passed out, she thought.

"So nice to see you awake," Reginald said, turning toward the cage door. He was dressed like the Regent, wearing clothing too beautiful to be real. His silk shirt had a ruffle under the chin with ivory buttons that extended to his trim waist. Black slacks accentuated his slender frame. Coupled with a velvet jacket the same shade of blue as Will's eyes, Reggie looked like an aristocrat.

Will. Her insides twisted as she thought of him trapped under the pile of rubble. Kahli had to get out of here, and get back to the safe house before it was too late.

Kahli tried to sit up. The pain that shot through her skull made her groan. Pressing her hand to her head, she growled, "What do you want?"

Reggie laughed, "You, of course. What do you want?" he mocked, mimicking her tone. "The first time I lost you to my hideous sister - " he clenched his jaw, biting off whatever he was going to say. His long, elegant hands slashed through the air, and paused like he cut off the thought with his pointer finger, "But, no matter. That's done and you're here now."

Kahli looked around. There was another cage across from her with a brightly colored bird. It sat on a perch and looked at her through the bars. She was in a grand room with too many books to count, cages of various sizes, and ornate furniture.

Kahli pressed her eyes closed. He couldn't have been that senseless, but it appeared he was. Looking up at him, she asked, "Is this your house? Tell me that you weren't stupid enough to bring me back to your house?"

Reggie's nostrils flared when she insulted him. "Why would that be foolish, little pet? Because they think I took you? Because they'll come here looking for you?" he laughed. Splaying his hands on his hips, Reggie looked down and shook his head. Glancing at her, he stepped toward Kahli, saying, "The King took off after you, and he's going to find a caved in hole and a crushed William. They'll assume you were blasted to bits, and in the meantime, I plan on making you into my personal barista." He handed her one of the golden tools that Will used for feedings. The sharp end of the golden rod was used to pierce skin since the vamps no longer had fangs.

Kahli took it and arched an eyebrow at him, "Seriously? You expect me to drain myself? Would you like for me to put it in a fancy cup, too?" Reggie took a deep breath and stared at her with hatred. Before she could blink, he hurled the rest of instruments at her. Kahli ducked, covering her head as they struck her and clattered to the floor of the cage. "Nice temper tantrum," the words fell out of her mouth before