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able to see for yourself that many good men exist in the world."

She shivered slightly and he knew his reference to her being fully Carpathian disturbed her a little. She had brought the subject up once in a roundabout way, but he knew she wasn't allowing herself to go there yet, and he respected her need to come to terms, very slowly, with what their life would be like together.

Dominic turned back to Marguarita and shed his physical body to become wholly spirit. He had no doubts that Solange would guard his body from harm while he worked at healing the young woman whose throat was so mangled. Zacarias had given her blood, more than he probably could have spared. The interesting thing was, he found traces of Solange's pure royal blood. The Carpathian blood was usually predominant, and here it was, but her strain was very distinct and it had somehow attached to the Carpathian blood, fully compatible, but not taken over. Her blood was very unique and had definite healing properties.

There was no way to repair the vocal cords fully. The undead had used razor-sharp talons, shredding through the cords. Both Dominic and Zacarias had concentrated on the muscles in her throat used for breathing and swallowing. She would live, be as beautiful as ever, but she probably would never speak again, or if she did, in no more than a husky whisper. But she would live. They had done their best for her.

He examined her mind, her memories, but there were no dark slivers of possession. She had not opened the door to the vampire. She'd heard her father's dying warning and she'd obeyed him, backing into her room and waiting for the workers to come. She had been crying for her father, knowing he was dead, but she had not gone to the door. And that meant someone else had been in the house without her knowledge. That someone had been familiar enough to enter without detection, and the safeguards didn't affect him. He was not considered an intruder.

Dominic pulled back to reenter his body, swaying a little with no idea of time passage. Solange paced like a restless cat from window to window. She glanced over her shoulder at him. "You okay? You look pale. Do you need blood?"

"Not yours. You are killing the parasites and we need them. I will ask Cesaro which man is strongest here."

"He will insist you take his blood."

Dominic smiled at her. "I know."

She covered Marguarita gently and brushed tendrils of hair from her pale face. "She'll be traumatized by this. And if a friend betrayed her, it will be all the worse. Maybe we should ask MaryAnn to come visit." She looked up at him and there was trust in her eyes. "Perhaps you could suggest to Cesaro they send for her."

Knowing her need to help women abused by men, he nodded. "I think that would be a good idea."

Dominic led her to the door. They still needed to add to the protection of these people, as well as track down the neighbor. And the undead were out in force. Likely encounters meant he had to be at his strongest.

Cesaro whipped his head around as they came through the door.

"She is sleeping as peacefully as possible," Dominic said. "I believe she has survived the crisis and is on the road to recovery. Do you know all the De La Cruz brothers?"

Cesaro nodded. "They come here from time to time. The brothers share the ranches."

"Manolito's wife, MaryAnn, would be a very good choice to help Marguarita through this. Perhaps if you sent for her, she would come."

"It would give us another man to defend the ranch," Cesaro acknowledged, knowing Manolito would come with his lifemate. "Thank you." He bowed slightly toward Solange, as if knowing just whose idea it had been. "I will do so immediately."

"Tell us about your neighbor."

"His name is Santiago Vazquez. He's about thirty and has only three men working for him. I rarely see anyone around his house. The ranch is very run-down. He needs money to build it up, and there is little money to be made on a ranch just starting up." "Do you have a very healthy, strong man working for you who might be willing to donate blood tonight? I have much to do and cannot go hunting."

"I am in good health," Cesaro said. "Please, it is an honor. You are doing so much to help us, and I am no longer