"Witness!" "Witnessed," said the vampires.
All of them.
All at exactly the same time.
Like puppets, only creepier.
She waited.
Finally, she said, "I mean him no harm." I thought of earlier tonight, when he'd turned down Bernard even though I was pretty sure he agreed with Bernard's assessment of her continued rule of the seethe.
In the end, he loved her more than he loved his seethe, his menagerie of sheep, or his own life.
"You harm him by your continued existence," I told her, as quietly as I could.
And she flinched.
I thought about that flinch ...
and about the way she'd let him live even though he, of all her vampires, had reason to see her dead--and had the means to do so.
Maybe Stefan wasn't the only one who loved.
It hadn't kept her from torturing him, though.
I closed my eyes, trusting Warren, trusting Adam to keep me safe.
I only wished I could keep Stefan safe.
But I knew what he would want me to do.
Stefan, I called, just as I had earlier--because I knew he would want me to.
Surely he knew where I was calling from and would come ready to protect himself.
Nothing happened.
No Stefan.
I looked toward Marsilia and shrugged.
"I called," I told her.
"But he doesn't have to come when I call." It didn't seem to bother her.
She just nodded--a surprisingly businesslike gesture from a woman who would have looked more at home in a Renaissance gown of silk and jewels than she did in her modern suit.
"Then I call this meeting to order," she said, strolling to the old thronelike chair in the center of the room.
"First, I would call Bernard to the chair." He came, reluctant and stiff.
I recognized the pattern of his movement--he looked like a wolf called against his will.
I knew he wasn't of her making, but she had power over him just the same.
He was still wearing the clothes I'd last seen him in.
The harsh overhead fluorescent lights glinted off the small balding spot on the top of his head.