"Vane doesn't know that. I think you should see his reaction."
"You are really sick, aren't you?"
"No. I just know how much in life goes unsaid and hidden. Everyone needs to know, just once, how much they mean to the people around them."
Fang frowned as he vanished. The moment, he did, the clear door darkened to black and the wall Savitar had indicated a second ago turned transparent, showing him the council room on the other side.
Vane was already there. Alone.
Savitar strode over to him, again with that stoic expression that gave away absolutely nothing. "Where's your brother?"
"I don't know."
"You couldn't find him?"
Vane's features hardened with determination. "I didn't look."
Savitar's expression turned dark. Lethal. When he spoke, his tone was filled with malice. "Do you understand what you're risking?"
Vane nodded. "My mate and I are bonded. I offer you my life for Fang's, but please, don't leave my children orphans. I know you have the ability to break a bond-mating and I ask you to have mercy. My family is innocent and they pose no threat to you or anyone else."
"You're really asking me for mercy?"
A tic worked in Vane's jaw and Fang knew exactly how hard the next words were for a man as proud as his brother was to say. "I'm begging for your mercy, Savitar. I can't hand my brother over to you."
One taunting eyebrow shot up. "You can't or you won't?"
"Both."
"And your mate? What did she have to say about this?"
"She agreed with my decision."
"Even though it means she might not live to see your children grow up?"
Vane nodded. "We understand the consequences. As I said, we're hoping for your mercy. But whatever you decide, I can't live knowing my life was paid for with my brother's blood."
"That's a hell of a thing to hope for. You're not really counting on me to play with a conscience, are you?"
Fang frowned as he heard someone at the door of his cell. He looked back at Vane and Savitar who were still talking.
What was going on?
"Fang? Are you in there?"
His heart stopped beating at the sound of the last voice he expected to hear. "Aimee?"
"Hurry. Get the door open."
Who was she talking to?
"Stand back, akri-wolf! The Simi's gonna huff and puff and melt that door down. And you might not want to be too close when I do it, 'cause melted wolf is tough on the enamel and akra-Aimee might not like it if you turn into a puddle of bloody goo. Besides, burning wolf is kind of smelly to the Simi's delicate nostrils. So stand back."
Fang was stunned. Simi was with Aimee? Ash's demon companion? What the hell was she doing here?
What was Aimee thinking?
Knowing better than to argue with Simi, who never took no for an answer unless Ash was the one saying it, Fang did as she said. He'd barely cleared the area when the door literally disintegrated into a molten pool on the floor.