Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,165

said out loud chilled her skin. She pushed that aside. “Master, is there any way I can help? If not taking the blocker will draw him closer—”

Niall’s hand landed on her shoulder, a warning. When Evan didn’t respond to her, she looked toward Daegan. “If it will help, my lord—”

Pivoting, Evan caught her by the hair, yanking her up onto her knees. A twist of his wrist arched her throat, her neck at an agonizing angle. “Did I give you leave to speak?” His cruel tone stabbed her heart.

“No, Master.”

“Then you will shut your mouth unless I do. You proved tonight why you shamed your InhServ training. Serving your own will is far more important than serving your Master’s.”

If he’d struck her in the face with a closed fist, he couldn’t have delivered a more lethal blow. She was so stunned she just stared at him.

“Eyes down,” he barked at her, reminding her of the first rule a servant ever learned. Dropping to her palms, she pressed her forehead to the ground, the InhServ’s most submissive posture. When he turned back to Daegan, his feet were planted on either side of her shoulders. “If you’ll give me leave to make my excuses to the Wintermans, my lord, I’ll meet you at a rendezvous point of your choosing, to discuss further matters before we part.”

Evan was so angry every muscle in his shoulders were tight, his eyes cold steel. During their three hundred years together, Niall had incurred that level of wrath perhaps twice. Though he felt very protective toward her as a result, it was clear Evan would put him on the ground if he tried to interfere. Not that it would stop Niall from trying, but it likely wouldn’t result in any help for her.

Though he didn’t agree with what Evan said to shut her down, he understood Evan’s fury with her, because he shared some of it himself. As she’d anticipated, they’d had to deal with Tyler, and convincing a trained operative nothing was amiss, while she was approaching an unknown vampire head-on, had been ten levels of bollocks. It was bad enough her lips had been wrapped around that bastard’s cock. He’d almost had his fangs in her, and that was the least thing the Trad had intended to inflict upon her.

Evan and Daegan had set a place to meet. Daegan disappeared back into the woods, once again a silent, deadly shadow. Despite Evan’s amazing luck with most vampires—tonight notwithstanding—if he ever ran afoul of that one, Niall knew they could share a final drink and toast their asses good-bye.

Evan sent Niall a look brimming with anger, which caused the Scot’s brow to crease. It was merely the truth, but Evan was obviously pissed at everyone at the moment. The vampire jerked his head at Alanna, still in the silent, subservient posture.

“Take her back to the RV. Get it packed up. But before you do that, I want her stripped and chained to the bunk in the back sleeper. If she wants anything . . . food, water, bathroom, she has to ask for it. If she can’t obey me, she’ll be treated like she can’t be trusted.”

He strode away. Looking down, Niall saw Alanna was quivering. A tiny sob escaped her, quickly swallowed. It made his jaw tighten, but when he reached down to pick her up, she shook him off and rose, albeit on legs as shaky as thin branches. The incredibly provocative outfit seemed too exposed for her now, her defeated eyes too vulnerable, no matter her straight posture. He wished he had a shirt he could put over her trembling shoulders. “I can walk, Niall. Unless it is my Master’s will otherwise.”

“No.” He shook his head, not trusting himself to say anything else, because what he wanted to do was pull her against him, hold her fiercely. Then beat her arse for scaring them, right after he threw her down on a bed and buried himself between her legs. He expected Evan had a similar plan in mind, given that he wanted her tied to the bed. “Follow me.”

She did, dutifully, silently. He skirted the party, knowing Evan would handle the apologies. If they ran into the vivacious Chloe now, Alanna would shatter. Their InhServ looked like brittle porcelain.

When they came to the RV, he opened the door, guided her up the steps. She moved away from him, toward the back sleeper. With wooden efficiency, she stripped, leaving the garment of mostly straps