Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,171

of her tears, stroking the hair at her temples, then rested his hands on her shoulders.

“As much as I’d like to hold you well through the morning, Daegan can’t wait indefinitely. I want you in my sight while I meet with him. In fact, you may be chained to my bed every dawn until I stop having waking nightmares about you in the hands of that unwashed, mishugina zealot.”

She was chagrined anew, but he turned her so her feet were on the floor, her sitting next to him on the bed. The look he cast at her manacles and bare body heated her skin. “You still have that severe punishment coming. I’ll just wait until I can enjoy it more. Can you put yourself together in five minutes?”

“Three, Master.”

“Get to it, then.”

19

SHE was as good as her word. She and Niall had the RV packed and ready when Evan returned from talking to Tyler. Less than fifteen minutes after that, they were pulling into a protected birdwatching area frequented by naturalists during daylight hours. From the picnic shelter, Evan watched Niall and Alanna, sitting in the wooden observation tower overlooking the marsh. He’d sent both servants there, primarily because Niall’s emotions were still quite . . . Scottish. If he shot his mouth off during the more problematic discussion points, Evan might have to prevent the loss of another servant.

Niall hadn’t liked being excluded, especially when he saw Gideon, Daegan’s servant, would be staying in the shelter to attend the conversation, but Evan had nodded to Alanna.

She’s still in a fairly fragile state. I want her reassured that her place among us is restored. And there’s no need for her to hear this.

While Niall rightly suspected Evan had reasons for wanting him specifically out of earshot, the reasons to remove Alanna were equally truthful. So the Scot reluctantly took her off to the tower, though Evan expected he’d be thoroughly interrogated later about his discussion with the Council’s assassin.

Of course, now that his and Daegan’s conversation had extended longer than expected, his servant was stretched out in the bird watch while Alanna moved around below, studying the foliage with her plant book. Every once in a while, he saw her go back up into the tower and check on Niall.

Even though all the lore said he would feel Niall’s loss like a ton of bricks falling on his chest, these days Evan often left camera or canvas to lean over his servant just as Alanna was doing, making sure the man’s eyes were closed in sleep, not staring at an eternity he’d not yet experienced. His hand closed into a fist on the table.

“You’re distracted. More than usual, I suspect, according to Lord Uthe’s description of you.”

Lord Daegan had been leaning against one of the shelter posts, but now resumed his seat across from Evan, demonstrating that lithe warrior’s grace that said he could slice an unfortunate gnat out of the air. Niall was a fair hand with a blade, but Daegan’s every movement underscored he had one primary purpose, and he did it well.

Thinking of the last time he’d seen Niall pick up a claymore, Evan wondered if Daegan had ever watched the movie Highlander. One night, a long, long time ago, due to his own poor planning, his need to use up that one last roll of film, Evan had taken daylight refuge in the basement of what turned out to be a sorority house. He was discovered by two of the girls doing their laundry, but Niall’s charm had quickly overcome any concerns. In fact, several other girls had joined them for a day-long party, complete with beer, junk food and parlor games, most of which Evan missed because he was sleeping on the cot they brought him.

However, he’d been awake enough to hear them ask Niall to say the infamous Highlander hook-up line: “I am Connor McLeod of the Clan McLeod, et cetera, et cetera . . . and I can never die.” Surprisingly, it did work outside the movies. Thank God Niall had a third mark, or he might not have survived the pleasurable demands of that day.

Enough of this. Realizing he was proving the vampire’s point, Evan straightened, gave Daegan his full attention. Gideon was propped on the brick fire pit, arms crossed over his broad chest. While his gaze strayed periodically toward Alanna and Niall, the alert set of his lean, warrior’s body said he was as focused on the task at hand