Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,208

things that would require a vampire’s approval, whereas Niall kept his attention on her. On whatever front necessary, her needs would be met.

“It’s administered over a twenty-one-day period,” Brian continued. “Two treatments a day, and it’s essentially a poison.”

Lady Lyssa nodded. “Will there be any effect upon Evan, since he’s marked her?”

“If it works, he’ll feel the break when it happens, because it will obliterate any marking in her blood. However, it should be no worse than the physical sense of severing that occurs when a servant dies.”

An experience he hadn’t had. Yet. He was keenly aware of Niall, the man’s heat and presence within a yard of him.

Lyssa looked toward him then. Though she was a slim woman and barely over five feet tall, her presence filled a room, riveting all attention upon her. Except for one. Her gaze shifted to Niall. On a normal day, Evan would have sent Niall a sharp command to show respect and attention to the vampires in the room, but she gave him a slight shake of her head before he could do it. His servant had put his hands on the window, as if he could somehow draw the evil plaguing Alanna to himself. Evan gripped his shoulder, then gave Lyssa full attention for both of them.

“You are her Master, Evan. This decision is yours.”

It was an unexpected privilege, since his guardianship was temporary. But all that mattered was Alanna. If it worked, her mind would be out of his reach, but it would also be out of reach of Stephen’s.

He couldn’t make an obvious overture to his servant, especially not in this company, but he would do it. Niall?

The man bowed his head, pressing his fingers harder against the glass. If there’s any chance she can be free of this bastard, we need to do it.

Evan met Lyssa’s gaze. “I’ve never met a servant as strong as Alanna. Given the strength of my own servant, that’s saying something. Let’s give her the chance to fight.”

If the treatment had not involved Stephen, they could have transported him outside of the range of her mind, taken him to the North Pole. But Brian needed daily samples, comparisons, brain activity readings on them both.

Though Evan knew Stephen had to remain untouched for the treatment to have any chance of success, watching her continued torment made Evan appreciate Daegan’s and Gideon’s wisdom. Throughout the three weeks, neither male told him where on the estate the vampire traitor was being held.

When day twenty-one had passed with no obvious change, Evan felt like his soul had been torn in two. Even Lord Brian and Debra, who’d given so much to this effort, looked affected by it. On day twenty-two, he would have to confront other options. No. The only other option. Near midnight, he left Niall watching over her, and went to find Daegan. The assassin was in the garden, doing graceful, lethal exercises with his katana while Gideon straddled a bench, cleaning and sharpening an array of knives. Given his reason for seeking Daegan out, the sight brought Evan up short.

The vampire’s awareness was as finely tuned as that of any predator Evan had witnessed. So he wasn’t surprised when Daegan’s attention turned to him the moment he stepped on the path toward them.

They didn’t offer small talk, empty chatter. Things were well past that. Since Evan had second marks on Alanna, he could hear what was happening in her mind, pulling him into the hell with her whenever he lowered the shield between them. At first, he’d felt he was abandoning her by keeping that wall up. Finding his way through the maze of her nightmares had been futile, though. It had made it far worse for her as well, Stephen punishing her for Evan’s competing presence, the fucking hell spawn. When Evan had tried harder to break through, it had affected Niall as well. Evan had passed out in front of Alanna’s window one night, suffering a gushing nosebleed. Debra went to get Niall and found him almost impossible to rouse, in a sleep so deep, his body so cold, she’d struggled to find his pulse.

Lyssa has forbidden you to lower the shield between your minds again. Lord Uthe had delivered the stern admonition to him in his room, while he was cleaning up. His gentle fingers on Evan’s face, the rough threading through his hair, had belied the reproof. I know you will not heed her words if you think it will help