Annika's voice was thrumming with worry. Myst tried to calm her. "Annika, we will think of something. Go speak to the Lykae downstairs. Maybe he knows something we don't."
Ten minutes later, Annika stormed into her room. Emma cracked open her eyes to see a man lurch in after her, hands shackled behind him. Following were Lucia and Regin, faces pensive, swords drawn.
The man was tall with a shadow of a beard. His eyes were a burnished gold, and he'd been frozen into his immortality with rakish laugh lines fanning out from them. He looked so much like Lachlain that it pained her. Garreth.
Would he despise her for her involvement with his brother?
Annika pointed in Emma's direction. "Is this who Lachlain should take his vengeance out on? We've all suffered at the vampires' hands, yet that dog thinks to punish our Emma, who is nothing but innocent and kind." She uncovered Emma's leg. "Look at these gashes! They won't heal! What has he done to her? You will tell me or - "
"Christ," he murmured. "That's his...no, it canna be." He strode forward, but Regin yanked on his bonds. "Let me closer," he growled over his shoulder. "Closer, or you'll get no help from me." His voice grew deadly. "Get her well."
"We've tried everything!"
"Why will she no' drink? Aye, Valkyrie, I hear your whispers from her room. I know what she is. What I doona know is how she is my brother's mate."
"Emma will never be a 'mate' to one of you!"
"It has been done," he grated. "I assure you."
Emma opened her eyes, needing to explain -
Annika struck him, sending him reeling back.
"He's marked her," Garreth bit out. "He'll be coming for her. I'm just surprised he's no' here already."
Annika raised her hand again, but Emma didn't want him hurt. "Annika, don't..."
"Force blood down her throat," Garreth said.
"Think you we have not tried that? She can't keep it down."
"Try other blood, then. Take mine."
"Why do you care?"
His voice was so strong, so like Lachlain's when he said, "Because that's my queen and I'll die for her."
Annika was shaking with emotion. "Never your queen," she hissed.
"Goddamn it, let her drink from me!"
"She won't," Annika said, suddenly sounding like she was about to cry. That had happened only once before. Emma wanted to drink. She didn't want to die, but her fangs seemed to have grown small and useless. She feared Demestriu had poisoned her with his claws, and was so weak she could barely keep her eyes open.
Garreth said, "Let me talk to the vampire I scented in the house."
"He wouldn't know anything - "
"Let me talk to him!" he roared.
Annika told Lucia to go get Myst and Wroth. Seconds later, Emma heard Wroth's deeply accented voice, and her lids flickered open. Then, as if in slow motion, Garreth shook free of Regin and lunged for him. They caught each other by the throat.
"Heal her, vampire," Garreth bit out.
Low, deadly, all eerie calm, this Wroth simply murmured, "Don't do that again, Lykae."
He didn't use the if-then threat. As if he knew the mere idea of his displeasure would terrify others.
Garreth released the man. Seconds later, Wroth let go.
"Heal her."
"I don't know the old ways like some. For a price, I offer to contact Kristoff and ask this boon from him."
"I'll pay it - "
Annika interrupted, "But then Kristoff will know of her existence."
Garreth scoffed. "Surely the vampire's already told him?"
Myst said, "Wroth protects our interests," but Annika and Garreth clearly appeared doubtful.
Garreth turned to Annika. "If we worked together, the vampires would no' hand us our asses like the last Accession. We ally, and we keep her from them."
Wroth warned in a deadly tone, "Wait till I'm out of the room before you conspire." No consequence clause.
"But Kristoff has my blood and I killed Demestriu," Emma whispered.
Myst crossed to the bed and stroked her hair. "I know, darling. You've said this before."
Garreth asked Wroth, "What is your price?"
"I want my union with Myst recognized by all."
Silence.
Lightning flashed outside, and Annika bowed her head.
While Myst gaped at her sister, the vampire traced to just before her. He cupped his hand behind Myst's neck, and stared down into her eyes. Breathless, she gazed up at him as though with wonder, and then they were gone.
On the jet, Lachlain pawed at the DVD player.
Harmann had downloaded the video to this machine, and he'd explained how to use it again and again, but Lachlain's hands were shaking.
He couldn't imagine what she had gone through. Even the strongest Lykae never returned from Demestriu's lair, yet she'd defeated him - something no being that had ever lived had been able to accomplish.
Lachlain needed to see even as he dreaded it, needed to find out why she hadn't returned to him. To Kinevane. When he'd finally gotten far from Helvita and staggered back to Harmann, he'd had Harmann call Kinevane.
She wasn't there. She'd traced to... her real home.
The player finally started, the video loop beginning with her alone in the room, just before Demestriu traced inside.
As Lachlain watched their conversation, his heart sank to see Emma behaving as if Demestriu's comments didn't hurt her. She might even not realize they did, but Lachlain could see something fading in her eyes each time. Underneath all her swagger, she was still the same vulnerable Emmaline.
Demestriu looked as horrific and awesome as Lachlain remembered. And yet, when she'd admitted her mother had told them nothing about Demestriu, Lachlain could swear he'd looked - for the briefest moment - hurt.