Page 155 of Vampire's Choice

Jessica’s expression was frozen in a mask Ruth recognized. When Adan had been taken by the Fae as a child, her parents had worn that mask for months. Holding it together, doing whatever could be done, while behind it the primal cry of rage never ended, the grip of terror never eased.

Though Mason was focused on the strategy being discussed, she could feel the energy between the two, giving one another strength. But if the children were lost, it would be an immeasurable blow to two Council members. Which in turn would strike at the heart of the vampire world.

“Can we find him again?” Lady Lyssa demanded. “This Asva?”

“Cai and Rand are on it,” Lord Belizar said. The big Russian male had cold gray eyes, and his thick, swept back hair was streaked with silver. He looked as if he’d been spawned by the brutal winters and wilderness Merc had endured. His fitted black dress shirt and belted slacks didn’t soften the impression. When he spoke, his voice reminded Ruth of a general whose vocal cords had been permanently roughened by the roar to charge and give no quarter.

He’d been Council head before Lyssa deposed him, a decisive move that removed all debate about her strength and ability to hold the reins on the vampire world. And renewed his loyalty to her, which had been wavering before that power move. Vampires.

“Maddock portaled them to a spot close to Lady Kaela’s home. Rand is on the scent,” he added.

Ruth thought of their visits to the island, Rand shifting to run with Ruth at night, the giant black wolf wrestling with her. The cats had viewed him with great suspicion and animosity, except for one of the female mountain lions, who Cai had teased him was ready to break interspecies boundaries to become the first wolf-mountain cat mating.

Your children would be so adorable. Wolf-kittens.

Rand was an exceptional tracker, in human or wolf form, and Cai was no slouch at it, either. They would find Asva, if they hadn’t already.

“Have we heard from the Fae Queen yet, my lady?” Lady Helga sat in a chair on the other side of the table. She had intelligent and concerned brown eyes, framed by thick blond hair she had pulled back in a chignon. “With this level of magic use, the Fae’s involvement needs to be ruled out. I find it very difficult to believe the Trads have achieved the magical capability to fortress the island the way they did. And wipe your memory on top of that, Lord Mason.”

Despite Mason’s preoccupation, Ruth’s confused look caught his attention. Probably because of her situation, he took the time to tersely explain, his voice laden with frustration. “I remember little before I was imprisoned in the container, except the children being taken and Mal…falling.”

Tense silence descended. It was as if they suddenly realized Ruth was not just a vampire with information, but also Mal’s daughter. A few expressions flickered, warning her she was about to be offered condolences. Ruth shook her head, almost violently, stepping back into Merc as if warding off an attack.

Fortunately the message in her reaction was heeded. Lyssa’s eyes touched Ruth’s, but then she spoke to Helga’s question. “My half-sister, Queen Rhoswen, says it’s impossible to know what every Fae might be up to. The machinations of their two courts are even more political than ours. But she is doing her own research, as is Lord Keldwyn, our Fae liaison.”

“The children’s visit to the island was known to very few,” Lady Carola said. She had a dark bob around thick-lashed gray eyes. Her sharp cheekbones and chin gave her a perpetually intent look. Her face held little warmth, and Ruth suspected that was its normal temperature. “Isn’t that correct?”

“Yes,” Mason said. “Beyond Ruth, Mal and Elisa, no one except myself, Lyssa and our servants knew. Mal doesn’t even inform his staff until we arrive. He also doesn’t schedule other visitors Lyssa and I haven’t vetted.”

“Would your children have mentioned it to someone?” Lord Walton posed the practical question. “At a café, a discussion in a taxi, anything. It’s expected that your children are watched by unfriendly eyes, and though you do all you can to protect them, information can be used and ferreted out, if the one seeking it is determined.”

Lyssa and Mason accepted the idea with an exchanged tight look. Then Lyssa’s gaze turned inward. “Lord Uthe has arrived with an update. Maddock is with him.”

At one time Lord Uthe had been Belizar’s and then Lyssa’s right hand, respectively. He’d officially stepped down from Council some time ago, leaving the current nine-member count, but was bound to Lord Keldwyn, one of the first approved Fae-vampire pairings, something that still drove as much controversy in the Fae world as vampire-servant open declarations of love did in theirs.

If he was bringing a missive of support from the Fae world, it would be welcome news. Especially after Yvette’s crushing news that the angels and Guardians weren’t allowed to take sides. It was good Marcellus wasn’t here right now. Ruth screaming curses at him wouldn’t do much good for anyone.

Uthe strode into the hallway. His clothing was well made but functional and unadorned. He’d once been a Templar Knight, and still adhered to many of its warrior-monk tenets. On earlier visits to the island, before bonding with Lord Keldwyn, he’d kept his hair military short. Now he’d grown it out, a gleaming brown mane, but he kept it tied back. Except for the Fae Lord who liked it longer.

Just before he reached the tense knot of those waiting for him, Uthe stopped and closed his eyes. He looked as if he might be gathering his thoughts. Or praying. But then his eyes opened again, and he moved forward, executing a bow to Lyssa.

“Cai and Rand found Asva,” he told her. “He was staked and burned, no more than an hour after he left Kaela. Rand sniffed out the ash residue.”

“So someone found out he had betrayed them,” Lord Stewart noted flatly. His olive-skinned face looked set in a permanent expression of disapproval, his brows lowered over intense green eyes. “Perhaps they were watching him, and executed him after he left Kaela’s home.”

“Or they fed him the information before then, watched him to confirm delivery, and then tied up loose ends. Which means the information itself is suspect.” Mason’s gaze was hard. “We need to know where the chess-playing Trad bastard is.”

“We believe we do.” Uthe slid a paper from his front breast pocket, glanced at it as if to remind himself of what was on it, then handed it to Lyssa. “Cai and I still have enough of a network in the Trad world to secure a high probability on his location. If we’re correct, this might be where your children are being held.”

His brown eyes met Lyssa’s. “Our advantage is they won’t have expected us to locate them this quickly. They also don’t know the travel resources we have.” His attention moved to Maddock. “Maddock said a portal route is possible that will deliver you within a few miles of the location. He’s willing to be the conductor for that transport.”

“Good.” Lyssa nodded to Maddock.

“All that said,” Uthe added, his expression grim, “I do believe they assume you will find them. Which means they will be prepared for that.”

“So will we,” Lyssa said.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

---