Page 68 of The Tenor's Shadow

Freddie froze, paralyzed. He could not disobey Master Hughes, but his mate was in danger, steps away.

Master…

No, Freddie. We have to—

Freddie sensed the whimper through the incomplete mate bond before it hit his ears. Anthony was hurt. Taking a few steps closer, the rusty aroma of his love’s fresh blood hit his nose.

He’s injured. The old law releases me from your command.

Freddie!

There were few things that modern vampire society held onto from the bad old days, when the only rule was “might makes right.” The one sacrosanct tenet from the beginning was that the safety of one’s mate overrode any other command. Partly because the death of the vampire’s mate would be followed swiftly by their own, and partly because the pain at a mate’s injury was incapacitating.

Freddie burst into the room, flinging the door off to one side. Inside the dirty, deteriorating subway office, a tall, effete vampire flinched, fear flashing on his perfect face. That had to be Charles Azarian.

Gabriela showed no emotion. Her clawed hand was around Anthony’s throat.

The crimson surge no longer fought to control Freddie. His demon knew Freddie would give it the blood and carnage it desired.

“Gabriela de Aragon.”

“Ah, the muscle finally did some research.” Gabriela’s voice wasn’t angry or maniacal. It was matter of fact, as if the situation was a mundane business transaction.

Freddie sensed Lillian enter behind him and stand off his right shoulder. “Why aren’t you dead?” she asked.

“Some decrepit Carpathian hermit couldn’t take me out. But he was a convenient excuse. Too many people were interested in my comings and goings. I needed a new beginning.”

“Don’t talk to them, Mother!” The words poured out of Charles Azarian in a hoarse screech. “Until we can set up a meeting with Oliver, we have nothing to say.”

Freddie turned to the tall vampire, whose petulant expression betrayed his calm elegance. “I speak for my master.”

“Bullshit! I want to see Oliver.”

Rose entered and flanked Freddie on the left. “The coven master is mated, married, and has an empire to run. He has no time for your petty desires.” Her bitter tone echoed her twin’s.

“Oliver is mine! His coven is mine!” Charles touched the scar on his throat as if reliving a memory. “When Oliver betrayed me, when he gave me this, he forfeited his life. All of you will serve me.”

“I don’t think so.” Freddie took a step towards him.

“Mother!” Charles let out a shrill whine as he stomped his foot like a child.

Anthony yelped as Gabriela’s claw tightened around his throat.

“No, no, no. None of that,” she said.

The powerful grip pressed around Freddie’s own throat as he experienced Anthony’s pain secondhand. Freddie’s veins burned with their need to punish his mate’s attacker. Rose placed a hand on his arm to steady him.

“Yes, calm the brute.” Charles was still vibrating with anxious energy, but his smirk showed that he thought he had the upper hand. “Dear Freddie wouldn’t want to see his mate’s lifeblood spill out on the dirty concrete.”

A sharp growl sounded from the door. As one, they turned to see the source. Garrett stood in the doorway, his eyes feral and his claws long and sharp, more animal than human.

The room erupted into chaos.

Garrett flew across the floor in a storm of bloodlust, separating Gabriela from Anthony and slamming her into the nearby wall. Rose and Lillian lunged for Charles, and Freddie was at Anthony’s side in an instant, his claws slicing through the ropes that bound Anthony’s hands.

“My mate…” Freddie’s words caught in his throat.

“I called to you. You heard me.” Anthony rubbed the wrists of his now-freed hands. He brought them up to rest on Freddie’s chest.

Freddie nodded, getting lost in Anthony’s eyes as he looked down at him. “You are mine. I will always come for you.”

“I love you.” Anthony’s eyes shone in the dim light. “I do.”

Freddie kissed him, hard and desperate, needing to feel his mate, to calm the demon beast inside of him. He would never allow himself to be separated from Anthony. Anthony would never face this kind of danger again.

A loud shriek broke through their quiet bubble, and Freddie slid in front of Anthony. No one would get near his mate.

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