Page 12 of Eternally Theirs

“We must not give mortals any greater reason to fear us,” Ramsey interjected.

“Do you not think it is good they fear us?” Chiara asked, a gleam in her dark eyes. She was known for her merciless nature. He understood that even among the vampires, a female must show her strength more outwardly to gain respect, and Chiara gloried in it. He had to admit it was part of her attraction for him. It had been, anyway.

Now, all he could think of, all he desired, was the pair of young ones whose fate the Council held in their hands.

“I believe there is a balance,” Ever answered, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. “They must fear us enough to leave us alone to do as we wish. But if the fear becomes too great, they will rebel against us as they have their own governments.”

“We are not easily taken down.” Storm’s deep voice echoed with the centuries of his existence. His green eyes were like cut glass, his cheekbones just as sharp. “But I agree with you, Ever. We cannot allow things to get out of control. I don’t like these rogues. I don’t like their primitive makeup.”

“I prefer to think of myself as more sophisticated,” Aleron remarked, his fingers twining around the stem of his wineglass. “Whether it is in my self-control, or my… finer desires.”

“Yes, exactly.” Ever sipped from his own glass as images of Mercy’s lush and naked body filtered through his mind. Mercy and Deo, the two of them a contrast in hard and soft, fair and dark. Naked flesh and smooth skin. Her flowing red and gold hair, the sweet beauty of their faces like some shimmering mirage at the edges of his vision. He was hard for them both. But along with the lust was something else, something more—a fierce protectiveness for this rare young pair. His fingers curled into fists. “We must hunt this Gaius down. And dispose of him.”

“We don’t know how old he is. How powerful,” Ramsey said.

Ever nodded. “He is but one vampire. We are many. I don’t doubt that he can be dealt with, should we find him.”

“We will find him,” Ramsey answered, his low tone dangerous, his green gaze like a pair of sharp-edged peridots. “I hate that he is in my country, my jurisdiction, so to speak. I will not allow it. I will not allow him to wander, killing at random, Turning so irresponsibly the way he did Mercy.”

Mercy. Another shaft of desire struck Ever like a blow to the chest at simply hearing her name spoken aloud. He sucked in a breath.

“And what of this Mercy? What of her companion, Deo?” Chiara asked.

“She is innocent,” Ever said. “She had no idea what she was doing in Turning him.”

“You are saying she should suffer no consequences for her actions?” Chiara’s dark eyes glittered with barely banked animosity. “She broke the rules.”

“Rules she was not aware of. Rules we made. We can choose to govern their effect,” Ever answered, a rage growing in his chest. “I promised her she would not be made to pay for actions that were beyond her control. She had no way of knowing.” He leaned toward the female vampire, his teeth bared. “I will not allow it, Chiara. Do you hear me?”

Xavier laid a hand on Ever’s arm, but he shook him off.

“Ever,” the old French vampire said gently. “Calm yourself. I agree with you. The girl did not know the consequences of her actions. How could she? I do not hold her responsible but this rogue, Gaius. And Deo is even more innocent of any wrongdoing than she is.”

“I feel the same, as you know already,” Aleron put in.

Ever’s gaze moved from one unearthly figure to the next, daring any to argue with him, but they all nodded their agreement. All but Chiara, who caught his eye, frowning at him, but he knew her well enough to understand she would back down. He would find some distraction for her from among the club’s members—that would soothe her.

“So, where do we begin?” Laurent asked quietly. Xavier’s partner was softspoken, but he was old in his own right. Powerful. Exquisite.

“I will gather my forces from the Madrid club,” Ramsey answered. “But I would welcome aid from your clubs, as well. The sooner we find this fiend, the better. We don’t even know yet if he is still in Spain.”

“I agree,” Ever said.

He couldn’t stand the idea of this villain going unpunished. What he’d done to Mercy, and by extension, to Deo. But if they hadn’t been Turned, they wouldn’t be there, in his club. And he wanted them both so badly. It was as if some wild animal tore at his insides. He truly could barely stand to wait to be with them.

Pure torture knowing they waited for him. Eager. Wanting.

Focus. Protect them.

“Until they know enough to decide for themselves,” he went on, “to go about the world on their own, I will watch over Mercy and Deo here in London.”

“It is decided, then,” Aleron said. “We join resources to hunt Gaius, and the young ones will remain here for the time being under Ever’s protection.” “It is decided,” Chiara agreed grudgingly.

The others nodded, murmuring their accord.

Ever stood. “I thank you all for coming. Enjoy my club for the night. For as long as you wish.”

Chiara rubbed up against him, as sleek as a cat. “You are anxious to leave us,

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