Page 20 of Tamed By Her Vampire Protector

The three of us huddled together as we watched the fire grow.By some miracle, they were able to put out the fire, and it didn’t spread past the east wing of the building.

Leo came back outside first.He was covered in soot and his face was smudged in black.He smelled like a campfire.I ran over and threw my arms around his neck.“What happened?”

Leo returned my hug with a tight squeeze before setting me back on the ground.“Alex is sure it’s the Aurelians, they want to get the orb back.”

“Did they take it?”Lizzy asked.

Leo shook his head.“It’s safe in a location.Only Alex knows where it is.”

I let out a breath of relief.That orb was the ticket to ending this hellish world and life going back to normal.The vampires couldn’t find out, not even Leo.I planned on getting my hands on that orb and smashing it into a million pieces.As long as it was hidden somewhere close by, I had a chance.

Alex walked out of the smoldering building and came over to us.“Where’s Amanda?”He glanced at us and immediately froze.

“I thought she was with you?”Rose replied.

I looked around.Amid all the chaos, I didn’t notice Amanda was missing.

“No, she said she was going to visit you before going to bed.”

Rose shook her head.“She never came to my room.”

Alex let out a roar that made the ground shake with his fury.He got the faraway look in his eyes that indicated he was reaching out to her through the bond.He shook his head.“There’s nothing there.She must be unconscious.”

Immediately, the master vampire took charge and began barking out orders.“I want everybody to secure the perimeters.Search every square inch of the grounds.Leave nothing unturned.Look for clues, signs of a struggle, anything.”His eyes filled with bloodthirsty rage.“I will burn the world to the ground to get her back.”

“You might want to hold onto that thought,” Dante said as he ran over with Grant.“Look at this.”

He handed a torn off gold necklace studded with diamonds to Alex.It was covered in blood and there was strands of blonde hair wrapped around the clasp.

“I would recognize that necklace anywhere,” Leo said.“My father got that necklace for my mother for their fortieth anniversary.”

“Amanda must have ripped it from Giselle’s neck as they fought,” Grant added.

“Will she hurt Amanda?”I asked.I wasn’t familiar enough with Giselle to know what she was capable of doing, but everything I knew about this woman indicated she was ruthless.

Alex shook his head.“No.She’s crazy, but she’s not stupid.She’s going to use Amanda as a bargaining chip to get the orb.”

“You can’t possibly be thinking about going through with it,” Grant protested.

“I have no choice.I can’t lose Amanda or the baby.”

Chapter 9

Leo

“She’s going to be there, isn’t she?”My mother was chaotic, but predictable in her own way.I knew exactly where she was going to be waiting for us.I suspected that Alex knew as well.

Alex nodded.“Giselle would never pass up an opportunity to send a message or seek vengeance.”He removed another gun from the safe and loaded it with bullets soaked in holy water.“The place where her own mate died is the perfect place to hold Amanda hostage.”He handed the loaded weapon to me.“I have no doubt she’ll hurt Amanda even if we didn’t have the orb.”

I holstered the weapon.With two guns hidden under my jacket, a stake strapped to my ankle, and another knife strapped to my arm, I was ready for combat.“She won’t succeed.We’ll get them back safe and sound.”

Alex grabbed the side of his giant mahogany desk and shoved it several feet away.Reaching behind the nearest bookcase, he pulled out a hidden crowbar and began ripping out the floorboards that were under the desk.

His choice of a hiding place for the orb was a bit primitive, but I guess sometimes the simpler ways were best, as my mother failed to find the orb.Alex got down on his hands and knees and reached into the hole in the floor until his entire arm disappeared up to his shoulder.He reached around until, finally, he pulled out a nondescript black duffle bag.

“Is that it?”The tattered canvas bag looked like it contained a change of sweaty gym clothes.

“See for yourself.”Alex unzipped the bag and pulled out a crystal orb the size of a grapefruit.It emitted a golden yellow glow as the magical forces inside swirled around like goldfish in a bowl.

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