Page 109 of The Satyr's Guilt
“No doubt. I’ll feel better with eyes onyou.” He leaned close, his gaze sweeping from her shiny chestnuthair south to her breasts where it lingered.
Denim shook her head, but a smile curved herlips. She should be pissed about his playing babysitter and oglingher. She should push back. Of course, with Ram she’d have to pushback with a sledgehammer. But she no longer minded hisover-protective nature. He cared. Whether he admitted it ornot.
Rein and Braelyn sat across the table, mostlikely playing footsie or fondle-the-crotch because she keptpunching his shoulder while she giggled. The controlled Firebrand’sexpression remained bland as he shrugged his shoulders, implying hehad no idea what his mate meant.
Kole strode in with an arm clasped aroundSkyler’s waist. He nodded at something she must have said. Theychose the two seats next to the director of the Ministry of WellBeing.
As loud laughter drifted in from the outeroffice, Margo shot through the doorway in front of Chay, whopinched her ass. She shot a frown over her shoulder at her ylvemate.
Behind them, Nico entered with his hand atSabine’s lower back.
That’s when all conversation halted. Violetirises shot with dark purple specks shone below Abello’s thicklashes.
“Ha!” Braelyn diverted her attention fromRein. “Finally. Not another word about whether you’re one ofus.”
“No doubt.” Nico plastered a smirk on hisface.
He pulled out a chair for Sabine, and sheplopped into it.
Rein glanced around and voiced what Denimwas thinking. “We’re all here. What’s up?”
Alarik held up a hand. “Not everyone. Iinvited someone else.”
At that moment, a deadly man withwaist-length black hair, thin braids framing his face, ushered in astrikingly beautiful woman. Her straight and shiny dark hair bobbedat her chin and swished from side-to-side like a swath of silk. Aslight tilt to her dark eyes gave her an exotic look. The mannodded, leading the woman to her seat amid hushed stares. From theexpressions around the table, no one had met his guest.
Alarik nodded, addressing the male.“Commander Jarek, I suppose you know why I asked you here with thisgroup.”
The male’s gaze traveled the room. “Ido.”
The director continued. “None of you knowher, but this…” He gestured toward the woman beside the djinncommander. “…is Lizette Lee. She is a Blood Coven descendant. Whenwe found out this morning, I called Jarek about her testresults.”
Margo grinned, flipping a lock of red hairover her shoulder. “Greetings.” She tapped near her own violeteyes.
“Not yet,” said Lizette.
“For those of you who don’t know our otherguest, this is my sister, Indigo.” Alarik pointed to the far end ofthe table.
She wore an off-the-shoulder peasant blouse,twirled a strand of hair around her index finger, and cast furtiveglances at the faces, as if memorizing them.
Denim’s brows furrowed, giving Lizette apuzzled look. No one new had moved onto her floor. “Will you bejoining us in Kole’s stronghold?”
Jarek didn’t give the woman a chance torespond. “No.”
“Okay.” Braelyn spiked fingers through hershort auburn hair. “What’s your story? We all have one.”
Before she answered, Lizette studied Jarek.He rested his hand atop hers on the table. “I was kidnapped, takento a jail of sorts, and then sold to a berserker. Jarek and hisFirebrands found me.”
“You were sold?” Kole puzzled his brows.“Who sold you?”
“Aisen. I now understand he was working witha vampire named Silas.”
“They gave all their captives a blood test.It should have told them who you were. They never would have sold aBlood Coven offspring. Selling you goes against every theory we’reworking on,” said Kole.
“I think,” answered Jarek, “they had run outof time. The Firebrands were on to the operation, and the two vampswanted fast bucks. They sold her before her test results camethrough.”
Braelyn leaned onto an elbow, her chincupped in her palm. “We’re graduates of the same prison system.Sounds like I lucked out, though. How long were you with thisberserker?”
Lizette cast her gaze downward, pausing.“Too long.”
