He lifted his gaze to hers. “I"m supposed to hate her for the fact she chose to be the servant of a guy who did unspeakable things, but when she looked at him, she didn"t see that. It didn"t mean she was right, or less blind, but when she needed a hand to hold while dying, because she was afraid, I couldn"t deny her that. And in that moment, she didn"t seem to mind her last comfort came from her killer. Things are always more complicated, and less complicated, than we think they are. Wherever your sister is, she loves you, and she"s hoping like hell you"re happy, because she knows you deserve it. I don"t have to know anything else about her to know that. Because I know she loved you. There"s just no way she didn"t.” Tears filled her eyes. Her chin firmed again, holding them in, the fragility and strength warring against each other so fiercely. He knew she needed that battle, so he let her have it, though he suffered watching it. She didn"t move for long moments, and he didn"t disturb her, merely holding that connection as she found that balance she needed between the horror of her memories and the volatility of their present, and how she would rise above both. He would give her whatever strength she needed to do both, and so was content to stand there as long as she needed him to do so.

Her gaze lifted to him, her eyes telling him she heard his thoughts. She had a personal struggle about that as well, thoughts he wasn"t sure he wanted to hear. But as her lips parted to speak what he was trying to avoid reading, they heard the sound of footsteps in the corridor.

Both of their heads turned immediately toward the door. Anwyn slanted Gideon a smile, the shadows of her past lingering but obviously already being drawn back into the corners of her mind, where he knew she"d bury them even deeper than her gremlins could find. “Look at the two of us. We both perked up like a pair of spaniels, didn"t we?”

“If it"s all the same to you, I"d prefer to be a more masculine breed.”

“How about an ox?” she asked sweetly, and then fended off his pinch with an indignant swat as Daegan came through the door.

“I see being flogged half to death hasn"t taught him any more respect,” he remarked.

Gideon didn"t bother to retort, more concerned about what he saw in Daegan"s face, the taut lines around his sensual mouth. His dark hair was spiked, as if he"d been raking it. Anwyn went to him, rising on her toes to smooth down the strands.

“What"s going on?” she asked.

“As we thought, Brian was at the dinner because of what Vincent witnessed. Belizar demanded a full report from him after he met with you.”

Gideon"s eyes narrowed. “Did he tell Belizar about his time with us before?”

“No.” Daegan shook his head. “Brian confined his report to the present. He made it clear the condition was manageable, as long as Anwyn had my continued supervision as sire. He smoothly noted he already had some ongoing research, some injections that he thought would keep her functioning quite well. Unfortunately, the Council tends to turn information to their own objectives.”

“We met their tests, and it pissed them off. They want somebody to suffer, to feel like they still hold the upper hand.” Gideon saw the truth in Daegan"s gaze as Anwyn let out a creative and very unladylike curse.

“Us torturing Gideon in front of them wasn"t enough suffering? Are these people all psychopaths?”

“A servant suffering isn"t really suffering,” Gideon said shortly, so Daegan wouldn"t have to say it. Calm readiness descended on his body, as if it already knew a fight was ahead. “So what"s the bullet?”

Daegan swept his gaze over them both. “Lord Uthe pointed out that someone with this type of uncontrollable affliction would be an automatic addition to my termination list.” Gideon scowled. “They"re not touching her.”

“That was also my reaction.”

You know what needs to be done, and you are refusing to do it. Lord Belizar had said it in such a perfectly reasonable voice, and Daegan had reasonably noted he would disembowel anyone who thought about hurting her. Gideon"s assessment was correct. They wouldn"t be happy until they"d had him do something against all his principles, to prove his loyalty to them. Which meant they were in danger of losing it forever.

“So what do we do now?”

“I leave.”

“What?” They spoke in unison. Gideon straightened while Anwyn"s brow creased.

“What the hell are you talking about?” he demanded.

“After I refused to allow a discussion of Anwyn"s termination, Belizar ordered me to perform a task while they deliberate. There"s a rogue nest, fifty miles above Berlin. They"ve been preying on small towns. Reliable sources have provided their location for the next several days. This group is much like Barnabus,” he reassured them. “They"re made vampires, loose cannons, easy enough for me to dispatch. But taking care of a housekeeping matter in the Council"s backyard will prove useful to their state of mind.”

“You"re not this stupid.” Gideon stepped forward, anger in every line of his body. “Belizar"s getting you out of the way to take care of Anwyn and me while you"re gone.” Daegan shook his head again. “This is no longer about the two of you. It is clear to them that you both belong to me, so it is about my loyalty to the Council. And I do not go based on my trust in Belizar. I trust Uthe. I flatly refused to go on the assignment until I had you safely returned home. However, Belizar insists on more discussion of Anwyn"s seizures, given our track record with other made vampires with erratic behaviors. Uthe gave me his personal guarantee of your safety until I return, and he will post Brian here as a round-the-clock watch on you.” He inclined his head to Gideon. “I trust Uthe"s word. He is the one who loved my mother.”

Gideon paused. “So what I said . . .”

“There was an element of truth to it, though I still take exception to the phrasing. However, as I"m sure your brother has told you, of all the Council members, Uthe holds the most honor and integrity.” A grim smile touched Daegan"s mouth. “Once, a long, long time ago, Uthe was a Templar. He"s never left those principles behind. He also mentioned if I show my trust in the Council by leaving you in their hands while doing this, it"s likely the older members will be sufficiently mollified to confirm my guardianship of Anwyn, with frequent reports on her status.”

“We should just leave,” Anwyn said. “I hate all of them. I don"t care about their approval.

I"ll take the consequences of that.”

Daegan laid his hands on her tense shoulders, commanding her attention. “This is a new world for you, cher, and I know it is hard for you to understand. As I said from the beginning, I will not abandon the idea of your being accepted in this world, and the security that will bring you, until I have no other choice. Gideon, for all he abhors vampires, knows I speak the truth, for it is in his expression even now. He knows I am right.”

Confirming Gideon"s reluctant nod didn"t make the words easier for Anwyn to hear. “I still don"t care.”

“Then you must trust us that it is important that you do care, even when you don"t wish to do so.”

“I don"t like this,” Gideon said. “It feels wrong.”

Daegan considered him. “You think I am being misled, that he will allow harm to come to either of you?”

Gideon frowned. “No . . . What feels wrong is the nest of vampires. It"s a trick, isn"t it?”

“Perhaps more of a test than a trick.” Daegan shrugged. “Uthe is sending me a message.

They wanted to see if I"d trust their word, that you will remain safe while I"m gone, or if I"d defy them and take you home before performing their will. My loyalty appears to be the primary issue for them. The intel on the group is sound, though. I was seeking them when I was here before, but I ran out of time. Belizar told me he was expecting, or rather hoping, for information on them while I was here this time.”

Gideon frowned. “There could be more of them than you expect. You might need reinforcement.”

“I will be fine. Your job is to care for Anwyn.” His tone final, in that way that raised Gideon"s hackles, Daegan turned his gaze to Anwyn. A slight smile appeared on his serious mouth. “As I said, my loyalty is the issue. I think the rest is mostly show, because even the ones who suggested exterminating you are quite taken with you. If this is a trick to test my loyalty and abilities, and I take care of it, then I agree with Uthe. They will be more open to a different solution and accepting our proposal for your care and Gideon"s continued service to you.”

Daegan slanted Gideon a glance. “They are also intrigued by you, and what you seem to have become under her . . . thumb. You were right. Seeing you as her servant is more intriguing to them than your death. Vampires despise boredom above all other things.”

“I"m thrilled to entertain them.” But Gideon"s gut still made unpleasant grumblings as Daegan drew Anwyn to him, his fingers tangling in her loose hair.

Though he always noticed the appeal of Anwyn"s body, Gideon wasn"t sure why his attention became even more pronounced when Daegan"s hands were outlining those curves.

Regardless, his brainless cock didn"t seem to realize now was not the time to whine about the backlog of unreleased need.

“You believe you"ll be safe if I tell you it"s true?” the vampire asked her. “You won"t worry?”

“I"ll worry about you.” Anwyn laid her hands against his chest, inside the open collar of his shirt. “I always have, every time you"ve left me.”

“There is nothing to fear. When I get back, we will take care of this. As I have said”—his gaze took on a steely glint—“it matters not what the Council decides. You will be safe.”

“And Gideon?”

“Who? Oh, yes, him, too. Maybe.” Daegan was quick enough to evade her head slap, but caught her wrists and brought her to him for a long, thorough kiss, running his hands down her back to palm her ass. Gideon wasn"t sure which way to look, so chose to watch, caught in the unexpected trance of the voyeur, watching Daegan slide a hand up to her breast, kneading it so the curve expanded provocatively in the opening of her silk blouse, and her skin flushed, her nipple becoming obviously aroused under his manipulation.