“She supports Lord Stephen"s objectives for made vampires, though she is unaware of his personal vendetta.”

“So Xavier knows Daegan is coming.” That came from Anwyn.

“Yes. He has had time to prepare, and has a force of fifteen combat-trained vampires.” Alanna reflexively took a step back toward the door as Anwyn moved forward, her expression forbidding. Brian put a quelling hand on Anwyn"s shoulder, but Gideon didn"t know if she felt it. Of course, he was having difficulty reining back his own reaction.

“But Lord Stephen is beginning to fear Xavier"s strength,” Alanna continued. “Xavier is being less respectful. Stephen did not foresee the long-term result of his actions. If he gives Xavier up to the Council for accumulating a private army, he will reveal his own wrongdoing.

Xavier knows Stephen holds no power over him.”

“So while Stephen assumes Daegan will be killed, he also hopes he"ll kill a big enough group of Xavier"s vampires in the process so that Stephen can control Xavier"s base once more.” Gideon"s lip curled.

“I must go now,” Alanna said shortly. “You do what you will with this.” Gideon grasped her arm again. “We need more information.”

“You have all that I have time to give you. My Master will demand to know where I"ve been when I return to his quarters.” As she gazed up at him, reality dawned. Gideon"s gut tightened.

“You"re Stephen"s full servant. He"ll know what you"ve done.”

“Yes.”

“We can protect you.” Gideon had no clue how he could do that, but the way she stood there, quiet and brave, with thin, pale arms and the eyes of a wounded doe, made it impossible for him to say anything else. But the look she gave him told him she"d already accepted whatever outcome came from this.

“No, you can"t.” Her gaze shifted to Lord Brian now. “I do not betray my Master lightly. At one time, I believed he cared for me. Then he denied me the right to go to my brother"s funeral. He had another engagement, a dinner in France. Twelve vampires. Despite my grief, or perhaps because of it, he had me fully participate in that dinner, giving me to all twelve of them. And to their servants. It went on for three days. I realized later it was to test my loyalty to him over my love for my brother.”

Lord Brian"s gaze flickered, but he said nothing, nothing on his face indicating whether or not he condemned or held compassion for the woman.

At his lack of response, her face went even more wooden and she looked toward Gideon again. “A servant serves, because she believes she is vital to the heart and soul of her Master. I was an Inherited servant, so I did not expect or ask for anything except an unconditional sense of value. Stephen does not have a heart or soul. Good-bye.”

“Wait.” Gideon stopped her once more at the doorway, his mind still sifting through possibilities, ways they could keep her from Stephen"s retribution. “Why did you help us? I was responsible for your brother"s death.”

Those liquid brown eyes reached deep inside of him, squeezing his jaded heart. “Because you told me you were sorry,” she said simply. “And you meant it. It was the first time anyone acknowledged my grief. In your eyes, I saw you understood, truly, what it was to lose one you loved. I may hate that you were the instrument that took him from me, but in the world we live in, I know genuine feelings from false. And I have now seen the monstrous side of them that causes you to take their lives. Do not worry about me, Gideon Green. I do not want or need your help. The end will be a blessing for me. Go save your Master. Good-bye.” Shrugging off Gideon"s hand, she slipped out the door. Brian came to Gideon"s side, Anwyn with him. Anwyn"s eyes were angry, worried, searching. “Anything?” Gideon asked.

She shook her head. “I"m calling to him. He said it was fifty miles away. Maybe I"m not strong enough yet, but he can hear my mind from that distance. If I was worried or afraid, calling to him, he would hear. He would answer, Gideon. Oh God . . .” She pulled away before he could touch her, reassure her. “No, he"s fine,” she told them both, told herself. “He"s so fast. He"s the best at what he does.”

Gideon remembered what he"d told Daegan, what was pounding in his head now. Everybody can be hurt. Toe-to-toe, Hercules might not be able to stand up to you, but if someone plans carefully enough, a ten-year-old kid could. He was glad Anwyn appeared occupied with her own reassurances to herself, giving him time to push his damaging thoughts aside.

“We have to get to my lab,” Brian said. “Once Stephen knows what she did, he will anticipate my reporting this to the Council. He"ll go there to do damage control before he tries to contact Xavier. It will never occur to him that you two will try to leave the castle and help Daegan. And I fear he will need your help. If we are lucky, the Council will not think to call you from your rooms for this discussion, and it may be quite a while before they realize you have left the castle.”

Apparently Brian had already anticipated what he and Anwyn were going to do, and Gideon appreciated his intuition. A look of warrior fierceness crossed Anwyn"s expression before she pivoted and disappeared into the bedroom. She must have moved with the speed of a vampire, because the two men had only a handful of seconds to be impatient before she returned, carrying her overnight bag.

“Things we"ll need,” she said shortly. Brian nodded, opening the door and investigating the passage before he waved them out. “We must move swiftly.”

“Why don"t we go to the Council as well?” Anwyn asked, hurrying alongside him, Gideon covering their rear.

“Because you are a fledgling and Gideon is a vampire hunter,” Brian said. “They won"t believe either of you over two Council members. If you have no proof, your life is forfeit for an accusation brought against them. I will handle the Council until you return. While my account will be secondhand, it will give them pause, buy you time. They will believe Daegan, if he can get back here with proof.”

“What about Alanna?” Gideon asked.

“She is correct. Stephen will execute her as soon as he knows. There is no leniency for a servant betraying her Master. If she is lucky, he will be in a hurry and make it quick.” Gideon and Anwyn came to a stop together, but Brian gripped their arms and propelled them on. “There is nothing you can do for her. Not and save Daegan as well. She chose her path, and

she does not seek rescue. If you looked in her eyes, you could tell she is already dead. She was groomed and raised to be a servant. If she betrays her Master, no other will want her, and she has no desire for purpose beyond that. Her heart and spirit are broken. She did this for her brother, a final act. If there is anything to be done for her, Gideon, I swear I will try to intervene. But you must choose. You can only save one of them.” Christ. Gideon forced down his helpless rage, the vision of what might be done to the woman. “Why are we headed to your lab?”

“You need something that will help you overcome fifteen military-trained vampires. Debra, my servant, is preparing what you need. I"ve sent her instructions already.”

“You keep incendiary rounds in your lab?” Gideon queried.

Brian gave him a wry look. “I"m sure you already have that on your private plane. I have something far more useful.”

True to his word, when Brian entered the lab, Debra was already packaging three vials for transport. She had a backpack of other materials put together, which included directions to Xavier"s club, the Coffin. Gideon wondered if she"d ever considered throwing in her hat with the vampire hunters, because they could have used her efficiency.

Anwyn gave him a quelling look at that thought, but in several seconds they were both paying close attention as Brian gave them further instructions on how to use the vials. He barely acknowledged his servant as he took the items from her hands and turned them over to Gideon, showing he knew who would handle battle strategy. For exit strategy, he turned his attention to them both.

“There"s an underground passage from my lab, the beauty of old castles,” he said. “It"ll bring you out about a quarter mile on the service road. Steal a car and get to the Coffin as soon as you can. This time of night, you shouldn"t be stopped. When you get there, Anwyn can tell them she"s visiting the Council to be processed as a new vampire, and she was told there was entertainment to be found at Xavier"s club. I"ll include a note in the pack to ensure she is accepted, so they know she does have the protection of this castle.” Brian put a hand on Anwyn"s shoulder, drawing her gaze up. “Xavier is not a loose cannon.

Not exactly. He was made during World War Two, and believes Hitler should have won.

Which is ironic, considering Xavier is not a populist; he embraces the vampire world"s brutal definition of order based on aristocrats. He is dangerous and merciless.” Pausing, the scientist considered her from head to toe, a critical survey. “However, from my brief encounters with him, I remember he enjoys beauty. Deeply.”

“She shouldn"t go in there except as a last resort.”

Anwyn turned to Gideon, but Brian spoke first. His tone, while mild, was implacable, his eyes sharp. “She"s your Mistress, Gideon, not the other way around. I doubt she"ll give you much choice. Plus, it will take both of you to get him out. I would prefer to go with you, but as I said, my voice will be needed to hold the Council"s decision for a time.

“This is going to be very much a case of trial by combat.” His gaze shifted between the two of them. “If you return alive, that will say much in your favor. If you do not return, then Stephen"s claim will be believed, because his will be the only firsthand account heard.

Xavier"s role will be too easy to conceal.”

“Why are they so determined to believe this asshole?” Gideon demanded.

“He and Barbra were chosen to fill the made vampire positions after a severe selection process. There was a strong reaction from many conservative vampires, those who felt that they would ruin the Council"s judgment. The Council is determined not to be perceived as having made a mistake. As you heard from Alanna, it is possible Stephen intended initially to practice his role as intended, advocating for made vampires, but his desire for vengeance overrode the possible good he could have done.”