He would have liked it better had she referred to him by name, but at least he managed to get her cooperation, and her fear level had dropped tremendously. She was governed by rules—the stricter they were, the more she understood. It wasn’t right, but he was going too fast with her, trying to force her into a world she didn’t yet understand because he didn’t want to appear anything like Levon. He was her lifemate and he had to be what she needed. Right then she needed someone to tell her what to do and to allow her to lean completely on his strength.“She will submit to your examination, Gary, but only yours. I will be with you.” He kept his voice as neutral as possible, knowing no matter how he worded it, the threat was there.The healer didn’t hesitate, moving out around the others and coming closer to crouch beside Fero. The moment he did, Sandu came up behind Fero’s chair and Siv followed the healer to stand behind him. Fero and Gary both shed their bodies at the same time, becom
“Gary,” Fero said, still holding Elizabeth’s gaze. “But you will be merged with me at all times, healer.” He decreed it. If Tensel and Gary were looking for anything but what they were telling the others, or they planned on hurting his lifemate, he would be there to stop them. He glanced at Sandu, then to Andor. Both men were tied soul to soul with him.Fero felt Elizabeth’s unshed tears, but there were none in her eyes as she stared directly into his. He saw her make a tremendous effort to pull herself together. To still her mind. To let her heart calm along with her breathing. She took her direction from him, choosing to follow his lead. He was very proud of her, knowing how difficult it had to be and knowing she was doing it for him to avoid him having to fight their way out of the compound.Gary was already shedding his body, once more becoming a healing light. Fero didn’t want to leave her alone, but he didn’t like the idea of anyone entering her without giving her his protectio
No matter how hard Gary and Fero tried not to see the ugliness of Elizabeth’s life in order to spare her the humiliation of having others see things she didn’t want seen, there was no getting around it when shuffling through the years of her life. Fero found he couldn’t be as detached as he thought he could be. He’d had centuries of no emotion. He could switch emotion off to hunt, and yet he found when it came to his lifemate, it was nearly impossible not to feel.His gut churned, knotted, an unfamiliar sensation that made him very aware the woman was getting inside him, a dangerous thing for him when he might have to leave her and go to the monastery after she gained her independence. The ties between lifemates couldn’t be broken. He knew that. He understood what they were, but he also knew he wasn’t the same man born to be Elizabeth’s lifemate any more than she was the same woman. They had both changed over the centuries. He had to provide her with what she needed because everythi
‘He is not your master.’ Fero couldn’t keep the clipped, fierce note from his voice. He went directly to dominant in seconds, without thinking. Just the idea that his woman would think of Levon that way set his teeth on edge. ‘He was never your master. He was a cruel ancient who kidnapped an innocent young girl. He will pay for what he did to you.’At once that soothing breeze swept through his mind, clearing out his need to find the vampire and rip out his heart. There was only Elizabeth and her sweetness, that gentle soul with her light and the courage to guard his soul for centuries.‘You are right,’ she agreed. ‘He is not my master. The point is, I can look a little closer at him with you here holding me and see things I could not before. I would not have the courage if you were not with me. I would fear he would find me the way he did when I was in the healing grounds. He always told me he could find me anywhere.’Gary’s spirit emerged from her body, his light much dimmer than wh
“We have no option but to once again examine those in the compound who have been near the healing grounds,” Max said, sounding weary.Tensel sighed. “The children have been put to the test repeatedly. I am not certain how much more they can take. Certainly Charlotte will be very distressed by the idea of having to examine them again, but we cannot risk everyone here.”‘My heart, there is another answer, one that will be difficult for you to put to the test, but these are children who you saw the vampire torturing. Do you remember?’‘Yes.’ How could she forget? Juliet had allowed herself to be taken prisoner in the hopes of rescuing her. There were children down in the tunnels, and they were used cruelly by Levon and his brother. Elizabeth had been in a tiny cage, hidden in the room, unable to do anything but watch the horror unfolding before her eyes.‘You would have to be very brave and trust me. I know it would be difficult for you, but if I am right, it would spare these children mo
Isai rose immediately and held out his hand to Juliet, who stood reluctantly. “Are you certain, Elizabeth? I would help you through this.”“She is certain,” Fero said. “This is difficult for her,” he added when Juliet continued to hesitate. “I ask that you go.”Juliet nodded and went with Isai from the house. Elizabeth didn’t look at her. She couldn’t. She already felt abandoned by her lifemate. The moment Juliet and Isai were gone, the remaining males immediately began weaving safeguards.Fero continued to hold Elizabeth while her mind went crazy with all sorts of possibilities that this was the moment when the axe was going to fall and she would see what was really in store for her. Was it possible that this was one of Levon’s many cruel tricks? He’d played so many over the centuries he’d held her. Was Fero an equally vicious master and now was the moment when he would reveal his true character? She couldn’t stop the thousands of likelihoods from pushing forward.Very slowly Elizab
Gary glanced at Fero and then he calmly took the ancient wood and plunged it into the heart of the creature, careful to avoid touching any part of the gray shadow. The thing wiggled obscenely and then slowly went still. The healer stood and brought the light to bear on the pinned worm. The edges of the shadow began to darken and curl. Flames licked at it and eventually consumed it. When the entire creature was reduced to ash, the door to the house opened and the breeze carried the ashes outside. The light in the room dimmed and then receded completely.“What did you find?” Tensel asked. “How did the lewykol slip through our safeguards? The three of you were sharing her brain when he managed to penetrate Elizabeth’s mind.”Fero once more went to Elizabeth and lifted her into his arms, surrounding her with his strength. ‘I am here, just as I said I would be. The vampire is gone. He cannot get to you. But you must be very brave and continue to believe and trust in me as you have done.’‘
Elizabeth heard the praise as if from a distance but felt Fero’s pride in her, and it warmed her that he felt that way. She didn’t like him to feel that deep sorrow that she couldn’t reach and remove. It was important to her to take care of his every need.“Her fears drive her. Levon has terrorized her for centuries, and without Fero to shield her, he continues to do so,” Gary explained. “Her very fears summon him. She opens the doors for him. Obviously, nothing from this world can come through and Levon knows it—the safeguards are woven too strong—but not one of us thought to keep anything from the netherworld from creeping in. Elizabeth summoned him with her fears and Levon responded to the summons by sending in the only servant he could get inside. The lewykod, the spirit shadow worm, could only stay so long in this realm, which is why it slipped away the moment she was put back in the ground.”Complete silence greeted the explanation. The ancients looked at one another. “You are ce