Chapter 15: Property

Lord Aurelian Mourne came into the great hall on a servant's arm.

He was gaunt and silver-haired, and his black coat hung off him.

When he breathed in, a thin cough rattled in his chest, and he wiped his mouth with a white cloth.

There was a dark smear on the cloth when he put it away.

Every vampire in the room had gone to one knee.

I stood next to Evander in a clean dress with the silk scarf tied over my wrist.

"Father," Evander said. "You didn't send word."

"I was never asked to." His eyes went over me slowly. "Is this the girl?"

"She's my mate."

"She is the Alpha's stock."

Nobody in the hall made a sound.

Evander's jaw locked, and I put two fingers against his sleeve.

Not yet, I told him with my hand.

"Come here, child," the Lord said.

I went.

It was the longest walk of my life, and I made my face quiet the whole way.

He took my chin in his dry cold fingers and turned my face to the window.

He smelled my hair.

He smelled my neck, and the new bite on it, and he paused.

"Someone has been tasting you."

"Yes, my lord," I said. "Your son has been guarding me. He's been careful."

"Guarding." The word amused him. "Take off that scarf."

My heart stopped.

Behind me, Evander took one step, and every vampire in the hall rose an inch.

"She has a cut on her wrist," Evander said. "She cut it on glass last night. It isn't clean."

"Then I will not touch it."

The Lord looked at his son, and then at me, and his mouth bent.

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