Only to find all four men staring at me so intently that I feel the weight of their gazes like a physical touch. I swallow hard, nearly stumbling over my feet when I take an involuntary step back.
To my shame, my reaction is not one of fear.
Their attention is addicting, their allure hard to resist. The only thing that stops me from acting on it is the reminder that I’m still actively standing in a cage, where they had me locked in not even ten minutes ago.
While my back was turned, the men took advantage and crowded close. The lot of them have wedged themselves inside my small cage…leaving me to feel like there is no air left to breathe. I scowl at them, trying not to notice Castle’s still very much naked chest. Tobias leans forward, like he’s trying to sniff me, while Milo has an almost worshipful look in his eyes that has me wanting to duck and take cover.
Even the unflappable Stanton appears to be struggling, but his reaction differs from the others. Though interest swirls in his brown eyes, it’s overshadowed by calculation.
There is no doubt in my mind that he’s plotting something.
If he believed it would be better for his team, he would hand me over to be sold in a heartbeat.
Instead of worrying about the jackass and his motives, I focus on what is important—getting out of this fucking cage. “Okay, let’s say I believe this nonsense about vampires and wars. That means you need me just as much as I need you. How about you let me out of this cage, and we can talk about how you propose to keep me safe while training me?”
ChapterEleven
STANTON
Good fucking question.
An itchy sensation forms between my shoulder blades, and I’m not sure if it’s because her attention is focused directly on me or if it’s a warning that this is a stupid fucking idea. Yet despite everything, the idea of turning her over to be sold is repugnant, and everything inside me rebels at the idea.
No organization is infallible, not even mine.
By rights, I should turn her over to pay for her crimes, but I just can’t make myself do it. I’m not sure how a fledgling was able to take out an entire vampire house on her own, and until I have answers, I can’t afford to let her out of my sight.
If she really is a fledgling, and the last surviving member of House Dafoe, then she needs to be protected. And I don’t trust anyone else to do it without trying to claim her for their own.
It’s been so long since there was a vampire queen that things are going to get messy.
Any chance of avoiding the coming war is gone.
And she is at the center of it.
We can’t allow her to fall into the wrong hands.
With a heavy sigh, I admit defeat. “I’ll make the announcement tomorrow. As much as I want to keep you here and get to the bottom of things, you’ll be safer once you take up residency at the ancestral house,” I concede reluctantly, then hold up my hands before the others can get too excited. “I’ll want a full accounting of everything that happened in that house.” Narrowing my eyes on the vexing girl, I add, “And if I find out you’re lying, don’t think I won’t hesitate to drag you back to this cell.”
“He’s right.” Milo scratches the back of his neck, a troubled expression on his face, one that often appears when he gets lost in a problem. “If the other houses suspect even a hint of subterfuge, they will claim her for their own before we have a chance to defend her actions.”
The wolves growl at the mention of her being taken from them, and I sigh in exasperation, glaring at the impatient assholes. “Enough already. No one likes the idea of her being harmed. We just have to take certain precautions to ensure her safety.
“Milo, I want you to pull the zoning and banking records for House Dafoe. Start the process of getting everything transferred into her name.” I step out of the cell, dragging the kid with me so he won’t get distracted. “I want everything transferred before I make the announcement—before anyone can protest. Understand?”
“Uh…yeah. It might take a few hours to get everything prepared, though,” Milo mutters, pulling away from me to stand in front of his computers. He taps away at the keyboard, but I don’t miss the looks he shoots Jolie every few minutes, like he’s making sure she’s not a figment of his imagination.
I completely understand the impulse.
Ruthlessly crushing the need to do the same, I turn toward the wolves. “Get her back to the house unseen. Guard her. Don’t let her out of your sight.”
“And what will you be doing?” Tobias crosses his arms, widening his stance, standing protectively in front of the girl. I’m not even sure if he’s aware of doing it.
I run a hand down my face, then tip back my head and roll my shoulders. “While Milo files the paperwork, I’ll need to file the bloodwork and approval to place her under our guardianship.”
Tension leaks out of the room slowly, like a pressure valve being released. No one moves at first, as if they’re not sure they trust my word. We’ve been working together for five years and known each other even longer, yet the guys still don’t lower their guard.
And I’m not really sure I blame them.
