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Cord sighed as he picked up her shirt and crossed the room to bring it to her. He saw her tense as he stepped up behind her, and unbidden his hand rose, his fingers caressing along her shoulder. Her braid lay like a thick rope down her back, and his fingers trailed down her spine as he moved her braid over her shoulder.
“Castor,” Tegan breathed out as she felt his lips skim her shoulder. “What are you doing?”
“I’m not sure,” Cord admitted as his fist tightened in the material of her shirt he held in his hand. “I meant to give you your shirt, and I couldn’t resist touching you.”
“Oh.” Her voice was small, unsure.
“Do you like it?” Cord asked as his mouth moved over her skin, back to her neck.
“No,” Tegan whispered as her head tilted slightly.
Cord smiled at her words as his hand moved around her side, his palm flattening on her stomach, pulling her into him with no resistance. “Did you just lie to me, little tiger?” he teased.
“Yes, no, I…” Tegan’s breath caught when she felt his soft nip at her neck, and her heart was racing. “You’re confusing me.”
Cord stilled his ministrations and closed his eyes in resignation, acknowledging the sharp stab of disappointment with himself. Gently he pushed Tegan away from him and handed her the crumpled shirt when she turned to look up at him. “Forgive me,” he said as he stepped away. “I act out of turn.” He couldn’t look at her. His disgruntlement at his own behaviour towards her sat heavy on him.
Tegan pulled her shirt on and hastily straightened her clothing as she kept a watchful eye on the Castor. “When did you see Cornelius?”
“I went to Council Elder Alexander’s home,” Cord told her as he walked to the other side of the room and sat down. “Cornelius was there, and he spoke about you.” He shook his head as he told her what Cornelius had said.Whyhad it rattled him so much?
“So? He speaks about me all the time,” Tegan snorted her contempt at her uncle. “It is odd that he would be there though, is it not?”
“It is,” Cord agreed.
“Why were you there? You are supposed to be in Russia.”
Cord flicked an amused glance at his mate. She stood glaring in front of him, whether from his actions of just now or lack of action in Russia, he wasn’t sure, probably both. “The spell over the Vampyre Court is strong, I cannot break it. Alexander is the only Vampyre not dead or in that Court, it seems. I thought he would know how to break it.”
“But he is in Solitude,” Tegan said as she worried her bottom lip before her eyes flew to Cord’s. “Oh by the Ancient Harrian, you broke hisSolitude?”
“No.” Cord ran a hand over his face. “He wasn’t there.”
Tegan stared at him wordlessly. “Wasn’t there? So youdidintend to break his Solitude?”
“Yes,” Cord said and then met her look of disapproval with an exasperated sigh. “He ishiding, we need him.”
“It is sacred,” Tegan rebuked him.
“It is cowardly.” Cord stood and paced her room, and seeing her disbelieving look, he held up a hand to stop her interruption. “It is a cowardly thing when he knows he can be aiding us, not hiding behind his bedcurtains.”
“What did you do with him?” Tegan asked cautiously.
“Nothing, he wasn’t there.”
“What?”
“I know.Corneliuswas there, in an Elder’s house who he hates, and the said Elder is nowhere to be found.”
Tegan looked around the room and then back at the Castor as she thought about what he was telling her. “Then I’ll find him.”
Cord stopped pacing and looked at her, his eyebrows lifting in surprise. “Youwill?”
“Yes.” Tegan shrugged. “You can’t find him, you need to be in Russia.”
“Your drive for me to break into the Vampyre Court is commendable, little tiger, but have you missed the part where I’m telling you that I can’t?”
Tegan laughed. She actually laughed at him. “You are Cord Olezka Lebedev, you bear the Mark of Velvore, you do not need powders to cast. Are you telling me,me, that you cannot get past a few Drakhyn and break aspell?”
