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“I want her to drink from me.” His hands fist at his sides, but he relaxes them, reining in the initial indignation.
“He’s your Alpha.” Veronica’s hushed words seemto relax him a bit. As Vince comes closer, sidling up to the counter in the kitchen, Veronica’s hand gentles on his arm. The touch is light but meaningful.
“This has nothing to do with her drinking from you.” A look of relief flashes across Veronica’s face. It appears she was only worried I’d make her stop drinking from Vince. Instantly her posture relaxes.
“Good. I want her to,” Vince answers and then slides out a stool, the legs of it scraping against the floor as he does.
“So, you two are breaking the law?” I allow a little lightheartedness to enter my voice so Vince will calm the hell down.
Vince nods, letting a smirk grace his lips as he nods at me. “I’m a rulebreaker, Alpha,” he jokes, but Veronica is less flippant.
“My entire coven is breaking the law. Most are pissed about the decree, but Natalia is essentially an inquisitor. She regularly visits our queen and the heads of the other covens. I was sent to observe members of the Authority after the queen’s son was taken and punished for disobeying Natalia.”
“He drank from a human?”
She nods. Vince’s attention is focused on Veronica now, the reality sinking in hard that the Authoritymay step in. His anxiety and anger mix into a cocktail that’s practically fucking palpable.
“Where did they take him?”
“To the Authority. To their dungeon. He was given a thousand lashes.”
“A thousand?” The surprise is evident in Vince’s voice. “A thousand silver lashes?”
She nods once and adds, “He was nearly dead when Natalia brought him back.”
“For drinking from a vein?” How the hell is that reasonable?
“He did it in front of Natalia. The bitch had two enforcers take him in the middle of the night. Had they been seen, it would have been war. When she returned him, my queen nearly sent the entire coven to exact vengeance on the Authority. But she put her emotions in check, realizing it wouldn’t have been wise. Not when we’re so greatly outnumbered.”
Vince’s pulse still races. Not from fear of lashes, but from the danger his mate is in by staying at a coven clearly on the Authority’s radar. His thoughts race but I silence them with a wave of my dominance as his Alpha.
“They allowed this?” I can’t fathom that Alec would allow such violence. A thousand lashes just for drinkingfrom a vein. Before she can reply, I ask, “The person offering the vein, they were willing?”
“She was willing. She’s his partner. What’s even more offensive is that Natalia violates the law herself. She only drinks from a vein, I know she does.” I consider her words as she shakes her head.
“How do you know?”
“I’ve seen her do it for over a century now.” Vince wraps his arm around Veronica’s waist and pulls her closer to him. She leans into his touch, her hip nestled against him. A smile threatens at the sight of the two of them on agreeable terms after last night, but I hold back.
I don’t know what happened between them, but she didn’t run like I thought she might.
Perhaps she feels more for him than she lets on. Or perhaps her coven is truly in need.
Desperate times and desperate measures …
“So that’s why your queen sent you. Because her hand is being forced by the coven?” She nods once at my question. “And is it solely Natalia that’s pushing the issue?”
“Mostly, but she has the backing of the other members. When they came to collect and imprison Stephan, she brought nearly a dozen other vampires with her.”
“Was Alec there?” I hesitate to ask, but I have to make sure before I go to meet with him.
“No, only the vampires of the Authority.” If I remember correctly, there are fourteen who are members of the Authority. That’s more than most covens.
“Thank you, Veronica. Vince.”
He immediately responds, “Yes, Alpha?” That’s a much better tone, although he’s tense. His emotions are unsteady and I consider him for a moment before speaking. I decide to let his anger from earlier go unchecked. After all, I’ve heard having a vampire drink from you can be quite an experience. She’s his mate and he’s made his boundaries clear. I’ll respect that.
“Are you sparring today?”
