Free Blood Redemption by Tessa Dawn Page B

on?”
    Brooke appeared completely taken aback, and her hand went up to her chest. “Oh, God,
     I’m sorry. I thought—” She pressed her lips tightly together and held her breath for
     a moment, refusing to say another word. When any one of them could have cut through
     the silence with a knife, she turned toward her mate. “Napolean?”
    The king gave his destiny a cautionary glance. “Brooke, I appreciate your support—you know I do. But I need
     to handle this myself.”
    Brooke nodded her head and took a deep breath. “Okay…if that is what you need, but
     I think…” She was so very careful with her words: far, far too careful. “I think you might want to sit with this for a while. There’s still time. Maybe slow down. Bring Vanya inside. Let’s all just
     take a step back and analyze the situation together.”
    The situation?
    Vanya didn’t know if she should be terrified by the cryptic way they were talking
     or mad as hell at the way they were treating her with kid gloves. Was it because she
     was an ancient princess, or was she perceived as a woman scorned? Fire began to stir
     in her belly, and she leveled her gaze at Napolean. “I would like to know what situation your mate is referring to.” She tried to soften her tone and failed. “And I would
     like to know now, milord.” She pointed directly at the moon then. “For what it is
     worth, I am not a half-wit, so I gather it has something to do with the moon”—she
     pointed at her wrist—“and my arm.” She immediately regretted the clip in her demeanor,
     but truth be told, she was afraid.
    Napolean stiffened in surprise, clearly caught off guard by her overt aggression.
     “Vanya…” He inhaled sharply. “It’s not…personal. I’m not trying to avoid the subject.”
     His deep onyx eyes, with their rare silver irises, narrowed in concentration. “I am
     simply trying to think of a way to protect you, as well as the house of Jadon, and
     all those with a…personal interest in this matter.”
    “Protect me from what , Napolean?”
    Napolean started to respond, but before he could, Ciopori Demir materialized in the
     courtyard and quickly rushed to her sister’s side. She swept an anxious arm around
     Vanya’s waist and laid her head gently on her shoulder. “Sister, are you okay? Napolean
     just contacted us telepathically; I can hardly believe this is happening.”
    Marquis Silivasi followed in quick succession, appearing beside his mate with their
     son Nikolai still squirming in his arms. “We need to get her out of here”—he spoke
     directly to Napolean while inclining his head toward the door to the chamber of Sacrifice
     and Atonement, and then he growled—“away from that door…and that male… now !”
    Napolean cleared his throat. “Watch yourself, Warrior. Remember to whom you’re speaking.”
    Marquis averted his eyes out of respect, but he continued to simmer just below the
     surface.
    Vanya threw her hands up in frustration and snorted. “So, you find it acceptable to
     converse with my family telepathically about the matter, but not me?” She could hardly
     believe what she was seeing and hearing. By all that was holy, what were they all
     so afraid of, and why didn’t they trust her to handle it?
    Ciopori stepped in front of Vanya. She nervously smoothed the hem of Vanya’s blouse
     with her fingertips, and then she met her gaze with a look of such trepidation that
     it shook Vanya to the core. “Napolean hasn’t told you?”
    “Told me what!” Vanya insisted.
    Ciopori reached out to take her hand, and Vanya slapped it away, overwhelmed by all
     the frenetic attention.
    Brooke frowned. “Let’s all go back to the house,” she said. “Let’s sit down and discuss
     this indoors.” She glanced nervously at the heavy metal door behind them.
    “Discuss what?” Vanya repeated, staring down the beautiful woman whom the gods had
     so honored with Napolean’s heart.
    Brooke’s eyes softened.