Free Blood Enchantment by Tamara Rose Blodgett Page A

the supernatural world.”
    Cynthia flinches at his uncaring rundown of events. “Who cares, really?” Cynthia flips a palm over helplessly. “Some thing killed Jason. And Julia's not here. Neither is Scott or Victor.” A bubble of snot grows from her nostril as a tear rolls aimlessly down her face. “I mean, if Jason's dead, where the hell is Jules? Where the hell am I ?” She dumps her face into her hands.
    Truman walks over to her, holding out his hand. She shakes her head, denying whatever a hard Were like Truman can offer. Slash thinks he was a hard human before the change, too. “Nope, you're sticking with me like glue, girl. Stand up and wipe that face. We're finding out what the hell is going on—like yesterday.”
    “What about?” she asks as body-wracking sobs break over her. She waves her hand toward the hall where Jason's body presumably lies.
    Truman gathers her against him. Her body so small inside his arms.
    Adrianna is even smaller inside mine.
    “We'll take care of him the right way, Cyn.”
    She nods against his shirt, fisting the material as sadness drenches the fabric.
    Slash stares out the window, wondering how soon he will be able to leave this place and right what went so terribly wrong.

CHAPTER NINE
    Tessa
     
    Tessa flops back against the seat. “Listen, Laz…” she rolls her face to the right, looking at him. Beyond that are the deep woods.
    “We can go,” he says to Tahlia.
    She slaps the steering wheel. “Where?” Tahlia rotates to face them, clutching the driver's seat. “I have been driving for two hours. We are at a crossroads. If we keep going north, we'll be in Canada.”
    “Nope,” Tessa says, suppressing a shudder. “Don't need foreign heat.”
    “It's hot enough in America,” Tahlia agrees.
    “You are Lanarre. Where is the nearest pack?” Laz asks.
    Tahlia shakes her head vigorously. “I cannot return to my own pack in the Redwoods of California. It's—the shame would be something I couldn't stand.”
    Laz stares at her and Tessa asks, “What do you mean, Tahlia?”
    Her eyes fill with tears. Tessa just came to terms with the fact that Tahlia's a baby in Lycan years, and she’s been driving like a bat out of hell for two hours while they fought their way down the highway with three quarters of a car.
    “As a Lanarre princess,” she says, quickly looking to the two of them as though they would laugh at her. They don't. “I was on my way to meet Drek, my chosen. That entire plan was derailed when Tony Laurent slaughtered my guardians. Now there is another bad force in play, and I must run. It is Drek's pack that I must go to.” She covers her face with her hands. “I don't know why I didn't think of this before. Eventually, Drek will return when he cannot locate me. Then we can be mated.”
    “Wait a sec,” Tessa begins with slow deliberation. “I thought you weren't sure about this Drek guy?”
    Tahlia's hands shake a little as she lowers them to her lap. “I'm not, but there is protection within the borders of the Lanarre. It's there that I won't have to fight to remain alive. I am skilled, but am only one.”
    Small point.
    Laz has been silent until then. “The Lanarre will kill me,” he states simply.
    Tessa fingers convulse on the seat cushion. “And what's their policy on rogue female alphas?”
    Tahlia's silence is answer.
    “Shit.” Tessa slumps in her seat, folding her arms, thinking about the possibility of her heat cropping up. “Can't catch a break,” she mutters.
    Laz brushes a stray hair over her shoulder that's come undone from the single plait down her back. “Perhaps the Lanarre princess, betrothed to be mated to their prince, holds sway.” His pale-blond eyebrow rises, and his eyes level on Tahlia.
    She shakes her head. “I can't guarantee anything, because they have never scented me. They will scent that I am Lanarre. But the protocol for a betrothal mating is strict. Only Drek and his personal guard know my scent.”
    “Oh,