“All of us,” Stryker said.
She tilted her head in consideration, but I didn’t miss the gleam of calculation in her eyes. “I can but it will cost you.”
Stryker nodded. We’d all already discussed this and assumed she’d demand a steep price for her help. “As payment I’ll send you on your way with as many jewels and gold as you can carry on your person.” Stryker crossed his arms over his chest. “Andyou’ll have my word you won’t be imprisoned in my dungeon.”
I didn’t miss the threat in that statement and from the narrowing of her gaze I could tell she didn’t either.
“Gold and jewels are nice, but I require more than riches,” she said with a grin.
“What is it you want?” Stryker asked, and I could practically hear his molars grinding against each other.
Her lips curled in a sly smile. “Oh, I believe you are well aware of what I want.”
“No,” Stryker said with a definitive shake of his head.
I noticed the muscles in his shoulders tighten as well and then I felt something nudging me. I looked down to see some of Stryker’s shadows trying to push me behind him.
Part of me appreciated the gesture, I knew he was just trying to protect me. But I wasn’t pregnant like Dawn with an innocent life inside of me to shield. I would stand right where I belonged, next to my mate, not behind him.
I stepped forward, coming in line with Stryker rather than dipping behind him like he wanted. A muscle jumped in his jaw, but when he glanced down at me his gaze was a mixture of pride and frustration. I smiled up at him and took his hand and he just shook his head and refocused on our lavender-haired visitor.
“No one here will be giving you a blood payment,” Stryker said and I had to stifle a gasp.
Blood payment?
That’s what she wanted? I didn’t like the sound of that one bit, and from Dawn and the other lords’ grim looks, neither did they.
“Well then,” Rowena said with a flip of her hair. “I’ll bid you farewell and let you get on with your day.” She turned and started toward the door, but before she could get there a rush of shadows slammed into it, barring her exit.
The look on Stryker’s face was nothing short of murderous, but Rowena turned back and faced him down without a hint of fear.
“It wasn’t a request you are free to deny,” he ground out.
“Yet here we are,” she said haughtily. “And if you think that abloodwitch can send your consciousness to Faerie without a drop of each of your blood, you are stupider than I thought.”
A drop of each of our blood?
Stryker took a menacing step toward her. “Fine, a single drop for the spell. Butnonefor the blood payment.”
She shrugged. “No deal.”
“Perhaps a night or two in my dungeon will change your mind?” Stryker threatened.
Anger flashed across her face. “If you even try to—”
“I’ll make the blood payment,” Zane said, rolling up one sleeve as he stepped forward.
“Yeah, that’s not happening.” Zander stepped in front of his brother. “You have no idea what these witches are capable of.”
Zane looked down at his brother. “I’m a big boy, I can handle myself and we don’t have two days to torture her in Stryker’s dungeon to get her to agree. We need to warn Isolde now.”
Zander shook his head and moved like he was going to grab Zane, ready to physically restrain his brother if he had to, but Zane shot him a look that stopped him in his tracks. “Isolde could be my mate,” he said, his voice filled with emotion, and for the first time I realized that he must be lonely.
There was a sadness in his eyes I hadn’t seen before. He was willing to risk it all on the chance that Isolde might be his mate. It was extremely romantic, though not smart by the greedy look in Rowena’s eye. Before anyone else had much of a chance to stop him, Zane pulled a dagger from the sheath on his belt and cut across his forearm. Zander stepped back, sighing as he conceded.
“Nice to see one of the lords is levelheaded,” Rowena said smugly. Walking over to Zane’s arm she slowly dragged her finger across the thick black blood that dripped down it, gathering a large amount on her fingertip. She then put it in her mouth and sucked.
She closed her eyes and I gagged as I watched her face in semi-horror. It looked like she was savoring the taste like she might a fine wine. It made me nauseous.
