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Liam dropped down beside her, and she uttered a startled yelp. He winged open the door, reaching for her. “My Lady.”

She took his hand in a death grip, eager to be free of the hideous machine.

On the ground, she wrapped her arms around her stomach and turned in a circle. Destruction and chaos surrounded her. Torn banners fluttered from the broken gates. Overturned tables and shredded canopies littered the driveway.My beautiful ceremony. She clenched her fists, fighting tears. Alistair did this. Ruined everything.

A groan snared her attention. Someone was hurt. She raced to a demolished tent. Pulled the fabric back.

Constance stared up at her, her throat ragged and torn.

“No.” Vivian dropped to her knees beside the savaged woman and grasped her hand. “Constance, you poor dear. Where’s Herald?”

“Abandoned me.”

Outrage pulsed through her. Constance’s mate had left her to the hounds, eager to save his own hide. “We’ll get you help,” Vivian said, though she feared it was too late.

“Don’t give up,” Constance gasped. “Build your shelter. Promise me, you won’t forsake us.”

“I won’t.” Tears burned Vivian’s eyes. “I swear it.”

The injured woman stared up at the starlit sky, and a soft smile curled her lips. Joy sparkled in her eyes. “Can’t hurt me anymore.” Her hand went limp in Vivian’s grasp.

Eleven

Vivian pressedher wrist to Armond’s lips. “Drink deep,mon ange.” She sat on the side of his bed, Armond, her angel, stroking his hair. As his fangs slid into her flesh, her heart ached. He hadn’t fed from her in years. With his various lovers, there had been no need until now.

Other than the bite to his forearm and a few scrapes and bruises, he was otherwise unharmed. Before leaving, the doctor assured her Armond would make a swift recovery and regain full use of his arm. Still, guilt plagued her. He shouldn’t have been injured in the first place. This was all her fault.

After he sealed her wrist with a glide of his tongue, she said, “You were quite heroic at the ceremony. The way you held those gates.”

He offered a pained smile. “I was, wasn’t I. Then again, I couldn’t have Liam stealing the show during my grand finale. Shame Desmond wasn’t there to see me.”

“Thank goodness he wasn’t. Far too many were harmed today.” Poor Constance. Vivian’s chest constricted. An image of the fallen woman would forever be blazed in her memory.

Her progeny’s eyelids drooped with fatigue. “How’s Gilbert?”

“Exhausted by the ordeal. I ordered him to his bed. Thank goodness he was able to get to you so quickly and drive you to safety. For that, I’ll forever be in his debt.”

Armond’s tired eyes rounded. “You should have seen him, Vivian. He drove like a bat out of hell. I didn’t know he had it in him.”

“Sorry I missed that.” She quirked a smile.

“And Dove, is she okay?”

“She’s in her studio.” Understandably rattled by the attack, Dove had tucked herself away, saying nary a word to anyone.

“Purging her emotions onto the canvas,is she?” He snickered, then winced as though it hurt to laugh. “We’ll make a mint off of what she channels into her paintings tonight.”

“You were always one for silver linings.” Finally, the tears she could no longer hold back tracked down her cheeks. “Mon ange, I’m so sorry you were caught up in all of this. Liam was right. When Tiberius told me Alistair was alive, I should have canceled the ceremony. Instead of listening to reason, I was stupid and selfish.” In her arrogance, she’d lost control of the situation and given the mage the upper hand. The realization sickened her.

Armond gripped her arm with his uninjured hand. “Don’t be ridiculous. We all wanted this. It was our dream as well.” His grip tightened. “Still is our dream. Alistair won’t foil our construction plans so easily. Once I’m back on my feet, we’ll do some damage control and get things rolling again. As they say in the business, the show must go on.”

She swiped her fingers beneath her eyes, drying her tears. “Quite right.”

Knuckles rapped the doorframe behind her. She turned to find Liam in the opening.

“Hey, Viv, you got a minute? We need to talk.”

“Go ahead,” Armond said. “I’m going to get some sleep. You should do the same.”