Page 4 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal

It was also something Nora would never admit to.

Jared stood unmoving another moment before he reached for a towel folded on the wire shelving beside the now quiet dryer.He wiped the blood from his face, from his hands, then he tossed the red-stained towel into one of the industrial-sized washers.

“You are angry,” he said.

Not angry—hurt—an emotion Nora concealed by taking an aggressive step toward him.“Why would I be angry?”

Because Jared came to The Rain for Deagan, not for her.

“I do not know.”

I grimaced.Deaganreallyneeded to wake up.He was going to miss Mr.High and Mighty getting his ass handed to him.

If we’d been outside the Null, Nora’s eyes would have been ringed in a sharp, lethal gold.“Better get back to your vampires then.”

“They are not yet my vampires.”His head tilted slightly.“They are why you are angry?”

“I am not angry.”She bit out each word.“I amenlightened.”

Jared grabbed her arm as she turned away.I watched Nora’s right hand, waiting for it to form a fist to slam into Jared’s too often blank face.

“I will lose the compound if I remain gone too long,” he said.

Her fingers curled inward.

“I have not called,” he continued, his voice deepening, darkening, “because I would rather be here with you than be away.I want to stay, Nora.”His grip on her arm loosened, and his hand slid down to hers.“If I do, if I have you beneath me tonight, I will not leave before sunrise.My enemies will strike while I am with you, and neither you nor my people will be safe outside The Rain.”He stepped closer.“I do not want you to be imprisoned in the Null.I want you at my side.I want you in my bed.”

Well, hell.I was wrong.He wasn’t going to get his ass handed to him.His words were perfect.Passionate.When he wrapped his arms around her waist, Nora didn’t resist.She initiated the kiss, and their hunger and yearning hit me as if we were standing outside the Null, their magic pulsating and tangible.

I turned away to focus on Deagan instead of the hollow ache in my stomach, which was there because I’d chosen to maintain The Rain’s neutrality, to focus on making it the oasis it should be.And Iwouldn’tgive Lehr a reason to kill Blake.

“Help me get Deagan to a room,” I said.Maybe I was a bitch to interrupt Nora and Jared’s moment, but I needed to finish my conversation with Garion.I couldn’t leave Deagan here, and I couldn’t carry him on my own.

When Jared and Nora finally ended their kiss, he cupped the nape of her neck and pressed his forehead to hers.Another moment passed before he drew in a breath and stepped away.By the time he looked at me, his normal, dispassionate expression had returned.

“I must ask for another favor.”He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope.

The small white rectangle might as well have been a weapon.Nothing good ever came from them, not the bills I could barely pay or the magically sealed treaty Canyon had handed me.Envelopes were my nemesis, and I could think of only one reason Jared would be holding one now.

“What,” I demanded, my voice as quiet as a sharpened sword, “the hell is that?”

Chapter Two

Jaredopenedtheenvelope.He unfolded the page inside.He said, “I need you to approve these sanctioned vampires.”

Deaganreallyneeded to wake up now because I was about to murder his master.“No.”

“I understand your objections—”

“If you understood my objections, you wouldn’t have thought about creating a list.”

A muscle in his face twitched, probably because he was so rarely interrupted.I wasn’t one of his underlings though.I wouldnotdo his bidding or let him push me around.

“My control of the compound is tenuous,” he said.“Arcuro’s closest vampires oppose me.Malachiopposes me.Am I not a better alternative?”

“That depends on what you decide to do with your power.If you want to follow in your predecessor’s footsteps?If you choose to forget thecountlessconversations we’ve had about my refusing to sign any sanctioned list?Then you should leave.Now.”

“You may cross off names,” he said smoothly.“You may add them.The power is yours.”