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“I don’t know how long I lay there but awoke and stumbled onto the road where a group of monks nearly trampled me with their horse and wain.

They took me to a convent where the sisters nursed me back to health; where I became a member of the Army of Light.

” Evangeline peered up at Broderick with a flicker of hope in her glassy eyes.

“They taught me that God is a forgiving and loving God, Broderick. Please do not turn your back on Him by choosing this path of darkness. He can heal you and forgive you for anything. He even forgave me.”

“ I have not!” Ire shook his limbs and gave him the strength to stand against the torture ripping through his body.

“Do you think all the lives ye took with your betrayal can be so easily tossed aside? Ye’re the reason I stand here seekin’ retribution against my enemy whose bed ye shared.

Ye remain in the protective arms of God while my body dies as a Blood Slave. ”

“God can cure you, Broderick! Join the Army of Light. He can cure you.”

The two Vamsyrian guards flanked Broderick as he stepped toward her.

He fought against their arms, against the anguish in his soul, against the injustice that continually plagued his life.

“Ye’re mad to think I would take anythin’ from ye or a God who harbors betrayers.

Ye should be dead, and yet ye sit before me offerin’ me salvation.

Did ye think I would forgive ye because ye have such an offer? ”

Evangeline bowed and shook her head. “Nay,” she whispered. “ I am just as surprised that you are alive. As such, I am still your wife, and you maintain the right to do with me as you will.” Evangeline raised her palms again, mumbling another string of strange phrases.

Broderick drew in a ragged breath as the oppressive force in the room lifted. The shift in the air left him breathless.

The Vamsyrian guards exchanged wary glances and took a step back. Whatever barrier Evangeline had summoned now dissolved into the shadows.

Broderick surged forward but was caught once more by their unyielding grip. He growled in frustration, every fiber of his being raw and burning.

“Consider me dead to ye,” he snarled, each syllable toxic as poison. “Since yer God is so full of mercy, I’m sure the church’ll annul our pathetic excuse of a marriage. God’s yer husband now—and may the two of ye suffer for it.”

Evangeline fell to the floor in a weeping heap as they escorted Broderick from the room.

Positioning him before the Council once more, the two Vamsyrians released Broderick, and he gathered every bit of strength he could muster to remain standing.

“I choose to become a Vamsyrian,” he announced with a raspy voice.

Broderick glared at Angus, who shockingly displayed a grin of satisfaction.

The Elders nodded and turned their eyes to Cordelia. She stepped forward and glanced toward Angus. Although fear filled her eyes, she crossed her arms over her ample breasts and announced to the Council, “I revoke my claim on Broderick MacDougal.”

Elder Rasheed’s eyes grew wide, along with his peers. “Are you stating that you do not wish to transform Broderick MacDougal, which is the reason we have been summoned?”

Cordelia stepped back and swallowed. “Aye.” Her voice quavered.

Elder Rasheed stood and Cordelia had the sense enough to cower. “You try my patience, woman! I may skin you yet!”

“Elder Rasheed, if I may.” Angus stepped forward, uncrossing his arms.

Rasheed sighed in resignation. “Aye, Angus Campbell,” he said with a dismissive wave. “As you originally requested when you came before this Council, this poor creature is yours to do with as you will. Put him out of his misery.” Sitting down, Rasheed put his head in his hands.

“Nay, Elder Rasheed.” Angus regarded Broderick. “I am proposin’ to make the transformation myself.”

Broderick’s wide eyes were not the only ones to rivet their attention on Angus. “Why would ye do such a thing? Ye can finally rid me from yer existence. Take this chance and do as Elder Rasheed said…put me out of my misery.” Broderick shuddered from a wave of pain.

“Although I do enjoy seein’ ye suffer,” Angus sneered, “there’s no satisfaction in killin’ ye in such a weakened state.

My spirit will never be at rest.” Angus stepped closer to Broderick, smirking at his bent and shuddering body.

“Ye must be willin’ to do the transformation, Rick, or I cannot perform the deed. What be your choice?”

Broderick glanced at everyone, Cordelia’s gaze intent upon him. Each person seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for him to say the word.

“Remove Cordelia from the chamber,” Elder Ammon ordered.

“Put her in the farthest cell in the dungeon,” Rasheed amended. “I want her as far from here as possible to weaken her influence on him.”

Cordelia dashed for the front entrance, but the two hulking Vamsyrians cornered and grabbed her, escorting her from the room. “My lords,” she protested, fighting their hold on her. “My lords, please!”

Cordelia’s protests dwindled into silence as the heavy door boomed shut behind her. Stillness settled like dust, thick and heavy.

Broderick stood amidst the hush, his chest heaving, thoughts tangled. Why had she orchestrated this? Why him? Why now?

Her betrayal had brought him to the edge of death…and now, he owed his life to the very man who had taken everything from him.

“Live to fight another day, Rick” Angus taunted. “Be a worthy opponent.”

Broderick glared into the mocking eyes of his enemy.

A long stretch of silence wound between them, thick with opposition.

The souls of his brothers, their wives, and their wee bairn called for vengeance from the darkest regions of his soul.

“Do the deed, then,” Broderick snarled. “But ye shall regret yer decision.”

Angus chuckled and waited for Rasheed’s approval, who stood staring at the absurdity of this scene. With barely a nod from the Elder, Angus pounced on Broderick, pulled his head back with a fierce yank on his hair, and sank his fangs into Broderick’s tender neck.

He bellowed and clawed as Angus gashed his throat. However, the pain coursing through his body and the burning of his neck soon vanished in place of the euphoria of feeding, just as he had felt with Cordelia, and Broderick slumped in Angus’s arms.

The contact with Angus stretched into a deep abyss.

Cordelia usually probed his mind when she drank from him, but he experienced none of that with Angus.

Broderick slipped deeper toward death, his life draining away.

Angus may drain him of life and kill him after all. Perhaps there was peace in that.

At long last, Angus broke contact and lowered Broderick to the floor.

Rasheed stood by and handed Angus a black-handled dagger.

Slicing his wrist, Angus fed the open wound to Broderick.

But Broderick couldn’t get his mouth to respond and accept the Vamsyrian blood pouring down his chin.

Best he should just refuse and die anyway.

“Ye made this choice!” Angus barked and re-cut his rapidly-healing wrist. “Open yer mouth!”

Before Broderick could revel in the triumph of defeating Angus at the last, the smell of the blood assailed his senses, and he opened his mouth to receive immortality. He drank deep and gasped when Angus pulled his wrist away to cut it anew.

“Aye, Rick,” Angus coaxed as Broderick latched his mouth around the cut, swallowing gulps of the life-giving liquid.

Strength returned to his body, a soothing sensation moving through his veins as the blood worked its way into his limbs.

His throat tingled. Angus yanked his hand away.

Broderick, still weak, lay marveling at his new-found acute senses.

The heaving breaths of the returned Vamsyrian guards across the room fluttered against his ears; the lingering aroma of Cordelia’s verbena touched his nose; the veins in the black marble table seemed to glow, the hairline fractures visible with his new sight.

Angus turned to Rasheed, dabbing the corner of his mouth with a black kerchief. “Why could I no’ read his thoughts?” he asked, his tone laced with suspicion. “Why could I no’ glean all his memories?”

Broderick jerked and convulsed on the floor, as Rasheed contemplated him .

The elder narrowed eyes. “I don’t know.” He exchanged concerned glances with his peers.

After a long moment, the Elders filed out of the room through the same door in which Cordelia disappeared, none of them uttering a word. Angus stood over Broderick’s body, which shook with fever from the Vamsyrian blood purging the last of his humanity.

“Brothers for all eternity now, forever bonded by blood.” Kneeling beside Broderick, Angus whispered, “I will give ye this time, Rick, to learn what ye’ve become. Use the time wisely. Once ‘tis over, I will hunt ye.” Rising, Angus nodded and whirled toward the exit.

“No’ if I find ye first,” Broderick rasped and grinned through the pain. As Angus disappeared from the Council Chamber, Broderick’s smile faded into a scowl, his mind already turning toward the reckoning to come.