Enyo's laugh was dark and violent. "Do you plan to give me a spa treatment or kill me?"

"G.o.d, one thing I hate most about Vampires is how much you all yap your d.a.m.ned gums. Talk, talk, talk. Shut up and die already."

Clive kept an eye on the doors, but it seemed as if everyone in the Keep came through them but Rowan. Figures that they finally had some time, and yet again, someone else stole her away from him.

He headed out into the main entry and saw Recht there. She'd gone off to meet with him, so where was she?

"Do you know where Rowan is?"

Recht shook his head before jerking it in the direction of her rooms.

She might have gone to change. He nodded his thanks and headed up. He smiled, imagining her in the shower. That worked for him just fine.

But she wasn't in her rooms. He stood at the windows, looking out over the grounds wondering where she'd gotten off to.

"Mr. Stewart, is everything all right?"

Clive turned to David. "I was just looking for Rowan. Have you seen her?"

"Not since she left the room. She was meeting with Recht."

Clive nodded. "I saw him downstairs. He's not with her now and seemed to think she might be up here."

"She hasn't been in her rooms at all since she had to give up her blade again after the challenge. She changed from her ruined shirt but went right back downstairs."

Clive didn't like it that she wasn't allowed her blade. Especially after that challenge.

But he really didn't like not knowing where she was. Worry began to slide down his spine.

"I'll look for her up here. Is her...is The First downstairs? Perhaps she's with him?"

Clive shook his head. "He's still in the great room. She was with Recht, but now that's over too. Maybe the kitchen."

"Go. I'll look too. It's not like her to disappear like this, but she has many people to reconnect with since her return."

David didn't sound overly convinced of that either.

Clive headed back downstairs, stopping in the kitchen to check if anyone had seen her there and no one had. Worse, he'd realized he hadn't seen Enyo either. At that point his slight concern had grown considerably. It was just better to go straight to the top.

He approached The First, and he must have sensed a problem immediately because his gaze sharpened and he shooed everyone else away.

"What is it?"

"Ovilius, have you seen Rowan?"

"I believe Recht went to speak with her."

"Yes. I spoke with him a few minutes past. They finished up about half an hour ago. Her valet has not seen her. She has not been through the kitchens."

"Have we seen Enyo lately?"

d.a.m.n it. "No."

The First rubbed his temple. "I thought earlier that I heard her. I thought she was here."

The First looked around the great room, sharp eyes missing nothing. He sent Enzo off to look and then stalked over to where Celesse sat with Rex Espy and Roth. "Have you seen Rowan of late?"

They all shook their heads, but it was Rex who caught the situation quickest. "Is she missing?" He stood, not bothering with more than a tip of his chin toward The First.

"She has not been seen recently. I'm sure she's off doing something she never realized would worry anyone." The First's voice drifted off at the end of the last sentence as he looked around.

David entered the room and came over. "No one has seen her in at least thirty minutes. But one of the staff said he gave her a note."

The First's gaze sharpened. "A note? From whom?"

"He didn't know. It was left on a table in the butler's pantry. He saw it and kept it in his pocket until he saw Rowan about half an hour ago."

A lot could happen in thirty minutes. Especially if Enyo was involved.

"She's a coldblooded killer. Why are you all so worried?" Roth asked, clearly puzzled. Which at least took him off Clive's list of suspects.

"I'll have my staff look into it. I'm sure it's fine. I'll let you know what I hear." The First moved away, but Rex didn't let that go. He followed them out into the hall.

"This is obviously a concern, given the fact that another person is also not here and it's an ancient Vampire who wants Rowan dead. So you'll have to excuse me but I'll be helping. My wife would skin us all alive if I didn't."

Dina came out into the hallway, heading straight toward The First. "Ovilius, pardon my interruption, but I was just outside cutting a very long smoke break by one of my staff short when I heard a terrible noise. A scream that made the hair on the back of my neck go straight up. The Scion had just been asking after Ms. Rowan and...it's probably not connected."

Theo nodded, his eyes shifting to that of an ages-old predator. Nadir showed up, Recht at her side.

"She's out there, and most likely so is Enyo. She doesn't have her blade. She turned it in earlier, so she's most likely unarmed."

Nadir nodded and moved away from them. Within moments the Five had gathered, put their heads together and slid from the room, on the hunt.

"I'm going out there too. If you wish to accompany me," The First spoke to Rex, "you should know it'll likely be dangerous."

"I'm a dangerous man, sir. You should know that if there's a threat to Rowan, I will not hesitate to step in to protect her."

The First looked him over and then nodded. "All right then. Clive, I a.s.sume you'll be with us."

As if he'd be anywhere else.

The Keep took up a great deal of land, and they stood out beyond the back of the kitchen and listened hard.

"There's a lot of area to cover." Rex stood in front of them both. "She told me you both gave her blood after the fight she had with the rogue in Las Vegas. Can you use that somehow? Don't Vampires have a sort of connection with those whose blood they've shared?"

Clive sucked in a breath. "Yes." He hadn't even thought of that, which was as stupid as it was obvious.

"Let us both try."

Clive closed his eyes at The First's words and searched for his connection to her. She lived in him in so many ways, but his lifeblood lived in her. Ran through her veins. There had to be a connection, even if it was faint...

In the distance they heard a scream of rage and pain. Clive gave over fully to what he was, using all his speed and senses to race in the direction of that sound.

But the First was faster. So much faster, and as Clive skidded into the tiny clearing near the orangerie, he smelled the blood before he caught sight of Rowan.

"Here!" Clive shouted, hoping Rex could hear.

"You get away from her now!" Theo spoke. He did not yell or scream. But the force of that command echoed through Clive's bones, through sinew and muscle.

Clive heard the gurgle of lungs full of blood. Pain laced the sound. He stepped to the side as Enyo flew across the s.p.a.ce and hit a nearby tree trunk. A flash of movement, pale hair in the moonlight, as The First followed Enyo's flight, his face a mask of rage, incisors needle-sharp, extended, eyes ablaze.

Clive tore his attention away. Rowan lay half-sitting, her face a b.l.o.o.d.y ruin. Her chest was covered in blood, her breathing irregular, her body trembling. Her eyes were closed. Her life force, usually so vibrant and vivid, had paled, flickering. She was dying.

"Rowan?"

She whimpered, but one of her eyes opened. "I know you," she whispered as Clive went to his knees, schooling his features the best he could. Her left arm was a mess of wounds so deep he saw bone in several places. Her muscles had been torn; she bled a great deal. She needed treatment immediately or they'd have to turn her to keep her alive.

He tried to pretend he wasn't terrified. "Of course you do, Hunter. You live to give me trouble daily."

"Her. I know her." She coughed. Hard, racking coughs that left her lips red and glossy from blood. Her face was swollen and beginning to bruise. Her jaw appeared to have been dislocated and maybe even broken. One of her legs lay at an odd angle, and the bone pierced her flesh.

"Hunter, you're in bad shape."

In the background he heard snarling and movement, but he couldn't tear his eyes from Rowan.

"I poked her f.u.c.king eye out, Scion. And I yanked her incisor out too. Ha."

"Of course you did, darling." He swallowed hard against the swell of emotion she evoked. "I need to pick you up. Need to get you to the Keep."

"'S gonna hurt."

He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Probably. I'm sorry for that."

"Did you kill her?" Her voice was wet, and it tore at him.

"I believe your father is doing that."

As Clive spoke the words, he felt the overwhelming presence The First carried with him. "She got away." The First knelt and looked Rowan over, pain on his features. "Petal, you're quite a mess."

"Got away?"

The First tore his wrist open and held it out to her. "Sweetest, you need to take my blood."

"No."

His features hardened. "Don't be stubborn, Rowan."

"Don't wanna."

The First sighed, took hold of her face at her jaw, forced her mouth open and jammed his bleeding wrist into it. She made a sound similar to a shriek of pain, and though The First's features did not change, Clive noted his flinch. "Do be still. You're damaged. My blood will help. You will die without it, and I will not allow such a thing."

"Get her," Rowan managed to mumble around his wrist.

"You are worth more. Now stop struggling or I will be vexed! You make it hurt more, d.a.m.n you, stubborn child!"

Rex burst into the clearing, breath heaving. "Rowan!" He moved to them, but Clive shook his head.

"Gentle."

"Sweet Christ of Judea! What happened? Darling. Oh, sweetheart. Where is that b.i.t.c.h? I'll take her head myself!"

"She's gone. Escaped." The First picked Rowan up gently, and she gave in with a sigh, her head lolling back.

"I need to get her to the house." With those words, The First was gone in a burst of speed.

Clive turned to Rex. "The Keep. I need to get there as soon as I can. Can you get back?"

Nadir came into the clearing. "What is it?"

Clive told her briefly. "I don't know where she went, though. She and The First fought awhile, and then he came to Rowan to aid her. He took her back to the Keep."

"We'll sweep the area. Mr. Espy, please. Recht will escort you back."

Clive took that as his cue and headed away at top speed.

Chapter Twenty.

The last time he'd exerted himself this hard, hard enough to sweat beads of blood, also happened to be when Rowan had nearly gotten herself killed.

Clive burst through the doors. Dina pointed to one of the smaller sitting rooms, and he rushed in.

The scent of blood should have been enticing. Rowan had no idea, but her blood made his mouth water usually. But this blood was laced with so much pain and death, his belly clenched as fear raced over his skin.

"Is she all right?" Clive pushed through the crowd to find Celesse kneeling on one side of her, The First cradling Rowan's head in his lap and Paola giving Rowan blood. Enzo was a shadow in the doorway, ready to serve The First whenever and however he needed it.

"Where is the doctor? d.a.m.n it, she needs a doctor!"

David patted his arm. "They're giving her blood. There are no human doctors nearby. They've sent for someone in town, but it'll take time."