I laughed softly. "He's...still very much a child. Father used to say that and I never understood it till now. But then we were never around each other much."

"Sometimes children can be dangerous," Brandon said.

I thought of the last thing Craft said to me. The warning. "Brandon-Michel hates you because you're an obstacle between he and I."

He grinned. "I am?"

"Yes. You are. Craft-Craft warned me that you were in danger."

"Craft did? When?"

"A few hours ago. Before I lost touch with him." I waved at him, dismissing any more discussion of Craft Hood. "I just want you to be careful."

"Michel can't touch me-the Baroness already said as much."

"Michel does what Michel wants, Brandon. Just be careful. I'll speak to the Baroness and let her know." I turned and headed to the door.

But I gasped when I felt his warm hand on mine. I turned and he was right behind me. "Carly...there's no way to stop the bond?"

"No. It's what I was made for." I gave him the best smile I could-but it was fake. It felt fake. And I was drowning. In a few short days I'd met a man that could shake my belief in what I was destined for. Who made me see more than just a life with a man I hated. But I couldn't have him.

Not if I wanted him to live. Though the Baroness had offered him a choice, I was sure she'd have him killed quietly and not give him another thought. She was doing this for me. To appease me in some way. To make my bonding with Michel easier.

But...why? Why would she do this for me? If I was just an orphan plucked from many and raised to perform a specific function-why try and make me happy. I'd be a good soldier and do what I was told, wouldn't I?

I lead Brandon from the room and into the foyer. Its opulence felt cold and distant. A man in a dark suit stood just inside the door and nodded to me as we approached. "I'm here to escort Mister Fleetwood home."

She was sparing no expense. I turned to him and reached up to touch his face. "Brandon-"

I wasn't prepared for the kiss. He was quick, demanding, and so very pa.s.sionate. I felt my body melt into his as he bent down and wrapped his arms around my back. I pressed back as hard as he, and probed even further with my tongue to part his lips. He moaned softly and held me tighter.

I felt my little tiger inside stir and I knew it wouldn't take much for me to lose control with him. I could smell him with every breath, hear his heart beating quicker and quicker as his own pa.s.sion overwhelmed him.

I felt my teeth ache and every part of me that wanted him catch fire.

I craved to sink my teeth into his neck and feed, to taste his blood, and drink a feast of desire.

Someone cleared their throat.

Twice.

I blinked and came back to myself. We both did and came up for air. I looked to see it was the driver, his fist balled at his mouth as he cleared his throat a third time. Brandon blushed. He was so adorable!

"I'll call the Baroness on Tuesday, and let her know. I think she realizes I won't back out or run away."

I nodded to him as he pulled away. The last part of us to let go was our hands, our fingers entwined. And then the driver was opening the door and Brandon was gone into the night rain.

I didn't hear from Brandon for a couple of days after that. I didn't expect to-not really. Not until he called and gave his decision to the Baroness. To forget, or to make a blood oath. I didn't want him to have to make any decision.

What had she hoped to gain by it all? But why drag Brandon in? Did she really think it would make him hate me? Or was it to force me into leaving him alone? Either way-that's what the Baroness told me I had to do.

That night I shut myself up in my room and just slept and watched movies. I wasn't hungry-not really. Yeah I could have done with a drink, but I didn't want one. I just wanted to shrivel up and cease to exist.

Jared finally came in to talk to me the day Brandon was supposed to give his decision. Or rather, talk at me. I'd been on the bed clutching a pillow, looking up at the ceiling where I'd pinned a picture of the sun.

"You know this is for the best. Father did everything he could for you-he took you out of what might have been a very hard life and gave you everything. Just...bond with Michel and live your life."

I didn't answer him. The mantra had grown old. And I didn't want to hear it anymore.

"Carly-"

"Get out, Jared."

"I just-"

"What words in get out are confusing you?"

He sighed and the bed moved as he stood. But when I heard the door open, I couldn't stop myself from finally blurting out the question that kept coming back to me. "Why?"

Jared paused and looked back. "Why what?"

"Why me? What was it about me that made Father pick me out of all of the other orphans?"

My brother shrugged as I looked at him. "I don't know I wasn't there." He turned to leave and then stopped again. "I-I did ask him once why he chose you."

"Why did you ask him that?"

He grinned. "You didn't seem particularly special to me."

I threw the pillow at him. He ducked. "Seriously Jared. What did he say?"

"He said your blood called to him," he stood in the doorway with one hand on the k.n.o.b of my door, a faraway look in his eyes. "I didn't understand it then, or even now. A human's blood can't really call to us, unless there's something about that blood that's special. So, I thought maybe your blood was special."

This conversation had me intrigued. I didn't have any memories of my childhood up until I was six or seven. I was always told I'd been in an orphanage, and my Father had shown me pictures of me with the sisters. Sitting up, I chewed on my lower lip. "Special how?"

"I don't know. Haven't you ever asked Father?"

"A million times-but he always told me because it was destiny. And you know...Craft asked me that. Why was I chosen? Why was I the one destined to unite the two Houses? And he got me thinking, you know. Blood is strong with us. House blood, bloodlines, human heredity. Marcus and Father were brothers in their mortal lives, as were Craft and Michel. I can see where there was strength. But...a n.o.body from an orphanage?"

"Doesn't make sense does it?"

"No. And I always had the impression that Craft knew something. I'm starting to believe he asked me that just so I would question it too."

"Well, being of the Babineaux blood, maybe he does know something of how those ties work? Or he could know something about your birth mother."

I blinked at Jared. "Huh? How could he know about her? Not even Father knows."

Jared looked like he'd just stuck his fist in the lion's mouth and was shocked the beast bit if off. His brow hardened and he shook his head. "I don't think-"

My phone rang at that moment. It was Brandon's ring. I'd purposefully reframed from calling him the past two days so I wouldn't put pressure on him. But now it was the day to decide. Maybe he was calling me to tell me what his decision was before called the Baroness?

I turned and grabbed the phone on the nightstand and smiled at Brandon's picture displayed on the face. "Hey Brandon-did you make a decision?"

"Yes he did," Michel's voice answered me on the other side. Jared immediately stiffened and moved beside me. "And I must say, you're not gonna like it."

My heart beat angrily against my chest. I felt my teeth slide down with rage. "Why are you calling me on Brandon's phone? Where is he?"

"Well...wouldn't you like to know. I hear he had a decision to make. Either forget, or take the blood oath with the Baroness." He sighed. "Well...I'm sorry my love, but I couldn't have him making the wrong decision. The fact that woman allowed him to make any decision goes against everything we stand for. The food doesn't get to choose, Carly. And neither do you."

I stared at the window which was open to the night rain. "You better not have hurt him-"

"Or what? Reality is, it won't matter, will it? If I kill him, the Baroness can make all the complaints she wants-but the Council will side with me. Humans knowing we exist is always a risk. But, she also possesses the power to revoke the covenant-and I can't have that. This human's very existence threatens the covenant I have with the Wyndham family whether he's dead or alive."

I hated the level of anxiety pressing down on my shoulders. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d had Brandon-using his phone was the proof he needed. "What do you want?"

"Oh right to the point. I really like that about you. See...I want what I've always wanted. I want you. I want your blood. I want the blood bond, Carly. So I figure if we settled this privately and do the bond without all those pesky old f.u.c.ks around, then it would make everyone happy. You can have Brandon back if you bond with me, but I'm afraid you won't have quite the same feelings for him that you do now."

"No," Jared said. "I'm telling the Baroness."

"Tell that little f.u.c.ker if he tells the Baroness anything, I kill Brandon. It's that simple."

I reached out and grabbed Jared's upper arm. "No. I can't risk it."

"Good little princess," Michel said. "Meet me at my new house. You have half an hour."

He disconnected.

I didn't waste time getting ready. I pulled on socks, shoes and a jacket just as Jared stepped back in the room wearing a leather peacoat. I hadn't noticed he'd stepped out, my mind was so worried for Brandon. "What're you doing?"

"I'm going with you."

"You can't."

"Yes I can. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d didn't say anything about not bringing me." He smiled. "Besides, I've already sent the Baroness a text."

"You what?" I was ready to kill him.

He held up his hands. "She doesn't check her messages until after dinner. And right now," he frowned. "She's in the middle of it."

I didn't want to know what that meant. I just wanted to get to Brandon...

And choke the ever loving s.h.i.t out of that d.a.m.ned b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

"You got your keys?"

"Of course."

I didn't say another word as I stepped out of the window and half jumped, half floated to the ground below. Jared followed behind me and we ran around the house to the front. The other cars were gone but Jared's BMW was there.

Abruptly an alarm went off.

"s.h.i.t. Get in!" he shouted.

Whether or not that was an alarm to keep us from getting out, or intruders from getting in, didn't matter. Dudes with black suits came out of the shadows and aimed their guns at the car. Jared cranked up the performance car and looked behind him. "Never played human bowling before. Might be fun."

I braced myself against the dashboard as he threw it into reverse. I saw dudes scatter in the rear view mirror as we backed up. Jared yanked on the wheel, put it in drive, and peeled out of the driveway, knocking more of the suited dudes away like bowling pins.

Neither of us said a word as he maneuvered his way out through the drive, past the closing gate, and then squealed tires as he made a sharp turn onto the highway.

Once we were on the interstate, the windshield wipers working furiously to keep the increasing rain off the gla.s.s, we glanced at each other- And busted out laughing.

It was the nervous laughter of the insane as Father used to say.

"I'm still mad at you."

"Mad at me? Why?"

"For telling the Baroness everything."

"Telling her what?"

"About me and Craft and Brandon."

He sighed and shook his head as he changed lanes and glanced into the rearview mirror. "Carly-I didn't tell the Baroness anything she didn't already know. And..." he swallowed. "I can't refuse her when she asks me the truth."

"You don't have any trouble lying to me."

He shrugged. "You're not my Sire."

It took me a few minutes to get that. And no one could blame me, I was a bit preoccupied. My fiance was threatening to kill my hope-to-be-soon boyfriend.

And then it hit me. I stared at him, moving as the car moved as he wove in and out of traffic. "Jared...the Baroness is your Sire?"

He didn't answer me.

"I thought...Father was."

"No...he's technically my brother. My younger brother. But just by blood, not by genetics."

He meant they were never blood brothers as humans. Not like my Father and Marcus were.

"So...why did you let me believe you were my brother?"

He shrugged. "You called me big brother all the time. Father and the Baroness thought it was good that I be your big brother. So..." he glanced over at me. "I couldn't refuse. And not because I was commanded by my Sire, but because I wanted to help you."

"So you're really my uncle."

He smirked. "You could say that. My point was that if she asked me what was happening, I can't lie to her. We're blood bonded."