THE AWAKENING

Tieran stilled as a discordant vibe washed over his entire body. He had seconds before Cassandra’s scream echoed through his mind.

He gripped his head with both hands and for a moment went completely blind. He stumbled and Jandin caught him before he crashed into the wall. “What is it?” he asked.

“Cassandra,” Tieran answered, pushing off his brother and running at a full tilt to her bedroom with Jandin and Koris close behind.

He burst through the door, shattering the jamb into pieces to find Cassandra crumpled in a ball, her arms cradling her belly as if to protect her babies.

“Oh Goddess, no.” He scooped her from the floor and laid her gently on the bed. When he released her body, he realized she was leaking blood.

“Woman’s blood,” Jandin said, worried as he looked to Koris. “Get the vampire. He knows the most about Breeding Females. Where is Iona?” Koris immediately split the room, fast as his beastly strength could take him.

“Gone until tonight. Damn the old woman for her stubborn ways. She wouldn’t tell me where she was going or why,” Tieran nearly shouted in his fear. He leaned in smoothed her forehead with his palm. “Cassandra, talk to me. Open your eyes. Tell me what is wrong. What should I do?”

“There is something here…something that shouldn’t be.” He followed the scent to the nightstand and inhaled sharply. “Something was here…in this spot.

Jandin’s horrified question and realized with a sinking heart he knew the answer. “Serra,” he said, closing

breathed, unable to believe it. “Serra is a good woman, a strong and loyal member of Clan Barrachius. It had to be

good, so she could heal and move on. I did her a kindness

right now. We will find Serra. She

he realized the wisdom in Jandin’s advice and choked down

presence and the knowledge that Cassandra had been intimate with the blood sucker

Tieran never would’ve allowed Cristophe to remain in the compound. That, and Cassandra seemed to

if he’d tasted

said, glowering.