Leo bristled at hearing his brother labeled a freak. “Then perhaps you’d be so kind as to return him to us?” He could still hear the brogue in his voice and deliberately coarsened it, thickened it until it rivaled his father’s.

Kaitlynn looked at him, her expression turning to sly calculation. “There are situations in which a truebond and an alliance marriage have been co-arranged. Perhaps we should consider that.”

“No.”

Kaitlynn flinched at the hard finality of his tone. “Why not? It would solve the problem of the marriage contract and give us both what we want.”

“I am bonded already, Kaitlynn. Even if I wished to, my body is bound to Ruby’s. I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”

“Unless she wanted you to.”

Leo stared at her, wondering what in hell was going through her mind now. Ruby would never be willing to share him, even if he was willing to allow it.

“Think about it, Leo. You could have both of us, legally, and satisfy the terms of the agreement. Ruby and I could fulfill every fantasy you’ve ever had. And she wouldn’t need much persuasion, human that she is. All it would take is a little magic.” Kaitlynn tried to lay a hand on his arm, no doubt to entice him.

Enough of the binding energy still surrounded him, however, that her hand got no closer than an inch before she pulled it back with a cry of pain. “Damn it to hell!” Angry red spots appeared on her fingertips as she hunched over her hand.

Leo shrugged. “I told you. My bondmate doesn’t like to share.” Leo stepped back, putting some distance between him and the seething woman before him. “And neither do I.”

“We’ll see about that.” Cullen totally forgotten, Leo stared at the woman he was rapidly coming to realize was his true adversary. She straightened up, a slow, sleepy smile crossed her face. “Perhaps I can change your mind.”

“I don’t think so.” Leo’s gaze was steady. He watched her smooth the skirt of her dress, her poise once more in place.

“We’ll see.” She turned to Cullen, her eyes once again serene. “Father?”

Cullen moved towards his daughter and assisted her into the limousine. “Leo. A pity we won’t be adding you to our family roster.”

“Pardon me if I find myself grateful for the reprieve.”

Cullen’s sour smile was his only answer. The Malmaynes drove away from the farm, leaving him with a new problem. How was he going to explain what had happened to Ruby? Bonding her had been instinct, the sight of Cullen dragging Ruby away, hurting her, more than he could bear. He turned back to the house, the sight of his mother in the doorway bringing him up short.

“Damn it.” Leo sighed as he realized they hadn’t promised to return Shane.

It wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Chapter Seven

Jaden Blackthorn was having one of the best nights of his life. He watched the security monitor, nearly cackling with glee. This was better than Buffy reruns. Better than sex!

Scratch that. Even Kaitlynn’s failure and ultimate humiliation isn’t…

Never mind. This is better than sex.

Shane Joloun was making a break for it, and fairly successfully, too. The reason it was so successful was the two guards who were supposed to be monitoring Shane’s cell, weren’t.

Shane had managed to conjure up a tire iron and wasn’t afraid to use it. Cold iron in a Sidhe household could be a real bitch. Oddly, the hybrid didn’t seem to be affected by it at all. He was dressed in the dark blue silk Jaden had seen him summon. With leather-soled shoes on his feet he made barely a sound. The hybrid ghosted through the corridors of Malmayne House, taking out anyone who made the mistake of getting in his way.

He winced with faux sympathy as Shane cold-cocked another guard, turning the poor man’s already muddy brains to pure mush.

Cullen and Kaitlynn were going to be so pissed when they got home. And Jaden hadn’t had to do a thing other than be quiet. And make sure the power went out on the whole block. Oh, and knock the stupid security guards in the control room out with a tire iron after kicking the door in. Funny, that; using cold iron really didn’t bother vampires. Something the Deranged Darling should keep in mind for the next time she threatened him, if he let her have a next time.

Hell, by the time the emergency generator had kicked in, Shane was halfway out of the house.

Jaden kept his thoughts, and his eyes, glued to the monitor and nearly crowed with glee. Beating the two guards and watching the hybrid work had been pure pleasure. Listening to Kaitlynn’s frustrated screams would be icing on the cake.

He stayed long enough to make sure Shane got off the grounds before leaving the security area the way he’d come. He made it back to his room unnoticed by any of the surviving guards. Settling back down on his bed, he finally allowed the laughter he’d been holding back free rein.

Then, hungry, he went out for a bite to eat. He decided on a blonde, finding a lovely little piece of ass just wandering, slightly drunk, out of a bar. He followed her down the street, ready to pull her into a dark alley…

The knife at his throat didn’t scare him. The voice, however, did. “Hello, Jaden.”

He swallowed, terrified, as the slender man pulled him into the alleyway. He knew better than to fight.

“Hob.”

He bit back a cry as he was slammed, hard, to the ground. Tendrils of… something, broke the concrete pavement to wrap around his body, piercing his skin and pinning him in place through the arms, legs, and abdomen. The pain was excruciating. They pinned him to the ground and he screamed, but he made no sound. The Hob had muffled it.

He looked up through tear-drenched eyes to see the Hob smiling down at him. “Where’s Shane Joloun Dunne?” The Hob asked Jaden the question in the same tone of voice someone would ask where the bathroom was.

“Gone.”

Slender fingers, tipped in black claws, gripped his chin. “Don’t lie to me, Jaden. Not to me. I don’t like it when people do that.”

“He’s gone!”

One slender black claw began tapping against his cheek. “Really?”

He sobbed as the tendrils in his body pulsed, pouring poison into his system, ratcheting the pain up to nearly unbearable levels.

“I’m going to ask you again. Where is Shane Dunne?”

“Gone!”

The Hob shook his head, his eyes closing. “Oh, Jaden. And you were one of my best.” He tsk’d before opening his eyes to reveal Hell.

By the time the screaming died down to low whimpers the Hob had all the answers he needed.

Robin stared down at the sweaty and blood-soaked vampire on the ground. He actually felt some remorse for what he’d done to the man, but he had to be sure Jaden was telling the truth.

He hadn’t lied, and now Robin owed him. And the Hob always paid his debts.

He started by removing all of Jaden’s memories from the point he’d taken him. No need for him to remember what had been done to him. The wounds would heal on their own. Given enough time, the poisons would pass, the fractures would mend, the cuts and bruises disappearing after a good feeding. But time wasn’t something Jaden had at the moment. If Kaitlynn got her hands on him in this condition, the vampire didn’t stand a chance. And that would be Robin’s fault.

With a sigh the Hob slit his wrist and held it, dripping, to the vampire’s mouth. “Debt repaid.”

He deemed it enough when Jaden’s body began to glow. He was gone in a swirl of dust and wind before Jaden even had a chance to regain consciousness.

Leo stared down at Ruby, sleeping so peacefully in his bed. She was curled up on her side, her breathing deep and even.

He swallowed. He couldn’t shake off the terror. “It’s been two days. She hasn’t woken up. Not once.”

His mother rested her hand on his shoulder. “Give it time, Leo. It was a very powerful bonding.”