Page 60 (1/2)

Noever, as he thought of the kinds of adventures Alexandra and Leland and their friends would require of hih his veins and his teht e feast, they gathered in the drawing roo work in the kitchen, Cook carried in the tray with the silver bowl filled with the traditional hot blooded rum The small silver cups were filled to be shared

Robert shared his cup with Leland, who tried not to look at Philip Philip shared his with Wilhelly shared hers with Cook And he, because he had no choice, shared his with Alexandra

Jaenelle stood alone, with no one to share her cup

Daemon’s heart twisted He re alone, the outcast, the unwanted He would have damned the tradition that said only one cup was shared, but he saw that strange, unnerving light flicker in her eyes for just a moment before she lifted her cup in a salute and drank

There was a moment of nervous silence before Wilhelmina juifts now?"

As the cups were put back on the tray, Daemon maneuvered to Jaenelle’s side "Lady--"

"It’s fitting, don’t you think, that I should drink alone?" she said in a ht whisper Her eyes were full of awful pain "After all, I am kindred but not kind"

You’re ht fiercely His body ached

She was his Queen But with her fa he could say or do to help her

During the next hour, Jaenelle played her expected role of the slightly befuddled child, fawning over gifts so at odds hat she was that it made Daemon want to paint the walls in blood No one else noticed she was fighting harder and harder to draw breath with each gift she unwrapped until it see her sift of handkerchiefs, she flinched and went deathly pale With a gasp, she leaped to her feet and ran from the room while Alexandra and Leland sternly called for her to coht, Dae off hi for breath, feebly trying to open aDaemon locked the door, strode across the room, viciously twisted the lock on the sash, and snapped theopen all-shaking force

Jaenelle leaned over the narro seat, gulping in the winter air "It hurts so much to live here, Daemon," she whimpered as he cradled her in his arms "Sometimes it hurts so much"

"Shh" He stroked her hair "Shh"

As soon as her breathing slowed to norainst the wall, one leg stretched out along theseat, and drew her forward until she was pressed against hi, effectively capturing her in a tight triangle

It was insane to have her pushed up against hi on his thighs Insane not to stop the slow uncurling of those psychic tendrils of seduction

"I’m sorry I couldn’t share the cup with you"

"It doesn’t matter," Jaenelle whispered

"It does toe than usual

Jaenelle’s eyes were getting confused and smoky He pulled the tendrils back a little

"Daeift"

There was a ruh, except there was fire in it instead of ice, and his eyes were old "That was no more your choice than the paint set was trulyyou a saddle that would fit both you and Dark Dancer--"

Jaenelle’s eyes widened and she laughed