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Chapter Eight
Jelena rushed to the conference room. Damn, she was late for the last run-through of the rescue plan for Sychar. After she left Zamush and that woman, she’d wandered around in a daze. The background sound of BoD’s relentless nagging finally broke through her fog. She had a job to do, and she’d better concentrate on it.
With focused determination, she explored the enormous estate and the people in it. Time passed, and she almost forgot about the meeting. As she slid into the room, she spied Zamush standing in a corner with his arms crossed and a slight frown. She ignored how her heart beat wildly the second she saw him. She lifted her chin with a sniff. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched his brows lower and his dual-colored eyes follow her every move.
The deep-purple skin tone of Qhasheik caught her attention. She headed his way.
His red eyes lit up as he met her halfway. He grabbed her arm in a light grip and pulled her to the side. With her back against the wall, Qhasheik blocked her vision of the rest of the room.
“Did you find anything?” It was a strain to hear his whispered question over the loud conversations around them.
She sighed. He wouldn’t like what she said. “I did the best I could, but I didn’t get everyone. Those I did target seemed eager to help Warad-Mushtal and his family against sub-Prince Murduk.” She peered around his broad shoulders. No one paid them any attention. She glanced at Qhasheik’s thoughtful expression.
“What about everyone here? Think we can trust them?” He asked.
Jelena closed her eyes and stretched her senses. The overlying emotion in the room was one of excitement, laced with worry and uncertainty. Nothing out of the ordinary. Well, except for Zamush. She didn’t need an extra sense to know the man’s single-minded focus zeroed in on her. She gritted her teeth at her uncharacteristic reaction watching him with that Akurn woman. Wasn’t any of her business what he did. Giving Qhasheik a small grin, she patted him on his biceps. “Looks like everybody here is as they appear.” She squeezed his arm. “But I’ll keep my senses open.”
His full, black lips thinned. “Nobody is ever as they appear, young one. I’d appreciate you doing that. I’ll also keep my eyes open for any frenemies who might be here.”
“And we wouldn’t want to have you any other way, ulvot.” Katsuki joined them. “Come on. The meeting is about to start and you need to pay attention.” She looped her arm through Qhasheik’s elbow as they walked off.
Qhasheik leaned in and whispered something in Katsuki’s ear.
Her cheeks flush a dark gold. She giggled and nudged his shoulder.
Jelena rubbed the slight tic in her left eye. She’d lived with the trio since she was young, and the three of them still acted like they were newly mated. Seeing their example, she yearned for the same thing. And that’s what would happen when she and Sychar got together.
Maneuvering around the room, she grabbed her place at the table. She frowned when Zamush sat in the chair next to her. Her blood raced and her breath shortened. No worries. She was only reacting to the excitement of the moment, not to him. Nor the enticing aroma he brought that made her melt. She seethed, reliving the image of him with that woman.
“Everything okay? Have you had blood lately?” Zamush planted his elbow on his armrest and leaned close.
“What do you care?” She snapped her jaw shut. Crap! What an unreasonable, bitchy thing to say. She cleared her throat. “I’m fine, thank you.” He didn’t owe her anything. She shoved the memory of him and the woman away. Her other eye twitched. She pursed her lips and stared at Warad-Mushtal standing at the head of the table.
A light caress across her arm jerked her back to Zamush.
He ran a forefinger over her clothed skin.
She shivered. Dammit, she might as well be naked. His mere touch sent tingles down her spine as goosebumps popped up all over.
“Ah, my libbu.” His baritone caressed in a low tone.
She strained to catch what he said next.
“I can tell you suffer. Take what you need from me. Then you can avoid the bloodlust before it gets out of control.”
His lips were close enough to her ear that his warm breath caressed her.
“Know you’re safe to lose all control with me.”
A pleasurable ache thrummed at his seductive promise. “I...”
“My good friends, let us review.” Warad-Mushtal nodded to the two WOTA leaders. “Asu, Sabum. Are you and your troops ready to attack the prison where the priestesses are being held?”
Asu nodded. “Yes. As we speak, the troops have surrounded that part of the prison.”
“Sabum, did you get the explosives? Do you have people in place to plant them?”
The elderly man leaned back with his fingers entwined. “All is in place. Overnight, demolitions experts planted the bombs around the prison walls. It will create more of a sound diversion rather than something that will destroy the building.” A slight chuckle rumbled from him. “It will be loud enough to add to the confusion. They’ll rush over and leave minimal guards in the area where they’re holding Sychar.”
