She tightened her hold on Zach.
Don’t look so worried, Étienne told her as they approached the bed. That’s all we needed to see.
What is?
You, weak as a kitten, looking as fierce as a lioness preparing to protect her cub.
She frowned. You aren’t going to . . . ?
Lecture you endlessly? Complain ad nauseam about your keeping him a secret from us? Rant over your falling for the one immortal Ethan claims is on Seth’s shit list? Oh, yes. We will definitely do all of that. But try to come between the two of you? He shook his head and gave her shin an affectionate pat. No. He may be even more antisocial than Roland and annoying as hell, but—after watching him with you, seeing him give everything he had over and over again in an attempt to heal you—we don’t doubt his feelings for you.
She smiled. Thank you.
Richart cleared his throat. “Do you mind?” he asked Zach with unconcealed impatience. “We’d like to embrace our sister now.”
If anything, Zach tightened his hold on her. “I’m not letting go until I’m good and ready.”
Lisette’s smile broadened. She had no problem with that.
Even when it took Zach hours to become good and ready and finally step back.
Chapter Eleven
Lisette glanced around David’s long dining table. Only Seth and David were absent. The rest of the Immortal Guardians and Seconds in the area had long since taken their seats. Even Cliff had joined them, she was both surprised and pleased to see. It was the first time a vampire had ever been invited to one of their meetings.
Beside her, Zach shifted in his chair. This was all new to him, too. He would probably feel much more comfortable pulling gargoyle duty up on the roof. Particularly since the other immortals didn’t seem to know quite what to do with him. Zach’s tense relationship with Seth left them floundering for no other reason than this was the first time they had to wonder if befriending the new guy would alienate Seth.
Lisette didn’t think it would. Seth had said nothing of the sort in the two days since she had awakened and had even conversed with Zach on occasion. She just didn’t think Seth trusted him fully yet. The fact that Zach had been included in the roll call of this meeting was more a testament of Seth’s faith in Lisette than of his belief that Ami and Lisette had won Zach over to their side.
Étienne, seated between Krysta and Richart, shifted in his chair.
There seemed to be a lot of that tonight. No talk. Lots of restless movement.
Lisette didn’t have to guess what was on Étienne’s mind. His thoughts came through, loud and clear, without her even having to attempt to read them. As did Richart’s. Both d’Alençon brothers wore scowls and broadcasted every furious complaint they wished to lodge, though they probably didn’t realize it.
She frowned. Tonight they didn’t focus on Zach. Tonight it was all about Seth. They couldn’t forgive him for accusing her of treachery.
Hell, she had forgiven Seth. Why couldn’t they?
In fact . . . “If I can forgive Seth,” she spoke into the leaden quiet, “why can’t you?” She looked around the table. “Why can’t all of you?”
Bastien crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t see that there’s anything to forgive.”
Richart leaned forward. “He accused her of fraternizing with vampires.”
“I lived with vampires for two hundred years,” Bastien drawled.
Melanie nodded. “I fraternize with vampires every day.”
“You know what I mean,” Richart snapped.
Bastien’s eyes lit with amber fire. “Watch your tone when you speak to her,” he warned.
Melanie patted his arm. “I can take care of myself, sweetie.”
Étienne leaned forward. “He didn’t just accuse her of fraternizing with them. He accused her of leading them. Of pitting them against us.”
Bastien raised a finger and opened his mouth.
“Oh, shut up!” Étienne growled. “You were actually guilty of it.”
On Lisette’s other side, Ethan spoke. “So Seth made a mistake. Get over it.” She was happy to see Ethan had gotten over his own anger at Seth.
Cliff dared to enter the fray. “Yeah, are you so perfect?”
Ed nodded. “I agree. The possible sources of this new uprising were A, B, C, or D. When the possibilities of A, B, and C had all been explored and eliminated, that left only D. No matter how unpalatable he found it, Seth would’ve been remiss if he hadn’t looked into it.”
“He would have been better served,” Richart gritted, “looking into E.”
“There was no E,” Zach said, his deep voice startling her.
Lisette hadn’t expected him to join the conversation. Or defend Seth . . . which he seemed to be doing. She stared.