“So how are you and Merrick settling in? Have you had any more problems with that ex-fiancé of yours?”
“He tried to make trouble,” Elise admitted. “Remember I told you he’d tricked me into signing a prenup saying I had to marry him?”
“He did what?” Kat exclaimed.
“Yeah, well it was my fault for just signing instead of looking over it first,” Elise said. “Anyway, when I didn’t show for the wedding, he put in a complaint to the Kindred High Council—he even tried to bring Merrick up on charges of murder.”
“Oh, no!” Sophie put a hand to her mouth. “When did this happen?”
“Not too long after we first came up here,” Elise said quietly. “I didn’t really feel like talking about it then, but well, I’m starting to feel better now.” She smiled at Liv who smiled back encouragingly.
“Well go on.” Kat made a motion with one hand. “What happened?”
Elise cleared her throat. “Merrick explained that the man he’d murdered had been, uh, trying to attack me at the time, so they cleared him of that charge right away. Apparently a Kindred warrior can’t be held responsible for what they do when the woman they love is in danger.”
“No, they can’t.” Sophie shook her head firmly. “They go into rage.”
“It’s kind of a protective fury,” Liv explained. “If a Kindred thinks his female is in danger, there’s no stopping him until he eliminates that danger.”
“Yeah, and sometimes the elimination process can be kind of…messy.” Sophia winced.
“Messy. Right.” Elise nodded. “I, uh, know all about that.” Though she hadn’t seen her apartment after Merrick had finished with Charles, James had described it in graphic detail at the inquest. It didn’t change how she felt about the big Kindred a bit, but she had to admit it was a little frightening to be with a man who loved you so much he would do anything to protect you. Anything at all.
“Well, so they cleared him of the murder charges, but what about the prenup?” Lauren asked. “Did that hold up?”
Elise shook her head. “They ruled that my connection with Merrick superseded the prenup, especially when I testified that I signed it without knowing exactly what it stated.”
“So everything worked out in the end.” Olivia looked pleased.
“Sort of.” Elise bit her lip. “They also asked Merrick and me about the man who had captured us—the one with the silver eyes. Draven.”
“The leader of the Hoard?” Sophie’s lovely green eyes were shadowed by fear. This new threat to the Kindred wasn’t often discussed—it was too new and frightening for the girls to want to speculate about it much.
Elise nodded. “Yes, that’s him. Merrick told them everything he knew, and then they let us go. They did throw James one bone, though—Merrick is banned from ever going down to Earth again.”
“Well, that should be no problem,” Kat said comfortingly. “I mean, you’ve got enough to keep you busy up here, right? I mean, you’ve only really been together a month, I’m surprised you can even get out of bed.”
“Kat,” Liv hissed.
“No, it’s okay.” Elise looked up and took a deep breath. “Merrick and I haven’t actually…haven’t actually had sex yet.”
“What?” Kat, Lauren, and Sophie chimed together. Liv, who already knew, just sat silently.
“It’s true.” Elise lifted her chin. “Olivia is the only one I’ve talked to about it. Well, besides the therapist you recommended, Liv.” She nodded at Olivia who nodded back, smiling encouragement.
“When you said that Merrick got to you just in time to stop some kind of…of attack,” Sophie said hesitantly. “Was that…does that have anything to do with it?”
“That’s a big part of it, yes.” Elise sighed. “But the other part is, Merrick doesn’t want to.”
“He doesn’t?” Kat raised her eyebrows. “Um, that’s a little unusual for a Kindred, hon.”
“It’s because he’s afraid he’ll hurt or scare her, I’m sure,” Liv said, jumping to her defense. “Isn’t that right, Elise?”
Elise nodded. “Exactly. He doesn’t want me to associate him with my past trauma. And I’ve never really had sex that wasn’t, uh traumatic. So he thinks we should rule it out entirely—or at least put it on hold for several years until I’m completely over my past.”
“I think I know what you’re talking about.” Sophie leaned over and put a hand on her knee. “And I want you to know, something like that happened to me, too. It was awful and it colored the way I saw every other man afterwards. But Sylvan helped me through it.” She squeezed Elise’s knee. “I’m sure Merrick can do the same for you. Kindred are the most patient, kind, gentle lovers in the world, if you give them a chance.”