The Roman(4)

Stefan glanced pointedly from the soldiers to Raven. “You were saying?”

“That you’re an asshole. You all are.” She limped sideways, placing herself between the vampyres and her sister. “We belong to the Curia. She may be dying, and you’re neglecting her. What do you think the Curia will do when you show up with a corpse?”

Stefan twitched, his gaze moving to Cara.

Raven followed the path of his eyes. “Maximilian attacked her. Aoibhe gave her some of her blood in order to heal her. She’s been unconscious ever since.”#p#分页标题#e#

“Lady Aoibhe?” One of the soldiers laughed. “That wench wouldn’t spare a drop of blood to save her own mother.”

“She fed her,” Raven insisted. “Not much, but enough to heal her.”

Raven switched her attention to Stefan. “You need to examine my sister. Now.”

Stefan sniffed. “You don’t give orders. Your master is dead; you’re chattel to be traded for peace. I have the priest’s letter in my pocket.”

Her green eyes flashed. “We belong to the Curia. If you don’t help my sister, they’ll kill you.”

“Knock it on the head.” One of the soldiers swung his sword. “Then we won’t have to listen to it prattle.”

“Touch me and you’re dead.” Raven turned in a circle, staring each of them down. “What do you think the Curia will do if we arrive damaged? They’ll kill you. All of you. And I’ll dance around your corpses.”

“Difficult to dance with a crippled leg,” a soldier mocked, miming her disability.

“Enough.” Someone moved forward.

All grumbling and growling ceased.

He was a head and shoulders taller than the others, placing him at well over six feet. His chest was broad, and his arms and legs were wide and powerful.

He stood toe to toe with Raven, peering down at her with dark, fathomless eyes.

“Sunrise approaches.” His Italian was spoken with an Eastern European accent. “Stefan, see to the human. Then we must go.”

“You aren’t in a position to issue commands, Borek.” Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. “Prince Machiavelli placed me in charge.”

Borek’s grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, his eyes never leaving Raven’s. “I’m in command of this detachment. My mission is to deliver the females to the Curia, unharmed. Don’t make me kill you.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Stefan sputtered, uncrossing his arms. “I’m a member of the Consilium.”

Borek turned his head a fraction, and his eyes met Stefan’s.

“Fine,” the physician huffed. He turned on his heel and walked toward Cara.

“Thank you.” Raven hazarded an appreciative look at the commander.

He bent toward her, his expression unchanged. “Curia whore. If I had my choice, you and your sister would already be dead.”

Raven took a step back, surprised by his sudden show of anger.

She quickly collected herself. “We want the same thing, commander. We both want to get to Rome as soon as possible.”

“You know nothing of what I want.” He jerked his chin in Cara’s direction. “Attend to the girl and get ready to move.”

Raven returned to Cara’s side just as Stefan concluded his examination.

He stood and brushed off his hands in distaste. “She’s unconscious, but that’s likely a side effect of the blood. Aoibhe is a powerful vampyre.”

“Will she wake up?”

“Yes.” Stefan didn’t bother looking in Raven’s direction. “Don’t ask me when. I don’t know how much blood she ingested or what her injuries were. Some humans have this reaction to vampyre blood—their systems shut down, and they sleep for hours. She could awaken at any time.”

“Thank you.”

Stefan’s upper lip curled.

“You’d better hope the Curia actually wants you.” He dropped his voice. “I wonder what would happen to you and your sister if they change their mind.”#p#分页标题#e#

Raven’s hands curled into fists.

Her curse was drowned out by the clanging of steel as the soldiers drew their swords, faces set against the perimeter. A few vampyres positioned themselves around the tree under which Cara lay.

“What’s happening?” Raven’s gaze moved from soldier to soldier, finding their faces uniformly tense.

Something rustled amongst the trees and pounded against the earth. Then, all of a sudden, an animal leapt into the clearing, knocking one of the soldiers to the ground.

The animal roared.

“Ferals!” a soldier cried, lifting his sword. “To arms!”