Page 19 of Bradi

Chapter Seven

Nina Janelle moved with a grace most human women didn’t possess. She stopped in front of Pheebes, a trusted warrior among her guards. “What was so urgent that you needed to pull me away from my duties?”

“Forgive me, my lady, but I bring news that I think you should know.”

She motioned for him to join her in her office. “Tell me this news.”

“A group of my men, the panther group, were returning from a scouting mission on the edges of the red sea and encountered an outsider.”

“An outsider, really?” Nina’s interest was piqued. They kept close tabs on the number of outsiders they permitted on the planet. Aside from the group that had arrived two months ago with her brother-in-law, they hadn’t had any outsiders here for more than a few hours in decades. “Go on.”

“Yes, my lady. At first they assumed the woman was alone, and they were starved for…” His eyes shifted downward.

Nina knew the sexual cravings that the men had were great, yet she discouraged them from seeking fulfillment from anyone other than their chosen mates. Stegian, an evil vampire sorcerer who had terrified her people for over a hundred and fifty years, and who was bent on destroying her family and her people, could invade the minds of almost any man—but unmated ones were most at risk. They’d found that men who gave into carnal pleasures and who were not mated were most vulnerable to the vampire’s mind control. “Go on.”

“The men cornered her and immediately noticed that she bore the mark of one of our own. Thinking that she could be the mate of one of Stegian’s men, they inspected further. She was with child, and they claim that she was covered in the scent of—” He stopped and stared at her.

Nina nodded her head. “Of who, Pheebes?”

“Of Bradiainn.”

“You are mistaken.”

Nina could believe that Stegian was behind just about anything. She could not and would not believe that one of her brothers was back. They had all left the planet on bad terms.

Pheebes shook his head. “No, my lady. My men say that a large black panther surged forward and challenged them for the woman. Do you think he has been sent by Stegian to try to kill you and your sister?”

Nina’s eyes widened and her heart raced. As much as she didn’t want to believe it was true, she’d seen her own father turn against his family. Bradiainn had been banished from the planet by her father due to his rumored involvement with Stegian. If it was true, and he was back, he was a threat she didn’t want to imagine coming up against alone.

“Tell no one of this. Organize a party of five men. Bring extra horses. We shall set out in an hour. If Bradiainn is here, we shall find him.”

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