Page 104 of Immortal Bastard

“I can’t help you. I told The Council where I stand on the matter. That hasn’t changed. There’s nothing more I can do.”

“You can demand that they listen! You can tell them—”

“You’ve already reported the issue. The decision is up to them. They know where I stand.”

“But they aren’t listening! She’s a teenager! She’s innocent! Coming from you, it will be different. I’m nothing to them! You have their respect and their ear, you just have to use your position, and you can make all of this go away.”

“Did you not hear me?” Christian snapped, growing tired and wanting to get back to his mate. “The grief never goes away. The laws protecting Isaiah are the same laws protecting your sister. A death sentence for one will likely end her life as well. If you love her, truly love her, that can’t be what you want.”

“Like you said, it’s not what I want. It’s what needs to happen. But it’s never going to happen at the pace The Council’s moving.”

“These things take time.”

“She doesn’t have time! He touched her. Fed her. There is a literal hole connecting their cells. If he could break his hand to feed her through a hole, don’t you think he can get out of his restraints? You’re all fools if you think you actually have any control over keeping him there. He’s biding his time for something bigger. I can feel it. He’s using her as part of a bigger plan.”

“That doesn’t justify a revolt. The laws are the laws.”

“Then change the laws! You’re a fucking elder, for Christ’s sake! What if he’s conditioning her to trust him only to drain her of blood in the end. If he gets his strength back, we’re all fucked.”

“Watch your tongue!”

“Or what? You’ll say a few Bible verses and put me in a cell? Great, we’ll call it a family fucking reunion. Be sure to bring a dish to the potluck, you useless fuck.” The boy turned his back on him and marched furiously toward the tree line.

Christian growled. “Your sister is vampire now. There’s no innocence left in her.” His frustration lashed out with such force the cruel words burned his throat. “There’s no mending a mind as broken as hers. Do not come back here again asking for help on a matter that cannot be fixed. I have more important uses for my time.” He pivoted toward the house before he lost his temper and did something regrettable.

“How’s your mate?”

Christian’s spine stiffened, and his steps faltered. “She is none of your concern.”

He scoffed. “Oh, I think by now everyone’s concerned. They’re all whispering about you, you know.”

He spun and lunged off the porch, grabbing the boy by the shirt. “Do not think yourself above our laws of privacy, half-breed. Mention my mate again, and you’ll find yourself without a home and no way to ever see your demented sister again. I’ll see to it.”

Any man with a shred of common sense would have been terrified, but the half-breed only sneered. “She hates you.” He snickered.

Christian’s pulse throbbed as his grip tightened, a low, threatening growl spilling out of him as he snarled, “So help me God, you say one more word about her, and I will feed your sister to Isaiah myself.” Disgusted, he threw the boy to the ground.

“She’ll run again.”

Christian continued walking, but the boy continued to taunt him.

“This time, I’ll be sure to help her escape.”

Fangs fully extended he caught him by the throat and slammed him into the dirt. “Hear me now. You even look her way and I’ll carve your eyes out of your skull. She’s mine. Understand? Mine.”

Dane sputtered for breath until Christian finally let him go.

Rising to his full height, Christian straightened his clothing and returned to the porch, ripping the front door clean off the hinges and slamming the dilapidated wood shut. It clattered to the ground.

He planned to speak to Eleazar about this.

CHAPTER 15

The house rattled as the door slammed. Delilah jumped back from the window and hurried to the bed. Christian’s heavy footfalls marked his approach and matched the pounding in her chest. The door flung open and she threw her body back, pretending she was asleep.

“I’m aware you’re awake. If you can be brutally honest with me about our future, why on earth would you pretend to sleep over such foolish nonsense?”

She opened her eyes but didn’t answer. He loomed in the doorway, not entering, not completely meeting her stare. His palpable dark mood siphoned the oxygen out of the room.

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