Page 41 of Dark Gambit Reliance

Toven was about to answer when the door to Darlene's room opened, and Bridget walked out with the nurse.

"Hello, people. Darlene is awake, but that's not going to last long, so if you want to say goodbye before you leave, I suggest you do it now and do it quickly."

That wasn't good. He needed Darlene asleep or unconscious, to give her a transfusion. He would have to thrall her.

"How is she doing?" Eric asked.

"It's too early to tell. So far, her vitals are strong."

"Excellent." Toven smiled and turned to Eric. "Mia and I will not take long. Is it okay if we go in first to say our goodbyes?"

"Sure. And don't forget the blessing."

"I won't."

29

SOFIA

Once again, they were going to Sofia's spot on the beach, but this time they were doing it during lunch break.

Eleanor stroked Cecelia's back. "I don't know why I like this cat so much. Her temperament is the opposite of mine. I like to be active, while she likes to do as little as possible."

"She has a calming effect." Sofia scratched the cat under her chin, eliciting louder purring.

Marcel was quiet, contemplative. He didn't take part in their conversation, but his arm around her waist was warm and sure, and from time to time, his palm moved over her hip, reminding her of their morning lovemaking.

Those intimate moments were the only times she was distracted enough for her anxiety to subside so she could forget about the danger to her family.

She'd prayed to the Mother of All Life for Jade to succeed in eliminating Igor. If she did, Marcel's people wouldn't have to invade, there wouldn't be bloodshed beyond Igor's, and in her gratitude for their help, Jade would sign a treaty with the immortals.

Talk about wishful thinking.

But even that best-case scenario wouldn't be the end of her worries. Marcel still planned on confessing his crime to the clan's judge and accepting any punishment she saw fit. What if the judge sentenced him to entombment? It was such a horrible punishment that even a whipping seemed preferable to it.

"Do you want to hear something funny?" Eleanor said.

Marcel cast her a sidelong glance. "A good joke would be most welcome right now."

Was he tormented by the same thoughts that plagued Sofia?

"Syssi thinks that I might be of Kra-ell descent."

Sofia chuckled. "The thought crossed my mind when I started noticing peculiarities about Marcel, and I wondered about your and Emmett's compulsion abilities."

"What does she base that on?" Marcel asked.

"Mainly my looks and my ability to compel. If I am of Kra-ell descent, it's good news for Sofia because it means that Kra-ell Dormants can be induced the same way as immortal Dormants even many generations later. But I don't think that I'm Kra-ell. Toven is a compeller, and so were his brother and his uncle. We know that they are not Kra-ell."

"Who is Toven?" Sofia asked.

Marcel and Eleanor exchanged looks, and then Marcel shrugged. "I guess it's okay to tell you. Toven uses the name Tom when he deals with humans."

"Why? I've never heard the name Toven. It doesn't mean anything to me."

"He has his reasons," Eleanor said. "Anyway, I wonder if Bridget can tell the difference between Kra-ell and immortal genes."

"Kaia might help with that." Marcel stopped next to Sofia's boulder and pulled the pendant from his left pocket and the special earpieces from the other. "Here you go."