Jacob gave him a sidelong glance. “You okay with this, bro?”

“Yeah. I can do this.” A curl to his lip. “The last Council dinner I attended was a lot more . .. chal enging. If the most traumatic thing I have to do tonight is see you naked, I'l live. And if we get to share a pretty girl, well , you gotta do what you gotta do to keep your vampires happy, right?” Despite the flip comment, Jacob could tel Gideon was tense. He knew his brother, knew that Anwyn was the only woman he wanted in his arms. But it was different with a Mistress, what would pleasure them. They had a unique way of making you want what they wanted. He could tel , as Lyssa said, that Gideon understood that better now. But ultimately it didn't change how either of them felt about the vampires they served.

However, when Jessica slipped in the other door, it was apparent that their concerns were comparatively low level. She looked as if she was going to faint. When she leaned against the door, she closed her eyes, so involved in whatever was happening in her head she didn't even notice them.

As such, she nearly jumped out of her skin when Jacob moved, his dress shoe scraping the floor.

Her eyes flew open, took them both in. Drawing a deep breath, she declared, “I can do this.” Jacob nodded, took her hand. “Of course you can.”

“I can't have a panic attack. He'l feel it. He's involved with them right now, but if he feels me like this, he won't let me do it. And I have to. I have to show him I can do this. I have to prove to me I can do it.”

“You will .” Gideon, fol owing Jacob's lead, took her other hand, both of them dwarfing the slim fingers.

“You look sensational.”

Jessica glanced down at the off-the-shoulder black cocktail dress that was high on the thigh. A simple, classy sheath, sexy as hell . She wore the same choker she'd worn earlier, though Jacob hadn't paid close attention to it then, other things taking precedent. At close range, it was quite obviously Mason's col ar, a melding of different metals that had the pattern of a tiger's skin. Copper, bronze and gray, with threads of white glazing that made it an exceptional piece of custom metalwork.

The closure looked like a tiger's talon. An amber pendant dangled below it. Jacob drew her desperate gaze up to his as he laid his hand on her shoulder, his thumb brushing that col ar, reminding her of its presence.

“Everything that happens in here tonight, everything you do, will be his will ,” he said, steady.

“His pleasure. That's how it works. You get so lost in it, it isn't what you're doing that matters. It's how he reacts to it.”

Gideon's attention shifted to him. At one time, Jacob himself hadn't fully understood the words, even after months of training to be a vampire queen's servant. But now he did. all the way to the bone. Jessica held his gaze a long moment, drawing on that authority, and her own strength. Her chin firmed, and a new calmness, though fragile, entered her gaze.

“Al right.”

“Good. They're coming.” He pointed to a chair.

“He'l be sitting there, at the other end of the table.

She has Lord Uthe to her right and Lord Brian to her left.” Belizar was going to be next to Uthe. They'd thought about putting Belizar at the other end, where Mason was, but tonight Belizar was a member of Council only. She wanted him to get accustomed to that before she trusted him as a senior member with advanced standing again.

Moving to Mason's chair, Jessica took her place behind it as Jacob showed Gideon where Daegan and Anwyn would be sitting, so he could position himself between both of their chairs. His brother looked unexpectedly put together in black slacks and a dark blue shirt that stretched over his broad shoulders. Jacob wondered what weapons he was carrying tonight, and if the slacks had been tailored specifical y to all ow for that. Daegan had probably helped him dress, since Gideon usual y bought his clothes based on cheapness and how easy it was to wash blood out of them. Quel ing a smile, Jacob took a position behind the head chair, his lady's seat.

As the vampires wandered in, they chatted in a relaxed, amiable fashion, not so different from most cocktail parties. Cocktail parties attended by exceptional y perfect physical specimens of beauty and power, who might have been tearing one another apart only a few hours before.

Some of the servants were with them, while others now slipped in from other doors, taking their place.

Helga was on the other side of Mason with Torrence behind her. He and Gideon seemed to have a history because, when their gazes met, Gideon gave him a discreet sneer and Torrence returned a fuck-you look, immediately replaced by bland expressions on both faces. Jacob figured they'd be bonding over footbal scores by the end of the evening.

He held out his chair for his lady. Every inch of her looked edible in a beaded formal sheath of rich green that went with the emerald and diamond choker she wore on her neck. Her hair was in a simple style, clipped at her neck with a diamond clasp, the ebony curls tumbling down her back and over her breasts. She'd put together the right picture of formidable queen and irresistible, charming woman. It reminded everyone here she could be both, and which side she displayed depended on their behavior.

Belizar was quiet, a little more pale than usual, but seemed recovered. Vincent lingered closer to his chair, but when he saw the positioning of the other servants at the wal , he stepped back so he would not appear to be hovering. Jacob appreciated the male's loyalty, one of those odd quirks of being part of the servants' union, so to speak. Though he would have torn the male's head off if he'd actual y succeeded in harming Lyssa, he respected his devotion to his Master, because that was the common bond they all shared. He knew it was why

Lyssa had Barbra turned to ash in the main courtyard, but her servant was afforded a respectful burial.

When Mason entered, the vampire's gaze of course went to his servant, taking in her general state. Jessica inclined her head, her lashes brushing her cheeks in a pretty display of submission that won a wry tug of his lips. As he moved past her to sit down, his hand slid over her hip, squeezing her buttocks in an admonishment that had her biting down on a yelp.

However, when his nostrils flared and his gaze cut to Jacob, Jacob realized Mason had detected his scent on the girl. Jessica's fingers brushed his forearm, drawing his gaze back down to her. A quiet mind communication ensued, where Jacob hoped she was making it clear that it had been for reassurance only. Having been the one who'd shot her earlier, he didn't relish finding another reason to be on Mason's bad side.

Don't worry, Sir Vagabond. I'll protect you from Mason.

He stifled a snort. This could get very interesting, my lady. If it bothers him that I touched her for comfort only, how will he feel about what else could happen to her here?

We'll find out. And see who's still standing when it's all over.

Comforting. To those who have a chance of surviving his wrath.

Feeling fainthearted, Jacob? My servant usually has a foolish overabundance of courage.

Pot calling the kettle black, my lady.

As the Council and Lord Brian were seated, Lyssa touched her knife to her glass, the chime drawing their attention. She waited as they all stil ed, letting the significance of the moment sink in. “Each of you was chosen for this Council,” she said. “And that choice was made because it was believed—I think rightly—that you have the skills and strength to protect our kind and make us better and stronger as a race. What has happened in the past is past, useful only for how it takes us into the future. What is not useful we discard and leave behind.” She met Belizar's gaze. After another long moment, the Russian vampire lifted his glass, inclined his head. The look they exchanged reminded Jacob of what had transpired between them earlier, after the fight. From the other Council members, she'd taken the sire's marking from the wrist, a functional exchange. But when she visited Belizar, in the room they'd intended for her, it had gone a little differently.

The first thing she'd noticed was that the bed was too short for his large frame. She'd looked toward Vincent, standing next to it.

“Vincent, there is a staff member outside the door.

Please tel her to prepare accommodations more appropriate and comfortable for your Master. Jacob, please help him.”

She wanted a little space around the bed, but more than that, Vincent looked like he needed help walking. Though the removal of the steel spike had all owed his spine to heal, Vincent was stil deathly pale. His vampire Master understandably needed to replenish first, and of course no vampire would all ow his servant to drink from another vampire because of the mind connection that might be established by accident or diabolical intent. So Vincent would wait for blood while Belizar's strength built from the three donors who'd already visited and fed him.

Jacob figured only his loyalty was keeping Vincent on his feet and wondered why Belizar hadn't ordered the male to sit the hell down. Though in all fairness, the Council head looked as if he'd been poleaxed on a lot of levels today, and didn't have any attention to spare beyond that.

“I will understand if your Mistress deems I should be executed for my part in today's events,” the servant said as they approached the door. He spoke in a hushed murmur, but with great formality, giving Jacob a stiff bow. “However, while I have not been his ful servant very long, I humbly ask that she wait until my Master is at ful strength so the disruption of our link does not add to his current weakness.” Lyssa hadn't spoken on this issue, but Jacob easily knew her mind on it. “We're expected to serve our Master and Mistress before any other,” he returned. “You did what you were supposed to do. In your shoes, I would have done exactly the same. My lady has differences with Lord Belizar, but she wants him to remain on Council. She won't be depriving him of a loyal servant.” Then, since both their vampires were occupied, Jacob added in a low tone, “We're the one soul in their psychotic world they can trust, right?”

Vincent's gaze snapped up to Jacob. He cleared his throat. “Yes, sir. I expect you're correct about that.