Cinn’s head was spinning with the seemingly constant stream of violence. Where had her simple life of working with her plants veered off track?

Edge started for the door. “Sparkle’s right. Nothing we can do now until he comes out of it. Leave the guy alone. We don’t need to make a circus out of it.”

Cinn watched as Edge, followed closely by Bain, left. Holgarth had stayed up in the great hall to handle business.

Ganymede leaped from the iron maiden and padded to the door. “Coming, sugar-bucket? Exercise always makes me hungry. I think some of your cookies are still left.”

Sparkle sighed. “You can stay if you want, Cinn. Make sure Holgarth knows when you leave so he can lock the door. Try to get some rest, and we’ll shop in the afternoon.” She scowled. “Giant whoop.”

As Sparkle closed the dungeon door behind her, Cinn realized she was alone with two vampires. Too bad she couldn’t work up the energy to panic.

Dacian had stopped struggling against his bonds, but his eyes still held no awareness. It hurt her to look at him, so she looked at the strange vampire.

“Who are you?”

“Eric Mackenzie.”

Okay, that told her exactly nothing.

“Why are you here?”

“For him.” He nodded at Dacian.

“And you have a reason for being here for him?” Her temper was fraying, a victim of too much stimulus.

Eric smiled. Beautiful and threatening at the same time. “Yeah. I want to welcome him back to the land of the living, and then I want to knock him through that wall.”

“Gee, I bet he’ll be glad to have an old friend around.” She returned Eric’s smile. “Try to hurt him and I’ll do my best to send you to that great blood bank in the sky.” Cinn was too tired to worry about how Eric might take her threat.

Eric took a moment to study her and then nodded. “Fair enough. Now after you tell me who you are, tell me all you know about what Dacian’s been doing for the last two hundred years.”

Chapter Eight

Dacian had the sense that he hadn’t been out of it too long this time. And there wasn’t as much disorientation. Both good things. He had the feeling Cinn had something to do with that. Because as he fought free of the rage and the memory loss that went with it, all he could think about was getting back to her.

As usual, along with his returning awareness came caution. He didn’t say anything, didn’t give a hint he was now back in his mind. He looked and listened.