milk a cow. She had played a very careful game. It would be stupid to
risk it now. The game had changed with the insertion of the human.
What she needed was a new plan.
Liadan smiled as she thought about all the vampires Beck had
fought in the arena for the right to mate with that ridiculous human.
He’d probably made them very angry. It was the one decent move
Torin had managed on his own. Limiting the vampires’ access to
consorts had made them more amenable to certain negotiations. There
were sti
ll vampire families that were loyal to the outcast King, but
others were much more reasonable. Perhaps it was time get in touch
with one or two.
“I didn’t mean yes that way, Ci!” The human’s squeal carried
across the field as she playfully avoided Cian’s hands.
180
Sophie Oak
Cian would be sad when the human was dead or gone. Liadan
didn’t care which. The vampires would probably rather take the girl.
They had their uses for one with her unique talents. With Beck off the
plane, she might find some vampires desperate or arrogant enough to
think they could kidnap a consort. Or some might just look for
revenge and kill the bitch.
Either way would lead to Cian’s fading and Beckett’s death. Once
they were gone, Torin could reopen Tir na nÒg, and she would march
back into the homeland a conquering hero. She would take her place
beside her sisters as the King’s counselor. Their place would be
assured.
Liadan turned toward home, her familiar nestled firmly in her
arms. She could hear the newlywed couple playing. Let them have fun
now. Theirs would be a short marriage if she had anything to say