She nodded, her expression solemn and wide-eyed again. The look of fear made Rose want to break her no-cursing rule.
Vlad said, “I’m not sure that’ll help much in close confines.”
“Better than nothing. Is Alexis still in the hall?”
Zoe answered. “They both there.”
“You can sense them, baby?”
She nodded.
“She’s on the phone,” Vlad said. “A little ways up the corridor.”
“Can you hear the conversation?”
“Only her side of it. She’s talking to someone about your ‘request’ to come in armed.” He paused, then smiled. “She’s saying you’re worried about being waylaid, and you want to protect the valuable child.”
Rose scowled.
“She’s saying what she needs to say to get you your way. Give her a break.”
Rose let her annoyance drop. “There’s no way Lei can possibly think I’d go into that room with my daughter alone, unarmed, and with no backup. Does he think I’m an idiot?”
“Likely he just thinks he’s that smart and cunning, convinced he’s gotten away with his crime.”
“Maybe they shouldn’t let me bring the weapon into the room,” she said. “I might just walk in and put a bullet through his head and be done with it.”
“Zoe will be there,” Vlad said quietly.
Rose glanced down at her daughter, still clutching her blanket, looking scared and pale. “I’m sorry, baby, am I scaring you?”
Zoe nodded. “Don’t wanna go there.”
“I don’t want to take you there, but I don’t want to leave you alone either. You’ll be safe with me and Vlad, though. I promise.”
“We won’t let anyone near you, Zoe,” Vlad assured.
She nodded and hugged his leg. Seeing her so comfortable with him, knowing he made her feel safe, melted Rose inside. He really was an amazing father.
Would he be an equally amazing husband?
“Alexis is coming back,” he said, breaking into her thoughts.
After a brief knock, the door opened. “Okay, you’ve got permission to come armed. They’re breaking protocol, but I played up your ‘vulnerability’ as a human, and the fact that your daughter had just been kidnapped, so they acquiesced.”
Rose pulled in a deep, fortifying breath. “Baby, you want to bring your blanket or leave it here?”
Zoe considered the yellow square in her hand for a moment, then she took it to the couch and threw it down. “Don’t wanna get it hurted.”
“Fair enough.” Rose reached out for Zoe’s hand with her free one.
Vlad took Zoe’s other hand, keeping her safely bracketed between her parents. He gave Zoe’s hand a reassuring squeeze and nodded at Rose over Zoe’s head. Then they followed Alexis and the frowning assistant out of the suite.
Chapter Nineteen
The corridors leading to the meeting hall were barren, as if the way had been cleared. When Rose asked, Alexis said, “It’s actually meal time, so most people in the compound are at dinner. I suspect that’s why the elders called you immediately. Most everyone else is busy.” She gave Rose a small smile. “We tigers take our food very seriously.”
Rose forced a smile, but her stomach was tumbling around in waves of anxiety. This was one of the few times in her life when she wasn’t even a little excited by the adrenaline rush surging through her blood. She’d rather face down deadly white water or have a rope break while on a dangerous climb. In those situations, she wouldn’t have her daughter with her and in danger.
When they were shown into the meeting hall through the main door, Alexis stopped just outside. “I’ll stay here in case you need me. There are three Trackers here, too.” She motioned toward the two side doors through which the elders and their assistants entered the hall. “And one behind each of those doors. The Trackers aren’t usually on guard here, but given what’s happened…” She shrugged. “Remember the room is soundproof, but just open the door and I’ll be there to help.”
Rose thanked her and went in, holding Zoe’s hand tight.
The nine elders were already seated this time. No elaborate entrance to announce their presence. The main door closed as she, Zoe, and Vlad walked slowly to the center of the room, facing the council. There were seats set up before the dais, but Rose was in no mood to sit.
Vlad whispered in her ear and nodded to indicate which elder was Lei. He was the elder she’d been calling Seven. He was a beautiful man, almost unreal looking he was so gorgeous, but she no longer saw his stunning good looks when she faced him. All she saw was the spot on his forehead where she wanted to put a bullet.
She studied him, hunting for any signs that he regretted his actions or that he intended to threaten them more. His expression was neutral and impassive, as if nothing had happened and he’d had no part in Zoe’s abduction.
Two assistants were still in the room, one standing at each of the two side doors through which only the elders and their assistants came and went. The two assistants were the only ones present beyond the elders and Rose, Zoe and Vlad. All the seating which had filled the shorter sides of the room was gone, leaving the space even more open and huge.
Rose kept her gun in one hand, resting casually against her thigh, and held Zoe with her other hand. She stared down the elders and waited for one of them to start.
She didn’t have to wait long.
Elizaveta spoke for the group. “We have voted unanimously to include Zoe in the community, with all the legal rights and responsibilities of a female tiger shifter. She will be protected by our laws, and any threat to her will be met by the full force of our displeasure and retribution.” She glanced at Lei, but he didn’t react outwardly to her gibe. “Additionally, because of the recent…difficulties, we have voted to award her an annuity in compensation for the trauma caused.”
That startled Rose into dropping her scowl. “An annuity?”
Elizaveta smiled very slightly and her eyes glittered. “A substantial annuity. It will start at a million dollars per year and will go up to two million dollars a year when she reaches twenty-five.”
Rose actually gasped. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She closed her mouth, swallowed, and tried to force out sounds that would make sense. “Why?”
“In our community, under our laws, severe fines are often utilized to discourage illegal activities. Such a fine has been imposed for the abduction of your daughter. And rather than fold the proceeds into our own expenses, given the circumstances and the…conflict of interest that keeping the money would imply, we felt it would be best assigned to the injured party. You, of course, will be the executor of the funds until Zoe reaches maturity. And we will arrange to have the US taxes taken care of so you can enjoy the entire annuity amount.”
Rose was so stunned she didn’t know what to say or even how to feel. They’d basically set Zoe up for life financially. She’d never have to worry about money, ever. And because she was now officially covered under their laws, she was in significantly less danger from other tigers. Maybe. Would the fine imposed here be enough to discourage future attacks?
Given the amount, Rose had a feeling it would.
She was still trying to decide if she was happy for the compensation, or disgusted that Lei only had to pay a fine for his crime when Vlad spoke.
“What about Rose? What rules and laws will apply to her? How is she to be treated in the community?”
“Ah,” Elizaveta said, leaning back in her seat. “There is our current conundrum. We are stuck at a four/four vote on whether she should be legally labeled a tiger female, a hybrid female, or a related human with no actual position in our community. Killing a human is a death sentence offense, so she would have that protection if the latter option is adopted.”
Elizaveta’s expression went strangely blank when she mentioned the death sentence for a human killer. Rose had enough functioning brain cells left to wonder about that, but not enough to mention it. She’d ask Vlad later. Right now, she was still in too much shock.
“However, if we adopt either of the former two options,” Elizaveta continued, “she will have additional protections.”
“She’ll also have additional responsibilities,” Elder Two said.
“Meaning?” Vlad asked.
“We will expect her to contribute,” Two said.
“Contribute how, exactly?” Rose asked.
“You will be expected to mate with a tiger male and attempt to have more children. If they are females, they will be required to participate in the Mate Run when they reach maturity.”
“Nila doesn’t have to run,” Vlad said.
Two shrugged. “Should Rose produce a human hybrid, the rules that govern Nila will govern that female. Any shifter females will be expected to take a tiger mate if they wish to benefit from the full protection of our laws.”
“And if they don’t?” Rose asked.
“They will be extremely vulnerable to our more desperate males,” Elizaveta answered quietly, her voice softening in a way Rose hadn’t heard before. “It is better if they are covered under our laws.”
“Zoe will be expected to run?”
“She will.”
“What happens if she refuses?”
The elders exchanged looks. “I told you this would happen,” Elder Six said. “They are not
really
ours. They have no loyalty to our struggles. We should not—” He cut himself off and pressed his lips into a tight line. “But it is done,” he muttered.
Next to him, Lei’s expression tightened, just a little.
“Females don’t refuse their responsibilities,” Pavel said. “If she wishes to keep our protection, she will run.”
“It won’t be a problem,” Vlad said. “I’ll make sure she’s ready for the Run.”
Rose narrowed her eyes, ready to argue, but realized something in Vlad’s voice sounded…off. It only took her a heartbeat to realize what was wrong.
He was lying, to the elders. She could hear it. She could tell.
She glanced back at the nine, studying their expressions. Six looked disgusted. Lei held his neutral expression. Elizaveta and Three looked approving. Pavel looked smug.
None of them seemed to realize Vlad had just blatantly misled them about ensuring Zoe would run. Rose forced her expression to remain neutral, but the realization that she’d recognized his lie when the others hadn’t was startling.
And a huge relief.
She was about to speak, to play her part so the elders wouldn’t recognize his deception through her reaction, when noise from behind one of the side doors drew everyone’s attention.
Rose moved instinctively to put Zoe at her back and wasn’t at all surprised when Vlad took up a position next to her, his body also blocking Zoe from the potential threat.
The noise went silent. Rose held her breath, though not entirely sure why.
Then the door flew open, crashing into the wall and throwing the assistant in front of it halfway across the room.
A tall blond man stood in the doorway, glaring and breathing hard.
“Yuri,” Vlad said.
Rose had an instant to realize this was Vlad’s youngest brother before the man stalked into the room. She clicked the safety off on her gun and put a hand on Zoe’s arm to keep her close.
“I will not allow you to pollute our population,” Yuri growled. “This is a travesty, an abomination, a crime against nature.”
“And I won’t allow you to hurt Rose or Zoe,” Vlad said.
Rose was afraid to take her eyes off Yuri but took a chance and glanced at the elders and the assistant still standing, looking for help. Some of the elders had remained seated, others were standing but not making an effort to get to Yuri. The assistant held his spot, his gaze jumping back and forth between the elders and the door behind him as if he wasn’t entirely sure what to do. Elizaveta took a step toward Yuri, but Two put a hand on her arm stopping her. Glares were exchanged.
Rose faced Yuri again, cursing inwardly. If she could get the damned main door open, she could let Alexis and the Trackers in—who wouldn’t have heard the noise thanks to the room’s soundproofing. Unfortunately, Yuri angled around to block them from getting to the main door even as he stalked closer.
“You’re a traitor to your family and your people,” Yuri said. “Father would have killed you with his bare hands.”
“The way he murdered our mother?” Vlad said, turning with Yuri’s progress while staying in front of Rose and Zoe.
“She killed herself.”
“I was there. He murdered her. He was a monster.”
“You’re the monster.” Yuri glanced at Rose and snarled. “You mated with a human and produced an abomination that will ruin us all. She must be destroyed.”
“I won’t allow that,” Vlad said, taking a single step toward his brother.
“Then you’ll die, too.”
He charged them so fast Rose blinked and Vlad was no longer there. She spun, keeping Zoe behind her and a hand firmly on her daughter’s arm as she circled to see where Vlad and his brother had landed. She spotted blurs of motion swirling toward the opposite wall, moving too fast for her to distinguish one brother from the other, despite their near opposite coloring.
The fight stopped suddenly with the two men facing each other in a crouch, eyes narrowed, Yuri panting and swearing, Vlad serious and focused.
Rose raised her gun toward Yuri, but the two swirled back together before she could get a shot off. Damn their speed.
Keeping Zoe behind her, she tracked them, gun raised, as she backed to the main door to let in help. Cursing and shouts from the elders echoed in the space, a fight she couldn’t focus on because she didn’t want to take her eyes off Vlad and Yuri. When she bumped against the door, she realized she’d have to either lower her gun or release Zoe to open the damned thing. She pushed Zoe even farther behind her back, boxing her against the wall, then reached for the knob as she stared at the blurs of Vlad and Yuri.
A whispered warning of instinct tightened in her gut just as she turned the knob.
Something big swept past her, knocking her to the floor. The door slammed shut behind her, and Zoe screamed.
“Zoe!” Rose searched the huge room.
To her horror, Lei had her daughter. He’d stopped a few yards from the damaged side door, the way now blocked by the assistant who’d been knocked out by Yuri’s entrance. Lei had one arm around Zoe’s body and another around her throat. One move and he could kill her. The room seemed frozen in that moment, no one daring to move or speak.