Bound (A Faery Story 1)

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