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It had never occurred to her that Emeline might feel as responsible as she did for the others occupying the compound feeling so trapped. “Your daughter is beautiful, Emeline,” Elisabeta said. “You and Dragomir have a gift beyond any price.” There was suddenly longing in her heart for what she thought could never be. She had so much already and she would be forever happy and grateful that the universe had given her Ferro.

Emeline’s face lit up. “Thank you, Elisabeta. I worried so much that Carisma wouldn’t be accepted, but Dragomir was positive that she would be loved by the Carpathian people, and she has been. We use this house sometimes, but we have our own now, very close to the one your lifemate has for you. The property borders the woods like yours does. Dragomir wants to fill our home with children. He even gave me my own golden dragon with gorgeous emerald eyes right in the middle of our courtyard because he knows I love the stone dragons the triplets made for the children here. He constructed a beautiful little lavender one for Carisma for when she gets a little older. He’s so thoughtful.”

“I do not know about the stone dragons you speak of.”

Instantly Ferro sent her an image of stone dragons in various colors: red, blue, orange, green and brown. Lojos, Matias and Tomas made these dragons for the children. They come to life for them, whispering to them and flying them when they want to play. They are protective of the children. Dragomir has made one for Emeline and Carisma. Liv has asked Valentin to make one for Genevieve. He is considering doing so.

The instant Ferro flooded her mind with the information, Elisabeta felt safe and warm. She hadn’t realized, even with him merged with her, staying somewhere in the background while he worked with the healer examining the others in the compound, that she was uneasy without him. Not just uneasy, bordering on panic. Her heart pounded, although she automatically kept the sound from being heard. She’d learned to do that always, keeping her breathing and pulse from Sergey when she was especially agitated. She’d actually dug her fingernails into her forearm, deep, to concentrate on the bite of pain in order to keep her mind from panicking.

Emeline explained about the dragons and how the triplets had made them for the children to keep them from being afraid when they were fleeing the vampires. “The dragons represent freedom to them and also the friendship of the Carpathians when the hunters can seem so frightening at times.”

“I can understand that,” Elisabeta agreed. She rubbed at her eyes. The lighting in the room was dim. Ferro had made it clear to the women that she couldn’t be exposed to too much light or space, but in spite of the room being smaller than the one in their home, she still felt sick if she looked too long at one thing.

She wanted to succeed in her friendship with these women. She was very adept at reading others; she’d learned to be. Sergey would bring her with him and secret her from his brothers. He would want her to tell him every detail of the meetings they held, what was said and what she thought their real intentions were. Reading others, their minds, their expressions and body language, even when their flesh was rotting, allowed her to keep her own brain functioning. These women were good and genuinely wanted to become her friends and help her integrate into her new life.

She knew all of them worried about Ferro being too domineering with her. To them, he appeared arrogant and controlling. They couldn’t know she asked for him to shield her and sometimes even command her. She needed those clear lines because it was the only way she had lived for centuries and it made her comfortable when she was terrified.

Ferro, there really seems to be a problem with the children and the older couple. If Emeline invites one of them to the house, I could tell immediately if they have been infected. They cannot possibly hurt me. We could start with one of the children or the older woman.