Stealing Time by Elisa Paige

turned to go.
    “No,” her voice rang out and he froze. When we faced her again, Kore’s strange, pupil-less black eyes gleamed with malice. “I wanted to know if you have heard from Leopold.”
    James inhaled sharply. “I already told you that I would pass your greeting along the next time I saw him. That he has not presented himself to you means he is not yet back in New York…”
    She interrupted him dismissively. “Ah, well. I wished to be sure.”
    He studied her for a moment and his growing uneasiness translated itself to me. Dipping his head, James again turned to leave and, again, we were stopped—this time by the blond.
    “The female remains with us,” he said, his voice honeyed and smooth.
    My fangs shot out and I tried to spin, but James’s arm held me pinned against his side. I looked up at him and he shook his head. Facing the seated vampires, he said in a soft, dangerous voice, “She is mine.”
    Kore’s laugh rang out. “You are Liam’s junior. He has at least three hundred years on you. And as Elder Law states, he who is senior in age has the right to take whatever he wishes from his lessers. Including your changeling.”
    “No.” James’s tone could etch glass. “As her maker, I refuse to relinquish her. That supersedes age rights and you know it.”
    Liam stood and stretched lazily, like a cat. “Not precisely. All it means is that, as her maker, you have the right to fight me. And our law states that you cannot hold what you cannot keep.”
    I’d had about all I could stand of this crap. The Texas drawl was in full evidence as I cut loose, “You arrogant little sonuva…”
    “Silence!” Duni bellowed as James clamped his hand on my arm.
    I faced the livid Masai as she strode forward, her glittering eyes hard on me. Baring my fangs at her, I crouched, instincts fully aroused.
    “Stand down, Evie,” James muttered.
    “I am not property to be taken at will by some jackass who…”
    “You do not know what is at stake here. Now stand down. ”
    Glaring up at him, I breathed in and out a few times. The Masai stood a few feet away and my senses vibrated under her hostile glare. I lifted my chin to meet her hard gaze. Flashing her a fang-filled smile, I forced myself straight, holding my hands by my sides non-aggressively. Her lip curled in response as she allowed her fangs to show and she made a little come-hither gesture, taunting me. I felt my eyes flash with barely restrained fury, but held my position and, after a moment, she returned to Kore’s side. The urge to wipe that smirk off her face had me trembling.
    “Impressive.” The Ancient laughed. “Your little kitten has claws.”
    I went rigid and took a breath to tell the bitch off, but James’s grip on my arm tightened painfully. I ground my teeth as he shook his head, his expression hard. “Whatever,” I snapped, furious but apparently unable to do anything about it.
    Liam laughed. “I’m going to enjoy teaching you your place, female.”
    I drew breath to respond, but James bent his head to me and whispered, “Silence.” His power filled my awareness and I suddenly found it impossible to make a sound. Alarmed, I met his gaze and was horrified by the sadness I saw there. “I am sorry, Evie.”
    I’d had no idea he could do this and fought the binding with everything in me. But no matter how I battered at it or screamed in my head, not a sound escaped my lips. Feeling betrayed, I tore my hand from James’s grip and glared at him.
    He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then turned to face Liam. “Shall we get this farce over with?”
    “Farce?” Kore repeated, incredulous. “You have always thought yourself outside our laws. You avoid your own kind, refuse to take our natural human prey, and maintain a pathetic semblance of the mortal life you left behind.” Something dark and ugly layered her words, making this far more than an Ancient chastising a younger vampire. “Even with this female, James. Rather