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Her adored children had not fared so well Her son had died in a trolley accident at the age of twenty-five while pursuing a law degree Her daughter, Carolyn, had drohile out yachting two years later, but her body had never been recovered

Fiona had shed a few tears that neither of her children had been able to live their lives, that each had died relatively young, neither having rieved her losses for sothe news, her sadness had di, she needed ti in this neorld That the fate of the blood slaves in the reave a strong indication in just what direction her first service to Madao

Alison opened her eyes "Sorry about that but it’s getting better"

"Good," Fiona said "I’ one’s children"

She felt a thousand years older than the therapist beside her, and perhaps in terift There were moments when Alison reached out to Fiona, put a hand on her arm or her shoulder, and oh, such peace would flow, and sohten, even disappear She could even breathe more easily for a time

She lived with tension constantly--that she would be taken again, spirited away, used for another century She believed the sensation would go away in time, but how much of it? A decade? Two decades? She was a relatively oed in her spirit Who wouldn’t be after an ordeal that had lasted longer than a century?

"Now Let’s talk about your future," Alison said "For the moment, Madame Endelle would like you and the other women to stay at the palace, at least for the next feeeks for security purposes, while you get your bearings She’d also like you to consider taking charge of the re captives We can see that each has turned to you for leadership and guidance since you’ve been here"

"They’ll need counseling, a lot of it I will as well I want to be up-front about that"

"Of course"

Fiona’s gaze fell to Alison’s belly onceback to theFiona was still young because she was partially ascended She could remarry in this dimension Vampires took husbands, or wives as the case s The thought appealed to her She had always loved beinga faht of her rescue, was suddenly within her lory of hiuards; the silver studs of his leather wrist guards, the brace of leather over his chest She recalled her desire for hiht a gasp fro for coffee burst in herand yet she’d already been told all about the infa breh-hedden

She shuddered That couldn’t be her fate Yet she had to adht of the powerful French warrior sent shivers in places she’d ignored for, yes, longer than a century These were e yet wonderful public conversation

But in her day, the days of hernever discussed even between husband and wife Fortunately, her husband had been generous in their e bed, and she had enjoyed what ht was a painful duty to be endured

And Jean-Pierre had already proven to her, albeit unwittingly, that even his kiss could bring her to a place of ecstasy Again she suppressed a gasp What would lovenited her?

Alison frowned "You seeht with you? The security there is unequaled and ant you off the enemy’s radar, especially since it would seem you are Warrior Jean-Pierre’s breh"

The breh-hedden Even though she could be intrigued by the concept of sex with the warrior, she knew she was no more ready to be anyone’s breh than she was to take up a sword and battle Coaze "The palace will be fine, of course"

"Good For a moment there, you seean to talk about co the ascension ceremonies for each woman to er world; it was thought this would be done after a feeeks of rest She talked about several counselors she knew and trusted She even spoke about possible vocational training, all sensible things