Dr. Ludwig stared down at me as I woke, "she's awake again." Pam, Eric, King DeCastro and some other people were in the room, they walked over to me with the exception of Eric.

I closed my eyes again feeling drained and heard them mumbling to each other; "seems she can feel what is being done to him." "It's the only explanation." (Another) "she kept calling out his name." Yet another said, "for a vampire it's nothing but for a human…, I don't know how much more she'll be able to take."

De Castro said "she is under our protection and protection she shall have. We need to find him before they kill him and it kills her. She is too valuable to lose. You sent him there, so I expect you to bring him back." As he walked out of the room he stated, "make all necessary arrangements." "I will leave immediately," Eric stated.

I opened my eyes again and stated "not without me you don't." All eyes flashed in my direction and Eric shouted "NO!!!"

"I know how to get him out, I am the only one that can" I said and pulled Eric to my mouth, "or he'll kill you when he sees me, plus-I-don't-trust-you!" He stepped back and saw the rage and hate in my eyes, he blinked and, as if I had fangs, I growled and showed him my teeth. He just hung his head low and nodded. I had no idea what had come over me.

Arrangements for our transportation to meet with the King of the Dakotas and Montana were made by the King of Texas. I'd learned from Barry that his King had not been making any arrangements for negotiations until after I'd spoken to Barry. I also found out that the King of Mississippi was going to be lending a hand in the negotiations as he'd been visiting the King of Texas when the call for assistance came in.

"Great" I thought, "King Russell who had helped Lorena capture and torture Bill was now going to help set him free; yeah right." But true to their words, they seemed to be doing just what they'd promised. I'd learned that King DeCastro could not get involved in the negotiations or it would look like he'd sent Bill to spy and align his kingdom with either of the warring camps.

We met with the kings of Texas and Mississippi at the estate of King DeCastro and they saw my condition first hand; neither said anything they just nodded. During our meeting they stared at me with some sort of fascination as new welts magically appeared on my face and arms in front of their eyes.

DeCastro explained that the witch had theorized the marks were the result of the punishment Bill was receiving from his captors. He stated nonchalantly, "it appears she can also feel the pain from the blows. As a human, she can only sustain so much pain before she succumbs to them. I have extended my protection to her as she has proven herself worthy many times not just to myself but also to your own kingdoms, or so I've been told. She is far too valuable and must be protected; therefore, we must secure him before we lose her."

I felt insulted. They were only going to attempt to save Bill because of my value, I had to say something. Eric felt my rage and tried to stop me from speaking but I didn't pay him any attention and said, "Don't forget he IS also valuable, and his project has been quite profitable, even though money isn't everything, HE IS valuable also." Again, all eyes fell on me.

King Russell was the one to speak. "Yes my dear, money isn't everything. You may be right, he must be of value as you have risked your life twice for him; even now when you are blood bonded to another (he nodded towards Eric). I believe he stated he would die for you if any harm came to you, seems you would do the same for him. We should all be so foolishly lucky."

I lowered my gaze and felt a tear roll down my cheek and kept quiet after that. Eric didn't say a word to me the entire time, which was good because all I wanted to do was cry.

We left for Wyoming the next day. The King of Wyoming would put us up during the negotiations as his Kingdom bordered both sides. Yet, he would not be involved. He remained neutral to all parties. As word spread that the "famed telepath that had saved so many during the bombings at the Pyramid of Gizeh in Rhodes" was in the kingdom, concerns for my immediate safety became the hot issue. Through Alcide and his contacts in Wyoming, the weres and shifters from the area provided my protection during day hours. During the night, Eric and two other vamps provided the protection.

Eric only spoke to me once before the negotiations started.

"My lover, I know you hate me now but you must understand I did not know this would happen. You know I would never put you in harms way. For whatever reason you are feeling the pain Bill is experiencing and that was not my intention. I only wanted for us to finally speak and come to an understanding about us without having to deal with his interruptions or meddling. He says he loves you but yet again we find ourselves in need of rescuing him and you suffering for it..." I stopped him before he could continue.

"Eric, I don't know what you are trying to get at but, I am hurting now because of YOUR selfish doing. He was sent there by you. You knew or must have suspected that this could happen. Let me ask you, did you secure his safety before you sent him out there? When you first received word of his capture what did you feel? Was it that glee I picked up from the bond?"

I shot up my hand in a "stop" motion so he would let me continue and not speak, he nodded and I continued. "When I felt the first blow, I thought something had happened to YOU and my heart sank. I felt as if I was dying in pain and my thoughts were of YOU. I checked our bond and found that you were feeling 'gleeful' therefore, you were safe."

"Let me continue please, then for some reason I thought of Bill and the pain increased. I have no idea why I am feeling his pain. I have no idea why I dreamt of him when I passed out; dreamt of what was being done to him, of his rage when he saw me suffering his pain, or of the destruction and murder he achieved with his bare hands though shackled in silver in order to get to me."

"All I know is that if you go without me he will kill you because I think he already suspects this is your doing, that I am feeling his pain and that I'll surely die from it. So I need to be there to protect YOU. I will lie to him if I have to in order to protect you from him. I know you think that you can surely kill him but you didn't see what I saw, and if you harm him, you will become my enemy. All the love I have ever felt for you will change to hate and I will stake you myself."

"Maybe I still love him more than I thought. Maybe even without a blood bond we are stronger than before only because we have become friends."

"The night you saw him at my house, he was helping me with my laptop nothing more. I asked him for help, he didn't volunteer. I asked him to stay, he didn't ask me. He never touched me or I him, even though now I think I probably would have let him if he had. Not because I was lonely but because I do care about him just like I care about you."

"Even, with all he has done and all his faults, he would never set you up the way you have done him because he knows I would never be able to forgive him."

"All is NOT fair in love and war Eric that is the difference between HIM and YOU when it comes to ME. All I ask is that you help me get him back, there is only so much of this pain I can handle before I surely die from it. I want to at least know that he is safe before that happens. And, please do not call me Lover any more."

Then, I turned and walked away not waiting for him to respond.

TBC