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initial report on the years of abuse his sister had suffered during her marriage to Juniper. Numbed by all that he had heard, Gunnar noticed the way Galena failed to make eye contact with anyone at the table.
    It was obvious by the silence in the room that Gunnar wasn’t the only one affected by the horrific details. It was Spiro who spoke first, using a soft, non-threatening tone of voice. “Galena? Can you tell me if you’ve ever seen this?” he asked, before passing a copy of Cronus’s sickle across the table.
    Galena’s gaze scanned the photo before shaking her head.
    “Use your words, sweetheart,” Haig encouraged with an arm around his sister.
    “No,” she eventually answered.
    Gunnar noticed the brief, unspoken exchange between Spiro and Neo. Spiro drew back the picture and returned it to the folder. “Did Juniper ever mention Morwyn by name?”
    Galena’s blonde eyebrows drew together. “No.” She glanced at Haig. “Although he sometimes talked about his Master. Right before Juniper put me in the cage, I came into the bedroom and Juniper was lying in bed talking to someone in a language I didn’t know.” Galena shook her head. “But there was no one else in the room. When I asked him who he was talking to, he told me the Master. The next day he had my cage built.”
    “The Master,” Neo said aloud. “Is that the only name Juniper used?”
    Galena nodded. “Yes.”
    The meeting ended shortly afterwards. Neo stopped Gunnar on the way out. “Michael’s getting the supplies ready for you and your men. Spiro will accompany you long enough to place protective wards around your campsites.”
    “Do you want just the weres or should I call in some of the vamps from The Realm army?”
    Neo scratched his jaw as he entered the hallway. “I’ll leave that up to you.” Neo pounded Gunnar on the back. “Despite what you seem to think, I still believe in your abilities to head this up for me.”
    “Thank you.” It was the first positive reinforcement Gunnar had received since being kidnapped. “I won’t let you down.”
    With a final nod, Neo turned the corner and disappeared.
    “How long before you leave?” Ramiro asked, coming up behind Gunnar.
    “As soon as I can muster the guards and brief them on the mission. Why?”
    “I’m accompanying Spiro. Just wondered how long I had.” Ramiro leant his hip against the wall. “I’d also like the chance to speak to you in private.”
    Gunnar knew Ramiro would need to leave soon for his meeting with Neo and Kildare. He motioned for Ramiro to follow him back into the conference room. Once Ramiro was in and the door was shut, Gunnar turned to face the gorgeous vampire. He had a few questions of his own. “Why’d you stay with me after Richard turned me?”
    “Because you needed someone to help you through the transition, and I was the only one strong enough to control you.”
    “Really? That’s the only reason?” Gunnar prodded. It wasn’t just Neo who seemed to enjoy reminding Gunnar of everything Ramiro had done for him in those early days. Michael loved to wax poetic about how it was Ramiro’s constant vigilance that had kept Gunnar from going insane during his transformation.
    “What else are you willing to hear, Gunnar? So far every time I try to tell you something, you just push me away.”
    Gunnar realised Ramiro was right. “I don’t mean to.”
    “Liar,” Ramiro said, taking several steps towards him.
    “You make me feel weak,” Gunnar admitted.
    Ramiro slowly shook his head. “No I don’t. It’s not weakness you feel. It’s loss of control.” Ramiro put his hand on Gunnar’s hip, before sliding it around to rest on the small of his back. “Guess what?” he whispered against Gunnar’s mouth.
    Mesmerised by the dark eyes staring into his own, Gunnar could barely speak. “What?”
    “Losing control isn’t a bad thing when it’s done with someone you trust.” Ramiro kissed Gunnar’s bottom lip, sucking the tingling