Excerpt of Trapped Lover by Zenobia Renquist

"Are you revived, Theron?"

Ryver screamed and scrambled off of Theron at the sound of
Lamon's voice. She tried to cover herself as she searched
for a blanket that wasn't there. She managed to pull her
blouse closed, but her skirt had twisted, and she couldn't
pull it down. She settled for sitting on her knees and
hunching over so her blouse covered her crotch.

Theron laughed as he sat up. "I'm free, for the moment. We
need to find a way to remove this damned thing." He tapped
the charm. "If my powers revived it, I won't be able to
use them. That will leave me defenseless. There are too
many opportunistic vampires in my household to be that
careless."

Lamon said, "I agree. The generals await you." He spared
Ryver a glance. "Unless you want to finish."

She hunched over further. How much had he seen? He didn't
even act embarrassed or apologetic.

Theron looked over his shoulder at her. "Tell them I will
be there shortly."

Lamon left without agreeing or any sign to confirm
Theron's orders. At least he closed the door behind him.

Ryver huffed a few times before she snapped, "Doesn't he
know how to knock?"

Theron grinned at her. "Why didn't you ask him that to his
face?"

She pulled back, her instant anger dulling to mild
annoyance tinged with fear. "What? No way. What if he got
mad?"

"You have no issues speaking your mind around me. You give
me orders and abuse me, as well. You don't worry that I
might get angry."

Her heartbeat sped up a little. She asked in a small
voice, "Are you angry?" She pulled back with a small
whimper of fright when Theron suddenly appeared near her
with his face close to hers. "Theron?"

He kissed her nose and then laughed in her face. "You're
cute when you're scared. I like it."

"Bad." She reached out and bopped his nose, hoping to
shift the mood back to playful. She didn't like being
scared of Theron. He was her only ally in a house full of
potential enemies.

He said, "I'm a very bad boy. I look forward to how you
punish me later."