Bound by the Vampire Queen by Joey W. Hill

or did, Jacob saw himself as Lyssa’s servant. Her protector, her lover, whatever she needed.
    While Jacob observed that belief privately as well as publicly, there was a practical purpose for the public side. Only three vampires and their trusted servants—Mason and Jess among them—knew that Lyssa had lost her vampire abilities from that turning.
    That kind of vulnerability was dangerous as hell in their world.
    Jacob’s background as a trained fighter had helped him gain command of Lyssa’s former strengths relatively quickly, though he still had the occasional bout with a fledgling’s bloodlust if he got pissed off. However, as much confidence as Mason had in Jacob—those strengths being a formidable combination with his unshakable loyalty and courage
    —he found the knowledge of Lyssa’s own burgeoning Fae skills an additional and considerable reassurance. One could never have too many weapons in the arsenal.
    Unfortunately, the Fae Queen’s summons meant that Lyssa’s growing gifts had opened herself up to dangers from the other side of her family tree.
    Mason put his hand on his shoulder. “All I’m trying to say is, she means a great deal to me. If there’s anything I can do…”
    “You'll be the first I call. As well as Gideon. We'll come back, Mason. Never underestimate her.”
    “I don’t. I never underestimate either one of you.” Jacob hoped that was true. He had a great many concerns related to a trip to the Fae world and the things that could go awry, but first they had to find a needle in a haystack. Though finding an actual needle in a haystack was probably easier than locating a dryad in downtown Atlanta.
    Lyssa passed most of her time on the plane sleeping, stretched out on the comfortable cushions, her head pill owed on his thigh. She’d spent most of the daylight hours before Jacob and Kane woke talking to Jessica about the child’s care, but he knew that wasn’t the only reason she sought refuge in oblivion.
    They’d slipped away while the baby was occupied with Jessica. His last glimpse of his son was his face screwed up in concentration as Jessica showed him how to press his heels into the concrete horse’s sides. Even while dozing, Lyssa kept her hand linked with his, that connecting pressure a reinforcement for both of them. It was the first time since Kane’s birth that they’d been away from him.
    While the blood connection allowed them to locate or communicate with him, he would do better for Jessica and Mason if they didn’t use that link too often, like any child being left with trusted guardians for the first time.
    When they arrived in Atlanta around eight in the evening, they sent him a warm good “morning” and the emotional equivalent of a hug, but not wanting to distress him, they left it at that.
    Elijah Ingram, the majordomo for Lyssa’s estate, was guardian for his young grandson John, whose bedtime was ironically 8:30 p.m., shortly after Kane was getting up. As a result, Jacob had told Ingram to leave Lyssa’s car at the private airstrip and Jacob would drive them back to the mansion.
    They’d visited her Atlanta home a couple times since the Council had rescinded Lyssa’s fugitive status. That had occurred just prior to Kane’s birth, thanks to the efforts of Lord Brian, Lord Mason and other friends Lyssa had that could influence Council mind-set. While the Council still hadn’t decided Lyssa’s new status, she had free use of her properties once again. Lord Richard, a friend and territory overlord in her Region, had been designated acting Region Master. He’d made it clear to Council he would concede the role back to Lyssa if and when they decided to restore it to her.
    Through a communication with Lyssa, he’d also stated he considered her an honored guest in the Region, not bound by the requirements of other subjects under his control.
    Given what he knew of Richard’s ambitious and sometimes ruthless nature, Jacob was surprised, but he