The farmhouse where Danika lived with her baby boy, Connor, and one other mated couple was small by
Darkhaven standards. Usually members of the Breed population lived in mansions or large brownstones, sometimes the occasional high-rise apartment building. Darkhavens generally comprised tight-knit communities of a dozen or so individuals, everyone looking out for one another like kin, even if they were unrelated by blood.
But Danikas living arrangements werent the only unusual thing about her. She was mother to a very young child, a sweet baby boy with her fair coloring and the unmistakably strong genes of a father who was Breed. She hadnt mentioned a mate, and there seemed to be an air of wistfulness about the woman, especially when she was looking at her son.
Like now, when little Connor was leaning out of Danikas arms to point emphatically at Andreas. The boys big blue eyes were wide and eager, while Andreass gaze was shadowed by the furrow of his brow.
Im sorry, Danika said to him. Its the
dermaglyph
peeking over the top of your collar. Connor has become fascinated by them in the past couple of weeks.
Andreas grunted and gave a nod to the Breed youngster. He recognizes his own kind already. Smart boy.
Danika beamed. Yes, he is.
Claire watched in quiet surprise as Andreas pushed up his sleeve to reveal more of his Breed skin markings, to Connors obvious delight. The vampire toddler reached out with his pudgy little hand and patted the beautiful swirls and arcs that ran along Andreass muscled forearm.
Da, he exclaimed. Da! Da!
Oh! Danikas milky complected cheeks went instantly bright pink. No, sweetheart, this isnt your father. Oh, God
Im sorry. How embarrassing.
Claire laughed and Andreas chuckled, too. Its all
right, he said. I assure you, Ive been called much worse.
Danika smiled, but that trace of sorrow was back in her eyes. Connors father, Conlan, was a warrior with the Order. He was killed on a mission in Boston before Connor was born.
Im so sorry, Claire murmured, realizing how fresh the loss still was, since Danikas son was probably not even two years old.
Danika gave a mild shrug, cleared her throat. After I lost Conlan, I went to Scotlandhis homelandto have Connor. I thought I might stay there permanently and raise our son in the highlands Conlan loved so much, but being in his country without him only made me miss him more. I came back home to Denmark last year.
Andreas smoothed his broad palm over the top of Connors pale blond head. He would be proud of you, Danika, no matter where you choose to raise his son.
Thank you for saying so.
She smiled shyly, charmed, Claire was guessing by the soft look she gave him. And Andreas was charming, particularly as he took the little boy into his big arms to let him closer explore the
glyphs
that so intrigued him. Claire saw a glimmer of the man she remembered from beforethe carefree, charismatic man shed fallen helplessly in love with all those years ago.
Since hed come storming back into her life two nights ago, Claire thought that man shed known and adored was long gone. She thought that part of him had been consumed by the flames that had taken his kin and left him the sole survivor, hellbent on revenge.
To think she had actually condemned him once for not being serious enough about life
about her. Shed grown
to fear his elusive, devil-may-care ways. Shed worried that he might never be content with just one woman, and maybe he hadnt been after all. Shed certainly heard of his numerous female companions over the years, mortal women, all of them.
She knew he had never taken a Breedmate of his own and settled down to have his sons with her, and Claire had long nurtured a secret gladness that he had remained un-bonded all this time. As for her own ill-chosen mate, her loveless match with Wilhelm Roth had produced no offspring eithera blessing, now that she was coming to understand more about Wilhelms treachery.
Despite Andreass outward recklessness and rakish leanings back when Claire had known him best, he would have made some woman a wonderful mate. She saw that now, in the way he spoke so kindly to Danika and how he took to her son with such ease.
Claire looked at him now and wondered how theyd let so much timeso many mistakes and misstepsget in their way.
She wondered how long it would take for her to forget this vibrant, magnetic side of him again, once the dust and ash settled on the perilous journey they found themselves on together.
How could her life ever go on in light of all she was learning about Wilhelm and all she yearned to have once more with Andreas?
My goodness, I cant believe its nearly dawn already, Danika said, her melodic voice breaking through the heavy weight of Claires thoughts. You must be exhausted. Would you like to see where youll be sleeping?
Claire nodded, afraid her feelings had shown all over her face, for the way the other Breedmate was looking at
her with such tenderness and sympathy. She schooled her features into a placid, unreadable maska skill shed perfected during her years as Wilhelm Roths mate. What I could really use is a nice hot bath, she said, feeling Andreass gaze fix on her, even though it had seemed a perfectly reasonable request.
Of course, Danika replied. She glanced to Andreas, who was still holding the delighted Connor. Would you mind watching him while I show Claire upstairs?
No problem, he said, his eyes pinning Claire with an intensity that made her blood sizzle in her veins. Take whatever time you need. The little guy and I will be fine on our own.
Claire felt his hot stare following her, as palpable as a lingering caress, as Danika led her out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the second floor of the house.
The bathroom is here, the tall blond female said, gesturing to the open door of a full bath at the top of the stairs. No one uses this part of the house, so please consider it yours. Here is the bedroom at the end of the hallway.
Claire could hardly contain her contented sigh as she walked into the inviting chamber with its golden hardwood floors, dark cherry furnishings, and king-size, quilt-covered bed. It had been a long time since shed been in a room that exuded such homespun, simple warmth.
I set out a sleep shirt for you, and youll find plenty of towels in the bathroom. I dont know what you might be used to at home, but I hope youll be comfortable enough here.
Its lovely, Claire replied. She drifted over to the massive bed and trailed her fingers across the careful needlework on the quilts beautiful teal, gray, and cream Nordic
design. This room reminds me of my familys home in Rhode Island.
Danika smiled. Oh, then youre American? She walked over to a tall, footed armoire and opened the cabinets burnished-brass-handled doors. I didnt think you sounded like a German native. No accent at all.
No. I came to Europe many years ago, to study music, actually. Claire walked over to help the other woman retrieve a couple of extra pillows and a folded wool blanket. I suppose I was very idealistic then, like many young people. As for me, I was torn between my love of the piano and my personal need to do something important with my life, like saving the world.
Im not sure the world can be saved, Danika said, turning a solemn blue gaze on her. Theres so much corruption and tragedy everywhere you look. Good people die all the time, even the ones whose only faults are striving to do good work and make things better for others.
Claire nodded. My parents were those kind of people. My mother left a very comfortable life in New England to help bring clean water and medical supplies to a small country in Africa. She met my father, a young doctor from Zimbabwe, while she was working overseas. They fell in love almost instantly, but at that time, marriage wasnt an easy thing to obtain for a white American woman and a black man from Africa. When my mother became pregnant with me, she returned to the States until I was born. My father stayed behind to continue his work and wait for us to come back to be a family. A few months later, conflict broke out in the region. My mother couldnt bear to be away from him while the village theyd worked so hard to build up was being threatened by war. She went back to
Africa, and within a month of her arrival they were both killed when rebel forces shot up their camp.
Oh, Claire. Danika pulled her into a caring embrace. How awful for you and the rest of your family. Im so sorry.
It had been a long time since shed thought about losing her parentsa couple known to her only by pictures and stories her grandmother in Rhode Island had shared with her as she was growing up, parentless and different, yet a child of privilege in Newports high society. Now all her relatives in the States were gone. The house in Newport was still held in trust for her, cared for by a private staff who looked after the grounds and the basic maintenance of the place, but it had been nearly two decades since Claire had been back. She missed it suddenly, missed the feeling of truly being home.
Danika released her after a moment and attempted a lighter topic. So, which of your goals did you end up pursuing?
Neither, in fact, Claire admitted. Not long after I arrived in Germany, I had my first run-in with one of the Breed. He was very younga teenager at most. It was late at night, I was walking home from a concert by myself. I thought he wanted to steal my purse, but he was actually after something else. He was about to bite me when another Breed male stopped him.
Andreas? Danika guessed, smiling.
Claire shook her head. No, not him. It was someone
else. Someone very important in Hamburg, although I didnt know it at the time. He caught the scent of my blood when the other male knocked me to the ground and I skinned my knees. He realized right away that I was
a Breedmate, so he drove the other vampire off and took me in as his ward. I didnt meet Andreas until later.
And, like her parents doomed relationship, she and Andre also fell instantly, impossibly, in love. Shed spent the past thirty years trying to forget him. Trying to convince herself that she wasnt still in love with him after all this time.
Such a long time to be kept apart. I know how difficult it is, being denied of the thing your heart craves the most, Danika murmured somewhat absently
Claire swung an astonished look at her. What
how did you know
The other Breedmate sucked in her breath. Forgive me. I didnt mean to intrude on your thoughts. She brought her index finger up to her temple. My talent, Im afraid. I dont like to read thoughts, and to tell you the truth, most of the time I hate that I can. Unfortunately, since Conlan has been gone my talent is becoming unmanageable. I havent taken another mate, nor do I intend to, and without the regular intake of Conlans blood, my ability seems to turn on and off at its own whim. Im sorry, Claire. It was very rude of me.
Its all right.
I dont know that it will bring you any comfort, but you are not suffering alone. Andreas feels it, as well, you know. He feels the same regret that you carry inside. Danika smiled gently. His thoughts were just as plain to me in the other room as yours are now. He is torn and broken from rage, but hes hurting in another way, too.
Claire stared at her, unable to speak. Barely able to breathe.
Life is precious, Danika continued. And it is so very short, even for those like us. Four hundred and two years
with Conlan wasnt nearly enough time. We dont often get second chances, not in life or in love. If I had just one more minute with my Conlan, I wouldnt waste a second of it on regret. Let Andreas know how you truly feel.
But he isnt mine, Claire murmured softly. Not anymore.
Try to tell that to your heart. Danika gave Claires hand a light squeeze. Try to tell that to his.
Reichen avoided going upstairs for hours after Danika had returned to collect her son. She and Connor had gone to find their own rest for the day, leaving Reichen to prowl the quiet farmhouse, killing time and trying not to think about the fact that Claire was in bed somewhere above him.
In bed all alone, her sweet body relaxed and languid. Her buttery light brown skin like velvet to the touch, every exquisite inch of her clean and soft and warm
Good Christ
.
Since the moment she asked about taking a bath, shed doomed him to imagining her undressed and fragrant from a long, hot soak. Hed been tempted almost beyond reason to vault up the stairs behind her when she left with Danika, a feeling that had yet to pass. There was nothing he wanted more than to be with her right now, to comfort her and let her know that she was protected from Roth and his cronies. To assure her that no matter what evil was at work around them, he would keep her safe at any cost.
Things hed failed to provide his kin or Helene.
Spending time around Danika and her young son had brought his attention back to that reality with scathing focus. He wasnt here to smooth over Claires fears, any more
than he was here to slake his own longings for her or to answer the primal call of the blood bond that would draw him to her always. A blood bond hed imposed on her, he was quick to remind himself.
No. He was here now for one purpose: vengeance.
Everything elsehis wants and desires, his future, his right to claim even the thinnest moment of selfish joyhad burned away in the fire that devoured his Darkhaven home.
Longer ago than that, he thought grimly, reflecting back on the night hed last seen Claire. It had been a night of stupidity and violence that had left him beaten and bloodied, baking in an open field under a harsh morning sun. Until that moment, hed known nothing of the power hed been cursed with at birtha power passed down to him by a Breedmate mother hed never met, who hadnt lived long enough to warn him of what his fury could do.
