Leila nodded as a yawn escaped her lips. I squeezed her hand reassuringly, as we exited the plane to our waiting limo. Within minutes, we pulled up in front of The Pierre. "Is this all right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Leila shook her head in disbelief. "Perfect. I loved it the last time we stayed here."A broad smile spread across my lips. "I was hoping you'd say that." Personally, I loved staying here, but I wanted to be sure that Leila agreed. Henric, my limo driver in New York, opened my door and I slid out of the car with Jase still asleep on my shoulder. I hired him after I lost Clarence. Outside, I reached out my hand for Leila. She slid out of the car, but held a hand to her back and stretched a bit. "Are you well?" I asked, falling into my old vernacular. She nodded. "Yes, I just needed a minute." I shook my head as I took her hand. "I've been pushing you too hard.""No, I'm fine." Then she looked up at the brightly lit hotel surrounded by trees, planted strateg
Knowing that Raven would arrive soon, normally I would have waited for her in the hotel lobby. But my Learjet had just exploded and I needed to be with me family to make sure that they were safe. I hit the elevator button, and a moment later, the doors opened. It seemed like an eternity when the doors opened on the top floor. I always booked the same room at The Pierre every time I came into town. I quickly inserted the key card, and a moment later, I flung the door open to our suite.In the living room, Leila was sitting in a club chair, but Jase was nowhere to be found. The service attendant was standing inside the room, waiting. Leila rose from her seat. "Lance, what's happening?""Where's Jase?""In his crib, sleeping," Leila said, panicked. "Lance, tell me what is happening now!"I held up one finger, asking her with my eyes to give me just a minute. Then, I turned to the service attendant and slipped him a hundred dollar bill. "Thank you so much for staying with my family
Soon, there was a knock on the door, and I knew it was Raven. I walked into the living room, faster than human speed, and was at the front door before Leila could rise from her seat. When I opened it, Raven was standing on the other side, along with two bodyguards."Come in, please," I said, stepping aside. She held a hand up to her bodyguards, indicating for them to stay in the hallway. Then, she pushed her straight, long, shiny-black hair over her shoulder as she slinked in the door, so smooth that she almost appeared to float. She placed a hand with her trademark long, red fingernails on my chest, and gave me air kisses on both cheeks, careful not to smudge her matching red lipstick. Her dark eye makeup accented her coal black eyes, adding an aura of mystery. "Darling, it has been too long," she said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze."Yes, indeed," I said, and then stepped back and motioned toward the room. "Please, make yourself comfortable." I turned and Leila was standing o
Now, it was my turn to look on in shock. "What? Why?"Raven shook her head. "I'm not sure, but time will tell." Then, she looked directly into my eyes and took my hand. "If you plan to go through with becoming human, you cannot ever be discovered. I would think twice before giving up your vampire." I nodded slowly, shocked by Raven's revelations. "Thank you so much for this. You have been most helpful." I squeezed her hand, and then released it. "Why the bodyguards? You never had them before."Raven took a deep breath and leaned back on her seat. "It is a most dangerous time for supernatural creatures such as us." Then, she looked into my eyes. "One cannot be too careful." She leaned forward as she spoke. "Make sure that you have bodyguards for you and your family at all times. It is imperative, to protect your children."I nodded. "Thank you." Then, I shook my head and smiled. "Where are my manners? Would you like a drink?"Raven shook her head slightly and smiled. "No, thank yo
Immediately, I flipped on my phone and called for two bodyguards to stand outside our door for the night. A few minutes later, Blake and Channing, two vampires, walked into the lobby, wearing black Armani suits, white shirts with ties, and dark sunglasses. Since Leila had developed the sunlight serum, it was no longer necessary to hire werewolves as guards, although I would have no aversion to it. Since the Werewolf-Vampire War, relations between the species had returned to normal. With a nod of my head, they followed me into the elevator, standing before me, folding their arms, as the doors closed. A moment later, the doors opened and they stepped aside for me to pass and followed me to our hotel room.Before I opened the door, I turned to them and said, "Stay here for the night and do not leave."They both nodded and stood on either side of the door, folding their arms without another word.I walked inside, and Leila was sitting on a chair, drinking blood from a long-stemmed gla
We woke in the middle of the night and dressed, in case Jase woke up before us. He was getting older, and I vowed to make sure to move him into his own room next to ours when we got back home.The sun shone brightly through the window the next morning, caressing my cheek. It felt great to be in the sunlight, after not being able to enjoy it for so long. For so many years, I had spent my life living in darkness, until Leila literally brought sunshine into my life. Not only literally by developing the Sunlight Serum, a cure for our aversion to sunlight, but she had brought sunshine into my life figuratively, as well, bringing light back into my life with her sweetness, her goodness. I had never met anyone like her before. I looked across the bed where Leila was still sleeping. I rose from the bed, threw three blood bags into the microwave, and made coffee. When the microwave stopped, I took two of the blood bags and opened the front door. Outside our room, both Blake and Channing were
"Fuck, Leila! What you do to me is amazing." I poured shampoo into the palm of my hand and ran it along her breasts. "You're so damned beautiful," I whispered into her ear as I turned her into the stream of water and washed her off. Then, I lathered up my hands again and shampooed her hair, bringing it to a strong lather, and then she leaned her head back into the stream of water as I laced my fingers in her long tresses, helping her rinse. I poured more shampoo into the palm of my hand and ran it over the small, round pooch then kissed it, and then concentrated on the area between her legs as her breath quickened. She started to reach for the shampoo, but I shook my head. "Let me take care of you," I said, then poured more shampoo into my hand and ran my hands down her legs to her beautiful feet. "You have the most perfect body." She laughed. "You're spoiling me."I smiled up at her. "I'm trying." "You're succeeding," she said, laughing. "As they say 'you ain't seen nothing yet
Leila grabbed her purse and said nothing about the bodyguards outside our hotel room as we left. Knowing how protective I was of them, having bodyguards outside our door didn't surprise her, I was sure. Channing silently held the elevator door for us, and then stepped in, while Blake took the stairs. When the doors opened, Channing escorted us out, while Blake already had our limo door open, looking around. "They remind me of Secret Service Agents," Leila whispered. "I hope you don't mind, but it's necessary," I replied, handing Jase to Leila after she was safely inside the car, and then I slid in behind her. Channing slid into the limo beside me, while Blake slid into the passenger seat beside the limo driver. "Where to, Mr. Steel?" the limo driver asked as he looked into the rearview mirror. "Fifth Avenue," I said. "We're going shopping." Leila was looking out the window, staring off into space, so I reached over and squeezed her hand. "Are you okay?" She nodded and gave me a
Leila reached over and took her from me. "Well, Amy and Angela went through a lot of trouble to organize a surprise anniversary party for us, so you'd better not disappoint them and look surprised."In the last several months since The Outsiders attacked and Leila was turned into a vampire, the cure had been perfected and several vampires were turned successfully back into humans. We had to set up a secret relocation program for them, as well, as they would no longer be able to protect themselves from supernatural creatures. Many of the innocent Outsiders were also turned into humans again, successfully. Once they had the cure, their bodies reverted back to their human form, to our relief. Also, Drake had built a private facility just for vampires going through The Change, headed by Amy and Elias. They both would be busy for a long time.I raised my eyebrows and opened my mouth, over exaggerating mock shock. "How's this?""Silly Daddy!" Sirena said as she laid her head on her mothe
"Something tells me that you won't need to bite your wrist for me anymore," she joked, suddenly sounding more like herself."Leila!" I said, crying openly as I pulled her to my chest. I pulled back and crushed my lips to hers, and she responded with all of the pent up passion that we both felt. "Leila, love. I'm so sorry ""Shush," she cooed, looking into my eyes. "It wasn't your fault.""Yes, it was!" I said, as tears ran down my cheeks. "I should have protected you. I should have been there for you!""Shush," she said, then smiled. "You were." I looked at her, puzzled. "You were with me in my heart. Before I died, you were the last thing I thought of; your face was the last thing I saw in my mind. I love you, Lance.""I love you, too," I cooed, "always and forever."Suddenly, the noise behind us began to die down. I helped Leila to her feet. Drake and Amy were behind us, still protecting us, having never left our sides. Amy was holding her scythe, and Drake held my sword. "Than
"Leila?!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as the screams of dying vampires resonated within the cave behind me. I closed my eyes for a moment and then silently prayed. "Please, help me to find them."I opened my eyes. As I looked at the caves, the one in the center of the humongous cavern stood out. I ran down the narrow path, throwing vampires over my head behind me as I ran, letting my coven tear them apart, and killed several at once, taking their heads off easily with my sword. I threw several against the wall with a wave of my hand, who were ripped apart by shifters. Then, I shoved my hand into the chest of another vampire with milky white eyes when he got too close and listened to his screams as he burst into flames. I jumped over his flaming body when I saw a faint light at the end of the tunnel, running my sword through another vampire that was coming at me. As he lay on the ground, I stomped on his throat and ripped his head from his body. As I rushed down the tunnel toward t
We ran over the rough terrain as the wind blew past us. The sun was high overhead, but the heat didn't affect vampires the way it affected humans. None of the elements did. We ran over mountains and even jumped over a gorge, not losing one vampire. Within minutes, the sound of running water rushing by filled my ears and I knew we were getting close. Soon, the black and red mountain peaks rose up before us. Within minutes, we were on the edge of Promontory Point, on the west side of the Hoover Dam.I looked down at the blue lake and at all of the surrounding igneous rock formations that created mountains, just as Xander came up on my right side. "She could be anywhere."Xander clasped a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find her." Then, he turned to his wolf pack, who had joined us. "Split up! Look for any sign of Leila and the baby!" Xander then began ordering his pack to go in every direction. Immediately, they leapt and turned into werewolves in midair, digging into the sand and pushing
I pulled the phone out of my pocket and dialed Javier's number."Mr. Steel," he answered on the first ring. "Who was standing guard?""Gregory and Cal," he said in clipped tones, knowing that I meant the penthouse"The Outsiders took Leila," I said, headed down the stairwell. "Round up some men. We're going after her. Meet me in the lobby in five.""Yes, sir," he said as I hung up the phone and dialed Ferdinand's number. "Mr. Steel?""How the hell did The Outsiders get into the castle?!" I demanded."The fire alarm sounded and there was smoke," he said, his heels clicking against the hard, tiled floor of the lobby. He was in the casino. "We were busy evacuating the guests ""While they came after my family?!""They must have come in the back way," Ferdinand said. "There was chaos ""Tell me about it later. We're going after Leila." I hung up the phone just as I reached the bottom of the stairwell, flung open the door, and looked around, spotting him walking toward me. The
I pulled out my cell phone and quickly dialed Adeline's number, but there was no answer. I shook my head, realizing how close I had come to becoming human. Just a few minutes later and I wouldn't have been able to save my family. I just hoped that I wasn't too late. I quickly dialed Javier's number as I headed out the front door of Kalyssa's cottage."Lance?" he said, answering on the first ring. Chaos erupted in the background as my heart sank."What happened?""Oh, thank God it's you," he said. "Leila has been ""I know. Xander just told me," I replied. "Where is she?" I was already starting to run, not waiting for Amy, Xander, and Elias."I don't know, but someone had to have taken her." Sirens sounded loudly in the distance.Anger filled my body. "Tell me about it when I get there. I'm on my way."I clicked off my phone and ran at super speed across the desert, faster than a car could travel. My vampire seethed for vengeance, pushing me harder, faster, as memories of the y
I woke in a cold sweat. Moonlight was streaming in through the window, piercing the darkness. Hunger rose within me; a hunger like I'd never known before. I needed blood and I needed it now. I rose from the bed and stalked toward the door.I could smell blood and it smelled luscious.My fangs extended immediately as I skulked down the hallway, closer to the delicious scent, closer to what I wanted, closer to what I craved. The scent grew stronger, more delicious, more tempting as I drew near and it was clearly, fully human. I placed my hands on the wall, beyond all reason, beyond sanity, as I inched closer to my target. I turned the corner, ready, as saliva rushed into my mouth in anticipation of the meal in which I was about to indulge. My heart pounded against my ribcage, as if it wanted this kill just as much as I. My vampire seethed within my chest, inching me closer, but when I turned the next corner it was Leila."My God, Lance! You scared me!" she said as she reached for t
"Have you thought of becoming human for her?" I asked in a low voice.Kellen let out a deep breath and sat back down on the couch. "Yes, I have.""And?" I knew that I was prying, but he had been a vampire for a very long time, and becoming human again was a big step.Kellen bit his lower lip, thinking, and then looked directly into my eyes. "Yes. I would do it. If I could grow old with her, I would do it in a heartbeat," he said without hesitation. "That's why I get it, Lance, between you and Leila. I get why you're doing this. I would do the same thing, if I were in your shoes."I reached out and clasped his hand, giving him a man shake. "What does Crissy say about it?"He shrugged. "She wants to become a vampire for me."I nodded. "And how do you feel about that?"He shook his head. "Man, I love her with all of my heart, but I don't want that for her." He pushed up from the couch, walked across the room, and then turned around abruptly. "I want her to go to college. To have
She smiled. "Well, after tomorrow, it won't be a problem.""Well, after tomorrow, you won't be able to find me.""Not until after the baby's born," Amy corrected. "After Leila's fully recovered, then you can go anywhere you wish.""Sounds good to me." For a moment, I wondered if we had another child and we were both human, would the child be human, too? But I brushed the thought aside. After this baby was born, we would have two children, which was more than I had ever hoped for."Well, I'm off," Elias said as he headed toward the door. "Amy, I hate to leave you alone with him in this state."She smiled. "I'll be fine. Go! Your patients await. I, on the other hand, am off from work for the next few weeks."Elias laughed. "Yeah, yeah! Don't rub it in.""You really need to take some time off, too, though."Elias laughed. "Well, with my staff taking time off ""Okay, don't you have to go?""Why? Trying to get rid of me already?""Yes! How'd you guess?"We all laughed when ther