Charlotte laughed so hard that tears sprang to her eyes. "And how, pray tell, do you plan to do that?""I'll find a way," I walked over to the chair and sat down at the small table. "Tell me, why did you kill Steven?""How very perceptive of you!" Charlotte said, clasping her hands together excitedly."Well, I was the one who killed him, actually," Garrett said as a smirk played on his lips. "Yes, well, at my insistence, of course." Charlotte walked over to his side and ran her hand over his chest."Why?""Well, after I happened to find you in the alley with those thugs, you said that you were following a scent," Charlotte said, sitting on the chair across from me at the small table. "I knew it was blood, so I just put two and two together. The only time that humans crave blood is when they're pregnant with a dhampir child. It was quite easy to deduce, actually.""You bitch," I said, realizing that it was becoming my favorite word for her. "You pretended to be my friend!""Uh,
Garrett obeyed, stepping into the center of the warehouse. He took his clothes off and stood stark naked in the middle of the room. Before I could object, he bent over slightly and his body began to contort and morph. His face protruded outward into a muzzle as he doubled over, and his hands turned into massive paws just before they touched the floor. A moment later, a giant brown wolf was standing in the center of the room before me, snarling, growling menacingly. "You're werewolves," I said in disbelief. Why the hell not? I had already met vampires and witches. Why not werewolves, too? Abruptly, I realized that I had been living a blissfully sheltered life.The brown wolf growled."Although we are werewolves, we can change at will," Leo said as a smile played on his lips. "That wasn't always the case, but I developed a serum.""And what do you want with my baby?" I asked, trying to fit all the pieces together."If there are no more vampires, then they'll no longer be a threat t
"Yes, well, not if our men find him first," Charlotte said, her eyes flaring. "After he's eliminated, then his coven will follow, after we make them all human. Then, there will be no one left to stop us.""If you really loved him," I said, "then you would let me go for him.""Nice try," she said, leaning back in her chair again.Just then, Amy walked into the room, carrying a tray, and set it on the table. There were three blood bags lying on it and a covered plate. I didn't care what was under the plate. I grabbed one of the blood bags, shoved a straw in the side of the bag and drained it."My, my," Charlotte said, reaching for one of the blood bags, too. "Aren't we hungry?"Ignoring her, I quickly reached for the other blood bag and downed it, moaning as the luscious liquid filled my system. The baby stirred in my stomach, happy for the nourishment, too, I guessed. "Get out," I said, looking at Charlotte. "I can't stand the sight of you."She laughed without humor. "Yes, well,
I woke and looked around. It was pitch black and I could barely see my hand in front of my face. I wondered why they hadn't kept a light on, but then I realized that vampires could see perfectly in the dark. Suddenly, a sharp pain jabbed my stomach. I ran a hand along my stomach and tried to sit up, but another sharp sting gripped me, punching me from within. I could feel that some of my ribs had cracked. "Uuuhhh!!" I screamed out, holding my ribs as I lay back onto the hospital bed.Within a moment, cold hands were on my forehead. "What happened?" Yes, it was Amy. I said nothing."Leila, you have to tell me when you're hurting," she said in a low voice, "for the baby."Someone took a deep breath, standing not far away. "What's wrong with her?" It was Charlotte. Amy and I weren't alone. "I'm sure that she's fine," Amy said, pushing me back against the pillows. "My ribs," I whispered, not wanting Charlotte to hear. Amy's fingertips immediately went to my ribcage. She pressed
With thrusts of his hand, he slammed werewolves against the wall without touching them, using his telekinesis as he marched purposefully across the room with his eyes locked on Charlotte.Amy pulled me behind her, fighting off a werewolf that had leapt toward us. She fought valiantly, ripping off heads with her sickle and ripping out hearts as blood sprayed across the room.Suddenly, Drake entered the room with his fists doubled at his sides, dressed in a black T-shirt, black jeans with boots. He took off a werewolf's head in one swift movement, and threw another against the wall, then turned to take on more.Lance was halfway across the room from Charlotte, glaring at her menacingly, when a werewolf jumped at him, but Lance hit him effortlessly, sending him flying across the room and crashing into a far wall. Then, Lance looked over at him and squeezed his hands tightly and the werewolf gasped, unable to breathe, until he finally passed out and turned into his human form. Lance the
Immediately, something went around my waist and I was being lifted. I looked over and Lance was holding me up so that Amy could slide a heart monitor around me for the baby. Suddenly, a quick flutter beeped into the air. "Is he okay?" I asked, barely conscious. "Lance the baby is he okay?""Shush he's fine, honey. Hang in there," Lance said, and then held his wrist up to my lips again. "Drink, Leila. God! I'm begging you, drink! You've lost too much blood. You need my blood to heal yourself! Drink!""Aaahhhhaaaa!" I moaned, trying to grip my stomach, but I was too weak to raise my arm. This was different than normal labor, I could tell. Everything was too quick and too painful. "Lance?" I asked, between contractions. "I'm right here, baby! Stay with me," Lance said, still holding his wrist to my lips as tears filled his eyes. "My God, baby, just drink.""Aahhhhhhhaaa!!!!" I yelled as another pain gripped me. "Help him! Help the baby!""We are, hon. I know it hurts," Amy said,
I rocked slowly back and forth with my son in my arms, feeding him a bottle of formula. He was beautiful with dark blonde, soft curls and bright green eyes, a normal six-month-old baby, even though he was only a few weeks old. Amy said that Jase would be full grown within ten years and I planned to enjoy every moment of it. He would also live a long life. Amy was living proof of it. She was technically sixty-two years old, but didn't look a day over twenty-five."Are you ready?" she asked as she walked through the door. She crossed the room and held her arms out to take my son, my Jase. "It's time."I handed him to her with a sigh. "If I must." "Unless you want to give your honeymoon tickets to me," she teased. "I've always wanted to go to Aruba.""Not on your life," I said, smoothing my white dress as I rose from the rocker. It wasn't your typical wedding dress, but it suited me well. It was satin with white spaghetti straps and a white lace overlay in an A-line style, and fitted
VOLUME TWO: CROSSROADSMy name is Lance Steel. I'm the owner of Caprice Casino and Club Moroii, located on the Las Vegas strip. I'm a husband, a damned good father and I'm also a vampire. I've lived many lives over the years, having been turned in the twelfth century the year 1113 AD, to be exact. I've had many loves, but none have touched my heart and very soul like my wife, Leila. Not long ago, I seduced her, a fact I'm not proud of, but not sorry for, either. Her association with me indirectly caused the death of her then husband and wrecked her life. After her life fell apart, I was there to help her pick up the pieces. I've had many regrets over the years, but Leila wasn't one of them. In over nine hundred years of living on this earth, Leila has been the best thing that's ever happened to me well she and our son, Jase. Yes, we have a son. Not long after we met, we discovered that she was pregnant with my child and soon Jase was born. Our son is a dhampier: half vampire an
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