"Okay, okay enough." I chuckled when Jason playfully tugged my pants leg to prevent me from stopping. One by one they morphed back into human form, stretching and coming to their feet. They were comfortable with their nudity but slipped on pants and shirts."How was the pack meeting?" I asked.Paul leaned in to kiss me and smiled. "Better than we could have ever imagined."They explained that by the weekend they could secure an old farmhouse on the outskirts of town. It had once been a horse farm and had a number of acres as well as barns and anything else they could need to begin the werewolf selection process. I propped Julie on my knee as I sat on the sofa listening to their excited chatter. "The safe houses," Julie smiled. "The humans living in them are accustomed to the supernatural, and given the opportunity I think any of them would desire the chance to be equal in strength to those who have tormented them."I frowned. "Yeah, as long as they understand that they aren't g
I searched his eyes. Did he know about the offer that I'd made to Alexis? Maybe I had underestimated my husband. Maybe he would not have agreed to such an arrangement. He was understanding about my monsters, but that didn't mean he would embrace Alexis. Well, it was no longer an issue. And although I didn't think I'd need protection, I remembered Paul's previous pack and the way they had swarmed the manor and killed two of the most capable vampires I knew.I nodded my head. "Okay."He watched me for a long time. "Okay."No. This was not an easy decision for him either.After dinner I called for Alexis and Ran to meet me at Johan's manor. I gave them enough travel time to allow Ran to be driven there. He was essential to me in maintaining some form of control when I was with Alexis. When you love a man, it is hard enough to control your desires, but having a sex demon as a part of your very makeup ups the ante. If there was going to be a relationship between me and my two husbands
Paul was waiting for me at home, the house quiet without Sam or BJ.I appeared in the living room where he waited for me. "He said yes," I said with no beating around the bush. He nodded, not appearing surprised. "Where are the baby and Sam?" I asked."Sam is keeping her for the evening. I asked her to move in here while I'm away." I nodded. I considered myself to be a good mom, but my sleep is like death, and that wasn't conducive to parenting a toddler. He pulled me gently into his arms and held me. "Ran contacted me. I like his idea, and he would be a valuable addition to the pack. He's got battle training, and he's fearless."I felt relieved that Paul wasn't worried that being turned into a werewolf could affect the vampire in Ran. Besides, there were other more pressing matters I felt we needed to discuss, so I shelved my concerns about turning Ran."Paul," I sighed. "You don't have to worry about … Alexis being here.""I'm not." He pulled back enough to look into my
I knew that I was chattering too much about things he probably could care less about, and I met Alexis' eyes anxiously. He nodded. He wasn't even looking at the room. He was watching me. "Feel free to make yourself at home on the main level. The office is strictly my assistant's area and … you might not be very comfortable in the family room. It's where my daughter plays.""Show me the family room," he requested."Sure." I began to walk out of the room, but Alexis clasped my wrist. "Let's use the shortcut," he said."Oh. Right." I flashed us to the large and cluttered family room. We always ended up here whenever the Ladies in Waiting or the Wolf Pack gathered. The sectional was big and comfy and had been broken in nicely.Alexis stepped forward and looked around. He stooped to pick up a stuffed bear that had been washed so many times it had gone thin in in the paws. We couldn't get rid of it, though, because BJ had named it. It was Bee Bee. You can't throw away a toy that yo
"No!" I said to Alexis. "Not going to happen."He crossed his arms and stared at me. "This is a ridiculous argument, Kim. I am going to the Council meeting with you because either your first lieutenant or your wolf always accompanies you. You told me that yourself. The last thing we need to do at this critical stage is to act out of character.""Alexis, you hate Malarias. You tried to kill him!"He tilted his head upward. "It is possible that one learns from past mistakes, my love."I tried not to cringe at the mocking way that he said "my love." "Every time you show up in someone else's body, vampires still recognize you. Remember Esmerelda? Do you really think that Malarias won't know that it's you peeking out from behind Ran's face?""He won't as long as I do not want to be detected." I searched his face but he seemed confident about that. "No," I said. "What you want is too risky.""What if this is the evening that Malarias decides to punish your Council? Is this not the
Damn, I thought. She was obviously in a bad mood.The young vampire cringed and transported away. A split-second later, Monica disappeared after him. None of us moved. We'd seen the young ones do this often enough. A split-second later she returned, holding him suspended in the air by his throat. She had gone "hissy face," her teeth longer than normal and her face etched in a monstrous scowl. She brought the vampire down to her mouth and ripped out his throat. Seconds later, young vampire Charles was nothing but ash."Monica," Tony began, his brow gathered in a frown."Leave it alone, Tony!" Monica snapped.My mouth formed an O while a faint smile crossed Kaniji's lips. I could tell that Kaniji thought Tony's and Monica's relationship had run its course.I looked up at Alexis to get his reaction, but he was only staring at Monica. With a flick of his wrist, Malarias cleaned away the blood and ash and replaced the white tablecloth with one that wasn't splattered by gore. "Per
The next evening I called Paul. "Can I see you?""It's difficult right now. I'm a bloody mess, and it seems as if I'll never get to the end of biting and ripping flesh." I could hear the exhaustion in his voice, and it caused me to worry about him. "The wolf is showing me what to do, but it's anxious. When I think it's time to stop, it pushes me.""Oh, Paul. Is it terrible?"He sighed. "No. It's wonderful."The succubus twirled inside of me, and I squashed her back down, promising her that she would have her time to play."And how is Ran?""He's handling the pain better than anyone. He never screams."I swallowed back the lump forming in my throat. Technically I knew how Paul had been turned into a werewolf. He had been bitten repeatedly over the course of two months—two months because the virus didn't take the first time. And with Jason and Tyler, well, they had been partially devoured.My stomach flip-flopped and I began to understand what the humans would need to endur
I sat up with a jolt and looked around. I was on a pristine white sofa in a strange room. The pale, dusky light of dawn seeped through windows and a French door that did not obstruct the light with sheers or blinds.I saw Alexis standing at one of the windows, gazing out, his back to me. And then I saw that Monica lay opposite me on a hunter green velvet chaise. We were in her home. She slept, and although the sun crept over her porcelain skin, she did not burn. As my child she also had the ability to withstand the sun."She will awaken soon," Alexis said. "This one is very strong." I rubbed my head feeling as if I had a hellafied hangover. It had been a long time since I'd felt that way. "Ugh. I gotta get to BJ.""Samantha is awake and tending to her needs." Alexis turned and joined me in the living room where he stood with his hands clasped behind him.I shook my head. "Oh, Alexis, this is trouble," I said as I looked at Monica, my progeny, my child, my friend. "Why me? Why is