Prima

Vanguards - 6

by

Annie Nicholas

Chapter One

The drone of machine guns and alien death cries jammed Daedalus's vampire senses. Eric and Sam, two of his wolf shifter roommates, were busy trying to save the world one video game at a time.

Daedalus sat on the couch, ankles and arms crossed, facing the living room doorway, not the television. Faces scrunched in concentration, the boys pushed past enemy lines to gain entry onto the rival base. He couldn't immerse himself in fantasy like they could.  Games gave Daedalus no satisfaction, but watching the shifters’ reactions stirred ancient memories. He'd been in real battles and forged through enemy hordes to gain territories centuries ago. Now, he trained Vasi shifters to fight, but even that hobby was growing tedious.

The other shifters who lived under the roof waited for their turns to slaughter aliens, hooting and shouting at the television as if the electronics could actually hear them. Twelve in total lived in Sugar's brownstone. They'd added two pups to their family in the last year. Shifters loved close quarters.

He didn't.

They didn't truly need him anymore. The ragtag band of shifters he'd come to save had grown into the largest pack in Chicago. Eric, their alpha, could assign Robert or Sam, his beta and sigma, to take over the training. He clenched his jaw and shot a glare down the hall at the closed bedroom door. The only thing that anchored him here was Sugar, and she had taken to the annoying habit of going to bed early every night, so he barely saw her anymore.

A knock on their front door silenced the shifters. He wasn’t sure how any of them heard it even with their exceptional hearing.

Eric checked his cellphone and shook his head. “Shouldn’t be for me. I haven’t had a call all night.” As alpha, most late-night calls were for him, and the pack knew better than to show up on game night uninvited.

Turning off the video game, Sam followed his alpha to the door while the others took defensible position within the household. A swell of pride at their unspoken synchronicity filled Daedalus's empty chest.

He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. A little over a year ago their home had been attacked by a rival shifter pack. Everyone had recovered from the fight except Sugar, their human friend and the love of his existence. Her injuries had scarred the pack for life. Security in the household had tightened even more since the birth of the pups.

Remaining in his chair by the far wall of the living room, he had a full view of the entrance. Centuries of experience became reflexive. Never expose your back, and always have an escape route planned. He assessed the familiar layout of the room and what moves he could use within that space.

Eric hesitated by the front door and glanced over his shoulder at Daedalus, the unasked question Are you ready? in the way he quirked his eyebrow.

Daedalus nodded.

Opening the door, Eric remained transfixed to the spot, his eyes growing wide.

Sam leaned over to get a better look and blocked Daedalus’s view. “Wow.”

Gritting his teeth, Daedalus rose. “Who the fuck is it?”

“Your friend?” Sam stepped aside. “I hope. Should we let him in?”

“No—” But Daedalus was too late.

The visitor shoved the shifters aside, crossing the threshold of their home and met Daedalus’s stare.

Sweat beaded on Daedalus’s forehead. Shit, he wasn’t carrying a wooden stake. He’d have to break one of the chairs again. Sugar would be pissed. She’d purchased them last week.

He hadn’t seen another Nosferatu in decades. Their guest had as much fighting skill as he did. They'd been made Nosferatu around the same time and been in the same training camp. “Pallas,” Daedalus whispered.

His brother by clan had probably noted each person’s position in the room and made out their weaknesses already. It’s what he would have done.

Daedalus moved to a better position in the room so he could defend the shifters if the need arose. They didn’t have a fighting chance against Pallas. “Everyone, this is Pallas, one of my clan brothers. Pallas, this is everyone.” He gestured to his housemates, purposely not identifying them. There was power in names.

“We need to speak.” Pallas’s gaze darted to Eric. “In private.”

The alpha growled low in his chest, looming over the shorter Pallas.

With a sour taste in his mouth, Daedalus waved Pallas toward the kitchen. “Outside in the garden.” His clan brother had gone into a deep sleep three centuries ago when the great vampire wars ended. They’d once been friends. Someone had awoken him. What were the chances this was good news?

Daedalus didn’t want to invite Pallas to his room in the basement. It was cramped quarters, leaving little room to fight, and he didn’t want his collection of NFL memorabilia to sustain any damage. Some of those things were priceless. Leading Pallas through the house, Daedalus sensed the shifters’ gazes on his back.

As soon as he closed the sliding glass door shut, he’d bet his bank account that his conversation with Pallas would only have a pretense of privacy. Shifter hearing could be miraculous, especially when pressed to cracked-open windows. The distant sound of a chair clattering to the floor in the dining room reached his own sensitive hearing. He could picture his housemates scrambling to find the best places to eavesdrop.

Pallas strode to the center of the moonlit garden. “So the rumors are true. You’ve lost your mind.”

Daedalus chuckled. The other Nosferatu hadn’t changed. They’d been close once. “Maybe. I wish the one about you was true.”

Pallas spun around. “Which one?”

“You being dead.”

“That would be too convenient.” A familiar crooked smile bloomed on his ugly face.

Daedalus laughed louder and shook Pallas’s hand, squeezing his fingers together as hard as he could. “You’re such an ass.” Bearer of bad news or not, he was still a brother, a tie to his past, and a comrade at arms.

Pallas returned his strong grip. “I learned from the best.” His clan brother, and he used that term loosely since they weren’t born from the same parents, bore the trademark appearance of their people—bald, pale, and deadly. “You’re creating quite a stir in the council, enough for them to coerce me to wake and seek you out.”

They released the painful handshake, and Daedalus shook his numb fingers, grinning as Pallas did the same. “You can tell them, for once, I’m happy.”

He snorted. “Like they care. I can’t believe you’re living with shifters again.” He made a distasteful noise.  “Nasty habit. They said you left your post.”

“I did, and I left it in good hands.” Then the fools were killed and the traitors who took over tried to have him assassinated, but Pallas didn’t need to know that.

“Your company is in chaos. I went there before arriving here.”

“No.” Pal Robi Inc. was his private security company, hence it being named after him. What better than hiring an almost indestructible vampire as a guard? The company also served as a front for the vampire political structure in his area. Vampires had revealed themselves, with the other supernatural creatures, to humans fifteen years ago. Vampires were expected to follow human laws and their government, but vampire society had had these things in place long before humans had figured out how to organize themselves. The Vampire Council didn’t expect their people to follow human laws, but Pal Robi Inc. was developed to give his people legal jobs and to police their hunting. In other words, if a vampire couldn’t feed without killing, it was his responsibility to stop that person before humans were aware of it. “I didn’t assign those who presently think they are running my company.”

Pallas sighed. “Are they under your command?” He gave Daedalus a pointed stare. “Currently.”

“No.” Daedalus shrugged. “How much damage can they do? The last thing they want is to draw the Council’s attention. I haven’t truly lost control.”

“Your estate is abandoned.”

“It’s not abandoned. I dispersed my staff to other tasks, and there’s a shifter house sitter. You probably scared the shit out of him.” He’d have to call Stephen and check on him. The young shifter didn't like company, let alone drop-ins from hell.

“A little scare never killed anyone. The council wants you to straighten things out at Pal Robi Inc. and return to your post as Prime. Things are falling apart in the area.”

An alien sourness curdled his stomach. He examined the odd sensation and decided he didn’t like the source. “Or what?” This visit was expected. Not Pallas himself but someone the council would send. The Prime kept the peace among vampirekind in his area. Sort of like a sheriff. If those traitors hadn’t been so greedy and tried to kill him, things would still be fine.

“They’ll make me kill everyone at Pal Robi Inc…” Pallas’s gaze wandered to the house, “…and here.”

“Do you think you can defeat me?” It had been ages since he’d fought one of his own kind. Living among the Vasi pack had softened him.

A hard shield fell over Pallas’s eyes. “Yes.”

* * *

Sugar’s eyes snapped open. A sharp noise like a chair hitting the floor had woken her from a deep slumber. She searched the room, but nothing moved and her bed remained empty.

She let her head flop back on the pillow. Daedalus hadn’t joined her yet. She’d tried to stay awake, but with each passing day she grew weaker. She punched the mattress with her good arm. She needed to schedule later or longer naps, like the pups, so she could spend more time with Daedalus at night.

The silence in the house that followed the loud clatter gave her the creeps. Where were the others? They hadn’t discussed going out. Most of them held day jobs and needed to be up early in the morning. Lately they’d been playing that crazy alien shooting game every night.

She swore Eric and Sam dreamt about the video game.

Rising from her bed took some skill. She’d been in a rehab center after her stroke for weeks to learn how to take care of herself. Even though she had seven roommates, a twin sister, and a vampire fiancé all willing to dote on her every whim, she fought them off. She would take care of her basic needs or die trying.

She strapped her leg brace to her partially paralyzed left leg and tucked her useless left arm in the pocket of her robe. It bothered her to see it swing at her side like a dead limb. Her cane rested against the nightstand within reach of her good right hand.

Limping toward the kitchen, she hesitated at the entrance and blinked. Everyone had their ears plastered to the walls or windows, out of sight of the sliding glass door. Katrina was even perched over the kitchen sink, peeking through a crack in the curtain. What the hell was going on in Sugar’s garden?

Spice, her identical twin, crouched on her hands and knees between Eric’s legs as they both listened by the sliding glass doors. “What council are they talking about?” Spice whispered.

Sugar took a few steps into the kitchen, but everyone seemed so focused on what was happening in the yard they didn’t notice her approach. “Who’s outside?”

Spice jumped so high, she slammed Eric in the joy sack with the back of her head.

He crumpled to the ground next to her, moaning into her lap.

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” Spice stroked his head.

“No prob, sweetie.” He managed to speak between his noises of misery. “My testicles always wanted to meet my tonsils.”

Spice shot Sugar an annoyed look. “You should be in bed.”

“With all the other babies?” She drew closer to the door and saw Daedalus speaking with a bald man. The stranger tilted his head, and she glimpsed the pointed ears all Nosferatu bore. Another vampire. That’s all she needed in her home, more supernatural beings. “Who’s that?”

“Pallas, D’s brother,” Sam whispered.

Tyler gasped. “He’s threatening to kill us!” With one swift movement, he scooped Katrina from her perch. “Go to the pups’ room. Stay there until we figure out what’s going on with Daedalus and his bro.” He gave her a little shove out of the kitchen.

Both Katrina and Spice’s babies shared a nursery at the end of the hall. The mothers raced to the room. The sound of material tearing followed as they shifted to their beast forms.

The blood drained from Sugar’s face. Another attack?

Eric and the others huddled by the kitchen table, discussing plans in low voices.

Taking a steadying breath, she slid the glass door open and continued her limping journey outside. There would be no more bloodshed in her home. Her cane was made of wood. She’d stake this stranger herself before he harmed her family.

His gaze broke from Daedalus and widened at her presence. “You keep a human in your home. That’s very…modern of you.”

Daedalus twisted, his eyes narrowing. “This isn’t a good time, Sugar.”

It wasn’t ever a good time for them anymore. When they did find a moment together, she and Daedalus spent it arguing.

Ignoring the two vampires, she used the tip of her cane to poke the stranger. “There will be no violence in this home, do you understand me?”

He stared at his chest then back at her with a raised eyebrow. “Will you stop me?”

“No. You’ll do it because I’m saying please.”

A startled laugh broke from the hard line of his mouth. “What befalls your home depends on what your master decides.”

She grunted with surprise. “What century are you from? No one has masters anymore.” Who was this woman using her voice? The terror that had eaten at her soul throughout her life no longer seemed present. She poked at the empty spot it had left within her and realized she had nothing left to fear. If this monster killed her, then her suffering would be over, and Daedalus could find a better life than being her nursemaid.

Her fiancé set his arm around her shoulders, something he used to do often but not so much since her return home. His arm felt heavy and solid. He always made her feel safe. Even though they lived together, she missed him and how they used to be. Daedalus guided the tip of the cane back to the ground. “Let’s not kill Pallas right away. He still has his uses.” He pressed a kiss on her head.

She tossed a look over her shoulder where the pack in beast form had poured out the door onto the patio. If the neighbors were watching, there’d be more notes in her mailbox. “Can we move this inside and keep it civil?”

Pallas gave her a short bow and returned to her home.

She elbowed Daedalus in his solid gut. “You never said you had family.” He hardly ever spoke about his past. After three years, she would have expected to know this at least.

“What?”

“They said he’s your brother.” She pointed at the shifters escorting Pallas inside.

“Oh, not by blood, but by vampire clan. I told you that turning females into Nosferatu only kills them, so my clan is a type of brotherhood.”

A familiar throb returned to her temples, and she shrugged his arm off. “Why is he threatening to kill us then?”

“Vampire blackmail tactics. They work remarkably well.”

She frowned. How could he be so nonchalant about a threat on their lives? What could Pallas possibly want from them? Unless… “Who does he want you to kill?”

Daedalus flinched. “Why do you jump to that conclusion?”

“What else would he want? It’s what you’re good at.” The words came out her mouth before she could stop them. Damn it.  Daedalus killed. It was a fact she couldn’t seem to live with. They’d been round and round this barbed subject so many times she had scars on her scars.  He probably owned as many. Saying sorry just didn’t mean the same after the amount of arguments they’d had. He knew she’d be lying because once again she’d tossed her stupid high morals at him. They stared at each other as the canyon between their hearts grew wider. What was a few more inches when they had miles to bridge?

Daedalus leaned close enough that she’d only have to go on tiptoe to kiss him. Her broken heart ached that she couldn’t manage even that simple task.  His blue eyes had gone dark. “He represents the seat of power of my people. They want me to stop neglecting my duties and return to my position.” He smirked, but it didn’t hide the hurt in his voice. “Please, try to remember that I have more skills than just killing.  I am Prime of this part of North America, and I haven’t been a very good one since I’ve met you. I’ll take care of Pallas, just like I do everything else.” Daedalus stormed into the house, leaving her to limp back alone.

She stared at the uneven ground and ignored the heaviness pressed against her chest.  He had finally given her the space and independence she craved, and it stung.

Chapter Two

Inside the house, Daedalus paused at the threshold. Part of his soul ached watching Sugar’s measured progress, but she'd shown a remarkable spark of courage challenging Pallas. Or maybe it was more suicidal ideation.

He rubbed his chin. The Sugar he’d first met never would have confronted Pallas. She’d been so frightened of his kind. Over the years she had grown more comfortable with supernatural people until the day of the attack. The shifter bastards who broke into their home and hurt her had stolen all her self-assurance. She doubted herself and friends—even him. Tonight was the first glimpse he’d had of her true spirit in a very long year.

She reached the entrance.

He began to offer her his hand and hesitated. Fuck, he didn’t know right from wrong anymore. Shattered eggshells had littered his path since she’d come home from rehab. Nothing he chose to do appeared to please her anymore.

With a tired sigh, she met him halfway and offered him her elbow since she still clung to her cane. “Thank you,” she whispered as he helped her up the steps. Those simple words seemed so difficult for her to utter lately.

His nature demanded he scoop her in his arms and carry her to safety. It warred with her insistence for independence. “You're welcome.” A wall had grown between them. He held the power to tear down fortresses but lacked the ability to break through this thin layer of awkwardness. Someone should write a Dealing with Human Women for Vampires book.

“Will you be leaving then?” She pulled her arm free of his hand and leaned on her cane.

“I don’t know.” He couldn’t meet her frank stare because she gave him the impression she was asking him if he was leaving her.

“You should.”

His head snapped up as if she’d bitch-slapped him. She wanted him to leave. He really had lost her and didn’t know how to get her back. “Who will watch over you?” The question left his lips before he could bite his tongue.

Her shoulders straightened. “I can take care of myself.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Who was he fooling? Of course he meant it. Taking care of the woman he wanted to marry shouldn’t be against the law, yet somehow Sugar acted like it was a crime.

“Either way, like you pointed out, you’ve neglected your responsibilities because of me. Go home and take care of things.” She hobbled out of the kitchen back to her bedroom, ignoring the pack of wolf shifters and a strange vampire in her living room. “I’m tired.”

This was his home. Wherever Sugar lived would always be home, but she was right. He had responsibilities. How long before the next slayer arrived on his doorstep? He couldn’t continue to place the Vasi and Sugar in danger.

She closed the door to her room. He once considered it their bed, but he spent so little time there now. Spice and her pack would take care of Sugar in his absence.

Gathering the pieces of his heart, he shielded his pain lest Pallas use it against him. His old friend sat in a chair surrounded by the shifters still in their beast forms, legs crossed and leaning to the side. “Which one will you offer me to drink? You know I’m partial to females.”

Sam snarled at the comment.

“Easy.” Daedalus sat across from Pallas and nodded to Eric. “I’ll take it from here. Go see to your mate and pup.” He glared at his brother. “I’ve only cold blood stored here for guests.”

The other shifters glanced at their alpha for direction. Pride was a poor description for what he felt toward Eric, but the only word that existed that came close. The shifter had grown into a fine alpha and beyond Daedalus’s expectations.

In beast form they couldn’t speak aloud but could communicate to each other’s minds. He wasn’t privy to the orders, but they dispersed, Eric being the last to leave.

Daedalus turned his attention on his brother. “The council approved my hiatus. It’s not like I abandoned my post.”

Pallas nodded. “Quite right, but now it is time to return.”

“You could take my place.” In his estimation, they were equal in all things but the desire to live. Pallas’s heart had always been made of stone. He’d been born that way.

His nod transformed to a shake. “No.”

“You’re more than capable.”

“Of course I am, but I’ve never craved power.”

“No, only blood.” Daedalus sighed. Some things never changed, and some vampires never evolved.

His brother licked his lips. “It’s in our nature.”

“I will return. It’s about time I cleaned out the rats invading my…home.” He hadn’t thought of the empty mansion as home since moving to Chicago. Even when it had been full of his vampire nest, it lacked the life of this brownstone.

Pallas clapped his hands once. “Good. My duty is done.”

“It is?” He raised an eyebrow at Pallas, taking pleasure at his confused expression. “I would think the council would want you to make sure I follow through with their orders.”

His brother’s face fell. “Yes. They probably would.” Pallas jabbed a finger in his direction. “Why do you have to make everything so difficult?”

Daedalus leaned forward. “So next time you’ll think twice before fucking with me.”

“Like I had a choice. They dragged me out of my crypt so I could come scold you like an errant child.” Pallas twisted so he didn’t have to look directly at Daedalus, leaning his chin in his hand. “Do you remember the hot springs in Siberia?”

Daedalus laughed aloud at the old memory. The spring’s temperature had been freezing yet warmer than the winter air, so steam rose from the water. He had convinced Pallas to dive into the pool, telling him how warm the waters were. “Are you still carrying a grudge?”

“It took a week for my testicles to drop.” His frown grew deeper. “Is this another hot spring?”

Rolling his head, Daedalus tried to relieve the knot forming in his neck. “You’ve been gone from the world too long. In an odd way, I’ve missed your company. You need to acclimate to civilization before you don’t even recognize it anymore.” Nosferatu were capable of hibernating. Like bears, when they woke, hunger controlled every action. Inwardly, Daedalus cringed at how many humans it must have taken to quench Pallas’s aged thirst.

The dull light of disinterest still shone in Pallas’s eyes though. In three centuries the world had changed. When he’d gone to sleep, horses had been the best mode of travel and America was just beginning its struggle for independence. Maybe he could find some relevance in this time period worth existing for.

Pallas’s frown grew deeper. “The council agrees with you.”

“For once.”

Pallas shot him a glare before joining him in a laugh. It wasn’t from mirth but resignation. Once more they were forced into duty against their will. It was an old song and dance that they knew all too well.

“We’ll leave tomorrow night. Stay here with me. You can use my resting space. I’ll bunk with Sugar.” He sighed at the prospect of having to creep into her bed. She’d been the center of his universe these last few years, such a short time. The flutter of nerves in his stomach should be from anticipation, not anxiety. He couldn’t spend another night staring at her back, wanting to hold her yet knowing any of his advances would be turned away with a sharp word.

He also hated to leave her side since she refused to become a vampire. Their time together was limited, and he wanted to savor every heart-breaking minute.

“You love her?” The incredulity was obvious in Pallas’s voice.

“Is that so surprising?”

He snorted.

Fine, Pallas had a point. Daedalus had never been a romantic. “People change.”

“We’re not people. Nosferatu are eternal.”

“For fuck’s sake, our lifespan, not our personality.” He rose, already tired of Pallas’s company even after his centuries of absence. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Sam, in his human form, hovering by the doorway. The Sigma’s protective nature couldn’t be controlled.

Daedalus waved him over. “Can you show Pallas to his room in the basement? Maybe introduce him to a television. I doubt he’s ever seen one.”

Sam quirked an eyebrow. “No joking?”

With a slow shake of his head, he left Pallas in Sam’s shocked care. He overheard the shifter mention something about the Playboy channel. Who had ordered that package? He suspected Spice, Sugar’s twin.

Silent as sin, he slipped into his lover’s room.

Sugar lay in the moonlight spilling through the window. It glimmered on her blonde hair, which reminded him of his long-lost sunlight, but it was the kindness in her soul that shone the brightest.

He lowered his head and sighed heavily. She was already asleep. It didn’t take much to exhaust her, and as she aged it would only get worse. What the fuck was he doing?

Immortality, or as he liked to think of it, immunity from death, was something he once considered a gift. However, in an endless conscious existence, bathed in a plethora of hedonistic sensation, he’d forgotten who he was until what remained of his human soul went dormant. Things had faded, and life had become one long routine until he met her.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he traced the lines of her face, committing them to memory. He could live another thousand years and he’d never forget. The traumatic stroke she’d suffered sucked away her energy, and she couldn’t remain awake late. He saw less and less of her light or heard the joy in her laughter.

Blood and death were a constant in a Nosferatu warrior’s existence. Be it aggressor or defender, he truly didn’t care. The Vampire Council had wielded them like a weapon, but he wanted to shrug off the yoke of responsibility and curl next to her forever.

He’d once been like Pallas. Disinterest had lived in his black soul.

Even when humans had learned of their existence and carefully embraced vampires to their bosom, the novelty of sharing their streets didn’t hold his attention long. Not until he received a plea for help from a small pack of shifters searching for someone to teach them how to fight. What a unique opportunity.

He taught them more than how to throw a punch. They were now the largest wolf shifter pack in North America, ruled by just laws and a good alpha. In return for his good deed, his heart had been stolen and consequently enslaved by their human friend. Fate had rewarded him, or at least he had thought so until recently. A broken heart was a difficult thing to mend when no wound actually cut through its flesh.

Unable to resist any longer, he ran his fingertips over the silken mass surrounding her face.

Her rosebud lips spread into a secretive smile. All that was playful and filled with joy in his Sugar had vanished.

The old Daedalus would have found the Asian pack and rained terror upon them so that even their great-great-great grandchildren would shudder at his name. He’d grown with Sugar’s guidance. The alpha responsible for the attack was dead. Killing his pack mates wouldn’t repair the damage done to her weak human body.

He hadn’t allowed himself a second away from her side to exact useless revenge. Maybe that was selfish. Maybe this was why she pushed him away. He didn’t understand, and no one would explain these things.

Her clear green eyes fluttered open and focused on his face. “Daedalus?” She blinked and searched the room. “Where’s Pallas?”

Daedalus lay next to her. Bending over her neck, he gave her a playful nip. “You are wearing too many clothes.”

She sighed and turned her face away. He’d said the wrong thing again.

He flopped onto his side next to her. “Sam is instructing him on the use of a television. With any luck, he won’t destroy it.” He wasn’t the only one worried about Sugar’s listless interest in the world. The pack watched her in earnest during the day while he slept.

“Why?” She struggled to sit, using her working arm to support her weight, and shrugged off his helping hand. “I can do it.”

“Have you taken your pills tonight?”

The look she tossed his way would have frozen any warrior’s balls. “Spice made sure I took them.”

He chuckled. Her twin sister could compete with him for the title of Bane of Sugar’s Existence. Together they worked to make sure she received the best of care. Sugar still had decades to live. If she’d let him, he’d make them the best she’d ever had.

He remained on his side, curled along her hip. “I’ll leave for Pal Robi Inc. tomorrow night.” Would she miss him?

She twisted to face him, not an easy feat. “They tried to kill you.” Was that a hint of concern in her voice? He could only hope.

“Not everyone working for me was behind the assassination. I’ve narrowed it down to five people. It’s time I take matters into my own hands.”

“Oh…” She stared at the ceiling for a moment then settled her head on his chest as if the space were made for her. “Will you be gone long?”

Decades of practice kept him from sighing. “I’ll be back before you know it.” The fake chipper tone he used wanted to choke him. Regaining control of Pal Robi Inc. didn’t pose a problem, but keeping it would.

Chapter Three

Daedalus slept like, well, like the dead. The sun had risen, but the heavy shutters over Sugar’s window kept the rays from entering her bedroom. The world sat heavily on her shoulders this afternoon. She lay on the bed in darkness, staring at the ceiling.

He was leaving her.

Pressing her palm to her forehead, she fought back a sob. She’d known this day would come, however the amount of grief overwhelmed her expectations.

Ever since she’d been helpless in bed during her stay at the rehab center, she’d known she couldn’t bear to keep him close. The Sugar he’d fallen in love with was gone. She lay shattered in forgotten memories. What lived in this broken body was a mockery.

Getting to her feet, she shambled pass the metal-shuttered windows to the mirror. A white silk scarf hid her reflection. It was the one Daedalus had used to tie her to the bed years ago when they’d first met. He had snuck into her apartment bedroom through the window to seduce her. She missed the passion they'd shared.

Shaking the cobwebs of the past from her head, she limped to the kitchen. Sizzling reached her ears. Everyone worked outside the house now, except Sam and Spice. She was Sam’s job and the babies were Spice’s. Or vice versa depending on who needed a break.

Sam flipped burgers at the stove. “Hey, Shug.”

She leaned on the counter and watched her Sigma make a late lunch. His vampire mate, Clementine, slept in the basement in their bedroom, so he spent most of his nights awake. “Where’s Spice?”

“Out in the garden with the babies, getting some rays, before the big storm rolls in.” He shot her a look. “What’s up?”

“Daedalus is leaving.”

“I heard. I think I overwhelmed his brother with the wonders of television. Where’s he been all these years?”

Sugar gave him a one-shouldered shrug. Underground would be her guess.

“Do you want cheese on your burger?”

“I’m not hungry. Just put mine in the fridge for later.” She ambled toward the sliding glass door to her garden. It was her one solace, something she could do without help.

“Shug, he’s not leaving for good.”

“I know.” Yes, he was. He just didn’t realize it yet. Daedalus was a Prime of Northeastern America. His people needed him. They would give him purpose to live when she passed away.

Daedalus should forget her.

Or at least she had thought that’s what she wanted.

Sunlight warmed her skin as she stepped outside. The squeal of baby laughter caressed her ears. Spice pushed the children on the double swing set by the flower garden. Nothing pierced her gloom better than the sight of these babes.

Her twin met her gaze across the yard, and Spice’s amused expression transformed to concern. Spice knew her pain. The twin bond transcended conventional understanding.

Sugar sat on the bench by the swing set and made a face at her nephew.

He gave her a toothless grin in return. At six months of age, he could be a sumo wrestler. Katrina’s seven-month-old daughter, on the other hand, was built like a fairy princess. She resembled her mother in every way except for the crazy curls she’d inherited from her father.

When the babes first came home, a lead weight sat in her stomach each time she held one. She had yearned for her own. “They grow so fast.” How could she ever take care of a baby when she couldn’t care for herself?

“Next thing I know he’ll be asking to borrow the car.” Spice blew a raspberry on her son’s plump cheek. Behind her chipper exterior, her sister hid something.

“It’s not like you to hold back what you’re thinking.” Sugar relaxed against the bench and enjoyed Spice's annoyed frown. Even though their exteriors were identical, their personalities were polar opposites.

Spice opened her mouth then snapped it shut as she glanced at the children. “Let me bring them to Uncle Sam. He can feed them lunch.” An evil gleam sparkled in her eyes.

Sugar laughed. “He might panic.” Sam was the pack’s Sigma, their protector, which suited his temperament, but he knew nothing about babies.

“It’ll do him some good.” Spice gave her a wink and carried both babes to their honorary uncle.

Birds played in the bath she’d installed in the corner of the small yard the year she bought the brownstone. It seemed like ages ago. Spice would eventually inherit this home when Sugar passed on, so in some small way she would remain part of the family.

Spice sauntered across the yard with two glasses of iced tea and sat next to her. “You’re being an idiot.”

“Don’t hold back, sis.” Sugar took a sip.

“Like I can.” Spice chuckled. “I’ve done my best all morning not to say anything and gave myself a migraine.” Setting her glass on the grass, she faced her. “I heard Daedalus is leaving with Pallas tonight.”

“Yes.” She sipped again so she wouldn’t meet her sister's intense stare. “Why does this make me an idiot?”

“Because you’re pretending not to care.” Spice knelt in front of her so Sugar couldn’t evade her gaze. “I don’t know who you’re trying to hurt more, him or yourself.” Gripping her hands, Spice squeezed them tight. “Talk to me.” The last came out more as an order than a plea.

Spice wouldn’t understand her reasons. Her sister grasped life by the balls and rode it hard. Sugar, on the other hand, had—just existed. Some people made things happen and others had things happen to them. Guess which group she landed in. “I don’t know what you want from me.”

“Emotion would be nice.” Spice smiled. “I can’t believe you faced off with Pallas last night.”

“I don’t like anyone threatening my family.” Sugar cleared her throat to loosen the constriction. Of course she hurt. She’d never been in love until she met Daedalus. He embodied everything she admired in people, everything she wasn’t. Strong, confident, powerful—yet under the hard exterior hid a tender heart. Everyone feared him on some level except her.

She’d feared him once, and he’d gone out of his way to gain her trust. He’d even let her go  and allowed her the space she needed to realize how much she wanted him to be a part of her life…

Tears spilled along her cheeks unchecked. She wasn't sure when they’d started.

Spice hugged her tight. Keeping silent must be killing her.

“I don’t know what to do.” Sugar buried her face against her sister’s shoulder. “All my plans went to shit after the stroke. Can’t go back to my job, can’t move right. I look at the mirror and am surprised at the stranger staring back.”

Spice leaned away and washed her face with a baby wipe. “You don’t need to give the important things up. It might be harder, but you’re strong.”  Sugar wasn’t sure where Spice had pulled the wipe from but was grateful.

“No, I’m not. Things were hard to do before being injured. Now they seem impossible.”

“And Daedalus?”

“If I can’t love myself, how can I expect him to?”

Spice gasped. “He never said that.”

“No.” He didn’t have to. “But I’m a burden, Spice, and don’t say I’m not. It was bad enough before when I refused to cross over into becoming vampire. My lifespan has shortened quite a bit since then. Is it fair for me to break his heart even more? This Pal Robi Inc. thing will give him purpose again. I won’t take that from him.” No matter what the others thought, she loved Daedalus with every ounce of her soul and wanted him to continue his long existence after she’d gone.

“Fine, crossover and be shifter then. You’ll get your body back with bonus skills.”

Sugar groaned and tossed her a daggered stare. “We’ve had this discussion. I’m not repeating it.” She didn’t have any desire to give up her humanity. It was an integral part of her personality. Hunting and killing went against her pacifist beliefs. There were ways to feed without killing, but it only took one slip-up.

“You can’t blame me for trying.” She leaned her head on Sugar's shoulder. “I need you. I’m selfish, I know, but my kids should grow up with you at their side.”

“You have Eric.”

“I demand both of you.”

Sugar chuckled. Spice indeed did demand both of them.

“What will happen if he dies before you?”

“Who?” Sugar twisted her head to face Spice.

“Daedalus. Reclaiming Pal Robi Inc. won’t be easy. They might have hired more slayers. Once he leaves Chicago, he won’t have pack protection anymore, just Pallas the jerk guarding his back. Who knows what he’ll be tackling.”

Sugar's heart skipped a beat. “He’s not taking any of the pack?” The idea of him dying first hadn’t crossed her mind.

“He’s refusing any help. Says it will make him appear weak.”

“How does a small army of shifters make someone look weak?” Her lover couldn’t afford to be stubborn. She’d spent the last year distancing herself so he could find the will to live without her. It would all be for naught if he got himself killed first. Though he might doubt it, he needed help, and she could provide it for him.  She rose to her feet with the aid of her cane and ambled toward the house.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to pack my bags.” She had enough time before sunset to organize things.

Spice kept pace with her. “You can’t go with him. He can’t attack Pal Robi Inc. and guard you at the same time.”

“I know, so I’ll need to take some shifters with me as protectors. How many do you think I’ll need?”  Daedalus was getting backup if it killed her.

Chapter Four

Most of Daedalus’s belongings were at his estates. He didn’t need to pack much. A few weapons filled his bag in case they ran into trouble on their travels. So why was he lingering in his chambers?

Tired of listening to his excuses for not leaving, Pallas waited outside in Daedalus’s car.

Anxiety gnawed at his heart, leaving an empty void in its wake. He rubbed his chest to ease the growing discomfort. The only task remaining was to say goodbye to Sugar. Why did it feel so final? He’d left before, yet this time seemed different.

Tossing the bag over his shoulder, he tightened his resolve to return ASAP. If those traitors had just left him alone, instead of trying to kill him, he would have let them have Pal Robi Inc. He couldn’t run the risk of them harming Sugar or the Vasi anymore. He left his basement study and headed for the front door. At the top of the stairs he hesitated at the pile of luggage.

“Hey, you blocking my way for a reason?” Sam’s voice traveled from below. Daedalus shared the basement with him, Clementine, Katrina, and Tyler. The place was too crowded. Sam carried a full backpack. “I still have to pack my car. Not sure if all those bags will fit in my trunk. Do you have any space left in your car?”

Daedalus stepped to the side and let him pass, not sure how to respond. His gaze traveled to Eric, who watched from the living room entrance. “I said no help.” He couldn’t guarantee anyone’s safety. Death would be a close companion.

Eric avoided his glare. “He’s not going with you.”

The click of Sugar’s cane met his ears as she traveled from her bedroom. His stomach clenched. Would she even care that he was leaving?

“He's escorting me.” Her golden curls were pulled into a ponytail, and a light sweater hung over her shoulders. “So are Clementine, Esther, and Robert.”

“Where—?” He spun as the front door swung open.

Pallas stomped inside. “Why is a shifter adding more luggage to your car? You usually travel light.” His gaze traveled to Sugar. “Hell no.”

She lifted her chin and set the cane in front of her. “Hell yes. My place is beside Daedalus.”

“Babe…” It had never occurred to him she’d want to accompany them. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Which is why I’m bringing the others.”

“I can’t be seen using shifters to reclaim my place in Pal Robi Inc. Vampires would perceive that as weakness.” His dead heart raced as he ascended the stairs to face her determined stare. She cared. There was hope for them after all.

“They’re not for you, but for me. Sam is my Sigma. He and Clementine are my protectors.”

Daedalus raised an eyebrow, his chest ready to burst with joy. “Esther and Robert?”

“If this is such a hazardous mission, my guards need backup. I also recall your estate has an elaborate security system. They’re perfect to get it running properly again.” She brushed his cheek with her fingertips. “You wouldn’t make me go without them, would you?”

“Never.” The answer barely escaped his lips, his throat had constricted so tight.

“Daedalus, you can’t be serious.” Pallas’s voice of reason stabbed his conscience. How could he possibly be considering this?

Sugar’s soft touch transformed as she gripped his chin. “I’m going.”

He blinked at her firm tone. This wasn’t the gentle librarian he’d first met. She’d grown into something more after her physical trials, something stronger that he wanted to explore and own. “Why do you care if she comes, Pallas?”

“She’s a distraction.”

With a snarl, he rounded on his brother. “You have a lot of demands for someone who can’t back them.” He lifted Pallas by the throat and pinned him to the door.  Was it a mistake for him to drag Pallas along now that Sugar would escort him?

“I’m a voice of reason since you’re letting your dick make all the decisions.” Pallas managed to force the words out of his restricted throat.

“No brawling in the brownstone.” Sugar’s command pierced through the red haze of rage clouding Daedalus’s mind, and he loosened his hold. “Take it outside. I won’t be replacing another door.” The sharp clack of her cane hitting the floor punctuated her order.

Pallas grinned. “She sounds a lot like my mother.”

“As if you remember her.” Daedalus set Pallas back on his booted feet. He turned his attention to the small woman who controlled his heart. “Are you sure about this? It might get bad. I can’t promise anyone’s safety.” What was he doing? She should stay here where the pack could watch over her.

A hint of sadness pulled at the corners of her eyes. “I know.”

“One of the shifters might die. Can you live with that?” Even he wasn’t sure if he could. They’d all grown on him. How had he let things get so out of control?

Robert joined Eric at the living room entrance. “We’re all aware of the dangers. What’s the point of training to fight if we don’t use it for what we believe in?”

Pallas snorted. “You believe Daedalus should run Pal Robi Inc.?”

“No, we believe Sugar should be at his side.”

It took all of Daedalus’s skill to school his expression. Appearing as shocked as he felt at Robert’s declaration would give Pallas more doubt. He handed his brother some of the luggage by the door then carried the rest to the car.

Pallas followed on his heels. “Have you lost your mind? We never bring women into battle.”

Sam had his trunk open, and Daedalus set the small bags inside it. The shifter growled. “None of the females fight. Well, except for Esther. She could beat the shit out of all of us.”

Daedalus shot him a look. “None of you will be accompanying me when I take back Pal Robi Inc. Your job is to protect Sugar at my estate.”

“Of course.” Sam shut the trunk.

His joy at Sugar showing she still cared might have blinded him. The consequences could be dire. A hand settled on his shoulder, and he faced Sam.

“Dude, I won’t let anything happen to her. Leaving her behind would cause more damage than you can imagine. She needs to stay with you even though she’d never admit it.”

“Really?” The question slipped out. Before Sam could answer, Daedalus gestured to Pallas to place the luggage in the sports car. It would be a tight fit.

Sam approached and whispered, “This might be the chance we’ve been looking for to bring her back from the brink of self-destruction.”

Even though he didn’t require air, he felt short of breath. She’d only shown him disinterest since the night of the attack. Why the sudden change? Why were the shifters so eager to risk their lives? Why wasn’t he saying no? With a head full of questions, he could only nod.

* * *

Sugar hugged Spice close. When she had disappeared to Las Vegas years ago, Sugar thought she’d never see Spice again. Since her return to Chicago they hadn’t been apart. Sugar couldn’t imagine not sharing her meals with Spice or helping take care of her baby.

“Call me.” Spice hugged Sugar even tighter. “Every hour.”

Sugar leaned her head against Spice’s as her ribs groaned under the pressure of shifter strength. “Thank you.” She managed to squeak out the words.

Spice loosened her iron hold. “For what?”

“For showing me how to protect him.” And for pulling her head out of her ass. In her stupid attempt to save him from heartbreak, she might have pushed him into an early grave. She’d only caused unnecessary pain.

Eric cut in and replaced Spice. He lifted Sugar in his arms in a bear hug. They’d been best friends since childhood, and she couldn’t imagine a better mate for her twin. “Sugarbear, watch your back. No one will sleep well until you return in one piece.” He set her back on her feet, supporting her weak side until she caught her balance. “Sam and Robert will follow Daedalus and Pallas as much as possible. Clementine and Esther will stay with you at all times. Your safety overrides all their other orders.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but he placed a finger over her lips.

“Non-negotiable.”

She would just have to make sure she stayed safe then.

“Did you pack your gun?” Spice had made sure to teach her how to use one with her working arm, but it took a lot of her concentration to balance. She could reload it one-handed and had developed decent aim, however she wasn’t any good in most emergencies. It took her too long to pull out the gun and prop herself against a wall. There was a time she abhorred all forms of violence. All it had taken was a shifter attack to change her mind. A fine line existed between assault and defense. She skirted it carefully.

“It’s in my purse.”

Spice took Sugar’s cane and activated a secret button on the head. A wooden stake popped from its tip. Her sis had purchased the custom cane for her. Setting it to normal, she handed it back with a heavy sigh. “I don’t want you to go.”

Sugar kissed her cheek. Taking the stairs one at a time, she made her way to the door where Katrina and Tyler waited.

Tears spilled from Katrina’s eyes. “We should go too.”

“You have a pup to raise.” She hugged her and Tyler close. “I don’t plan on getting in trouble. It will probably be the most boring adventure in the history of adventures.”

Katrina chuckled half-heartedly.

Sugar tugged Tyler’s curly red hair. “Watch over them for me.” She gestured to Spice and Eric. Even alphas needed guarding sometimes.

He nodded and showed her his almost nonexistent yet wiry biceps muscle. “I’m on it.” Odd in comparison to his much larger beast when he shifted.

Someone honked the car horn, and Clementine raced from the basement. “I’m ready. Are you?” The pretty vampire’s cheeks were flushed.

“Let’s go.” Sugar followed her outside.

The others were occupied coordinating their GPSs. Pallas stood next to Daedalus’s car, running a fingertip along the curve of the hood.

She couldn’t suppress her smile. He appeared enamored. “Can you drive?”

“Not yet.” He gave her a wink. “I want you to understand that I think your coming is a terrible idea.”

“You’ve made that abundantly clear.”

He drew close, tilting his head. “Why would you take such a risk?”

“I have shifters to guard me.”

“They heal fast. Humans don’t.” He stared at her weak side. “You’re very fragile.”

A hot spike of fury exploded in her chest. She set her cane on his boot and released the mechanism before logic took over. The wooden stake pierced his foot.

His eyes went wide, but he remained still. “That hurt.”

“Good.” With a push of a button, the stake retracted into her cane.

He leaned against the car and swallowed before meeting her stare. “If you belonged to anyone else, I’d kill you.”

She clutched her fleeting anger as she faced off with the Nosferatu warrior. All her instincts screamed to apologize, but he’d never respect her if she cowered, and gaining Daedalus’s brother’s approval mattered for some reason. “I know.” Then she returned his wink before opening the passenger-side door and slipping inside the car.

Her pulse thundered. His vampire hearing would detect it, yet she couldn’t restrain a fleeting smile. She’d grown brave since returning from the hospital. Recovering from life-threatening injuries could do that. Sugar didn’t fear death like she used to. She feared the loss of herself more. Who was this new Sugar that prepared to do battle? If she wasn’t careful, she might begin to like this part of herself. Either way, Pallas recognized that she had the means to fight and was willing to use them.

Disabled did not mean vulnerable.

The driver’s door opened, and Pallas folded the front seat forward so he could crawl into the cramped back.

Daedalus sank into the driver’s seat with an uncertain expression. It had been a long time since she’d seen him nervous. “Ready?”

She followed Daedalus because she loved him. It was time for her to stop pushing him away and cherish him during the short period of time they had together. She set her hand on his thigh and moved it upward. “Very.”

Why had it taken Daedalus’s life to be endangered for the veil of self-pity to vanish from her eyes? Somehow she’d make it up to him.

Chapter Five

On the interstate, the landscape quickly changed from urban life to rural as they left Chicago toward the small city of South Bend. Sugar squirmed in her seat. The dense silence within the car pressed in on her. She opened her mouth to start a conversation then shut it with a snap. She didn’t know where to start. What she wanted to discuss seemed too personal with Pallas in the vehicle. Trying to heal their relationship would have to wait until they arrived at Daedalus’s estate.

She shrugged out of her sweater, suddenly very hot. Time would crawl if she didn’t find a way to break the tension. “Uh, Pallas, how are you enjoying the modern world?”

“I’m not. It’s too loud and too fast. The air stinks.”

“Oh.” Sugar glanced at Daedalus. “Have you known each other long?”

He cleared his throat and tossed Pallas a look via the rearview mirror. “Yes.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “Let me tell you a few stories about Pallas…”

The drive to Daedalus’s estate passed quickly. He regaled Sugar with tales of Pallas’s greatest deeds. Most of which consisted of pillaging, wenching, and drinking. Considering the amount of detail in the stories, she could only assume her fiancé had taken part in all of the above with his brother.

She twisted in her seat and watched Daedalus’s face grow more animated as he told her about a supposed hot spring in Siberia. He didn’t speak of his past often, and if she asked questions, he might stop. So she kept quiet and soaked in the details. She pictured her lover with a troop of Nosferatu warriors marching across the cold wastelands. The image stole her breath away and sent a foreign thrill of desire toward her lower abdomen.

Pallas lay across the backseat, his eyes closed as if asleep, but she caught a glimpse of a grimace at the mention of the springs.

They may not be related by blood, but from the stories she understood why they called each other brother. Daedalus had never mentioned him before tonight. How many others did he keep secret?

Through the windshield she spotted the great stone wall surrounding Daedalus’s estate. She’d been here once. Three years ago, she’d shown up uninvited, dressed to make him forget her naiveté and determined to bring Daedalus back to Chicago. A smile tugged at her lips. It hadn’t required much effort. She'd taken off her dress, and he’d been ready to leave with her. Could she find this kind of courage again? Maybe, she was here after all.

“What’s that smile for?” He stopped by the gate to punch in his security code.

“Just recalling the bearskin rug in your study.” She’d seduced him on it.

His fingers hesitated over the keypad, and he tossed her a questioning glance.

Did she want a repeat performance? Not tonight. Unlike her vampire companions, the drive had exhausted her.

Sam parked next to them by the front entrance to the old stone mansion. Ancient trees lined the property, reaching up to the starry sky as if in worship. A cool breeze rustled the leaves and sent a shiver down her spine. All this night needed was a wolf to howl to complete the spooky affect. Maybe she should ask Robert to do it.

Her shifter friends spilled out of Sam’s rust bucket. She couldn’t believe they’d opted to use it. Maybe they expected more trouble than she did and thought it an acceptable loss in an attack.

Esther stumbled toward the bushes and puked.

They all watched in stunned silence. Robert raced to her side like a good mate and pulled her hair back. “I got you.” He slipped his arm around her, the concern clear on his face. The female was a rock. She’d be the last person Sugar imagined to get carsick.

The front door swung open. “Master Daedalus, should I have been expecting you?” A thin male with stringy dark hair wrung his hands as he approached the Nosferatu. Sugar's paranormal-creature alarm rung, but she couldn’t guess what he was yet.

“No, I couldn’t risk a phone call. I’m still not sure if any of the lines have been tapped.” Daedalus set his hand on the young male’s shoulder. “These are my friends, and they’ll be staying with us for a few days while I get Pal Robi Inc. back in order.” Daedalus pointed to the shifters. “Can you set them up in rooms while I escort Sugar and Pallas?” He picked up her luggage and headed toward the door.

Robert held out his hand and approached the stranger. “We’re from the Vasi pack.”

A set of luminous grey eyes met hers as the young male lifted his gaze from the ground. He sniffed the air and went stiff. The young shifter snarled. “I don’t deal with pack.”

Sugar’s eyebrows shot up. Shifters were a very social race, or at least she’d thought that until now. “Daedalus, maybe you should show the others to their rooms.”  She leaned on her cane and drew closer to the tense shifters. “I’m Sugar and I’m not pack. Can you show me to my rooms?”

He blinked and glanced at Daedalus before taking her luggage from him.

For a moment, it appeared as if Daedalus didn’t want to hand them over. “Take these to my bedroom and start a fire in the hearth. I’ll settle the others. You have nothing to worry about. They’re not here for you. They’ve no interest in recruiting anyone. You’re safe, Stephen.”

He swallowed visibly before darting his gaze back to the ground. “If you say so.”

“Sugar is my fiancée. She’ll follow you.” He set a hand on her shoulder and whispered, “He’s not dangerous.”

She nodded once, unable to take her eyes off the stranger, another person Daedalus had never mentioned.

Stephen tucked her bags under his arms and returned inside, tossing furtive glances at the others.

Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she limped after him with her cane in hand. “Wait up.” She slowed in the foyer, impressed with the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. When she’d first visited here, there had been many people inside this house, and the chandelier had sparkled with light.

Now only empty darkness greeted her arrival.

“Where is everyone?”

“Dismissed.” He climbed the stairs.

“Daedalus fired everyone?” It didn’t sound like him.

“No, they’ve been transferred to other nests since the master wasn’t residing here anymore.”

“And you?”

“Groundskeeper. Someone has to mow the lawn and collect the junk mail.”

She chuckled. “You live here by yourself then?”

“Yes.” He led her down a wide hall decorated with different types of blades. She’d been a warrior’s lover long enough to name most of the weapons.

“So. No pack?”

He stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath. “You’re human. Why do you care?”

She continued walking until she could face him and shrugged. “I’m curious.”

“I’m not joining that pack.”

“And I’m not asking you to. I’ve never met a lone wolf before.”

“Master Daedalus took me in and gave me a home. Are you satisfied now?” His tone wasn’t angry, more hurt than anything. She almost regretted asking.

“Yes, I meant no offense.”

It was his turn to shrug. He opened the double doors to what looked like an apartment. They entered into a sitting area and crossed to a master bedroom complete with full bathroom. The only thing missing was a kitchen.

Stephen set her luggage by the bureaus and glanced at her cane. “Do you want me to unpack?”

“Oh no.” She waved him away. “I can take care of the bags myself.” It might take her a few hours, but she could technically do it.

He tilted his head and met her gaze. If he shaved, he’d be quite handsome. “You seem unsteady.”

She grinned. He reminded her of a younger version of Eric. “It’s an acquired skill. Really, I’ll be fine.” Gathering another nursemaid to hover around her would drive her nuts.

“You should be careful hanging around people like us. Humans tend to become collateral damage.” He exited the suite, closing the doors behind him.

She had already been damage. What would a little more be?

Leaning on her cane, she undid the buttons of her blouse with one hand. At home, she had covered most of the mirrors and didn’t own a full-length like the one on this closet. Slowly, she removed each piece of clothing and allowed them to flutter to her feet until she stood exposed.

A pale woman leaning on her cane stared back at her through the mirror. She appeared young, but her eyes were tired and haunted. Her breasts sagged, her ribs could be counted, and her hipbones poked out, let alone her lackluster hair.

The little food in her stomach went sour. Tilting her head, she broke eye contact with her reflection. She didn’t want to be that thing. How could Daedalus still want her when he knew what she'd once looked like?

With a cry, she hurled her cane, piercing the poor likeness. Mirror shards clattered to the floor. The sudden loss of support had her left leg buckling, but she never landed on the sharp, cutting pieces.

A set of strong hands caught her.

She twisted to meet a set of sea-blue eyes. Covering her breasts with her good arm, she turned away. Heat burned a path across her cheeks.

“What happened?” Daedalus crushed her to his chest as he carried her to the bed. He settled her bare ass on the covers while his gaze traveled over her skin. “Uh…”

She hadn’t allowed him a glimpse of her body since returning from the rehab center.  “Stop looking.” She couldn’t grab a blanket without exposing herself completely.

He took a shaky breath and peeled her arm away from her chest. “No.” His low answer barely reached her ears.

Frowning, she twisted to face him, but her frustration vanished as something flashed in the corner of her vision. She followed it to a chunk of mirror protruding from his knee. “You’re hurt.”

He glanced at where she pointed. “I am?” With a swift jerk, he yanked it out and tossed it where the other pieces lay scattered on the carpeted floor. “Now what was I doing?” He pulled her hand off her breasts again, staring with interest, and scooted her farther on the bed. “Oh yeah…”

“Daedalus!” She attempted to use her sternest voice, but it wavered as his hungry stare swallowed her next words. Would she continue to push him away? Hadn’t she learned anything? “Go slowly.”

He gave her a lascivious smile. “I’m a man in the desert and you’re my oasis. I’ll do my best.” He latched his lips around the closest nipple and pinned her body to the mattress. With his large palm, he caressed her other breast.

Tingles of pleasure traveled over her flesh, something she’d forgotten her body could do. “Daedalus.” Her voice shook. It wasn’t intentional, but his touch set off sensations she’d thought dead. This wasn’t like riding a bicycle, and she couldn’t move very well. What if she botched things so bad he laughed?

Releasing her nipple, he shifted his position and captured her mouth with an open growl. Surging his tongue inside, he drank in her kiss as if starved and she was the only sustenance.

A wave of desire crashed over her, shattering her doubts to dust. With her good hand, she grasped the back of his head and pulled him to her. For some reason, Daedalus still wanted her, even broken and ugly, and she craved him like oxygen. She was done suffocating and breathed him in.

Using his knees for balance, Daedalus tugged at his T-shirt. The sound of tearing sliced through the room as he pulled it from his back.

A glimpse of his sculpted chest sent her hand fluttering from his head, to his shoulder, to finally rest on the tattoo over his heart. A snake eating its own tail and a symbol of eternity. Strength and virility pulsed from her lover, and she absorbed all that she could.

She wanted to fuck him, ride him, make him beg for mercy. Lifting her leg around his waist, she clung to him lopsided. Her gaze traveled to her weak leg. It wasn’t paralyzed like her arm, but she couldn’t raise it off the bed.

With a snarl, she punched the mattress and yanked away from their kiss. “Get off.” Unshed tears burned her eyes, but she didn’t look away.

He hovered above her, hurt flowing over his face. “No.”

Snapping her eyes wider, she glared at him. The tears trickled over her cheeks unchecked. “I can’t do this.”

“We’ve just begun to try.”

“I—I can’t move like I want to,” she shouted.

He gave her a slow smile. “It only means I need less restraints.”

All the air left her lungs. She’d been inexperienced when she first encountered Daedalus. It was lust at first sight, and he’d introduced her to many delights in the bedroom prior to her injuries. Her sexual tastes ranged in the more vanilla flavor, but she had enjoyed rope play. Being at his mercy had always excited her.

He guided her weak leg back around his waist. “Maybe I can ask Pallas to hold it here for me?”

Her gasp echoed in the bedroom, followed by her laugh. “You’re such an ass.”

“You like my ass.” He ground the hard bulge in his jeans against her groin.

“I doubt I’m his type.” She worked her hand between them and undid the button.

“Who?”

“Pallas.”

“Anything with a pussy is his type.” Fangs rested on the pulse point of her throat. “And I was teasing. I never share.” He pierced her flesh with a single stroke.

She gasped. The black pit of sorrow growing in her heart faded a little. Oh how she missed playing in bed with him—the way his strong hands gripped her flesh as if she were made of the finest porcelain or how his soft lips contrasted his hard body. She arched her back into his embrace and clung to his shoulder. He hadn’t consumed any of her blood since before the attack. The medicines she took probably tainted her flavor, and she cringed at his possible reactions.

He made soothing noises as he petted her hair. His bite went deeper, and he swallowed with a moan.

She pulled his zipper open and cradled his stiff cock. Stroking the length, she worked him free of his jeans and directed it to the entrance of her pussy.

Her invitation couldn’t have been clearer. Daedalus thrust his tip inside, before retreating again.

The slight intrusion burned even with the wetness of her need. She was tight with neglect, but her lover would cure this problem.

With a slow assault, he entered and drew back, cock teasing yet not completely sliding into her core.

She gripped his ass and dug her nails into his steel flesh. “More…”

He released his bite. “It’s been so long.” Licking her small wound, he chuckled. “I can do this all night.”

“Not if you ever want to do this again.” She squirmed and tried to thrust him deeper, but her coordination sucked.

“You want me, Sugar?” He ran his hands along her sides, caressing her curves.

She sensed him shiver. “Fuck, yes.” When she had first met Daedalus, her trepidation of non-humans had driven her away from him and the shifters, but she learned acceptance. Once again, she had allowed fear to rule her life, but this time she’d tried to drive Daedalus away instead. What a fool she’d been.

He pushed farther in, but not all the way, before stroking back. Each thrust stretched her unused muscles with an exquisite burn. His breathing grew labored, not for need of air but for control. “You’re so tight.” He groaned as he slid inside.

The rough material of his jeans rubbed against her inner thighs, scraping a path of passion. He wanted her so desperately he hadn’t even undressed. Why? She couldn’t see what drove him wild with desire.

Their gazes locked, and she traced his sculpted cheekbones with her fingertips. So handsome. Looking at him made her chest ache. “I love you.”

“I was beginning to wonder if you still did.” His full lips curved in a smile as he slid to fill her.

Her eyes fluttered closed at the sensation. “Yes…”

He set a gentle, slow pace, grinding against her clitoris each time their bodies met.

Warmth built in her lower abdomen, spreading with growing bliss. Gibberish fell from her lips, encouraging her lover not to ever stop.

He covered her mouth with a kiss, hot and open. He claimed her like he’d done a thousand times before her injuries. Somehow he didn’t see a difference between the woman she was and the woman she'd become.

Bliss transformed to ecstasy, and she moaned, wild with need. She was still his Sugar, limp be damned.

His thrusts quickened and his rhythm became erratic.

She clung to him as best she could, not releasing his mouth. White light blinded her vision even though her eyes were closed as she reached her climax. Digging her nails into his ass, she rocked her hips, demanding deeper contact.

Arching over her, Daedalus shoved his cock in her wet pussy, crying out. Muscles stood out along his throat and his arms trembled. “Oh, yes!” He stayed still and spilled his seed inside of her, then he finally took a breath and collapsed. “Oh, yes.” This time he whispered it in her ear.

Chapter Six

What just happened? Daedalus rolled off Sugar and stared at the ceiling. The sound of shattering glass had spurred him to race into his bedroom. Finding Sugar naked and falling toward a mass of mirror shards was the last thing he’d expected.

And she wondered what drew him to her. He chuckled while struggling for breath. She always did the unexpected, and for a creature his age that was as good as magic.

“What’s so funny?” She laid her head on his shoulder.

“How unpredictable you are.” He twisted to gaze at her. A flush tinged her cheeks, and sweaty curls plastered her forehead. She’d never looked more beautiful. “I thought you had knocked over a vase or something. Not attacked my furniture. Next time you don’t like the décor, just ask Stephen to move it.”

She sputtered then did her best to turn her back to him.

He struggled with his grin and forced a more somber expression. Her anger was welcome. It was better than the apathy drowning her these last few months. He knew why his mirror lay in pieces. She didn’t see the same courageous and determined woman he saw.

Where he perceived strength and spirit, she spotted weakness and deformity. So her left side was feeble? He was bald and sported pointy ears. No one was perfect. Flaws made people interesting.

If only he could make her understand. Her independent streak was admirable, but would it hurt to let him help her even a little bit? He could have carried her bags to his room, but she had intervened on Stephen’s behalf.

He curled around her, gathering her in his arms. It would have been nice if she leaned on him like the shifter couples did with each other. Silken skin caressed his. When had he last seen her naked, touched her, made love? According to his hardening cock, too long. “Babe, if breaking stuff gets you naked, then you have my permission to destroy anything you like.”

She shook in his arms. Was she crying?

Glancing over her shoulder at her face, he witnessed a marvel.

She was laughing. “I’ll take inventory tomorrow. I’m too tired right now.”

His old heart expanded at the sound of her amusement. He rubbed his cock over her backside. “Tired?”

She gasped. “Already?”

“Yes.” He kissed the back of her neck. “I’m a virile male, and I’ve been lacking attention.”

She turned to face him, caressing his stiff rod with her tiny, delicate fingers. “I’ve been terrible to you.”

He thrust his hips in rhythm with her hand. “Not as terrible as I’m going to be. The things I’m going to do to you—”

A knock interrupted him.

“What?” He snapped the question, making it clear they were busy.

“Night is fading. You can fuck her later. We have business to attend to.” Pallas’s voice carried through the closed door. At least he didn’t barge in. It wouldn’t have been the first time.

Sugar sat up, pulling a blanket over her bare breasts. “Business?”

He tugged at the blanket, but she held it firm. “Pal Robi Inc. shit. Don’t worry about it.”

“Sounds like Pallas is.”

“He worries enough for both of us.” He tried to slip his hands under the blanket but jerked away as Sugar landed a sharp slap on his fingertips. “Fine, if you’re going to be that way.” He rose to his feet, closing his jeans.

She grinned. “I need a nap. Don’t be all night. I’ll be waiting.”

Straightening his T-shirt on his torso, he hid his frown. Of all the times Sugar had to choose to reconcile their differences, she picked now. He needed to focus on his rivals or he’d find a stake between his ribs.

Or worse, between hers.

She’d rolled to face away from the door, such a non-warrior habit. He cherished all of her gentle ways and sometimes wished he could indulge in her philosophies of peace. Experience had taught him the fragile needed protection, otherwise they’d be destroyed.

He should have made her stay in Chicago with the whole pack to guard her instead of a handful. Maybe he was the fragile one and she his guardian.

Outside his room, Pallas leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “That didn’t take long.”

Without breaking his stride, Daedalus swung his arm and connected his fist to Pallas's chin. The knuckles of his two first fingers popped upon contact, but it was a small price to pay.

Pallas landed on his side, blood trickling from his lips where his fang must have gouged it, and he grunted.

“Where are the shifters?” Daedalus loomed over him. His brother had always enjoyed disrupting him during sex. It hadn’t bothered him until tonight. At last, he was tearing down some walls around Sugar’s heart. He feared she would rebuild them in his absence.

Pallas leaned on his elbow. “In the kitchen, jack-ass”

Eating, of course. A sure way to a shifter’s heart was through their stomach. He ignored Pallas’s curse. During Daedalus’s residence in this mansion, he hadn’t frequented the place but recalled the location of the kitchen and made his way there.

Sam stood at the table, preparing sandwiches. “We need to make a grocery run. We just cleared out Stephen’s food for the week.”

“Fine, you can add it to the list of things I need you to do today.”  He searched the room for Stephen, but he wasn’t present. Not surprising. The young shifter liked his solitude. Daedalus really should have warned Stephen of their arrival.

The others stopped eating.

“Uh…I thought I should stay here to guard Sugar and Clementine.” Sam set his knife on the table and tossed Robert a questioning look.

“What he means is that you told us you didn’t want help.” Robert rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t get me wrong, we want to assist, but we should define our roles here first.”

“I’m not denying Sugar protection. She’s your first priority.  But since you’re here, I’ll use you where I can.” Daedalus grinned at the shifters. “Like daylight espionage.”

Esther finished her last bite. “What do you need?” Color had returned to her face.

“From the information Clementine provided, I’ve narrowed my list of suspects to five people. I have their current addresses and want to make sure they’re still residing there. Get as much intel as you can gather in one day.”

“So you haven’t been mooning over your human all this time.” Pallas entered the room, placing the table between them.

Daedalus sighed and shook his head. “Once you confirm their residence. I’ll pay them a visit and destroy them. All the ring leaders have to die. I don’t want any loose ends escaping, so we have to make a surgical strike before they get wind of my return.”

“Are all five definitely guilty?” Clementine tried to meet his stare but failed. She’d been his subject for too long to break such habits quickly.

“Does that matter?” Pallas glanced at her.

“Killing innocents is tyrannical. I want my people loyal, not terrified.” Daedalus frowned at his brother. He’d never been able to lead well and why Daedalus shouldn’t leave him in charge of Pal Robi Inc.

“Fear is a good motivator.”

“But it doesn’t breed loyalty. I don’t coerce my people to follow me, but I haven’t any problem destroying those who threaten me and mine.”

Clementine nodded as Daedalus finished the statement. “I’m here of my own free will. Though I’m not sure what I can do to help.”

“You’ve done enough.” Clementine escaped Pal Robi Inc.’s grasp a few months ago and she ran to Chicago to give him a list of possible traitors. Daedalus had taken all the shifters but Spice and Sam on a quick recon mission. It had almost proven fatal for all of them. Sam had really proven his worth to the pack that night.

Robert pursed his lips as he scrolled something on his cellphone. “How do you know they’re all guilty? The information Clementine brought wasn’t completely conclusive. It narrowed down our search, but I’m not comfortable playing executioner without irrefutable proof.”

“First, I will be the one doing the executing. Second, I don’t mind your help in the periphery, but it will be seen as a weakness if I attack their homes with shifters.” Daedalus tapped his head.  “Third, my Jedi mind trick will show me their guilt or innocence, but I need to be within the same room to scan their minds properly.”

Sam stiffened next to him. “You can read our minds? Dude, you should have mentioned that before.”

“I don’t have any desire to be within your thoughts, Sam.” One couldn’t disinfect memories. Tiptoeing within a person’s head could be sticky. He didn’t care to do it unless forced.

Robert rose to his feet. “We’ll separate in three groups. Esther will go with Sam, I’ll take Stephen, and the three vampires stay here with Sugar.”

Daedalus quirked his eyebrow at the mention of Stephen. “Uh…did he offer to help?”

Robert shrugged. “Esther convinced him.”

“Like you said.” She grinned. “Your people are loyal. Once I told him why we were here, he agreed to assist.”

“Will you show the traitors any mercy?” The council chose well when they picked Pallas to coerce Daedalus into action. His brother knew how to push his buttons.

“No.”

“Good, if you do, I’ll be forced to kill you, and I wouldn’t want to make Sugar cry.”

Chapter Seven

For years Sugar had been nocturnal so she could spend more time with Daedalus, but her recovery had required a daylight schedule for rehab, so her internal clock still woke her with the sunrise.

She stared at Daedalus’s profile as he rested at her side. If she shook him, he’d wake. He said younger vampires like Clementine would remain unconscious, but his clan required the ability to fight if needed.

Even after thousands of years, his face remained that of a twenty-year-old’s. What had his life been like before he was taken by vampires? He would have been considered middle-aged. Had he left behind a wife and children when he’d been changed?

He used to own wigs to hide his pointed ears so he could pass for human. Now with vampires and shifters as legal citizens of the world, he’d thrown the wigs away. She ran the back of her finger over the smooth skin of his head. He complained that she had shut him out, but had he ever truly let her in?

Sighing, she rolled away and sat on the edge of the bed. Things would have to change. Enough hurt feelings lay between her and Daedalus.  He wanted their relationship as it was before her injuries, but that was impossible. They had to forge ahead into uncharted waters and find new ground to build their relationship. She had to break down the walls she’d built between them, and he would have to open the door to his past.

Her stomach growled. She would find something to eat and waste a few hours before trying to nap once more. Flipping back to night hours would take time.

With practiced ease, she dressed then exited the bedroom, cane in hand. The Vasi should be around, or maybe the strange Stephen, to point her to the kitchen. Each of her cane’s clicks echoed in the silence. She didn’t remember the mansion being so big and…empty.

The mahogany walls reflected the lamp lights as she flipped the switches on her journey. If someone wanted to find her, they would only have to follow her trail of illuminated fixtures. She hesitated by a set of iron doors, but they were locked. It wouldn’t surprise her to find an armory on the other side. She continued her search, and after the third turn and a staircase, she discovered the front foyer but no kitchen. She perched on the edge of a decorative chair and caught her breath. Her days of jogging were long gone.

“Hello?” she called out and listened to her voice ricochet through the halls. Where were her friends? She’d brought them to help protect Daedalus, but she wouldn’t mind a little company at the moment.

Her stomach snarled this time. She glared at it. “I’m doing my best.”

“Who are you speaking with?” Pallas ducked around a corner, sending a sharp shiver of fear over her limbs.

Her appetite vanished. “N-no one.” His gaze didn’t carry any warmth. Where her lover was hot with passion, Pallas seemed cold with death. “Do you know where the Vasi are?”

“Running errands.

She blinked. “What are you doing awake? The sun has risen.”

He shrugged. “I’ve slept enough these last centuries. Daedalus’s home is shielded quite well from sunlight.” He held a television remote in his hand. “Would you know how to work this thing?”

She gave him a weary smile. “Sure.” What would it be like to awaken hundreds of years in the future? “When did you go to, ah, sleep?” She followed him into the den and studied the remote. It was standard cable, so easy to work.

The television came on with a flash. Some documentary on the herds of the African savannah played. “What do you want to watch?” Twisting her head, she started at Pallas’s expression.

Eyes wide, he stared as if mesmerized, a childish smile on his face. “This is fine.” He sat in the armchair, leaning forward. “The sky is so blue.”

She returned her attention to the TV so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. She couldn’t imagine never seeing the sun again or feeling its warmth. She cleared her throat and pointed at the remote. “If you toggle this button up or down, it will change the channel.”

He nodded as she set it by the armchair, his gazed fixed on the screen.

“Can you point me in the direction of the kitchen?”

“Left out this door, take the hall to the end, then make a right.”

She limped to the door.

“Why aren’t you asleep with your master?” He tossed this question almost absently, but after living in close quarters with his brother, she knew such things were never innocent.

“I don’t know who you are speaking of. I have no master.” She could see his grin before he twisted to face her with it. Jerk.

“Stay and entertain me.” He gestured to the chair next to him.

“I’m hungry.”

“I’ll retrieve some food for you.” Before she could decline his offer, he vanished in a blaze of speed, sending her long hair fluttering in his wake.

She thumped her cane against the hardwood floor. The last person she wanted to spend time with was Pallas. She settled in the other armchair, her cane easily accessible, and watched a lion snare a gazelle by the throat. Too bad the gazelle wasn’t better armed to defend itself.

Was she capable of fighting off a Nosferatu? No. She didn’t think any of them could, even with all the training Daedalus drilled into the Vasi. Pallas’s little display of speed proved her assumption.

A breeze tugged at her hair once more, and Pallas set a tray of cheese with crackers, an assortment of fruits, and a full glass of red wine. “I recall these being a popular combination.”

It was early for wine, but what the hell. When in Rome… She took a sip while watching Pallas channel surf. “All this technology must be odd.”

He shrugged. “I’ll adjust as I have in the past.” He paused on a commercial about erectile dysfunction. “It might take a little longer this time.”

“You’ve hibernated before?”

“Yes. It’s not always been by choice.”

“Has Daedalus?”

He raised one eyebrow in her direction. “You should ask him.”

She popped cheese in her mouth and ignored him. He’d stopped channel surfing on a cooking show.

“Why are you still human?”

She gasped, and a crumb of cheese flew into her windpipe. Coughing, she cleared her airway, yet Pallas continued as if he hadn’t noticed.

“Daedalus doesn’t want you to become a vampire?” He leaned forward, chin in hand. “He’s very particular about making fledglings.”

“You should ask him.” She growled out her answer and emptied her glass with a few deep gulps.

He gave her a crooked grin. From under the table, Pallas produced the wine bottle and filled her glass. “You can’t blame my curiosity. I’ve never known Daedalus to fall for anyone, let alone a human. I would have thought he’d change you to vampire after your…affliction.” He gestured to her weak side. “How did that happen?”

She sighed. It used to hurt to speak about it. Memories of that day still weighed heavily on her shoulders, but the sting had faded with time. “A year ago a pack from China came to Chicago, searching for Katrina. She had escaped from them when she was young, and they wanted her back for breeding.”

It had been just after lunch in the brownstone. Eric and Spice were in the bedroom arguing about starting a family. Spice wanted to have pups, and Eric feared bringing children into a shifter world. Why they bothered to fight behind closed doors was beyond her. The neighbors down the street probably could have heard them. The noise hadn’t been loud enough to mask the front door being kicked down though.

After that her memories faded to broken glimpses. A shattered dish. A mix of shouts and growls. Something solid striking her chest then flying through the air. Sharp pain upon impact. Lying on her side as she watched a beast carry a limp Spice out the broken front door.  Then darkness.

“Sugar?”

She jumped. “They attacked our home looking for Katrina. When they couldn’t find her, they took my sister instead.” Glancing at her lap, she noticed her right hand had knotted her pants in a death grip. Consciously, she relaxed her fist and smoothed out the wrinkles. “A bride for a bride was their thinking. They struck me as if I’d been a shifter. The hit broke all my ribs on the left side, puncturing my left lung and bruising the right one. The trauma caused a blood clot that traveled to my brain, and it caused the stroke.”

“And Daedalus left you in this state? Are you sure he cares?”

She chewed her mouthful with slow, deliberate motions then swallowed. “He cares. He didn’t leave my side while I was in the hospital. Even bribed the hospital to secure my room from sunlight.” She gave him a sharp look. “You’re awfully chatty all of a sudden. You barely spoke a word during our drive.”

A huge grin spread across his face. “Daedalus wouldn’t agree with you. I reminisced with him the whole way.” He tapped his head.

Telepathy. Daedalus rarely used that talent, so she had forgotten he possessed it.

“Why are you so certain of his affection?” Pallas had the whole creepy serial-killer aura around him. He needed to work on his people skills if he ever wanted to fit into modern society.

“He’s offered to make me a vampire. I refused.”

He sat straighter in his chair and assessed her with incredulity. “Why do you cling to a broken body? Is it to make him feel guilty?”

She made a noise of disgust. “Don’t be stupid. I cling to my humanity.” Let him chew on that while she finished her snack. For a vampire, he’d made excellent choices in food combinations.

Using his unnatural strength, he moved the heavy armchair to face hers. “Why?”

“Uh, I am who I am.”

“You’re quoting the bible. Exodus 3:14: God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.’”

It was her turn to raise her eyebrow. “And you didn't explode into flames.”

He burst out laughing and leaned back in his chair, legs sprawled on each side of hers. “You sound disappointed. Truly, you have no desire to be one of us? You wouldn’t need this anymore.” He tapped the tip of his boot against her cane.

A knot developed in her stomach as her gaze landed on where he kicked. “I’m aware.” She regarded him in silence for a moment. “How did you decide to cross over?”

“I never had to. The choice was made for me. At the time, the Nosferatu clan’s numbers had been decimated by internal wars.” He curled his arm and flexed his large biceps. “I was big and strong for the time, so I was taken. Daedalus was made not long after. We trained together.”

She took a large swig of wine to ease the sudden dryness in her throat. Daedalus’s past was a mystery. He hinted at being ashamed of his actions, once saying only recent centuries could he consider himself a good person. She wouldn’t hold history against him though. All she wanted was to have an idea of what shaped him as a person.

Pallas offered her a glimpse of the knowledge she craved. “Did you change?” She continued staring at her cane, unable to meet his piercing stare. He appeared curious about her. It only seemed courteous that they make a small exchange of information.

“Of course I changed. I wasn’t born bald.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” She peeked at him from under her eyelashes.

He steepled his fingers under his chin as he regarded her with intense interest. “Is this what you fear? That becoming a vampire would change you?”

“As a person. Yes. The others tell me I worry for nothing, but I’ve witnessed it in my sister. She’s not the same person I grew up with.” She took a deep breath as if starved for air, not realizing she’d been breathing shallow during their conversation. “She’s more…feral.”

“It suits her.” A small smile appeared on his lips. “Do you love her less for it?”

She sat straighter in her chair. “No.” But she feared her sister more. “I don’t want to change.”

“Ah.” He rested his chin on his fingertips. “That’s boring.”

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Everything must change, otherwise it becomes stagnant, like pond water. Maybe you are a minnow lost in the murk?” A fang glinted in the dim light as he grinned. “From your expression, Sugar, I’d say I was right.”

She schooled the shock on her face to something more pleasant. Pallas had summarized her life after knowing her for one day, and the truth stung. The balm to her bruised ego lay asleep in his bed. Was it true? Had her depression been the symptom of her refusal to change? If she’d accepted Daedalus’s offer sooner, she wouldn’t have been this injured.

Shaking her head, she cleared her mind of those thoughts. They’d drive her nuts. “Enough.” She rose onto shaky legs. “Thank you for lunch, but I should retire if I’m to stay awake tonight.” She hobbled toward the exit.

“Yes, the evening should prove to be amusing.” Pallas chuckled.

Chapter Eight

The Vasi returned with less information than Daedalus had expected. They gathered around the long kitchen table, faces haggard, except Stephen, who busied himself with cooking at the stove.

Daedalus had never spent time in his own kitchen before. Why would he? The rest of his home lacked the comfy ambiance this area provided. Pale, butter-yellow walls surrounded the industrial-sized steel appliances. Fresh herbs hung on the wall by the stove with a rope of garlic, making the air heavy with their scents. Nicks in the solid wooden table showed that it was used for preparing food as well as eating.

His chest rang hollow. He’d never once sat with any of his staff during a meal. Not like he did with the Vasi. He might not be capable of consuming food, but a glass of wine was possible. The tradition of sharing a meal, especially among shifters, represented more than consumption. It was a time of bonding. He’d never formed such strong ties with his mortal staff. This would change, and he hoped Sugar would stay to help him improve things. He’d like this place to become a home.

With a flick of his finger, he flipped through pictures on his tablet to memorize the faces of those he hunted.

Robert, being the computer whiz, had gained access to the security systems and obtained access codes for each house. Daedalus didn’t ask how. The explanation would take all night, and he’d understand ten percent of it.

Sam and Esther had taken these digital pictures of the houses. The windows were sealed, so they couldn’t get any pictures of the present occupants. Each home consisted of a vampire nest, protection in numbers. How many each held depended on how insecure the master felt. He’d have to rely on the pictures they had taken the last time they’d been here.

“Stephen, have you heard anything new of my nest?” He’d sent them away not long after Esther had tried to kill him. In her human life, she had been a slayer. Some people just couldn’t forgive vampires for their pasts and continued murdering his kind for money. Daedalus had reconciled with Esther when she had joined the pack.  He couldn’t protect his people from illegally hired slayers when he lived in Chicago.

“Sure.” Stephen set plates of steak and chicken in the center of the table. “Mostly they ask about you. They’re worried.”

The Vasi advanced on dinner. The food never had a chance. He grinned at the carnage as the shifters devoured the meal.  Fascinated, Pallas watched as well from across the table. A primal aura always surrounded the shifters when meat was involved.

Clementine sat next to Daedalus. She hadn’t seen the older photos before, and she pointed at the screen of the tablet. “That’s Marcus. He’s one of the new hires I told you about.” She scrolled to the next picture. “This is Phillip. He still secretly supports you.”

“How do you know?” He examined the face and recalled the vampire working a few minor missions for Pal Robi Inc.

“He helped me gain the information you asked me for.” She continued to scroll through the older photos naming the vampires she recognized and their allegiances.

“Stop.” He held up his hand. “They’re all blurring. What I do see are the five who started this trouble. That’s all that matters.” Those vampires had overthrown the ones he’d left in control of Pal Robi Inc. He shook his head. They had killed his generals before coming after him by hiring Esther. The cowards.

A few months ago Clementine had risked her life to discover who was behind his assassination attempt. She’d brought him the list of names connected to the e-mail offering a substantial reward for his death, then some of the Vasi had accompanied him on a mission to gather the information needed to take Pal Robi Inc. back. Robert and Esther had been among them.

His plans to regain control of Pal Robi Inc. were placed on hold when the traitors had tried to kill Sugar. They had almost succeeded, if not for Sam and Clementine. He could have lost everything dear to him that night.

Now he’d get a chance to exact his revenge.

Unlike Pallas, Daedalus didn’t flaunt his mental powers, so his vampires didn’t know the extent of what a Nosferatu could do or how easy it was for him to rifle through their thoughts and discover the proof of their guilt. The vampire council didn’t give a shit about concrete evidence like human courts. His word was enough.

He was Prime of this territory by their decree. He was judge, jury, and executioner.

“What are your thoughts?” Daedalus glanced at the two shifters who’d been with him.

“I don’t think they know you’re here.” Esther showed him today’s pictures. “See, no signs of preparing for an attack or of fleeing. The human security detail is just going about their routine.”

“Hmm…” He needed to maintain the element of surprise. “We’ll strike tonight, or they might learn of my presence and run.”

“That’s a risky move.” Pallas leaned across the table. “You’re racing against the sunrise. It’s already past sunset, and you haven’t even left the house.”

He sighed. “I know, and I don’t have the resources for anything grand scale. Not until I have Pal Robi Inc. back in my control.”

“About that.” Sam settled a possessive arm around Clementine. “How are we going to kill five powerful vampires and their armies with only the seven of us?”

“Vampires always flock to the strongest. It’s instinct,” Clementine answered. “Daedalus has to prove he’s the strongest, and the weaker ones will fall into place.”

“I have to kill the leaders then their followers will concede to me. Those who don’t will die. Those who survive will never have a trusted position again. Which brings me to another question.” He faced Clementine. “How do I have supporters in these homes?”

“They infiltrated after the five tried to have you slayed.” She rubbed her chin. “I assume more were hired after the open attack on Sugar when I ran to Chicago. Sam killed many of their foot soldiers when they attacked us.” She stroked her mate’s back.

“True…but what are they waiting for?” If they looked to him as their leader, why allow these traitors to stay in power?

Clementine cocked her head to the side, her mouth flat with displeasure. “They’re waiting for you, Master.” She said his title with the same inflection as dummy. “Many didn’t believe you’d come back.”

A familiar weight settled on his shoulders. Responsibility. He wished he could shrug it off, but he’d had his short time of fun. His people needed him. “You’ll need to come with me. I can’t memorize all these faces. There’s a good chance I’ll kill a supporter.”

Pallas snorted. “Your supporters should be the ones not attacking you.”

“Good point, but it’s a risk I’m not willing to take.” Traitors could pretend just as well as those who followed him. He didn’t want to absorb any into his fold if he didn’t have to.

“Clementine will get in the way. Kill them all.”

Daedalus glared at his brother. “Stop being an ass. It’s distracting.”

Sam leaned around Clementine to catch his attention. “You’re not taking my mate into battle without me.”

“Who will stay with Sugar then?” The Sigma took his role as Sugar’s protector seriously, but being mated conflicted him. Daedalus rubbed his temples and mentally counted off who was left. “I need Robert to get past the security systems. That leaves either Esther or Pallas.”

His brother raised an eyebrow. “I’m the better warrior.”

Daedalus nodded. They’d trained together for decades. Pallas had even beaten Daedalus a few times. Not many could boast that. “Very well, you stay with Sugar.” He turned toward the shifters.  “Get what rest you can. I want to leave at midnight.” That should give the shifters time for a quick nap while he gathered and prepared weapons.

A few groaned at his declaration, but they were half-hearted noises that he ignored as he strode from the room toward his weapons store.

Pallas followed on his heels. “You truly mean to leave me behind?”

Daedalus tossed him an annoyed look over his shoulder. “Yes.”

“That’s insane. You’ll be slaughtered with just those pups guarding your back. Using shifters to gain control is a mistake.”

“I’ve trained them myself. They’ll do fine and stay out of sight. I need Robert and Esther to gain access to the houses, Clementine to point out the good guys, and Sam to keep her alive.  My main concern is keeping Sugar safe.”

“She's a weakness.”

Daedalus spun to face his brother, fingers itching to be around his throat. “Which is why I need my best warrior here. Think about it.”

“They don’t know she’s here. They don’t know you’ve returned.”

“Maybe,” he whispered, since his throat had gone dry. “But Chicago is a large city with many eyes and ears. If they’ve been watching me, then they know about Sugar.”

“And that she’d come with you.” Pallas shook his head. “You should have left her in Chicago.”

“Don't you think I know that? If anyone here is weak, it's me.” He couldn’t stand the accusation in Pallas's eyes. “Let an old vampire have his Achilles' heel. Either way she would have been in danger. At least here I have more control.” He gripped Pallas’s upper arm. “You’ll keep her safe?”

Pallas’s hard stare softened. “My life for hers.” The old oath of protection given to a brother’s Prima. He hadn’t heard it in centuries. Not many of his clan ever married. That Pallas would give it without Sugar truly being his wife was an honor.

Daedalus bowed his head and tightened his grip. “Thank you.”

“Strike them without mercy. You can’t afford to leave any enemies alive. She’ll be the first thing they’ll hunt.”

Their gazes locked. “I'll make them burn before they lay a finger on her.” The thought left his mind faster than his lips would move.

Pallas grinned and slapped him on the cheek. “Good, some of the Daedalus I knew still remains in there.”

The click of a cane striking the hard wood of his floors became audible. He straightened and faced the core of his anguish.

Sugar rounded the corner. “What devilry are you up to?” She eyed them both with a sharp assessment. His sweet librarian kept becoming bolder. He liked it. She would not be happy when she learned Pallas was staying instead of Sam, but it made tactical sense. If he could, he’d leave everyone here to guard her.

Pallas gave her a stiff bow. “I have my own preparations to attend to.” Then he retreated.

The coward.

“We were making plans for the assault.” Daedalus strolled around her, allowing his gaze to travel along the tight curves of her jeans. Thank any gods paying attention that they’d waited until the twentieth century to invent such apparel or he wouldn’t have ever crawled out of his debauchery phase.

The seams would tear easily or cut away with a sharp knife. She used to trust him enough to play with such toys in the bedroom. Maybe she still did.

“Without me?” Her angry tone snapped his head back to face her serious expression.

“When did you take an interest in making battle plans? You abhor violence.”

“Your safety always concerns me. Who is going with you?” She placed both her hands on the handle of the cane, using it to support her weight. The weak leg must be bothering her more than usual tonight.

With his fingertip, he traced the worry lines on her forehead. She had abandoned safety and family to stay at his side. Only a few days ago she’d refused any of his attention. Last evening marked the start of a new adventure for them. She finally seemed ready to start living again. “All the Vasi will accompany me as you’d hoped.” He grinned at her satisfied nod. “But Pallas will stay at your side.”

She grimaced. “Stephen should be enough.”

“Stephen is a gardener, not a warrior. He’ll provide you with meals and, uh, better company than Pallas.” Enveloping her in his arms, he absorbed her warmth and softness.

Her green eyes sparkled as she lifted her face to his. “Kiss me.”

“I’m yours to command.” He caught her mouth against his in a clash of lips and teeth. She was so frail, yet her presence overpowered him.

The cane clattered to the floor, and delicate fingers clung to the back of his head as she opened her mouth, inviting him to possess her.

He sandwiched her body between his and the wall, then thrust his tongue to meet hers, suddenly desperate to be inside her. Gripping the empty belt loops of her jeans, he supported her hips and ground his hard cock against her core.

Her soft moans drove him mad. Passion burned in his veins so hot he feared singeing her tender flesh.

Pulling away took the determination of a thousand souls. Short of breath, he stared at her swollen lips. “I have a few hours before we leave.”

“Don’t you have to prepare?” She grasped the collar of his T-shirt, tugging him closer.

“No.” He groaned and closed his eyes. “Yes.”

“Get company back so we can return to living our lives.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “I’ll be waiting for you when you’re done.”

Chapter Nine

Daedalus chose a careful path to the wall. Sam and Clementine followed him into the shadows.

Using a small laptop, Robert hacked into the first house’s security system and opened the gates. With the microphone connected to his earpiece, he communicated any information they required from the car, with Esther to guard his back.

Daedalus stopped by the stone wall of the house.  “From here we climb and enter through the window.” On their intel trip they had confirmed that the vampire leader of this nest had her office right above them. He touched Pallas’s mind. “How is Sugar?”

“Really? Am I to play pass-the-message between the two of you this evening?” Even via telepathy he sounded gruff.

Daedalus sent him a mental ping.

“Ouch. She’s fine. Stephen is making her something to eat. Have you at least reached the first target?”

“Yes, invading the home now.” He gripped the rough stone and climbed.

“Then leave me be and kill the bitch.” Pallas broke contact. Daedalus hated leaving Sugar alone with the old bastard. Daedalus’s only consolation was Stephen would keep an eye on things for him and call with any problems.

Maybe he should have left Esther with her.

He perched under the windowsill and leaned to the side. Sam had changed to his beast form, and Clementine rode on his back.

That was another mistake. He shouldn’t have dragged her into this. She didn’t have any training and would make an easy target, but he needed her knowledge. Killing innocent vampires or his possible supporters wouldn’t go over well with anyone. Clementine could prevent that.

Their quarry was in the room above him. He could sense her thoughts like a low hum of putrid hate. Some beings couldn’t deal with longevity without rotting.

Not bothering to wait for his companions to reach his position, he flexed his arms and dove through the window.

The vampire female froze at her desk. “You!”

He withdrew the wooden stake attached to his forearm, and with his mind took over her body. She couldn’t run.

Her wide-eyed gaze never broke from his as he set the point on her chest.

His thoughts traveled over her memories to confirm her guilt. Destroying one of his own never used to bother him, but time had tempered his soul.

He jabbed the stake through her heart then touched the minds of all the vampires in this nest, allowing them to watch their mistress flake into ashes. They now knew he was taking his territory back with force. Either they fled or submitted. Or died.

Clementine and Sam entered through the window.

“Let’s go greet the household. Anyone gives you trouble, Sam, kill them. Clementine, try to point out the ones you know who remained loyal.” He kicked open the office door. It wasn’t necessary, but it felt good. They still had four more houses to clean before dawn.

* * *

Stephen set a steaming cup in front of Sugar.

Gripping it, she stared at the swirling dark liquid. “Cocoa?” When had she last had this to drink? She gave him a shy smile.

“With tonight’s situation, I thought coffee would just place you more on edge.”

“I’m not on edge.” The sharp words sprang from her mouth.

“Sure,” he drawled, clearly not convinced. Neither was she.

“Okay, maybe I’m a little tense.” She gave an uneasy laugh and loosened her hold on the cup before she could shatter it. “I hate being left behind.”

“Then you should try to be more useful.” Pallas, king of kind words, strode into the kitchen and examined the night through the windows. “This place is too exposed. We’ll move to the library.”

“There’s a library?” She glanced at Stephen for confirmation, and the shifter nodded. “Let’s go.” She handed her cup to Stephen and rose to her feet. Her weak side ached from the bed play with Daedalus yesterday. Against her best intentions, she would still need to nap again this night.

She hated the way Pallas’s stare followed her unsteady gait out of the room, but she couldn’t ignore the call of books.  She’d been away from this passion for too long. Daedalus hadn’t mentioned his house contained a library. He might have drawn her here sooner if he had.

Stephen walked ahead, waiting for her before turning into another hallway so she wouldn’t lose her way. They headed to the center of the house and stopped at a set of large iron doors. Sugar had seen the locked doors while searching for the kitchen yesterday. She’d thought it might have been an armory.

Stephen fiddled with a key ring, trying each one unsuccessfully.

She pressed her hands against the cold metal. “Why the security?”

“Knowledge is power, and Daedalus likes power.” Pallas plucked the key ring from Stephen’s hands and singled out the plainest. “Try this one.”

“What kind of knowledge are we talking about?” She fought the urge to snatch the key from Stephen as she watched him struggle with the fucking lock.

The muscles on his forearm strained with the effort to twist.

“Careful, don’t break it.” Dangling the promise of reading treasured books that required iron doors and locks, then stealing it from her, would send her over the proverbial edge that Stephen had mentioned in the kitchen.

With a clank, the lock opened, and Stephen breathed a sigh of relief. “Never been in this room.”

She pushed past him and twisted the handle. “Why ever not?” The question came out as a whisper.

Musty air swept over her face. Darkness barred her from seeing any further than where the light from the hallway landed on the wooden floor.

Pallas gripped her shoulders. “Easy, let me investigate first.” He squeezed between her and Stephen with a small flashlight in hand. Where it had come from she couldn’t imagine. The bright stream touched upon overstuffed chairs, wooden tables, then the walls before stopping on the switch close to the doors. Pallas flipped it, and a massive chandelier lit the room.

Her mouth hung open, and she could only manage a garbled noise of excitement. She shoved Stephen to the side and entered for the full affect.

The circular room was lined with wooden shelves brimming over with books and scrolls. She ran her gaze over the curving staircase that led to a second floor lined with more shelves. “I think I died and went to heaven.” If not for the cane, she would have skipped in glee.

Pallas systematically searched the room from shadow to shadow while Stephen pulled a chair away from the closest table.

She waved it away. “Are you kidding?” Striding as quickly as she could, she laid her fingertips on a set of aged, leather-bound books.

“Why don’t you sit down and I’ll bring them to you?” He set his hands under her elbows, guiding her back to the chair. “You can’t carry it safely with your cane.”

A knot formed in her chest as she drew away from the shelf. He was right, but it didn’t mean she had to like it. She plopped on the chair and tossed her cane against the table.

Stephen rubbed his hands together. “Do you want to start with this one?” He pointed to the book she’d been caressing and opened it.

She bent across the table with her good arm. “Careful. It looks old and might crumble with rough treatment.”

With deliberate care, he set it in front of her. “It’s not English.”

From the smell of the paper she knew it was old. She brushed the tips of her fingers over the ink. She couldn’t read a word. Sighing, she leaned against the back as disappointment weighed her heart.

“Give me a chance to look around. Maybe I’ll find something for you to read.” Not waiting for her response, Stephen scurried away. He reminded her of Eric when they’d first met. Eager to please, staying in the background not wanting much attention. Did she have the strength to pull another omega under her wing?

She chuckled. From the way he hovered around her, the tables were turned and Stephen wanted to help her instead.

Pallas popped from behind a shelf, stalking the aisle before climbing the staircase. “I don’t like this. Daedalus shouldn’t attack until he can coordinate simultaneous assaults on the houses. This leaves us vulnerable.”

“That could take forever, Pallas. His nest is scattered.” She watched as he circled the room along the balcony framing the second floor. “What are you looking for?”

“Defensible positions.” He leaped over the railing and landed in front of her.

All the air left her lungs. “Don’t do that!”

He smirked. “My bones are tempered by time. I don’t break.” He closed and locked the library doors. “We’ll stay here until the others return. This room has one doorway and no windows.”

“Or a bathroom.” She rested her chin on her hand. “Are you expecting trouble?”

His eyes narrowed. “I don’t like surprises. Better to be prepared than caught with your pants down.”

“I highly doubt that’s ever happened to you.” The tremble in her voice annoyed her. Where Stephen was trying to keep her calm, Pallas was making her nervous.

Sweat made the palms of her hands slippery as she gripped the arms of her chair. Dark memories slipped past her defenses. Yellowed eyes glared at her from within her thoughts before an echoed snarl startled her back to reality. Breathing hard, she blinked as the library came into focus. It had been awhile since she’d been blindsided by the traumatic recollections of her attack.

“No, it hasn’t.”

“W-what?” She cleared her throat.

“I’ve never been caught with my pants down.” He placed a set of wooden stakes on the table. “These are in case we get attacked, not if I piss you off.” Their gazes met, and he winked.

The cold claws of fear sank deeper in her spine. “Do you really think we’ll be attacked?” If Daedalus had confidence in Pallas to guard her, then so should she. Right?  Most of her roommates had been home when the Asian pack had attacked, yet she’d still sustained the worst injuries. Her eyes wandered to her paralyzed hand tucked in her sweater’s deep pocket. Collateral damage.

“Whatever you and your friends think, this is war. Unlike humans, vampires don’t require bombs and armies. Daedalus is taking back his territory tonight. Anything is possible.” He rested his hand over hers. “Which is why he left me here to protect you. I’ll do my job.”

She took a deep, shaky breath. “Thank you.”

“I do this out of fear, not the goodness of my heart.” He laughed out loud, and it echoed within the room. “Daedalus can be quite creative when angered. If anything happens to you, I will suffer for a very long time.”

“He loves me.” Setting her hand over her chest, she steadied her breathing. Her statement wasn’t a brag, but more of a reminder of what she had to live for. She’d finally dragged her head out of her ass and recognized what she was about to lose. It only took her lover placing his life in danger to do it.

Pallas settled in a chair next to her, facing the door. “Why would you deny Daedalus his Prima?”

She ground her teeth. “What, pray tell, is a Prima? Then I can explain why he can’t have her.” Like she would share? She wanted to shake Pallas until he spoke plainly, instead of in cryptic hints. One didn’t assault a Nosferatu and expect no repercussions.

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “You would be, if you’d become vampire. Daedalus never spoke to you of this?”

Leaning forward, she supported her weak side against the table. “He told me females couldn’t become Nosferatu.”

Pallas laughed. “They can’t. A Prima is the vampire wife of a Nosferatu Prime.”

“A regular vampire, like Clementine?” She tugged at her earlobe, an embarrassing habit from childhood that she did when thinking. To cover the move, she tucked some hair behind her ear. “I’ve never heard of the term Prima.”

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. There never have been many. Primes are not exactly sought after as husbands.”

“Why not?” She’d been with Daedalus long enough to see past the shields these old vampires used. Pallas’s pain wouldn’t have been obvious to most.

“Most are not as stable as Daedalus.” He gestured to his bald head and pointed ears.  “And we’re monstrous to look at.”

“Well, maybe once you were considered so, but times have changed. I can’t tell you how many women have tried to steal Daedalus from me.” Especially in the nightclubs, they couldn’t keep their slutty hands off him. Vampires were becoming popular in the night scene. “I never considered him monstrous.” Just some of the things he did.

“Love is blind.” He focused his gaze on the locked doors. “Wives tend to be killed in retaliation against their husbands.” He shrugged. “Another reason why most of us never bothered to marry.”

“Oh.” Her gaze joined his on the locked door. “Good thing I’m not a Prima then.” She tried to ease the tension with a laugh, but it sounded weak.

“No, you’re not, but like you said, times have changed. The others may consider you one. It’s obvious Daedalus cares for you like a wife.” He jumped to his feet and grabbed a stake all in one smooth motion.

She startled in her chair, almost falling to the floor. “What is it?”

“Something’s wrong.”

Chapter Ten

The first four houses went smoothly. They broke in, located the leader, and then killed the idiot. Most of the nests cooperated with the takeovers, and those who didn’t were executed. Things didn’t go as planned at the last house though.

It was empty.

Half-opened drawers with clothes hanging out greeted his entry into the building. He sensed no one here. Pressing his earpiece, he spoke to Robert. “Are you sure we’re at the right location?”

“Yeah. We were just here yesterday.” He could hear Robert clicking at his computer. “Do you think they spotted Esther and Sam when they were taking pictures?”

“Maybe…” He did a slow three-sixty in the foyer while Sam sniffed around. “Or word of my return is spreading faster than we’re moving.” He reached out to Pallas. “Is she safe?”

Nothing.

A heavy dread settled in his gut, and he closed his eyes to concentrate his power. “Pallas?” His telepathic shout would be heard around the world by his brothers, except he couldn’t sense the most important of them all. The one guarding Sugar.

“Shit.” He raced from the house using his supernatural speed, leaving the shifters to devil knew what in that empty building. Fear dug its sharp talons in Daedalus’s heart as he ran to his home on the other side of town.

* * *

Pallas tossed Sugar over his shoulder with one hand, gripping a wooden stake with the other. “Stephen, get your hairy arse down here and shift.” He strode toward the library staircase and set her on the bottom step with her cane. “Can you climb to the second floor?”

She nodded. “What is it?”

He gave her a hard look then tapped his head. “I tried to contact Daedalus, but he’s not answering.”

Her legs gave out, and she sank onto the steps. “Is he…?” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Is he dead?” The edges of her vision went dark, and nausea rolled in her stomach. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. She was supposed to die first.

“I don’t know. Sometimes, if enough vampires concentrate, they can block telepathy.” He shook her shoulder. “Get it together, woman, and move.”

A knock echoed through the library. They both jerked at the loud noise and turned toward the doors.

Stephen raced down the steps behind her. “Who’s here?”

“Trouble.” Pallas yanked her onto her feet. “Get upstairs and hide. Don’t make any noise. No matter what you hear, you stay hidden.” He pointed to Stephen. “Shift, I said.”

“I don’t know how to fight.” The young werewolf pulled his shirt over his head. She could count his ribs.

Pallas handed him the stake and retrieved the other ones from the table. “You’re about to learn.” His glare traveled to her. “Why are you still here?”

Her mouth moved, but nothing came out. She used the banister to ascend the steps. It had never crossed her mind that Daedalus would fail. Love truly was blind. A tear slid down her cheek.

An explosion shook the room, and she fell to her knees. Dust and smoke filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. She watched her cane roll down the stairs out of reach. On her stomach, she peered through the stair railings.

Pallas lay motionless on his back with iron and wooden shrapnel protruding from his body. He looked like a vampire pincushion.

She couldn’t see Stephen from this vantage point, but movement by the blown doorway caught her gaze.

A group of strangers entered, led by a man. He grinned as his gaze fell upon her, fangs sharp and long. “Sugar, I presume?”

Chapter Eleven

The front gates to Daedalus’s estate hung open. He didn’t pause in his race home. His worst fears were becoming reality.

Again.

Sugar…

He roared as he stormed through the broken front doors. Everyone would know of his arrival and either face him or flee.

Vampires stood in his home. Strangers. Those who followed a traitor. He didn’t have Clementine to point out those who might be loyal to him, so he took Pallas’s advice and killed them all. Like his brother had said, if they were loyal, they shouldn't be here.

Not bothering with wooden stakes, he tore heads from shoulders of the first idiots to attack. He didn’t care about finesse. All he wanted was to rescue Sugar.

The sweet scent of her blood drifted in the air, and a black hole of despair ruptured in his chest. He couldn’t move. It hurt too much.

Someone grabbed his arm, and he tossed them out the window. Following her scent, he arrived at the library alone. All those in his way were dead. He stepped over the threshold and focused on the back of a male hovering over someone on the stairs. The slow beat of Sugar’s heart stuttering to a halt reached Daedalus’s ears. Blonde curls lay across the steps, under the vampire feeding.

The muscles in his chest contracted into burning knots, and the chandelier hanging from the center of the room rattled from his hoarse roar. He sped across the room, wrenching Sugar’s assailant off her, and heard him hit the opposite wall of the library.

Pale skin splattered with scarlet blood filled his vision. He gathered Sugar in his arms and stumbled down the stairs only to melt to his knees. She weighed nothing, but he couldn't move.

Bending over her motionless body, he rocked. “No, no, no.” He’d failed her again. She was supposed to live to a ripe old age. They were going to watch Eric and Spice’s pups grow up. Spoil them rotten. Maybe travel, if Sugar recovered enough strength.

“I couldn’t save her.” Pallas spoke, his voice cracking.

Daedalus jerked his head from resting on her chest. In his delirium to reach Sugar, he hadn’t noticed his brother pinned to the floor by thick metal and wood splinters. Stephen lay under the table, unconscious not far from him, but it appeared Pallas had taken the brunt of the explosion’s damage.

Pallas opened his eyes. “They used weapons I’m not familiar with.” It hadn’t occurred to Daedalus that Pallas wouldn’t know much about bombs or guns.

His hands shook as he set Sugar on the floor and brushed the hair from her face. She hadn’t wanted to become a vampire, and he hadn’t possessed the ability to do it. Nosferatu couldn’t change females into vampires. They always died in the process.

When he’d offered Clementine a home in the brownstone, it was for more than her safety. He wanted a regular vampire he trusted at hand in case Sugar changed her mind. But like a fool, he’d left Clementine on the other side of the city with the shifters. She was too young to race here in time to save Sugar.

Weak moans came from the attacker. His limbs twitched as he regained consciousness.

Hope crept from under the shattered pieces of Daedalus’s heart. He had a regular vampire at hand after all. Striding toward him, he dragged the traitor’s semi-awake body across the floor to Sugar.

Pallas plucked a long splinter from his gut with a tortured groan. “Son of a bitch, I forgot how much wood burns.”

“You’re lucky none of them struck your black heart.” Daedalus settled the vampire next to Sugar and exposed his wrist.

“What are you doing?” The alarm in Pallas’s voice surprised Daedalus.

He gave Pallas a sharp look. “I’m saving her. Something you should have done.” Using his fangs, Daedalus sliced across the vampire’s wrist and allowed the blood to drip into Sugar’s mouth.

Only a few minutes had passed since Sugar’s heart had stopped. It shouldn’t be too late.

“She’ll never forgive you.” Pallas grunted between words while he struggled with the splinter buried through his shoulder into the floor under him.

“I’ll have eternity to make it up to her.” He milked the vampire’s wrist, filling Sugar’s mouth, then massaged her throat to assist the flow into her body. “Come on.” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d made a vampire. He never had the patience to care for fledglings and passed those he’d made to other caretakers.

Sugar would be different. She was the only thing that mattered. Pal Robi Inc. could rot, and the council could go to hell.

He glared at Pallas. “What am I doing wrong?”

“Do you want my list in alphabetical order or in order of priority?” Pallas panted as he twisted the splinter loose in his shoulder.

Jumping to his feet, Daedalus stomped to his brother and made short work of yanking the remaining splinters from his body before gripping his throat. “Help me, or I’ll hang you from this roof by your intestines to watch the sunrise.” Daedalus’s fangs elongated and pierced his lip.

Pallas rested his hands on the one around his throat. “You’re doing it right. Just need to wait for it to work.” His eyes moved to something behind his shoulder. “And not allow the vampire you’re using for this to escape.”

Daedalus dropped his brother and spun.

The little traitor was crawling to the door on his stomach. This was not happening.

“Get back here.” The snap of his voice sent the vampire into convulsions of cowering. “You’ve a blood price to pay for your bad behavior.” Daedalus punched him unconscious once more and dragged his body back to Sugar.

Exposing the other wrist for a fresh cut, he hesitated. Something appeared different. He stared at Sugar.

Her chest rose.

“Yes.” He couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face. It was working. Slicing the vampire’s wrist, he repeated the process. “Drink, baby.”

She swallowed, and her eyelashes fluttered open. Dazed, she drank as if in a trance.

“That’s it.” Unable to resist touching her, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re doing great.” He had almost lost her forever. The ache in his chest eased while the anxiety of her reaction grew. How would he explain?

Footfalls filled his empty house.

He twisted to face the Vasi invading his library.

Sam led the group in shifter form. His gaze moved from him to Sugar feeding from the dying vampire. He shifted to his human form.

“No.” His shout sounded like a howl while his body finished the change.

Chapter Twelve

A howl drove into Sugar’s mind and shattered the daze she’d been caught in. Reflexively, she swallowed a mouthful of warm, salty liquid. She focused on Daedalus's face while he knelt by her head, then onto the Vasi standing in the doorway as if in shock. She dropped the flesh in her mouth and wiped her chin. A hot blush burned across her cheeks.

What had they caught them doing? She couldn't recall anything. Running her hands over her torso, she almost fainted in relief to feel clothes. She sat up, leaning on her elbows. “Hey.”

The anguish in Sam’s face sent a wave of concern over her.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” She searched the room and startled at the sight of Pallas. His shirt was covered in tears and blood.

He gave her a small smile. “I’ll be fine. If you’re done with that, I’d like some.”

She followed where he pointed and gasped. A corpse lay next to her. “What…?”

Strong hands gripped her shoulders. “It’s all right. The worst is over.” Daedalus kicked the body toward Pallas.

While the body rolled over the floor, she glimpsed fangs. “That’s a vampire. Were we attacked?” Things seemed fuzzy, like she’d tossed back a few too many wine coolers. “Wait, what are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be killing someone?” She rubbed her temples—

With both hands.

She stopped and dropped them in her lap, staring at her fingers, then wiggled all ten. How was this possible? Blood stained her palms, and there was a metallic taste in her mouth. Oh no, he didn’t. With her tongue, she traced her teeth and felt the beginning points of fangs. “No.”

A tortured whine masked what she’d said. It came from the vampire Pallas fed upon.

“I didn’t know you could feed upon your own kind.” Her mouth went dry.

Daedalus knelt in front of her, blocking her view. “Those like Clementine can’t. My clan is different. Vampire blood doesn’t contain many nutrients unless they’ve just fed—” He choked on the last word and shot a glare over his shoulder at Pallas.

She touched her neck where a lingering ache faded and found nothing. “We’re in the library.” Memories tumbled open from where they’d been dormant. “We were attacked.” She blinked. “Where’s Stephen?”

The Vasi shifted to human form and gathered close together like pack did when distraught.

Without her cane, she rose to her feet. Standing. Assessing her legs, she took a few unsteady steps past Daedalus.  “That vampire bit me.”

Forlorn, he watched her.

She spun and confronted him. Betrayal tore at her dead heart. “You shouldn’t have.” She couldn’t breathe, but then again, she didn’t have to.

“Sugar.” Robert’s voice was rough with emotion.

“How could you let him do this to me?” She twisted from them, back to her lover. “You all knew my wishes.” Her legs moved of their own accord toward him. She was whole. No limp or paralyzed arm.

“It’s not their fault, babe.” Daedalus spoke, but she couldn’t accept this change. If she did, it meant this was all real and not some nightmare. “They came afterwards. I—I…” He cleared his throat. “You had just died when I entered the room. I only had minutes to think.”

“Think?” She halted inches from him. “Think? I don’t see any evidence of thinking here.” Her voice grew louder with each word. “Take it back.” With two fists, she pounded on his chest. “Take it back!” Her cry held an edge of crazy to it, but she’d earned the right.

Daedalus clutched her against him.

She struggled against his iron hold, then sensed a gentle caress inside her head and his whispered command. “Sleep.”

* * *

Sugar relaxed in Daedalus’s arms, and he cradled her against his chest, carrying her.

“Why?” Sam approached them, his stare riveted on Sugar’s peaceful face.

“What would you have me do? Let her die on my library floor? What’s done is done.” He shouldered the shifter out of his way and spotted Stephen creeping from under the table where he’d lain unconscious. “Need help?”

He rubbed his head. “I don’t think so. I hit my head.” His gaze fell on Sugar. “Is she hurt?”

Daedalus flinched. “She’ll be fine now.” Part of him wanted to shout with joy that she’d live forever. The other cringed that she might refuse to stay at his side after his betrayal.

Pallas let the vampire he was feeding from fall from his lap. “I could use more.” Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. “I wouldn’t leave me alone with any of them.” He pointedly stared at the shifters.

Lust for blood could seize even the oldest of them, especially when injured. Pallas could do a lot of damage after being used as a pincushion. Torn between duty and desire, he held his place between brother and pack.

Stephen rose onto his feet and held out his arms. “I’m in no shape to feed Pallas. I’ll take Sugar to her bedroom.”

Sam’s expression darkened, and he took a step toward Stephen, but Robert’s hand stayed him. “This isn’t the time or place to lose your temper. We still have the empty house to deal with and finding that last traitor.”

“No.” Daedalus corrected Robert and settled Sugar in Stephen’s arms. After plucking a wooden shard off the floor, he stabbed it through the heart of the vampire he’d used to change Sugar.

The vampire’s skin turned gray. Cracks formed over his flesh before it started crumbling. Too drained of blood, the creature faded to ash quickly.

Numb, Daedalus straightened and faced the shifters. “He’s the one who should have been at the last house. I killed any of his nest who stood between me and the library. I doubt any escaped.” Daedalus’s voice sounded dead to his own ears.

Robert stood next to him and stared at the pile of ash at their feet. He rested his hand on Daedalus’s shoulder. “I’ve been where you are.” His gaze traveled to Esther, the mate he’d accidentally infected with the shifter virus. “We’ll work this out.”

Daedalus shook his head. “No, you have to leave. It’s for your own safety.”

“Are you crazy?” Sam held Clementine tight in his arms. The Sigma’s suffering was palpable. He was Sugar’s personal guard by both pack decree and friendship. “Spice will skin us alive if we return without Sugar.”

Groaning, Daedalus rested his head in his hands at the reminder of Sugar’s twin sister. “She's wanted Sugar to cross over so she can be whole. You'll have to return to Chicago and explain. Keep them away, especially Spice.”

“Daedalus is right.” Clementine stroked her mate’s hair. “Young vampires have poor control over their hunger. She might kill one of you.”

The tightness within his chest loosened, and he gave Clementine a small nod. He needed the support. The Vasi didn’t have to add to his problems. He carried enough guilt. “Can you imagine if she did? She'd never forgive herself. She'll have a lot to deal with, and I need to focus on her. No distractions. Maybe with a little divine intervention I can get her to forgive me.”

“You can’t take care of Sugar and regain control of Pal Robi Inc. by yourself.” Esther knelt next to Pallas with a stake in her hand and met his glare. She offered him her wrist. “You’ll stay and help him?”

His gaze darted to the stake. “Or?”

“It’s not a threat. The stake is in case you try to drain me dry. We’ll heal you.”

“And in return I stay with Daedalus?” He kissed the inside of her wrist. “I always admired warrior women.” Then he sank his fangs into her flesh.

“I’ll stay as well.” Clementine pressed her hand over Sam’s open mouth to stop his flood of denials. “Sugar needs guidance. I too was turned against my will.” Clementine gave Daedalus an apologetic smile. “She might not want anything to do with you, so I’ll stay to make sure she has a mentor.”

The bottom dropped out of his stomach. Sugar had to forgive him. Maybe not today or next decade, but eventually he’d find a way to make this up to her. Even if it took a thousand years.

Chapter Thirteen

Suitcases lined the wall to the front entrance. Daedalus wished this trip had turned out differently for the shifters, but deep inside he would never regret what he’d done to Sugar. He’d show her that being a vampire wasn’t all bad.

Sam sat in a foyer chair, his head hanging, while Robert and Esther went over their list of equipment. Clementine still slept since it was late afternoon.

The Vasi and Daedalus had taken a nap after caring for Pallas, who rested in the basement.

“Sir, I’d rather not go.” Stephen set his backpack next to the luggage. He kept his distance from the other shifters, a frown on his face. “I can stay in a motel close by if you really don’t want me on the grounds.”

Robert gave Daedalus a look over the younger shifter’s head. He was beta in the Vasi pack, which meant second-in-command. Omega shifters held a soft spot in his heart, and he collected them like trinkets. Except Stephen wasn’t an omega, he was a stray. They could be dangerous and unpredictable. One day Daedalus would earn enough of Stephen’s trust and hear his story. Until then the stray had a home with Daedalus’s nest. Maybe he should listen to Stephen and let him stay in the area, but the look Robert tossed him said he would fight him on this.

With a small gesture, he drew Stephen closer and whispered, “Stay close to them. I’m not sure how the pack will react when they find out what I’ve done to Sugar. I could use your help.” Three birds, one stone. Stephen would be safe, he’d have objective ears in Chicago, and with a little luck Stephen might like the Vasi.

Who was he kidding? It would take a lot of luck.

The young shifter glared at the others. “Fine.”

Daedalus had found Stephen half-starved and partially wild a year before he met Sugar. The young shifter had been his groundskeeper since then. Daedalus had no doubt where his loyalty lay.

Robert shook his hand. “Take care. Call or we’ll have to come back uninvited.” He gathered his and Esther’s bags.

She gave Daedalus a fierce hug. “Don’t lose her.”

He didn’t plan to, but every great general lost a battle at some point.

Sam came last. He couldn’t look Daedalus in the eye. “I know why you did this, but she won’t be happy. Don’t let her do anything stupid.” Sam’s attachment to Sugar had always rubbed Daedalus raw. Friendship between opposite sexes wasn’t tolerated until modern time. It was difficult to teach old vampires new tricks.

He nodded, unable to answer. If he could, he’d lock her in his bedroom for eternity, but that bordered on psychotic. They would have to find a balance. Giving the shifters his best false smile, he left the foyer before they opened the repaired front door. He didn’t need to add getting flash fried by the setting sun to his list of problems.

The bedroom where Sugar still slept loomed at the end of the hallway. Temptation to crawl into bed next to her warred with duty to guard everyone’s rest. Maybe he should have kept Stephen on the grounds after all. That would have been selfish, and he’d done his best to change that habit. Transforming Sugar was a slipup.

How convoluted his life had become since meeting her. Not a night passed where he regretted it though. That might change once she awoke.

A bang echoed in the house. The Vasi had left the building and closed the front door.

His gaze traveled to the armor decorating the walls, and his smile grew wider. He should prepare for her to regain consciousness.

* * *

As if an alarm clock had gone off in her head, Sugar jerked awake and blinked at her surroundings. She wasn’t in the library anymore. What the hell? The last thing she remembered was hitting Daedalus. The ass must have pulled a Jedi mind trick on her and put her to sleep.

Grinding her teeth, she kicked the blankets off. Her new fangs nicked her bottom lip, and she gasped at the sudden sting. She fingered the sore spot, and it came away with blood.

“They take some getting used to.” Daedalus sat across the room.

Lasering her gaze in his direction, she scowled.  “You have some explaining to do. Can you manage it without placing me under a sleep spell?” She reached for her cane and jerked her hand back when it met air. It must still be in the library. Being able to move like normal again would take some getting used to.

She sat on the edge of the bed with ease and tugged her negligee over her thighs. He must have changed her clothes while she slept. A shiver shook her shoulders. The idea of being so vulnerable and easily manipulated didn’t sit well.

“Sugar—”

“Shut up.” The command popped out. Daedalus’s hurt expression still managed to bother her even after he’d betrayed her wishes. She bit back the apology on the tip of her tongue.

He rose from his seat wearing metal armor across his chest. A brightly colored shield rested against his chair as he set a helm on his head.

Sugar crossed her arms. “Are you expecting trouble?” Damn him for looking so devastating in that stupid costume. All he needed was a sword to complete it. She assessed him further. He didn’t wear any weapons, only armor.

With a snort, he shook his head. “You.” He gave her a weary smile. “I thought you’d wake up ready to smite me.”

“The thought has crossed my mind.” She sighed. “Your outfit is overkill though. I can’t hurt you. You're too strong.”

“When you were human, yes. Only time will tell how strong you’ll become. I’ve no idea what clan you’re from.” He rubbed his chin. “I should have asked the vampire before killing him. It won’t be hard to find out.”

She gasped, and her stomach rolled at the memory of the blood in her mouth. “You mean you’re not the one who did it?”

Daedalus moved toward her, his face grave. “I’ve explained before, I can’t transform a human, only vampire males. I would have killed you.”

Something snapped inside her chest. “I’m already dead!”

He retreated as if her shout had physically pushed him.

She jumped to her feet and stalked after him. “You broke your promise.” Setting her hands on his metallic chest, she shoved. “You knew I didn’t want to cross over. What gives you the right?” She shoved him again.

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away, and her hands came away blood-tinged. With a cry of frustration,  she launched at him. Fists banged against cold metal and bare cheek. She didn’t care where her strikes landed.

An arm snaked around her waist and lifted her from Daedalus. “Easy, Prima. Daedalus only means well.” Pallas set her back on the bed. He twisted to confront the vampire who had betrayed her most principal wish. “Why are you dressed like a Roman? Don't tell me they're still around.”

Daedalus shrugged. “I hoped it would put a smile on her face. It worked for a second.” The despair in his eyes tugged at her heart. “If she tried to stake me, I don’t think I’d have the will to stop her.” He knocked on the chest plate.

“I don’t know where my cane is, so I can’t stake you.” She jumped to her feet, but Pallas blocked her path. She couldn’t see past his back. “Get out of my way.”

Pallas glanced over his shoulder at her with an icy glare. Half-healed bruises and cuts marred his rugged face. He’d taken those injuries for her.

She cleared her throat. “Please.” Daedalus wouldn’t hurt her, but she wasn’t so sure about Pallas. Funny how her fury was focused on the one person who loved her unconditionally. That was what hurt her the most. She had trusted Daedalus.

The tight ball of rage inside of her kept exploding each time her gaze landed on him. With him in the room, she couldn’t think straight. “You need to leave.” She dropped her head in her hands. “I need to clear my head.”

She listened to the creak of metal and leather as he moved toward the door.

“Pallas, stay with her.”

“No.” She refused to look at either of them. An odd shame tore her apart. “Out, both of you.” She understood Daedalus had turned her because he couldn’t let her go. She’d often feared he’d do this, especially after the stroke, but when she’d had the cardiac arrest in the ICU, Spice told her Daedalus hadn’t attempted to change her.

She cringed. He hadn’t the means to change her at the time. He needed another vampire to do it for him. Was that truly the reason why she had remained human and why he’d been so adamant about Clementine moving in with them afterwards?

The ache in her chest grew so strong she wanted to vomit. Could a vampire die of a broken heart? She’d soon find out.

Daedalus’s heavy footfalls followed Pallas.

She twisted in time to meet her lover’s gaze before he left the room. “You’ll need to feed soon,” he said, then closed the door.

Chapter Fourteen

Sugar stared at nothing. Feed? As in bite into a person and suck their blood? It had taken her some time to find the courage to allow Daedalus to drink from her. This would be another hurdle for her to overcome. How many would life toss at her before it would leave her alone? Living with shifters, vampire boyfriend, stroke and now this.

What should she do? She couldn’t make Daedalus take it back. If she called Spice, her twin would jump in her car with the pup and come straight here. Part of Sugar yearned for her strong comfort. Her sister would take charge and make things better fast.  The other part of Sugar knew her sister and the pup would be placed in danger by coming here. Daedalus may have killed the traitors he knew of, but if experience had taught Sugar anything, it was that more would be lurking in the shadows.

She had to deal with being a vampire on her own. She shifted her gaze from the door to her body—her whole and completely functional body. With a hesitant step, she twirled in spot on her tiptoes. A small giggle escaped her lips. She hadn’t allowed herself to imagine walking, let alone dancing again. If she had survived a shifter attack and a stroke, she would survive this.

But this wasn’t about survival. She caught her image in the mirror over the dresser and crossed to it. The woman in the mirror was her. The real her. The one before the attack and pain and horror.  A little paler, but the droopy lip was gone. This was about getting her life back.

She tore off her negligée.

“Whoa.” The sharp edges of her ribs no longer showed. Even the hint of roundness of her lower abdomen had returned. She did a slow turn. Damn, she’d missed looking healthy. Daedalus never made her feel ugly, but she knew she had changed.

She ran her hands over her breasts and cupped their heaviness. Welcome back, girls.

A gasp cracked the silence in the bedroom. Daedalus stood in the doorway, a goblet in his hands. “I brought you something from my supply.” He kicked the door closed and set the cup on the closest table.

“I said I needed some time alone.” She covered her bare breasts, and the heartbeat that seemed nonexistent a moment ago suddenly raced into action once more.

“Can’t I at least watch?” He raised an eyebrow and strolled around her, his gaze wandering slowly over her flesh, not leaving an inch unchecked. “Damn.”

“Why did I change back to the way I was? I thought vampires stayed stuck as what we were as human.”

He shook his head. “The virus heals all damaged cells. They make you the best that your DNA can manage.” An appreciative noise rolled in his throat.

Shivers of anticipation ran over her spine. It warred with her anger. “No.”

“Yes.” He brushed his fingertips over her upper arm.

Goose bumps formed on her traitorous skin. A rush of desire flooded her body like nothing she’d experienced since she’d first laid eyes on him. The cold wood of the dresser pressed against her ass. She’d backed into it in her unnoticed retreat.

Setting his hands on her hips, he lifted her to sit on the cool surface.

“What are you doing?”

“You should ask what I don’t have planned.” He knelt and put her legs over his shoulders, letting her feet dangle against his back. Gentle as butterfly wings, he kissed her inner thighs, tracing a line toward her pussy.

A deep ache grew in her lower abdomen. She gripped the dresser and spread her legs wider. She should have pushed him away. Instead she surrendered.

He ran the sharp edge of his fangs over the delicate tissue.

She drew a sharp intake of breath at the sting.

Daedalus slid his finger inside her pussy while his gaze traveled to meet hers. “You’re wet.” A smug grin spread across his face.

“Fucker.” She snarled the insult.

“Oh, I plan to be exactly that.” His smile grew wider. “You forget who I am.”

“I don’t think I ever truly knew who you are.”

He pumped his finger inside of her using a hard, fast stroke. “That’s not true and you know it.”

She groaned and arched into the motion.

The soft touch of his tongue contrasted the steady pounding. He circled her bud, slowly torturing her.

Curling her toes against his back, she lifted her hips, giving him better access.

A low chuckle vibrated her oversensitive clit. He ran his tongue over it before sucking it into his mouth.

She cried out at the sudden sensation of jagged pleasure and cracked her head against the mirror when she flung it back. The pain didn’t register. She wanted this so badly. Yes, Daedalus had made love to her the other night, but she desired something more. She craved sweat and grunts, to dig her nails into his hard muscles, for him to lose control and take from her what he wanted.

With a possessive growl, he latched on to her clitoris, sending wave upon wave of ecstasy through that nerve bundle.

“Daedalus.” His name fell from her lips involuntarily as the climax crashed over her.

* * *

The sound of his name from Sugar was the sweetest song to Daedalus's ears. She might hate him, but he’d win her back. Her body remembered his. This was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

His hard cock throbbed against the confines of his jeans. It wanted release from the rough material and to find soothing relief inside her wet pussy. He trembled. She’d be so tight.

Rising to his feet, he guided her limp legs around his waist.

She leaned against the mirror, a thin sheen of sweat covering her skin. With her fist, she knocked the metal plate on his chest. “Still afraid I’ll stake you?”

He unclipped his armor, desperate for her touch. His safety be damned. It clattered at his feet, followed by his shirt.

Sugar bit her bottom lip as her hungry stare traveled over his chest. A hum of satisfaction purred in her throat.

Unbelievably, his cock grew harder, aching for liberation. He ran his hands over her torso until he cupped her glorious tits. Kneading them, he enjoyed the heavy softness in his palms.

He bent and kissed the closest one while grinding against her.

"Stop.”

“No.” He pinched her nipples until she moaned, arching into his touch.

With a smooth motion, she twisted and elbowed him in the chin. “I’m still angry.”

He licked the trickle of blood on his lip. “I’d be disappointed if you weren’t.” As soon as the words left him, he realized he spoke the truth. He wanted her fury. For her to be filled with passion and full of life.

After unzipping his jeans, he pulled out his cock. “Show me how angry.” He gripped her hips and thrust inside her. The secret muscles of her pussy squeezed tight, and his knees almost buckled at the onslaught of his passion.

Her fists beat on his chest, yet her ankles dragged him closer. “I hate you.”

He shoved deeper and moaned. “I know.”

She grasped his shoulders and climbed into his arms, sliding down him even further until she rested against the root of his shaft.

“Oh, baby.” He pressed her against the wall and hammered into her, unable to control his zeal anymore. His jeans fell to his ankles, and he kicked them off, never breaking his desperate rhythm.

She dug her nails into his back and clung, her breathing hard and hot by his ear.

After so many months of celibacy, how could he be expected to resist her? When he’d walked in and found her naked, he could have cried his praise to whatever god had granted him his most coveted wish.

A sting in his neck caught his breath. His balls clenched at the pull of her mouth on his skin.

“Oh fuck yes,” he cried out as she bit deeper with her delicate little fangs.

He thrust in and in and in, losing control.

It didn’t seem like it would ever end. His vision blurred, and he had to brace his legs against the wall as he pounded harder. All he could articulate were animalistic grunts as her climax clutched her muscles like a vise around his shaft.

He arched his body against hers, spilling his seed into her hot pussy, unable to utter a sound since the pleasure stole all his words.

She melted into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder.

He hugged her tight and slid to the floor, landing on his knees. His heart soared at what they'd just shared. Sugar might be filled with anger, but not hate. He knew her too well. She'd never have let him touch her if that were true. “I’ll make this up to you somehow.”

“This was a good start.” She crawled out of his arms, breaking their contact. “But I don’t see how we can ever rebuild what we had.”

He didn’t either, but there had to be a way. Right?

“I’m taking a shower.” She clung to the dresser to catch her balance. Male satisfaction warmed his chest as she wobbled in the direction of the bathroom, until his gaze rested on the full goblet he’d brought for her. Her weakness was from lack of blood, not incredible sex, dumbass.

“Wait.” He offered her her first meal of human blood. It came from his storage that he'd brought with him from Chicago. The flavor wasn’t the same as fresh, but she wouldn’t know the difference yet. “I didn’t think you’d want to shop for donors tonight.”

She faced him. Her stare focused on the cup, and she licked her lips. “I—I don’t want to drink it.”

He frowned. “You know better. What happens if a vampire gets too hungry?” They’d been together long enough for her to know about everything vampire. She’d been his main source of nutrition for years and understood the cardinal rules of feeding.

Turning her shoulder, she blocked the view of the cup.

“You have the biggest stubborn streak I’ve ever encountered, but refusing to drink is dangerous. When the hunger hits, and it will, what will happen? I have no humans in the mansion for you to use. Will you feed from a neighbor? Accidently kill someone’s wife or child?” It was a rough speech, but an important one. The first rule a vampire learned was how to control the bloodlust.

With a good teacher, a fledgling vampire never had to take a life. He hoped to be such a mentor for her.

She glanced back at him and her meal.

Before she could deny him, he slid the cup under her nose, knowing instinct would grip her.

Clasping it, she took a tentative sip and closed her eyes. Her hands shook, and she almost spilled it as she tilted the cup higher, taking large gulps.

He steadied her hold. “Easy. It’s all for you. There’s more if you need it.”

She tipped the goblet up until it emptied of the last drops then handed the vessel to him and clutched her stomach.

“You might get cramps for a few weeks until your system adjusts. Taking small doses will help keep it manageable.” He reached for her, but she retreated from his touch and wouldn’t look at him.

“If I’m at risk for losing control, you should send the Vasi away.” She hugged herself.

He resisted the urge to cradle her in his arms. She always strove for independence, and it seemed he kept taking it away. “I already have.”

She nodded, a sad look in her eyes.

“It’s not like we’ll never go back to Chicago. You just need time to adjust.” He moved so she’d have to see him. “Clementine stayed to help.”

Her gaze darted to meet his, then away again. “Really?”

He dipped his chin in agreement.

“So I’m not alone?”

Sharp and burning, her question stabbed into his heart with more power than a wooden stake. How could she feel like this when he stood a few inches from her? She'd never suffer loneliness as long as blood coursed through his veins. Their definitions of company obviously weren't the same.

Tugging on his jeans, he struggled to keep his gaze off her. “I’ll send her in.” His words came out clipped. He deserved her scorn. Didn’t mean it hurt any less. He grabbed his armor and T-shirt.

“What are you doing tonight?” she called out.

Chapter Fifteen

Daedalus halted at their bedroom door. “I need to contact my nest and those still loyal to me. I need to confirm that I have returned to my place as Prime before rumors start spreading.” He wore a mask of cold indifference, resembling Pallas and making it difficult for Sugar to discern what he was thinking.

She had hurt his feelings. It didn’t take a genius to see this. She wrapped her arms around her chest, hoping to ease the sudden ache inside. Why did she care? He deserved whatever pain she could inflict, but she couldn’t erase years of love in one night. Not for what he’d done or why he’d done it. Her hand traveled to her throat of its own accord, and she yanked it away. “Who was the vampire who attacked me?”

“One of the traitors.”

She rolled her eyes. “Did he have a name?”

He frowned. “Why?”

“I think I have a right to know who—who did this to me.” She pointed at her fangs. Maybe it would help to know her murderer.

“Tom.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Just Tom?” Why was he so resistant to tell her?

“Thomas Carignan. He’d been in my service for two hundred years and was someone I considered a friend.  If I’d known he was capable of hurting someone I loved, I would have torn him in half and fed him to some stray dogs.” He spun about and slammed the door shut.

A void sucked the warmth from the room. The click of the knob echoed in the bedroom, which had just been filled with the noise of their passion.

She blinked. “Oh.” Her murderer had been his friend. Someone he once cared for. When he called them traitors, she’d thought he meant they betrayed the company, not him personally, but Pal Robi Inc. was Daedalus Pal Robi. Wasn’t it? It was funny how they needed to yell and hurt each other to communicate. A truce seemed distant, if not impossible. She nodded to herself.

Shivers ran over her flesh. This was a second chance that most couples never got. Things like how excited she’d been when her fangs pierced his skin or how great the blood had tasted rolling over her parched tongue shouldn’t bother her. She glared at her reflection. Right?

She snatched her shoe by the bed and aimed it at the mirror. How many did she have to break before being able to meet her own stare? She dropped the projectile and raced to the showers. Turning on the hot water, she filled the room with steam so she couldn’t see anymore. The shivers melted under the assault of the stinging water, and she leaned against the tile, absorbing the heat.

The Sugar she used to be was no longer part of her, but she had started to fade away long before Daedalus changed her fate. No, not Daedalus, Thomas was the one who killed her. Daedalus had tried to save her the only way he knew how.

The conversation she'd shared with Pallas while watching television haunted her. The way she treated him, without a good measure of healthy fear, was an excellent example of how much she’d grown accustom to vampires and shifters. Of how much she’d changed.

Did she even have any human friends left? Ever since being in the hospital, she hadn’t been able to return to work in the public libraries. None of her coworkers visited anymore. Even the Vasi considered her pack, though not an ounce of shifter blood ran in her veins.

She stared at her fisted hands. Being a vampire didn’t mean she needed to go out and kill a village. When she’d smelled the blood in the cup, the urge to hunt hadn’t taken control. Hunger had, but she’d been hungry like that as human and had pounced on a hot fudge sundae with more viciousness than the blood in the cup.

The stroke had changed her perception of who she was. Maybe being a vampire would help claim back who she once had been.

She dried off and dressed.

Someone knocked on the door. It was too light for a Nosferatu’s big fist.

“Come in, Clementine.”

The tall vampire peeked inside, her gaze growing guarded at the sight of Sugar's attire. “You look like you’re going to a funeral.” Crossing the room, Clementine took her hands within her grasp. “How are you feeling?”

Sugar had dressed in all black for a reason. The clothes clung to her body since she’d put on some healthy weight with the change. “Pissed off, disoriented, and—and motivated.” She could walk and dance, maybe even run. The grim reaper wasn't her shadow anymore.

“Understandable.” Clementine hesitated and gave her a shy smile. “You’re beautiful.” Then she cleared her throat. “I mean, I never knew you before the accident. Your transformation is amazing. Daedalus must have seen you by now.”

Heat burned a path over Sugar’s cheeks. “Yes.” Her voice had grown husky at recalling his impassioned cries. Experienced warrior or not, Daedalus had fallen to his knees by her doing.

“I can’t wait until it’s safe for the others to see you. Spice will be so happy!”

“Why did you stay?” They’d never been close. Clementine was Sam’s shadow most of the time, barely speaking to anyone but Daedalus.

She withdrew her grasp. “Sam was worried and, uh, I thought I could be of help.” Shrugging, she sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze downcast. “I was turned against my will too, so I have an idea of what you’re going through.”

“No one ever mentioned that.”

“It’s not something I’m eager to share.” Clementine gave her a watery smile. “Usually. Sam knows. I just wanted to give you someone to lean on. If you need it.”

“I’m not sure where to begin. My insides are all twisted. Every time I see Daedalus I’m torn between loving him and the urge to stake him.”

Clementine chuckled. “Sounds like marriage.”

Sugar snorted at the comparison, but Clementine was right. How did she know? Sugar gasped. “Did Daedalus turn you against your will?” Was Clementine’s fate her future? Sugar knew she couldn’t have been the only woman he’d loved, but to toss her in the face of an old flame seemed cruel even by Nosferatu standards.

Clementine shook her head vigorously. “No, he saved me from the one who had, though. You have to understand, Sugar, my old master changed me for profit. I was no more than a slave to him. When all seemed bleak and a long walk to greet the dawn sounded like my only escape, Daedalus gave me a second chance.”

“You can’t expect me to jump for joy at being turned.”

Clementine sighed. “It’s fine to be angry at him, but he did it only out of love. You didn’t see him…” Fiddling with the edge of her sweater, she appeared much younger than her hundred or so years. “He abandoned us at the empty house. Something must have tipped him off that they were attacking here. Maybe it was Pallas. I’ve never seen a Nosferatu use their speed so publicly before.  It should be all over the news, if not on YouTube, by now.”

Clementine's words soothed some of the turmoil in Sugar's soul. She sat next to her. “What you’re saying is my situation could be a lot worse.”

“He didn’t plan to do this. What happened presented itself, and like a man, he didn’t think, he reacted. He loves you so much. How can that be wrong?”

Sugar nodded, unable to form the words to express the level of frustration growing inside of her.

“Take your time. I’m here to help, especially with the feeding part.” Clementine made a face. “I remember it being difficult as a fledgling. The fangs take a while to thicken. I doubt Daedalus or Pallas remember that far back.”

Tonguing her new fangs, she nicked the tip. The sharp scratch was followed by salty goodness. Nausea rolled in her stomach once more. Even her own blood tasted heavenly. “Can I eat anything?”

Clementine shook her head. “But you can drink for pleasure. Blood is your only nutritional requirement.”

“Yay…” Her appetite had diminished in recent months, so it shouldn’t be a huge adjustment. “Can I get drunk? I sure could use a few stiff drinks about now.”

Clementine patted her thigh. “I’m sure you could. I’ll show you the well-stocked bar in Daedalus’s study.”

Grinning, Sugar followed Clementine toward the living quarters where she imagined Daedalus kept the alcohol. She had other plans for her evening though. She was tired of being the damsel in distress to Daedalus’s hero. “Do you know where my cane is?”

“Probably still in the library.”

Sugar's steps grew heavier. She had jumped too many hurdles tonight. Facing the place of her attack could wait.

“I could get it for you.”

“Yes, please, I’d like to still keep it.” Her answer came out too fast and pleasant, making her pain all the clearer. She did want her cane, though. Not for walking, but for the stake inside the shaft. “I’ll find Daedalus on my own.”

Clementine headed toward the center of the mansion to the library, her long red hair swaying with her gait, her presence too pacifying for Sugar's mood. She didn’t want to sit back and accept her fate. She wanted to grab it by the balls until Daedalus apologized.

* * *

Open files lay on the tabletop, however Daedalus didn’t see the information written on the papers strewn before him. In his mind's eye, the sting of Sugar’s bite kept replaying as if caught on a loop. The pleasure of those dainty fangs piercing him was incredible. And those little mewling noises she made while sucking on his flesh… A shiver crept over his spine. What would he do if she left?

The dungeon in the basement contained all manner of chains. Keeping her against her will crossed lines he’d never consider. Charm would have to be the weapon he’d wield. He grunted. His plan to gain her forgiveness was doomed before it even began.

“What are you doing?” Pallas limped to a chair across from him.

“Nothing really. Fooling myself into thinking I can concentrate on work.” He pushed away from the table and stretched.

“You should reorganize your company.”

“I haven’t the heart to start tonight.” He opened a different file. “I can’t begin until I’ve reunited my nest.”

“Haven’t the heart?” Disbelief colored Pallas’s question, and he scratched at his bald head. “What does that have to do with it? Your territory was invaded.” He banged the tabletop with his fist. “Take it back. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Daedalus shrugged. Getting Pal Robi Inc. back on track wasn’t that urgent. “The world won’t end if I don’t do it tonight.”

“This is about the girl, isn’t it? You saved her. She’ll be at your side for eternity or until you sicken of her. Get your head out of your arse.”

“I think you’ve overstayed your welcome in my home, Pallas. You should report back to the council now.”

“What am I to report? That Daedalus is so lovesick he can’t do his job?” His gaze hardened. “They’ll make me return and stake you. Pal Robi Inc. is not secured yet.”

“When did you start following orders so well?” Daedalus closed the file and tossed it at Pallas. The imbecile was right. Being Prime meant protecting his people. Dark foreboding crushed what little hope he had left. He’d been too busy playing with shifters lately. His days with the Vasi were over. “I liked you better when you weren’t so compliant.”

“Me too.” Pallas crossed his arms over his chest. “When did things change so much?”

Daedalus chuckled. “About a hundred years ago the humans discovered electricity. Things haven’t been the same since.”

Pallas shook his head. “Not that. I mean us. When did our clan begin losing so much power?”

“When the wars ended.” Daedalus meant the vampire wars. Humans still couldn’t find peace among each other. “Most of you went to sleep. The rest of us forged new paths.” He shrugged. “Some survived as I did doing security, others took less savory routes.”

“I would have thought you’d take the latter.”

“I did for awhile, but my views on right and wrong have altered.”

“Especially now that we live openly with humans.” Pallas frowned.

“This concerns you?” Daedalus didn’t bother masking the surprise in his voice. Pallas had been all about strategizing battles, hunting, and…blood. Maybe Daedalus should be more concerned as well. While Pallas hibernated, Daedalus had continued to live and change. It gave him a chance to curb his bloodlust. He raised his eyebrow at his injured brother who should have healed by now. “Have you depleted my stores of blood?”

Pallas made a face and pointed at the half-healed cuts on his head. “Cold, dead cells don’t rejuvenate as well as fresh. I’m strong enough to hunt, but I don’t trust myself to follow these human laws. Will you, at least, leave your Prima’s side long enough to hunt with me?”

“We’ll both go with you.” Sugar strode into his study.

“We?” The two of them echoed each other and focused on the fledgling who bore herself like a queen. He’d always thought she’d make an excellent Prima. The Vasi pack guarded her like a treasure. Her quiet support of the packs endeavors had given them a home and confidence they’d needed. “Pallas and I were discussing hunting hu—food.”

“I’m going to have to learn how. Might as well start now.” Her gaze narrowed as it met his. “You were going to show him the legal ways, right?”

He sometimes broke the law and fed upon evildoers. Old habits and all. She knew this, and it was a source of many of their disagreements. “Of course I was.”

Pallas rolled his eyes before facing Sugar. “What legal options are open to me in this new day and age?”

Clementine entered and handed Sugar her cane. “When I lived here, I used a feeding service. You pay a monthly fee depending on what you want. I’ve heard some cater to more extravagant needs of hunters.” She spoke of the need to chase prey that burned in his kind.

Daedalus focused his thoughts on Pallas. “Shut up. They’re trying to help. They don’t understand.” The hunt-and-kill was ingrained in Nosferatu society. Pallas would not reform overnight, but with some forceful guidance Daedalus could hopefully prevent the death of innocents.

“They do last-minute orders, but it costs more.” Clementine pulled out her smartphone. “I’m sure I still have their number.”

Sugar appeared paler than when she’d arrived. “Like takeout?”

A smile tugged at his lips. The first night Sugar arrived on his doorstep the guard had asked him if he had ordered a blonde for dinner. Maybe she recalled that evening as well and finally understood the guard’s question. Clementine wasn’t the only one who used those companies, and some did cater to more dangerous hungers. It came with a large price tag though.

A dark shadow passed over Pallas’s face. “Fine, order me a brunette with…” He held out his hands in front of his chest and glared at the girls. “Never mind, have Daedalus order. He knows what I like.” Without a glance his way, Pallas stormed from the room.

“Did I say something wrong?” Clementine put her phone away.

“No, just reminded him he’s in a strange time. He’s used to picking any human he wishes.” For Pallas’s sake, Daedalus should keep him close for a few years. No matter how big of a pain in his ass Pallas was, Daedalus would still mourn his brother’s death if he crossed the wrong lines in this stricter society. “I’ll take care of feeding him.”

“You can’t take responsibility for everything.” Clementine’s frown grew deeper. “Not and do a good job at it. I’ll—” She glanced at Sugar and swallowed hard. “I’ll help Pallas…adjust.”

He gave her a small smile of gratitude. Juggling a cranky Nosferatu and a scorned fiancée would take more finesse than he possessed. “Explain the human laws of feeding. We can’t allow him to think he can kill at will.” It still happened. The urge for fresh blood was difficult to control at times, and humans had no tolerance for murder. It only took a moment to make a huge mistake.

She held up her smartphone. “First, I’ll show him how to make his own orders.” She left to find the hungry Nosferatu.

Vampires did their best to not break human laws because they’d be hunted once more.  Humans weren’t guilt free either. Slayers still existed.

Sugar stared at the flooring, toeing a dust bunny. “I don’t want to feed from people. Can’t I just drink from a cup like I have been?”

“We can try.” He didn’t know of any vampire who fed this way, but then again, he didn’t know of any who would want to.

Chapter Sixteen

The idea of bagged blood appealed more to Sugar than takeout brunettes. It shouldn’t surprise her that these types of businesses existed. If there was money to be made, someone would do it. Humans owned all types of restaurants, why not one for vampires? Daedalus hadn’t visited any while he lived among the Vasi, so she hadn’t needed to think about it until tonight.

“You make it sound like surviving on stored blood would be difficult.” The smooth wood of her cane creaked in her tight grip, and she relaxed before it could snap. Her strength was growing by the minute.

With a quiet chuckle, he turned back to his maps. “It is. Some things are better learned through experience.”

“You won’t fight me on trying?” She watched him close his files carefully and place them within an accordion folder. Very old-fashioned.

“No, if you can manage, then you’re a stronger person than I.” He glanced at her without lifting his head. “I’m just happy you’re willing to drink at all.”

She frowned. “I’m not a fool. I know this is my second chance. I’m just not happy about the way it happened though.” Judging a book by its cover could lead a reader astray, and they could lose the opportunity to find their next favorite story. She would not make the same mistake with the gift she’d been given. She hadn’t asked for eternal life, yet it had been bestowed upon her. The question remained, what would she do with it?

He raised an eyebrow. “Would you have eventually accepted my offer?”

She pressed her lips together and resisted the urge to bop him in the forehead. How did he expect her to answer? “We’ll never know.” She pointed at the files. “What were you searching for?”

“Names. I use them to help me focus my mind as I call out to my people to return.” The ease in which he spoke of such power softened the metal in her spine. He could have used his abilities to change her mind months ago, yet he hadn’t. Being his Prima would take courage that she wasn’t certain she owned. He could break her with his power.

He sat on the edge of the table and held out his arms.

Automatically, she stepped within them. Part of her wanted to shove the stake in her cane in her own chest for craving his comfort, the other part to slide her hands under his shirt and caress the hard edges of his stomach.

His hands settled on her stiff back. “Would hitting me some more make you feel better?”

“No.” She dropped her forehead against his chest and closed her eyes. Striking him hadn’t made a difference so far.

He rested his chin on top of her head. “Would hitting Pallas make you feel better?”

She laughed. He could always find a way to ease some of her heartache. Even when he was the cause of it. In the hospital, a year ago, she’d lain in bed after the doctors explained why she couldn’t move her left side anymore. She’d wanted the universe to swallow her whole, yet he had stayed by her side trying to find small ways to make her smile again, and in return, she’d inflicted pain on him by refusing to openly show her love. “Maybe, but let’s wait until he’s healed so he can have a fighting chance.”

He twirled one of her long curls around his finger until it grew so tight she had to tilt her head back because of the pain. “I love watching you walk.” With a sharp fingernail, he traced a line along her throat. “I’m sorry for not following your wishes, but don’t ask me to apologize for wanting you at my side. Not after what we just shared.” Bending forward, he replaced his fingertips with his fangs.

Her eyelids fluttered shut at the pressure, but he didn’t break skin. “Can you still feed from me?” It had been a pleasure she’d quit indulging in after the attack.

He growled low and deep in his chest. The vibration traveled over her hands. “Yes, but not for nourishment.”

“Who will you feed from now that the Vasi are gone?”

Running his tongue over her skin, he sighed. “Blood in a bag.”

She pressed her hands against his chest so she could look him in the eye. “You don’t like it though.”

“No.”

Gnawing on her bottom lip, she allowed her gaze to wander away from his. She was hurting him again. Not intentionally, but her ideas of right didn’t fit in a vampire’s life. More than her body would have to change. Clementine had gone through this yet still remained one of the gentlest people Sugar  knew, and she also admitted to using the feeding service.

Sugar cleared her throat. “Maybe you should order someone.”

The muscles under her hands tensed. “Really?” He tapped his chin. “I wonder if that redhead I liked is still in the business.”

She punched him in the stomach before the action registered in her mind. “Oh shit.”

“You’re getting stronger already.” He grunted between words. “Caught me off-guard too.” Hooking his arm around her neck, he pulled her closer. “I was just teasing. I like them blonde.”

* * *

Hunger burned in Daedalus’s gut now that Sugar had dangled the option of fresh food in front of him. He hated the idea of blood in a bag. Vampire couples could experience a great deal of pleasure sharing a meal. He’d witnessed shifters and humans alike enjoying their food with as much passion as a vampire. Restaurants lined streets in every city, people paid extravagant prices for exotic dishes, and they even had whole television networks on cooking. The only difference was vampires considered blood their food. Some of his people had a more refined palate, some ate only organic, and others, like Pallas, had a taste for…junk food.

“You’re still teasing me. I’m trying to be serious.” Sugar rubbed the spot she’d punched. It didn’t really hurt but he enjoyed the attention. If only he could get her to rub lower.  “Stop it.”

“What?”

“You’re thinking about your cock again.”

“I wish you’d think about it more.” He set her hand on his shaft and showed her how to stroke it.

The heat of desire flashed in her eyes, and for a blinding moment, the last year of pain had vanished. He’d sacrifice anything to keep it this way.

She gave his hardening cock a solid squeeze. “Is it so difficult to think without this being involved?”

“With you in the room? Yes.” He cupped her breasts. “I’ve been deprived. We must make up for the lack.”

Just like that, the humor in her eyes disappeared. He could have ripped his tongue out. She brushed her fingertips over his zipper before letting her hands fall at her sides. “Yeah.” The word fell flat between them.

He gave her breast a farewell caress. See ya later, he hoped. An apology emerged in his thoughts, and he quelled it. How many times could he say I’m sorry? It obviously wasn’t working. Probably because deep down inside he wasn’t. He had what he wanted, and now he needed to convince her she wanted it too.

“I’m not sure how this will work between us. I can’t stand the idea of you being with another woman.” A tear spilled along her cheek before she punched him again.

“Okay.” He dragged out the word. “That spot’s going to start tingling soon if you keep this up.” Then what she said finally sank in. “Wait, what? Being with whom?”

“You’ve already mentioned how you’re not fond of feeding from men all the time, and I can’t picture myself pressing against a woman or holding her…” She shrugged. “If I’m going to feed from men, I can’t stop you from feeding from women.”

“What happened to blood in a bag?” He shouted the question. Hell no, she wasn’t getting cozy with any kind of male. Pushing off the table, he rose to his feet and took a deep breath to clear his head.

She paced across the room, cane in hand clicking with her steps. “I’ll try it, I said, but if I can’t, what are my options? I’ll have to find humans who’ll feed me. Shifter females are so possessive. I can’t imagine asking the Vasi for help. Maybe I should talk to Clementine instead. She might have some suggestions as to where—”

He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her to face him before she could wear a hole in his floor. “It’ll be fine, Sugar.” Cradling her in his arms, he pressed her shaking form to him. He couldn’t remember much of being a fledgling. Things were different for him and Pallas. “I’ve been a vampire longer than Clementine and know something about staying fed.”

“I know, but I don’t want to hunt on the streets for bad guys.” Her voice came out muffled against his chest.

He couldn’t stop his grin. “I do that for shit and giggles. I wouldn’t expect you to join me.” There was primeval satisfaction about hunting dangerous prey and feeding until their life drained from them. His clan’s urge to kill was the strongest. It made them fantastic warriors.

Unfortunately the days of wars were long gone. He’d chosen to fight crime in his own way to ease these urges. He would teach Pallas this as well. Hopefully it would be enough for him.

She nodded, her face rubbing on his shirt.

“Let’s start with a date.”

Jerking in his arms, she glared at him. “And do what?”

“Like other couples. I’ll take you to dinner and a movie.” He grimaced. “Unless you want to dance.” After a millennia, he still couldn’t keep rhythm to save his sorry ass.

“That sounds…nice.” A pale blush colored her cheeks. Hope swelled his chest that he could still induce this reaction from her.

“The vampire population is more prominent in this area than in Chicago. Many businesses cater to our needs.” He twirled her around to face the door and gave her a swat on the rear for good measure. She truly owned the nicest heart-shaped butt he’d ever laid eyes on. “The sun will be rising soon. To bed.”

She hesitated at the door. “Shouldn’t I sleep in a coffin like you did at home?”

“Not here. The windows are shuttered during daylight hours. We’re safe.” He offered her a reassuring smile.

It didn’t seem to help. “We could have done that at the brownstone for you.”

He crossed the room until he stood close to her, skimming his fingertips along her jaw. “You would have done it, wouldn’t you?”

She cocked her head. “Of—of course. I’m sorry it never occurred to me.”

Sighing, he traced her rosebud lips. It was this lack of deception, this honest desire to do good for those around her, which drew him to Sugar like a bee to honey. She was an enigma. Or maybe his life had been so filled with darkness that someone with such a generous soul would seem so to him. “I wouldn’t have allowed it. Shuttering the sunlight out wouldn’t have been fair to you or the Vasi.” He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and whispered, “Besides, how would you have enjoyed your gardens with the windows all covered?”

Chapter Seventeen

The library was still in shambles and held too many bad memories for him to relax, so Daedalus sat in his study by the empty fireplace with as many chronicles of fledgling vampires he could gather.

Sugar slept down the hall, and the comfort of her body called to him, but the need for knowledge drove him into another day of sleeplessness. Every fledgling he’d created was taken by his clan to train as warriors. Some of his brothers had vampire companions made for them by other clans, but he’d never felt this desire until recently. How did one teach a fledgling about the bloodlust?

For Daedalus, the Nosferatu had used it to drive their new recruits to learn and to fight, using the bloodlust to hunt and tear their victims to shreds. Sugar needed a more delicate way to discover her control. He didn’t want to send her over the edge into insanity. He wished he’d questioned some of his nest before now. At the time, it seemed like a weakness to admit this lack of skill. His pride could make Sugar suffer.

From what little he discovered, she would have had some kind of mental bond to her creator. He couldn’t find out what happened if the creator died in the process of her birth. Fuck a duck, he should have kept that twerp alive. He grimaced. The idea of her creator linked to Sugar would have driven him to kill the traitor anyway. Whatever issues this would create, they’d figure it out.

Slight shuffling of feet at his door caught his attention. “Come in, Clementine,” he called before she could knock.

She entered the room and waited in front of him. Decades of serving him as her master still kept her from treating him like a friend, even though they had shared the same house for months.

“It’s a little early for you to rise.” He flipped another page and scanned the contents.

“Not really. The sun set hours ago.”

He shot her a quick look and checked his internal clock with some surprise. “I hadn’t noticed. Where’s Sugar?” He’d wanted to be at the bedside when she rose, damn. Setting aside his book, he got to his feet.

“That’s why I’m here. She’s still asleep.” Clementine wrung her hands. “I know you’ve more experience than I, but I was wondering if I could offer you some advice.”

Crossing his arms, he schooled his expression so he wouldn’t appear eager. “Please do.” Why hadn’t Sugar risen?

“Fledglings have a difficult time waking for the first few months. Since her master is dead, I think you should take on this role.”

He nodded, a little chagrined since her words revived a very, very old memory of being kicked awake in the train camps. “I can manage this. What else?”

“I don’t think you should encourage Sugar to feed only from stored blood. Hunger in the young is very strong. The power it had over me when I first manifested was intense. It’s how my creator held sway over me and made—made me do those things.” She hated speaking of her past, and he regretted that his incompetence made her feel it necessary to recall her times as a whore.

“I appreciate your being candid with me.” She had given him more information in two minutes than what he had gleaned from these books all day. “I’ll confess to not remembering much of my own beginning.” Clementine could have taken the easy escape and returned to Chicago with Sam. He wouldn’t have prevented it, but she’d volunteered to remain at his side. “You’re a good friend.” He didn’t name many of their race that. “Please, feel free to advise me on Sugar. I’m...floundering.”

A bright blush spread across her face. She curtsied like in the old days when she’d been raised as a human, and left the room.

He followed her out then headed to the bedroom he shared with Sugar. So absorbed in searching for knowledge, he’d missed the sunset by hours. Call him dumbass.

Surrounded by a halo of golden hair, Sugar rested with an arm flung over her head. He could spend the night watching her sleep, and had done just that on occasion. Not tonight. He had promised her a date.

Pallas entered the room before Daedalus could reach the bed. He appeared whole. “Where have you been?”

“Reading. The female the service sent last night is well?” They couldn’t afford an investigation.

“Of course, she left very satisfied.” What Pallas considered satisfaction was better left unexplained. “Ready to hunt?”

Daedalus had forgotten he’d promised to show him where to hunt for evildoers and how to dispose of the bodies discreetly. In his absence these last years, the populace of criminals must have increased in this small city.

“Let me wake Sugar first. Why don’t you get her a cup of that stored blood?” He sat on the edge of the bed and nudged her mind with his. Clementine’s warning still rung in his thoughts about a fledgling’s feeding habits. The cold blood would have to do for now.

He would just have to change their dinner plans to somewhere with fresher...donors.

* * *

What passed for vampire rest resembled sleep, but Sugar hadn't dreamt, which had some benefit since it lacked nightmares. At dawn, her body had slowed, giving her enough time to find her bed when her switch went off and she lost consciousness. Next thing she knew Daedalus was waking her to a new evening.

Alarmed didn't quite cover how she felt. She could understand why most vampires went to such great length to protect their sleeping area. While comatose, she was completely defenseless. Would she have awoken if she'd been set on fire? She wasn't sure.

Pallas entered the room with a cup and handed it to her.

She sipped it. The blood tasted like cold, thick iron, and the vampire in her relished the flavor and what remained of her humanity cringed. “Thanks.” She eyed Daedalus. “Should I expect breakfast in bed every night?”

Snorting, Pallas shook his head. “I’ll wait for you outside.” He spoke to Daedalus.

Her lover gave her a weary smile. “If you’d like.”

She watched Pallas exit their bedroom. “Where are you going?” Didn’t they have a date? She wanted to practice feeding techniques before being faced with some stranger and looking like an inexperienced fool.

“I’m going to show Pallas my old feeding grounds.” Unbelievably, his eyes grew even darker. “I’m concerned with how he’ll adjust to this time period. Pallas isn’t very good at following rules, especially human ones, and there are so many laws now.”

She set the cup aside on her nightstand and took Daedalus’s hand within her own. “You care about him?” The brothers’ relationship seemed like a twisted combination of aggression and support. She understood this. She shared a similar bond with her twin. It was fine for Sugar to pick on Spice, but she’d be damned if anyone else tried.

“He might be an ass, but he’s still my brother, and there are so few of us left. I hadn’t realized how much I missed my clan until he showed up at our door.” He sighed. “It shouldn’t take long. A few hours at most.”

She squeezed his fingers. This little glimpse of his vulnerability gave her hope. This was a baby step toward leaning on her for help. She now understood her insistent need for complete independence had driven a wedge between them. “Go hunt.”  Their love for each other had turned into a desperate desire to not burden the other with problems. It had grown out of control recently.

He gave her a quick kiss. “Thanks for understanding.” Then he left.

Sugar finished her cup of cold blood. It didn’t quench her hunger as it did yesterday. She dressed and wandered the house, listening to the echo of her footsteps. The last few years she’d lived in a house crowded with pack. She'd never lacked company. Had he forgotten their date? She should have mentioned it.

The cellphone rang in her pocket. She pulled it out to answer. “Hello?”

“What the fuck is going on?” Spice’s voice held an edge of panic, and her fury radiated through the satellite connection.

Sugar closed her eyes and stopped in her aimless wandering. “Hi.” What was she supposed to say? She had gotten killed? “I’m a vampire. Surprise.”

“Eric is packing the car. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Sugar's lungs seized at the thought of her sister visiting. Not from fear, but hunger. She’d be fresh and warm, not like the dead mess in her cup. “Y-yes.” Where did that answer come from? “Can’t wait to see you.” Metal creaked in her grip as she squeezed the phone.

“You sound strange. Is Clementine around?”

The muscles in her limbs went stiff. “Who?” If Spice spoke to Clementine, she’d change her mind and not come. “I’m fine. Really, really fine.” Something sharp scraped Sugar’s bottom lip. She tongued her fangs. They'd grown longer during the conversation. “I can walk again.”

A small gasp sounded over the phone. “I knew it.” Spice sounded so elated. “Daedalus did the right thing, Sugar. Don’t be too hard on him. We’ll be there soon. I can’t wait to see you whole again.” Her voice rose with excitement.

“Okay, see you soon—”

The phone was taken from her grasp, and Clementine glared at her as she brought it to her ear. “Who’s this?” Sugar could barely hear Spice’s voice, and her words came out too mumbled to understand. Clementine frowned. “It’s too soon to come. Sugar hasn’t control over her hunger yet. There’s a good chance she’d hurt someone.”

Shame burned a path across her cheeks. Clementine knew what she’d been thinking. All Sugar could picture while speaking with her twin was Spice’s blood on her tongue. She’d become what she feared all along, a monster. She twisted and ran for the closest exit.

French doors flew open as she pushed her way outside. A lush garden lit with moonlight lamps greeted her flight, and she came to a sudden halt. She blinked and rubbed her head. Whoa. Where had this garden come from? The last time she’d been here she didn’t remember a water fountain. Her lungs still heaved. Not from lack of air, but from the struggle between the love for her sister and the desire to feed.

Control over her words had vanished when Spice said she would be here soon. Sugar wanted her here for so many reasons, but the worst of them could hurt her. Her sister had to stay away. All of her friends and family did.

She sat on the edge of the marble fountain and stared at the lily pads within. Bright pink flowers spotted the gently flowing water. Her gaze moved to blooming flowers that lined the stone patio. Quantity made up for the lack of variety.

A large hand rested on her shoulder while the other offered her cellphone. “Clementine told me about Spice’s call.”

Staring at her lap, she clenched her hands together. “I thought you left with Pallas.”

Daedalus sat next to her. He leaned back and stared at the starry night sky, taking a slow, deep breath. He always seemed more comfortable outside. Her garden had been their sanctuary very late at night when most of their neighbors slept. “We were on our way when Clementine contacted me. Pallas can wait a few more minutes.”

“I’m not sure what happened. It was like I had no control over what I was saying.” She ducked her head and allowed her long curls to hide her face. “I wanted Spice to come even though it would place her in danger.” Rubbing her temples, she tried to relieve the tension growing there.

“That’s the bloodlust growing.” He settled some of her hair behind her ear. “This is mostly my fault.”

A sarcastic chuckle was her only response. “No, you might think you have control over me, but that’s far from true. This is my fault as well. I chose to come here.”

His laugh echoed on the night breeze. “Oh, baby, I know how little control I have over you. If I had it my way, you’d be locked in our bedroom until I got home for our date.”

Her head snapped up, and she pinned him with a glare. “What’s stopping you?” Power oozed off Daedalus. Since becoming vampire she’d become more aware of it. Nothing could prevent him from doing what he pleased. Not in this house… “Pallas?”

The amusement on Daedalus’s face vanished. “No. That’s not even a little funny.”

She frowned. She hadn’t meant it as a joke either.

“You’re serious?” He cupped her face. “I bend over backwards to make you happy, and you haven’t a clue why I don’t toss you in a cage?”

The knots in her gut loosened, and she nodded. “Because it would piss me off.”

“Protecting you would be a lot easier if you were more compliant.”

“Hiding in the bedroom kind of defeats the purpose of living forever, doesn’t it? I mean, what kind of life would I have?”  She rose from her perch and checked out the grounds of Daedalus’s home. The patio spread farther out to an in-ground pool.

“A boring one.” He pressed against her back and wrapped her in his strength. “If I wanted a woman to control and pamper, I’d have had a Prima long before now.”

“I’m not opposed to pampering.” She rested her head back on his shoulder. She was so small it made it easy for Daedalus to engulf her.

“Did you know you’re my first fledgling?”

She heard the edge of anxiety in his voice. “But you’ve been around for so long.”

He nodded. “I’ve made a few Nosferatu warriors, but my clan took those to train. I’ve never asked to have a regular vampire made for a companion.” He leaned his chin on top of her head. “I spent all day researching what we should be doing.”

“And?”

“You can’t keep feeding from stored blood. You’re too young. The hunger will get out of control.”

“Like on the phone with Spice.”

“Worse.”

She hung her head. “I'll have to bite someone.”

“Yes.” His answer came out clipped. Glancing at him, she could see the tick in his jaw. That only appeared when he suppressed his anger. “It’s not as bad as you think.” He glared at the garden.

“Probably not. That’s what I fear. What if I like it too much?” She wasn’t a fool. She knew some vampires went feral. The news loved to sensationalize when someone lost control. Would she be a headline one day?

“I wouldn’t let that happen.”

“Because you have so much control over me.”

He chuckled. “We don’t have much choice at this point. I can promise to be the best teacher to my ability.”

The fierce pain of betrayal within her heart cooled. “You really didn’t plan on turning me.” She didn’t mean to sound as surprised as she did. What could she say? Doubt of his intentions had clouded a lot of her thoughts recently.

“One day I hoped you’d agree. Maybe on your deathbed when you were pushing eighty. I thought I would have time to learn what I needed.” He spun her around, his clear blue eyes piercing hers. “This is not how I would have done it.”

She ran her thumb over his bottom lip. “We feed tonight.”

He nodded, his face somber with his promise.

“Will we hunt?” She couldn’t picture hiding in shadows or going to vampire bars to meet food. Ugh.

“Not in the way you’re thinking.” He tugged one of her wayward curls. “When I get back, I’ll take you out like I promised. You’ll see.” Leaning close, he whispered in her ear, “Wear something I'll like.”

Chapter Eighteen

Abandoning Sugar in the garden with Clementine for company left Daedalus feeling hollow. The echo of his boots followed him out the front door. He had called his nest home. Soon she would have more company then two crotchety old Nosferatu and a somewhat-damaged vampire female.

Pallas sat in the driver’s seat of Daedalus’s car.

“Hell no.” Daedalus pulled the door open and yanked him out.

“How will I learn to drive if you don’t teach me?” Pallas grinned and ran a possessive hand over the roof of the car.

“They have schools for that.” He slapped Pallas’s hand off. “Go buy your own.” Daedalus slid behind the wheel and caressed it, wiping away any trace of Pallas.

His brother plopped onto the passenger seat. “I wonder which you love more, your car or your woman.”

“You should ask which I enjoy riding more.” He laughed at Pallas’s debased grin.

“I don’t have to ask. I know your answer. Both at the same time.”

The car started with its usual purr.  He peeled out of the driveway toward the gates.

Pallas closed his eyes and reclined the chair back. “Where are we going?”

“Hunting.” He aimed for downtown, on the east side of the city, close to the train yard. If memory served him right, this was where most of the drug dealers and pimps did business. “Blonde or brunette?”

Pallas snorted audibly. “What kind of hunting are you talking about? I had my fill of pussy yesterday. I want to kill something.”

As Daedalus had suspected.

“Don’t frown like that. The council schooled me on modern laws and forbade me from old habits. I’ll be good.” He lifted his head to meet Daedalus's disbelieving gaze with wide eyes. “I promise.”

“You should start thinking about your future.” Daedalus gave him a year before he was on some slayer’s most-wanted list.

“Like go to college, Dad?” Pallas had returned to mimicking sleep.

“No.” What a nightmare that would be. He should limit the amount of time Pallas was sitting in front of the television. “You work for me.”

“Running security detail?” “I think not.”

Daedalus's head throbbed. “Will you talk out loud? You’re giving me a fucking migraine switching back and forth like that.” He parked behind an abandoned restaurant. “I have better uses of your skills than security. I’d be too worried you’d eat my customers anyway.”

They exited the car, scoping out the area. Visually it appeared dead, but mentally he could sense business as usual a few blocks over. “Can you hear them?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s stop pretending that you’re not going to break the law.” He faced Pallas. “Our kind isn’t matched for this age, but there are smart ways to find satisfaction in the hunt. You have to pick your prey wisely.”

“No more screaming women running through the forest?” Pallas actually looked forlorn for a moment. It took all Daedalus's self-control not to smack the expression off his face.

“You can pay for shit like that, as long as you don’t kill.” Daedalus grabbed his brother by the collar and pulled him close enough to smell the soap on his skin. “Stop fucking around. I’m trying to help you.”

Pallas shoved away. “Fine.”

“It’s best to go after murderers. They’re most likely not to be missed by the police. The less of a trail you leave, the better. No witnesses.”

Pallas stared at him.

“What are you waiting for? Go.” He waved him in the direction of the evildoers.

“You’re not coming?”

“I’m saving my appetite for later. I’m taking Sugar out. There are a few nice places in town that cater to our kind. I want to introduce her to my favorite one tonight.” He raised his eyebrow. “Would you rather I take you there instead?” He could only hope.

Pallas shook his head.

“Very well, I’ll wait here for you. Try not to take all night.” He got back behind the wheel and turned on the radio. When he looked outside, Pallas was gone. “Good hunting, brother.”

* * *

“I like approaching from behind.” Clementine leaned over the kitchen table, mini watermelon between her hands. “There’s less body contact that way.” She glanced up at Sugar. “Unless you’d rather more—”

Grimacing, Sugar shook her head. She wanted to learn the simplest and easiest technique.  She’d bitten Daedalus during sex, but it hadn’t been for feeding. A human stranger would need more finesse.

“Very well. I support the donor's head and tilt it to the side for better access.” She slanted the watermelon. “Then aim.” Opening her mouth, she pointed her more developed fangs at the green flesh. The strike made Sugar jump as Clementine moved quick like a snake. She released her bite and pointed at the two clean puncture wounds. Clear juice trickled out.

Sugar's stomach turned.

“Once you puncture the vessel, you have to pull your fangs out so the blood will flow into your mouth.” She bent once more to suck on the melon then held it out to her. “You try now.”

A nervous giggle bubbled from between Sugar's lips. “This is surreal.”

Setting her hand on her hip, Clementine darted a stern look at her. “Would you practice on people first?”

“Is this how you were taught?” She set the melon on the table and found a clear spot. After Daedalus left, she had sought out Clementine and asked her to teach her how to bite a person. She knew he would want to do it, but she was tired of looking like a fool in front of him. For once, she’d like to surprise him.

Clementine's expression went flat. “Sort of. We didn’t have any watermelons, so we used pumpkins. Watermelons have a better pop to them, like humans.”

“That’s disturbing.” Sugar bent over the melon and angled her head.

“Tilt the fruit, not your head. It’s a cleaner strike if you keep your head straight.”

Sugar repositioned her body, mimicking tilting the victim's head, then she aimed her fangs. “Like this?”

“Lean your head back more so there’s more force. The cleaner the strike, the less painful for your donor.”

Doing as told, she no longer could see the melon. “Better?”

Clementine moved behind her. “I think so. Try it.”

She struck. The melon crashed against her lips as her fangs slid into its cold flesh. She grunted at the impact. That had gone better then she’d expected. Part of her had thought she’d chip a tooth on the first try.

“Good. Now retract from the bite and suck the juice.” Clementine leaned forward coming to eye level with the watermelon.

Sugar retreated, but the weight of her prey still hung on her teeth. Using her hands, she yanked on the round fruit. “It’s stuck.” Her words came out muffled with her mouth full of melon.

“What?”

“I’m. Stuck.” She stood and pulled, trying to free her fangs.

Clementine eyes went wide as she struggled with a grin. “I’ll pull the melon, and you try to get free.” A small laugh escaped her. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, so am I.” But it came out more like Yeb, O M I.

They got into position.

“Wow.” The exclamation came from behind her and sounded very much like Pallas.

Sugar closed her eyes. Flaming heat burned a path right up to the tips of her ears.

“Shut up.” Clementine’s command shocked Sugar's eyes open. Had this meek vampire goddess just given an order to the Nosferatu jerk? Clementine yanked on the watermelon.

Sharp pain zinged over Sugar’s fangs, and she yelped. The melon remained attached.

Daedalus appeared before her, frowning with his brow furrowed. “Should I even ask?” He peeled her lips back. “This has got to be the silliest thing I’ve ever seen.”

A growl rolled in her chest, something she’d heard everyone else do, but something she’d been incapable of doing until now. She dug her nails into the watermelon flesh.

Clementine set her delicate hands over hers. “Master, many of us used this technique to learn.” She gave him a pointed stare. “It is not silly.”

His gaze traveled from her to Sugar, then he shrugged. “I’ve never heard of it.” A huge smile spread across his face, and amusement danced in his eyes. “Can I take a picture?”

She snarled and kicked him in the shins. “Bat-turd.”

He winced as her foot made contact but didn’t stop smiling.  With gentle fingers, he eased each fang loose, then handed her the melon. “Want to try again?”

“No thanks.” She set it on the table.

“Please.” Pallas leaned against the door, blocking her escape. “I’ve never heard of this technique. I think this could be educational.”

“I doubt you need to learn more about biting people.” She glared at Daedalus. “I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

“Obviously, since you’re not ready.” His gaze traveled to her casual clothes. “Pallas is a fast eater.”

“I was starved.” The Nosferatu gave her a low bow. “Prima, that image will forever be engraved in my memory. Thank you.” He rose and twisted with unnatural grace, leaving her gaping like a suffocating fish.

“That male could try the patience of a saint.” Clementine straightened her blouse. “Sugar, we can continue this in private if you want.” She spoke to her, but her eyes were on Daedalus as if telling him to get the fuck out of the kitchen. Sugar could have hugged her. It would have been terrible being trapped in this house with the Nosferatu twins for teachers.

“I’m done for now.” She tongued her aching fangs.

Daedalus went to the freezer and returned with a bag of ice. He set it against her jaw. “Trust me. It helps. You’re not the only one who’s had their fangs stuck in something.”

She looked up at him under her eyelashes. “Yeah?”

“A tree trunk. Not as tasty as a melon.” He made a face. “I was tossed against it during battle. That night, I learned to keep my mouth firmly closed while fighting.”

She chuckled. “You’ll have to tell me more one day—uh, night.” Who would have guessed there was a learning curve to being a vampire?

He guided her out of the kitchen. “Go get dressed. I’ll teach you how to feed tonight.” He tossed a glance at Clementine. “You can take care of the watermelon.”

Chapter Nineteen

Daedalus parked in front of the entrance to a brick building on Main Street. Small lights twinkled in the darkened windows like a starry night sky. A red awning sheltered the entrance where the valet opened Sugar’s door and assisted her to exit the sports car.

Her stilettos clicked on the pavement as she wobbled. Using her cane with an expert's ease, she caught her balance. It had been ages since she’d worn heels. She’d borrowed these from Clementine. She’d also lent Sugar a dress, but her generous curves filled it indecently and drew the valet's gaze. The clothes she’d packed were more utilitarian and boring for a second first-date with her vampire warrior.

Daedalus strode around the vehicle and tossed the keys to the valet. They bounced off his chest. “Eyes forward, boy.”

She set her left hand onto the arm Daedalus offered. His black dress jacket felt soft and silky under her palm. She didn’t recall him packing it in Chicago. It must be part of the corporate life he’d left behind. Daedalus didn’t appear awkward in his tailored suit like some large men, but even formally dressed, he still moved like a predator.

He hesitated by the entrance and stared at her hand. “You haven’t worn your engagement ring in a long while.”

Anticipation fluttered in her chest. The diamond sparkled even in the dim light. “I lost a lot of weight while in the hospital. It would have fallen off.” But she’d always kept the ring with her even though her future had been stripped away. Daedalus had returned this future back to her. She could now think about marrying him once more.

“Resizing it wouldn’t have been difficult.” Not for him, but for her this ring symbolized who he’d fallen in love with, and it hadn’t fit anymore.  Both of those versions of her were gone, yet he somehow managed to care for each no matter the differences.

She leaned her head against his shoulder. “It fits now.” Becoming a vampire had changed her, just like the attack had. Those things were out of her control. What she did with her life after these events wasn’t. She saw that now.

After the attack, she’d felt like her life was over, so she didn’t bother living. Funny how it took dying for her to see that mistake. She wouldn’t let this second chance go to waste.

He tapped the cane she still carried. “You shouldn’t need this anymore.”

She glanced at it with a sad smile. “Call it a comfort. I used it for so long it felt strange leaving it behind.”

Daedalus opened the door for her and followed close behind with a possessive hand on her waist.

The interior’s dim lighting cast the room in shadows. Unlike human restaurants, tables didn’t fill the space. Couches lined the walls, some with curtains drawn, others not.

She swallowed, her mouthwatering as the scent of blood drifted around her. Without realizing, she took a few steps toward the smell until Daedalus’s strong hold stopped her.

“I reserved a private dining room.” He spoke with the hostess.

“Name?” She opened her book.

“Daedalus Pal Robi.” He stepped into better lighting.

Her eyes went wide. “Th-this way please.”

Thick carpet softened Sugar’s steps. She held Daedalus’s arm for balance. Hunger burned in her gut like glowing coals. Living off a diet of dead cells had left her starved.

They passed a couple sitting on a lounge chair in the public room. A man dressed in a collarless white shirt sat between them as the female vampire fed from his neck. Sugar’s legs stalled. The donor’s eyes closed and he sighed. She half-expected the male vampire to tear out his throat, but he ran his hand over the female’s leg, watching with earnest interest. Nothing erotic, just intimate.

“Shhh,” Daedalus crooned by her ear, his hand caressing the back of her neck and easing the tension building there. “We’ll take this slow.”

“I don’t know if I can manage that.” Prying her gaze from the feeding took all her willpower.

“We’ll get an appetizer to start. It will ease your hunger and then you can take your time feeding.” He pulled her toward the back of the restaurant where the hostess waited by a door.

She handed him a menu. “Your waitress will be with you soon.”

“Does Nick still work here?”

She nodded.

Daedalus returned the menu. “We won’t need this then.” He gestured for Sugar to enter the room.

A set of lounge chairs faced the door that matched the restaurant’s ambiance. The burgundy wallpaper absorbed the dim lighting and softened the edges of the room. Fresh flower bouquets decorated the side table next to a glass pitcher of ice-cold water. She ran her fingertip over the wet condensation on the outside of the vessel. “Who’s Nick?”

“A career donor.” Daedalus undid the buttons on his jacket and settled on the closest sedan. He patted his lap. “Let me do the ordering tonight. Eventually you’ll learn what flavors you like.”

She set her cane against the wall and approached him, but the urge to pace kept her from accepting his invitation to sit upon his lap. “People have flavors?”

“Sure. Their lifestyle makes them taste differently. Innocence, drugged, athletic, promiscuous…” He shrugged. “You know my favorite.”

“Bad guys.” She grimaced. “I imagine they’re bitter.”

“Depends on how much fear and adrenaline is pumping in their system.” He grinned, flashing his full, long fangs. The smile of a devil. Her devil. “It’s an acquired taste.”

“How did you acquire it?” She plucked a flower from the vase, inhaling its sweet scent.

He pursed his lips and stared at the wall. “I think my kind is programmed to like it.”

“How?” She set the flower back.

He watched her and rubbed his chin, as if trying to decide something. The silence grew thicker in the room. “From the time we awaken as vampire, Nosferatu fledglings are tossed into a camp. The training is brutal, and so is the feeding. No watermelons for us.” A small, wistful smile played on his lips. “They send humans into the camps when it’s time to feed but they make sure there’s never enough to go around.  Hunger makes you sharp.”

“That’s awful.” She hurried to his side. He rarely shared anything of his past, and she didn’t want to end this small miracle, but she sensed his guilt. Tonight wasn’t about hurting each other. She wanted them to find a connection to bind them together forever.

“So when you are fed a strict diet of fear-drenched blood it becomes an…addiction.”

She stroked his head. “Why choose Nick?” Did he want her to share his tastes? Fear wasn’t something she wanted to inspire in anyone.

Daedalus ran his hand over her leg until his fingertips reached just under her mid-thigh hem. “He’s a masochist.”

The hairs on the back of her neck rose. “What kind of kink do you think I’m into?” She bopped him on the forehead. “A few days with fangs and you think I’m ready for BDSM?”

He blinked with a bemused smile. “It’s not like that. Though there are a few places where we could find that if you ever change your mind.” He gestured at their surroundings. “Babe, this is a respectable restaurant with a wonderful reputation. It’s where vampire couples can come have a romantic dinner.” Lacing his fingers with hers, he pulled her onto his lap. “Relax.”

“Then why do we need someone like Nick?” She pictured black leather and metal studs. If her heart could race, it would.

“I’ll do my best to teach you to feed gently.” His hand slid between her knees and crawled higher as he spoke quietly by her ear. “But Nick won’t mind if it hurts.”

Her breathing grew ragged from both his touch and the thought of finally sinking her teeth into someone. “I’m too hungry. I don’t like feeling out of control.”

“You don’t seem to mind it when I make you lose it in bed.”

“That’s different.”

“Not really. Feeding for a vampire is still passionate.” He gripped her thigh. “But it doesn’t have to be sex.”

“You’ll stay with me?”

“Fuck, yes. I’m not leaving you alone in a room with Nick. I’d have to kill him after.” He pressed a tender kiss under her ear. “Someone’s coming.” He lifted her from his lap and set her next to him.

A young woman in the same professional uniform as the hostess entered. “I’m Rosaline, and I’ll be your service attendant tonight. Can I get you something from the bar?”

“Bring us a bottle of Sassicaia mixed with your freshest bottled donor. Once we’re done with that, you can send for Nick.”

She pulled out a list and frowned. “He serves only private clientele, and I don’t see you on his list.”

“I’ve been away. Tell him it’s me. He’ll come.”

She hesitated in the doorway, her eyes darting to Daedalus’s features, and Sugar could see Rosaline mentally tallying that something was different about him than other vampires. She nodded and left.

“You sound very sure of yourself.” It was something she’d been learning to mimic yet still had trouble implementing.

“I’m Prime. These young girls didn’t work here when I was a regular.” He winked. “It won’t take long for word to spread that I’m back.”

She pouted and touched his face. “It must have been terrible for you to rough it in Chicago.” Her sarcasm wasn’t wasted on him.

He grabbed her ass. “I found compensation.”

An older gentleman arrived with their bottle of wine/blood. “Sorry for the inconvenience, Master Pal Robi. So glad to be of service to you again.”

Her eyes went wide. Nick wasn’t what she’d imagined.

“Sugar, this is the manager, Antonio.” A twinkle of amusement lit Daedalus’s eyes. He knew that she’d assumed this was Nick. “I’d like to add Sugar to my account.”

“Very good, sir and miss.” Antonio poured two glasses and handed them out. “Just ring when you are ready for Nick.” He closed the door behind him.

“Your account?”

Daedalus gave her a secretive smile. “Your wine will cool.”

She sipped and allowed the smooth, warm liquid to roll down her throat. “Different.” She could taste the blood, but it was thinned by the wine. The flavors mixed well. “I like it.” She took a larger gulp.

“It’s an excellent brand.” He read the bottle. “And year.” Then he filled her glass once again.

“You’re not drinking.” Her hunger flared. She hated how it made her hands shake.

“The bottle is for you.” He cupped her trembling glass and brought it to her lips. “Wine will ease your anxiety, and the blood will curb your hunger.”

She drank, taking gulps, and Daedalus kept her glass full. “You’re going to have to carry me out of here.”

He chuckled. “We have the room until dawn, so there’s no hurry to return.” Lounging back on the sedan, he set one leg behind her, bending his knee.

“You shouldn’t have ignored your duties to your people, you know.” She pointed at him, but her finger weaved with poor aim.

Giving her a small, crooked smile, he set the full glass back in her hand. “I’m not ignoring them, babe. Time works differently for creatures like us. A few years are nothing. The only thing that dragged me back here were those idiots thinking they could kill me.” He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, and the light in his eyes faded. “I failed to protect you.”

“Here or Chicago, something would have eventually happened.” She continued to drink but with less of a frat boy’s enthusiasm. “I’m surrounded by shifters and vampires. You’re not the most peaceful lot to live amongst, and I’m collateral damage.”

Downcast, his gaze stayed fixed on the floor. “I know.”

“Spice is happy you turned me. It will be one less thing for her to worry about.” She kicked off one of her heels and slid her toes along his calf.

He continued to stare at the floor, not reacting to her touch.

“D?”

“Can you ever be happy?” Daedalus’s question came out so quiet she wasn’t sure if she’d heard right.

“It’s not a matter of happiness, sweetie.” She crawled into his arms. “As long as I’m with you that’ll never be an issue. The adjustment will take time though, and I’m not thrilled with how it came about.”

He continued avoiding her gaze but twirled her engagement ring around her finger. “You’ll still marry me?”

She lifted his chin and pressed him into the lounger with a kiss. Lips crushed against his, she pinned his hands by his head. Taking advantage of his surprise, she slipped her tongue inside his half-open mouth and plundered him like the harlot.

He moaned and pulled her against him until her legs straddled his hips. A hard bulge thrust against her panties. Why had she worn those?

In her passion-fueled hurry, she nicked his bottom lip. He tasted very different from the bottled blood, like electricity in liquid form. The flavor sent a jolt straight to her core, and she ground against him.

With his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her back on his lap and held up a finger. “Hold that thought, because once we start, I doubt I can stop for your meal.” He pointed to the now-empty bottle.

She rocked her hips one more time. “I’m feeling very naughty.”

He groaned and threw his head against the lounger. “It’s taking all my willpower not to seize you now.” With a smirk, he gave her a smoldering glance. “Don’t think you’ll get away afterwards though.”

Chapter Twenty

Daedalus stretched his long arm and pressed a button on the wall behind the lounge chair.

Sugar sat up straighter. “What was that for?” The wine had taken the edge off her anxiety, but it sprang back so easily.

“It tells them we’re ready for dinner.”

She crawled off his lap, settling her dress over her hips and tucking the girls deeper in their cups. This was it. She’d be biting some stranger. Breathing grew difficult. “Did they turn up the heat in here?”

He melted into the chair. “You’re so cute.”

She smacked his arm. “Stop that.”

“Relax.”

“You’re making it worse. I get—”

The door opened, and a man in his mid-thirties strolled in. Dark brown curls tumbled to his ears, and he moved with a dancer’s grace in the tight black slacks clinging to his thighs. When he closed the door behind him, he grinned. “I had heard rumors that you had returned, Master. Glad you haven’t forgotten me.” He sauntered across the room and shook Daedalus’s hand in a firm grip as his gaze traced over her. “And who’s this?”

She offered her hand, head spinning. “I’m Sugar.” She’d never conversed with dinner before.

Nick reached across the sedan, over Daedalus, and steadied her. “Whoa, sweet thing.” Setting her next to Daedalus, he glanced at the empty wine bottle then at her lover. “Are we sharing?”

“No, but you’ll be her first feed. I couldn’t think of anyone better to handle this.”

Nick’s back stiffened. “A fledgling?” He undid the top buttons of his shirt and opened his collar. Scars laced his throat and upper chest in a sorrowful design of old puncture wounds and cuts. Horror must have shown on her face because his expression grew dark. “I ask them to leave the marks.” He traced a rather gruesome bite on his collarbone. “Guess who gave me that one.”

She couldn’t stop from glancing at Daedalus. Would she ever stop being shocked by his lifestyle? Probably not. Part of his allure was his experience with crossing boundaries when she feared to even tread those edges. Maybe becoming vampire would loosen her restraints and allow her to fulfill some of those forbidden desires.

Turning her attention back to Nick, she noticed he’d rolled up a sleeve to bare his wrist. “We’ll start here.” He offered her his upturned hand.

“I take it I’m not your first fledgling?” She held his arm. Bite scars lined his pulse point. If she bit from this angle, would she miss the artery? Maybe she should come at him from a different angle. What if she bit too hard and her teeth went through his arm?

Daedalus pressed against her back and slid his hands over hers. “Nick’s a professional. He’s been feeding our kind since he was...”

“Fifteen.” Nick gave her a reassuring smile, like she was a child being convinced to eat her broccoli. “You’re thinking too much. Just bite me.”

“What if it hurts?”

His eyebrows shot up, and he gave a nervous laugh. “I’m hoping it will.”

Yeah, dumbass, he got off on pain. Stupid, stupid, stupid... Enough stalling. She opened her mouth and set her fangs against his skin, trying to ignore the memory of what had happened with the watermelon. With gentle pressure, she sank into his flesh.

He didn’t pop like Clementine said skin sometimes did. It could be the scar tissue.

Daedalus moved for a better view. “Release the bite so his blood will flow easier, and seal the wound with your mouth.” He set his finger on her chin and assisted with her fangs retreat.

Hot liquid scorched the tip of her tongue. She hadn’t realized how cold she felt. The siren’s beckon of Nick’s heat called to her, and she pressed her mouth against his wrist. Metallic flavor filled her senses, and she closed her eyes as she savored the way it eased the sharp hunger tearing at her soul.

“That’s it, babe.” Daedalus stroked her back.

“She bites like a kitten.” Nick chuckled and relaxed against the lounge chair. “How long will you be in town for?”

* * *

“For awhile.” Watching Sugar’s lips on another man’s skin should have bothered him more, but he’d known Nick since this restaurant hired him decades ago. “Are you interested in becoming privately owned?” Sugar’s feeding anxieties might be alleviated if her donors weren’t strangers all the time. In an odd way, he trusted Nick. He wouldn’t try seducing his naive fiancée for one thing, since his main preference was men.

Wait until she found out about that. Daedalus restrained his chuckle.

Nick gave him a seductive smile. “I’m not getting younger. If the pension plan were right, I’d be in the market for it.” Always the businessman. Daedalus could use someone like this in his company. Especially since he’d killed his best financial advisor this week.

Sugar’s swallows grew more frantic.

“Fledglings have to feed daily. I can’t feed her by myself. She’d drain me dry within a week.” Nick eased her head from his wound.

She blinked in a daze while he guided her up to his neck. With more ferocity, she stabbed with her dainty fangs.

Nick’s hiss of pleasure faded as she eased and drank with more voracity. “That’s better.” He turned his attention back to Daedalus. “What were you offering?”

“Help recruit a couple others to be her regulars and feed her for a year until she’s acclimated to a vampire’s life, then I’ll give you a choice. Retire on some island, or cross over and work for me at Pal Robi Inc.”

Nick grew very still.

Daedalus continued to stroke Sugar’s tense back as her feeding slowed. He didn’t make this proposal lightly. The halls of Pal Robi Inc. were empty, and he needed to fill them. His old allies might return, but he’d like some new blood to keep the old vampires on their toes.

“I think that’s an offer I can’t refuse.” Nick held out his hand again and shook Daedalus’s with a firm grip.

“It might be a few weeks before my offices are running well enough to draw up the contract.”

“That’s fine. I’ll feed her in the meantime and look for others until then.” Nick glanced at her. “She’s special to you.”

Daedalus pointed to the ring on her finger. “She’ll be Prima, which means hands off to any of the others you pick as well. Unless they have an excruciating death wish." Adjusting to others touching her even in the most platonic manner would be another test of his self-restraint.

She lapped at Nick's throat. The flow of blood had slowed to a trickle.

Slipping his arm around her waist, Daedalus removed her from Nick’s arms. “That’s enough.” He set her on the empty lounge chair across from where they were sitting and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. She seemed dazed and satiated. He couldn’t remember blood having this kind of effect on him, but he'd seen others in this state.

Nick buttoned his shirt. “If she remains this gentle, my other needs won’t be fulfilled.”

For a fledgling, she’d taken to feeding with a rare grace. He had half-expected to have to pry her off Nick’s body. She’d been remarkable. He eyed Nick. “I’ll introduce you to Pallas, my clan brother. He’ll take care of your other desires.”

Nick raised a speculative eyebrow.

“Trust me. If you want a Dom, he’d be willing.”

A wide grin spread across Nick’s face before he left the room.

It would be best if he made sure Pallas could restrain himself before introducing him to Nick. The loss of the human would be a nuisance, especially if Sugar grew attached.

She lay still on the lounge, one shoe off, the other dangling from her toe. She stared at nothing, then she blinked. Licking her lips, she sat up straighter and searched the room. “Where did Nick go?” The loose shoe fell with a dull thunk on the carpeted floor.

“He has other things to pursue tonight. How do you feel?” He ran his hand over the smooth skin of her leg.

“Uh.” She looked around the room once more. “A little confused, otherwise great.” She crawled onto his lap, straddling his hips.

He moaned while pulling the hem of her dress over her head.

“Daedalus.” She covered her chest and glanced at the door in earnest.  “What if someone comes in?”

“No one will enter unless we ring.” He leaned toward the buzzer. “Want to see?”

“No.” She laughed and wrapped her arms around his as if she could hold him down. Glimpsing the playful twinkle in her eyes, he sighed. Giving her control might not be such a bad idea.

He let her pin him to the lounge chair. “You’ve got me, you tyrant. What are your vile plans?” Please let them be very vile.

“Oh, I plan to have my way with you.” She rose and crossed to the lounge chair then tossed him an uncertain glance over her shoulder. “You sure about the door?”

He left his comfortable spot and locked it. “Positive.” Anything to get her to relax and let go. This was the Sugar he remembered. Playful, fun, and bashful. A growl rolled in his chest.

“Ah-ah.” She wagged her finger at him. “We’ll have none of that, Mr. Pal Robi.” She sat on the edge of the lounger and crossed her legs, dressed in only her white lace panties and bra, always white for Sugar. “You’re overdressed for the occasion.” Tapping her chin with her fingertip, she watched expectantly.

Looking down, he gestured to his attire. “You’re right.” He let his jacket slip off his shoulders and fall at his feet. In seconds his shirt and pants joined it.  He stalked toward her.

“Commando?” She licked her lips.

“Always.” He stood in front of her, imagining that tongue doing more interesting things. More desperate and depraved things. His cock ached at the sight, but this was her night, and he wouldn’t make any demands. However, he wasn’t beyond begging. He palmed his hardening dick and gave it a few consoling strokes.

She contemplated his form, letting her gaze travel over his body. “I’ve missed this.”

“We have all the time we need now.” The last word caught in his throat as she took over his stroking with her tantalizing hand. Her fingers barely met around his shaft. He bent and licked her bottom lip, tasting the faintest hint of blood.

“You never fed,” she whispered against his mouth.

“I’m old enough that I don’t need to feed every day, but I’m not so old not to want you daily.”

Shivering, Sugar parted her lips and pulled away from his mouth, sliding lower along his torso. She trailed kisses along his abdomen until she reached his cock and traced the tip of her tongue over its head. Then with firm strokes she lapped at him like an ice cream cone.

He sank his hands into her hair, his fingers struggling not to command her next move. “Oh, kitten.” The softness gliding over his hard flesh sent waves of pleasure through him.

She nicked his cock with her fang.

He hissed at the sharp burn. A drop of blood beaded on the small cut. “Don’t stop.” Gently, he guided her back. “Please.” He needed to be sucked off in the worst way. After everything they’d been through the last few years, he had to know she still wanted him.

Sugar opened her lips wider and swirled her tongue around the crown of his shaft, picking up the drop of blood. She moaned and drew him inside her wet, hot mouth with a slow, tight swallow, sliding him deeper and deeper.

He felt the careful brush of her hands over his hips. She caressed his ass before pulling him forward until his knees pressed against the edge of the lounger.

“Oh, fuck, yes.”

She fondled his dick with her tongue as she rode it up and down, digging her nails into his flesh so he couldn’t move. Mingling his pain with pleasure. Little noises of ecstasy escaped her talented mouth as she turned his legs into Jell-O.

Panting, he thrust into her mouth, trying to get farther each time. His balls rose so high, he thought they might vanish back inside his body. His cock slid back and forth between her lips as one of her hands strayed inside her panties.

She pulled the lace back so he could peek at her blonde curls while she touched herself.

“Oh yeah, babe.” He couldn’t breathe. Like a linebacker had tackled him from behind, he arched his back and came in heated jets. He tried to withdraw from her mouth to avoid hurting her, but she dug her nails into his ass. Swallowing, she responded to his climax with impassioned moans.

The pressure in his balls eased, and he sank onto the lounge chair. “That was amazing.”  He lay on his back, a victim to her desire.

She straddled his hips and unsnapped her bra, setting the lush bounty inside free. Her pink nipples, hard and taut, skimmed over his skin as she crawled forward, baring her fangs.

Stunned by her ferocious glare, he froze. Nothing was sexier than a woman with a purpose, especially when they were as small and exquisite as his Sugar.

She scratched her nails across the expanse of his chest and lowered to circle his areola with the tip of her tongue.

He groaned at the mixed sensations and ran his hands over her firm thighs.  Tucking his thumbs under the hem of her panties, he lowered them until she crawled free. He grazed the wet, tender lips of her pussy with his fingertips, naked and all his.

Hesitating over his chest, she arched her hips in invitation.

Not one to miss an opportunity, he probed deeper and found her slick with desire. Velvet flesh caressed his fingers as he pushed them past her entrance.

She moaned, tossing her head back. Her needlelike, fledgling fangs glinted in the dim light as she ground against his hand, then she struck.

The sudden sting caused him to shout in surprise as she bit into his chest. His cock surged back to life. He’d explored many avenues of release with Sugar in their time together, before she’d been hurt, but this was new.

She withdrew her fangs and licked at the drops of blood dangling from them. “Daedalus?” Panic laced her voice. “Should I like doing that?” She thrust harder on his fingers, clenching with increasing passion.

“Fuck, yes.” He dragged her closer. “Do it again.” His words held an edge of unexpected pleading. It had been so long since he’d taken a vampire female for a lover, he’d forgotten how their bites affected the beast inside him.

Without pause, she pierced his flesh again, just below his collarbone.

He arched his back, lifting both of them off the couch. Before he could draw another breath, she struck again on the other side. She elicited sounds of wicked submission from him. He couldn’t recall being trapped so eagerly.

Her lips suckled his flesh for a moment before moving higher onto his neck. She caressed his smooth scalp. “You taste like magic.” Then she bit again, this time harder, with a little snarl.

He wasn’t sure what flipped his switch, the fierce bite or the sounds she made, but he gripped her in his arms, pumping into her as she gnawed deeper into his flesh.

* * *

The taste of Daedalus coursed through every cell in her body. It kept calling to her. Have more, have more. He held her so tight, she couldn’t move as he thrust inside of her over and over again. All she could do was cry out while her orgasm burst inside her body, flooding her senses until she lay limp in his arms.

He bent her over the back of the lounger and gripped her hips.

She lifted her head and flashed to the first time they’d been together. He’d taken her in a similar manner. Rising onto her elbows, she tossed him a glance over her shoulder. The motion made her breasts swing free.

A dark hunger burned in his eyes as he rubbed his erection between her ass cheeks. He gathered wetness from her pussy on the tip of his finger and circled her anus.

She gasped, curling and unfurling her fingers. It had been ages since he'd touched her in this place. Tingling spread around the area as she imagined him filling her, stretching those secret muscles to aching ecstasy.

He pressed a finger inside to loosen the tightness. “You remember our safe word.”

A nervous laugh bubbled out of her. “Y-yes.”

He pushed deeper, adding another finger. “Say it.”

“Touch—” She moaned and tried to catch her breath. “Touchdown.”

“Good girl.” He spread her thighs and loomed over her. “I’m going to fuck you hard.”

The head of his cock teased the entrance to her wet pussy. She raised her hips to give him better access. Being at his mercy gave her a thrill. To have this much male power thrusting inside of her, knowing he could render her into tiny pieces but trusting him not to. Even though she was now a vampire, he could still end her existence, yet his losing control never crossed her mind.

With a smooth motion, he impaled her and pushed deeper inside her pussy.

She gripped the edge of the couch, filled to capacity. Words seemed too difficult to form, and submissive noises rolled out of her throat.

He plunged his fingers in time with his cock, shoving deeper and harder, spreading them to stretch the muscles of her anus.

“Oh God.” She threw her head back at the assault, but she wouldn’t utter the safe word. This erotic pleasure was what she craved. She loved the sounds he made as he took her, like she sent him to a place of bliss. More. She tried to say it, but a hungry noise came out instead. It seemed like enough.

He pulled out of her pussy and yanked her hips to set the tip of his cock against her back hole. His hands trembled as he eased it past her tight orifice. He went so quiet and tense, she feared for a moment he’d lost interest.

All she could hear was him panting. His fingers dug into her hips, flexing then releasing. She rolled her ass and managed to slide him in farther.

His snarl caught her off-guard. He shoved inside her until his balls rested against her ass.

She cried out at the sudden stretch, the pain so sweet she couldn’t move.

He threaded his fingers in her hair and yanked her head back, exposing her throat. His breath singed her skin below her ear. His chest bellowed against her back. A low growl reminded her that the Nosferatu were more feral than any of the other vampire clans. He licked a slow line over her flesh as if testing her taste, then thrust again sharp and hard, eliciting another of her cries.

Then he struck. Fang to flesh. Burning. Thrusting.

Her body pulsed with delirious bliss. A shudder welled up. She clung to the chair, searching for an anchor before Daedalus swept her away for good.

Then again, from his impassioned moans, she might be his tidal wave. He released his bite, and those moans turned into her name over and over. A hot wash in her core followed as his cries filled the room. It sent her off the edge in a slick slide to her release.

Chapter Twenty-One

Daedalus held the door as Sugar sat in the passenger seat of his car, her cane still in hand. She obviously didn't need to use it. On those fuck-me-now heels, she moved with a graceful sway of her hips that drew every male's gaze. That would take some getting used to again. He'd forgotten how unaware she was of her own beauty and how males responded to her. The vampirism broadcasted her sensuality even more.

Closing the door, he raced to the driver's side.  They had a few hours before dawn, and he had plans for those in the bedroom. It seemed like a good time to show Sugar her new vampire stamina. He never would have taken her like he just had when she'd been human. Not with that amount of feral passion. It would have broken her. They had much to explore as lovers now.

She waved to the valets as they left. He recognized the looks on their faces. They'd be anxious for her return.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Unaware of her effect on the restaurant staff, she watched the passing scenery through the window with drooping eyelids. She made a small, satisfied moan.

His chest swelled at the noise. He set his hand upon the back of her neck and massaged her loose muscles. “The night isn’t over yet.”

“Can a hot bath be part of our plans?” She rolled her head to meet his gaze. Only a deaf, blind, and dumb male could have missed the ardor in her question.

Leaning forward slightly, he sped toward the mansion. “Anything you want.”

Her husky laugh caressed his ears with promises of more than just washing. “I remember your offer to Nick. How often will I have to feed?”

He sighed and kissed his plans good-bye. The twist of their conversation might darken the mood. Discussing vampire life used to turn into an argument with Sugar. He hoped they were past this hurdle. “Every day for the first few months while your body continues to change. We’ll  have to watch your hunger closely as we wean you.”

“How long can you go?”

“Before I lose control? A month.”

Her head jerked from its relaxed pose against the headrest. “You feed more often than that.”

He withdrew from massaging and set his hand back on the steering wheel.  “Should I wait until I’m in crisis? It’s not a good idea. Do humans wait until they’re starved to eat their next meal? When I hunger, I feed.” It was best to adjust her expectations now. Her future depended on how she viewed taking sustenance. “How did you like feeding from Nick?”

She twisted away and faced the window once more. “It was fine.”

“I could retract my offer if you didn’t like him. No contracts were signed.” He gripped the wheel, taking a turn too sharply. “I just thought learning to feed from someone like him would be safe for you.”

“I don’t like the idea of keeping a pet.”

“Wow, that’s very vampire of you to call him that.” Nothing he did pleased her. He could buy the space shuttle and capture the moon, yet she’d still blame him for the loss of moonlight.

“What is he then?”

“An employee. He’s not cheap, Sugar. Being a donor is considered a profession among our kind. The government makes laws against feeding from humans against their will, but what keeps a scorned human from calling foul? If you haven’t noticed, humans tend to think us monsters guilty until proven innocent.” He cleared the strain from his voice. “Donors are paid for, contracted, and safe for my people.”

“Our people.” She still didn’t look at him.

He sighed again. The way she spoke those words didn’t encourage his confidence in her staying with him and his nest. She wore his ring on her finger, but what did she truly feel in her heart? That he’d betrayed her deepest wishes, or that he’d saved her from an untimely death? Once she gained control over her hunger, would she return to Chicago and the Vasi?

Silence filled the vehicle until he thought it would burst from the pressure.

“Do sunlamps burn us?” She whispered the question.

Tossing her a quick glance, he shook his head. “Why?”

“I was thinking about my garden in Chicago.” She traced the outline of her face on the window.

“I had the one at the mansion built in case you wanted to live with me one day. All the flowers bloom at night. You can do whatever you want with it.” He gritted his teeth and focused on the road. “I’m trying.”

With slow purpose, she twisted in her seat and set her hand on his leg. “I know. I thought I could make a sunroom or something.”

It wasn’t the flowers she missed, but the sunlight. “You can convert the grand hall into an indoor garden if you’d like.”

She squeezed his thigh. “That could work.” Her voice rose at the idea.

“You can start planning it tomorrow.” Keeping her busy would help with the transition.

“What about your nest? You really should concentrate on finding them.”

He did his best to smile at her, but he feared some of his sorrow bled through. “Don’t worry about them. The call to come home went out. I’m waiting.”

“I thought the sooner this was over, the sooner we could return home.”

All his years of experience couldn’t stop his flinch. She had more power over him than anyone in all his centuries. Could he leave his post? Would the council let him?

“Are you on your way home?” Pallas’s thought daggered through his mind.

He jerked in his seat as if goosed from behind. Bastard. He’d almost pissed his pants. “You know better than to barge into a person’s head. And, yes, we’re close. Why?”

“Good.” Even through their mental link he could sense Pallas chuckling. “Vampires are gathering outside. Clementine tells me not to kill them, but she refuses to go out and greet them by herself.”

“Listen to her.” About time his people showed up. He was beginning to wonder if they had abandoned him.

Maybe the council had sent Pallas to ensure someone of their clan kept control in the area, but the real question was whether he’d been ordered to kill Daedalus if he decided to return to Chicago. They equaled each other’s skill, so he didn’t know who would win in such an altercation.

“Everything all right?” Sugar straightened in her seat, searching the road. “What spooked you?”

“Pallas.” He tapped his head. “I hate it when he does that.”

“Will I be able to speak with my mind?” She relaxed in her seat again.

“I don’t know. Vampirism is different for each person. We’ll explore your gifts together as you grow into your power.” He turned onto his property and drove through the still-smashed gates. He added them to his mental to-do list for tomorrow.

In front of his home gathered a group of ten individuals.

His pride took a nosedive. Only ten?

Sugar leaned forward, undoing her seat belt, her eyes glued to the small group. “What’s going on?”

He took her hand. “They are the remaining loyalists in Pal Robi Inc., the ones who didn’t run when the company was taken over.” He exited the car and motioned for her to follow. Even though he’d trust these people close to his home, he wouldn't turn his back on them and leave Sugar vulnerable. He’d made that mistake once, and she’d paid the price dearly.

The click of her heels hurried toward him before he felt her presence close to his side. Her fingers slid into the crook of his arm in a possessive manner that took him off-guard enough to glance at her. She glared at his people as if daring them to separate her from him.

One of the women came forward. “Master.” She knelt, offering him a sword. He recalled her first name was Mary.

The others fell to their knees behind her.

To see them gathered like this warmed his old heart. Ten was better than none. When he’d left for Chicago a few years ago, he’d left a staff of over fifty to care for their home and financial security. Then those traitors took over, and Daedalus had dispersed his staff to take them out of the line of fire. Unbeknown to him these ten had stayed behind and infiltrated his betrayer’s confidence. Without their quiet help over the last year, he would not have known who to strike.

Those traitorous idiots had scared off the good ones and corrupted the weak. His personal bank accounts would sustain his nest for now, while his company got back on its feet. He pasted on a smile while his heart shattered. He wouldn’t be able to follow Sugar back to Chicago. His people needed him more, and she’d have to choose her own path.

He took the sword. “I can’t express how pleased I am to see you’ve come to my call.” Others of his nest were still too far away to have arrived yet. He assumed as the nights passed they would show up on his doorsteps in scattered groups. He hoped.

“We come for you to judge us.” Mary bowed her head first then the others followed.

He rested the flat of her sword over Mary’s neck and glanced at Sugar.

Her hands were clasped in a white-knuckled grip, her stare following his movements, but she didn’t utter a word.

Rifling through each person’s memories, Daedalus judged them as truly loyal to him. He lifted the sword from Mary’s neck. “Welcome home.”

The group rose, a few with smiles and others with grimmer expressions.

He took his fiancée’s hand. “This is Sugar.” His throat constricted, and he couldn’t speak for the emotion choking his words.

As if sensing his distress, she pressed even closer. “I’ll be your future Prima.” Confidence imbued her presence as she stepped forward. “Daedalus just turned me into a vampire, so you’ll have to give me time to adjust to this new life. I’m not a fighter or businesswoman, but my door is always open to hear your troubles.”

Pressing his hand to his stomach, he took a deep breath. She would stay. He gave the crowd a slow smile and embraced Sugar in a hug. “We all need time to adjust.” He gestured to the opening front door. “Come in. Clementine is here as well and will make room assignments. Tomorrow, we’ll start to rebuild our lives together.

* * *

Butterflies rolled in Sugar’s full stomach while she watched the group head toward the mansion and receive a warm welcome from Clementine. Would they accept her as Prima? What the hell did a Prima do?

Daedalus waited next to her in silence.

She turned to face him. “I have so much to learn. I don’t know where to start.”

He gave her a gentle smile. “Isn’t that fantastic?” Caressing her cheek, he moved closer. “And you have so much time to do it.”

“I do, don’t I?” She laughed as the butterflies settled and anxiety’s grip on her chest loosened.

He led her into the house and into the study where he closed the door. Leaning against it, he assessed her. “Are you alright?”

She gripped her cane as if it were her only lifeline. “I—I’m fine.” Taking a few steady steps toward the fireplace, she stared at the broadsword over the mantle and took a deep breath. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” He strode around her, his fingertips brushing her arm and setting her skin ablaze. “Because I’m not setting you free now that you’ve agreed to stay with me.”

She gave a small laugh. “I wouldn’t ask for that. When will you figure out I couldn’t be chased away if you tried?

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Pallas entered the room. “Is this all you have for a nest?”

“No. The others should be on their way.” Daedalus scowled. “Is there an emergency? We were having a private conversation.”

“I came to say my farewells.”

Daedalus crossed his arms over his chest. “What will you do now?”

“Report to the council that you’re back in control of the Prime seat in this region.” He turned to Sugar and bowed. “And that you’ve obtained a worthy Prima, though I don’t think you deserve her.”

A heaviness settled in her chest. Pallas was rough around the edges, but he came from a different time. Would he survive on his own in the modern world? Daedalus wouldn’t admit it, but she knew he’d mourn the loss of his clan brother.

“What about after that?” She glanced at Daedalus and recognized his calculating expression.

“Pallas will return to us.”

“I will?” Pallas’s eyebrows rose.

“Yes, I have a pet project I can't run now that I’m back in control of Pal Robi Inc. I need a warrior equal to my skill. Think you can handle being in charge of something without bringing the Federal Government down on our asses?”

“Depends on what it is.”

“I need an elite guard.” He nodded toward her. “To protect my Prima and other covert operations. I want you to train the warriors I’ve chosen.”

“Here?” Pallas made a face at the surroundings walls. “You’re not equipped.”

“Not here. Once you’re done making your report, we'll sit down and discuss the details. I think a separate installation would be best.”

The other Nosferatu stood silent as his gaze traveled between them. “You’ll take me into your nest?” For a split second, she glimpsed the young man that Pallas had once been. Had he been abandoned?

She crossed the distance between them and grasped his hand. “Yes, you have a home with us always.” Her pledge came out without thought, but it seemed the right thing to do. She remembered what it was like to be alone before she’d met a pack of misfit shifters.

He kissed the back of her hand. “Then you have my allegiance.”

“Good.” Daedalus clapped his hands. “I’ll contact Robert to gather the shifters he’s been working with and prepare them to move here when you return.”

Pallas’s eyes widened. “You never said shifters.”

“Does it matter? You’ll hate anyone I give you.”

He grinned and slapped Daedalus on the arm. “I have to make arrangements to travel.” As he left the room, he stopped at the door and tossed Sugar a wink.

She turned her attention to Daedalus. “Shifters guarding me?”

“Robert’s been asking for more training for the Vasi omegas. I can’t think of a better teacher.”

“Pallas will eat them alive.” She returned to her place in front of the mantel.

“They’ll be better warriors for it.”

Lifting her cane, she set it over the fireplace with his sword. “I think it’s time we both lay our pasts behind us and look forward to a long, happy future together.” It felt right to set her cane there. Not a traditional weapon, but it had helped her in her time of need.

Scooping her into his arms, Daedalus swung her around. “I’ve dreamed of this day. Never thought it would come true.”

For a time she hadn’t believed it either. Looking back, she could see that all her paths led to this moment, but her fear had kept her away. From now on, she’d keep that in mind when faced with terrifying things in her new life. She would collect her courage and tackle all her problems instead of turning her back.

She pressed a kiss to his lips, chaste and tender, savoring him. “I love you.”

His grin melted away all her doubts. “Babe, I love you right back.” The future lay bright before them, and together they’d bring prosperity back to his nest. Linked with a wolf shifter pack, they would flourish.

Content

Prima
Vanguards - 6
by
Annie Nicholas

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One