she let out a scream and lifted her hands to batter away the sudden intrusion. Strong fingers wrapped around her wrists and she looked up into Vincent’s serious, gray eyes.
She sagged with relief. “Jesus, Vincent. You just scared the hell out of me.”
“I’m sorry.” He glowered down at her from beneath his heavy brow. “I sensed something was wrong.”
She carefully took her wrists back and stepped away. Like most vampires she’d come across, he always made for an imposing figure. He was dressed in blue jeans and a black t-shirt that would probably be a regular fit on most guys, but on him was stretched over every bulging muscle of his shoulders, chest and biceps. His shaved head only served to make his strong features more prominent—the deep set, blue-gray eyes, the hard jaw and Roman nose.
Relief quickly replaced t he initial surge of panic. She was glad to see him. While Vincent might not be her vampire of choice, he was still a vampire and might be able to help her with Elizabeth.
“You were right,” she said. “Something is wrong.”
She glanced up the stairway, toward Elizabeth’s room. The upper floor remained still and silent. She’d need to go up and check on her daughter in a minute, though she suspected the poor girl had cried herself to sleep.
Vincent’s big hand made contact with her arm, drawing her attention back to him. His touch was cool, so like Sebastian’s. Memories flooded over her and she experienced a flash of excitement that caught her breath with its impact.
He’s coming home. Sebastian is coming back to us.
Unexpectedly, her eyes filled with tears. How much she had wanted this … but not at this price.
“Hey, tell me what’s happened.”
The big vampire lowered his head, bunching the huge muscles of his neck and shoulders, to take in the sight of her face. She turned from him slightly, almost embarrassed to admit the reason for her tears. Vincent had been a friend to her over the last few years—albeit a strange and periodical one—he’d disappeared in and out of her life at will, reappearing when she least expected it.
She didn’t know how he would react to the news that Sebastian was coming home. He was hardly Sebastian’s biggest fan. After all, Sebastian had killed Vincent’s mother, even if he couldn’t truly be held responsible. Also, she didn’t think she imagined the reason for Vincent staying around. She’d taken his blood , and taking a vampire’s blood created a connection stronger than any other in this world. She’d sensed his interest in her, in the intimacy he wanted to take further. But, in her heart, it was always going to be Sebastian. She would gladly accept Vincent’s friendship, but no one else would ever come close to the father of her child.
Vincent took her by the hand and led her into the sitting room, carefully leading her to the couch as though she were an old woman. She sat, grateful, and Vincent took a seat beside her. He leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees, the denim stretch ed tight across his thick thighs, his hands clasped together beneath his chin as he looked at her.
“I’m sorry.” She swiped at the tears dampening her face. “I think I’m still in shock.” She took a deep shuddering breath and told him what had happened that day.
For the first time, she witnessed Vincent’s eyes widen with surprise. “Wow. Poor Elizabeth.”
“We need to find a way to make it stop.”
“Is such a thing possible?”
“I was hoping you might be able to tell me that.”
Vincent shook his head. “I’m sorry, Serenity, but I don’t know of any other person like Elizabeth. I’m still young in vampire terms and I’ve never come across another half-vampire child. Perhaps you need to ask an older vampire …”
The implications of what he’d suggested cleared over his strong features and the reason for her being on the phone when he’d entered dawned on him. “But then you already have, haven’t
She sagged with relief. “Jesus, Vincent. You just scared the hell out of me.”
“I’m sorry.” He glowered down at her from beneath his heavy brow. “I sensed something was wrong.”
She carefully took her wrists back and stepped away. Like most vampires she’d come across, he always made for an imposing figure. He was dressed in blue jeans and a black t-shirt that would probably be a regular fit on most guys, but on him was stretched over every bulging muscle of his shoulders, chest and biceps. His shaved head only served to make his strong features more prominent—the deep set, blue-gray eyes, the hard jaw and Roman nose.
Relief quickly replaced t he initial surge of panic. She was glad to see him. While Vincent might not be her vampire of choice, he was still a vampire and might be able to help her with Elizabeth.
“You were right,” she said. “Something is wrong.”
She glanced up the stairway, toward Elizabeth’s room. The upper floor remained still and silent. She’d need to go up and check on her daughter in a minute, though she suspected the poor girl had cried herself to sleep.
Vincent’s big hand made contact with her arm, drawing her attention back to him. His touch was cool, so like Sebastian’s. Memories flooded over her and she experienced a flash of excitement that caught her breath with its impact.
He’s coming home. Sebastian is coming back to us.
Unexpectedly, her eyes filled with tears. How much she had wanted this … but not at this price.
“Hey, tell me what’s happened.”
The big vampire lowered his head, bunching the huge muscles of his neck and shoulders, to take in the sight of her face. She turned from him slightly, almost embarrassed to admit the reason for her tears. Vincent had been a friend to her over the last few years—albeit a strange and periodical one—he’d disappeared in and out of her life at will, reappearing when she least expected it.
She didn’t know how he would react to the news that Sebastian was coming home. He was hardly Sebastian’s biggest fan. After all, Sebastian had killed Vincent’s mother, even if he couldn’t truly be held responsible. Also, she didn’t think she imagined the reason for Vincent staying around. She’d taken his blood , and taking a vampire’s blood created a connection stronger than any other in this world. She’d sensed his interest in her, in the intimacy he wanted to take further. But, in her heart, it was always going to be Sebastian. She would gladly accept Vincent’s friendship, but no one else would ever come close to the father of her child.
Vincent took her by the hand and led her into the sitting room, carefully leading her to the couch as though she were an old woman. She sat, grateful, and Vincent took a seat beside her. He leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees, the denim stretch ed tight across his thick thighs, his hands clasped together beneath his chin as he looked at her.
“I’m sorry.” She swiped at the tears dampening her face. “I think I’m still in shock.” She took a deep shuddering breath and told him what had happened that day.
For the first time, she witnessed Vincent’s eyes widen with surprise. “Wow. Poor Elizabeth.”
“We need to find a way to make it stop.”
“Is such a thing possible?”
“I was hoping you might be able to tell me that.”
Vincent shook his head. “I’m sorry, Serenity, but I don’t know of any other person like Elizabeth. I’m still young in vampire terms and I’ve never come across another half-vampire child. Perhaps you need to ask an older vampire …”
The implications of what he’d suggested cleared over his strong features and the reason for her being on the phone when he’d entered dawned on him. “But then you already have, haven’t
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