Death of Darkness

by Dianne Duvall

  “Sleepwear.”

  “I heard Sarah tell Roland to make sure he bought organic sleepwear. Something about flame retardants.”

  Flame retardants?

  Seth looked at Leah.

  Smiling, she pointed to a rack beside her. “The organic sleepwear is over here. I also have some sleepwear there”—she pointed to a rack beyond it—“that isn’t made from organic fabrics but doesn’t contain the flame retardants. Just look for the yellow tag that says it isn’t flame resistant and should be close fitting.”

  “Thank you.”

  They crossed to the racks she recommended.

  Seth had to admit Ami was right. Though he didn’t feel right shopping while so much danger lurked in the Immortal Guardians’ world, it did succeed in taking his mind off things and provided him with a bit of a mental break. He couldn’t fume over Gershom’s determination to launch Armageddon when he was concentrating on what Adira would be comfortable in, what would look cute on her, and what wouldn’t make Marcus declare all children’s clothing designers pedophiles because he thought the shorts and skirts inappropriately short.

  While he considered a pair of pajamas with a giraffe printed on them, he became aware of Leah moving closer. Plastic and metal clicked and clacked as she placed more hangers on the rack behind him.

  The clacking stopped. The store quieted.

  He paused. Leah stood behind him and to one side. He heard her heartbeat close by. Smelled her strawberry-scented shampoo and her lip balm, which carried the same aroma of coconuts as it had in his dream.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw her take a large but deliberately casual step forward to stand between him and David.

  Looking at neither of them, she clasped her hands behind her back and just stood there. A faint smile lit her pretty face as she rocked forward and backward the slightest bit on her toes, turning her head one way and the other as though she were merely passing time while waiting for the bus to arrive. She even nodded as though she’d been carrying on an internal conversation and drawn a conclusion that pleased her.

  Seth looked over her head at David. What’s she doing?

  David shook his head, appearing equally puzzled. I have no idea.

  Are you still reading her thoughts?

  No. Are you?

  No. It was something else from which he’d dearly needed to take a break. His search for Gershom and the newly transformed immortals the bastard held had required him to perform a great deal of mind reading in recent months. He had wanted to enjoy a little peace and quiet for a change and had opted to leave the mind reading to David tonight.

  Leah chose that moment to look up at him.

  Seth arched a brow. “Afraid we intend to pocket some of the merchandise?”

  Laughing, she offered him another smile. “No. I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. I just wanted to see what it was like.”

  He shared another quizzical glance with David. “What what is like?”

  She shrugged. “Being short. When I was in high school, I always envied the petite girls. You know, the ones who were only an inch or so above five feet and never had to worry about being rebuffed by guys who were shorter than they were.”

  Seth stared at her, perplexed. “Guys rebuffed you for being taller than they were?” She really was quite lovely. He would’ve thought the boys would’ve been vigorously competing for her attention.

  “Oh yeah. Quite a few times,” she told him.

  “Why?” David asked. “You’d think they’d like being shorter than you.”

  Seth nodded. “It would put their faces right at breast level.”

  “Exactly!” she said with a grin. “That’s what I thought, too. But that ended up not being the case. At all. So I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be one of those tiny women who always has to look up at the men around them.”

  Seth raised his eyebrows. “And?”

  She grinned. “I like it. I haven’t felt this small since I was thirteen.”

  Both men chuckled.

  “You would love the rest of our family then,” David told her as he held up a pajama set to examine. “Every male is over six feet tall.”

  She nudged him with her elbow. “You shouldn’t have told me that. Now I’m going to crash your family reunions.”

  Seth smiled as she retrieved her rolling garment rack and moved on.

  I like her, David said.

  I do, too, he admitted. He’d smiled more in the past fifteen minutes than he had in…

  Well, it had been a while. Adira could always make him smile. Ami could, too. But Leah seemed to have a unique talent for eliciting full-blown grins.

  Probably because she really didn’t seem intimidated by him. That was rare. Very rare. Hell, immortal men and women he had known for hundreds—if not thousands—of years still maintained a certain reserved distance when dealing with him. And that included Lisette, upon whose sofa he had sprawled while trying to catch a few minutes of downtime. Her husband Zach was as old as Seth and nearly as powerful, but Lisette had never completely shed that hint of distance, that deference or respect, that had always been present when she interacted with him. There were very clear lines she wouldn’t cross.

  “I see now why Marcus is convinced all children’s clothing designers are pedophiles,” David grumbled.

  Seth looked over and found David holding up a small nightgown that was cut more like a woman’s.

  Again Leah laughed, drawing his gaze. “I’ve heard many a daddy say the same.” Then her brow furrowed. “Wait. Did you say Marcus?”

  David glanced at her. “Yes.”

  Leaning to one side, she studied Adira’s hair as though hoping she could glimpse the toddler’s features. Her gaze then settled upon Seth. “You said your name is Seth?”

  “Yes.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “You’re the Seth?”

  Seth cast David an uncertain glance as suspicion rose. “I’m not sure what you mean by that. Did Ami mention me?”

  “No.” The surprise in her eyes gave way to amusement as her lips twitched. “Sheldon did. Usually in sentences that begin with Seth would kick my butt if…”

  He laughed.

  Leah strolled over to join them once more. “I didn’t realize that was Adira.”

  Seth nodded. “She’s our granddaughter. Ami is our adopted daughter.”

  “Oh,” she responded. And the single syllable conveyed something that sounded almost like disappointment.

  Had he said something wrong?

  David caught his eye. “She thinks we’re gay.” And she’s attracted to you, hence the disappointment.

  Seth’s eyebrows flew up again as he regarded Leah with surprise. “We’re not gay.”

  She wagged an index finger back and forth between them. “You two aren’t a couple?”

  “No. David and I are as close as brothers. When we found Ami and discovered she had lost her own family, we welcomed her into ours.”

  Adira stirred.

  Seth reached out and took Adira from David, settling her against his chest. “Though I didn’t officially adopt her, Ami is like a daughter to me. To us both really.”

  “And Adira is like your granddaughter,” she said, smiling when Adira sleepily opened her eyes and gave Leah a glance. “Okay. That makes more sense, because you do not look old enough to be a grandfather. Neither one of you. You don’t even look old enough to be Ami’s father.”

  “I’m older than I look,” he admitted.

  Leaning toward him, she said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I wish I could say the same, but I’m pretty sure I look my age.”

  Adira straightened in Seth’s arms and stared at Leah.

  “Hi there, cutie,” Leah said and waggled her fingers.

  Her cheeks plumping with a big grin, Adira thrust her arms out and lunged toward Leah.

  Eyes widening, Leah hurried to catch Adira, inadvertently trapping Seth’s arm between the toddler and her breasts. “Oh! You gotta give m
e a little warning before you do that, sweetie,” she said on a laugh.

  “I’m sorry.” Seth wasn’t sure if he should retrieve Adira or relinquish her and extricate his arm. “Shall I take her back?”

  “No, it’s okay,” Leah responded with a good-natured smile. “She likes to sit in my lap when Ami brings her to storytime. So she knows me. Let me just… Here… How’s that?” She held Adira slightly away from her body so Seth could slide his arm out.

  Behind her, David’s face creased with a grin while Seth tried to minimize contact with her as he withdrew his arm. But she had lovely full breasts and hadn’t left him much space.

  Really? David asked telepathically, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement. Trying to cop a feel at your age?

  Seth shook his head. You’ve been spending too much time with Sheldon.

  David’s laughter filled his head.

  She really did have beautiful breasts though. Seth was surprised to feel another tingle of awareness slither through him.

  Adira giggled and bounced in Leah’s arms.

  “I’m excited to see you, too,” Leah said.

  Suddenly, male voices began to sing rhythmic dos to the accompaniment of piano and drums in the sprightly tune “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.”

  Brow furrowing, David reached into his back pocket and withdrew his cell phone. He shared a concerned look with Seth.

  Zach was supposed to be fielding their calls, so this wouldn’t be good.

  “Yes?” David answered.

  “Sorry to interrupt up your downtime,” Darnell said without preamble, “but Edward has been wounded pretty badly in Norfolk.”

  Seth’s preternaturally sharp hearing allowed him to hear both sides of the conversation.

  “How badly?” David asked.

  “He nearly lost an arm. It’s still attached, but even with blood infusions it’ll probably take at least a day for the virus to mend vessels, ligaments, muscle, and bone enough to take the edge off his pain. Zach had to teleport to Chile. Vampires were overwhelming two immortals there. And I’ve sent three more calls his way since. Aidan had to teleport to Ontario for the same reason.” Both immortals were powerful healers as well as teleporters.

  David frowned. “I assume Aidan took Dana with him.”

  “Yes. And Roland and Sarah were both injured earlier, so I’m thinking Roland shouldn’t do any more healing tonight.”

  If he did, Seth knew Edward’s wound would open on Roland’s body. Such always happened when younger immortals pushed their healing gift too far. And Roland was only nine and a half centuries old, give or take a decade.

  “All right,” David said. “I’m on my way.”

  Seth sighed mentally. So much for getting some downtime. I’ll do it, he told David telepathically.

  David shook his head as he pocketed the phone. No, you won’t. You really do need a break.

  Leah smiled. “I love the Mills Brothers. It’s so cool that you listen to them. I think it’s a shame that so many kids today refuse to listen to music produced before they were born. They’re really missing out on some great stuff.”

  “I agree,” David said with a smile, then caught Seth’s eye. She thinks we’re a mere twenty-eight or thirty years old to her forty-six. Another twinkle of amusement entered his dark brown gaze. And that you’re very handsome. “I’m afraid I have to leave. Something has arisen that requires my immediate attention. But it has been a pleasure meeting you, Leah.”

  “A pleasure meeting you, too.”

  Seth caught David’s eye. “Call me if you need me.”

  Nodding, David crossed the store, grabbed his coat off the coatrack, then slipped outside.

  Adira squirmed in Leah’s arms, wanting down.

  Leah lowered her until her little sneaker-clad feet touched the floor.

  Adira toddled away, patting the garments that brushed her head and shoulders.

  Straightening, Leah watched her for a moment, then turned back to Seth. “I guess I’ll get back to work.”

  Was that disappointment he felt upon hearing her words? He really was enjoying her company.

  Adira turned around and toddled back. Grasping Leah’s fingers, she reached out, took Seth’s hand, and placed Leah’s in it.

  Seth instinctively curled his fingers around Leah’s.

  Satisfied, Adira turned and toddled off once more.

  “Oh,” Leah said with a surprised chuckle. “Well. Maybe not.”

  Seth was surprised, too. What was Adira thinking?

  He glanced at Leah. Should he apologize? “Sorry about that.”

  “No worries,” she said with another charming smile. Raising their clasped hands, she turned them so his was on top and slid her free hand over it. “Oooh. Look how big your hand is.”

  How many times had he heard Tracy or one of the other mortal women he frequently encountered think Oooh. Look how big his hands are. You know what they say: big hands, big feet, big package in much the same tone as Leah’s.

  Seth couldn’t help it. He barked out a laugh.

  Leah’s eyes widened. “Wait. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

  “It sounded as if you like that my hands are so big.”

  She flushed. “I do, but I didn’t mean it like you think.”

  “How do I think you meant it?” he asked with exaggerated innocence.

  Face red, she laughed. “Stop making me blush. I just meant I like that you’re so big. Not just your hands. But all over.” Again her eyes widened. “I mean, not all over, but—”

  Laughing, he took pity on her. “It’s all right. I understood what you meant the first time.”

  Smiling, she squinted up at him. “You like to tease, don’t you?”

  “Guilty as charged.” Many immortals did. It helped lighten what could otherwise be a dark existence.

  She caressed his hand again, sending little tingles through it. “My hand actually looks small in yours. That’s so cool.”

  It did. And the sensations her soft touch inspired unnerved him a bit. His pulse even picked up.

  Seth eyed her curiously. “You really dislike your size so much?” He thought it a shame. She was a beautiful woman.

  Shrugging, she released his hand and let hers fall to her sides. “When someone gives you a complex in high school, it tends to stick with you.”

  Adira reappeared as if by magic. Taking Leah’s hand, she again placed it in Seth’s, then moved away.

  The two looked at each other and smiled.

  Leah nodded after Adira. “Maybe she’s hoping I’ll distract you so she can take her time looking over the toys she plans to coax you into buying before you leave.”

  Seth winked. “Or maybe she just heard you say you like my big hands.”

  She laughed.

  Damn, he was handsome, Leah thought. Funny, too. And his long fingers twining through hers felt really good. Maybe too good. She hadn’t held a man’s hand in almost a decade. She’d forgotten how nice it could be. How such a simple touch could speed her pulse… as it did now. That surprised the hell out of her.

  Seth released her hand. And she thought he seemed almost as reluctant as she to sever the contact. But surely she was mistaken. A man with his astonishing good looks would not suffer a dearth of female attention. Women probably touched him all the time.

  How weird was it that she envied them?

  Adira returned. Taking Leah’s hand, she again placed it in Seth’s and held them together for a moment as if to say I want you to hold hands. Seriously. Is it really that difficult for you to understand?

  As the adorable little redhead left them once more, Leah met Seth’s gaze. He had nice eyes. So dark a brown they were almost black.

  “I’m sorry,” he said with a baffled shake of his head. “She’s never done this before.”

  “That’s okay. No need to apologize. I think it’s cute.” She watched Adira meander through the racks until she stood before the wall of toys behind Leah’s storyti
me bench. “Looks like I was right,” she told Seth with a grin.

  “Apparently so.”

  “Well…” She shrugged. “I’m up for taking a break from work and don’t mind holding a handsome man’s hand while doing so. Why don’t I help you knock out that list of yours?”

  He smiled. “Sounds good. Particularly since I haven’t held a beautiful woman’s hand in a long time.”

  “I find that very hard to believe, and I know I’m not beautiful. But I’ll let you get away with saying it because it’s good for my ego.”

  He laughed.

  She even liked his laugh, so deep and rumbly she could almost feel it.

  As they worked their way through the racks, comparing nightgowns and dresses for Adira, he slid his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand in an absent caress. When she made him laugh, he squeezed her hand. His brown eyes twinkled. And his lips stretched in an appealing grin, flashing straight white teeth.

  He made her laugh, too, with his penchant for teasing.

  Leah didn’t think she had ever had so much fun helping a customer find what he wanted. She didn’t even realize until they had found everything on his list that he and Adira had stayed twenty minutes past closing time.

  Leah couldn’t have cared less. Smiling up at him, she nodded toward Adira. “Shall we see what toys she’s picked out?”

  He nodded.

  Still holding hands, they weaved their way through the racks to stand beside the toddler.

  “See anything you want, poppet?” Seth asked, his deep voice full of affection.

  Leah waited for Adira to start pointing to a multitude of toys. She had seen a lot of battles erupt between parent and child when the child wanted more toys than the parent wished to purchase.

  Adira crossed to the substantial section of stuffed animals and chose a buffalo. A large smile wreathing her face, she returned and stared up at Seth.

  Still holding Leah’s hand, he knelt in front of his granddaughter. “That’s a handsome fellow.” He drew his free hand down over its back. “So soft. Did you know that some bison are taller than I am?”

  Adira’s eyes widened as she shook her head.

  Smiling, Seth rose. “I’ll have to take you to Yellowstone to see them. Any other toys you’d like?”