by Lynsay Sands
Chapter One
"So. . . what do you think your mother's up to?"
Christian Notte tore his attention from the cliffs sloping down to the sea and glanced over his shoulder to his cousin. Despite the question, Zanipolo was peering out the window of the resort van, his eyes glued to a scenery none of them normally saw. . . at least not in daylight.
He eyed the man briefly, noting that he'd slid sunglasses on and let his black hair out of its usual ponytail so that it partially curtained his face, offering more protection from the sun glaring through the windows. His gaze then slid to the other passengers in the van. Giacinta shared the seat with Zanipolo, sitting directly behind Christian.
Her eyes were positively eating up the passing scenery through the huge sunglasses she'd donned, her long blond hair offering her some protection as well.
Behind them sat Santo. The drummer had been the first to get in and had immediately laid claim to the back bench seat, sprawling out and rubbing his ringed fingers wearily over his shaved head as the others had settled in.
He was getting sun from all three sides, and with no hair to protect his head from it, but then that was probably why he'd claimed the backseat, Christian thought grimly.
Santo would always take the worst, most uncomfortable position, and leave the better spots for the others. It was his way. . . and never failed to annoy Christian.
"Well?" Raffaele asked, drawing Christian's gaze to the man who sat on the first bench seat, beside him.
The last member of the band, Raffaele was dark haired like the other two men, or like both of the other two men would be if Santo didn't shave his head, but his hair was cut short. He also had the Notte black eyes with flecks of silver that all of them had.
"Don't ask me," he said, settling back in his seat and returning his gaze to the passing seascape. "She said the scheduled band had to cancel and we would be perfect to replace them. "
"Uh-huh," Zanipolo said with a laugh. "Because every couple wants their son and niece and nephews hanging around on their honeymoon. "
"It's possible," Raffaele said thoughtfully. "Marguerite hasn't let Christian far from her side since finding him and Julius again. "
Before Christian could comment, Giacinta said, "She's found him a lifemate. "
The words were spoken with a certainty that brooked no argument and Christian had to resist the urge to glance back and ask if she really thought so. He'd suspected it himself when he'd gotten off the phone with his parents.
His father had been the one who had called. Julius Notte had simply said, "Your mother wants you here. Gather the band together and fly to St. Lucia at once. "
Christian had just stiffened up over the autocratic order when Marguerite took the phone and began to babble excitedly about the resort's scheduled band canceling, and the resort needing a replacement band, and she was so proud of him she'd played the video she had of them on her iPhone for the entertainment coordinator, and the woman had thought they were brilliant too. Everyone would love them she'd assured him. Besides, she was missing her handsome son, and. . .
Well, really, by the time she'd finished gushing in his ear, Christian had found it hard to refuse his mother.
Mother. He smiled at the word. Christian had lived more than five hundred years without one, dreaming of having both a mother and a father like his cousins had, imagining what she would be like. What his life would be like. And now he was finding out. It was even better than he'd imagined.
Marguerite Argeneau-Notte was the most nonjudgmental, loving woman he'd ever met. She showered those she cared for with a love and warmth that slid around them like a soft, warm blanket, a cushion from the rest of the world.
"Well?" Raffaele said, nudging him when Christian remained silent.
"Well what?" he asked, pulling himself from his thoughts.
"Do you think she's found you a lifemate?"
"I don't know," he said and pondered the possibility.
Since his parents had found each other again, Christian had spent a good deal of his time in Canada, getting to know his mother and other siblings. Each of those siblings was newly mated. While he'd enjoyed getting to know them, he'd also found it almost painful to be around such happiness and joy while he was still single. The thought of joining their ranks was. . . well-He shook his head.
A lifemate. He had been alone so long now it was hard even to grasp the idea of having a mate of his own.
"It's a lifemate," Giacinta announced firmly. "There is no doubt. "
This time Christian did glance back and ask, "Why are you so sure?"
"Because that is the only reason in the world that your father would allow her to send for you on their honeymoon," she said with a shrug.
"Yeah," Zanipolo agreed. "She's right. . . you lucky bastard. "
"Don't get his hopes up," Santo growled from the back.
"What if you're wrong, Gia. "
"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough. We're here," Raffaele announced, drawing their attention to their surroundings as the van slowed at a large sign with the resort name and logo on it. They turned down a curving lane and Christian glanced around. There wasn't much to see at first and then the way ahead opened up and he noted the buildings and villas climbing the mountainside on their left.
On the right it was flat and littered with what appeared to be stores and shops. A large main building lay ahead, and there was a walkway between it and the shops on the right.
Through the opening they could glimpse beach and blue sea and then they were turning into a circle in front of the main building and coming to a halt.
Christian followed Raffaele out of the van when the driver opened the door. He tried to tip the man, but the driver grinned and waved his money away, assuring him it was all taken care of as he moved over to speak to someone in a white shirt and dark pants with a clipboard and a name tag.
"Where's our luggage?" Giacinta peered up the road the way they'd come.
"I'm sure it's coming," Christian said mildly, but couldn't resist looking for the second van himself. It didn't hold just their luggage, but the coolers of blood they would need while here.
"Oh yes, it is coming. " Their driver was suddenly beside them again, and began to usher them toward another van, explaining, "I cannot drive you to your villa, but they will take you. "
Christian glanced toward the new van with the resort logo on it, and supposed outside vehicles weren't allowed on the private roads.
"They will bring your luggage when it arrives," the man added as he urged them into the new van. "Have a nice stay. "
Before anyone could respond, he'd closed the door and stood smiling and waving as the van moved slowly away from the entry.
"You are the new band. "
Christian tore his gaze from their old driver to turn forward and peer at their new one, noting the white shirt and dark pants. "Yes. "
"I'm Adam. Genie will be relieved that you are here," the man said, flashing a wide smile at them in the rearview mirror.
"Genie's the entertainment coordinator?" Christian asked, recalling his mother mentioning the name.
"Yes. You must be famous to be in the estate villas.
Usually bands stay in lower rooms or find their own accommodations, but you are in one of the big villas. "
"One of the big villas?" Christian asked with a frown.
"Oh, yes. They are beautiful with their own pool and chef. Yours has four bedrooms. "
"All right! Our own pool," Zanipolo said. "Midnight dips after the gig. Awesome. "
The others smiled, but Christian scowled, knowing his father had arranged it. Not that he wasn't glad to be in a villa rather than one of the "lower rooms," but he'd rather have arranged it himself and wasn't pleased with his father paying his way. The man tended to forget he was grown up and his own man now.
Well, he'd just have to pay him back for it, he decide
d as the van crawled along the curving, narrow private road that wound its way up the side of the mountain. The lower roads held long two story buildings with balconies running their lengths. He supposed those were the single suites or lower rooms. At the end of the first road, they turned in a small turnaround and headed back, taking the upper road to another turnaround allowing them to head up yet another road where another set of long buildings stood. Two more turnarounds brought them to a road where villas were set out side by side and clinging to the mountain like ivy. After two more turnarounds and they were cruising past more villas.
There wasn't enough room for two vehicles on the narrow lanes and Christian was just wondering what happened if a vehicle was coming down when another was going up when a vehicle appeared on the road before them.