He was vaguely aware of Lily’s hands moving over him. Something tickled his face. Her hair maybe? The soft feel of her lips was on his cheeks, his eyelids, his temples. She was kissing him all over, the smell of lavender thick in the air.
“He’s gone, love,” she whispered.
And the last thought he had as he slipped into unconsciousness was that the woman he loved had saved him, and she was giving him a future.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
One month later
JACKSON SPOTTED THE RED-HAIRED nurse—Carin, he thought her name was—over by the champagne fountain. She wore a flirty black dress that reached midthigh, strappy silver heels and a narrow scarf—purple, to honor the Serrano family.
Maybe she’d want to hook up again. He glanced at the purple flower on his lapel—they’d make a good pair tonight. He started to make his way over there, but a hand clapping his back stopped him.
“It’s a good match, wouldn’t you say?” Lily’s father said as he surveyed the crowded room.
Jackson turned his attention to Dom and Mackenzie, who were still in the receiving line, showing off their new son before the christening ceremony began. They both looked so happy and proud, he thought, as they greeted everyone. Although having a family wasn’t something he saw for his own future, he was thrilled for them.
“Yes, sir, they’re lucky to have birthed such a healthy child.”
“Indeed. But I’m not talking about them. I’m referring to my daughter.”
Jackson followed the older man’s gaze to the dance floor. A three-piece quartet was playing some classical shit at the far end of the room. Not really what he’d call dancing music, but that didn’t seem to matter to some people. Alfonso lifted Lily’s hand, twirled her once, then pulled her close again.
Figured. Lily had always been into the slow stuff. Evidently, Alfonso was, too.
“I’ve never seen her happier,” Jackson agreed.
“Any union that produces offspring is a good and sacred one.”
Spoken like a true Council elder, forever concerned about their kind’s dwindling fertility rates. Jackson remembered Lily telling him her father had said this about Steven as well, when they’d thought he was Zoe’s birth father. Although Jackson respected Mr. DeGraff, he wasn’t thrilled about shooting the shit with the guy. For good reason, he was not at ease around the Council elite.
Eyeballing Carin again, he drained the last of his gin and tonic. He was about to make some excuse to leave when Lily approached. Alfonso had gone to join his brother. She waved over Cordell and Gibby.
“Cordell, you know my father, don’t you?”
Cordell reached out a hand and smiled. “Yes, it’s nice to see you again, sir.”
“And Daddy, this is Val Gibson. He’s from the San Diego office, where he—”
“Please, call me Gibby.” Val stuck out his hand.
Jackson noticed how Lily’s shoulders stiffened at the interruption. She continued to smile, but it didn’t entirely reach her eyes. Gibby was such a tool sometimes.
“Cordell,” Jackson said, trying to change the subject, “any luck tracking down the parent company that owns Hollow Grave?”
“No, not yet.”
Lily turned to her father. “Cordell is trying to find out who has controlling interest in—”
“Sweetheart, can you get me a refill? I’m simply parched.” Mr. DeGraff held out his empty highball glass to her and turned back to the men. “I’d like to hear more about this Darkblood computer game. I find it very fascinating.”
“Hold on, Lily,” Gibby chimed in. “Did you tell him how you tracked down one of the game’s designers last week?”
Lily blinked, looking a little stunned. “Uh, no.”
Gibson nudged Mr. DeGraff. “You gotta hear this, sir. It’s totally kick-ass what your daughter did. The guy, a human, was apparently clueless about what the game was actually being used for, but his memory cap was pretty fried. The guy was a mess, right, Lily?”
Not to be outdone by his friend, Jackson piped up. “Honestly, sir, the Seattle office would be nothing without her.”
Her father peered at her over the top of his glasses as if he were seeing her for the first time. Lily reached for his drink but he pulled it back.
“Tell me, daughter, before the ceremony starts. I’d like to hear more.”
THE TINY CHAPEL at Region Headquarters overlooking Horseshoe Bay was packed. Old wooden pews squeaked in protest when anyone moved, and warm candlelight flickered off stone walls and pillars, creating a surreal glow over the faces of all in attendance. The smell of incense and scented anointing oil reminded Alfonso of when he’d been a boy and accompanied his mother to her devotionals.
Alfonso couldn’t remember when he’d last seen the inside of a sanctuary—it may have been before his Time of Change. The traditions, like the lighting of the candles by the children, as well as the incantations and songs, seemed foreign and unfamiliar. But perhaps the strangest thing of all was that he didn’t feel out of place here or as if he didn’t belong, which, frankly, was what he’d been expecting.
Lily’s mother, who sat next to him, patted his knee knowingly. “We’re so glad you’re with us,” she whispered. It was something his own mother would have done. He flashed her a grateful smile.
Surrounded by these people, in this place, he felt like family, like he was one of them. For the first time in ages, he had a place in this world and people who cared about him.
Which was all that really mattered, he realized.
Lily stood at the front of the church wearing a lavender ceremonial gown, her straight hair shimmering like liquid gold. Seeing how beautiful she was, he knew he was one of the luckiest men alive.
He pushed his feelings out and shared a few of his emotions with her. She lifted her eyes to his and that little smile of hers warmed him up from the inside. God, he loved that they were empathically linked, sharing intimate emotions secretly amidst dozens of people. It was like having their own private language.
Making love and taking blood regularly from each other had strengthened their Enlazado link. He’d been experimenting with his newfound power, attempting to teleport to various locations, and he’d discovered that having a blood link—Lily, Zoe, his brother—at the target location helped pinpoint his focus. And Lily’s tracking capabilities were now more acute than ever. Although only a few Agents knew about the special bond between them, word was getting out about Lily’s extraordinary tracking skills and she was in demand all over North America. Being together caused each of them to transform into a better version of themselves.
And it was a damn good excuse for an active physical relationship. He recalled how they’d made love right before she’d put on that gown. They were a few minutes late because of it.
He glanced up to see Lily’s cheeks flushed, her lips parted, and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Undoubtedly, she sensed what he was feeling.
Before he could think about it further, Zoe tromped down the aisle in her patent leather shoes and squeezed past her grandparents. With a heavy sigh, she plopped down next to him on the pew. She was determined and focused, just like her mother.
“Great job up there,” he whispered to her. “Looks like you’re an expert with the candles.”
“How much longer?” She swung her legs impatiently back and forth.
“Not long now, Baby Girl.” He draped an arm easily over her shoulder. “I promise.” His chest swelled with a deep sense of pride and contentment at the revelation that someone like him could have fathered such a perfect and amazing creature.
“You said that before I went up there.”
If an impatient one, he thought, thoroughly amused.
“I know I did, but I’m serious this time. Look. Here comes the best part. Well, except for all the food and cake back at your grandmama’s house later.”
“Why? What’s gonna happen now?”
“Your uncle Dom is going to hand
baby Miguel to your mom, and the minister is going to bless him.”
“How come?”
“Because they asked your mom to be the baby’s eternal guardian.”
“Why? What’s that?”
“It was partially because of her blood that Auntie Mackenzie was changed into one of our kind, making it possible for her and Uncle Dom to have a baby. They are very grateful to your mom.”
“But what’s a turn-all guardian?”
“Eternal. It means forever and ever. If something happens to them, it will be your mom’s duty to see that Miguel is raised in accordance with his parents’ wishes and beliefs.”
“They’re going to die?” Zoe’s eyes widened, a look of horror spreading across her face.
He squeezed her tighter for a moment, hoping to reassure her. “No, honey, no one’s going to die. This is just a ceremony our kind has done for generations because babies are to be cherished.” He studied her face, which now seemed so similar to his own. Her dimple. The shape of her dark-lashed eyes. The way her hair curled up at the ends without any coaxing. He prayed she would always retain her innocence, that she’d never experience the pain he had. God willing, he’d make sure she never would.
“Did they do that to me when I was that little?”
“I’m…I’m not sure, sweetheart.” A lump formed in his throat. There was so much he didn’t know about his daughter. So much that he’d missed out on.
She pulled herself up on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. As he stroked her hair, he was surprised to find how natural it felt to comfort her.
“I’m glad you’re my daddy.”
He blinked to clear the sudden blurriness in his vision. “Me too, Baby Girl.”
Over the top of Zoe’s head, he saw Mr. DeGraff looking at them. He must’ve been watching them, because he tipped his chin and nodded approvingly. Alfonso smiled back, closed his eyes and squeezed his daughter a little tighter.
When the singing stopped, he turned his attention to the front of the church again. As if on cue, Mackenzie unswaddled tiny Miguel and gave him to Dom. The child cried, his wails echoing loudly off the walls. A few people chuckled. The boy certainly had a healthy set of lungs.
Zoe covered her ears. “Man, he’s loud.”
Dom nestled his son to his chest, encasing him in his arms, and the child instantly stopped crying. Then, with tears glittering in his own eyes, Dom held his son up, in all his glory, for the whole congregation to see.
“It is with great honor that I, Dominic Miguel Serrano, present my son, Miguel Foster Serrano, to the world.”
Everyone clapped, and a few people cheered and whistled. Alfonso expected Dom to turn to Lily now, as was protocol, but instead his brother’s gaze met his own. He waited until the noise abated.
“Alfonso,” Dom called out, “will you please join us?”
A hush fell over the room and all eyes turned in his direction.
He didn’t understand. He looked around for guidance. What was going on?
Zoe slid from his lap and pushed him. “Go, Daddy.”
“And bring your daughter, Zoe, my niece, with you.”
With a heart pounding out of control, Alfonso grabbed her small hand and made his way to the dais in the front of the chapel. Jackson, Cordell, Sadie and Mitchell all watched from the other side of the aisle, smiling. Next to them, Santiago nodded approvingly as he walked past.
His feet felt numb, his legs like rubber, reminding him vaguely of the sensation he experienced before he teleported. Oh God, he wasn’t going to disappear in front of everyone, was he?
Lily held out her hands and Zoe ran up the steps to stand next to her. “Nice job, love,” he heard Lily whisper. Or maybe he sensed it.
Alfonso paused at the bottom step. Was he really supposed to be here? What was he supposed to do?
“Come on, Alfonso,” Mackenzie said, motioning him up. She wore an ornately decorated gown in rich purple, the color of his family’s lineage. “My son is getting cold.”
He hardly remembered how he got to the top, just that he made it somehow and was now standing in front of Dom.
His brother looked at him, his eyes still glittering with moisture, and he held the baby out—like an offering. Alfonso swallowed against the lump that was even larger now and felt as if he were on the verge of breaking down. A year ago, if anyone would’ve told him he’d be standing here right now, in front of the brother who’d wanted him dead but who was now entrusting him with the life of his precious firstborn, he never would’ve believed them.
With shaking hands, Alfonso took Miguel and held him gingerly, cupping a tiny bum in one hand and a dark-haired head in the other.
Dom whispered, “He won’t break, A.” Then he motioned for Lily to join Alfonso’s side.
She slipped one arm around his waist and placed her other hand over his, and together they held the child. “I love you,” she whispered in his ear.
“I love you too,” he mouthed back.
In a booming voice Dom said to the congregation, “Will you, Alfonso Rafael Serrano, along with your betrothed, Lily Anya DeGraff, promise to raise our son in the manner we’ve set forth in accordance with the laws of our people and the traditions of our family? That in the event that something were to happen to his mother and me, you’d protect him and keep him as your own until the day the earth takes you back to its womb?”
“We will.” Alfonso’s voice was so thick with emotion that no words spilled from his lips as he moved them.
It was Lily’s voice, strong and proud, that everyone heard.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The next day
“I CAN’T HOLD HIM OFF much longer, you know.” Lily set her cell phone on the dresser and walked back to the bed.
With nothing planned today and Zoe up at the main house with a friend, they had Lily’s carriage house all to themselves.
“Santiago is like a dog with a bone,” she continued. “But then, I’m sure that comes as no surprise to you. When he sets his mind to something, it’s extremely difficult to shake him off of it.”
Alfonso held the comforter up for her and she snuggled in beside him. “I know, I know. I’ll talk to him later today.”
“What are you going to tell him? Have you decided?”
“That I don’t want to be a full-fledged Guardian right now. That’s not to say I won’t, because I have every intention of joining the Agency. But my duty is toward my family first. I have a daughter who hardly knows me, as well as a house that needs to be finished.”
“Not to mention a soon-to-be wife who can hardly stand it when we’re apart. We’ve got a wedding and a honeymoon to plan. I’ve been thinking, instead of having the reception here at Willow Run, what would you think about inviting everyone to your home overlooking the sound? It’d give Dom and Mackenzie a chance to see what you’ve done.”
“Our home,” he corrected her. “Casa en las Colinas is our family’s home. Mine, yours and Zoe’s. Do you think she’ll like it there? If not, she can stay here and—”
Lily touched a finger to his lips. “I know she’ll love it. She’s been talking about it already, although I’m afraid Mom and I will need to do some shopping for bedroom furniture. Zoe has it in her head that she wants a four-poster bed.”
“Then I will make her one.”
“You’d do that, love? Make our daughter a bed?”
“I made us one, didn’t I?” He remembered the painstaking detail he’d put into the carved headboard, imagining that one day, if he lived long enough to make love to Lily in that bed, he’d die a happy and fulfilled man.
With a casual ease, he kissed her and ran his hand over the soft curve of her hip. He noted that she wasn’t quite as thin as she had been, and for that he was glad.
“But for now, I’ll work as a freelance agent, doing special projects and filling in around the region wherever I’m needed, but I don’t want to be put on a regular schedule. At least not yet. I want some time to
adjust to my family and my new way of life. For the first time in centuries, I feel truly free, and I intend to take advantage of it.”
Alfonso wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She smelled of lavender. He inhaled, holding the scent of her inside him for a moment.
Lily ran a hand over his head. “I’ve decided I like your hair longer. Not that I don’t like it short, but I miss running my fingers through it. Promise me you’ll grow it back out.”
“Promise.” As a symbol of all the changes he was making in his life, that he was a new and different man, he’d had his hair cut short. But for Lily, he’d grow it back out. After all, he lived to make her happy.
Her cool fingers reached down between them to cup him. He felt himself harden again, despite all the love-making they’d been doing lately.
He’d sworn he was going to just hold her, but parts of his anatomy had other ideas. He simply couldn’t get enough of her. And he doubted he ever would.
She purred a sound of contentment against his chest. “Not tired of me yet? I figured I’d have worn you out by now.”
“Never.” He chuckled as he pulled her leg over his hip and slipped a finger inside her silky warmth.
“Not even when we’re old and gray?”
“Nope, not even then.”
He eased her onto her back and settled himself between her parted legs, that crazy belly button arrow of hers pointing straight down, just in case he lost his way. As if that would ever happen.
Poised to enter her welcoming folds, he looked into the eyes of the woman he loved, her blond hair spiraling out on the pillow beneath her. She’d given him his life, she’d given him his daughter and she’d given him his future.
Slowly, and with little resistance as she was so ready for him, he pushed himself inside her. She arched her hips and he slid in deep, his lips fusing with hers.
And he knew that at last he’d found home.
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