by Mary Hughes
Fitting that she be the one to destroy it.
“Never mind.” He leaped to his feet. “It was an impertinent question.”
“No, that’s not it. It’s just sudden, that’s all.” She glanced at the boxes he held. “Red roses and candy are nice and romantic and all, but… Maybe we should get better acquainted first.”
Red roses and candy. Not for his warrior woman. Slowly, he lifted the long box from under his arm and offered it to her. “Let’s see.”
Taking it, she rested it on her knees. “I’m touched, but—”
“Open it.”
“I only don’t want you to be disappointed if I don’t give you the reaction you want.”
His heart beat faster, with hope that refused to die. “Just open it, will you?”
“Fine.” Yanking the ribbon along the box’s length, she released a sigh. Another sigh, before she popped off the top.
Her breath stopped. Her eyes widened at the long, curved metal and short wooden pole resting on the cotton batting. “Is this…an Ultra-Bardiche?”
“No.” Tucking his hands behind his back, he resisted a joyous smile. He’d obviously done at least one thing right. “It’s an Ultra-Bardiche Go.”
“Ooh.” She pulled out the blade. “Wait. This has slats.”
“Yes. It’s a war fan. Unlike a regular bardiche, which can’t be easily sheathed, you can carry this folded. When you need it, snap it out, lock the blades with that switch”—he pointed—“and insert it in the handle, there. Inserting it double-locks the fan. It’s almost as strong as a solid blade and a lot more useful.”
“Cool.” Unlike her tone when she said “romantic,” she sounded truly excited. “What’s in the other box?”
“Not candy.”
“Figured that out, bubby.” Tearing off the ribbon, she paused to give him a chagrinned glance. “Sorry. You don’t like bubby.”
He grinned. “It’s actually growing on me.”
She smiled in return as she opened the box to reveal a miniature crossbow. Her smile turned puzzled. “What’s this?”
“It’s a crossbow.”
“Yeah, but…” Extracting it, she held it up as if she were firing. “I can’t use it. It’s a toy.”
“Not quite a toy. It works. But you’re right, it’s not for you.”
She gave him a confused smile. “Who’s it for?”
“Well… I hoped you’d say yes. To marrying me. It’s fine that you didn’t, and the bardiche is yours. But if I was ever lucky enough to have you as my wife, I’d want a daughter just like you. And she’d need—”
“Yes!” She leaped to her feet, dropping his gifts to the couch, and grabbed him in a ribs-crushing hug. “I thought you didn’t understand, but I was wrong. You’re perfect. I’ll marry you.”
Joy lit his entire being. He was happier than he could bear.
He must have heard her wrong.
“You still expect me to reject you, don’t you?” She leaned back to meet his eyes, hers glimmering but her grin from ear to ear. “You ass. I’m not your family or your gang. When I make a commitment, I see it through. I’ll marry you, and we’ll make that daughter just like me. And a son, just like you. We’ll make a new family. Our own personal happily ever after.”
“You…you actually want forever with me?” He blinked. “A vampire?”
“With you—the vampire I love.” She gave him another crushing hug then released him to grab up the bardiche from the couch. “Now let’s you and me go hunt us some rogues. I want to check this bad boy out.”
Astonishment held him for a moment. Then, as she grabbed his hand and tugged him out the door, pure joy filled his heart. He’d arrived here, hoping for whatever time he could get with her.
For once, his hopes had not been shattered by reality. Reality, with Kat by his side, promised to be even better than his dreams.
As he stepped outside with her, he breathed the clear, refreshing air of their first night of forever.
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Glossary
Ach—oh (German)
Alal—destroyer (Sumerian)
Dalkhu—demons, evil spirits (Sumerian)
Halba—to freeze (Sumerian)
Inanna—goddess of sex, beauty, and war (Sumerian)
Gemütlichkeit—a spirit of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer (German)
Ja—yes (German)
Locotenent al umbrei—lieutenant of the shadow (Romanian)
Lordul Umbrei—Lord of the Shadow (Romanian)
Kur—underworld (Sumerian)
Ma chérie—my sweetheart (French)
Mon Dieu—my God (French)
Nein—no (German)
Pünktlich—punctual (German)
Skheid—shit (Proto-Indo-European)
Umbră—shadow (Romanian)
Wunderbar—wonderful (German)
Acknowledgments
Night’s Caress debuted in 2017, bringing a new Meiers Corners series to readers, no small feat in today’s world. My deep, heartfelt thanks to the dedicated professionals at Entangled Publishing, past and present, for making this series possible: especially Liz Pelletier, Candace Havens, Tera Cuskaden, Crystal Havens, Holly Bryant-Simpson, Riki Cleveland, Heather Riccio, and Fiona Jayde.
My thanks to Teri Hicks for her great prologue advice.
Grateful thanks to Stasi Swain, Jeanne Mead, Gladys Nason, and the rest of the Mary Hughes Readers for their ongoing help and support.
Big thanks to the winners of my special MH Readers giveaway, where the prize was a chance to name Kat’s weapons. You came up with the best names! Jeanne Mead—Jewels, Chance, Max, Ruby. Stasi Swain—a pair of butterfly daggers named Sam and Dean. Silver shuriken named Lucille. A crossbow named Black Widow. Gladys Nason—daggers Spyke & Angel. Crossbow Dixon or Cupid’s Revenge. Shuriken Fleur. Axe—Lizzie.
More big thanks to the MH Readers who helped me pick Rey’s name for Elias: Stasi Swain, Gladys Nason, Teri Gomez, Connie Toler, Jody McDavid, Bobbie Thomas, and Jeanne Mead.
Shout-out to Marianne Chiumento (Kitty, GP Book Reviews), who early on told me to send her everything I wrote. She has kept to that, staying with me through times both rich and lean. Her ability to write great reviews with superbly crafted material that’s perfect for quoting is unsurpassed.
About the Author
I write wickedly fun romantic adventures and steamy paranormal romances, stories that crackle with action and love. Challenging, alpha men—and women not afraid of a challenge. Oh, do the sparks fly when he meets THE woman guaranteed to infuriate and inflame him most. In real life I’m an author, a spouse and mother, a flutist, a computer geek, and a binge-TV-watcher of The Flash, Elementary, NCIS, and Wynonna Earp.
Don’t miss the Ancients series…
Night’s Caress
Also by Mary Hughes…
Bite My Fire
Biting Nixie
The Bite of Silence
Biting Me Softly
Biting Oz
Beauty Bites
Downbeat
Assassin’s Bite
Passion Bites
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