by Tl Reeve
Yevgeni shook his head. “It has no effect on them, since genetically, they’re on a different spectrum. Their animal bonds to their human psyche and they become one. Vampires are just that. There is no duplicity in their biological make up. Plus, shifters can’t make their kind, vampires can and do. Dhampir like Natasha make it so the biological line of a family can continue on.”
“So, Sebastian, Erik, and I won’t be able to have biological children?” Greer’s soft tone held a wealth of emotion.
“Unfortunately, no,” their uncle answered. “Only the female dhampir have that ability. I am sorry. I know how upsetting all of this is.”
Jacob tucked Greer into his side. “It will be just fine, sir. We will have children one day, I think a lot has happened over the last few days and it is a bit overwhelming.”
He could say that again.
Natasha had gone from wanting to be free and start her own life away from a community she didn’t feel like she belong in, to being a part of the other community and then some. Add in the fact she held the key to helping the vampires walk in the sun once more...talk about pressure.
“Even I feel it,” her uncle said. “I have dedicated my life to finding you. Dimitri would have been so happy knowing you lived. He...he went insane you see. He thought with your mother’s death, and not finding you three, you too had died. He lost his will to live and to keep pushing forward. I would have never thought to check with Annalina’s parents. I didn’t know them, I’m not sure Dimitri did either.”
“I don’t mean to be rude,” Natasha said. “But, how old are you?” Even if her mother and father met in their thirties, Yevgeni couldn’t be more than fifty if that much, though he appeared older.
“I am a stout one hundred and twenty-four years old,” he said with a slightly smug grin.
“No shit,” she said breathlessly, surprised by his honestly.
“No shit,” he replied with a lift of his chin.
“This is...wow.” She scrubbed her forehead. “I’m not naive when it comes to lifespans, especially since I was raised in a shifter community, it’s all a bit...”
Yevgeni patted her hand. “It’s a bit startling when you make the connection between yourself and your nest.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Nest?”
“What we call a group of vampires. A nest.”
She looked to Maël who nodded. “So, does that mean my demons and vampire are part of our nest?”
Yevgeni chuckled. “Yes. The invitation is also extended to Greer and Jacob, though I think for a shifter it might take a bit more time to accept.”
“Not as much as you’d think,” Jacob said. “I am a solitary shifter after all.”
“What are you anyway?” Natasha winced at her tone. “I have been dying to ask you since last night. I mean you walk around during the day time, I figured wolf or something preppy.”
Jacob laughed. “Not even close. Gargoyle.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Natasha blinked. “One of them cherub things that sit on the peaks of buildings standing guard?”
Jacob nodded. “Only, my gargoyle form isn’t a cherub. It’s bigger. Think demon wings instead of feathers.”
“He’s so fucking hot,” Greer said with a sigh.
Natasha bit the inside of her cheek so not to laugh at the way the red-headed girl sighed as she stared at Jacob and her brothers. She had it bad for them. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Sebastian, and Erik, are you planning on changing your human?” Yevgeni cut through their idle chit-chat.
Her brothers stared at Greer. The stern looks on their faces said enough without word, like Maël, Taichi and Keiji, they left the decision up to Greer. No one but her could give Natasha’s uncle an answer.
“I will take the bite when I am ready,” Greer said. “I have agreed to it, but all of the details have been left for me to sort through.”
Their uncle nodded. “You should live your life as you choose. Have children, then take the bite. Give yourself a rich family filled with the pitter-patter of tiny feet. Experience everything together. Sebastian and Erik can still bite you and not change you without offering up their blood.” He added, “It would be nice to hear a child’s laughter again after so many years.”
Greer nodded. “Thank you.”
Yevgeni motioned for one of the men standing behind him to approach the table. In the man’s hand was a briefcase. He handed it to her uncle before stepping away. “This is all the information you and your brothers need to know about your family and your inheritance.”
“I’m sorry, inheritance?” She had money? What?
Her uncle retrieved three stacks of paperwork. He handed one to her and the others to her brothers. She glanced down at an investment portfolio summary. She’d never seen so many zeros before in her life. “This ...” She licked her lips. The trepidatious knots in her stomach clenched. Her heart pounded. “This is for me?”
Her uncle nodded. “Yes, all three of you have an equal amount of money. You also own a piece of all of the Nemescu businesses, along with some other stocks and bonds. You are the heir, Natasha. The way your father arranged everything, once you learn the business, your brothers will become your advisors, and I ...” he sighed. “I will retire.”
“Walk into the sun?” She choked out.
He snorted. “And miss these years by your budding family’s side? Never.” He winked at her then gave her an impish smile. “I might go on vacation. Find a lover or three like you have.” He wiggled his brows.
Oh wow. Ew. Natasha laughed. “Sometimes, I don’t need to know these things.”
“I have one more gift for you. All of you,” her uncle announced. “There will be a ball in two weeks in your honor. All Hallows Eve.”
Natasha blinked. “Seriously?”
Yevgeni nodded. “Yes. It will be a perfect time to announce the heirs to the Nemescu syndicate have returned and enjoy the festivities.”
Natasha left the hotel an hour later. Thoughts of what to do next spun through her mind. She couldn’t believe she was returning to Romania in a couple of weeks. Shit, she couldn’t believe she agreed to fly to Romania to begin with. However, sitting there with her family, it felt right. Like deep down in her bones. She wanted to meet her family even though it scared the crap out of her. It’d only been a few weeks since she found out she wasn’t exactly human.
“Are you okay?” Sebastian came up beside her.
“I think so, yeah.” She nodded. “It’s—”
“Weird?” He smirked.
“Yeah. Totally.” She glanced over at Greer and Jacob sitting on Keiji’s couch. “So ...”
His gaze followed hers. “I could say the same.”
She laughed. “True.” When she left home, she hadn’t even thought about finding the one, let alone three. “I’ve missed you guys. Every day.”
“We missed you too. I’m sorry we couldn’t tell you. I wish we would have done everything differently.”
“Me too, but we’re all together now.” She grinned, watching her bonded tease each other. “So, who’s going to tell gram and gramps about all this?”
Her brother gave her a devious look, one probably matching her own before they said the same at the same time. “Erik.”
“What are you conspiring about over there?” Erik asked.
“Nothing,” Natasha said, biting back a laugh.
“I don’t buy it,” Erik grumbled.
Natasha laughed. No, he never would. She sat back and watched as her family interacted with each other, excited about her new future, but also sad. She only had one wish, that her parents could have seen all of this. But, she supposed they’d always be there in a way. Love you, mom and dad.
Keiji held his hand out to her. “Come here, hachidori. We should be celebrating.”
Yes, they should. She took his hand and stepped into his embrace. “Just as long as we don’t invite my brothers and their bonded to our bed. That’s just ew.”<
br />
Keiji’s rumble of laughter warmed her. “Never. You’re only ours. Forever.
Forever, had a nice ring to it. “Always.”
About the Author
TL Reeve, a bestselling, multi-published author with Cobblestone Press, Decadent Publishing, Evernight Publishing, and Loose-Id, was born out of a love of family and a bond that became unbreakable. Living in Alabama, TL misses Los Angeles, and will one-day return to the beaches of Southern California to ride the waves at Huntington Beach. When not writing something hot and sexy, TL can be found curled up with a good book, or working on homework with a cute little pixie.
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Michele Ryan is a multi-published author. She embraced her creative passion and co-authored several books with fellow author TL Reeve. Michele has also published two solo novellas. Michele is a lifelong resident of the state of New Jersey, along with her husband and three children, whom she refers to as her hobbits. When Michele is not plotting or writing, she can be found either volunteering at her children’s school or reading.
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Also by: TL Reeve
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