“Who attacked?”
“Bears.”
One name came immediately to mind. “Why would Devlin attack?” I sputtered with anger. “Danial’s his brother. They—”
“These weren’t grizzlies, they were black bears. It wasn’t Devlin.”
“Who was it then, and what did they want?” I demanded.
“It was a vampire by the name of Manir. He’s nowhere near the power Devlin is, or was, but he’s built up a formidable force. At least ten bears attacked with at least that many men.”
“What did they want?” I said, my words clipped.
Terian was silent. Then he said, “Danial thinks they were after Theoron.”
I made a sound halfway between a squeak and a cry. “Is he okay?”
“Danial, Elle and Theoron are fine, Sar. They didn’t even see any fighting,” Terian said with a note of pride.
I was glad he hadn’t hesitated this time. “Did you kill them? All of them?”
“I left one alive. That’s the one Danial questioned to get the name of Manir. Danial drained him this morning. He is waiting until you returned before he launched a reprisal.”
“Should I start back by myself and leave one truck here? I’ve got the explosive bullets gun.”
“No. Stay there. I’ll speak to Danial and call you right back.”
I clicked off the phone, anxious. A few minutes passed, then it rang.
“Hello?”
“Danial said to sit tight, Sar. He will send someone tonight to guard you.”
There was a shuffling of the handset being transferred, then Danial’s familiar voice.
“Sar, are you okay?”
The concern and love in his soft tones suddenly made me long to be with him again. Embarrassed by my feelings, I cleared my throat. “I’m fine, Danial. But something’s happened to Theo.”
“Tell me everything you remember since you woke up this morning.”
I relayed to him ‘everything’.
“It’s possible he might be out doing reconnaissance,” Danial said finally. “But that’s unlikely. I’ll make some calls. I have an idea where he is, but let me check on it first.”
I wanted to demand he tell me, but I didn’t feel I had the right to demand anything from him. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re okay. Terian told me about Manir’s attack.”
There was silence, and then Danial said, “Sarelle, I need to know something.”
“Anything,” I said, hoping it wasn’t going to be something too painful.
“Are you still going to work with me? Help me with the business?”
I almost laughed that this was his question. Yet knowing him, I probably should have guessed it. “If you want me to, I will. I like the work, though I might have to do some of it from my home via computer or phone sometimes. I didn’t know if you’d be okay with that though.”
“It will be hard at first, it’s true,” Danial said slowly. “But I’ve grown to depend on you now for it, and it would be easier if you kept doing it. You always did an excellent job.” He paused. “You should know, too, that I’m going to offer Theo his position back as well.”
I didn’t reply, though I was very surprised.
“This attack made me aware of how thin my guards are spread now. I need someone to watch my back if I’m away and someone here all the time to guard Theoron and Elle. There are too many targets now and not enough of Terian to cover them all.” He sighed. “Worst of all, I should have seen this coming.”
“How could you have seen this coming?” I said flatly. “I’ve never heard of Manir. Ever. He wasn’t even one of the vampires who attended your parties, was he?”
“What I mean is that the attack last night is probably the first of many. Dhamphirs were legend: a myth. Now that you and I created a real one, everyone wants to know how it was done, or just to possess Theoron for themselves as a source of power or status.”
“He’s just a baby,” I whispered.
“A baby who is already much stronger than a human child. He’s growing fast, too. He’s already toddler sized. He’ll need blood, probably for the rest of his life, but he’s eating regular food as well. We found out yesterday when he ate some of Elle’s ice cream cone.”
I laughed, picturing that. Danial laughed as well for a second, then resumed his serious tone. “The main thing is he can walk in the sunlight. He has been playing with Elle outside for the past few days, Terian watching like a hawk all the time, of course. He loves feeling the sun on his face. I watch from the house in the late afternoon...” Danial trailed off.
His love was like a physical force, it was so strong. It hit me hard like a slap in the face: I was missing some important firsts of my child growing up.
“Can I hold him yet, you think?” I whispered hopefully.
“Most likely not,” he said reluctantly. “He bit Mary, caught her alone one night when she was tidying up. She’s fine. I was there when it happened and got him away from her fast. But she said she was only coming to work days from now on. He’s not like that with the any of the weres, Elle included, or Terian, Devlin or myself. He prefers human blood to all others, and his appetite is sometimes...insatiable.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. “I understand.”
“Sar, I know how you feel. I can’t be out there in the sun playing with him, no matter how much I want to.”
“It’s not the same,” I said sadly. “I feel like...like...”
“Like what?” Danial prompted.
I sighed. “Just tell me the moment you think I can hold him, Danial. Please?”
“I will, darling,” he said tenderly.
“Terian said you’re sending someone to guard me?” I asked, changing the subject.
Danial’s tone changed, becoming hard. “Stay close to your room and carry your gun. Don’t hesitate to use it. Theoron isn’t widely known about yet, but the news is traveling fast. Those who would take him are going to be after you too, for giving birth to him.”
“Danial,” I said skeptically. “Why would they be after me? The potion is what made it possible for you and me to have a child. There is nothing special about me—”
“Sar, that potion has been around for centuries. It was tried by many with no success. Devlin tried it at least three separate times this century that I know of. With three separate women. With no success. He has tried for more than two hundred years and nothing—”
“They didn’t have Terian’s blood,” I said quickly. “Maybe Devlin didn’t stop taking blood from the woman or keep them warm enough—”
“The potion was the same. Devlin was tested, and the tests said he was fertile. Yet the women couldn’t get pregnant. He managed only once and that was almost two hundred years ago. When that woman lost his child, she also lost her life.”
Jesus. Glad I hadn’t known THAT when I’d agreed to try. “Did she...was she in the first month?”
“Like you the first time, yes,” Danial said softly.
Devlin hadn’t wanted to refrain from sex any more than Danial had. Both he and his woman had paid dearly for his impatience...and Danial had known he was risking my life by trying to have a child with me.
“You knew I might die like she did?” I said incredulously.
“Sar, you’d already survived one miscarriage, horrible as that ordeal was. You had the advantage of decades of medical advancement.” He paused. “Many women died in childbirth and miscarriage in the early 1800’s. Regrettably, it was a common death then.”
Mollified, I said, “Then I don’t see where you get that I’m special—”
“You got pregnant right away. Even the second time, it only took a few months. That is the peculiarity.” His awe-filled words inspired both fear and pride.
“Do you know why?”
“Remember how I couldn’t feed from you metaphysically?” Danial said, an electrical charge running through each word. “I think you’re naturally resistant to my blood, to the virus that makes me va
mpire. I’ve talked it over with Stephen, and he agrees. That is why you could carry my child without turning vampire.” He paused. “Do you have your choker with you?”
“Yes.”
“Put it on. Don’t take it off, not for any reason.”
I got the choker out of my bag and put it on. It slid together easily.
“Is it on?”
“Yes,” I said, relieved. “But if they’re willing to kidnap Theoron, why would a choker be any detriment to them grabbing me?”
“There are laws to protect Oathed Ones,” Danial said. “There are no laws to protect dhamphirs. I’m working on changing that, but the process for new laws is slow—”
I half listened, preoccupied with thoughts of Theo missing, Theoron’s imminent danger and now my own new status as hunted creature.
“—don’t drive the trucks. There may be people watching, or the trucks may be wired—”
With a jolt, I came fully back. “With explosives?”
“Yes.”
“Eek!”
“Sar, just stay put. I’ll have someone to you by dawn.”
“Okay.”
“I love you, Sar. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know you won’t,” I said softly. “Take care of—”
“Tell me you love me,” Danial asked.
“You know I do,” I said softly. “I—”
“Say it for me anyway. I need to hear it.”
“I love you, Danial,” I said tenderly. “You’re the father of my child, our child. I love you.”
Danial gave a satisfied sigh. “Take care. Call if there’s any problem, okay?”
“Yes.”
I hung up and then called down to the hotel office. It was close to eleven now: checkout time.
“Excuse me. I’d registered last night for one night, and now I’ll need to stay another day. Do I just tell you that, or do I need to arrange payment?”
There was a shuffling of papers. “We definitely have a room available, ma’am. But we might have to move you to another room.”
“Why?” I asked, suspicious.
“We have a gentleman who stays here regularly, and he always requests the same room.” The man laughed. “He’s superstitious, I guess. It happens to be the one you’re in, and he reserved a room for tonight an hour ago.”
Weird, but not supernaturally weird. “That’s okay. What room are you moving me to?”
“The one just across the hall. As for payment, we have your credit card on file, so an additional night is no problem. If you’re ready to move, I’ll send a maid down with the new keycard in ten minutes. Give her your old keycard.”
“That’ll be fine, except I’ll pay with cash. Thanks.”
I gathered up all of our stuff and packed our bags. While I waited for the maid, I looked out the window. Across the road was a strip mall, in one of the first stores a Laundromat.
At least I could get our dirty clothes washed. I was in my last pair of clean clothes.
The maid knocked. I handed her the keycard, and she handed me the new one, giving Ghost and Darkness a wary look. I took everything into the new room, gave the dogs some water and the last of the Cheweez and headed over to the mall with an armful of dirty clothes.
I set the clothes to washing, then ran next door to a chain restaurant and grabbed a takeout salad. Returning to the Laundromat, I settled down to watch the clothes. Trying to read was hopeless. I was too nervous.
“Nice necklace,” an old man sitting nearby said. “That looks almost like real gold.”
I gave him a fake smile. “Thanks. My boyfriend gave it to me.”
He nodded, then went back to reading his newspaper.
Two hours later, the clothes were all done. I folded and packed them into the duffel bags. The old man gave me a smile as I walked out.
I went back to the hotel room. Both dogs were glad to see me and anxious to be walked. Anxious myself, I took them for a long walk around the strip mall’s exterior, looking at the shops within. To my relief, there was a pet superstore at the farthest corner.
Taking the dogs inside, I bought them some extra food, some Cheweez and a toy for each of them. They’d tried hard to be good, despite all the time cooped up in the truck and the hotel room.
“You get a free recyclable bag with purchase,” the cashier said. “Pick one out.”
“Thanks.” That solved having to walk back alone later for the cans of food. I handed her one, and she packed it full, its sturdy cloth just holding the contents.
Shouldering the heavy bag, the dogs and I headed back to the motel, continuing our perimeter circuit. Before long, we came up upon the large glassed windows of a jewelry store.
Despite the dogs’ impatience, I dallied, looking at the wedding bands. What kind would Theo want? Plain gold? One with a diamond chip? One with a pattern? I was betting plain...
Ghost whined, then barked. I looked up, but no one was around. Uneasy, I stood still for a moment watching, but nothing stirred. Darkness didn’t bark, but her hackles were raised. She was intently facing the rows of cars, her head scanning back and forth, her ears straight ahead.
“You’re right,” I told them. “We’re sitting ducks out here. Come on.”
When we reached the hotel, it was close to six p.m. I dropped the bags off at the room, then decided to walk Ghost and Darkness around the parking lot of the hotel. If I was going to be stuck in the room all night, I should make sure the dogs were as tired as possible. They didn’t cooperate, bored after the fifth repetitious loop, having smelled everything already. But whatever had unnerved them near the mall was gone.
Strangely, I was the one growing more and more uneasy. I felt almost as if I was being watched, yet I never saw anybody.
Near dark, I gave into my nervous tension and brought the dogs with me to the mall again to get takeout for dinner. This time they were relaxed, if watchful, of the people around us. The mall was much more crowded now, vans letting off teenagers and many adults in pairs and groups.
We returned to the hotel without incident. I gave the dogs Cheweez, then wolfed down my salad so fast I felt sick. Afterwards I sat on the bed, wondering if I should call Danial. He hadn’t called all day...
There was a knock at the door. When I checked through the peephole, my eyes narrowed. I opened the door to my least favorite person. “What are you doing here, Devlin?” I said, surprised and angry.
He was leaning nonchalantly against the door, smiling at me with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Why, I’m here to guard you, Sar,” he said, grinning to bare his fangs.
I remembered those fangs well. “How did you get here so fast?”
“There are more efficient ways of travel than car,” he said, moving past me into the room. Oddly, the dogs didn’t growl, but instead walked up to him and licked his hands, their tails wagging. Heartened by their positive reaction, I shut the door. “Like what?”
Devlin didn’t answer, moving to look out the window into the dark night. Unease filled me, and I quickly dialed Terian.
“Hi, Sar.”
“Terian, is Devlin supposed to be here?”
“Danial sent him to guard you,” Terian replied. “I know he’s not who you’d pick, but we’re stretched thin.”
“Thanks. Just checking,” I said and hung up before he could say anything else. I turned to face Devlin, who was smiling in triumph.
“Always accusing me of ill will—”
“Why did you come?” I said, folding my hands across my chest. “Really?”
“To guard you, as I said,” Devlin replied. “And to bring you home safe to Danial, as he asked me to. I know you don’t like me, Sar, but—”
“Don’t call me Sar.”
“Everyone else calls you that,” he said, offended.
“Everyone else can. But not you.”
He rolled his eyes, annoyed. “Sarelle, what I told you before is true. What you did for Danial means something to me. You are alwa
ys going to mean a lot to him. So when he asked me for help, I was glad to oblige.”
“Why?” I asked. “Why does it matter so much to you?”
Devlin considered me. “I love my nephew, as I told you. I’ve been honored with a great many wondrous gifts in my long years. He is by far the most precious to me.”
It was somehow hard to imagine him loving anyone, even though his voice held deep emotion. Perhaps it was his handsomeness. I sat on the edge of the bed. “Danial told me tonight about how you tried before to have a child of your own.”
Devlin sat down in the chair near the far side of the room. “It’s true,” he said heavily. “I’ve tried for years now and gotten nowhere.”
“Danial was attacked. They were after Theoron. He said they’d be after me, too.”
“They will be,” Devlin assured me. “But you’re as safe as I can make you, my dear.”
His surety made me feel better, if only slightly. “Danial said you’d known a woman back when you were king—”
“Ruler,” Devlin corrected sharply.
“Ruler,” I repeated. “He said that she’d died in miscarriage—”
“That was long ago,” he said abruptly, glaring at me. “You weren’t even born—”
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I felt terrible after losing my baby. I’m sorry you went through that. That’s all I was saying.”
Devlin was silent a few minutes, studying me, then he looked away. “I have to go feed,” he said abruptly. “Give me the key and don’t leave this room. I’ll be back in an hour, tops.”
I handed him the key to the room. He left, shutting the door quietly.
Suddenly exhausted, I showered, then dressed in my pajamas and got into bed. Devlin would wake me up coming in, but at least I’d already be in bed. There would be no awkward moments with me walking around in my pajamas...
Wait. There was only one bed. No. Way.
I got up, moved the table and chairs over and then laid down the extra blanket and the one from the bed plus two of the pillows. Hopefully, he’d take the hint.
I lay down and went to sleep. The ringing phone woke me.
“Hello?”
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