by C. L. Quinn
Burra looked around. “Where’d the kid go?”
“What?” Ah, it was a dream, Burra would have seen him too.
“It’s my son. He’s disappeared.”
“Funny. Sure. Yeah, that would have been cool.”
Will still couldn’t figure out why Burra was in his dream.
The magics swelled again.
It had been a dream, right? Had to have.
Why did this suddenly feel like it wasn’t a dream?
“Burra, I’m dreaming right now. This isn’t real.”
Burra watched Will for a moment, his mochapop halfway to his lips. “No, Will, this is the real world.”
“It can’t be. That kid, he doesn’t exist.”
“I saw the kid. Who was he?”
Silent now, lost in thought, the magics confusing him when they usually made things clearer.
“Burra, you saw the child I was talking to? And you say this is real?”
“Will, this is real life. No dream. I woke up, Eras was sleeping, so I came out to find you, figured you’d be near the waterfall, and saw you talking to a kid, who, yeah, kind of disappeared. I don’t know how else to tell you.”
If the boy was here, and if the magics were wrapped around him, as they seemed to be…was it possible?
Fuck, anything was possible!
“Burra, I need to go right now. I have to be back in Vegas as soon as possible. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, with me, for the past two months. We’re not finished, I know that, but the magics are telling me something and if it’s what I think it is, I’m way overdue to meet someone.”
“Sure, Will, sure. Just let us know and we’ll be there. It’s been rough at times, but in the end, I feel good about what we’ve accomplished.”
“I hoped you would. Tell Eras the same thing I said to you. I consider you brothers.”
“We feel the same way, Will. Good luck and I hope what you think is true, really is.”
“Thank you, big guy.”
Will left, using speed not unlike that of a vampire, and when he entered the hotel room and grabbed the small pack that held everything he owned in the world, he laid a hand on Eras, wished him well, and headed to the airport.
Thank the universe for giving him magic of the air so that he was no longer strictly bound to the earth. The pull was there, but it never overrode him, so, finally, he could safely fly.
Three hours later, Eras woke, groggy, thirsty.
Burra was pressed against his leg, the result of throwing a couple of thick comforters on the floor and just camping out. He looked around, but didn’t see Will. No worry, he wasn’t bound by night like Eras. Pushing off the sheet, he bumped Burra’s foot.
Groaning, Burra shoved against Eras. “We really need more space.”
“I agree. Hey, do you know where Will is?”
“In a plane, bound for Vegas.”
“Vegas? Why? And why so suddenly?”
“Thinks he has a kid there. A little boy. The crazy part is that I think I actually saw the kid. Fucking magics’ll really mess with your head.”
Lying still, Eras smiled. “About time.”
The next night at the bottom of Serenity Tower
Will had no idea where to start. To begin with, Olivia, Brigitte, everyone, thought he was dead. It wouldn’t be the kindest thing to just walk right into their apartment and announce, “Guess that death thing didn’t stick, eh?”
But he had to see if he was right, and if he was, if Olivia had borne a son with him, there wasn’t anything on this earth or above it that would stop him from being with her and the child. Just, how does a man suddenly show up, alive, after a woman has accepted his death and moved on? Fuck, she might even have another man in her life.
Fuck this, he thought. It has to be simple, I’ll go to her, she’ll be shocked, I’ll explain, and it will be all right.
No, it won’t.
As he waited, trying to figure out the best way to let Olivia know that her son’s father was alive, he watched a small party leaving the building under the huge covered pavilion at the main entrance.
It was Corri, accompanied by the three vampires he’d seen at Villioth’s office before he was eliminated. And Olivia, even more exquisite than he remembered. Wearing a dark purple strap dress, skin tight to show off her excellent body, and high heeled pumps, it didn’t look like she’d given birth recently. As soon as he thought that, it struck him that a first blood likely wouldn’t have any trouble getting those amazing bodies back following the rare pregnancy.
“You’d be perfect either way,” he whispered. Then his eyes landed on the enormous vampire who’d killed Villioth. His blood heated as he watched the man turn to Olivia with a warm smile and lift his hand to cup her chin.
Who the hell was this man? Was he her lover? Had Olivia taken a lover? She should have, it had been over half a year since he’d died.
Will had never been a jealous man, but here he was, rage surging, fighting the desire to race forward and confront the vampire, to shove that offensive hand away from his woman. To show the asshole what earth magics could do!
His woman? He hadn’t claimed her. He’d let her send him away to make his decision, even though at that point he already knew…it would always be Olivia.
All he could do now was shadow this group. Carefully surveil them to see if this man was Olivia’s lover, and if he determined that he was, Will decided he would stay away until he could control himself, could accept that she’d moved past him, and that what they had had died with his first death.
From there, he’d find out if she really had borne a son to him, and if so, he would have no choice. Whatever her future with another man, Will would be father to that boy who’d come to him across the globe to tell him that he needed him. No power would change that.
Sliding into his city car rental, the small cars available in any large city to use while within the limits of the city, he kept his distance as he followed the big van.
At Flights restaurant
First night out in a long time, and Olivia was nervous. She’d left her son with Brigitte while she went out to celebrate their victory a few months ago over the man who’d threatened the first blood race. Koen had insisted.
“Get on a pretty dress, lass, and let’s have a fine dinner. I’ve heard that Dez’s sky-high dining is the best in the city.”
“I’m going to have to take a small exception with that. My restaurants are excellent. I will, however, agree, that Flights offers an incredible variety of unique food. It’s the perfect place.”
“Then get all prettied-up and let’s go. I’m starving.”
Now, seated at a corner table with a view of the other diners on one side, and a view outside a glass wall of the city 83 stories below them, Olivia had to force herself to stop worrying about Jasper.
“He’s fine, Liv.” Corri placed a tray of appetizers in front of Olivia. “Dig in. Koen is such a character. I just adore him.”
Vaz shot her a look and Corri leaned in to bump his shoulder. “Not as much as you, of course. He’s just kind of…bigger than life.”
Nodding, Vaz let her off the hook. “He kind of is. I’m not jealous, he really is mythic.”
Olivia’s eyes went to Koen. Her great-grandmother was very close to him; she had lived with him and his family for over a century now. He was family, there whenever anyone needed him. “Yes, he is mythic.”
“Let’s get this party on. Waiter!”
Koen had never been shy about demanding what he wanted. As soon as the waiter hurried to their table, he ordered a second round of appetizer trays and four bottles of Flights finest champagne.
“When ya bring it back, we’ll order the entrees, thank ya, lad.”
“So, all quiet on the vampire front these days?” Olivia asked.
Koen nodded. “Mostly. Some incidences here in the U.S., but nothing unusual. Vampires do have accidents sometimes. A concern here or there, but we don’t manage is
sues in North America.”
“Good. I’ve been kind of cloistered during the pregnancy.”
“I’m glad you came out. You needed this.”
“I did, Cor. It’s been an odd six months, with Will’s loss, carrying his child, and now the joy of holding Jasper in my arms. I am ready to get my life back on track.”
“We’re all here to help.”
“It took Park a while after each child to get back to normal. Enjoy this, Livie. You won’t get a chance to feel exactly like this again.” Bas lifted a glass. “To family.”
“To family,” everyone said, and saluted the one stable force in first blood lives, the fact that they were all in this together and that they would always be there for each other. Olivia felt once again the blessing that Zach had found her, and that through him, she’d found her family.
As she sipped, her eyes lifted to Koen across the table, but movement beyond him caught her gaze instead. In the shadows, several rows in from the aisle, a table in the corner held a single diner, a man. She couldn’t see him clearly, but there was something about the way he moved that drew her attention. What was it? Try as she would, she couldn’t make out his face; the distance and darkened corner obscured him too much.
Shaking her head, Olivia turned her attention back to the remarkable people at her table who had gone the extra mile to protect her, her loved ones, and give her peace at a time when she needed it most. Any threat would have been unacceptable now with her son here.
She raised her glass again. “To the special people around this table, all of you family, and to a happy safe world for all of us. Namasté.”
Koen rose and went to Olivia, leaning in to kiss each cheek. “To our new little mother, the first vampire to have a baby in many years. Park tries to keep track and no one has had a first blood child since my great-granddaughter. As close as I am to Tam, I consider young Jasper to be my grandson too. Know that I will always come when you or he calls.”
Tears welled up fast, and Olivia moved in close for a tight hug. Her face buried against his warmth, the hard muscles under her fingers, the memory of Will’s body very like this after the healing pool, gave her shivers.
“Thank you, Koen. It means the world to me.”
“Aye. And the boy is the only fifth-gen I know of. It will be interesting to see how powerful he might be.”
“Right now, he’s just a little boy.”
“Aye. It’s a gift that our children get to have a real childhood.”
“I agree. Ah, here comes Tito with the appetizer trays. Ohhh, those will take a while to polish off.”
“Nay, there are five hungry vampires here. I give it ten minutes.”
They did take longer, since they enjoyed the company, lively conversations, and copious amounts of champagne.
Her gaze continued to wander back to the corner, where, oddly, the man still kept his face out of view. Was it on purpose? The way he held his head, the wild dark hair, his demeanor, were all familiar, but that couldn’t be unusual since she’d met a lot of people over the many years she’d been in Vegas.
Trying hard to ignore him, Olivia failed. He remained a distraction, and she had to solve the mystery. When he suddenly rose and disappeared through a balcony door, she decided to follow him.
“Please excuse me for a moment.”
Across the room, Will curled his fingers around the edge of the table. The huge vampire had his hands on Olivia again, and when she stood to hug him and didn’t let him go for long moments, he couldn’t take it anymore.
The intention had been to quietly, covertly watch them until he was satisfied either way, and then disappear from the building before she ever saw him. The waiter set a bottle of vodka on the table and Will poured himself a glass of the powerful clear liquid, but he couldn’t drink it. He couldn’t watch this or he’d explode, the magics surging around him. Afraid of losing control, he grabbed the glass and busted across the floor away from Olivia’s table and out onto the glass balcony. Distance and fresh air would help, and at least give him a place to release some of the pent-up magic.
Once he was out there, alone, thank God, he could breathe. Below him, over eighty stories above the city, the lights created an incredible eye-catching landscape. Good, anything to distract him. Anything…
“Excuse me, sir.”
Her voice…
Olivia? Behind him?
Fuck! What foul twist of fate had created this moment? She couldn’t find him like this! For a second, he thought about jumping over the edge of the balcony, hoping to land on the one below. Not likely. Could he deflect her?
“I hope I’m not disturbing you, but you look familiar, like someone I used to know. Sir, I need to see your face.”
No, she didn’t.
He didn’t have a choice. Olivia was here, close behind, alone on this balcony with him, and all he had to do was turn around and face her. It would shock her to her core.
Careful, he thought. Protect her however you can.
“Please don’t come any closer.”
Will kept his face averted by looking straight over the balcony. After he’d spoken, he didn’t hear or see her, but she hadn’t moved. When she spoke again, he knew she’d recognized his voice.
“Who are you?” Olivia’s voice was hard, suspicious, shocked.
“Just stay where you are and let me tell you. It’s going to be a bit jarring.”
Instantly, he felt her behind him.
“Turn and face me.”
“Olivia…”
Her voice cracked. “Who are you?” she insisted.
Just do it.
Slowly, hoping to give her a moment to adjust, Will turned to face Olivia, leaning against the railing for support.
“I need to explain.”
Shocked was the right word, she moved back a few steps, her eyes wide, mouth open. “Will?”
Nodding, he lowered his head. “It’s me, Olivia. Really.”
“What? Um, how?”
Her eyes moved over him, devoured him, and as he prepared to answer her, she was in front of him, her hands on his chest, her eyes searching over him. Then she closed hers, drew in his scent, and opened them again, visibly shaken; now quivering.
“It is,” she whispered. “How?” she repeated, so quietly, it was only her nearness that let him hear her.
“Earth magic. Celestial intervention.”
Her hands moved from his chest to his face; her fingers tracing each feature, across his cheeks, along the edge of his nose, and then up to his eyes as her own sought his again.
“I’ve missed you, more than I can tell you with words.”
Still touching him, lingering, she moved in and up to kiss his lips lightly, testing, but that ended fast when Will yanked her against him.
The kiss went beyond passion, beyond desperate, tongues intertwining that never expected to ever do this again.
In his arms, Olivia, finally…
Need was the only word that met the insistence, the need, the depth at which their emotions shot through them as they touched and connected after all connections had been torn away.
Olivia jumped on Will, she couldn’t get close enough, buried her face into his neck, hands burrowed into his hair.
He wasn’t the same, she could feel it, saw it right away, but this was Will, and she was wrapped around him.
A horrible thought suddenly stabbed her in the belly and she looked up. “You can stay? Will, you can stay, can’t you?”
“I’m staying. God, Olivia, it hurt not to come to you, to make love to you, to tell you that I choose you, would always choose you.”
He felt her body stiffen, and she slid off him. Pulling the tight dress back into place, she looked up.
“Will, how long have you been back?”
Confusion filled her eyes. Will needed time to help her understand. “Um, can we go somewhere private and talk?”
Olivia’s head jerked as she looked around the balcony where only she and Wil
l were present.
“This is private. How long, Will?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Not really. Just give me a number and a unit. Two. Days. Three weeks. Four months. Like that. How long?”
“I can’t say exactly. I was buried in the healing cave, I’m sure you know that, and I came awake there. I’m not sure how long after I was buried.”
Flinching, she moved closer again. “Oh, Will, you came awake beneath the ground?”
“Cradled in the earth. It was okay. I easily dug out, and when I remembered how I got there, I remembered that I had died. That I should still be dead. But the magics inside me, and without, needed me alive. They repaired me, and here I am.”
Olivia went into his arms again, holding tight in case this was an illusion and he might dissipate like smoke.
“I’m just…you’re back.” Another whisper as she continued to adjust and accept. In that moment, Will knew that this was all he needed. Olivia. Nothing else in this world beyond her. Unless…
It wasn’t time to ask about Jasper yet.
“Would you like to go back to your apartment to talk? Just to talk, I know you need a chance to process this after thinking I was dead for six months.”
For moments, she didn’t answer, and when she did, she was smiling. “I’ve only been able to touch you in my dreams, and I have needed you for so long. I haven’t been with anyone else since...”
“Not even the big vampire I saw you hug earlier?”
“Koen? I’m like a granddaughter to him. He’s family.”
“So you haven’t…it isn’t my business.”
“I can’t think of anything else now other than that you are here, standing here, alive, warm, and I can touch you. Will, come with me, meet my friends.”
“I’m not ready for that yet. Can I come to you tonight?”
“Yes, of course. Will, Brigitte is staying with me.”
“It’s fine. Eras told me.”
“Eras?”
“I’ll explain, I promise. This is my number. Call me when it’s clear and I’ll come to you.”