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Cassidy got to her feet. “So much more reason for me to come with you then.”

“So much more reason for you to get on a plane and go back to Florida,” Dominique snapped, getting up as well. His wild hair fell into his drawn face, giving him the look of homicidal madness.

“Not happening.” She tipped her chin up in defiance. “I belong with you. I’m coming with you.”

“Fille naïve!Why can you not see that I cannot focus on what I need to do if I have to worry about you?”

“Foolish vampire. Why can’t you see that if anything happens to you, I would sooner be dead?”

“Because this is not about just you anymore, Cassie. Your responsibility needs to be to the child you carry.”

She sucked at the air with shock as her hands flew to her belly.How dare you!Every eye in the room raked over her. This was definitely not how she had planned to cross this particular line and announce this bit of news.

Neither had Dominique. He dropped his face in both hands.Désolé, mon coeur.

Cassidy closed her eyes. He could be sorry all he wanted, but not only was the news out now, his comment also confirmed what she already suspected. In the eyes of those around her, including the man she loved, she had been reduced to the status of a vessel for a being no bigger than a grain of sand.

Francesca was the first to speak. “Is this…is this true? Cassidy, you are expecting a child?”

Cassidy swallowed hard and opened her eyes. There was no point denying what two different vampires, a conspicuous absence of her usually timely period, and this morning’s pregnancy test confirmed. “Yes. I am.”

A tiny frown marred the skin between Francesca’s shaped brows as she no doubt sifted through a flood of new information. “Then Dominique is correct. Of course, you must take care of yourself and not rush into danger.”

Cassidy’s hands curled into fists by her sides, and a small cry of sheer frustration burst out of her. “I didn’t sign up for this.”

Garrett exchanged a look with his nephew, and then considered Dominique as he scratched at his chin. “Would I be totally out of line if I asked how this—” an open-handed gesture at Cassidy “—happened?”

“The suppressant?” Jackson wondered with quiet awe.

Dominique nodded. “The child is mine.”

Francesca’s head snapped up. “What? This is possible? Even though you are—” She stopped, uncertain.

“Not human,Maman. No, it should not be possible, but the suppressant that lets me…function during the day seems to have made it so.” His dimpled smile broadened, becoming adorably sheepish. “I am to be a father.”

“Congratulations,” Jackson said.

“Merci, mon ami.”

“I’ll be damned,” Garrett muttered.

Francesca reached for Cassidy and pulled her down to the sofa beside her. Then she clasped her hand in both of hers so firmly Cassidy thought she might need to fight to get it back. “This is a miracle then,non? A miracle child of my lost son.”

She opened her mouth, but couldn’t find the words in light of what she saw on Francesca’s face. All the hard edges softened, and her smile was as watery as her eyes. “A miracle from God.”

A grain-sized ball and chain with the weight of a world, Cassidy corrected.

Dominique’s mind brushed against hers in warm apology. With a deep sigh, she capitulated. She would have gladly battled the vampire for the right to join him in danger. But against the mother determined to latch onto a “miracle” grandchild, Cassidy knew she had no chance. The light in Francesca’s eyes told her that the woman would sooner lock her into a room before she let her out of her sight, much less risk her life.

And Dominique would cheerfully help her lock the door and hide the key.

41

Don’t Move

CassidystaredoutatVancouver Harbour sparkling in the morning sun and clutched her phone to her ear. On the call’s other end, Samantha sniffled.

“Serge never answered me when I asked him if Ryan would be okay. I should have known what that meant. I should have spoken to him, gotten him help. At the very least, not let him out of my sight.”