Page 46

S itting on the sofa in the living room at Saintcrow’s house later that night, Rosa clung to Jake’s arm as he related his ordeal with Luca to the family.

“How did he render an ancient vampire like you helpless?” Micah asked.

“How did he even find you when you were wearing Izabela’s talisman?” Sofia asked.

Jake shook his head. “I don’t know what enchantment he used, but he managed to find me and render Izabela’s talisman useless.

Then he hit me with some other spell that knocked me out.

I don’t really remember anything after that except the pain.

I’ve lived a long time but I’ve never felt anything like that in my whole life.

It was hell.” He glanced at his wrists, which were still raw and red from the silver.

“All I can say is, I’m glad he’s really dead this time. ”

“I think we all are,” Kadie remarked, squeezing Saintcrow’s hand.

“Maybe life can return to normal now,” Holly remarked.

There were murmurs of agreement all around as Ethan and the others took their leave and returned to their own homes.

When they were alone, Saintcrow leaned forward and brushed his lips across Kadie’s cheek. “I need to go out,” he said. “I won’t be long.”

Kadie nodded, her eyes widening when he vanished from the room.

She should have been used to him disappearing like that, she thought.

She had lived with it for years. Done it herself numerous times.

She knew Rylan was waiting for her to decide whether she wanted to stay human for a few months or permanently.

She had to admit, she was torn. Being a vampire hadn’t been bad, but only because Saintcrow had made it easy for her.

She had grown used to drinking blood, living only at night when she was first turned.

To her surprise, she hadn’t missed eating and drinking mortal food as much as she’d expected, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to give it up again.

Bread and pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, milk and soda, ice cream and cookies, the scent of fresh hot coffee on a cold winter morning, sitting out in the sun.

She knew Rylan would love her no matter what she decided, but she couldn’t help feeling that he would be terribly disappointed, perhaps hurt, if she chose to remain human.

And then there was her desire for a child.

He had said he would support her if that’s what she wanted.

And she believed him, but she knew it wasn’t something he wanted.

Would it be fair to Rylan to bring a baby into the house when he didn’t really want one?

Would it be fair to the child? But what about her?

Didn’t she have the right to have a baby if she wanted one?

Physically, she was still twenty-four—the age she had been when Saintcrow turned her.

If she used a sperm donor, the baby would be half hers, she thought, with growing excitement.

Being able to experience being pregnant would be amazing, much better than adopting.

Maybe, if the baby was half hers, Saintcrow would find the child easier to love.

She felt a guilty flush heat her cheeks when Saintcrow materialized on the sofa beside her.

“Still thinking about babies?” he asked.

“Still reading my mind?”

He lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “It’s a hard habit to break.”

“Tell me the truth,” Kadie said, her gaze meeting his.

“Would you feel better about the baby if it was half mine? We could try artificial insemination instead of adoption.” She frowned as something that looked like fear passed behind Saintcrow’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, and then she knew.

He had been married centuries ago. His wife had died in childbirth, and the baby with her.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I forgot about Eleanor.”

Saintcrow took both of her hands in his. “I never loved her as she deserved,” he said. “I’ve never loved anyone but you.”

“And you’re afraid I’ll die in childbirth because she did.”

He nodded.

“Things are different now. And I’m strong and healthy and …” Her words trailed off.

“I’m sorry,” he said, with a shrug. “I guess I’m being a little over-protective.” He knew the chances of Kadie dying in childbirth were slim, yet the very thought of her risking her life turned his blood to ice.

Kadie could no longer read his thoughts but the fear in his eyes spoke volumes. How could she put him through that? Nine months of worrying that something might go wrong.

Saintcrow blew out a deep breath. “Just remember, we need to wait until the Eleni issue is resolved.”

Kadie nodded. First Luca, now Eleni. She could be an old woman before he felt it was safe enough.

Saintcrow grinned inwardly as he divined her thoughts. “When she’s no longer a threat, I’ll back you up in whatever you decide to do.”

“Oh, Rylan,” she murmured. And loved him more in that moment than ever before.

Gradually, their life fell back into its regular routine.

Kadie did the usual things housewives did, but in her spare time, she returned to her love of photography.

She took pictures of the town and its people, the mountains, sunrises and sunsets.

Occasionally, she asked Rylan to take her outside the town, so she could photograph other sites.

Ethan came to Morgan Creek a couple of times to talk town business with Saintcrow.

Sofia and Jenny usually came with him and while the men talked shop, Kadie and Jenny and Sofia made chocolate chip cookies.

When Jenny asked why her mother didn’t eat any, Sofia told her she was on a diet.

Sometimes the three of them watched movies on the big-screen TV, or went shopping.

Kadie stopped talking about having a baby, although she didn’t stop thinking about it.

She hadn’t spent much time around kids and spending time with Sofia and Jenny made her realize how little she knew about raising a child.

Kids got sick. They had temper tantrums. They needed help with homework.

Sometimes they needed to be disciplined.

They needed to learn to be polite, how to feed themselves and dress themselves, how to interact with other kids and with adults.

Kadie worried her lower lip between her teeth.

What if she wasn’t up to the task? She liked being able to come and go as she pleased.

A baby would tie her down, at least for the first five or six years.

But then she would see a young mother holding a baby or pushing a stroller down the street and her arms would ache for a little girl of her own.

If only Rylan was more excited about being a father.

She sat up straight as a new thought edged its way into her mind. What if the Methuselah Stone could make Rylan human again? What if they could have a baby of their own?

Saintcrow was in his office in the hotel when Kincaid materialized beside his desk.

“You busy?”

“Of course. Why else would I be here? I’ve got a lot more paperwork to do since Ethan moved to Arizona.”

“Yeah, must be tough, making all that money.”

“Is that your way of asking for a loan?”

“Hell no. I’m not sure I ever thanked you for coming after me. I know there’s no way to repay you or—”

“Jake, you don’t need to thank me or repay me. We’ve been friends too long for that. Besides, you would have done the same thing for me.”

“You sure about that?” Kincaid asked with a crooked grin.

“Without a doubt.”

Kincaid nodded, then dropped into the chair in front of the desk. “You looked troubled when I came in. Everything all right at home?”

“More or less.”

Kincaid arched one brow. “Care to elaborate on that?”

“Well, for one thing, I keep waiting for Eleni to show up and demand I fulfill our bargain.”

“Oh, yeah. I kinda forgot about her.”

“I wish I could. And then there’s Kadie’s desire for a baby.”

“That’s bound to involve some major changes,” Jake said, with a smirk. “How do you feel about that?”

“I told her that I’d support in whatever decision she makes.”

“But you don’t like the idea?”

“No. But if it makes her happy …” Saintcrow shrugged. “And that’s not all. I think she’s decided to stay human.”

“Whoa. That’s really going to shake things up.”

“Yeah.”

“Anything I can do?”

“Nothing I can think of.”

Kincaid shook his head, and then a slow grin spread across his face. “I just can’t imagine you, a master vampire, changing diapers or walking the floor with a crying baby on your shoulder. Yep, I’d pay money to see that.”

“If you don’t have anything intelligent to say on the subject, I’ve got a lot of work to do,” Saintcrow said, rattling the papers on his desk.

“Okay, Daddy, I’ll leave you to it.”

“Wait a minute. How are you feeling? Any ill effects from Luca’s magic or the Medallion?”

“None I’m aware of.” Kincaid rubbed his wrist. “I feel kind of naked without Izabela’s talisman. I still can’t believe that Luca found a way around it.”

“I guess nothing lasts forever.”

With a shrug, Jake headed for the door, then paused. “I think I’ll buy you some baby diapers next time I’m in town. I hear some men practice changing diapers on a doll. Oh! Guess I’d better buy a doll, too.”

Scowling at Jake, Saintcrow said, “I should have let Luca finish you off.”

Jake grinned at him. “You’d miss me if I was gone,” he said, and vanished from sight.

Saintcrow, muttered an oath. Changing diapers, indeed. It would be a cold day in hell when that happened.

Saintcrow knew something was up as soon as he walked into the house that evening. His senses told him Kadie was in the kitchen making spaghetti sauce and she was bubbling with excitement. The strong scents of garlic and oregano assaulted his nostrils.

Coming up behind her, he slid his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “Trying a new recipe?”

Turning in his arms, she said, “Oh! You startled me. How was your day?”

“All right. You’re looking mighty happy about something. Did you win the lottery?”

“Better.”