The sound of breaking dishes rang out from the kitchen. Before anyone could go see what had happened, Irene appeared in the doorway. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she murmured, "Oh, Daisy, no."
"I'm sorry, Mom." Daisy tugged on Erik's hand. "Let's go."
"No!" Hurrying across the room, Irene O'Donnell threw her arms around her daughter. "I don't care what you are. All that matters is that you're still here, with us."
"Irene--"
She turned on her husband like a mother grizzly defending her young. "Hush up, Noah Patrick O'Donnell. Would you rather she was gone forever, like Brandon?"
Shoulders sagging, Noah shook his head. "No." Head bowed, he took several deep breaths and then, heaving a sigh, he straightened his shoulders and offered Erik his hand. "Welcome to the family. Son."
With tears in her eyes, Daisy threw her arms around her father. "Thank you, Daddy," she whispered.
Alex snorted softly, and then he, too, offered Erik his hand. "Welcome to the family. Vampire."
Sitting on the edge of the bed in their hotel room, Erik pulled Daisy onto his lap. "I told you everything would be all right."
"All right? Is that what you call all right?"
"Well, at least your old man didn't drive a stake through my heart," he said with a wry grin. "Or yours."
"Very funny."
"They'll get used to the idea. Just give them a little time."
"Strange advice coming from you," Daisy retorted. "You said you left your home and your family after you were turned, and never went back."
"It's not the same thing. I didn't have anybody to show me the ropes when I was turned. No one to tell me I didn't have to kill to survive. I didn't know anything about vampires, and there was no one with me when I woke up that first night, no one to tell me what to expect. All I had was a raging thirst."
Daisy nodded. He was right, of course. She didn't know what she would have done if Erik hadn't been there. He had made her transformation from mortal to vampire almost painless. He had even made a joke the first night he had taken her hunting, asking her what she was in the mood for, Italian, French, or Chinese. She hadn't been amused at the time, but she saw the humor in it now. What couldn't be changed must be accepted. And if you could do it with a smile, so much the better. And looking at Erik always made her smile.
He was watching her, his dark eyes filled with concern, and she loved him the more for it.
"Stop worrying about me. I'm okay."
"You're better than okay, darlin'. You're perfect. And you know what else? I don't think we should let Alex and Paula beat us to the altar."
"What?"
"Marriage, Daisy Mae. I'm asking you to marry me."
She blinked at him. "You want to marry me?"
"Well, I thought I did. But if you don't want to..."
"Of course I want to. Now, hush up and kiss me."
Stifling a laugh, he said, "You sound just like your mother. Maybe we can have a double wedding. Rhys can be the best man."
The very thought made Daisy burst out laughing.
"I love you, Daisy darlin', more than you'll ever know."
Warmth and affection flooded Daisy's heart and soul as she wrapped her arms around him. "And I love you. Only you. All of you."
He knew what she wanted even before she did. Falling back on the bed, he finessed her clothes away, then drew her down on top of him, his hands sliding up and down her bare back.
There were a lot of perks to being a vampire, Daisy mused when he kissed her. All of her physical senses were enhanced, which served to heighten her pleasure when they made love, so that every kiss, every touch, was experienced on a deeper, more sensual level. She slid her hands under Erik's shirt, loving the way his muscles bunched and quivered beneath her fingertips, the latent sense of power that radiated from him. But best of all, he never got tired, and neither did she.
With a heartfelt sigh, she surrendered to the sensual magic of Erik's touch, reveling in each tender kiss, each languid caress.
There was no need to hurry.
Dawn's first light was hours away.