His Dark Embrace

“Well, I’ve got some kind of formula up here,” Sam said, tapping the side of his head. “I don’t know for sure if it’s the one you’re looking for. To tell you the truth, I forgot all about it until now.”

Thorne scrubbed one hand up and down his thigh. Could it be true? Could Sam have had the answer all along?

“I think the ingredient you’ve been looking for is blood,” Sam said, grinning at Thorne. “Your blood. Of course, I didn’t know the formula was for you. Or that you were a vampire when Granda made me memorize it. Or that your blood wasn’t normal.”

Thorne stared at him, then shook his head. “That can’t be it. I had the potion analyzed in a lab by some of the top scientists in the world. They would have been able to detect something as common as blood.”

“You idiot,” Sam said mildly. “Vampire blood isn’t common.”

Of course, Kaiden thought. Even though Paddy hadn’t given him the formula, the old man had given him a short lesson in how it was produced, though it had made little sense to Thorne at the time.

I dump all the ingredients in a beaker, Paddy had said, and then I let the whole mess simmer for a wee bit until it’s cooked just right.

Thorne nodded as hope soared within him. His vampire blood would bind all the ingredients together, and then, somehow, his blood evaporated, all but the part that made him a vampire. That explained why the potion had given Desmarais the strength and vitality of a vampire, although it didn’t explain how it had allowed Thorne to endure the sun’s light. But what the hell. The whys and wherefores didn’t matter, as long as the formula worked.

“Do you know what this means?” he asked, glancing from Skylynn to Sam.

“Yeah,” Sam said, laughing. “It means we can all go to the beach next summer.”

Thorne leaned forward and slapped Sam on the shoulder. “I guess it’s a good thing Sky asked me to save your life.”

Thorne pulled Skylynn close and kissed her soundly. Then, swinging her up into his arms, he twirled her around the room until she cried, “Kaiden, stop! I’m getting dizzy.”

“Sorry, love.” He set her lightly on her feet, then took her hands in his. “Do you know what this means, Sky Blue. It means we can have a normal life.”

She nodded, too happy to speak past the lump in her throat. Thanks to Granda’s wisdom and the return of Sam’s memory, she and Kaiden and Sam could be a real family, after all.

Epilogue

Tonight was the night.

Skylynn stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, carefully plucking her eyebrows. She had washed her hair, painted her nails, shaved her legs, and put on her prettiest, sexiest nightgown. It was long and black, a mere whisper of gossamer silk.

Moving into the bedroom, she stood in front of the full-length mirror in the corner. She looked good for her age, she thought. Not that thirty-four was old, exactly. But it wasn’t young, either.

Their son, Josh, a very grown up nine and their daughter, Janae, a sweet and spoiled seven, both had their father’s dark hair and their mother’s blue eyes. From time to time, Sky wondered if her children would become vampires even though Kaiden assured her that such a thing was next to impossible. But she wasn’t so sure. He had also told her that vampires couldn’t create life, yet they had two beautiful children, children that were so healthy they had never had so much as a cold or a cavity.

A lot had happened in the last ten years. Kaiden and Sam had managed to recreate Granda’s formula so that they rarely needed blood, and then only a little. They were still vampires, after all.

Eight years ago, Tara had decided to move to California. It had been love at first sight when Sam and Tara met. Skylynn had worried that Sam’s being a vampire might pose a problem, but Tara had only laughed and said she didn’t care what Sam was, as long as he was hers. They had married six months later. Sky loved having her best friend for a sister-in-law.

Three years ago, they had all moved up to Northern California. It had taken some getting used to, living in a small town, having to drive the kids to school, not having a mall nearby. But, on the plus side, Sam and Tara lived in the house behind them. Kaiden had put a gate in the fence so the kids could run back and forth.

Sky glanced over her shoulder as Kaiden strolled into the bedroom. He whistled softly when he saw her.

Sky smiled at her husband. He was still as wickedly handsome and sexy as ever, still had the power to make her insides curl with pleasure with just one look. He wore a pair of jeans low on his hips and nothing else.

“Are you ready, love?” Coming up behind her, he slipped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

“Yes.”

“You’re sure? There’s no going back, once it’s done.”

“We’ve been over this a hundred times.” Sky leaned against him. She was thirty-four years old. Kaiden had been thirty-nine when he was turned. She didn’t want to wait any longer, or get any older. “I’m beginning to think you don’t want me to do it.”

“I just want you to be happy.”

“I am happy.” She smiled at him in the mirror. “Happier than I ever dreamed possible,” she said, and then frowned. “Are you sure it will work? I mean, now that you’re taking the potion again ...”

He placed his fingers over her lips. “I’m still a vampire, Sky. Besides, I’ve been drinking a little blood every day. Stolen from a blood bank,” he added when he saw the expression on her face. “If it doesn’t work this time, then I’ll stop taking the potion for a while.”

“Let’s do it, then. The kids are spending the night over at Sam’s.”

With a nod, Kaiden took Skylynn by the hand and led her to the bed. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, he tugged her down beside him. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

“Not since last night.”

“Never doubt that I love you. Whatever the future holds, you’ll always be the sunshine in my world.”

His words sank deep into Sky’s heart as she wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her, slowly at first, his tongue teasing her lips before delving inside to tangle with hers.

He kissed her again, and yet again before he eased her down on the mattress, his hands moving over Sky, readying her for what was to come.

When she was breathless with anticipation, he removed his jeans, slid her nightgown over her head, and then rose above her. For a moment, he gazed into her eyes, humbled by the depths of her love, her unconditional trust.