His Dark Embrace

He groaned softly as her tongue sought his. She was fire and honey in his arms, an impossible wish fulfilled, a nighttime fantasy magically brought to vibrant life. He wanted all of her, every thought, every caress, every breath. He wanted to please her in every way possible, to make every hope and dream she’d ever had come true.

His mind and body merged with hers, their joining like summer lightning streaking across the sky. When he nuzzled her neck, she tilted her head to the side, giving him easy access to her throat.

She moaned softly, her hands clutching his shoulders as his bite brought them both to fulfillment.

“I’ve been thinking,” Skylynn remarked later, when their bodies had cooled.

“Oh? About what?” Although he wasn’t cold, Thorne pulled the covers over the two of them, then wrapped his arms around her again, her back to his front. She fit him so perfectly, satisfied him so completely. How had he lived so long without her?

“Well, not right away, you understand, but in a year or two or three, I think I’d like to be what you are.”

Thorne sat up, then drew Skylynn up beside him so he could see her face. “Are you serious?”

“I thought you’d be pleased.”

“That doesn’t begin to describe it, but what changed your mind?”

“Well, you’re a vampire. Sam’s a vampire and he seems to love it.” She shrugged. “I just want to fit in with the rest of the family.”

Thorne stared at her, then pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Sky Blue. Vampire or human, I’ll always love you.”

She smiled against his chest. “Will it hurt?”

“No, love.”

“And the blood? Will I learn to like it?”

“I guarantee it.”

“It’s settled then.”

“There’s no hurry. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll ...” He frowned as she bolted off the bed and ran into the bathroom. What the hell? “Sky?” He followed her into the bathroom and found her bent over the toilet. Kneeling beside her, he draped one arm around her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.”

Rising, he wet a cloth and wiped her face, then drew her to her feet. Wrapping his arms around her, he closed his eyes and opened his senses. Was she ill? Sometimes, he could smell sickness or disease on those he had fed upon.

But Skylynn wasn’t sick.

Feeling as though he had been punched in the gut, he gazed down at her, his jaw rigid.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He put her away from him, his answer curt and filled with accusation. “You’re pregnant.”

Skylynn stared at Kaiden, too stunned to think, too startled to speak. Pregnant? That was impossible. He had told her so himself. Vampires couldn’t create life.

“Say something!” he demanded, and even as his anger rose, and with it the urge to kill whoever had dared touch her, he knew she hadn’t been with another man. And yet, she carried the proof in her womb.

“You can’t think ... I’ve never ... it’s impossible.”

“I know.” He drew her gently into his arms, and just like that, his anger dissolved.

“You must be mistaken,” she said. “And even if it was true, which it can’t be, how could you tell?”

“I can hear the heartbeat, quick and quiet.”

She blinked up at him. “You can hear it?” She placed one hand on her stomach. She couldn’t be pregnant, so what could it be?

Swinging her into his arms, he carried her back to bed and cradled her to his chest. He frowned as a new thought inched its way into his mind. Could it be? Was it possible? All those months when he had taken McNamara’s formula, when he had been able to consume mortal food and drink, when he had been able to abide the sun’s light and be awake during the day ... when his vampire nature had, for want of a better word, gone into hibernation ... He shook his head. Vampires couldn’t create life, and yet he could hear two heartbeats.

Thorne placed his hand over Skylynn’s womb and blinked back the sting of tears in his eyes as he sensed the barely discernable movement of new life beneath his palm.

“I guess it’s a good thing we got married.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lightly, tenderly. “Because we’re going to be parents.”

Chapter 48

“You’re what?” Standing in the middle of the living room, Sam stared at Skylynn. “I thought ... vampires couldn’t ...” He looked at Thorne for an explanation. “How the devil did this happen?”

Thorne shrugged. “The usual way.” He hugged Skylynn, who was sitting on the sofa beside him. They had come downstairs after taking a shower. Sky had been too excited to sleep, too anxious to call Tara and share the news, in spite of the late hour. Too eager to tell her brother he was going to be an uncle.

“You know what I mean,” Sam said.

As succinctly as possible, Thorne told Sam about Paddy’s formula.

Sam frowned. “That was for you? And that’s how you were able to be out in the sun, and eat regular food?”

“Yeah.”

Sam dropped into his usual place in the chair beside the sofa. “I thought you liked being a vampire.”

“I did. I do. But it was nice being able to go outside during the day again, to eat mortal food.” He looked at Skylynn. “To dream about a future with the woman I love.”

“Then why did you stop taking the potion?” Sam asked.

“I ran out. I tried recreating it, but ...” Thorne shrugged. “I couldn’t make it work. There was an ingredient in it that I couldn’t duplicate and no one could figure out what it was.”

Sam looked at Thorne and started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Thorne asked irritably.

Sam held up one hand while he continued to laugh.

Skylynn looked at Thorne, her brows raised.

“Sorry,” Sam said, blowing out a breath and wiping his eyes. “It’s just that, years ago, Granda made me memorize the ingredients to a formula. He wouldn’t tell me who it was for, he just insisted that I remember it, and that I never write it down. When I asked him why, he just said somebody we knew might need it someday.” He looked at Thorne. “That someone is you, isn’t it?”

“I sure as hell hope so,” Thorne said, a sense of anticipation building inside him.

“Sam, are you telling us that you know what it is?” Skylynn exclaimed in disbelief. “That you know what the potion’s made of?”