Page 37 of Midnight Enchantment

“What’s your father going to say?”

Quill shook his head ruefully. “I don’t even want to think about that.”

“You should probably call him and let him … ” Callie froze in mid-sentence as power unlike anything she had ever experienced washed over her, and then was gone.

Quill bounded to his feet. “What the hell was that?”

Callie sent a worried glance in his direction. “Are we being attacked?”

“Stay here. I’m going after Lily.” Rising, Quill hurried out the back door, only to come to an abrupt halt when he saw Lily in the arms of a tall, dark-haired man. “Raedan.” The name hissed past his lips.

The vampire-demon lifted his head, his hostile gaze meeting Quill’s over the top of Lily’s head.

It took all of Quill’s self-control not to look away as Raedan’s preternatural power slammed into him, threatening to drive him to his knees. And then Callie stepped outside and the vampire-demon’s focus divided. But it didn’t weaken.

Tugging on Raedan’s arm, Lily said, “Stop it!”

Murmuring, “Forgive me, love,” he withdrew his power.

Quill forced himself to stand his ground when all he wanted to do was sink to his knees. Without taking his gaze from Raedan, he reached for Callie’s hand when she moved to stand beside him. As always, her nearness strengthened him.

“You’re trespassing,” Quill said. “All you had to do was knock on the front door.”

An insolent smile curved Raedan’s lips. “I wasn’t sure of my welcome.”

“So you climbed over the wall like a thief in the night,” Quill said, his voice thick with contempt. “What do you want?”

“I should think that would be obvious,” Raedan said dryly. “I love your daughter, and I intend to have her, with or without your permission.”

“Is this the kind of man you want, Liliana?” Quill asked quietly. “One who has no regard for common courtesy or for the thoughts and feelings of your family?”

“Your family has made your thoughts and feelings about me quite clear,” Raedan said. “Had I asked permission to date your daughter, I’m sure the answer would have been an emphatic no.”

“Can you blame us?” Quill cocked his head to one side, his expression thoughtful. “What would you do if she wasyourdaughter?”

Raedan’s eyes narrowed ominously.

Quill felt his insides go cold as the vampire-demon put his arm around Lily’s shoulders. He took a step forward, only to feel the vampire’s power wash over him again. Dammit, the man was going to take Lily and there was nothing he could do to stop him.

Time stood still as Raedan bent his head and kissed Liliana, long and slow.

And then he was gone and Lily stood there alone, silent tears tracking her cheeks.

Raedan stalked the dark countryside outside the compound, Quill’s words echoing in his mind—What would you do if she was your daughter?Raedan swore softly. He would never father a child, but if he had, he wouldn’t hesitate to destroy anyone who dared harm a hair of her head. Of course Lily’s family was concerned. Their only daughter had been secretly dating a monster.

Throwing back his head, he howled his anger and frustration to the uncaring moon, and in the distance, he heard an answering cry.

Filled with a sudden need to surrender to the beast within him, he shifted to wolf form and ran in search of the pack. He could shift to any form he desired, but the wolf was the only other form he had ever taken.

He found the pack in a forest several miles away.

The alpha let out a warning growl as he walked stiff-legged toward Raedan, his hackles raised.

Raedan stood his ground as the alpha circled him, then backed away. It was obvious the wolf sensed there was something different about the stranger among them. After a moment, Raedan sat back on his haunches and smiled a wolfish smile.

The alpha wagged his tail and let out a yip, then took off running deeper into the forest. The rest of the pack followed and Raedan fell in behind them.

He reveled in the kiss of the wind in his face, the feel of the earth beneath his paws, the sense of community with the wild ones. They ran for miles, jumping over deadfalls, leaping over a narrow stream, only to veer off when a buck crossed their path.

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