Page 105 of Bound By Blood

Kaitlyn spiraled slowly back to reality. Never before had she felt so complete. So content. So utterly happy.

Opening her eyes, she saw Zack watching her intently. She smiled drowsily. “Wow.”

He arched one brow. “Wow?”

She kissed his chin. “It was worth the wait.”

“I’m sorry I waited so long,” he said, and then grunted softly. “So much for all my good intentions.”

Propping herself up on her elbow, she traced his lips with the tip of her finger. He had a remarkable mouth, she thought, capable of doing remarkable things. “I’m sorry for seducing you.”

He stared up at her, and then burst out laughing. “No, you’re not.”

“You’re right,” she admitted with a grin. “I’m not. In fact, I’m ready to do it all over again!”

Drake stood in front of the hearth, his arms crossed over his chest, as Zack told him the details of his phone call with Scherry that morning. “And you think Nadiya is behind it.”

“She’s the most logical suspect, don’t you think?”

Drake shrugged. “Why you?”

“Maybe she wants to separate the two of us. Or maybe she thinks if I go back to Tahoe, Kaitlyn will go with me. Either way, I’m heading home. I know this messes up the wedding plans, and I’m sorry about that, but I need to take care of this.”

“Of course you do,” Elena said.

Kaitlyn glanced at Zack, who was sitting on the sofa beside her, then smiled tentatively at her mother. “We thought we’d get married in Tahoe.”

Elena and Drake exchanged looks.

“Is that what you want?” Drake asked quietly.

“We want you both to be there, of course,” Kaitlyn added quickly. “And Grandmother and Stefan.”

“Whatever you want is fine with us,” Elena said. “It isn’t as though we’ve sent out a hundred invitations and rented a hall.”

“I think Kaitlyn should stay here while Zack goes ahead and takes care of whatever he has to,” Drake said.

“No way!” Kaitlyn exclaimed. “I’m going with Zack.”

“I think your dad’s right,” Zack said. “You’ll be safer here. My lair is toast. A threshold in a hotel or a rented room doesn’t offer any protection from intruders, supernatural or otherwise.”

“Then you won’t be safe, either,” Kaitlyn said.

“I’m not going to sleep at the hotel. I’ll go to ground somewhere.”

“But …”

“It’s only for a few days, Katy. I’ll find a church and set the date for a week from today.” He kissed her cheek, then whispered, “Just think how happy you’ll be to see me again.”

“I don’t want to stay here without you,” she said, pouting.

“Katy, I can’t guarantee your safety during the day. Not in a hotel. And I’m not willing to take a chance on Nadiya getting her hands on you again.”

Nadiya, she thought glumly. How had she forgotten about Nadiya?

Knowing Kaitlyn and Zack would like to spend a few hours alone before he left for Tahoe, Drake and Elena decided to go into town.

“To do a little shopping and maybe take in a movie,” Elena said, giving Kaitlyn a hug. “We won’t be too late.”

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