Page 148 of Claim of Blood
“So you chose to stay in Porte du Coeur?”
“With Carl, and a Coven that didn’t just want me for my magical breeding ability.”
Leo frowned. “What?”
Emilia smiled tightly. “I’m quite powerful, dear. My family had already arranged a marriage for me, to a boar of a man who planned to place so many babies in me.” She laughed, but the sound carried an echo of old pain.
Leo stared at her, horrified. “That’s terrible.”
“Ancient history now.” Emilia’s expression softened. “I had two children with Carl—both sons. They’re happy, powerful witches with families of their own.” She waved toward the pool.
Leo followed her gesture to a man in his late thirties, accompanied by a woman on his arm. Two boys splashed nearby—one clearly a teenager full of angst, the other younger by several years, deliberately splashing his brother.
“That’s Garrett, his wife Leanne, and their children, Liam and Joseph. Joseph is the scowling one,” Emilia said with obvious pride. “Garrett is my youngest. My other son and his family are visiting relatives in Chicago for their solstice celebration.”
“That’s amazing,” Leo said. “Hunters don’t really celebrate the solstice, except maybe as a vacation day. Vampires usually stay hidden, so it’s considered safer for new hunters to practice.”
“And what about you, Leo? Do you miss the hunting life?”
“Sometimes,” he admitted. “Not the killing, but the sense of purpose, of knowing exactly who I was.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m finding a new purpose.” He glanced around at the celebration. “What about the Pack? How do they fit into all this?”
Emilia’s expression grew more serious. “While the Anderson Coven has maintained good relations with the Court, things with the Pack were strained until Nathaniel wrestled control from his grandfather.” She lowered her voice. “The old brute had Nathaniel’s father put to death, did you know?”
Leo shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”
“A shame. Nathaniel’s father was a lovely man.” Emilia sighed. “The relationship became much stronger once Nathaniel took control. The Pack and the Court have a long, complicated history.” She waved her hand. “Innsbrook is a result of said relationship.”
Before Leo could ask what she meant, the glass doors burst open and Claudia swept in, followed by her colorful Court. Leo nearly choked on his beer. Claudia wore what might generously be called a bikini, though the small triangles of fabric seemedmore decorative than functional. Several members of her Court had dispensed with swimwear entirely, their nudity drawing appreciative glances from the pool crowd.
“Emilia!” Claudia shouted, arms spread wide. “My favorite witch!”
Emilia rose, meeting Claudia’s enthusiastic embrace with equal warmth. “Claudia! Still allergic to proper clothing, I see. There are children present.”
“Life’s too short for fabric prisons, and don’t lie to me and say your coven adheres to fully clothed rituals. I’ll call you a liar,” Claudia declared, then burst into laughter at her own joke. Her gaze fell on Leo, then immediately dropped to his hand. “And my favorite hunter! Still fully dressed, I see. We’ll have to work on that.” Her eyes brightened as she noticed the ring. “Oh, beautiful! That’s a gorgeous piece. Keep it close today, won’t you?”
Leo felt his face flush at her clothing comment, glancing over to where a group of children were playing in the outdoor pool. Neither they nor their parents seemed concerned about the nude vampires in their midst. “I’m good, thanks,” he said, then looked down at his ring. “And yes, I’ll keep it on.”
Claudia dropped onto the lounge chair beside him, somehow managing to make the casual movement look like a dance. “You two know each other?” she asked, glancing between Leo and Emilia.
“We’ve met a few times,” Leo said.
“Emilia and I go way back,” Claudia said, patting Emilia’s hand. “Remember that Rainbow Gathering in ‘33? Wyoming, wasn’t it?”
“Colorado,” Emilia corrected, her normally dignified demeanor softening with amusement. “You showed up with eight vampires, twelve shifters, and a handful of humans and claimed you were a commune from Oregon.”
Claudia laughed. “The energy that year was transcendent. So many beautiful auras!”
Leo looked between them, confused. “Rainbow Gathering?”
“Counter-culture festival,” Emilia explained. “Peace, love, and questionable hygiene.”
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,” Claudia retorted good-naturedly.
Servants moved through the crowd, offering trays of food and drinks. Leo noticed some glasses contained a thick red liquid that was definitely not wine. The witches and shifters seemed unbothered by the vampires’ preferred refreshment, accepting their own drinks from the same servers.
