Page 71 of Total Eclipse of the Moon
Madeline’s chest heated with the warmth of an acceptance she didn’t expect.
"Yes, ma’am." Shane nodded.
"I got my son back. She didn’t. She will never see her son again. Never be able to hug him or help him sort through the foolishness of love. And then there’s Antonio." Everyone seemed to be holding their breath as she stared at the vampire in silence.
To Antonio’s credit he didn’t flinch or drop his gaze from hers.
Finally, Evie said, "Thank you for seeing my son through the pestilence infecting him." She touched her chest. "For that you are a part of this family, too." She paused dramatically. Everyone seemed to hold their breath in anticipation of whatever came next. "Unless you do something stupid and then I’ll kill you."
Antonio whispered to Shane, "I think I’m in love with your mother."
Shane murmured back under his breath, "She’s already got a boyfriend."
"I could take that mage," Antonio whispered back.
"Let’s eat." Evie waved and food appeared. She sat. "We are graced with Ky making his bread pudding for dessert. Thank you for indulging me, love."
"My pleasure." Ky pushed his longish dirty blond hair off his face and smiled to the point crinkles appeared at his eyes. It softened the hard edges that gave off a killer ex-con vibe.
As food was passed in silence and plates were filled, Madeline noticed no one ate. They waited for a signal from Evie.
When food had made it all the way around once, Evie raised her glass. "Alla famiglia e alla libertà." To family and freedom.
All toasted.
Madeline raised her glass with a sense of belonging. Antonio had an odd expression on his smooth face. Perhaps, like her, he too was unused to being a part of something like this.
She stared at the glass of wine in her hand, tempted. If she lost her inhibitions, there’d only be one here who’d be at risk. She looked at Shane across the table. She swirled the wine in the glass. His eyebrows rose. Mischievously, she smiled and took a huge swig. Oh, it was so good. She took another sip.
Color infused Shane’s cheeks. Totally thinking of that lap dance comment she’d made, wasn’t he?
She toasted her glass his way and emptied half of it in one gulp. A server silently appeared at her side and refilled it.
"What’s the plan?" Evie asked.
Roman said, "Shane will go check out the facility that Thomas, our new handler, said was active. Since it's dicey with regard to FenCor and the order from the monarch, he can go. We’ll work on isolating the king and figuring out his schedule for the lunar eclipse."
"Isn't Shane under the order as well?" Evie asked.
"Good point." Roman leaned forward to speak to Shane. "I had assumed since the monarch didn't know you lived that you might be exempt. What do you think?"
Shane held up his wrist with the curse tattoo. "Madeline modified the curse for me. I have flexibility with what the king orders, or so she says. Good moment to test it."
"The witch can modify the curse?" Roman's eyes widened.
"I'm right here. I have a name," Madeline said.
"She's not doing it for anyone else. It destroyed her magic for a long time," Shane said. "She won't be able to reverse the curse if she wastes her energy doing it for you."
"Not complicated with her, huh?" Roman muttered. "Complicated as fuck."
"Who’s going with Shane?" Evie asked as she cut her fish into small pieces.
"Antonio," Shane replied.
"What about the rest of your Alliance group? Don’t you have a team?" Evie didn’t look up but chased a piece of fish on the plate.
Shane rotated his wine glass to stare at the liquid, but hadn’t taken a sip of it, not even after the toast. "After the incident when they tried to kill me on the plane, we’re not sure who to trust."
