Page 51 of Bad Luck Vampire

He nodded in understanding, knowing that meant she could read them.

“Your uncles may be gruff and rough around the edges, Alasdair, but they love you and Colle,” she said now as she settled on the chair Sam had been occupying. “I doubt you’ll recall this, but they used to babysit you and Colle when you were bairns.

“Your mother, Marsle, was very young, just eighteen, when your father found her. Then she became pregnant with you and your brother almost right away. Your grandmother, Margareta, thought it would be best if she let that pregnancy go.”

That was surprising. His father’s mother had been nothing but a loving grandmother to him and Colle. Hearing that she’d wanted his mother to “let that pregnancy go” was more than a little shocking, and even hurtful.

“Margareta loves you both dearly,” Marguerite said firmly. “But at the time she was concerned. Your mother and your father were still newly mated and in the fog that all newly mated go through. She was afraid that any child born at that time would be neglected. However, your uncles stepped up and took over caring for the two of you until the new life mate fog passed and your parents could be there for you both properly.”

Alasdair relaxed and nodded in understanding. He couldn’t imagine having a child with Sophie at this point. His mind was already so full of her, he found it hard to think of much else. Having a child to worry about would be difficult at best. He could easily envision a child being left by the wayside as they pored over each other’s bodies in an orgy of need. And while they were unconscious afterward.

Marguerite nodded as if he’d spoken those thoughts aloud. “It’s something Natalie and Valerian are struggling with right now. They both love little Mia dearly, but . . .” She shrugged, not needing to point out how powerful life mate sex was. “It’s why they’ve decided to hire an immortal nanny. So that there is someone keeping Mia safe and well until the life mate fog passes. And that is essentially what your uncles were for you and your brother. Even after the fog passed for your parents, your uncles continued to spend a great deal of time with you both. I think they all think of you and Colle as more like sons than nephews. It’s why they’ve always been in your business over the centuries, and why they were as hurt as your parents when you and Colle decided to leave for the Americas.”

Alasdair grimaced as guilt pinched at him. Everyone had been upset when he and Colle had set out to sail to the Americas, but his parents and uncles had taken it hardest. Now he knew why.

“That is also why they are so determined to help you gain your Sophie,” she added now with a faint smile. “So, try to be patient with them. Hmm?”

Alasdair nodded. He would try.

“Good. Now,” she said, taking the empty bag from his fangs and slapping the last bag on. “You do not need to serenade or write love poems for Sophie to win her. In fact, just being you will win her over more than anything else, and that includes the fact that you are immortal.”

When Alasdair showed his surprise at that, she nodded.

“I spent a good deal of time reading her mind during the wedding ceremony and that child has lost nearly everyone she has ever loved,” she told him solemnly. “Her parents along with her beloved dog died in the house fire, then she lost her best friend to death as well, and her first love—well, he’s still alive but in a coma, but two of her fiancés after that did die. She will not admit it easily, but Sophie is terrified that she is cursed, and that anyone who loves her will surely die. That fear may be taking a second seat to the passion and need she feels for you now, but when she starts to really care for you, it will surely pop up to cause issues. Telling her that you are immortal would go a long way to easing those fears.”

Alasdair was considering that when Marguerite added, “But I must say, all these deaths in her life trouble me. I was only catching bits and pieces of memory that cropped up whenever Sophie observed Natalie and Valerian’s happiness and thought on her own chances of love. From what I gathered, none of these deaths were from natural causes.” She fell silent for a minute, her expression troubled, and then said, “I am not saying that foul play was involved, but...” She shook her head. “It just troubles me. I think you should try to get her to talk to you about these losses. Perhaps you can get a clearer picture and sort that out.”

Alasdair nodded solemnly. He would ask Sophie about her childhood and past and try to get her to talk about the people she’d loved and lost. It was not going to be an easy task. Life mate sex was addictive and overwhelming. It would be hard to think of much else when near her. But he’d find a way, he decided.

“Maybe you should take her away on an overnight trip,” Marguerite suggested. “Somewhere out in public where you would be unable to indulge in life mate sex. In fact, I think that is probably for the best if you want any chance of actually talking to her.”

Alasdair was just nodding at that when the effects of the blood he’d been consuming kicked in. The pain he was feeling suddenly increased a hundredfold as the nanos in his body set to work again with a fury. Ripping the now empty last bag from his fangs, he ground his teeth to keep from shouting out in agony, and then couldn’t even do that as his body began to convulse.

Eighteen

“Wow, woman! Have you moved in or something? You don’t work Saturdays.”

Sophie glanced up from her computer screen and smiled at Megan as her friend breezed into her office and plopped herself on the corner of her desk.

“Neither do you,” Sophie pointed out rather than answer.

“I just dropped off Dad’s lunch. He forgot it when he left this morning,” Megan explained, and then gave her a meaningful look and asked, “So? What are you doing here?”

“I just came in to finish making up the hours I missed on Thursday,” Sophie said finally.

Megan sat up a little straighter and peered down her nose suspiciously at Sophie. “I thought you were doing that last night?”

“I was,” Sophie agreed.

Megan’s eyebrows rose. “I’m gonna guess that means that you left early? Or did work time become playtime last night when Alasdair showed up? Maybe instead of eating and going back to work, you ended up eating and then polishing your desk with your bare butt while he did dirty little things to you.” Her eyes widened even as she said that, and Megan suddenly jumped off the desk with a loud, “Ewww. You did, didn’t you? And I just sat where you two got busy.”

“No, we didn’t,” Sophie said on a laugh. “Good Lord, you know me better than that. I’d never have sex in the office,” she assured her, and then paused as it occurred to her that she damned near had had sex here. Twice. Once in her office and once in the break room, and the only reason they hadn’t was because they’d been interrupted.

Shaking her head to remove the memories of what had happened, Sophie said, “Actually, I ended up with burning-hot pizza on my blouse and didn’t feel like working covered with pizza sauce and mozzarella so I called it a night and went home.”

“Ohhhhh,” Megan said meaningfully. “I bet Alasdair could have helped you with that. Did he offer to accompany you home and lick it off for you?”

Sophie pressed her lips together. She really wanted to tell Megan all about what had happened with Alasdair. She usually told her everything. But this was so new, and Alasdair wasn’t like anyone else she’d ever dated. And—

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