Page 78 of Across Shadowed Paths

Sighing, Nina’s features softened. “Mating has changed you, Isaiah. I am glad you have Rukia.”

As Isaiah’s features relaxed into a rare smile filled with genuine affection, a contented noise rumbled from his chest. “I hope one day to extend the same goodwill to you, Nina.” He offered her an old-world bow. “I’ll take my leave, but I thank you again for your assistance at Luc’s House.”

And with that, the other sovereign teleported away.

Nina was silent for a beat before electricity prickled through the air and Kaien reappeared. She glanced at her brother. “It seems you’ve earned a friend.”

He smirked. “Does earning Isaiah’s friendship mean you won’t kill me for mating with your best friend?”

His question, though carefully posed as dry sarcasm, bore a hint of uncertainty. Blair felt herself frown, suffering the same dilemma but unsure how to react in this dangerously unfamiliar territory. Though Nina hadn’t voiced any reservations about their mating bond originally, had things changed?

Nina stared at him, pensive. “You may have been blind to your inevitable connection, but none of us were. You two have been dancing around each other for centuries.”

“Is that so?” Blair’s nose scrunched at the insult. “I don’t dance, Nina, I stalk.”

“Yes, well, you’ve beenstalkingeach other since you met,” she retorted blandly without a hint of venom. “Years of stalking for the stars to align. How pleasantly perfect.”

“Basically, kids,” Celeste interjected as she walked in, “we’ve known you were fated far before you did. There’s no surprise there. I think the only thing that’s surprising is that you’ve left Kaien’s bed—”

“And that’s enough of that.”

Blanching, Nina put her hands on her hips, clearly done with the conversation’s devolution toward the more carnal aspects of her brother’s relationship.

“Well, I sure as heck didn’t know,” Remmus admitted.

Laughter abounded as Remmus blushed beneath his Aviators, and Celeste kissed him on the cheek. “You’re oblivious, killer. I’m not surprised.”

Switching topics, Nina said, “Nero’s told me that the delegates will be arriving in two days’ time at the house in Lexington. We need to assess what’s happened.”

Launching into the discussion headfirst, they talked tactics and potential fallout from the battle, not the least of which was Lucius’ House having to be relocated somewhere else. For the time being, the entirety of the group had been accommodated to Nina’s house in Kentucky, but while the sprawling structure was sizeable, it couldn’t house them indefinitely.

Lucius had lost twelve of his own in the initial assault, and another one from the aftermath of a sunlight bullet. But even with his losses, there were nearly two hundred and fifty vampires without a House. Given that the council member’s House was a veritable might among vampire society and one of the largest in existence, the group needed a new home—and fast.

No answers were forthcoming in the interim, and they all agreed that beating a dead horse wasn’t going to be fruitful. So instead of continuing their futile conversation, Nina sent the other lieutenants home.

When the last of them had ‘ported away and the front door to her home had closed, Nina turned to Blair with an expression that held a maternal quietness.

“Welcome to the clan, fledgling.”

Blair heard herself chuckle. “Well, I only joined for the free tattoo.”

A dark laugh sounded in Kaien’s throat before he came to stand behind where she’d draped herself over the armchair, his palm circling around the back of her neck.

“Remind me why I mated you?”

“Don’t play coy now, lumberjack.” Blair’s eyes flashed in seductive warning. “Only an hour ago you were begging me to—”

“Nope!” Eyes squeezed shut, Nina shook her head adamantly and refocused on Blair with an otherworldly dominance. “Never—ever—do I want to hear anything aboutthat. Keep it in the bedroom—and never talk about it to me again.”

Blair grinned. “Aye aye, captain. Never again.”

Sighing loudly, Nina collapsed into the sofa beside them and crossed a stilettoed heel over her leg. “Will you be keeping residence here then, Blair? Staying at Kaien’s home on clan lands?”

Suddenly, Blair’s mouth ran dry.

A permanent residence? A place to belong? Ahome? Admittedly, she hadn’t thought this through, and her heart began racing as thoughts scattered through her mind. Never once had she dropped anchor for longer than a week, nor had she ever considered amassing property or rooting herself to a single place.

All of her immortal life, she’d been a wanderer, a recluse. Now that she was mated with Kaien, did that mean she’d leave that life behind?

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