Page 44 of Dark Reign of Forever

Cassidy’s head felt like an untethered balloon. She locked her knees. “Yes. Yes, we did. Could this really be happening?”

“You are carrying my child.” On a downright giddy note, he added, “Unless there are other lovers you keep hidden from me?”

She stared at him, dazed. “As if I could, even if I wanted to.” It was hard to breathe. Her vision swam with tears.

When he pulled her into his arms, she leaned against him and let the world come undone.

17

Puppy Dog Eyes

Fromthesmalldeckbehind her pool house home, Samantha watched night creep over the Intracoastal waterway, sipped from a cup of calming herbal tea, and waited.

Any moment now, the wine cellar in the house would crack open, releasing Serge and Natalia, who had gratefully accepted Dominique’s invitation to remain at the house. Dominique trusted her, and that was good enough for Samantha. She had no concerns about the dainty Russian vampiress or her mortal lover who had slept most of the day in a guest room.

No, Natalia was not the vampire Samantha was worried about. It was Serge’s over-the-top reaction to Étienne last night that had put her on guard—at least until Étienne distracted her again in the most delightful ways. In his human arms, the supernatural ceased to exist. She closed her eyes, remembering. God, she was falling hard.

“My golden treasure,” a familiar supernatural voice purred into her ear. “Good evening to you.”

Samantha cracked open one eye. “Hello Serge.”

“How was your day?”

Now she opened both eyes and watched him curl up on a lounge chair. He was completely focused on her, clear-eyed and steady, but by no means calm. It was like he was looking to pounce on something. Like a cat.

“My day was wonderful.” She smiled a little, remembering, and also maybe grateful that Serge hadn’t fed from her in well over a week. His ability to read her thoughts would be severely diminished at this point.

Or maybe not.

“Will you show me?” he ventured hopefully.

Samantha’s smile froze. That was his way of asking permission to feed. As far as she knew, she was the only one he ever asked, the only human he never compelled or coerced. She also knew how quickly that could change. “I’m not sure you’d like what you’d find.”

Serge harrumphed. “Because of that man?”

“Your lord’s cousin, Étienne, yes.” No point denying it.

A dismissive gesture. “No matter. He is gone now. I’m pleased if you found some pleasure I can’t provide.”

Her heart squeezed. Those large, chocolate brown eyes reminded her of a puppy suddenly. A sad puppy. She put her hand on his arm. “Oh, Serge. You give me so much else. Your trust and friendship mean the world to me.”

A shy smile and tiny lopsided shrug.

“And Étienne is not gone. He took Francesca to the airport late this afternoon, but he’ll be back soon.”

Serge’s face sharpened. “Airport? Where is she going? She is under my protection.”

“Calm down. She’ll be fine. She talked to Dominique today—”

“Today? During the day, today?”

“—and thought he sounded strange.” Samantha sighed. “So, she booked a flight to follow him.”

Serge made one of those adorable little noises of bafflement. He looked away, probably thinking as she had, about the implications for Dominique. Well, not quite. “He is not going with her? He returns? Here?”

“Um. Yes.” Étienne would have accompanied his aunt, had she asked, but Francesca had taken one look at Étienne and Samantha this morning and left her nephew where he was.

“I don’t like it.”

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