Sort of. He thought Étienne was a “good vampire.”
Evie released her daughter and hugged Étienne.
Surprised, he wrapped his arms around her and gingerly hugged her back.
“Congratulations,” she said.
“Thank you.” He met Martin’s gaze. “I wanted to seek your permission before I asked her, but circumstances were such that I could not,” he admitted. And, damn it, his accent had just gotten thicker and his speech had reverted to the more formal tones of his youth.
Krysta eyed him curiously. “Everything okay?”
Hell, no.
Her mother backed away, face still bright with a grin.
“Krysta,” Étienne asked (casually he hoped), “what did you say your parents’ gifts were?”
“My mother is empathic and my dad is precognitive.”
“He can see the future?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Because he has been seeing yours quite clearly for some time now.”
She looked at Martin. “What do you mean?”
“They know you’ve been hunting vampires.”
Her parents nodded.
Krysta shook her head. “No, they don’t. No way.”
Sean cleared his throat. “Um . . . Krysta . . . Étienne just said they know you’ve been hunting vampires and they didn’t flinch or frown or make a cuckoo sign with their fingers. They nodded. I think that pretty much confirms it.”
Krysta kept shaking her head. “No. They would’ve stopped me.”
Her mother shrugged. “Why do you think we refused to pay your and Sean’s college tuition?”
“You didn’t refuse to pay it. You couldn’t pay it. You lost everything when the stock market tanked in 2008.”
Evie waved a hand in a pshaw gesture. “Martin saw that coming from a mile away, as well as the value it would regain over the next few years. We’re actually quite wealthy now. But we knew the only way we could reduce the time you spent risking your life hunting vampires was to ensure that you had to work as many hours as possible to cover rent and help Sean pay his tuition after you dropped out your junior year.”
Martin nodded. “I didn’t foresee Michael’s death, baby. I’m sorry.” He met Étienne’s gaze. “But I did foresee Étienne and how happy he would make you.” He smiled at Krysta. “If we had come up with a way to keep you from hunting vampires, you never would have met him. So we settled for doing what we could to limit your hours, so to speak.”
“You know I’m immortal,” Étienne asked, hardly able to believe it, “and still approve of our impending marriage?”
“Yes,” he responded simply.
Evie nodded. “So?” She turned to Krysta and Sean and rubbed her hands together with anticipation. “Let’s see ’em.”
Krysta and Sean exchanged a glance.
“See what?” Krysta asked.
“Your fangs.”
The siblings looked equally astonished.
“You know about that, too?” Sean asked.
She nodded. “I’ve been trying to get a glimpse of them ever since you arrived.”
“You’re not upset?” Krysta asked.
“That we don’t have to worry about our children ever getting sick or dying? That you’ll be young and healthy forever? No.”
Martin nodded. “Or that you’ll both spend eternity with someone you love? Someone who makes you happy?”
“No,” Evie said again.
“Hell, no,” Martin seconded.
“Wait,” Sean said. “Are you saying I’m going to marry an immortal, too?”
“Yes,” Martin stated with confidence.
“Who is she?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen her outside of the visions.”
Evie leaned toward her children and waggled her eyebrows. “So? What are you waiting for? Flash me some fangs.”
Krysta and Sean exchanged another glance, then peeled their lips back from their gums, let their fangs descend, and snarled.
Evie clapped, her eyes bright with excitement.
Smiling, Martin again offered his hand to Étienne. “Welcome to the family.”
Étienne shook it, not needing precognition to know he would enjoy being part of it.
Krysta caught his eye and winked as she continued to growl and ham it up for her mother. I love you.
He smiled. I love you, too.
“Ooh! Marty, look!” Evie said with excitement. “Her eyes are glowing! Isn’t she pretty?”
Étienne laughed as Krysta rolled her glowing eyes.
Darkness Dawns
Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control . . .
In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible—when it means forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect . . .
“These dark, kick-ass guardians can protect me any day!”
—Alexandra Ivy
Night Reigns
Ami isn’t much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she’s no coward, and she’s no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn’t hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .
Marcus Grayden has been an Immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and he’s not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can’t deny that she’s strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she’s also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can’t bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets—how can she defeat death itself?
“A thrilling and chilling new paranormal series.Fantastic!”
—Romantic Times
“Whizzing along at light speed . . . this sophomore effort sizzles.”
—Publishers Weekly
Phantom Shadows
Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural. She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it’s not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire . . .
Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can’t remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different—and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question—he can’t put her in danger. But she isn’t asking him . . .