Once on her own feet, she continued, "Will they think we're just missing, or-?"
"That's up to you," he said solemnly. "They can be left to wonder what happened to the two of you, or we can arrange for them to believe your bodies have been found with those in the ravine up north along with the others."
She glanced at him sharply. "The authorities haven't been sent to find the women yet?"
"No. Lucian thought it would be better if we waited to see what happened with you and Stephanie first."
"In case we had to be added to the bodies?" she realized grimly.
He didn't answer, but suspected that's what his uncle had been thinking.
"Our parents will be upset," she added.
"We can arrange to help them through it, make it less painful for them," he said, and then added carefully, "Or we might be able to arrange it so that they think everything's all right. They could continue to believe that you and Stephanie were just enjoying a couple of days in the city."
"But she can't live with them," Dani said with a frown.
"No, but we could put it into their minds that Stephanie's at a boarding school and that you've just taken a job elsewhere. That way the two of you could occasionally visit with your family."
"For another ten years only, though, right?" she asked quietly.
Decker nodded. "I'm sorry, Dani. I wish I could make this easier for you."
"You do, just by being here. I can't imagine facing all this alone." She slipped her hand into his, squeezing it. "I guess that's what love is, sharing the good and the bad, the happy and the sad."
"Yes," he murmured. As they started down the stairs again, he was wishing he could take all the bad and sad away for her.
"And family."
"Family?" he asked uncertainly.
"Well, I'll still have family with you."
Decker was worrying that she meant babies and was imagining her heartache should they have a stillborn or a child who was born mad like Leonius when she added, "Your mother and father and brothers and sisters and that aunt you are so fond of."
"Marguerite," he murmured with relief.
"Yes. Your aunt Marguerite. We'll have them, and each other. We'll be okay." She raised a smile to his face and said, "We will."
"Yes." He bent to kiss her gently and then assured her, "We will."
As they broke apart to continue down the stairs, Decker started making plans; ways to keep Dani and Stephanie safe, ways she could still see her family for now, even visits to his aunt and cousins... Anything he could think of to help her through this. He knew it wasn't always going to be easy, but he was going to work very, very hard to do his best to make Dani happy. She hadn't chosen to be turned, but she was his life mate, and the woman who had brought peace and passion to his life. He was going to make sure they were more than okay. He was going to make her-
"I'm going to be happy," she said suddenly. "And make sure you're happy too."
Decker smiled as he realized her own thoughts must have been traveling along the same lines as his. Squeezing her hand, he assured her, "I already am."