Taylor had been wonderful in the beginning of their relationship. He'd even bought her chocolates for their first Valentine's Day.
Over time, he'd become a total ass. Would Vane do the same?
And four hundred years that was a really long time to spend with someone.
Not if you love them.
Maybe that was true.
The least she could do was try. And hope.
"So where do we go from here?" she asked him.
"I have to find someplace to keep you so that if I have to leave you, you'll be safe."
"And my store?"
"I'll get someone to run it for you."
That sounded just a little too easy. "How?"
"I'll ask Acheron for another favor. They have humans who help the Dark-Hunters. They run a lot of the local businesses here in New Orleans and I'm sure they can send one of them over there to keep the shop open for you. The greatest benefit is if one of my people comes calling, they'll know how to handle them."
"All right, then. Let's begin our hand-fasting and see how this will all work."
Vane stood up and held his hand out to her.
Bride hesitated. She had never feared the future before, but she did now. Taking a deep breath for courage, she placed her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. She expected him to lead her to the kitchen. Instead, he flashed her into the nursery.
"You know," she said, feeling light-headed from their "trip." "Feet work well."
Vane laughed. "You said you wanted me to be myself. I prefer the flash-mode of transportation. It's a lot quicker."
Ash sat in an old-fashioned white wooden chair, rocking the baby who was snoozing in his lap while he watched them curiously. He held a half-empty bottle of milk between his legs while the baby, dressed in a pink jumper, sucked on her tiny fist in the shelter of his arms. There was something so incongruous about that image that Bride couldn't help but stare.
A man decked out in black leather and chains with long red and black hair and a dagger earring in his left ear definitely didn't look like someone who should relish caring for an infant. And yet there he sat in the frilly pink room peacefully cradling the baby. Ash ought to look completely out of place and yet he seemed at home here.
"I've already called Jessica Adams to take over the boutique," Ash whispered to them. "She just needs to know where the paperwork is, where the keys to the store are kept, and what bank to make the deposits in."
"Damn, you're good," Vane said.
Ash gave a cocky grin. "The absolute best."
Vane shifted his weight. "Then you know"
"Here's the address." Ash held his hand up and a business card magically appeared between his first two fingers. He handed the card over to Vane, who stepped forward to take it. "You'll be safe there. Trust me, he's more paranoid than an Apollite commune. Nothing is going to get into his place."
Vane looked down at the name on the card and froze. "Will he be all right with us there?"
Ash shrugged. "His house is big enough. Just try to stay out of his way." He looked past Vane and offered Bride a smile. "He's a bit hard on the nerves, Bride, but Valerius is a good man so long as you don't mention Kyrian's name to him. He'll make sure nothing happens to you."
"Valerius?" she asked.
Vane let out a slow breath, then turned to face her. "He's a vampire with serious attitude."
When Bride told Vane to do his worst and to let her see the real man er, wolf she'd had no idea just what she was letting herself in for.
He seldom did anything normal and she was beginning to appreciate how much effort he'd used to stay in the "normal" world for her when he'd pretended to be her wolf.