I woke in the early morning hours to the smell of smoke.

Not cigarette smoke, and not the smell of Ezra’s scent and tobacco mixed.

It was the scent of cinder and wood…and fuel.

My gaze flew open as I instantly tightened my embrace on Ezra, my head popping up as I scanned the room. A soft wolf’s growl echoed from my chest until I saw Cahal standing in front of the window I had been sitting under last night, the early morning rays outlining him as he stared outside, frozen in place. He gave the impression of an angel of darkness, his form appearing completely black while the golden light shone around him. Another sniff, and I realized the stench was coming from him.

He spoke, his voice void. “She wanted to be cremated.”

I stayed silent, motionless, waiting for what I already knew he was going to say.

“They had her in the morgue already.” He paused. “There were Com police everywhere inside. I could hear them talking.” Another pause. “They had no respect for the dead.”

Warily, I extracted myself from Ezra, careful not to wake him. “Are they all dead?”

“Of course.” Unpretentious words. “They burned right along with my mate’s body.”

I rested back against the wall, crossing my arms, my head dropping as I tried to figure out the implications of his actions. I would need to get a newspaper or find a TV to see if he had been caught on film doing this. It wouldn’t help the war negotiations to have an Elder — Elder-fucking-Zeller — caught murdering, even if he was deranged at the time from the loss of his mate.

“I don’t blame you,” he stated bluntly. “I try not to blame others for my actions, or the actions taken by those I love.”

I froze, feeling light-headed in relief, but still, the guilt was there. Deep inside, it was always harder not to blame oneself. Guilt was a heady burden that took too damn long to overcome.

“I’ve learned, Lily, that in this shithole of a life, each person has to live with the costs of their own actions. Someone may tell you to do something, in fact, order you to do something, but in the end, it’s always your choice how you handle the situation.” He cracked his neck, then blatant words. “She was scared. She didn’t think. She should have been more cautious when she went into the back room. That is neither my fault, nor yours. She shouldn’t have been so careless, and the person who shot her shouldn’t have pulled a gun. Had either of those two things not occurred, she would be alive right now, as would the individual who shot her.”

My hand covered my mouth, hearing his experienced, analytical mind reasoning it all out. This was a fucking man made of a different breed than most. He wasn’t heartless, as his actions last night showed when he killed many over the loss of his mate, but life, his experiences — the war more than likely — had taught him how to push past grief differently. To step back from the pain to find reasoning. And, possibly, the truth.

He was fucking scary as hell.

We stood in silence for many minutes, lost in our own thoughts, the sun rising higher.

Eventually, he cleared his throat. “I want to thank you.” Again, I stilled, but this time in shock. “Thank you for saving my life, my son’s, and Antonio’s. It couldn’t have been easy doing it alone.” Soft words. “Thank you for taking care of Ezra last night when I couldn’t.”

My chin quivered, but I dropped my hand from my mouth and stared him directly in the back of his head. “You’re welcome.”

He nodded once. “You need to find your Prodigy today.”

My gaze instantly went to Ezra’s sleeping form. Even in slumber, his eyebrows were furrowed, his jaw clenched. His respite hadn’t come until many hours after he had initially awoken. And still, pain practically radiated from his resting form.

“I’ll be here for him,” Cahal stated, his voice sounding more direct. My head snapped up and I saw he had turned and was watching his son. He murmured quietly, “You still need to do what you came to, and he will still need to do his duty.”

Straight to the crux of the matter. Duty. What we lived and breathed. I despised it most days…but hating it didn’t change the fact it still needed to be done. By me and him.

Our fucking duties as King Vampire and Queen Shifter.

My lips curled cruelly. “Just breathe?”

His gaze slammed to mine. “Precisely.”

After cleaning up, since I still had blood on me, by sneaking into the house down the street after watching the owners leave for work, I called for a taxi service from a nearby gas station while skimming the headlines of the day’s newspaper. The attack on the ice-cream parlor made front page news, an unknown Vampire being named the culprit of the killings, but more suspects were on the loose, driving a Hummer — it gave my license plate number — which had been spotted leaving the scene of the crime driving sporadically. I had at least been smart enough not to take the Hummer out, just in case this had happened, plus there had surely been cameras around the grocery store I had driven through. Also, from what I read in the article, Cahal had been intelligent enough to leave witnesses at the morgue’s explosive fire — the reason why they hadn’t been able to identify Vivian — who believed delinquent teenagers had started it.

Sighing heavily, I tossed the paper and waited for the cab to arrive, Bonnie my companion, while making myself eat, exhausted and completely feeling like shit…but I had my duty to contend with. And as luck normally liked to fuck with me, when my cab arrived I quickly found I was screwed. I jumped into the cab and told the man he would be driving me all over the city, and that I would pay him every half-hour until we arrived at my destination. He only sat there, staring back at me. Then, he started gibbering.

Uh.

In Spanish.

God hated me. That was all I could reason as my brain swam. Lifting a finger, I quickly dialed Pearl on my cell. All the while, the cabbie wouldn’t shut up.

Pearl didn’t answer.

I called Jack. No answer.

Sighing in resignation, I dialed Ezra, not wanting to disturb him, but needing him nonetheless.

“Sweetheart?” he answered on the second ring, sounding groggy. A pause, then a holler, “Wait, where the fuck are you?” That tone was one of worry and irritation and being flat out pissed.

“I’m doing my duty,” I explained, my tone letting him know it was the last thing I wanted to be doing. “I’m sorry I’m not there for you right now, but I need to find the brat as Elder Zeller,” and it had definitely been Elder Zeller and not Ezra’s dad speaking, “reminded me this morning.” I paused, sticking one finger in my ear to hear past the cabbie, then said quietly, “I really am sorry I’m not there for you.”

I heard him sniff, and he spoke just as quietly. “I understand, sweetheart, and you were here for me last night when I needed you the most.” There was a long pause, then he cleared his throat, his voice gruff, “Who the hell is the fucker in the background?”

Ah, yes. “Do you speak Spanish?”

There was silence over the line before I heard a broken chuckle — only the barest remnant of his normal self — as he managed to find a smidge of humor in my situation amongst his heartache. “In a bit of a pinch?”

My sigh was heavy. “Yes. I’ve decided God hates me.”

Ezra snorted. “If God hates you, then I’m definitely number one on his hit list.”

“We should go to church sometime.” I wasn’t really joking.

“Agreed.” It didn’t sound like he was, either. “A little love from above would be appreciated.”

“Not really what I meant.”

His voice was tired. “I know, although, it doesn’t make what I said any less true.”

I rubbed my ear, the driver damn near to giving me an impossible headache with his constant jabbering. “So, do you speak Spanish or not?”

“Of course,” he rumbled, and then he started speaking Spanish in my ear, sounding a helluva lot more yummy than the idiot in front of me.

When he stopped talking, I cleared my throat hard. “One day, I’d really like to know what you just said, but in the meantime, can you explain to this guy I want to drive around town and pay him every half-hour until I get to my destination?”

Now he sounded snippy. “Only if you promise to call regularly to keep me updated.”

My lips thinned. “Really, Ezra? Blackmail, right now?”

“If it makes you call me, then yes.”

My eyes crossed. His demanding logic boggled the mind. Whatever. “Fine.” I needed him right now. “I’ll call you regularly for updates.” I probably would have, anyway. “Now, will you talk to the man?”

“Yes,” he murmured, sounding pleased with himself.

Ugh. I held my phone out to the driver, saying slowly, “Talk to the arrogant asshole.”

“I heard that!” Ezra shouted over the line as the driver took the phone. “I’m in mourning here, dammit. Cut me a little fucking slack!”

Feeling a smidge guilty for being grumpy, I watched as the driver used my phone and spoke so fast I wasn’t sure at first if Ezra would be able to catch it all. But apparently he had no problem because the driver chuckled, glancing back at me.

His eyes hooded.

He fluttered a hand at my chest. Gibbered.

Then lower. Gibbered.

He listened, then went rigid, and quickly turned his back to me. Gibbered faster than ever. Nodded. Chucked the phone over his shoulder into my lap, and started driving.

Gingerly, I picked up my abused phone and asked into the receiver, “Do I even want to know what you said to the man?”

“Fucking pervert,” Ezra rumbled absently, a definite growl sounding in his tone. “All I did was ask him to verify what you were wearing, not to explain your assets in vivid detail.”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I murmured, “I love you, baby, and I know you’re going through a horrible time right now, but you still managed to try my patience to the breaking point.”

A few phone calls and many miles later, I was at 3091 Salamanca Lane, Las Vegas, Nevada. I stood on the sidewalk in the afternoon daylight, staring at the building the die was telling me to enter. The cab driver sat two blocks down, waiting happily after not only driving me to this destination, roaming the city for hours with me pointing directions, but also after receiving a huge tip — bribe — in his grubby hands to wait a half-hour to see if I would need him again, after I literally used my fingers to tell him how long to wait and pointed at his dashboard clock.

I stared at the door, completely exhausted, having gotten maybe three hours sleep last night and wondering if I should get some more before attempting to knock. Hell, I couldn’t even stop to appreciate the beauty of the architecture. All it looked like to me was a thin three-story building — one of many lining the street — that was the color of sand, and lots of wrought-iron railings on tiny balconies. I yawned, scratching my neck and blinking blurrily at the door.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood there, but I did notice a curtain flutter. Well, the natives had noticed me. Best to get in there before they fled, because if they were still living in this highly populated area, they had to be extremely wary. In other words, a flight risk, and I wasn’t about to go running after anyone right now.

Popping my neck, I moved forward on wooden legs, getting Ezra’s number ready on my phone just in case I needed assistance. Throughout the day, he had sounded as if he was slowly waking from a dream, gradually becoming more like himself as he spent the time he wasn’t talking to me with his dad. He knew I had found my mark since I had called him before I exited the cab, and told me to call him if I needed him…well, he had actually ordered that last bit, but I preferred to think of it as a request. So, my finger was poised over the button, ready to dial.

I knocked.

No one answered.

I knocked again. “Hello? Anybody home?” Please speak English.

I was tired of the gibbering.

The door opened a smidge. Just enough to get the toe of my boot inside, so the door couldn’t be slammed. It was a Com woman who answered. My eyebrows snapped together and my gun was instantly pointed at her head. “Let me in.”

She opened the door.

Thank fuck, English lives.

I stepped inside, and after scenting the air and glancing around, I put my phone into my pocket, keeping my gun aimed on the Com as she closed and locked the door, trembling. The entrance was thin with a wrought-iron spiral staircase rising up to the second floor. The floor under me was tile, and expensive artwork in taupe hung on the wall. Additionally, the smell of lion hung heavily in the air, along with an old, fading scent of…I sniffed again…jackal. Long dried Mystical blood also tainted the air.

When the Com turned to me, I spoke, “Are you the owner of this house?”

“No, miss. I only work for the owner.” Her hand was slowly creeping behind her.

“If you’re smart, you’ll put your hands in the air.” I would shoot her in a heartbeat.

Her jaw hardened, but she nodded and did as told.

“Turn around.” I slowly started forward. “I won’t hurt you, if you do as I say.”

She actually glared. “Then why are you here?”

I scented…her protection. Ah, a Com who was a Mys lover. I didn’t know we still had those. “I’m not here to hurt anyone. I only want to talk with the owner. But finding you, a Com, at the door was a bit of a surprise.” I paused at her clear confusion while her narrowed eyes took in my form. “Believe me, darling, I’m Mys, and you’re not. Therefore, I’ll still want you to turn your ass around so I can disarm you.”

I froze, keeping my gun aimed, while hearing from the second floor the click of a safety being thumbed on a gun. The Com didn’t hear it, couldn’t with her weaker ears, but I quickly — since my fucking back was to the upstairs balcony — and loudly stated, “I mean you no harm.” I just want to take the boy. Yeah, that didn’t sound right. “Are you the owner?”

“You’re trespassing,” a man’s deep rumble came from the balcony. The Com woman smirked, but was smart enough to keep her hands in the air. “Leave now and I won’t shoot you.” His voice held the bite of a lion Shifter.

Bingo.

I snorted, a little delirious from fatigue. I definitely should have gotten more sleep before entering this house. “I’m your Queen. You’d better not shoot.” I paused. “Or threaten me again since it’s against the Law, but I’ll let that one slide since you’re living in plain view in a city full of Coms.” Idiot. I didn’t say that, but it was definitely implied.

Full on silence, then he replied, “I don’t have a Queen.” He didn’t mention a King.

I sighed. The no fanfare and no party of my crowning didn’t help this issue, even though I had appreciated not being made a spectacle of. “I’m Queen Ruckler. Sent to find the next Prodigy.” I growled low, letting my wolf take voice, the Com woman’s eyes flying wide at hearing the evidence I was, in fact, Mystical. I was done playing nice. I was about ready to drop in exhaustion. “Get your ass down here where I can see you.” I let my command unleash.

I heard him grunt, then a tawny-haired brute of a man appeared in the corner of my eye, where he had trekked halfway down the stairs, jerking from the command. He looked thirty-five in Com years, so he had been around for the last war. He knew better than to hide in a place this filled with Coms. I growled in irritation, but he still had the gun in his hand, so I didn’t make any sudden movements.

My eyes flashed. “Set the gun down gently.”

He did so, even if fighting my command, his eyes narrowed, his hate at being manipulated clear.

“Tell the Com to turn the fuck around so I can disarm her.”

“Do it, Mac,” he stated instantly. “She’s telling the truth. She’s not here to harm us.”

Beautifully, the Com turned and placed her hands on the door. I moved swiftly, disarming her. Not only did she have a gun at the back of her waistband, but she also had one strapped to her leg. I grunted in approval, even if she wasn’t using silver bullets, thinking her only attack would come from Coms when everyone knew the Beasts were out there. “Are you going to behave, Mac?”

Instantly, she nodded.

“Aloud, Mac.” I smacked the back of her head. “Are you going to behave?”

Instant. “Yes.”

Only partial truth.

I heard the owner sigh even as I quickly debated my option…then I hit her over the head with the butt end of her own gun. I caught her falling form one-armed, my gun instantly altering to the owner. “She was a loose end I don’t have time for.”

His jaw was clenched. “She’s loyal, so please don’t kill her.”

“I wasn’t planning on it.” Laying her on the floor, I listened to her heartbeat and felt her head. She had a bit of a goose egg already starting, but she was fine. I sighed, straightening, and rested back against the door, not holstering my weapon because there were other lingering Com scents in the house. “You have a son?” It was a simply asked question, no command in my tone.

He rolled his shoulders, crossing his arms while assessing me. “You don’t look like Lily Ruckler.” His head cocked at my duffle. “And you’ve got a live lion in that bag.”

My shoulders slumped. I was done playing this game. I took my fake glasses off and pulled the hoodie I was wearing down. I pointed at my brown hair. “It’s spelled.” I unzipped my bag and pulled Bonnie out from where she had been hiding the majority of the time in the cab. “This is Bonnie. My Vizoac.” Hooking her under one arm so I still had my shooting hand free, I explained at his wide gaze as he scented the air. “She’s also spelled to look different.”

I jostled her. “Speak, Bonnie.” She growled, sounding very much like a lion even though it came out of a poodle’s mouth. I jostled her again. “Good girl.” I cracked my neck. “Now, do you have a son?”

He blinked. “Twins. A son and a daughter.”

“Perfect,” I grumbled. That meant possibly two brats to cart along on our trip. “Let’s see them.”

He nodded, gesturing up the stairs, his eyes traveling over my face. “I’m so sorry for—”

“Look, I’m exhausted.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to hear apologies. All I want to do is my job, and then get us all the fuck out of this Com-infested city.” I eyed him as we walked down a thin hallway. “What the hell are you thinking, living here with kids?”

He had stiffened when I had said ‘get us all out’, and now he straightened even more. “I made it through the last war living in a damn sewer. I won’t live like that again.” King Cave isn’t a sewer, but it isn’t this place, and he sure as hell will be living there. “I have Coms that I trust bring food and supplies in and out.”

“There’s stubborn,” I stated. “Then there’s stupid stubborn. Do you know which category I would place you in?”

He chuckled, relaxing a little. “I can imagine.” He opened a door at the end of the hallway. “They’re both in here, taking naps.”

Before entering, I sniffed the air and listened. All I heard were two tiny heartbeats, steady breathing, and the ticking of a clock. But I scented… “The room’s spelled.” My gaze slammed to his.

Cautiously, he nodded. “If you mean them no harm, you can pass.”

My nostrils flared, and I nodded, smelling only truth on him. I carefully stepped through the doorway, not getting killed with the spell, which was probably how it was concocted. The lion Shifter followed me in, and I realized I hadn’t asked his name, so I did in a whisper.

“Lynn Johnson.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr Johnson. I only wish it was during better times.”

He nodded, and then gestured to the left where a tiny female slept on her stomach, her hair orange. “That’s Brenna.” A hand to the right where a not-so-tiny male — compared to the female — slept on his back, his hair a wild, curly black. “And that’s Brann.”

“They’re twins?” I asked in disbelief, studying their size difference. When Lynn nodded, I grunted, staring at the boy. “He’s gonna be big.”

Lynn smiled proudly. “He’s already a little rascal.”

Wonderful. My future may include training a ‘rascal’. “Let’s see if he’s the Prodigy.”

I set Bonnie on the floor with a swift order to be quiet and still, fishing for the die in my pocket. I didn’t miss how Lynn held his breath, watching me closely. I wasn’t sure if he wanted this for his son or not by his expression.

Oh, well, because if it was Brann, it was destined.

I fisted the die, and pulled it out, beginning to slowly open my fingers.

My phone rang, blaring in my other pocket. “Sorry.” I fumbled for it as the kids twitched in their sleep. I grabbed it and quickly hit a button, putting it up to my ear and whispering, “Hello?”

“Are you alright? You didn’t call and it has been over a half-hour,” Ezra rumbled.

On speakerphone.

“Shit,” I muttered, yanking the phone away from my ear.

A pause, then Ezra boomed, “Sweetheart? What’s wrong?”

I fumbled with the phone, Ezra’s voice encompassing the entire room as he ranted in a rising shout, “What’s happening? I knew I should have come with you. All those goddamn Elder fucks probably don’t know shit about the spell—”

I found the button and his voice cut off for a second before I held the phone up to my ear. Hearing him work himself into a tizzy, I interjected, saying, “I’m fine.” I was pretty sure he didn’t hear me because he kept going on. And on. “Ezra.” And on. “Ezra!”

He shut up, and I said, “I’m fine. I need to call you back, though.”

Silence, then a clipped, “You aren’t lying?”

“No. Scout’s honor.”

He snorted. “Just call me.” He hung up.

Rolling my shoulders, I studied my phone, trying to figure out how to put it on vibrate.

“Ezra…” Lynn murmured into the silence, his kids miraculously still sound asleep. “As in, Ezra Zeller, the Prodigy Vampire?”

I nodded, finding what I was looking for. “Well actually, Ezra Zeller, as in, King Zeller now.” I pocketed my phone. Time to see if Brann was the brat I wanted. “Okay, let’s do this.” I glanced at him, ready to gauge his reaction as I again held out my hand with the fisted die.

And froze.

He was giving me a peculiar look.

“What?”

He blinked. “Did he call you sweetheart,” a pause, “in the middle of his outburst?”

I blinked this time and couldn’t come up with anything adequate in my addled, sleep-deprived mind. “Yeah. I think he did.” I shrugged. “I called him an arrogant asshole a few hours ago.”

“Okay.” He smiled, which made him even more handsome. “I get it.” Approvingly, he nodded with grand motions.

I wasn’t sure what he really got, but he wasn’t fussing, so I went with it. I raised my eyebrows and nodded, like him, smiling. Then I jerked my head at Brann. “How about we do this?”

His eyes instantly hooded.

Ah. I caught it this time.

He wasn’t thrilled.

Too bad.

Slowly, I uncurled my fingers, but the die was only white like before the spell had been cast. “Shit.” God, I was definitely off my game. “Mr Johnson, I’m going to need you to take your daughter and drive around the block.” My gaze met his, and I saw his nostrils flare. “The spell doesn’t work if any other Mystical is nearby, but hopefully if you’re a block away, it will.” My lips pinched when I could tell he hated the idea. “Look, I’m not here to hurt you or your family. I’m here to find the Prodigy and protect him.”

It took five more minutes to convince him, even though he was scenting my truth the entire time. Protective he was, and I didn’t disagree with his reasoning, so I didn’t push my will on him, convincing him civilly, since I may have to deal with him in the future. I even helpfully carried the unconscious Com out to his car while he carried Brenna’s peacefully slumbering form. That wasn’t completely selfless, because I really didn’t want the Com waking to find me alone in the bedroom with the boy. I had a feeling that after being knocked out, she would shoot first and ask her questions later.

Finally hearing his car pull away, Bonnie and I sat in the middle of the twins’ bedroom, the white die in my opened palm. Waiting. A minute later, the die sparked to life, glowing an even brighter black, which pulsed in my hand. I jerked forward, the die literally pulling me toward the bed with the boy. I crawled, luckily already on my knees because the thing suddenly weighed a ton, and my hand hit the mattress. I watched in fascination as the black spark of knowledge beaded out of the die, leaving it white as before, and raised high into the air, floating above the boy’s forehead.

It dropped, landing like a blot of ink before disappearing against his skin altogether.

The boy didn’t even notice, still snoozing peacefully.

I grinned, even as I felt the Prodigy ring and the Queen ring splitting, separating into two rings, and my eyes turned to Bonnie. “It’s him.” I tossed my die into the air, catching it with satisfaction at finding my mark. “Stay here and protect him while I wait downstairs for Mr Johnson.” I stood, pocketing the white die, Bonnie nimbly jumping onto the edge of the bed. “Don’t hurt him if he wakes and tries to pet you.”

“I found him,” I said over the phone to Ezra. I chewed on my thumbnail, standing in the foyer and waiting for Mr Johnson to return, not really wanting to say the next part, but needing to, so when he met them he didn’t react…oddly. It was only now hitting me as the adrenaline from the possibility of danger left my system. I was even feeling an ache inside my chest. “His name’s Brann Johnson.”

“And?” Ezra asked slowly. “I can tell something’s wrong.”

I sighed, rubbing at my chest. “He’s a twin. A boy and a girl. The girl’s name is Brenna.” My breath hitched. “They’re really cute. Brenna’s small with orange hair and Brann’s large with black hair.” A too-close representation of what our twins could have looked like.

I heard him inhale deeply — the licks just kept on coming — and he stayed silent.

“I just…” I cleared my throat, trying to reign in my emotions. “I just wanted to prepare you.” Rubbing my forehead, I sighed, pushing over our past. “At least we can get out of this fucking city tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow?”

I blinked. “Yes.” My forehead furrowed. “Is that a problem?”

He sighed. “No.” A pause. “I think I’m going to take a walk. When will you be here?”

I heard the car pulling up. “A walk?” Visions of what his dad had done on his walk bombarded me. “Ezra…” I said softly. “Your dad already took care of your mother’s burial wishes.”

Dry words. “Sweetheart, Dad told me what he did, so you don’t have to sugarcoat it.”

“And you’re still going walking?” I asked hurriedly, hearing the key jingle in the lock.

“I’m not using the term walking as metaphor for doing something heinous.”

The door opened, and I held up a finger to Mr Johnson as he stepped inside and opened his mouth. “Alright. We’ll probably be there in a few hours.” I turned, whispering, “Be careful out there.”

“Always.”

I snorted and hung up, turning to face Lynn Johnson. Protective dad. A man who didn’t like to be controlled. Yay, me.

Lynn’s arms were crossed, his eyebrows lowered even as his nostrils flared. I walked to him and patted his shoulder. “Brann’s the new Prodigy.” His eyes slowly closed and he dropped his head to rub his forehead. “We need to leave soon. He needs to be kept safe.”

“Where?” Lynn whispered.

Good, he wasn’t ignorant enough to argue with facts and destiny.

I cleared my throat. “First, we’ll be traveling with Elder Zeller, who just recently lost his mate, King Zeller, and Elder Farrar to find the Prodigy Vampire. Once the Vamp child is found, we’ll be heading straight to Connecticut. King Cave.” When he hunched, I squeezed his shoulder. “It’s not a five-star hotel, but it sure as hell beats a sewer.” I squeezed again. “It’s really not that bad. Most of the Shifters adore it. It has a wonderful forest to run and hunt in. Plus, the entire area’s protected.”

He tilted his head, one golden eye peeking at me. “You spoke truth.”

“I wouldn’t lie about that.” I knew how Shifters needed their open space. “Now, how long before you and your children are ready?” I paused, and asked very carefully, “And is there a mate we need to call and have return?” There had been too much blood, I could tell from the fading scent, but I needed to double-check.

“I’ve never mated,” Lynn said quietly, turning his face away. “But my wife died in the attacks.” He was even more rigid than before. He cleared his throat. “We can be ready in a few hours.”

“You aren’t going to run from me?” I had to ask, scenting the air.

“No,” he said softly. Truth.

I pulled the Prodigy ring off my pinkie. “The ring’s now your son’s until he passes it to the next Prodigy. Tell him to keep it on him always when he’s old enough.”

He stared at it before fisting it, and nodded.

Duty fucking done.

It was my damn luck Brenna had taken a shine to me since the scowling Com had brought her inside. The tiny monster wasn’t such a damn monster, as I discovered over the next hour, even though she made a bad habit of clinging to me. It was hard enough to keep a firm grip on my emotions, just seeing her cute face, but add in the fact that she was like a damn monkey on me, holding tight around my neck as she talked about everything she looked at, giving me a tour of her house…well, by the time we arrived via Lynn’s SUV at the vacant house, parking around back where no one from the street could see us, I was ready to sit down and bawl. The only thing keeping me from doing so was Brann’s sly antics for antagonizing his sister. A ‘rascal’, he most definitely was.

“The place is empty,” I told Lynn quietly, lifting some of his bags over my shoulders before Brenna managed to jump on my leg, demanding to be picked up. “I hope you brought a few toys so the kids will be entertained tonight.”

Lynn evaluated the house, his eyes assessing as he shouldered a few of his own bags. “Why not a hotel?” A snob, he also was.

“We ran into trouble last night,” I whispered, picking Brenna up. “That’s all you need to know.”

His lips pinched, but he nodded once. “Here, let me take one of those bags if you’re going to carry her.” He lifted one of the many from my shoulders, and for the first time, I think he actually looked at me…well, like a man notices a woman. Not as someone barging into his house, turning his world upside down. His head cocked, and he touched my glasses softly. “You look better without these. They hide your features.” He was almost shy in his flirting, which was actually a bit endearing, really.

But it was time to cut that off. “That’s the point, Mr Johnson.” My eyebrows rose as I hefted Brenna higher on my hip, my tone pure business. “Shall we get inside?”

His lips lifted on one side. “Sorry, I’m a little out of practice detecting if someone’s interested in me.”

I did smile then. “No worries. Let’s just get the rest of the bags and get in the house.”

I felt a swift breeze, and Ezra was suddenly resting a shoulder against the side of the SUV, standing directly next to Lynn. I blinked even as Lynn’s lion growled quietly, startled. And quickly averted my gaze to the bags in the back of the SUV, because all Ezra was wearing was a pair of black soft leather pants. That was it. Well, that and the black knit cap, his brown hair peeking out. Looking f-i-n-e as hell. “Mr Johnson, this is King Zeller.”

Lynn’s growl cut off instantly as I lifted another bag out of the car with my free hand. I watched from the corner of my eye as Lynn studied him. Gradually, he stuck out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, King Zeller.”

“Pleasure’s all mine, Mr Johnson,” Ezra drawled, pushing off the side of the SUV, and just as slowly extended his hand, shaking Lynn’s. “I understand Queen Ruckler’s named your son the next Prodigy Shifter.”

Again, Lynn’s mouth pinched in dissatisfaction. “Yes.” He took his hand back.

Ezra’s lips twitched. “There are worse things to be.”

“Like?”

Ezra took the bag I had in my hand, hooking it over his shoulder. “Dead, for one.”

Lynn blinked, and then rumbled with a deep chuckle. “Well, yes, that would be worse.”

Ezra’s eyes met mine, darting back and forth, his nostrils flaring, and then his gaze zeroed in on the girl in my arms, who was glancing around with wide eyes. “This is Brenna?” His voice was quiet.

“Yes,” Lynn stated, smiling and lifting a hand to ruffle her orange hair. “Brann’s still in the car, probably mad because his sister has already figured out how to unbuckle her child restraint belt and he hasn’t.”

Ezra’s head cocked. “She’s scared.” His lifted a finger, hovering it right in front of her forehead, and glanced at Lynn. “May I calm her?”

Lynn’s eyebrows came together, and he stared at Ezra’s finger, even taking a step closer to me and Brenna, but finally, he nodded.

Ezra’s eyes flashed and he gently touched Brenna’s head.

She damn near broke my heart when she sighed and grinned greatly. “T’ank you.”

Ezra’s resulting smile was sad. “You’re welcome.” His eyes flashed again, and his finger gently brushed my arm. Instantly, I felt soothing peace — my shoulders relaxing — which lingered even when he took his finger away to point at the SUV, asking Lynn, “May I get Brann?”

Lynn nodded slowly. “That would be fine.”

Ezra nodded once before grabbing a few more bags from the back, then headed around the side of the SUV to open the door.

“Like him, Daddy,” Brenna whispered.

Lynn’s eyes darted to mine, then down to hers. “Yes, he was very kind to you.” His eyes went to my arm, then back to mine. “And you.”

I smiled, saying elusively, “Just because he’s a Vampire, doesn’t mean he’s cruel.”

Lynn blinked. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

I swallowed, glancing at the house and figuring I needed to quit being so defensive. Not everyone thought Ezra and I were together. Lynn had only been stating fact. “Of course not. I’m sorry for assuming.”

“Not a problem.” He grabbed the last bag and shut the door. “But you should know up front, since we will be dealing with each other, I’m not an unkind man. Only a little set in my ways.”

“I understand that,” I murmured, watching Ezra move around the back of the car while he held a scowling Brann in his arms. I nodded toward the curly-haired cutie, saying to Ezra, “He’s big, huh?”

Ezra’s smile was still sad, but it also held amazement as he turned his attention to Lynn. “Are you sure they’re twins?”

Brann pointed a finger at Brenna. “Hate you.” He really was upset about the seatbelt.

Brenna stuck her tongue out at him, but grinned like the devil afterward.

“Yes, they’re twins.” His chest was all puffed. “Brann was born two minutes before Brenna.”

“Well,” Ezra lifted Brann so he was staring him directly in the eye, “I do believe Queen Ruckler is going to have her hands full with you.”

Lord help me, Brann slowly grinned, chuckling quietly.

Ezra watched, then his gaze met mine, one eyebrow leisurely lifting, and snickered.

“I don’t want to hear it,” I muttered, already having seen Brann’s devious antics when his dad wasn’t watching. “All I have to say is…first ever female Prodigy Vampire.”

Ezra grunted, placing Brann back on his hip. “Don’t remind me.” He tilted his head at the house. “Let’s get inside.” I didn’t miss how he maneuvered so he was walking between Lynn and me. He glanced my way. “I need to talk with you once they’re settled.”

My eyebrows puckered. “Alright.” I wasn’t sure what that was about, but his expression was serious. “It shouldn’t take too long to find a bedroom for them.”