Lethal Rider

The horse loved cheap beer, and Than figured giving him a can now and then wouldn’t hurt, seeing how Styx was pretty much immortal. “Send someone else. I need to talk to you.”

Artur assigned Viktor to beer duty, and followed Than outside into the courtyard just off the kitchen’s side entrance.

“Yes, Bludrexe?”

“Artur, I need baby things.”

From the way Artur’s brows shot up, what Than said was not what the vampire had been expecting to hear. “Baby things?”

What a weird conversation to be having with an ancient vampire. “You know, things babies need. Clothes and bottles and diapers. Stuff like that. Oh, and books. Definitely books. Can you do some shopping?”

“Ah … yes, sire.”

“Not too much,” Than said quickly. “Just the basics. I want to buy the other stuff myself.” Man, he was going to look like a fool in Babies “R” Us, wasn’t he? “And…” He trailed off, his cheeks heating. “And could you get some lotion? Something pregnant women use for stretch marks? And back rubs?” Regan had mentioned the stretch marks, and although Than hadn’t noticed any, he had seen the way she winced when she reached behind to her back.

“Yes, sire. Is that all?”

“I think so. Oh, wait. And something for swollen feet.”

“I’ll take care of it. Will you be killing any more of us today?” Artur’s tone was so deadpan that Thanatos had to rerun that last sentence in his mind a couple of times to make sure he’d heard it right. Of all Than’s vampires, only Artur would be brave enough to say that.

“No plans right now,” Than said. “But that could always change. Why? Are the others concerned?”

Artur inclined his head. “No one disputes your right to protect your female and son, but it’s not like you to be so out of control with us in your own home.”

Yeah, that was weighing on Thanatos, too. He’d snapped, had hardly realized what he’d done until it was over and Regan was gone. Had he kept his cool, the vampire would have been in the dungeon and Regan would never have been able to get out of the keep to get attacked by the frost demon.

The kitchen door opened, and Peter stepped out. “Your, um, the Aegi female is acting crazy.”

“You have to be more specific,” Than sighed, “since that seems to be her natural state.”

“She’s rearranging your room as if her life depends on it.”

Rearranging his room? No, not even close. Regan was rearranging his entire freaking life.

Thirteen

“Woman, what are you doing?”

Choking on a startled scream, Regan spun around to Than, who stood in the doorway, looking utterly perplexed. At some point, he’d changed into a pair of black leather pants and a black turtleneck that emphasized his hard, masculine body. Every feminine instinct she had came awake and started panting despite the inappropriateness of the situation.

“I’m rearranging.” At least her voice didn’t sound as breathless as she felt. “If I’m going to be a prisoner, I want to be a comfortable one.”

“You aren’t a prisoner.”

“Really?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Can I leave?”

He folded his arms across his chest in blatant mockery. “No.”

“So I’m curious about how that doesn’t make me a prisoner.”

“You’re here by necessity now, Regan.”

Grudgingly, she had to admit he was right. Not out loud, of course. Not when she knew damned good and well he’d keep her here even if she didn’t need to be for her own safety.

“So why are you here?” she asked. “To tell me more about the demon I woke in you?” The one he wanted her to … sate.

That thought shouldn’t make her pulse pick up the way it did.

His eyes flared with heat, and she waited for the raunchy comeback. “We need to talk. We can do it over dinner.”

Well, that wasn’t the response she’d expected. “Dinner?”

“Yes. It’s an interesting concept that’s been around as long as I can remember. Food is served at a table, and we eat it.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “There is something seriously wrong with you.” When he said nothing, she followed his gaze. Her belly. He was looking at her belly, and the expression on his face, one of tender longing, touched her someplace deep inside. Someplace she hadn’t even known existed, but it was now all mushy and warm. “Than?” She said quietly, remembering Reaver asking her to be gentle with him. “You can touch, if you want.”

His gaze snapped up. “No. I…ah…”

“It’s okay.” Slowly, she took his hand and brought it toward her.

The moment she put his palm to her stomach, the baby kicked. A slow smile spread across Than’s face. God, she’d never seen anything so beautiful or sweet. This deadly, powerful warrior was lost to a tiny, unborn infant.

Heat swamped her… a strange heat that wasn’t entirely sexual. There was a connection between them, like a circuit that had been completed when Thanatos put his hand on her belly. The current surged through her veins, delivering a powerful punch of energy that made her vibrate. It was so corny, but Thanatos must have felt it, too, because his eyes were fastened on hers, their color shifting from yellow to gold, and the tattoos on his neck pulsing to the beat of her heart.

She swallowed as a tense, wonderful thrill charged the air between them. It was as if they were in a bubble where only they existed, the three of them somehow becoming a single unit.

His watch beeped, and as if startled out of a spell, he stepped back, breaking contact. The lovely energy cut off like a switch had been thrown, and the cool air swept in again, leaving her feeling oddly exposed. The baby made his displeasure known by doing something that felt like a karate lesson.

“So.” She cleared her throat of the sand that had settled in it. “What are we having for dinner?”

Thanatos gestured for her to follow. “Come see.” His voice was rough, edged with emotion, and she was happy she wasn’t alone in that. It was truly shocking how much she enjoyed the way his touch made her feel.

Eagerly, because she was starving, she followed him into the great room, which was empty except for a couple of Thanatos’s vampires. “Where is everyone?”

“They’ve been gone for a while now. You were rearranging my room for over two hours.”

“Nesting instinct.” She pretended not to notice Than’s dubious glance.

Regan inhaled, taking in the savory aromas coming from the kitchen. The trestle table along the far wall was set with two plates, one at the head and one at the corner. So many covered trays loaded one end of the table that, they could have been expecting a dinner party of twenty.

“How many people do you think I’m eating for?” she muttered as she approached the table.

“I didn’t know what you like, so I had my staff prepare several dishes.” He pulled out the side chair for her. She didn’t know why she was surprised by his manners, but she was.

She sank awkwardly into the seat, and when Than gripped her upper arm to help her, she was once again surprised. And flustered.

“Um, thank you.” She glanced at the huge spread. “But you didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

He sat at the head of the table. “My son is inside you,” he said simply. “You need to eat.”

Right. Of course this was about the baby. Not that she’d expected anything else, but … it still smarted. And what was it Lance had said? That once she delivered the baby, she’d be nothing? He was being an ass, but what he’d said had gone to the very core of why she worked so hard at The Aegis, why she volunteered for everything, why she’d tried to become their expert on vampires and dhampires… all so she’d be useful. All so she’d be needed. They’d kept her close because of her soul-sucking gift, but now that it was gone, what if Lance was right?

The sudden urge to rearrange the silverware and food platters made her fingers twitch.

“Regan?” Thanatos gripped her hand. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” She offered a shaky smile, and was relieved when one of his vamps strode out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl. He stopped next to her and used a pair of tongs to lift a hot, wet towel into her hands. The light, lemony scent should have sparked her appetite, but somewhere in her head, her hunger had died.

As the vampire removed the lids from the dishes, she watched him, uncertain about his night or day status. He was big, but she didn’t get the daywalker vibe from him. Was it rude to ask?

She waited until he left to lean close to Than and ask quietly, “Was he a day or night vampire?”

“He’s a daywalker. Why?”

“Because earlier in my room, one of your night guys, Peter, brushed by me and got blasted across the room. I think only you and the daywalkers can touch me. Do you know why that would be?”

Thanatos’s expression shuttered, and when he spoke a flat, toneless, “No,” she got the distinct impression he was lying. Okay, new tack. “One of the vampires at headquarters…he called you Bludrexe. What does that mean?”

“I have no idea.” His tone was as bland as his expression.

“Well, I also got the same word from the vampire who tried to stop me from leaving. And I’ve read it somewhere before.”

Than gave a vague shrug. “Why the questions?”

Because I need The Aegis to need me. “Because I’m The Aegis’s resident vampire expert.” She turned her plate an inch clockwise so the Italian grape design was sitting straight. “Do you know how the daywalkers came into existence?”

“Why the hell would I know?”

“Maybe because you’re employing the only daywalkers we’ve ever come across.”

“And that’s why you kidnapped them? To find out how they came into existence?” His voice was as hard as the look he gave her. “What was the plan? Torture? Dissection?”