She always liked it when he concentrated on her neck. Kayla let her head fall to the side, giving Eric better access to where she was most sensitive. Shivers tingled in her skin wherever his lips touched. Fireworks exploded in her head and throughout her body. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn't be doing this, that it was only going to end up being a great big mess, but at the moment she just couldn't work up the energy to care.

It just felt so good to be in Eric's arms again, to feel that familiar build of heat inside her. Eric pulled her shirt up, his hands seeking out her breasts. She leaned into his touch with a gasp. God, she'd missed this. If she could have, she would have gladly stayed here forever, her body burning under Eric's ministrations, until everything became too much…

The sound of the hotel door opening interrupted them. Kayla shrieked, yanking herself away from Eric. She almost tumbled to the floor, except Eric caught her. Twisting away from the door, she hastened to cover herself, embarrassment burning her cheeks.

"Oops!" It was Quin's voice.

Eric quickly helped Kayla before he stood. His muscles bunched, hands clenched. "You better have a good reason for just bursting into here. I gave you a key for emergencies, not to just waltz in whenever you wanted to!"

"Yeah… I didn't know you'd be—"

"Why are you here?"

Properly covered again, Kayla turned. Quin was in the doorway, his olive tones taking on a red flush, but a wide grin over his face as he looked between the two of them. She really wasn't in the mood to smile back. Although it was probably a good idea that she and Eric had been stopped, she didn't want to be stopped!

"Donna is here. She's down in the lobby, and she's angry. You didn't answer your phone, so I thought I'd just come up and see if Kayla could talk her down.

Kayla sighed. "Bring her up. She won't go away until she's gotten what she wants."

"I'll go get her, then," Quin smirked and opened his mouth again. Apparently, he changed his mind about what he was going to say, though, because he closed it again and disappeared.

Kayla smoothed her shirt, making sure that it wasn't obvious what she and Eric had been doing. She didn't want Donna to know what was happening and bombard her with questions, after all. Especially in front of Eric!

Her hand shook, and she wasn't sure what she should do about all this. Her heart pounded and she wanted to go back to Eric. But she couldn’t! This intensity was why she had left the first time. She couldn't just jump in blind.

Get your head on straight, girl. Before it's too late.

It wasn't much longer before the door unlocked again and Donna charged in. She ignored Kayla, marching right up to Eric. Kayla repressed a groan as she saw how much her friend's eyes were blazing. This wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.

"Just who do you think you are?" Donna shouted, poking Eric in the chest. "Kidnapping Kayla away from her home and taking her to this fancy-dancy hotel. If you think that you're going to just seduce her and not face any consequences, you've got another thing coming!"

"Donna!" Kayla gasped.

"Don't try to defend him. I'm not going to let him come in with his gobs of money and his killer abs and just sweep you away without you knowing exactly what you're—"

"Donna, stop." Kayla jumped to her feet. "We were attacked by a vampire. That's why we're here. He didn't kidnap me and he's not trying to seduce me—" Was he? "—so you have nothing to be angry about."

Donna stared at her. A slight flush rose in her cheeks. "A vampire?"

Quin put his hand on Donna's shoulder, bringing her attention back to him. "There is a coven near the town. They have taken issue with Eric's plans for the community garden, and one of them came after him."

"Oh. Vampires!" Donna twirled her unmanageable black hair around her fingers, a grin coming to her face. "There was a vampire in my high school. Great kisser. Why haven't I heard of these guys?"

Kayla stared at her friend in shock. She was taking the news well! More surprising was the fact that she wasn't surprised that vampires existed. How could she have gone to school with one while Kayla hadn't even known they were real?

Quin growled in his throat, looking angry. "The presence of vampires is not something to be taken lightly."

"They're hot. At least the one that I knew—"

"I don't think you understand." Quin stepped a little closer, his gaze fixed on Donna's face.

Did he look a little jealous? No, he couldn't… During the time Kayla had known Quin, he never showed any interest in anybody. The idea that he was jealous of a kiss Donna had gotten in high school was ridiculous. It was probably just that he didn't like the flippant attitude towards the vampires that she was displaying.

"I think I understand just fine," Donna replied.

Quin shook his head. "There has long been a great deal of hostility between Shifters and vampires. Our people have been slaughtered by their kind. Some variations of vampires are more dangerous than others, yes, but all of them have tried to wipe Shifters out at one point or another. These vampires here have already attacked Eric, Kayla and their daughter once. Who is to say that they won't do it again?"

Donna pressed her hands to her mouth, a look of horror dawning on her face.

"They aren't interested in human dalliances. They want to—"

"Keep their home," Eric interrupted. He frowned at his brother. "There has always been hostility between vampires and Shifters, yes, but there has also always been hostility between Shifters and humans. I'm not going to let past violence dictate only violence for the future."

"Did they really attack you?' Donna asked Kayla, eyes wide.

Kayla hesitated. Eric answered for her. "One attacked me, yes. But I am convinced that he only attacked out of fear. My plan for the community garden is right next to their home, and, given the history between our species, it isn't unrealistic for them to think we might be trying to destroy their home."

Quin bowed his head. "I know. It just makes me angry…"

"Do I need to put someone else in charge of negotiations?"

"No. I can handle it. I'm sorry."

A low whimper interrupted them. The door to the bedroom Kayla and Mikayla were sharing nudged open, and a little Wolf pup slipped out. Mikayla's pajamas hung loosely around her small body, and she tripped over them as she padded over to Kayla.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Kayla picked her daughter up and hugged her close. She stroked her small head, glancing at the others. "I'll just take her back to bed."

"Wait," Eric said. He sat beside them and scratched behind Mikayla's ears. He made a low noise in his throat, almost like a whimper or a whine. Mikayla's ears perked up. Her tail started to wag and she yipped. Eric leaned his face in to hers and made the noise again.

"What are you doing?" Kayla's brow pinched.

Eric let Mikayla lick his face, grinning. "When children this young Shift, they often leave behind some of their human reasoning skills. Right now you're holding your daughter, but you're also holding a Wolf pup. She won't understand us as well in this form as she would in her human form. I'm just reassuring her."

"Aw," Donna said, smiling with her hands to her heart.

"Donna, since you know what's happening, maybe you can go now," Kayla was quick to suggest.

"But—"

Quin put an arm around Donna's waist. "You and I can discuss this further. But I think that Kayla and Eric are wanting some privacy."

Kayla couldn't help but smirk at the grin that blossomed over Donna's face at that. She leaned into his side and batted her eyes at him. "Well, I would love to hear all about that. And maybe I can tell you about the vampire I knew during high school… it might be useful."

"Maybe," Quin grunted. "We'll see."

They left, and Kayla felt her tense muscles relaxing. Eric continued to reassure Mikayla, and she crawled into his lap. She curled up and put her head on his arm as her eyes drifted shut. He continued to scratch behind her ears, the way she liked. Kayla remembered how Eric liked that as well. Her fingers itched to bury themselves in his soft fur.

"I've been thinking," Eric said in a lower voice.

"About what?"

"Whether we should stay here or get you and Mikayla deeper into the packlands. I know this is your home, but I don't want those vampires to end up going after you to get at me."

Kayla shivered at the prospect. "You said they're allergic to sunlight."

"As far as I can tell, they are."

"Then we should be fine during the day, right?" Kayla's brow furrowed. She shook her head. "No. I'm not going to risk it. We can go live with the pack if you think we'll be safer there. I'll have to get some things from work, but it'll be fine."

Eric's hand traced the back of her neck. She leaned into his touch. "I'm sure you'd be fine here, but I just want to be sure."

Kayla nodded. She wanted to kiss him again, but pulled herself away and held her arms out for Mikayla. "I should probably get her back to bed and turn in for the night."

Eric gently handed the little Wolf to her, and Kayla snuggled her close in her arms. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight. I'll see you in the morning."