“What if he got his emotions back but isn’t happy about this child?”

Fi rolled her eyes. “How could he not be happy about a baby?”

“He refused to turn his daughter into a vampire to save her life. He thought being a vampire was worse than death for a child.” She stared at her stomach. “Now he’s responsible for bringing a vampire child into the world? Look at the trouble the last one caused. And now it’s in the hands of the ancients. You think Mal’s going to be thrilled about this?”

Fi reached over and squeezed her hand. “This is just the pregnancy hormones talking. I’ll get you in to see Barasa tomorrow, I swear. I’ll bet you feel a ton better after talking to him.”

Chrysabelle nodded. “Maybe you’re right. I’m going to sleep a little bit.” She closed her eyes, intending to work out the worst-case scenarios in case things weren’t fine, but when she opened her eyes again, they were pulling into her driveway.

With the brilliant blue sky above them, the emerald green palms waving in the soft, salted air and the sun’s warmth beating down on them, it should have felt like paradise. But without Mal… she shook her head and forced herself to smile. It was that or cry.

Tatiana read the Paradise City Press online, looking for anything that might give her an idea of Mal’s whereabouts. She’d expected him here by now and nothing in the paper provided any reason why he might be late. Except for the mention of a few vampire-related killings. Could he have been brought in for questioning? Considering that the mayor had tried to put him to death once already, he was probably high on the suspect list. Yes, perhaps that was what was keeping him.

The tang of brimstone reached her nose. She spun around, realizing too late how dark her office had become. “My liege?”

“No, Mother. It’s me.” The voice came from behind her.

She twisted again. Lilith sat in one of her office chairs, one leg kicked up over the arm. Her jacket was made of dark red-brown leather and oddly cut, its edges left ragged and the seams joined with rough, looping stitches of ribbon in the same color. “Lilith, how nice to see you again.”

She pouted. “Why haven’t you called me? I thought you loved me.”

“I do, my darling, so much, but I’ve been busy finding a father for you.”

Her eyes lit up. “You have?”

“Yes. He’s one of the most fearsome vampires to ever walk the earth and he’s going to arrive very soon, and then do you know what’s going to happen?”

She shook her head, looking very much the eager child.

Then he’s going to help me kill you. “Then we’re all going on a trip to the most beautiful place on earth.”

“Where? I want to know now.”

Tatiana sat back and waggled her finger. “No. I can’t tell you any more than that or you’ll ruin the surprise.”

Lilith crossed her arms and hurled herself back in the chair. “I hate surprises.”

“No, you don’t. You love them. Now be a good girl and let Mother get back to her planning.”

But Lilith didn’t budge. “I’m tired of the Castus. I want to live here with you.”

Fear burrowed into Tatiana’s gut like an icy worm. “And you will, but the house isn’t ready for you yet. Your room is still a nursery. Do you want to spend your daysleep in a crib?” She made herself smile. “I want everything to be just right for you. Because I love you so much.”

“It’s taking too long. Kill one of the workers. That will speed the rest up.”

“Yes, I suppose it would, but it might make the rest of them quit, too.” Time to change the subject. “Is that a new jacket? I don’t remember it the last time we visited.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “I made it myself.”

That explained the crude construction.

Lilith spread her arms to give Tatiana a better look. “I skinned one of the Castus. He was always nagging me about taking too much blood from him.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “So. Boring.”

“You… skinned one of the ancients.” Tatiana worked hard to keep the fear out of her eyes. “Did he hurt you when you were doing this? I don’t see a mark on you.” Surely the Castus fought back.

Lilith laughed. “Hurt me? How could he hurt me when he was dead?” She laughed some more, like she’d never heard anything so funny.

Tatiana realized her mouth was hanging open. She shut it and carefully sat back. Lilith had killed one of the Castus. In the more than five hundred years since she’d been sired, she’d never heard such a thing could be done.

No wonder the Castus were scared of this little monster they’d created. Lilith was unlike any creature that had ever existed. A nightmare made flesh. With the mind of a child.

Tatiana swallowed. The Castus expected her to provide them with the solution to their problem. She almost laughed. To think she was relying on Mal to help her. All she’d really done was sentence him to death.

Maybe both of them.

The sound of beating wings preceded Annika’s arrival. She dropped into step beside Creek as he walked patrol through the neighborhood around City Hall. “We’ve got another death.”

“Another human?” Creek shook his head. “This is getting serious.”

“No, this time it’s a vampire.” She tucked her wings into her jacket. “An employee at Seven. Pretty high up. A woman named Katsumi Tanaka.”