She frowned as her wings unfurled. “Back to Tatiana. That’s why we need him contained.”

Lola dropped her head back and licked her lips. “Thank you,” she sighed.

Hector nodded and smiled, holding his wrist up with a handkerchief pressed to the bite mark she’d left behind. “It is my pleasure.” He stayed at her side.

She lifted her head enough to look at him. “Something else?”

“Are you pleased with me? With my blood, I mean?”

She nodded. “Of course.” The taste had changed, but Luciano claimed that was nothing to be concerned with so she’d let it drop. In fact, Hector’s blood seemed to invigorate her more than usual these days. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?”

“No, my lady. I just always want to make sure you’re happy with me. That’s all.” With a little dip of his head, he went to the end of the sofa and took up his usual spot.

A strange buzzing, clicking sound distracted her from any further thought on the subject. “What is that?”

Hector shook his head. “Sounds like bees, my lady. Do you want me to shut the windows?”

“No, it’s such a nice night, I love having them—” A swarm of something spilled into the room and a dark form appeared before her. “What in the hell!” She jumped off the sofa. Octavian stood in the middle of her home office. “How did you do that?”

“It’s called scattering. Some vampires can do it, some can’t.” He pointed at Hector. “Leave us.”

Hector looked at her for direction. She stood her ground. “He goes nowhere until you tell me what this is about.”

Octavian looked peeved, but so what. She was driving this bus. He made an unhappy noise. “I’ve done some thinking, like you asked me to.”

That hadn’t taken nearly as long as she’d thought it would. “In that case… Hector, give us a few minutes.” She sat back down while he left. “So. How do I contact these ancients?”

“Forget them. They’ve given your child to another vampire to raise.”

“What?”

“I can take you to her.”

Lola stood. “When can we leave?”

“Do you have access to a private plane? We can’t go commercial, obviously.”

“I can find one.”

He nodded. “As soon as you can arrange it, we can leave.”

She clutched the back of the nearest chair. “I could be meeting my grandchild by this time tomorrow.”

“That’s right. Imagine being able to hold her for the first time. Being able to bring her home.”

Her hands were trembling. “At last. This is what I’ve been working for.”

“What you’ve sacrificed for,” he added.

“Thank you, Octavian.” She’d misjudged him. “I owe you.”

He smiled. “Just seeing you with her will be payment enough.” The smile vanished. “I’ll be at the private airport waiting. Get that plane as fast as you can and meet me there. The longer it takes, the less chance we have of making this happen.”

She was about to ask why when he scattered again and flew out the window.

Tatiana’s home was enormous, but Mal also knew it was the Dominus estate. Its size and grandeur came because of its status, not from the vampire who currently lived in it. Still, to think that the woman who’d once been his human wife, a woman who’d eked out her living by stealing and conning, a woman who’d ended up on the gallows to pay for her crimes, now resided in a mansion that could house hundreds… He shook his head. There was no justice in the world. He was certainly proof of that. Loser loser loser.

He snorted softly. The voices were really having a hard time adjusting to his old self being gone. He almost felt sorry for them. Almost.

Having to pretend to be on her side was going to be undiluted torture, but if it meant a safe future for his family, he would play his part with every ounce of imagination he had. He reached for the heavy door knocker, then paused. Old Mal wouldn’t knock.

Hefting his bag in one hand, he shoved the door open and walked inside. “Tatiana,” he bellowed as he walked through the main hall. “Where are you?”

A moment later, a female servant ran into the room. “May I help you?”

“Who are you? Where’s Tatiana?”

“I’m Kosmina, my lord. My lady is in her study. If you’ll just wait a moment—”

He walked past her. “Which way?”

She hurried to catch up with him. “I’d be happy to get her for you. Who did you say you were?”

Farther down the hall, a door opened and Tatiana stepped out. She raised her brows, but her surprise quickly turned into a smirk. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

“Well, you were wrong. As usual.”

Kosmina went to Tatiana’s side. “I’m sorry, my lady. He just barged in and—”

Tatiana held her hand up. “It’s fine. I’d expect nothing less from him.” She strode toward him, sashaying her hips in that way of hers, a not-so-subtle smile playing on her lips. “So happy you decided to join me. I’d hate to put you on my naughty list again.”

He grabbed her hand as she reached for him. “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m not here for you. I’m here for the payoff. Understood?”

“Just like the old days.” She laughed, wrapping her fingers around his. “If that’s what gets you through, it’s all right with me.”