Creek stood and planted his hands on his hips. For a split second, an odd shadow seemed to hang off his arms in the shape of wings; then he dropped his hands and the shadows were gone. “The first step is controlling the othernaturals.”

“How?”

“Hold a press conference tomorrow morning announcing a curfew with the only exceptions being for law enforcement, firemen, and emergency personnel. Your security men may then continue working for you. Any city employees who disagree will be showing you which side they’ve chosen. The human citizens will thank you.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea—”

Creek grabbed her arm, his eyes darkening as the protests left her tongue.

She nodded, a little numb. “A curfew, yes. The human citizens will thank me.”

He released her.

“What if someone violates the curfew?”

He pressed his fingertips together. “When they violate the curfew, they will be made an example of. You will show these othernaturals that you are the one in charge, not them.”

Lola nodded again, the fog lifting slightly from her brain. Maybe she’d get lucky and Malkolm would be the first one to tangle in her net.

Payback was hell.

Chapter Fourteen

Tatiana tipped her face into the evening breeze, lifting Lilith into it as well. “Isn’t that lovely, my darling? Doesn’t the night air feel good?”

Lilith cooed, kicking her little legs and reaching out as though trying to grab a star from the sky. Probably she just wanted to be put down. She’d begun to crawl, something the kine doctor had said was far more advanced than an average child of her age, but then Lilith wasn’t average. She was a vampire princess and nothing was beyond her grasp.

“Shall we sit by the fountain or shall we walk? Hmm?” Tatiana turned Lilith around, rubbed her nose against her daughter’s cheek, and inhaled the sweet smell of her soft skin. Lilith wrapped her hand in one of Tatiana’s curls, giving it a tug.

“Silly goose.” Tatiana kissed Lilith’s nose. “Let’s go sit by the fountain and wait for Papa.” Octavian had promised to meet them in the garden after he took care of some things, but the sun would be up soon. Not that they were in any danger. The estate’s layout had been especially designed so that the gardens remained shaded for almost two hours after the sun rose. Still, she’d expected him to meet them sooner than this. She listened for him but picked up only the distant sound of a car approaching. It was too soon for the Elders and Dominus to be arriving, but if they were, Octavian would deal with them. He knew not to let anyone disturb her time with Lilith this evening.

She set Lilith on a patch of grass between the great tiered fountain and one of the surrounding marble benches, then sat to watch as the child dug her hands into the tufts of green.

Lilith crawled a little, then plopped down onto her backside. The movement made her laugh and Tatiana laughed along with her. She shook her head as she stared at her child in wonderment.

How different things had become since Lilith had entered her life. She pulled the locket loose from her blouse and opened it to study Sophia’s face. No one would ever replace her Sophia. No one. Lilith was not a replacement. Lilith was a second chance. She kissed the portrait, then clicked the locket shut and tucked it away.

Tatiana leaned back against the bench as Lilith crawled closer to where the edge of the grass met the pea gravel walkway. She plopped down again, squeeling in delight and showing off her tiny fangs as she looked to Tatiana for approval.

“Such a clever girl, aren’t you, my darling?” Tatiana smiled. She’d never had gardens before, but this was the Dominus estate and Ivan had spared no expense. From the night-blooming jasmine to the temperate warmth, layers of magic and wards shielded the gardens from the harsh Romanian winter and kept them evergreen and ever useful.

“Someday, my sweet, this will all be yours.”

Lilith didn’t look up from her game of mounding up the pea gravel on the grass.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel path behind them. Tatiana stood, preparing to welcome Octavian.

He wasn’t alone.

Her mouth opened and she ran out to meet them. “Daci. You’re back.”

“Tatiana!” Daci met her halfway and fell into her arms with a soft sob. “It’s so good to be home. You have no idea how awful it was.”

Tatiana pushed Daci to arm’s length and studied her. Daci’s gown was torn and dirty, and her face, although still beautiful, seemed washed in the pallor of stress. “Whatever happened? I was worried.”

Daci shook her head as if struggling against tears. “I tried to make my way into the comarré’s good graces by telling her I was seeking asylum, but she wasn’t home and her friends didn’t believe me. They locked me up in the hold of some dirty old ship and left your comar to guard me. It was awful.” She inhaled another sob. “Awful.”

“But you had the supplies I sent you with, right?”

“Yes.” Daci’s eyes brightened a little. “That’s how I escaped. At first I waited for them to come. I figured as soon as they opened the door, I’d make my move. But no one ever came. I heard voices, but never the comarré. Finally, I’d had enough. I used everything you gave me. The blasting cubes took out the metal doors, which knocked out the comar. Then I kept him that way with the sedatives. Made for a much quieter flight home, I assure you.”

Amazed, Tatiana looked at Daci more closely. “You brought him back with you?”