by Caris Roane
He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I have no more pain because you’re here and I don’t just mean physically.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “I mean here. I was in agony before you came. I just didn’t know how much.”
She slid her arms around his waist and dipped her hips into his. Because he was still connected to her, he moaned the pleasure of her strong shifter movement. Not surprising, he began to grow firm once more.
“Make love to me again, Zane, then do it again for the next thousand years.”
He smiled and kissed her.
Yes, he would do that for at least a thousand years and maybe more depending on how much time each was given in the world of the Nine Realms.
~
Three weeks later, Zane clutched Olivia’s hand as he stood outside the Freeport Art Gallery. One of his wife’s paintings was on an easel in the large, picture window. A small girl with long, black hair stood in the middle of a field holding a bouquet of purple wildflowers in her hands.
The painting was beautiful, like Emily, like her work had always been.
Olivia covered her hand with his. “I can feel how tense you are. Sure you’re ready?”
“I am.” He squeezed her hand. “But it’s hard as hell because this was my failure. I failed this woman.”
“Maybe you’ll find a way to make it up to her that will ease your heart and hers.”
After he’d bonded with Olivia and spent a proper amount of time in bed with her, he’d spent many nights talking over what to do about Emily. Legally, for one thing, he was still married to the woman.
In the end, the greater struggle had been with his guilt-laden feelings about having made it impossible for her to walk away from their marriage. He’d gone the entire gamut of absolute rage that she’d left without telling him, to another round of grief that she’d been so afraid of him, she’d faked her own death.
When he’d finally contacted her by phone. She’d been only mildly surprised to hear his voice, having confessed she’d always known this day would come. She’d also apologized more than once for having left as she did.
Thankfully, she’d agreed to see him.
He wanted to make peace with her and to let her know she could move back to Swanicott without fear of repercussion of any kind, if that’s what she wanted to do.
And now he was in Freeport.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and saw her standing at the end of a row of paintings. A window beyond offered a view of the docks.
She wore a flowing, green cotton gown, the kind fae women generally preferred and which suited her artistic temperament. She nodded to him, but didn’t seem particularly upset by his arrival. Instead, he noticed tight tension lines creasing the skin beside her eyes that he instinctively knew had nothing to do with him. She began moving in his direction.
She was as lovely as he remembered, with long flowing brown hair and blue eyes much like his own.
He waited with Olivia near the front door, still holding her hand, only now his heart raced.
When Emily drew close, he shook his head and began, “I’m so sorry, Em. Like I said on the phone, I was a brute. If I’d understood—”
“It’s fine. Sweet Goddess, it’s fine. Because of what I’ve done, you have nothing to apologize for.”
She glanced at Olivia. Zane took the hint and made the introduction.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Emily said.
Olivia nodded. “And you.”
Zane had told Emily he had a new woman in his life and she’d sounded genuinely happy for him.
But when Emily’s lips quivered and tears filled her eyes, Zane didn’t know what to think. He was so surprised that he glanced at Olivia whose green eyes were wide. She shrugged as though she, too, didn’t have a clue what was distressing Emily.
“Hey,” he asked quietly. “Why are you upset?”
Suddenly, she simply covered her face with her hands and burst into tears.
Again, he glanced at Olivia. I don’t know what the hell’s going on.
Did she say anything on the phone when you spoke to her?
No. Nothing.
Once more, Olivia shrugged.
Zane cleared his throat. “Emily, will you please tell me what’s going on?”
She finally stopped weeping and met his gaze. “I know I don’t have the right to ask, but I need your help.”
“If it’s within my power, I’ll help in any way I can. I owe you that.” He wondered if she was having financial difficulties.
“It’s your daughter, Zane. I don’t know what to do with her anymore. She’s completely out of control and she’s only five.” More tears, almost hysterical now, her face once more buried in her hands.
But Zane just stared at her head, her dark brown curls bobbing now because her tears had turned to sobs. Had he heard her correctly? Had she just told him, in an oblique way, that he had a daughter? “What did you just say? Emily, do I have a daughter?”
“Well of course you have a daughter.” She then looked up and squinted, wiping her face quickly. “Oh, no. Sweet Goddess, I thought you knew.”
“You said nothing on the phone to me. How else could I have known?”
She put a hand to her cheek. “I guess you couldn’t have. I’ve been miserable and distracted and I wanted you to come here so badly. I’m sorry. I should have said something. I should have handled this differently. Sweet Goddess, what I did was so wrong?”
“Emily, are you saying you were pregnant when you left?” It was bad enough that she’d disappeared on him when she did, leading him and the rest of his realm to believe she was dead. But this was beyond the pale. “What the holy fuck!”
His rage rose swiftly and he was preparing to blast her but good when Olivia disrupted the moment. She quickly drew his hand to her lips, opened her mouth, and bit down on his thumb, hard.
He turned to stare at her, now furious that she’d intervened. What are you doing? Let go of me. Now.
She didn’t ease up, not one bit, the hardass shifter she was. Instead, she glared up at him, growling, then pathed. Would you pull in that Goddess-be-damned temper of yours? Emily may have just given you a shock with her news, and I don’t in any way condone that she held back this information from you, but pull it together. Now. This needs to be a conversation not a war. Wake up!
Zane froze as he stared at Olivia. This was why Emily had left him in the first place, because he had an out-of-control vampire temper.
He turned his attention back to his soon-to-be ex-wife and saw that she’d retreated several feet, just like she used to do, both hands raised in defense. Tears streamed down her face.
He’d never hit her in his life; he’d never strike a woman. But she’d always reacted to him as though he’d been abusive. Maybe that was a deep issue of hers, something he’d never understood. However, his temper and obstinacy hadn’t served him throughout his marriage and it sure as hell wouldn’t help now.
Would he ever fucking learn?
He nodded to Olivia, who gauged him carefully for a few seconds more, then finally let go of his now aching thumb. But he’d needed the intervention.
He drew a deep, settling breath and retracted his vile temper. “I apologize for yelling, Emily. But I truly didn’t know anything about us having a child. I only learned that you were alive a few weeks ago.”
Emily gathered in her own emotions as well and wiped at her cheeks a few times. “And I apologize for not telling you about the baby and for leaving you as I did. I’ve regretted it a thousand times over, but I never knew how to fix it. I wish I’d been stronger … ”
“You don’t need to explain. I know you believed you didn’t have a choice and for that I’m sorry. The truth is, I should have let you have the divorce you wanted.”
At that she met his gaze. “You mean that, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“I wasn’t the right woman for you.” She shifted her gaze to Olivia and inclined her head. “Bu
t I can see you’ve met the right one. And I’m glad. I truly am.”
He glanced at Olivia. “Me, too.”
Olivia responded with a dip of her chin. Much better, Zane. Keep going.
He nodded then reverted his attention to Emily. “So, it sounds like you’re having some trouble with … our daughter.” How strange the words sounded.
He had a daughter. He was finding it hard to compute.
A heavy rush of air came out of Emily. “Zane, I don’t know what to do with her. She’s five now and flies everywhere but she’s been electrocuted twice by running into power lines and mercifully survived because she’s so strong. Like you. But I can’t control her.” She pulled a kerchief from the long sleeve of her gown and blew her nose. “I think … no I’m sure the Goddess is punishing me for what I did to you. But, if you can see it in your heart to forgive me -- or if not to forgive me then at least to help in this situation -- I would be so grateful. I’m afraid Tiffany is going to do something foolish and then she really will die.”
Zane worked hard to process his new, completely unexpected reality. Part of him was furious with Emily for what she’d done. The rest of him felt numbed out with shock. “Just give me a sec.” Wisely, Emily remained silent.
He had a daughter and it seemed like the little girl was in trouble. She was a powerful vampire child without proper support and guidance from those of her kind.
He blinked a couple of times, then said, “She sounds like she might take after me.”
Emily lifted her head. “Oh, she does. She has the worst temper and is always disobeying me.” She fell silent for a moment, then continued, “I mean, I guess that’s not much of compliment to you and I really shouldn’t speak badly of my … I mean our daughter … ” She trailed off.
“But just to be clear, she is a vampire and not fae?” he asked.
“Very much a vampire.” Realm genetics always picked sides. Tiffany would have some fae characteristics, but mostly her vampire nature would take front-and-center her entire life.
He had a vampire daughter.
Emily dabbed at her cheeks once more with her kerchief. “Will you come home with me, both of you, and meet her? I’d like you to see for yourself the difficulties I’m facing. But only if you want to. I would never force anything.”
She looked hopeful, yet completely desperate. And he could see she harbored a concern he wouldn’t want to meet his child.
“This is all a shock, but of course I want to meet our daughter. You know I always wanted a family.” His anger threatened to surge once more, especially because she’d robbed him of the early years of his daughter’s life, but he suppressed it. Olivia was right; a show of temper would be of no use in this situation.
He could give vent to his rage later, maybe punch a block wall a few hundred times. Right now, however, his daughter needed him. He took a deep breath, letting his anger go. He knew it would take time for him to truly forgive Emily for what she’d done, but for this moment, he’d be grateful. And he’d help in any way he could. “How about I meet her now.”
Her head bobbed several times in acknowledgement. “Good. Okay. Good. She’s with a new flight instructor, the fifth one this month. Now would be wonderful.”
With that, she turned and set about closing up the gallery up for the night.
Once outside, he held his arm wide for Olivia. She took up her now very familiar place on his boot and he flew them both above Freeport. He tracked Emily’s car as she drove to her home on the outskirts of town. He thought he understood; there were fewer electrical lines to interfere with a difficult young child, who apparently had a will of granite.
As soon as he headed up the long driveway, he saw Tiffany flipping back and forth through the air at the back of Emily’s two-story home. She darted this way and that, clearly with the purpose of tormenting her fae teacher who kept shouting, “You’re too close to the trees again. You’re going to hit the branches. You’ll get hurt!”
Zane dropped to the ground and had his arm around Olivia as together they watched Tiffany’s antics. Emily parked her car and joined them. “See what I mean?”
“I do.” But he couldn’t help but smile, if a little. He was looking at his daughter, his own flesh and blood.
The child definitely needed discipline, but not the kind a sensitive fae could provide.
He could, however.
He left Olivia beside Emily and levitated slowly into the air, taking his time until he was fifteen feet from Tiffany. He began to match her movements, flipping as quickly as she could, back and forth.
When she realized what he was doing, she froze midair, levitating easily, something most youngsters couldn’t do. Yes, she was definitely his daughter.
He became as still as she was now and returned her fierce gaze with one of his own. She wore jeans and a red-striped t-shirt. Her long black hair was a mess. She looked like a street urchin.
Emily rose into the air to join him on his left.
The child looked from one to the other.
To Zane, Tiffany called out, “Who are you?”
“Sweetheart,” Emily began, “I have a surprise for you.”
Tiffany pointed at Zane. “Who is this man? Another teacher?”
“No. He’s your father. He’s come from Swanicott to see you.”
Her blue eyes widened. Once more, she looked from one to the other, finally landing on Zane and sticking. “You’re my dad?”
“I am.”
“We have the same color hair?” She tugged at her long locks, thick and black just like his. She began to smile, and just like that, love swelled in his chest, a mountain of sensation he would never have believed possible.
On impulse, he opened his arms and the child flew hard at him. She grabbed him around the waist and held on. He moved inside her mind. You belong to me, blood of my blood.
She looked up at him and pathed in return. You’re inside my head.
He nodded.
Mama doesn’t like to do that very much. She says it’s rude. And she can’t fly like you. Are you going to stay?
I live in Swanicott.
Her small tight arms released him. “Oh. That’s far away.”
“Not very far and I fly fast and I intend to come here often to see you.” He reverted his attention for a second to Emily and pathed, I’m thinking flight school in Swanicott.
More tears as Emily nodded and smiled. “A brilliant idea.”
“What are you talking about?” Tiffany asked.
Zane turned his attention back to his daughter. “How would you like to go to flight school in my realm?”
She blinked rapidly. And her mouth opened wide. She gave a long, ecstatic scream, then, “Mama, can I? Can I? Can I?”
“Yes.” The word came out of Emily in a long rush of relief.
“However,” Zane said sternly. “I do have a couple of stipulations for you, daughter. And I will be obeyed.”
Tiffany pinched her lips inward and crossed her arms over her chest, still hovering in the air. She narrowed her blue eyes and in that moment he understood completely why Emily had burst into tears at the gallery and begged for his help. The child was a wall of steel.
Still levitating, he swooped close to Tiffany. He took her shoulders firmly in hand and held her gaze. “You’re to do as your mother says, obey her in all things, or your time in the air will be severely restricted. And if you think I can’t do that, you’re greatly mistaken.”
She drew a deep breath, ready to argue, so he added quickly, “However, if you obey, you’ll be flying every night for hours and hours with a lot of other vampire children who love it as much as you do. What do you think? Can you obey your mother? Do you want to fly in Swanicott? I need to know both things right now.”
He felt Emily’s panic as she levitated close to him. She put her hand on his sleeve, attempting to intervene. She would say he was being too harsh, but Zane understood the child; she was just like him.
Without shifti
ng his gaze from his daughter, he pathed to Emily. Just let her think it over.
Are you sure?
Yes. Trust me.
Emily removed her hand from his shirt and drew back several feet, giving Zane room.
He’d been a belligerent kid himself, but he’d always responded well to a combination of threats and rewards, both promised then fulfilled.
Finally, Tiffany relaxed her stance, letting her arms unfold. “Will I really be flying every night?”
He released her shoulders and swept his hands wide. “Against the wind that blows off the ocean in strong, powerful currents. But I don’t know. Maybe that would be too much for you.”
“It wouldn’t!” she cried. “I can battle the wind. Just wait and see.”
He smiled, pride for his daughter’s spirit filling his heart.
Tiffany then turned to Emily and threw herself on her mother’s chest. “I’ll obey you, mama, but please say I can go. I need to fly.” She then flipped in the air to face her current, exasperated flight instructor. “And I’m sorry for all the things I did to you tonight.”
The man just shook his head. “I wish you well, Tiffany.” To Emily, he said, “Looks like your daughter will get the training she needs.” His smile was crooked as he continued, “And I’ll be going now, and don’t worry, there’s no charge.” He was congenial enough, but had the look of a man who’d just escaped the executioner.
“Thank you,” Emily said.
The man inclined his head toward her then took off, rising swiftly into the air and heading back in the direction of downtown Freeport.
Emily caught her daughter’s arm. “Let’s return to earth for now.”
“Yes, Mama.”
Emily’s brows rose in surprise. But she was quick to accept a moment of grace with her daughter.
She took her gently by the arm and levitated her down to the ground. The child walked slowly, holding her mother’s hand. “I’ll be good, Mama. I will. You’ll see.”
Emily dropped to her knees and gathered her daughter to her chest. “It’s okay. You just needed something I couldn’t give you.” She looked up at Zane, nodding.
Tears burned Zane’s eyes. Truer words had never been spoken. As for his daughter, he had no illusions about the sudden shift in her attitude. It was temporary at best. Only time and attention to her vampire needs as well as diligent consistent discipline would make a real difference.
