Point of No Return

by Tara Fox Hall

  “I’m very sorry,” I said quietly. “I thought you knew.” I reached out to touch him, and then thought better of it. Instead, I settled back into my seat and let him grieve. Danial cried only briefly, but stayed there resting his head on his arms in silence for another half hour.

  “I’m glad you told me,” he said brokenly. “I hated her so much after what she did to you and the children. I wondered how I’d been so stupid to think she really cared for me. But she had to love me if she wanted to do that for me, even if her actions in the name of that love were deplorable.” Danial took the tissue I offered him, and wiped his eyes. “Are you sure it’s safe for me to drive now?”

  “Actually, I’ll drive. You could use a break.”

  Danial got out and switched places with me without a word, his motions weary.

  We drove for a few moments in silence, him reclining in his seat, his eyes glancing at me every so often. “Are you done with your questions?” he finally asked.

  “Yes,” I said quickly.

  “No, you’re not,” Danial sighed. “Just ask Sar. We’ve come this far. Finish.”

  “If you made a vampire, would you have the kind of power over it that Dev had over Garrett? For all that you wanted the power, I’ve never heard you mention using it, not once.”

  “In theory I would, yes. But I’ve only made one vampire, and I couldn’t control her, so maybe not.”

  He was referring to the woman he’d made a vampire by mistake. “Why did you want the power then?”

  “For the wrong reasons,” Danial continued distantly. “I wanted it chiefly because Devlin had it. I thought I deserved to have it, too. That was a mistake of epic proportions, Sar. I sometimes wish I’d stuck to Solutions, Inc.” He grabbed my hand. “But I need my status now to help me protect you and our children.” He abruptly let go, taking his hand back. “I sometimes feel in over my head, like I did at the Gathering with you on New Year’s Eve. I hate that, feeling like an amateur, playing at filling my brother’s shoes.”

  “You were never less than regal, when you faced the other Rulers and refused to let them take me,” I said proudly, reaching for his hand and taking it. “We were outflanked and outnumbered. Things were about as bad as they could get, but you never wavered.” I squeezed his hand.

  “I couldn’t have done any less, Love,” Danial said warmly, pleased. “You were mine to protect, just as you are now.”

  “Will you ever have to make a vampire, like a test of sorts?”

  “Yes,” Danial said, looking away, resigned. “Though it’s a self-imposed one.”

  I was jealous at once, irrationally. “Has one of your donors asked to be turned?”

  “No. I don’t turn my donors. In fact, I let them believe that I still don’t have that power. It’s easiest for all.”

  “Then who?” I asked curiously.

  “Mary’s daughter, Jennie,” Danial replied, nodding. “She’s got stage four cancer. She’s most likely going to die. Mary asked me if I would try to turn her. In return, Jennie would agree to take over for Mary when she retires in a year.”

  Mary had been Danial’s housekeeper for decades. She was a pleasant woman in her sixties, very efficient and kind. “She mentioned retiring once. I’d wondered what was going to happen when she did. I didn’t know she had a daughter. She never mentioned one.”

  “They are trying chemotherapy and a few other experimental treatments as a last resort. Jennie doesn’t know what I am. She’s only met me once or twice. Mary kept my secret all these years. It’s obvious she would prefer that her daughter not be what I am, but she doesn’t want her to die.”

  “I’m sorry. If there is something I can do to help, please let me know.”

  “I will. Now, is there anything else, Sar?”

  “Did you have to fight someone to gain control of New York years ago?”

  “I thought you knew that,” Danial said, his mouth curving into a faint smile. “I disposed Garrett about eleven years ago now. That was the cause of the fight during that first Hallow’s party of mine you attended. He just finally went too far in his insolence.”

  Danial had killed Garrett soon after we’d met, when Garrett had challenged him at his annual party instead of showing respect, as the other vampire guests had. “You alluded to it, as I remember, but I wasn’t sure what happened.”

  “I was much older and stronger. I beat him easily, so I didn’t kill him when he yielded, as is the usual custom. He chafed under my rule ever after that. I was remiss in my duty, in that I should have executed him right after he refused to bow to me the first time.”

  “Your duty?” I said, confused, my eyes shifting to him.

  “I’m responsible for the vampires in my territory,” Danial said patiently. “I am supposed to keep them under control. They have to respect me, in order for me to do that. If anyone steps out of line, I have to discipline them harshly. You must have heard Devlin speak of this before?”

  “Yes. Has anyone else given you trouble?”

  “No. For the most part, everyone is pretty well behaved. It’s the newer ones that usually make trouble, and there aren’t many younger vampires in New York. The youngest is at least fifty years old. I haven’t had to discipline anyone except Manir.”

  I shivered, remembering. Manir had attacked Danial’s home twice looking for Theoron, trying to take him for his own. Theo had killed him last summer, but his name still made me uneasy. “Who rules New York now? When you took Devlin’s power, someone had to fill your shoes.”

  “You remember Akira, from the Hallows parties? He rules New York now, with Chi at his side. He’s doing a good job so far.”

  “Yes.” Akira and Chi had been Japanese Samurai at the first Hallows party I’d attended, though I couldn’t remember seeing them since then.

  “We are almost there, Sarelle. Please tell me you are done asking questions.”

  “Is there anything you can do about the bounties on Theo’s head, and do you know who put them there?”

  “There are three now,” Danial corrected. “The Peterson one is done

  with—”

  “Can you do anything?” I said anxiously. “I’m worried.”

  “I’ve already done what I could,” Danial assured. “There has never been a time Theo has not been in danger, even before he worked for me.”

  I gripped his hand tightly. “Who are they? You said it’s not the mob.”

  “Samuel, for one. He tried to call it off, but the assassin he hired was already paid. But that will probably work itself out without trouble.” He paused. “Tasha’s father has also put out a hit on Theo. He knows by now that something happened to his daughter, and that Theo was the one she left with. He has offered a million dollars to the man or men who kills Theo, and brings him proof.” He paused again. “But that is not the worst.”

  “What could be worse?”

  “Robert,” Danial said with finality. “He works for Zane. He’s what you might call the third most well-known assassin, after Lash and Theo.”

  “Third ranked?”

  Danial nodded. “But that’s not enough for him. He would like to be the best, yet he doesn’t dare go after Lash. Second place is what he’s after.”

  “Why is he scared of Lash and not Theo?” I said, irritated on Theo’s behalf. “Theo’s scary, or he can be, when he’s angry.”

  “By now the word has spread that Theo is married, that he’s settled down and thinking of raising a family. Robert thinks this is the best time to strike.”

  “How do you know?” I asked, looking at him wildly. “Has he tried—?”

  “Watch the road!” Danial shouted, grabbing the wheel.

  I pulled over and cut the engine. God, it was midnight already. Shit, we were never going to get there at this rate. “Has he tried?”

  “Yes,” Danial answered. “Robert tried to shoot him back in November during an overnight trip. Theo dodged the bullet, then shot him in the arm. Theo went to finish the job,
but Robert escaped, because someone reported the gunfire and the police showed up. We had to get away, before we had to answer any questions, as it was nearly dawn.”

  Theo hadn’t told me. We’d been dealing with a lot then, maybe he hadn’t wanted to worry me. “I didn’t know any of this.”

  “He’ll be okay, Sar,” Danial said soothingly. “He can take care of himself.”

  I nodded, but I wasn’t so sure. Theo and I would have a talk when I got home.

  Finally, like a miracle, the park sign was before us. I pulled into the entrance to the park, which was surprisingly little more than a dirt road. “This is rough. Isn’t this supposed to be a big place? Hundreds of acres?”

  Danial checked the map, as I drove slowly.

  “It’s a lot more wild than I thought it would be,” I continued, looking around.

  “Yes,” Danial said tentatively. “Because you are on the wrong side of the river. You took the wrong entrance.”

  “No, I didn’t,” I said haughtily, and continued to drive. A few moments later, the dirt road became a worn track of mud accessible only by all-terrain vehicles. Very irritated, I carefully turned around. Danial was smartly silent.

  I drove back the way we came. After crossing a bridge over the river a few moments later, the main entrance to the park appeared, huge gates that looked like brick or stone in the headlights. I gaped at them appreciatively. This was a little more like what I’d been expecting.

  The park office at the gate was closed, so I drove on through slowly, careful of the twisting road and the massive stonework walls near the road. In a few minutes, we came to a large parking lot and several buildings. “The Glen Iris Inn is next to a fountain,” Danial said, pointing. “Park here. The front desk will have our keys.”

  “Thank you for answering my questions,” I said politely, as we got out. “I know you didn’t want to talk about—”

  “Enough.” Danial pulled me to him tenderly, then kissed me fervently.

  I kissed him back tentatively, then passionately. He was right. We had just this week. While we were here, it was best to make the most of it. When I got home, I’d make some plans with the knowledge I’d just gained.

  Danial pulled back from me. “I have something to ask of you, Love.” He handed me a dark green velvet box.

  More earrings? I opened it. In the light from the fake gas lamp above shone a pair of wedding rings.

  “Marry me, Sarelle,” Danial asked softly.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Danial, I’m already married,” I stammered. “I can’t.”

  “For this week,” Danial implored, his eyes looking into mine hopefully. “Wear it just for this week, when you’re mine and mine alone. Please?”

  Did it matter? I was going to be removing Devlin’s choker from my neck while we were here, and wearing Danial’s instead. That promise hadn’t meant any less to me than the one I’d sworn to Theo. In fact, it had meant more. I slipped off my rings from Theo, and put them into my purse’s inner pocket. Then I took out the wedding band from the box, and studied it. It was beautiful, one of a kind, but then Danial was never satisfied with the ordinary. It was comprised of many colors, swirled together, like paint almost. “Are those different metals?”

  “Yes. It’s made as swords are made, hammered and folded. Each one is unique.”

  There was an inscription inside that looked like it was in another language. “What does it say?”

  “It says ‘Forever’,” Danial said softly. “As does mine.”

  I slipped it on, then the diamond he had given me from my left hand. Taking the box from me, Danial removed his fox head ring, then put it on his other hand. I had never seen him take it off, not in all the time I’d known him, not for anything. Carefully, he put the wedding band on his ring finger. Then he reached out and took my left hand in his

  “Come, Love,” he said happily. “We should go inside before you get too cold out here.”

  We walked past the frozen fountain, lit up with lights, then past the wrap-around porch to the front door. I followed Danial inside to the front desk. He rang the bell.

  “Yes?” a matronly woman said, getting up from her chair.

  “Hi,” Danial said charmingly. “I’m Danial Racklan. This is my wife, Sarelle—”

  I flushed suddenly. The elderly woman looked at me curiously.

  “We’re here on our honeymoon,” Danial said smoothly. “We’ve made reservations for your stone house, and we’re very tired. We’d like the keys, please.”

  The woman nodded, and looked through her papers. “No,” she said, after a moment. “Your reservations are for our cottage.”

  Danial was annoyed at once. “Are you sure?” he said, laying on the charm. “I’m sure it was for the stone house, the largest one. I paid a large deposit, earlier today.”

  “I’m sorry,” the woman said pleasantly. “You were the one who called, and asked that we move up your reservations. You could have had the house the week after next, but the cottage was the best we could do on short notice.”

  I was tired, cranky, and in no mood to go back and forth at this time of night. “It’s fine,” I said, squeezing Danial’s hand. I flashed the woman a smile. “Just point us in the right direction.”

  She handed Danial some keys, and gave us a map of the park. “Call the front desk if you have any questions.”

  We walked out, Danial grumbling. A few moments later, we parked before a full size three-bedroom house. Danial carried in our bags, and I followed with the food. Dropping it on the floor, I began to look around. “This is nice—”

  Danial came back in, shutting the door after him. As he did, I saw what he was trying hard to conceal beneath his coat. “You brought your laptop,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Some honeymoon.”

  “Just in case,” Danial said, placating. “I might need to check—”

  “Please,” I said, smiling, holding up my hands. “After all this time, I’m not even surprised. All I want is some food.”

  As he set up his computer upstairs in the spare bedroom, I went into the kitchen and unpacked, making myself a bagel. As I was finishing wolfing it down, he came in. “Did you check the fridge?”

  “No. Why?”

  He opened it. “At least they got this right,” he said happily.

  Inside were two gift baskets all wrapped up in plastic, and also a single red rose. One huge basket of was of apples, grapes, cinnamon bread, bananas, and crackers. The other was of chocolate, and various flavors of cocoa.

  Danial handed me the rose. “For you, Love. I didn’t intend you to have to bring any supplies on this excursion.”

  “You are to die for,” I said lovingly, then gave him a long kiss. Danial picked me up in his arms, and began carrying me upstairs.

  “Danial, what about my bags?” I teased.

  He lay me down in the bedroom and shut the window blinds. “They can wait.”

  I turned on the light, wanting to see him. Slowly we embraced, kissing tenderly, touching each other with gentle caresses. Finally, he drew back from me. “It’s nice to be with you and not worry we’re going to be interrupted. To know I have you all to myself, not for hours, but for days.”

  “I’m yours,” I said lovingly, leaning back provocatively.

  To my surprise, Danial got up, and moved to leave.

  I sat up. “Where are you going?”

  “To get your bag,” he said, looking at me seductively. “It’s way past your bedtime, Sar.”

  * * * *

  When Danial brought the bags upstairs, he set one of his aside. “This is full of blackout curtains. We’ll put these up tomorrow.”

  “I’m glad you thought to bring them,” I said, relieved.

  “It wouldn’t be much of a honeymoon if I couldn’t be where you are,” Danial teased. “I have something else for you, too,” he added, handing me a gift bag.

  Inside was a silk sheath, black with iridescent glitter. As I moved my hands, it shimmered
in the lamp light.

  “Wear it for me?” Danial asked. “Tonight?”

  I nodded. “Be right back.”

  In the bathroom downstairs, I put on the nightgown. Removing Devlin’s choker to my ankle, I put on my fox head earrings, and fastened Danial’s symbol about my neck. After swallowing a few of my vitamins to bolster my blood, I went back upstairs.

  Danial was waiting for me in bed naked under the covers, his arms behind his head. I twirled for him, making the fabric shimmer, earning an appreciative look.

  “Come here, Sweetheart.”

  I crawled in beside him. He brought me to him quickly, his kisses intense and possessing. Danial ran his hands over me for many minutes, rubbing and squeezing my body he kissed me. Slowly he stripped the sheath off me, then dexterously moved me into position beneath him. With a careful thrust, he pushed himself inside me gently.

  “Tell me if it hurts and I’ll stop,” he whispered.

  I froze under him. Danial had never said anything like this to me before. I knew why he was saying it now. I let out a sob.

  Danial withdrew from me quickly, taking me in his arms. “Shh, Sar.”

  Immediately, I began crying.

  “Sweetheart, don’t cry. It’s all right. You’ll be fine. If you don’t want to have sex, that’s fine. It’s enough we’re alone here together—”

  By this time I was howling, grasping him desperately, and Danial stopped talking, and just held onto me.

  I got myself under control a few minutes later. Embarrassed, I gazed up at him with unshed tears still heavy in my eyes. “I’m sorry—”

  “Don’t be,” he assured me. “I’m not upset. Just lie here with me and relax. I just want to be here with you. Just let me hold you.”

  I hugged him. He stroked my hair for a long time before I lost myself in sleep.

  * * * *

  The next morning I awoke, groggy. Remembering where I was, I turned over to Danial and kissed him. “It’s morning,” I said, yawning. “We should hang up the curtains. I’m starving.”