The Vampyre Legal Chronicles - James

by CC MacKenzie

  The door closed behind them.

  Nerves doing a jumpy dance in his belly, James sank to a plastic chair, took her cold hand in his and stared into the amazing eyes of the woman he loved more than life. God, she looked sensational. She wore a silk kimono style robe the color of dark chocolate. The fine fabric clung to her high breasts, the wide belt accentuated her tiny waist.

  "Are you okay?"

  The way her hand slid from his in response to his question was like a knife in the heart.

  "We are to divorce."

  What?

  "No. I..."

  Her eyes held steady on his and the truth of what he saw in them broke him.

  She loved him, but she was prepared to set him free, and her next words confirmed his worst fears.

  "I failed your test. You believe I am..." She took a very deep breath. "An abomination, that my magic is somehow evil."

  James shook his head.

  "No. I..."

  "I’ve been learning many things from Saira and Ezekiel. Why vampyres cannot mate with my kind and why there is, and never will be, no middle ground."

  The heavy thrum of his pulse pounded too loud in his ears.

  "We can make this work," he whispered. His voice was pleading now and he didn’t care.

  Now those green eyes met his and the bravery, the courage, he saw there humbled him as a husband and as a man.

  "Try to remember I never asked for what has happened to me. You brought me into this world. When you took my vein, I became a part of you and you became a part of me, too, James. A part that you will not, cannot, recognize. I am a healer and no matter who I offend I will continue to help others. It is who I am." Now her fingers flexed as they went to touch his and then held back. Her voice was no more than a whisper. "What is done is done. Neither of us can undo it. We either move forward or step back and separate."

  He shook his head.

  "Never. I love you, my wee darlin’. I’ve loved you since the very first moment we met."

  Now those too serious deep green eyes searched his as she articulated her deepest thoughts,

  "But every time a portal opens and black magic seeps into our world, my alchemy becomes stronger. Even now I can feel it, the odd little surge of power. How can you live with me, love me, when I may become something you, your family, your religion, can never accept?"

  Now he reached out, took her hand and refused to let her look away from him.

  "Because you are buried too deep inside my heart and nothing can change it. Whatever the future holds for us, I promise we will see it through together. And I'll tell you exactly what my father told me not half an hour ago. You are family. And family sticks together. We are moving to New York where all of us will live and work together. The Order will never touch you. I give you my word. Please give me a chance to put right every wrong I have done you. Please try and trust me."

  Her eyes filled and a single tear tipped over.

  With a gentle finger stroke James scooped it up and licked it from his fingertip.

  Those eyes went dark and he received the message.

  His darlin’ wanted him, loved him, and his heart sang.

  He rose to hold her, but she held him back.

  "Please sit, James."

  Her eyes were huge and the way she swallowed as if it pained her too much had anxiety clutch his belly.

  "What’s the matter, mo ghaol?"

  Her fluttering inhale of breath seriously alarmed him.

  Was she sick?

  She closed her eyes before they opened and found his.

  "I’m pregnant."

  Chapter Twenty Three

  The stunned joy in those amazing blue eyes made Charlotte's heart beat too fast.

  Her icy fingers shook as James held her hand in his, brought it to his mouth and pressed his lips to her flesh.

  She wasn’t exactly sure what he was saying but it sounded like some sort of prayer.

  Vivid blue eyes pooling with emotion he pulled her into his arms and sat on the bed with her on his knees.

  The way he rocked her back and forth muttering heartfelt words in a language she couldn’t understand made her lean back to stare up into that fabulous face.

  "What are you saying?"

  His smile lit up his face in a way that caught her throat.

  Well, that was one question answered.

  Her husband was more than delighted they were to have a child.

  "It is the language of my people. It’s Gaelic. ‘Tha gaol agam ort.’ I love you."

  The way he held her, as if she was made of glass, had her nuzzle into his T-shirt.

  She inhaled the scent of him and prayed as she’d never prayed before for a good outcome. Anxiety for what their future held lay like a heavy stone in her gut. There were too many what ifs in her future.

  Hadn’t Anais and Saira mentioned how hard it was for a human to become pregnant never mind carry a vampyre child to term?

  The soft knock at the door brought their heads up.

  Ezekiel entered wheeled in by Saira.

  His sharp eyes moved over James and he nodded in approval before they met hers.

  "Good. I see he has taken the news well."

  "Why would I not?" James snapped, ever ready for a fight with his perceived enemy.

  The way her husband’s deep voice vibrated under her ear made Charlotte's mouth curve.

  He sounded as if he wanted to tear Ezekiel’s head from his shoulders.

  Saira perched on the end of the bed and folded her arms.

  "I’ve spoken to Constantine. His scientists are working on a personalized hemoglobin and healthcare programme for you to make sure the fetus does not become parasitical. You will need to be carefully monitored with regular blood tests. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure you and the baby arrive safe and well at the end of this journey."

  Now James held her tight.

  "This will be the first child born to our Gillespie clan for over two hundred years. What are the risks to Charlotte?" he demanded in a harsh tone.

  Now Saira frowned before she took a deep breath.

  "In the past, few humans survived a vampyre pregnancy." Her eyes slid to Ezekiel before she continued, "However, we have learned much from the Legion’s failures. But in recent years, even as we have had success, the mortality rate for human females is still too high at fifteen percent."

  Lifting her in his strong arms, James placed Charlotte in the bed and stood.

  Charlotte watched his vampyre rise as her husband stared down at the medic.

  "I’ll nae risk her life, Saira."

  As Charlotte opened her mouth to speak, Ezekiel interrupted,

  "I believe this is not an either or situation, prince. You have forgotten one thing. Charlotte is not one hundred per cent human. And I believe the fact she is pregnant is what saved her life when the soul-eater tried to take her soul. The tiny thread that clung to her came from her womb. A diminutive flicker of life hanging on to its mother. I’ve never seen anything like it."

  Now Charlotte pressed the flat of her hand to her belly.

  Her baby saved her life?

  "Explain," James demanded.

  "The child was conceived in love. There is no greater power than the power of true love. Love has an energy in the universe, in the very structure of nature within the Earth. During the time of my father, vampyre and human women were abducted, violated, forced, and none brought a baby to term. I believe Charlotte’s pregnancy will go well." Then he shrugged vast shoulders. "Of course, this is just my theory. And another theory I have is that the use of any kind of magic attracts a portal to the event. I used magic in the kitchen of your house to remove evil from the wine and a portal opened. And Charlotte’s magic rose in your apartment and a portal opened. Each time magic is used a portal opens in our reality."

  "You mean they, whomever they are, are able to track us?’ Charlotte asked and felt terror rise for herself and for her baby.

  Ezeki
el nodded. "Do not look so worried. This is a good thing because it means the opening of a portal is somewhat predictable. Next time we use magic we will have an army awaiting."

  Silence.

  Now Saira rose to pace to the door and back.

  "Yes, but who are they? And if my sister’s joined them it means we have a conspiracy on our hands. Who can we trust with this information?"

  "Constantine," said Ezekiel without missing a beat. "He’s a Precedential Elder. He has the power to help us."

  "Aye, but what about my father and the other partners in the firm?" James growled.

  "No!" Saira spoke, her voice heavy with the combined burden of guilt and regret. "Until we know who to trust we say nothing about our theories."

  James turned to his silent wife, caught her hand in his and brought it to his mouth.

  "Are you okay with all of this? Are you feeling well?"

  Was she?

  Her mind was spinning with a feeling of complete joy and too much information about a world she didn't understand.

  She didn't know what to think.

  But Charlotte did know one thing.

  The overwhelming emotion she had for her husband and the child growing in her belly was a love that made her strong and she’d do anything within her power to protect her family.

  "In myself I'm feeling well. And I’ll go along with whatever all of you decide."

  Now Ezekiel stretched his long legs and gave a wince of pain which had Saira eye him sharply. "You need to rest," she snapped.

  The way his dark eyes rested on the medic and the way Ezekiel’s mouth twitched and the way Saira flushed to the roots of the hair made Charlotte battle hard to hide a grin.

  The witch and the vampyre medic might fight like a pair of alley cats but it didn’t take a genius to work out they were crazy for each other.

  And she thought she and James had problems?

  Later that evening James and Charlotte stood in the silvery light of a half moon on the balcony of their penthouse apartment overlooking the majesty that was the Golden Gate Bridge.

  Her vampyre eyes swept the buildings below.

  Was it her imagination or were there even more Centuri lining the rooftops?

  James stood behind her and pulled her to him, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist.

  Resting his cheek on her hair, he spoke,

  "Yes, my father has increased our guard. You’ve made him a very happy man, my little witch."

  Her hand rose to finger the heavy bloodstone that hung around her neck on a gold chain.

  James's bloodstone.

  A jewel which would protect her as she moved into the complicated culture and politics of vampyre society in the weeks and months to come.

  Would she ever get used to the way her husband entered her mind these days?

  "Works both ways," she said.

  "I bet you have no more Dirty Little Secrets left for me to discover."

  Now she smiled and remembered her naughty purchase from Eleanor’s sex shop.

  She turned in his arms and lifted her face for his kiss.

  "No? I might have one or two more Dirty Little Secrets."

  He lifted his head and twinkling blue eyes found hers.

  "Who’s been a bad girl?"

  Epilogue

  Around the world three portals simultaneously opened.

  Somewhere in the depths of the jungle in South America an entire family of rhesus monkeys disappeared.

  In Rwanda four colonies of African killer bees were taken.

  And deep in the Great Mountains of Eastern China, Tà Shãn, a family of five humans and their livestock simply vanished.

  It Doesn’t Stop Here

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  CC MacKenzie is a USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary and paranormal romance. She loves to hear from her readers; you can find her at:

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  Other Books Available by CC MacKenzie

  Vampyre Legal Chronicles Series

  Vampyre Legal Chronicles – Marcus Book 1

  Vampyre Legal Chronicles – Marcus US

  Vampyre Legal Chronicles – Marcus UK

  Ludlow Hall Series - Contemporary Romance

  Reckless Nights in Rome - Book 1

  Reckless Nights in Rome US

  Reckless Nights in Rome UK

  A Stormy Spring - Book 2

  A Stormy Spring US

  A Stormy Spring UK

  Run Rosie Run - Book 3

  Run Rosie Run US

  Run Rosie Run UK

  The Trouble with Coco Monroe - Book 4

  The Trouble With Coco Monroe US

  The Trouble With Coco Monroe UK

  The Fall of Jacob Del Garda – Book 5

  The Fall of Jacob Del Garda US

  The Fall of Jacob Del Garda UK

  A Film Star, A Baby. and a Proposal – Book 6

  A Christmas Story 1

  A Film Star, A Baby. and a Proposal US

  A Film Star, A Baby. and a Proposal UK

  Delicious and Deadly: Invitation to Eden - Book 8

  Delicious and Deadly: Invitation to Eden US

  Delicious and Deadly: Invitation to Eden UK

  An Affair to Remember - Book 9

  An Affair to Remember US

  An Affair to Remember UK

  Desert Princes Series

  Desert Orchid – Book 1

  Desert Orchid US

  Desert Orchid UK

  ‘A Daddy for Daisy’ - Book 7 in The Ludlow Hall Series is due out in 2015

  DANIEL

  Book 3 of The Vampyre Legal Chronicles OUT SOON

  Think Buffy meets Blade in this exciting new paranormal series.

  Gia Del Russo has a dangerous secret and one ruling passion, music.

  Her songs, the power of her voice make women weep and men ache.

  But Gia also has a ruthless enemy who wants the beautiful singer in his bed, whether she desires him or not.

  When corporate lawyer and vampyre prince Daniel Gillespie arrives home to his penthouse apartment in New York, he finds his PA, Gia, asleep on his couch. But before he can discover why his gorgeous assistant has taken refuge in his home, Daniel's vampyre rises and takes Gia's vein.

  However, Daniel isn't the only man with plans for Gia's future.

  And when that man is an organized crime boss, Daniel and Gia fight for their lives against a deadly foe who is not quite... human.

  EXCERPT

  How the hell had she ended up here?

  Two minutes to midnight and the tinkle of glasses, the low murmur of voices sounded too loud in Gia’s ears. Palms damp, the wave of nausea from stage fright dumped over her, nearly made her knees buckle. Whoever said that phobias were overcome the more you confronted them was a big fat liar.

  Smoking tobacco in public venues was banned in New York City, but someone had forgotten to tell the management of the exclusive Sly Fox club, since taking a single breath was like inhaling one hundred per cent pure nicotine.

  The skinny stage was unlit and the piano player tickled the keys as a jazz guitar strummed. A gaunt drummer clicked his sticks together in a countdown beat.

  Tall and slim in a sheath of gold leather, that could have been sprayed on, Gia Della Russo hit centre stage as the spotlight struck her.

  She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and belted out
the first bars of Adele’s big hit about fire and rain, unaware of the stunned silence or the way heads jerked up in shock.

  She neither saw mouths drop open, nor was she conscious her voice had punched every gut with a power and an emotional intensity that made women’s eyes sting and every man ache.

  Three hours later Gia counted two thousand dollars in hundreds and fifties, folding the money before tucking it inside a strapless bra that fully delivered on the promise to lift and separate.

  Thank God she’d agreed to take a percentage of the nights take rather than a flat fee of a few hundred dollars.

  After six nights the word had spread that the Sly Fox had a new singer with a heartbreaking voice like honeyed spoonfuls of soul.

  But no one would ever know what it cost her each and every night she stood before the punters, alone and too vulnerable as she sang her heart out.

  Dragging a grey hoodie over her dress, Gia kicked off the gold four inch heels and thrust her bare feet into tatty running shoes. She didn’t look in the mirror since she couldn’t cope with seeing the total stranger reflected there, reminding her of just how far she’d fallen.

  Sheer willpower alone kept the desperate wedge of tears in her throat from stinging her eyes.

  She’d come a long way from her Irish and Latin roots singing in the church choir of St. Columba, a good catholic girl who’d never put a foot wrong. And all because of one error of judgement; an error that had taught her to shy away from good-looking charmers. Like everyone else mistakes learned in the past were to be avoided in the future and influenced her choice of remaining celibate today. Liam’s honest blue eyes had conned her, her grandparents, and even their priest.