Point of No Return (19 page)

“Don’t worry too much about Harriet,” Devlin
continued. “According to Samuel she is embracing her new lifestyle
of luxury. She was and remains an eager participant, her chief
desire to go down in history as you have. For your sake, and mine,
I hope her enthusiasm is enough. Otherwise, we’re screwed.”

“Won’t she die if she gets pregnant? If she’s
not resistant to the virus, she can’t carry the baby to term,
right?”

“Without knowing what it is about your blood,
I can’t say for sure how changed she is. All I can attest to is she
doesn’t taste like you do. Titus said that he did the best he
could, that her blood was as close to yours as he could make it.
She may be changed enough—”

“Or you may have doomed her.”

“Sarelle,” Devlin said, his tone razor sharp.
“I had to have a backup plan to divert them in case I couldn’t get
Samuel to back down. I knew if another woman like you appeared at
the right moment, that I could back them off.”

Harriet had come to the Gathering for a good
time. Maybe she’d had a life she’d loved. Now she was little more
than the broodmare Lash had alluded to, some of that breeding maybe
against her will. Likely, no matter what happened, she would die in
a lot of pain.

“Sar, it was you on the auction block,”
Devlin said, resolute. “I would have sacrificed a hundred other
women to save you, if that’s what it took—”

It was there in his voice that he meant it.
Although I was grateful for his devotion, I was also terrified at
the level of his commitment.

“I told you that night we pledged to one
another that you had my all,” he continued, terse. “You asked me
for my protection, as well as my love. I swore to you I would do
whatever it took, whatever was necessary. This was necessary.”

That didn’t change the fact that Harriet was
collateral damage. Worse, she wasn’t the first; Devlin had held
Brian’s wife Demi captive for months, to ensure Brian’s total
commitment to protecting me. Something told me she wouldn’t be the
last.

“Say something, My Oathed One.” Devlin’s tone
was hard, nearing anger.

I hugged him. “I understand it’s necessary,”
I said carefully. “I just wish it hadn’t been.” I took a breath. “I
remember how scared I was that I’d never see Elle or Theoron again,
or that Danial would get killed. But no matter what guilt I feel,
above all I’m glad you protected me, Dev.”

“I would do it again and more,” Devlin said
lovingly.

Uneasy, I didn’t answer.

“Now you know why I wasn’t around at the
beginning of the night,” Devlin said in my ear, kissing it lightly.
“I wished we’d gotten time to dance.”

“I thought you were fashionably late.”

“I was there from the beginning of the party,
watching everyone as they came in. I saw you come in with Danial.
It took me a half hour to find and dose Harriet, then another two
hours for the potion to take effect.” Devlin scowled. “I told that
idiot she was something very special. If only Isaac had taken
Harriet right to Samuel as I thought he would, we’d have avoided
all the drama.”

“Why would he?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it be
natural for him to want to keep her for himself?”

“They weren’t in love, not remotely. Besides,
Isaac is young. He likely doesn’t have enough power in his blood to
withstand the spell he would need to use to quicken his body.”

I gave him an odd look. “I thought demon
blood was transformative.”

Devlin bared his fangs in a smile. “You mean
you’ve seen Danial use it for staying power. Yes, it has that
effect on vampires, when taken in a very small dose and mixed with
a few other key ingredients. But the amount needed to make a
vampire fertile is close to a lethal dose. Isaac would have died if
he’d attempted to do what I’ve achieved.” His eyes held mine. “Even
if he somehow survived the spell.”

“What are you saying? You’re alluding to
something.”

“Just that you were lucky the vampire that
you found that dark and stormy night was Danial, and that he had me
to watch his back,” Devlin said. “Vampires with less power and
position are subject to those above them. Even with our laws, it’s
seldom that a vampire with little power holds onto something long
that a more powerful vampire wants. Just as I desired you, Samuel
would have stopped at nothing to get Harriet for himself.”

“Maybe,” I said scornfully. “You yourself
said I was unremarkable, if I remember—”

“I am never going to hear the end of that, am
I, Sarelle?” Devlin said, rolling his eyes at me and smiling
contritely.

“No, Love, you aren’t,” I said almost
peaceably.

Devlin laughed, the rich sound rolling out of
him to wash over me.

I turned serious. “Dev, I’ve not wanted to
bring this up before. What happened with Anna? If our blood was the
same, or very close, why did she die?”

“It won’t happen with you, Love,” Devlin
said, old pain of her loss again etching each word. “It was my
fault,” he said miserably. “Titus made it clear to me that I had to
wait for the potion to change me completely before trying with you.
He was not with me two hundred years ago. The alchemist that made
it for me then said there was no need to wait. I’d used the mixture
Danial used with you, to minimize pain and expense.” He wiped at
his filling eyes. “Anna trusted me, and I killed her.”

I kissed his tears away. “It wasn’t your
fault—”

“Don’t make excuses for me,” Devlin said
stubbornly. “I almost killed you, too.”

“No, you—”

“I was the one who told Danial that it was
safe, that he didn’t have to wait. If you hadn’t stuck to your guns
the second time—”

“Stop,” I said, covering his mouth with my
hand. “What’s done is done. We’re going to have a child together.”
I wiped away his tears. “Titus seems certain, and he should know.
We’re together, Dev, like you wanted. Don’t dwell in the past. Be
here with me, now.”

Devlin regarded me for a moment, then he gave
me a radiant smile. “You’re right,” he whispered, showering me with
soft kisses. “We have a lot to be grateful for. And I have wasted
enough of the night not showing you how much I have missed you.
Come to me, Love.”

* * * *

I sat bolt upright in the dark, sure I was
going to be late for something. Then I saw Devlin sleeping next to
me, and remembered where I was. I lay back down with a sigh. God, I
must have been dreaming about my old life, worried about making it
to work...

Devlin stirred next to me. “What is it,
Love?” he said, kissing my shoulder. “I felt you sit up
suddenly.”

“Nothing,” I said, stroking his arm
reassuringly. “I just forgot what day it was.”

“Did you think you were with Theo?” Devlin
said with a smile, indenting the skin of my wrist with his upper
fangs. “Were you lunging up to get to me as fast as possible, so I
could—?”

“No!” I said loudly, hitting him with a
nearby pillow. He hit me back with another, and then we were
whacking each other with glee, laughing hard, until he got a good
one in, and I fell backwards off the bed.

Devlin moved fast, stopping my fall. “You’re
not getting away so easily, Love. Danial can wait until five, like
I had to yesterday.”

“Dev, why don’t you call him Dan?” I asked.
“He calls you Dev.”

“It’s a sore point,” Devlin explained. “Our
father called him that, Sar, because he was pissed that Danial’s
mother named Danial after herself and not him. Her name was
Danialle.”

“Why did she?”

“She announced that she had that right, as
his true father would not claim him.”

Grim, especially as that action had
punished her son more than his
father
. “What happened to
her?”

“She died one winter of tuberculosis,” Devlin
replied distantly. “She left Danial alone to tend a poor scrap of
land. Even then, he was stubborn, refusing help from my father, and
taking the little I could offer grudgingly. After a few years of
that, Danial left the village. When he returned years later at
twenty-five, there was a hardness about him that there hadn’t been
before, as well as a miniscule fortune. He married his childhood
sweetheart, Beaulah, and they had a child.” Devlin let out a
breath. “As I said, the soil was poor. Danial wasn’t much of a
farmer, even with his family’s help. He was on the verge of losing
his land when I got him that job as a guard.”

“Thank you for telling me some of what he
went through,” I said emotionally, touching his arm. “He said he
knew poverty firsthand. I knew it had to be bad, but I never
guessed—”

“He never talked about any of this with you?”
Devlin said, his brows knitting. “Ever?”

“Only that night we first walked together
with Ghost and Darkness in my forest. Any time after when I asked
him about his past, he politely refused. If I pressed harder, he
would excuse himself, or change the subject. Now I understand
why.”

“He is right in one regard, Love: that
unhappiness is in the past. Leave it there.”

“Yes,” I agreed, cuddling close to him.
“We’ve all had enough heartache.”

* * * *

Devlin roused himself when I awakened at
noon, blinking at me with eyes half open. “Are you hungry?”

“Rest,” I said, pushing him back down on the
bed. “I need to get something to eat, but I can do that on my own.
I’ll come back to bed after, at least today.”

Devlin gave me look. “What do you mean?”

Might as well say it.
“Dev, you make a
crack a few days ago about how I wasn’t on your schedule yet. I
think it’s fair to tell you I don’t intend to be. I’m not saying I
won’t sleep in or spend time with you in bed during the day, but I
can’t pull a night shift every weekend or however often I see you.
I’ll be tired if I do, which means cranky.”

“You did for Danial, when you lived there,”
Devlin replied, his tone intent.

“I like being in the sun,” I said
tentatively, not wanting to hurt him. “I like to plant, and do
things outside, especially as it’ll be summer soon. Theo is on a
day schedule, and so is Elle. Theoron will be too, as soon as he
starts lessons.”

“I understand,” Devlin said, nodding. “I
didn’t think when I said that.” He cleared his throat. “But you do
bring me to a subject I’d wanted to broach to you.”

“Yes?” I said expectantly.

“Serena,” he replied. “She appreciated the
thank you cookies you sent her, and has asked me if you might teach
her to bake—”

I gave him an odd look. “That’s flattering,
but why?”

“You didn’t let me finish. She’d also like to
learn some of your other skills.”

“So long as you don’t want me to learn hers,”
I said pointedly.

“If there are skills you are lacking in bed,
I shall teach them to you,” Devlin said arrogantly. He smiled
appreciatively. “Not that I’ve found you lacking, Love.”

“Thanks,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Now
what skills are we talking about?”

“She mentioned the baking, but more than
that, I think what she really wants is a friend.” He paused. “I’m
asking because of that, not because I expect her to keep us all
supplied with pastries.”

“I don’t mean to snap.” I rubbed my eyes. “I
just don’t know.”

“You sound unhappy,” He replied, hugging me.
“Are you? Tell me if you are.”

I glanced over at him, then away. “I
shouldn’t be. I have it all, now.”

“Including bitterness,” he replied
evenly.

“I’m sorry,” I said again, embarrassed. “It’s
just that for most of the last year, I’ve been facing health
crises. I haven’t done much of anything but the bare minimum. Now
that I’m feeling good again, I want to keep busy.”

“That’s why I thought it was good for you if
you made friends with Serena.”

“I want more than a friend to bake with
here,” I replied, frustrated. “When I’m at Danial’s, I help with
his business. I need a purpose here, too, Dev.”

“You do have a purpose,” Devlin said
seductively. “Your presence here makes me very happy. The child you
are having means more than anything to me.”

“That isn’t what I mean,” I said as gently as
I could. “I need goals and tasks of my own, besides just being your
lover and the mother of your child.”

“Ah,” Devlin said, nodding. “You feel like I
did, when I first was disposed as Ruler. You need something of your
own, not just to exist as a moon to my sun.”

“Yes.”

“Then if you’ll permit me, I’ll give you
several tasks, Love,” Devlin said, smiling. “Teach Serena some of
your skills; specifically, how to plant and how to bake. Anything
that isn’t diner fare is beyond her. Also, teach her some basic
sewing, so she can mend some of the clothes that always seem to
need mending—”

“Wait, I need a pen,” I said, rummaging in
the desk drawer beside the bed. I hastily scribbled a list. “Why do
you want her to know these things, Dev? Why does she?”

“I think she is feeling like an object. She
came to me a few nights ago, and said that she was happy to keep
seeing to the werebears’ needs, but she wanted to have a little
more respect from them. I have already told the males to be kinder
to her, but I know that isn’t the problem. There is a natural brand
placed on women who are prostitutes, right or wrong, that that is
all they are. She wants to break out of that. What she needs is a
purpose outside her current job, another set of skills that I can
both use and pay her for.”

It was true self-reliance encouraged
self-esteem. “I can help her do that.”

“When spring gets more underway, I’ll arrange
for the bears to till the soil for you and Serena. You can plant a
garden here, as well as at your house. Flowers, as well as
vegetables, please. Perhaps you can also give some ideas to Lash
for the flower gardens around the house, so they can be redone.
Some white flowers, or maybe red?”