Forever Valentine Read online

  It was a good trade off. She knew he was aware of her ploy, but he humored her and pleasured them both in the process. It was a truly win-win situation.

  The only difficult part for her was when they had visited Kelly and Marc LaTour’s home the night after they’d first joined. Kelly was one of her best friends, of course, but Marc had always been a little frightening to her. He was the Master Vampire of the region and had held that position for quite a long time. The man was so imposing, the only time Jena saw his icy demeanor thaw at all was when Kelly was near.

  When his new wife was nearby, it was clear how much he loved her and that made him somewhat more human, though he was still a little scary. Jena knew she was welcome in their home, but in truth, she hadn’t visited too many times since Kelly and Marc’s wedding. Kelly had been turned in a very violent way, but it was clear Marc loved her with every breath in his body.

  When Ian and Jena stepped over the LaTour’s threshold that night, their hosts seemed to know right away that something was very different.

  “Good Lord.” Marc’s calm voice cut through the tense silence as all four of them faced each other. “And then there were four.” Ian burst out laughing at Marc’s cryptic words while the women shared confused looks.

  Ian settled his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close to his side. “Jena is my One, but that isn’t the end of our news. We’ll require the private room to relay the rest.”

  “That serious?” Marc’s aristocratic eyebrow rose. He had been an English nobleman before being turned to vampirism and he still reverted to his old mannerisms every now and again.

  Ian nodded grimly as the four of them moved off toward the back of the house. There was a set of stairs leading down and Kelly took Jena’s hand for a quick squeeze as Marc led the way downward to a room Jena had never seen before. He flicked a bunch of switches and sealed the heavy door shut before speaking again.

  “Okay. We’re secure. Now what’s so earth shattering that we had to come all the way down here?” Marc turned on them, all business, but with just a tiny glint of humor in his dark eyes.

  “Jena is demi-vampir and this morning I saw sunlight for the first time in eight hundred years.”

  The silence in the room was deafening.

  “Good Lord!” Marc whispered, then collapsed into a chair while Kelly stared, probably receiving information by taking a walk through her mate’s memories, Jena realized.

  Jena started to feel very uncomfortable at being the center of such attention, but Kelly reached out, coming over and giving her a big hug. Kelly was a good friend and that hadn’t changed after she’d been turned. Kelly still had a generous heart and probably always would. It was just the way she was wired.

  “I’m so glad you’ve found love, sweetie. I wish Ian and you every happiness.”

  “Thanks, Kel.” Jena truly loved her friend and was glad she was there. She had so many questions to ask her now that they each had a vampire mate in common. There was so much to learn.

  “Now what about your mother?” Kelly pulled back with a friendly smile. “I bet she’s like you, huh?”

  “There’s another one?” Marc’s voice sounded behind Kelly.

  Ian nodded, filling Marc in on the particulars. Marc’s decisiveness impressed Jena as he immediately made plans with Ian to see to her mother’s safety. It turned out, they both knew a very experienced enforcer named Julian who was near enough to her mother’s home in New York to go and watch over her. Marc made the call from a secure phone and set the wheels in motion, swearing the enforcer to secrecy. Both men vouched for Julian when Jena sought their reassurances, but Ian’s word was good enough for her.

  She took a moment to sift through just a few of his memories—a skill she was getting better at as time went on—to get a better idea of what this Julian guy was all about. One thing she was able to learn from Ian’s memories was that Julian was a very handsome man. Her mother would have to watch out with a hunk like that watching over her every move.

  Marc asked Jena to call her mother and warn her about Julian’s arrival. Jena didn’t really relish the idea of breaking all her news to her mother in front of witnesses, but she knew the phone line, at least on this end, was secure. There was no real reason to think her mother might be in danger…yet. But if somehow word got out about her demi-vampir state, that could change in a hurry. The idea truly frightened her but Ian reached out and squeezed one of her hands, pouring comfort and confidence through their link and she felt reassured as she dialed her mother’s number.

  The call went about as well as could be expected. Jena’s mom, Lillian, had a kind of radar where she was concerned and wanted to hop the next flight out to see her, but Jena convinced her to stay put. She told her about Ian—and Julian’s imminent arrival—and Lillian jumped to all sorts of motherly conclusions that had her laughing out loud. That seemed, perversely, to reassure her mother and they rang off with a promise to call again the next day.

  “Well?” Kelly wanted to know as Jena hung up the phone, still smiling and shaking her head. She looked up at her friend and chuckled.

  “My mom is now convinced that I’m mixed up with the mafia.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Over the next week or two, Jena managed to convince her mother that Ian was not a member of the Cosa Nostre. Apparently the handsome Julian had more influence than Jena would have credited. Her mother had always been an eminently sensible woman, but when she mentioned Julian’s name there was a certain wistfulness that communicated itself even over three thousand miles of telephone line.

  They’d made plans to get together. Julian was flying her out on his private plane, in fact, which made Jena start to wonder just how rich this band of vampires she was now involved with was. Ian was playful when she broached the subject, teasing her about being a gold-digger, but he knew she wasn’t. She could read that reassuring truth in his thoughts.

  She was getting better and better at sifting through his amazing memories, and knew he was reading her life story just as she was doing with him. He smiled indulgently at her when he caught her at it, often hugging her close and distracting her with kisses and nips that turned into bites and very nice orgasms.

  They were getting better at that too. They made love everywhere in her little house, then moved to Ian’s more secure home so he could spend the day in complete safety. Sometimes she had to go to work, and she hated the separation as much as she knew he did, but they were joined so fully now, all she had to do was think of him and he was there, in her mind.

  The feeling was incredibly comforting. Of course, he played little games too, turning her on with his words and the lascivious images he would send to her, all while she was at work with no way to ease the ache he stirred in her. She teased him back, though, and gave almost as good as she got.

  One night, she was working the late shift when Ian started his teasing and she turned the tables. Ten minutes later, he cornered her in her small office at the hospital, drew the shades and spread her wide on the edge of her desk. His cock was surging into her before she could even utter a protest. He could move unnaturally fast when the need arose.

  Only after he’d seated himself within her tight depths did he allow her to speak.

  “Know what happens when you tease the beast, sweetheart?” He forged into her as one hand held her hips, the other plucking hard at her nipples.

  Jena shook her head in answer to his teasing question.

  “You get bitten.” He licked over her sensitive neck, preparing her.

  Jena cried out. “Harder, Ian!” She tried to keep her voice low, but knew she was getting a little carried away. Ian always had that effect on her.

  He answered her pleas, stroking in deep with each thrust until she was moaning against his chest, propped up by his strong arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist, claiming him as he moved his head down to kiss her lips. He trailed down her chin to her throat, sinking his fangs in deep as he thrust her to completion.r />
  Ian was only a moment behind as he sipped at her amazing blood, licking her and relishing the essence of the one woman in all the world who could complete him. He was facing the door when he lifted his head, his cock still spurting within his woman. He licked his lips, knowing they were stained with her rich, red blood, and caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye.

  The door was open only a sliver, but it was enough for Ian to see the Dick on the other side, spying on them. Dr. Dick Schmidt let the door close, but not before Ian got a good look at him. The piss-ant was a voyeur, it seemed, and he’d gotten an eyeful.

  Ian pulled out and cleaned up a bit, helping Jena set herself to rights. He kissed her softly as he made sure she could stand on her own.

  “Will you be all right? There’s something I have to take care of.”

  Jena nodded weakly, sinking down into her leather executive chair. She looked thoroughly fucked and Ian had to suppress the grin of satisfaction seeing her this way always gave him.

  “Where are you going?”

  Ian sighed. He didn’t want her to know that he planned to silence the other man. By death, if necessary.

  “Dr. Dick saw us. The little pervert must’ve unlocked your door and was peeking inside when I saw him.”

  “I gave him a key for emergencies. Not to spy on me!” Though she flushed with embarrassment, her words were practical as she drew in a calming breath. “What are you going to do to him?”

  “Anything I have to.”

  Silence reigned for a moment before she stood and straightened her skirt. “I’ll go with you. We should check his office first. It’s two floors up.”

  Ian said not a word as she led the way to Dick Schmidt’s office. When they arrived it was to find the good doctor dialing furiously as he clutched a small parchment-colored business card in one hand.

  “Put down the phone.” Ian put all the influence he could into his voice. The doctor struggled against the command, but the phone settled into its cradle as Ian moved forward. He was pleased to note Jena closing and locking the door to the office behind them. Ian plucked the card out of Dick’s hand and glanced at it before tucking it into his pocket for further study. He knew the name well. Benjamin Steel was one of the few Altor Custodis agents Ian had been able to identify in this state, though he knew there were more. There had to be.

  It was significant that Ben had given Dick his card. Could the Altor Custodis already know of Jena’s bloodlines? Probably. That ancient sect had watched and tracked supernaturals through more centuries than Ian had lived. They were probably watching Jena and her mother as well, which was as comforting as it was frightening.

  The AC watched and recorded, but they probably wouldn’t lift a finger to help if either of them were truly in danger. Ian began to wonder if the silver bracelet Dick had tried to give Jena on Valentine’s Day was more sinister than he’d originally thought. Had it been a test of some sort? Did Dick know or suspect what she was?

  “Fucking vampire!” Dick accused in a wobbly voice. Ian turned his full attention back to the matter at hand. That certainly answered some of his questions. Ian shook his head and made a tsking noise.

  “I honestly didn’t think you had any imagination whatsoever, Dick. I can’t say I’m glad to find out I was wrong.” Ian tugged Jena close to his side, tucking her under his arm. It was an obvious claim of ownership that wasn’t lost on the sniveling mortal man. Ian nearly laughed aloud when Dick’s chin rose stubbornly.

  “Get away from her. You scum-sucking vampire!” Dick actually reached for his pocket and came up with a small cross he proceeded to wave at him. Luckily it was made of gold, not silver. Little did the mongrel know Ian had been a devout Catholic all his long life. Crosses—as long as they were not made of silver—held no fear for him. In fact, they represented the God he’d sworn his life to many times over since he’d been born all those centuries ago.

  But Dick was starting to really piss him off.

  Ian put Jena behind him and turned to snarl at the other man, baring his fangs and allowing the fire to creep into his eyes. He knew it made him look like a demon, and perhaps that’s what he needed in this case. A little show of otherworldly strength might help him take the measure of this man he had previously underestimated.

  “Back off, doctor. I won’t warn you again.”

  The hand holding the cross shook as Ian stalked forward. Gently, almost reverently, he took the cross from Dick’s trembling hands and kissed it with respect before placing it aside, safely out of harm’s way. It really was a beautiful piece, heavy with age and many blessings that sent soothing energy through Ian when he touched it.

  Perhaps that was the reason he felt pity for the sniveling man. Perhaps it was the reminder of his faith that stayed his hand when he could so easily have killed the good doctor. Knowledge of his kind could not be allowed to spread. It was their most sacred law and one he’d vowed to uphold.

  Or perhaps his rare compassion was spurred on by the soft, feminine voice of love in his mind.

  Don’t hurt him, Ian.

  Ian sighed as he used his considerable mental powers to overcome Dick’s weak mind. The man slumped to the floor in a heap, unconscious. He turned frustrated eyes to his mate briefly.

  “He knows, Jena. That’s not something I can ignore. Our law says he has to be contained.”

  “Killed, you mean,” she scoffed. “Look, Ian. Regardless of how I feel about him personally, he is a good doctor. He saves a lot of lives. It would be a shame to lose his talent in the world when there are so many sick people who need his skill. Isn’t there something you can do?”

  Ian pulled her close, kissing her forehead softly, then sighed dramatically.

  “For you, I can move mountains, my love.”

  Doctor Richard—not Dick—Schmidt changed that night. Weak minded as he was, Ian found it easy to alter his memories and even improve a bit on his personality. Not long after, Richard traded in the land yacht he drove for a more economic, less ostentatious model and started doing charity work. He even donated some of his time and skill to Doctors Without Borders and set off on a voyage of self-discovery to the Third World.

  Of course Ian made sure he was kept under observation by one of his enforcer brethren. Richard Schmidt didn’t know it, and would likely never remember what had brought it about, but he would be closely watched for the remainder of his days.

  Ian also made arrangements for an evening wedding at a beautiful, old Catholic church in town. He’d sworn an oath to God all those years ago as a Crusader and he’d never gone back on his word. Jena was also Catholic and wanted all the trimmings for her wedding, including the beautiful old church where her mother could walk her down the aisle and tear up as her baby got married.

  Ian was pleasantly surprised by his mate’s mother, Lilian. Forty-seven she might be, but she was a beautiful woman in the prime of life. She welcomed Ian with suspicion at first, but once she saw how happy her daughter was with him, she warmed right up.

  Julian was with her, of course. The charming enforcer had inserted himself into Lillian’s life and looked like he was there to stay. Surprisingly, he hadn’t told Lillian everything yet, but rather, had used his surprisingly strong abilities at mental persuasion to gain the woman’s compliance.

  Eventually she would have to be told about her heritage, but she was very healthy for one of the demi-vampir, and Jena wanted to wait until after the wedding to break the startling news. Ian agreed. One thing at a time was enough to spring on the poor woman. Let her get used to him first, then he would shatter her illusions of reality and explain how the world really worked.

  Or perhaps he would ask Julian or another of his old friends do it. Jena’s mother was a looker, after all, and though she thought she was old in mortal terms, measuring by the lifespan of the average vampire, she was just a babe in the woods. Born demi-vampir, she should be given the choice to convert fully to the immortality she—or her ancestors, at least—shou
ld have had as her birthright.

  Ian would take it up with Marc, but it could wait until after the wedding. And the honeymoon. Lillian’s life wasn’t in imminent danger from her demi-vampir condition, so they had time. Nothing was more important now, than joining his mate’s life to his in the eyes of God.

  When Ian first caught sight of his bride, framed in the dark doorway of the lovely old church, his heart skipped a beat. She was so beautiful.

  The music started and she walked slowly down the aisle to him. The church was crowded with their friends, but he saw only her. When at last she stood beside him, he took her delicate hand in his. Her fingers were surprisingly cold with nerves.

  “I love you, you know.” He sent his thoughts on waves of reassurance.

  “I love you back. Forever, Ian.” She paused. “I mean that. I want forever with you.”

  “Do you mean—?”

  “Yes. I want you to make me like you, but it’ll have to wait until after the baby is born.”

  “Baby?” Ian felt faint. The implications were staggering.

  Jena was still very much mortal. Any baby they had now would be demi-vampir, like her. Able to walk in the sun.

  “Stay with me, Papa. First we have to get hitched. No baby of ours will be born out of wedlock.”

  Ian felt tears gather behind his eyes, though he refused to let them fall. His woman was amazing. She brought him laughter and love, light and now…a baby.

  While he would have preferred to wait until after she’d become immortal, God apparently had other plans. Ian would not argue with God, or Fate, or whatever had caused this miraculous moment to happen. All he knew was that he had found the ultimate happiness in this realm and he would hold on to it—to her—for all he was worth.

  EPILOGUE

  By the following year on February fourteenth, Jena and Ian had fragile, baby, demi-vampir twins to look after. Leaving them with Christy and Sebastian for the night, Ian took Jena to the same little bistro where he had spied on her with her date the year before.