Bite, My Love (27 page)

Last
night, Daniel tried explaining the loss of Anya as his maker was
far worse than his loss of her as his lover. We didn’t get far with
that conversation. Each time he mentioned her name I
growled.

I’m
not
jealous.

I look at
the candles, the food (all for me), the wine, the cut wildflowers,
the piano, and the…. Oh my Christ. Piano. Am I hyperventilating?
This is so cool. I might be having some kind of heart-attack-like
episode.

“
It’s too much?” Daniel almost sounds shy. Before I answer, he
charges ahead, eyes critically roaming the display.
‘No. It will never be enough. I will spend my
nights courting you, bringing your body to heights of orgasmic
bliss. I will make you happy for eternity.’

Eternity?
Isn’t that a bit of a tall order? We’re still at loggerheads about
me drinking enough of his blood to extend my life. I have zero
plans to be a crazy half Lycan, half Vampire monster.

I’ll take
the orgasmic bliss to go.

Daniel tugs my arm, diverting my mission to reach the food,
and strides us over to where Ben is having a heated discussion with
Lee.
“The only danger to your child would
have been me,” Daniel interrupts. “And I have no plans or desires
other than keeping my Bride safe and happy.
The Lycans will leave us be for now. Harmony is pregnant too,
and I wish there to be peace.”

I blush
hotly when six pairs of eyes snap to me. It’s quiet, suspiciously
so. The silence turns into one of reflection.

“
Why are you all standing there staring at each other without
talking.” I scowl. “You’d better not be gossiping mind to
mind.”

They
shake themselves, but then one by one stare at my
stomach.

Silently.

Beginning
to feel like sideshow freak, and that’s saying something in the
presence of blood and soul sucking immortals. “The baby will be
okay, if that’s why you all look worried out. I feel warm all the
time. Whole. Daniel told me you’re worried about Vampire babies
being born with no soul after finding out about Lee. I know our
babies will be fine. I just do.”

Ben gives
Lee a reassuring smile. “Harmony has a way with words.” He hugs
her. “I’m here, and I’ll protect you, and our baby. Don’t worry
about anything, promise, love?”

Daniel
nods sombrely at Lee. “We will all protect you.”

“
And me,” I chirp.

My mate
groans. “The word ‘all’ encompassed you to, she-wolf. Though you
will be protected as well.”

“
It’s all good. I can take care of myself.”

Dark
brows lower, and his sapphire eyes become steely. “We shall take
care of the both of you, no arguments.”

“
Why you pushy bastard.”

Daniel
sighs. “Your language is foul.”

“
Yeah, but you like it.”

He looks
perplexed. “Strangely, I do.”

We all
laugh and crowd in close, joined in happiness.

Lee gives
a little jump, some sudden thought coming into her head. “I feel
like mine will be a boy.”

Ben’s
chest puffs up. “A son.”

She
touches his cheek, like me, seeing the Knight he used to be. A son
would be good for his male pride. “I already have name.”

Simone
and Adam turn their heads in our direction, interested to hear what
she’s chosen.

“
Dinnae keep us waiting, lass.” Iain’s eyes sparkle
mischievously. In one hand, he has a decanter of bloodwine, and an
empty crystal tumbler in the other, which he motions to her with.
“Dinnae be shy. ‘Tis Iain, no?”

Lee
laughs, a pleasant tinkle. “Sorry, but no.”

Her eyes
flicker in memory, and search the rooftop. She smiles when she
spots a brooding Afzal lurking in the shadows. He cocks his head in
question.

“
Bastian,” she says softy.

The big
man makes a sad noise and hangs his head. When it lifts, his eyes
are blood red. “Good choice.”

“
I agree.” Ben presses a kiss to her temple.

Daniel
has a horrid look on his face, as if he’s going to keel over after
remembering he was the one who took Sebastian from his
family.

“
We’re going to have a girl,” I declare, unable to think of
anything else to say. “I want one.”

At this,
Daniel snaps out of it, and eyes me contemptuously. “Oh? May I name
her since you get to decide the sex?”

I say
nothing, waiting as he pokes fun. I don’t care what he says to me
as long as that heartbreaking look doesn’t come back.

“
Alisabet.”

“
Yeah.” I snort. “That’s so
not
happening.”

Daniel looks crestfallen. He was being
serious?

“
I was thinking something cool,” I continue. “Like Arwen for a
girl, or Legolas if we do end up with a boy.”

Now Daniel looks
horrified.

Iain cheers. “
Wheesht!
A fellow middle earth
fan.”

“
You know it.”

We bump
fists.

Lee
snorts back laughter and turns her face into Ben’s chest, curling
her hand into his shirt.

“
Look at the shiny, shiny.” I grab her hand and inspect the
ring on her finger. “It should be illegal for emeralds to come in
this size.” I eye Ben. “Who’d you rob?” Letting her hand fall I
beam at them. “Congratulations.”

“
Thanks. I wasn’t bothered about getting married, but since
we’re having a baby Ben made it sound wrong not to be.” Lee looks
exasperated. “Laugh it up, but just wait until Dan drops the, ‘My
son and heir will not be a bastard,’ speech whilst shoving a ring
on
your
finger.”

My
hysterical laughter putters out when I catch the fevered gleam in
Daniel’s gaze. I follow the direction of his eyes to my left
hand.

Freaked,
I hide it behind my back.

Smile.
Back. Away. Warily.

The
distant baying of wolves swells over the hushed pockets of
conversation. We turn from the turbulent sea, synchronized with the
wind that rushes past, and stare into the forest.

Haunting, the mournful howls erupt
over the skeletal treetops that stab the dark sky – rising and
falling in a harmonic crescendo.

Mist
snakes along the ground and lies thick in the field between Castle
and the Lycan hunting grounds.

Amber
eyes can be seen twinkling through the shadowy tree
line.

“
You can’t leave.” Daniel’s hands dig into my waist. “You’re
mine now. It’s too late for Liam to change his mind.”

Arms
looping around his neck, reassurance, I press a kiss to his dimpled
chin.

He still
looks uneasy. “Does it call to you – that old sense of belonging to
a Pack?” He looks up. “You still have the moon.” He looks troubled.
“Even that burns me. I worry we have little in common, and you
won’t let me bond you to me with blood.”

“
Taking your blood to strengthen our relationship I something
I won’t do. Our love will last if we work through our issues like
normal people.” I clasp his head and peer closely at his skin to
see if the moonlight is hurting him. My eyes meet his briefly. “To
be clear tying somebody up is not normal.”

“
I am aware.”

“
Just checking, sexy.”

Sighing,
Daniel pulls my hands from his forehead to his cheeks. “Moonlight
is sunlight reflected off the lunar surface. The sun is bad for me,
in case you forgot. The damage heals faster than my pain receptors
can process.”

Comforted, I relax, and lean on him. “So you don’t like it?”
I glance up. “I love mother moon.”

He rubs
my hand on his cheek, plucks at my fingers. “The smell of moonlight
on your skin is divine. I love that.”

The call
of the wolves becomes louder and more demanding. I tense. The
summons penetrates down to my toes. Had I been part of the Pack
dismissal of it would have been impossible, but disconnected as I
am, it’s merely uncomfortable.

Daniel
sighs, feeling the restlessness growing inside me. “Harmony, will
you do me the honour,” I hold my breath, eyes wide, “of beholding
your wolf?”

Flute of
blood wine in hand, Iain strolls past chuckling.

My lips
twitch. “Will you play for me?”

“
The soonest.”

I take
his hand to lead the way.

The
Vampires do not hide their astonishment at Daniel approaching a
piano in their presence.

Lee
squirms in her skin. She opens her mouth wide, missing my
not-so-subtle head shaking. Grabbing her from behind, Ben clamps a
hand over his Bride’s mouth. He winks at me. I slump with relief.
Daniel is already skittish. Lee shrieking in enthusiasm would push
him over the edge.

I know
the piano. It’s the one I was so taken with from the main hall
inside Castle. It gleams seductively. The mahogany satin is
attractive even to me, and I don’t have a musical bone in my
body.

Daniel is puzzled.
‘You are called
Harmony.’

‘
Yeah. That should tell you everything about how well my
parents know me.’

The
piano’s back lid is propped open, and the long body is positioned
towards the sea, setting the pianist back to the forest.

I peer into the frame, intrigued by the insides, and stop by
the padded stool.
Excited, I wait for
Daniel to do his thing.

Lips
pinching, he glowers at it.

My fingers creep towards the keys, prancing like little legs.
My forefinger makes a break for it and lands on a creamy tile. I
apply the gentlest of pressure on the smooth surface, and it
descends to sound a crisp
ping
that echoes pleasingly.
Lips parting in pleasure, my tongue rubs the edge of my
teeth. I let my other fingers scuttle over the keys.
“How does it work?”

I hope to
distract Daniel. He’s reacting to the noise like a spider in a
bathtub, sort of slipping and sliding around on the spot in a
frantic race for freedom – and getting absolutely nowhere for all
that effort.

“
W–When a key is struck there is a chain reaction. The wippen
rises. Um, it forces the jack against the knuckle, lifting the
hammer lever. To which a, ah, hammer is attached.” He is scary pale
– cadaver white. His eyes close briefly then fly open in panic. “It
hits the wire and there is … resonation? When you let the key go
the damper falls back on the strings to stop the wire vibrating.
Oh. The damper went up with the wippen, you see? No wait. The
soundboard moves air – converts energy to sound. I–” The bumble of
words cuts off, his voice strangled by anxiety.

Instead
of laughing my ass off at the one time he shows vulnerability, I
nod soberly, and rub my thumb over the back of his shaky
hand.

Releasing
me, Daniel unbuttons his cuffs and rolls them up his forearms. Done
with that, he runs both hands through his hair until his neat coif
is charmingly tousled. His throat bobs, and his eyes bounce from
his audience to the instrument he’s promised to play.

I perch
myself on the edge of the stool and gleefully start tapping the
keys. It makes a God-awful racket, but the mish mash of notes makes
Lee and I cackle madly. The others don’t seem to be sharing our
joy. Whatever. My plan is working. They’re staring at the noisy
Lycan rather than my panicking mate.

Ben lifts
the needle from the gramophone, cutting the music formerly
entertaining everyone. He shoots me a look bordering pained, but
full of understanding.

I look to
see if my mate is ready yet.

Daniel
stares at me like I’m wonderful, regaling them with a masterpiece
rather than a few kooky notes. Refinement personified, he sits on
the stool. His feet rest lightly on the tarnished pedals below, and
his hands come down over mine in a final clamour of
keys.

“
Think you can do better, huh?”

“
Sweetling.” He kisses me to soften his critique. “Your sonata
was inspiring, but move away from the piano before my ears bleed.
Ja?”

He laughs
as I flounce up feigning outrage. I keep my eyes on him and drift
back.

The
Vampires float forward in anticipation. Their curiosity peaked at
the new side to the ill-tempered creature they’ve known for so
long.

Genius is
not needed to know after nine hundred years of practice Daniel must
be a pianist beyond measure. I’m tingling with expectation. What
piece he will select from his extensive repertoire?

Slightly
confused, he watches me move behind everyone else.

With a
coy smile, I slip the straps of my gown off my shoulders, and let
the dress float to the ground. Gloriously naked, I revel in the
moonlight bathing my skin, and snigger when Daniel’s eyes bug out
of his head.