Cunningham, Pat - Legacy [Sequel to Belonging] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (42 page)

After breakfast, Jeremy returned to his textbook, and a grumbling Wallace took Colleen out to the car. “We’re going to hit LA tonight,” he said. “If you can pinpoint a bat in those crowds, we’ll know you’re ready for the big time.”

Colleen climbed into the passenger seat and sat with her hands knotted over her belly. “Finding them is one thing. I don’t think I’ll ever make it past that.”

“You sure? You can stop a bat dead in his tracks with your mind. You could be the best damn slayer in the state. In the world, maybe.”

“Maybe I could kill one with my mind, too. That kind of power scares me. Lebec’s gone. His scheme is finished, and I don’t need to be afraid of vampires anymore. I’m happy with that.”

“Jesus.” Wallace slid in behind the wheel. “You sound like Scarecrow. You used to be me, and now you’re him. What the hell happened to you?”

She bared her fangs. “I got dangerous.”

“I stand corrected. You’re still me.” His smirk appeared. “Do I need to be scared of you?”

“Maybe. Maybe we have other things we need to be more afraid of.”

“Jesus H. Christ on a trampoline.” Wallace rested his arms on the steering wheel. “We’re going to have a ‘talk,’ aren’t we?”

“It’ll be quick, I promise. I went to see Annie the other day, and she examined me. I don’t dare go to a regular doctor.”

He slanted look at her. “And?”

“And it looks like our theories were right. I’m mostly human. Human enough to…” She swallowed. “Reproduce. At the same time I’m just enough vampire that I wouldn’t be fertile with humans.” The hands on her belly tightened. “All I wanted my whole life was to have children. Whether that’s me or something the vampires implanted in me, I don’t know. I guess it doesn’t matter. I know I’ll never feel complete until I have a child of my own.”

“So what’s stopping you? Scarecrow’d go for that in a second. If ever a man was born to be a mom—”

“Do you ever listen to anybody? Jeremy can’t help me. He’s human. The father will have to be a vampire.”

Darn stubborn man, she thought. He knew exactly what she was saying. She could tell because he refused to let her hear what he was thinking. Colleen wasn’t the only one who’d felt compelled to practice mental defenses.

“It wouldn’t be human,” he finally said. “Between you and me, we’ve cornered the market on vampire genetics.”

“I know. That’s what’s been holding me back. On the other hand, I’m still mostly human, and your diet makes you, well, pretty close. There’s a chance…oh hell. Should I even try? Would that be fair to a child? It could be—”

Wallace closed his hand over hers. “It’ll be ours,” he said. “No matter what. It’ll have your eyes.”

“Your eyes.”

“Okay, my eyes, but your nose. Definitely your smile. And it’ll have a heartbeat, I promise.” He ran his tongue over his fangs. “Nursing’s gonna be a bitch. Better go for bottles.”

Colleen smiled. “We’ll work it out. We have time.”

“There’s never time. Trust me. I’ve been through this before.” He pressed his mouth to hers for a long, loving kiss. “I’d love to go through it again.”

She sighed her relief against his breathless mouth. Her hands kept his pressed against her belly. “Thank you. I know I should have asked first, but, well, things happen.”

Being male, Wallace needed time to work it through. She waited with womanly patience. She heard the enormous thump of his undead heart as it banged against his ribs. Guess we won’t make it to LA tonight, she thought, just before he crushed her against him.

* * * *

The door crashed open, nearly slammed off its hinges. Jeremy looked up from his textbook and regarded Wallace mildly. “Back already?”

“You son of a bitch! How long have you known?”

“Since I drove Colleen over to Annie’s. I held her hand during the exam.” He coolly flipped a page. “Told you to use a condom.”

The next instant, he found himself flat on his back on the sofa with Wallace on top of him. The textbook went flying. “And neither of you could be bothered to let me in on it? I should rip you into—hey, stop giggling. I’m threatening your life here.”

Colleen blurred into the house and hauled Wallace back. Her own strength still surprised her. This time it surprised him. “Stop it. I asked him to keep it quiet until I could tell you.”

“Back off, sweetheart. I need to punish my slave.”

“You leave my nanny alone.”

“Your
what
?”

“Do you mind?” Jeremy said. “I wanted to finish that chapter.”

“No. Here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to strip off all your clothes and march your ass upstairs, where I’m going to fuck you senseless. And then,” he added with a growl for Colleen, “it’ll be your turn.”

“Or,” Colleen said with a glint in her eye, “I could practice my vampire control techniques and make you helpless. Then we could take turns pleasuring you until you scream for mercy.”

Wallace eyed her nervously. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Jeremy shoved himself out from under Wallace. “That’s it,” he said. He started for the stairs. “When you two are done, I’ll be waiting upstairs.” Halfway up the steps, he paused and threw a grin back over his shoulder. “Naked.”

The vampire and the half-vampire charged him. Laughing, Jeremy dashed up the steps.

THE END

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