A full moon shone down on the mourners, splashing the tops of the trees with silver. Standing there, with her son cradled in her arms, Mara couldn’t help thinking that the scene at the graveside looked like something out of an old horror movie, but instead of humans digging up a vampire to destroy it, vampires were burying a human who had died too soon.
Brenna and Roshan were there to comfort her, along with Vince and Cara, their sons and their daughters-in law. Logan stood at Mara’s side. She held a quietly crying Derek in her arms. Did the baby somehow know that his father was dead? Was that why he cried?
Father Lanzoni presided. He glanced at the mourners, his gaze briefly touching each one. “I wish that we were meeting under happier circumstances this evening,” he said with quiet reverence. “Though we do not like to think of it, we know that death eventually comes to us all. Mortal or vampire, sooner or later death comes. At this time, we mourn the loss of our friend, Kyle, who was taken from us too soon. Even so, he will not be forgotten. He will live on in our memories, and in the life of his son, Derek.”
Pausing, the priest lowered his head a moment, as if in prayer, before going on.
“At this time, we lay the body and soul of Kyle Bowden to rest, confident that he will rise in the resurrection of the just. Amen.”
Mara hugged her son as the men lowered the casket into the ground. Overcome with guilt, she turned away as they began to shovel dirt into the hole. She should have been a better wife. She should never have married Kyle at all.
Later, they gathered at Mara’s house. After Mara and Savanah put their children to bed, Logan opened a bottle of wine and offered a toast. “To Mara, welcome back to the fold.”
Rane lifted his glass in agreement.
“And to Derek’s safe return,” Rafe added.
Mara smiled at each of them in turn. They were good friends, something she had never truly appreciated before.
Later, Cara took Mara aside. “Is everything all right?”
“What do you mean?”
“You look troubled.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Did it upset you, when you learned your parents were vampires?”
“Yes, at first. It came as quite a shock, learning that they weren’t human. Of course, it explained a lot, like why they didn’t age, and why they never attended any of the school functions that were held during the day, and why I never saw them eat. But the real shock was learning that I had been adopted. It’s a hard thing, learning that your own mother didn’t want you.”
“When did they tell you that you were adopted?”
“I think I was seven or eight at the time.”
“Does it still bother you?”
“Not now, but it troubled me for a long while. I don’t know anything about my natural mother except that she gave birth to me in an alley, and then gave me away.” Cara laid her hand on Mara’s arm. “You’re thinking about Derek, aren’t you? Savanah told me you had talked to her about raising him.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now . . .” Mara shook her head. “He belongs with me,” she said, repeating Logan’s words.
“I think you’re right. Have you tried going out in daylight since Logan turned you?”
“No,” Mara admitted, frowning. “I just assumed that, being newly made, I wouldn’t be able to.”
“You’re unique among our kind,” Cara said. “You were Nosferatu far longer than any other vampire we know of, and you are far stronger than any of us.”
“Yes, but that was before. Ramsden thought accepting the Dark Gift again would kill me.”
“Well, he was wrong about that, wasn’t he?”
Mara nodded. She felt as strong and capable as she had before she’d lost her powers. She was able to be awake during the day to look after the baby, so why did she still hesitate to go outside when the sun was up? Because of Ramsden, she thought. Instead of trusting her own instincts, she was letting a dead man influence her.
“I think you’ll be just fine,” Cara said. “You’re a survivor. You’ve proved that.”
Cara was right, Mara thought. She was being foolish. She was no longer human. She was her old self again, as strong and powerful as she had ever been. There was nothing to fear. She would walk in the sun’s light. She would be a good mother to Derek. She would spend the rest of her existence with the man she loved. She smiled inwardly as a wave of self-confidence routed the last of her doubts and fears.
Later, after everyone had left for home, she went down to her lair to check on Derek. She would have to redecorate, she thought as she leaned over the side of the crib. Get rid of her Egyptian art collection and replace it with something more youthful and cheerful. Or maybe not. She could decorate one of the rooms upstairs for the baby. Paint the walls blue, buy a pretty oak crib and a matching changing table and rocking chair. The baby could use the upstairs room during the day, then sleep in his bed in her lair at night until he was a little older.
Pleased with the idea, Mara leaned over the edge of the crib and kissed her son’s cheek. “I’ll never leave you,” she murmured. “I’ll never let anyone or anything hurt you again, I promise.”
Warmth filled her heart as her son smiled in his sleep, almost as if he understood what his mother had said.
“Sweet little boy,” Mara whispered. “Do you know how much I love you?”
“I’m sure he does.”
Mara glanced over her shoulder as Logan entered the room.
He came to stand beside her, his expression guarded. “So, you’ve made your decision.”
“Yes.” She kissed Derek’s cheek, then moved away from the crib. “You were right. He belongs here, with me.”
“What about me?” Logan asked. “Where do I belong?”
“What do you mean?”
“Mara, don’t play games with me. You know how I feel about you, how I’ve always felt. There’s nothing to stop us from being together now, if that’s what you want.”
“Logan.” Taking his hand in hers, Mara lifted it to her lips and kissed his palm. “I love you, Logan. I don’t think I ever stopped. I’m not sure what I’ve been running away from all these years. But I know what I want now. And it’s you, by my side, forever.”
“Mara!”
He reached for her, but she held up her hand, keeping him at bay. “It’s not that easy. I know how you feel about having a baby in the house, how difficult it is for you. And I’ve sensed your jealousy.”