A wave of his hand brought the fire in the hearth to life.
Again, Cara stared at him, her eyes wide with wonder.
“I guess your folks never used any of their vampire powers in your presence,” Vince remarked.
She shook her head. “I guess I’ve got a lot to learn.”
“That makes two of us.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve only been a vampire for a year.”
“Oh. How did it happen?”
Vince frowned, wondering what she’d say if he told her about Mara. Skirting the issue, he said, “The usual way. A vampire took my blood, then I drank hers.”
“Hers?”
He laughed softly. “You’re not jealous of a vampire, are you?”
“Did you love her?”
“Love her? I hated her for a while.”
“And now?”
He shrugged. “Once you get used to it, being a vampire isn’t so bad.”
“What did your parents say when you told them?”
“They don’t know.”
“Why didn’t you tell them?”
“For the same reason you can’t tell anyone. Mortals are distrustful of anything they don’t understand, suspicious of anyone that’s different.” His gaze bored into hers. “You haven’t told anyone, have you?”
“No. I guess you drink…blood.”
He nodded. “Are you all right with that?”
“Well, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me…”
“Can you live with it?”
“I’ll get used to it, I guess. Do you sleep in a casket?”
“No. I tried it once, but…” He shook his head. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“I saw you during the day. How is that possible?”
“I’ve got Mara to thank for that. She’s the oldest living vampire. Apparently her blood is really powerful and some of that power was transferred to me.”
“It all seems so impossible.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” He took a deep breath, afraid to ask the next question, but it was one they had to discuss. “What about children, darlin’? You know I can’t have any. I saw the way you looked at that baby in Loken’s lab, your sadness when you had to give it back…I know how important having a family is to you.”
She was silent for several moments.
Vince cursed inwardly. He should have known that his inability to father a child would be the deal breaker.
Cara looked up at him. “My parents adopted me. I guess we could adopt a baby, or maybe have artificial insemination. That way the child would be half ours. Could you live with that?”
“Anything you want is all right with me.” Leaning closer, he brushed his lips over hers. “I love you, Cara. Will you marry me? Share my life with me? I know it’s a lot to ask, but…”
Murmuring, “yes, oh, yes,” she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
She was still kissing him when a deep voice said, “Looks like you were worried for nothing, wife.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Cara saw her mother and father standing in the doorway.
Cara bounded to her feet, smiling from ear to ear. “Mom! Dad! Guess what? Vince just asked me to marry him! Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Wonderful,” Brenna murmured. She opened her arms and Cara ran to her.
“I guess this calls for a drink,” Roshan said.
Brenna hugged Cara. “So, when’s the big day?”
“I don’t know,” Cara said, looking at Vince. “We didn’t get that far.”
“Whenever she wants is fine with me,” Vince said.
While Brenna and Cara huddled on the sofa, already deep into wedding plans, Roshan handed Vince a glass of wine.
“I know you probably don’t approve,” Vince said, “but I can’t live without her.”
Roshan swirled the wine in his glass, thinking that the day he had dreaded had come. “I know you’re what Cara wants,” he said quietly, “so that makes it all right with me, but if you ever tire of her, don’t just leave her. You bring her back here to me. She’s my little girl, and I’ll always love her.”
“I’ll never leave her. You have my word on that.”
“I always wanted a son,” Roshan said. “Just remember, if you hurt her…”
“I know,” Vince said, grinning broadly. “You’ll destroy me.”
“Without a qualm,” Roshan replied, lifting his glass. “Welcome to the family.”
Chapter 39
“Will I see you tomorrow night?” Cara wound her arms around Vince’s neck. It was after three AM and they were standing on the front porch saying good night.
“What do you think?”
“I don’t think I can wait that long to see you again.”
“Then come by the garage in the morning.”
“You’re working there again?”
“Yeah,” Vince said, grinning. “Looks like it’s for good this time.”
“I’ll be there bright and early,” she said, and then frowned. “How early is too early?”
Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a key and handed it to her. “Come on by anytime,” he said. “If I’m still in bed, well…you can just crawl in beside me.”
“But I thought…I mean, won’t you be…umm, sleeping the sleep of the dead?”
Vince laughed. “Believe me, darlin’, if you’re nearby, I’ll know it.”
Yawning, Cara slipped the key into her pocket. It had been a long night. “I don’t know how early it will be,” she said, smothering another yawn, “but I’ll be there.”
He nuzzled her neck, just behind her ear. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she murmured, and then frowned. “You’re not going to want to drink my blood, are you?”
“I hate to tell you this, darlin’, but I’ve wanted to do that since the night we met.”
“Oh.” The thought should have been repulsive; instead, she found it oddly intriguing.
“I tasted you once.”
Her eyes grew wide. “What? You did?” She lifted a hand to her neck. “When?”
“The first time we made love.”
“I don’t remember that part.”
“I only took a little taste, darlin’, just enough to satisfy my curiosity.”