Another group of vampires had taken the two-year-olds with them when they left, to find a safe haven in which to raise them. We couldn’t give them back to the mortals. The children were powerful. How powerful, we still didn’t know. But they’d been bred to be used as weapons against us. Mortals could not be trusted with such a powerful force, nor could they be counted on to raise the children as souls deserving of love and kindness, rather than as a pack of killer dogs.
For two weeks, we’d had control of the ship. I thought the remaining children were beginning to understand that we were their friends, here to care for them, to save them. Bribing them with chocolate from the galley helped, as did having a few mortals among us who insisted vampires were not evil or in need of killing, as the children had been taught.
Nikki was perched in the miniature crow’s nest Christian had built, while he stood nearby, attentive, arms outstretched below in case she fell. Dear Christian. Despite his lumbering size, he had the heart and soul of a child himself. He’d been experimented on by those animals who called themselves scientists, as well.
“Look how Pandora watches over them,” I said to Roland. My cat pretended not to like the little ones mauling her, but she was never far from the seven of them, always guarding, watchful, protective, as if they were her own cubs.
“The sight of a small child flung across the back of a black panther might be alarming to some,” Roland said, and I heard the smile in his voice.
“To me, it’s a sight that deserves to be the subject of a painting by a master.”
I sent Nikki a wave, and she smiled hugely and waved back, her sleek black hair falling into her eyes as she did. I wanted to shower that little girl in precious gems and swathe her in fabric spun of gold.
“Your eyes, when you look at her,” Roland whispered, “shine in a way I’ve never seen, Rhiannon.”
I shifted my gaze back to my mate. “I’ve never felt this way before, Roland. I want to give her a home. A childhood of magic and wonder, of luxury and delight.”
“You love her.”
I nodded, blinking down an uncharacteristic swell of emotion. “I guess I do. I never thought I’d have the chance to raise a child. This is a gift that might never come again.”
He pushed a hand through my hair in that way he so often did, lifting the long dark length of it and tucking it behind my ear. “I’ll make arrangements to get us to Maine.”
My smile was fast and bright. “Thank you, my love.” I kissed his cheek, but when I pulled away, his strong arms closed around me, tugging me hard against him.
“That sad little peck was hardly a thank you at all, my goddess.”
Oh, he knew how to get to me, my Roland did. I smiled slowly and leaning up, whispered into his ear. “Once we’re in the privacy of our cabin, I’ll thank you properly.” Then I nipped his earlobe and felt a rush of pleasure course through him.
Perhaps I was asking the impossible of him, but I knew my Roland. Even if I asked for us to go and live on the moon, he would make it happen. Besides, he was as smitten with Nikki as I.
I leaned into his chest, there on the deck, feeling blissful and even optimistic.
And then there was an ear splitting sound, the blast of a deep throated horn, repeating itself over and over. I spun to face Roland. “What–?”
“It’s the alarm. Something must be wrong.”
The hatch flew open, Charlotte and Killian burst through, wide eyed. “We intercepted a transmission,” Charlie shouted. “They’ve found us, Rhiannon. They’re heading this way. We have to get the children off this ship!”
“We’re miles from shore, and we haven’t got a single lifeboat,” I whispered. “For the love of the Gods, Roland, what are we going to do?”
Look for THE RHIANNON CHRONICLES in fall of 2015!
Wings in the Night: Reborn
Also Available
Wings in the Night: Reborn
Twilight Guardians
Twilight Vendetta
Edge of Darkness
The Rhiannon Chronicles
Shayne's Supernaturals
Forgotten
Magic By Moonlight
Miranda's Viking
Everything She Does is Magic
Stargazer
Witch Moon
Zombies! A Love Story
The Fairies of Rush
Fairytale
Forever Enchanted
Once Upon A Time
The Immortal Witches
Eternity
Destiny
Eternal Love: The Immortal Witch Series
Stand Alone Titles
Annie's Hero
The Bride Wore A Forty-Four
The Fairy’s Wish
Gingerbread Man
The Texas Brands
The Littlest Cowboy
The Baddest Virgin in Texas
Badlands Bad Boy
Long Gone Lonesome Blues
The Lone Cowboy
Lone Star Lonely
The Outlaw Bride
Texas Angel
Texas Homecoming
The Oklahoma All-Girl Brands
The Brands Who Came for Christmas
Brand-New Heartache
Secrets and Lies
A Mommy for Christmas
One Magic Summer
Sweet Vidalia Brand
And Maggie's Non-fiction
Shayne On You
Magick and the Law of Attraction: A User’s Guide
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Maggie Shayne has published more than 60 novels and 23 novellas. She has written for 7 publishers and 2 soap operas, has racked up 15 Rita Award nominations and actually, finally, won the damn thing in 2005.
Maggie lives in a beautiful, century old, happily haunted farmhouse named “Serenity” in the wildest wilds of Cortland County, NY, with her husband and soul mate, Lance. They share a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer & Daisy, and a little English Bulldog, Niblet, and the wise guardian and guru of them all, the feline Glory, who keeps the dogs firmly in their places. Maggie’s a Wiccan high priestess (legal clergy even) and an avid follower of the Law of Attraction
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WingsInTheNight.com
Maggie’s Bliss Blog
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