Authors: Melissa Schroeder
She was stoic, her expression telling him nothing. Still, he
could feel something simmering beneath the surface. She was barely holding on
to her temper.
“Your mother had a feeling,” his father said. The low tone
told him the trip had not been easy on either of them. For bonded mates,
especially those with a long relationship like his parents, the empathic
connection was strong.
He shared a look with Malik. No one inside the family, or
even close friends, ever doubted her intuition. She was the one person who did
not like Neal Pearson when he had befriended Nico. Their family would have been
better off if Nico had listened to her at the time.
She looked between the two of them. Nico had a feeling that
his mother was taking the time to choose her words carefully. “I insisted that
we leave. You down here doing your investigations…I was worried.”
“You thought I was in trouble, and of course you rushed
down. Do you not think that you could put yourself at risk by coming here?”
The look his mother gave him would shrivel a lesser man’s
manhood. He had centuries to learn to be immune but it still made him twitch.
“Do not speak to me in that tone, Nicodemus Alexander Blackburn.”
He heard a snort from Malik. Every Blackburn knew he was in
trouble when Adelaide Blackburn used all of your given names.
“I just wish you had sent a messenger, but it is moot now.
You need to be here for the wedding.”
His father laid a hand on his mother’s fist. “Yes, son, tell
us about this woman you are marrying.”
He should not be embarrassed. Their kind was well known for
their sexual needs, and it was never a taboo subject in his house. It was
respected as part of their makeup. But…this was somehow different. There was a
part of him that was still appalled by the way he had acted the night before.
“Your son lost his head over a Carrier, a Made tried to
interrupt him, and the Carrier was compromised,” Malik said with relish. Nico
could tell from the expression on his face Malik was enjoying this way too
much. “Now your son must marry.”
“Thank you for your description,” he said from behind
clenched teeth.
Malik’s grin widened. “No problem.”
“Who is this Carrier? Do we know her family?” his father
asked.
“No. Well, we do know them, or know of them. The Earl of
Collingsworth’s daughter.”
His father frowned. “I did not know they were Borns.”
“I am not sure they know either. Truth of the matter, the
rumor is that my soon-to-be wife is…a bastard.”
His mother nodded in understanding. “Of course. That would
explain why she did not know. Her mother died in childbirth, if I remember. I
really did not like her father, so it is a good thing she is not blood related
to the man.”
“Rightly so,” his father commented.
Once again, Nico was happy that his family was not
considered aristocracy in the human world. They did not care that Cordelia did
not know who her father was. In fact, for the most part, his family shunned
most aristocracy. They dealt with them in their world, but other than Gray’s
family, they avoided any personal entanglements.
“When do we get to meet her?” his mother asked.
Of course she would not ask him “if” she could meet her, but
“when.” Yes, she was going to be his wife, but most mothers would not be so
forceful. They were not Adelaide Blackburn.
“I am sure I can arrange a meeting tomorrow.”
“You are not going out tonight?” his mother asked.
“No. We spent the day with a Made.”
That brought silence in the room. Again most people would
not include their mother in dealings such at this, but it was different in his
family. They were ruled by democracy, and his mother had amazing insight. Most
Carriers did, but unfortunately, the majority of their male Borns ignored it.
“He survived?” she asked.
“Yes. Thanks to Malik and Gray.”
His father glanced at Malik. “We are again in your debt.”
Malik said nothing, but nodded his head in his father’s
direction.
“Do you think he will survive?” his mother asked.
“He has a good chance. He seemed recovered from the Blood
Lust, although he was very weak, as if he’d been sick.”
“At least there is that.” She patted her hair. “Now, on to
your Cordelia. You are sure she is a Carrier?”
“Of course.”
“I am not happy with the situation because we do not know a
thing of her bloodlines,” his father said.
“That has never been important to you before this.”
His father shook his head. “Her background is usually not
all that important. The situation now is very serious, though. With the new
wave of attacks, we need to make sure she is not being thrown in your path.”
“I assure you that is not the case, and even if it is,
anyone concocting such an idiotic plot should know it would not work. I have
better control than to fall for a woman trying to infiltrate our
investigation.”
He heard a snort from Malik, but he ignored it.
“True, but tell me, is she your kind of woman?” his father
asked.
“I have one?”
“Don’t be cheeky. What your father is trying to discern is
if they know we are investigating.”
He nodded. “I understand. I assure you that is not the case.
I have a feeling she has no idea she is a Carrier. Which will cause other
problems, but I will worry about those later.”
“Later? When?”
“At the moment, I am trying my best to get the wedding set
up. It is good that you are here. We do not need to wait for your arrival now,
so we can marry soon to save Cordelia any more embarrassment.”
“If you wanted to do that, you shouldn’t have gone into a
darkened library with her,” Malik commented.
“I didn’t go into the library with her. I was there, and she
came in trying to avoid Hurst.”
“And tied you down to the couch?” Malik asked.
“Shut up.”
His mother was studying them as they bantered back and
forth, her expression blank. “So, when will I meet her?”
“Tonight is too late. I am assuming that she is not going
out.”
“Why would you assume that?”
“She is now engaged.”
His mother rolled her eyes. “Of course. Because once a woman
nabs a man, it is her duty to sit at home and wait.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but his father saved him.
“Take my advice, son, do not argue with a woman—especially a Carrier.”
His mother gave his father a warning glance and then faced
Nico. “’Tis not too late for us to go out. Send a boy around to find out where
your intended is going to be tonight. If she is not going out, then we shall
set up a meeting tomorrow.”
That sounded ominous. Cordelia did have a spine, but he was
not too sure she could handle his mother. Not many people could—including
himself at times. From the determined expression on her face, this was one of
those times.
“Of course.”
“And the announcement has been sent of the marriage.”
It was not a question. His mother and father hated society
slightly less than he did, but they understood how the game was played.
“It will be in the morning editions.”
“Good. Get that message done. I am going to get settled in
my room.”
She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then turned to walk out
the door. “Oh, and Malik, I expect you to be there.”
The beat of silence that followed her departure was almost
deafening.
“Your mother was a bit worried on the trip down.”
He glanced at his father.
“I understand.”
“Do you?” he asked as he rose from the couch. “I don’t think
you do, not yet. Maybe your Cordelia will teach you all about it.”
As the door shut behind them, Malik sighed. “You had to
expect that they knew something was going on. Your mother’s intuition has been
the bane of our existence for years.”
Nico sighed and walked to the cabinet where he kept his
whiskey. After pouring himself a good bit, he tossed it down. He poured another
glass and faced Malik.
“Yes, she has been. But it does not matter. Having her here
will actually make it easier. If Adelaide Blackburn accepts her new
daughter-in-law, our society will follow suit.”
Malik nodded. “Let’s just hope your mother does not scare
her off.”
“I have a feeling Cordelia will be able to deal with her
after a fashion.”
“And if not? Would you be willing to walk away?”
He wanted to say yes. Nico had done his best not to become
too attached to any of his paramours, favoring women who knew the score. But
when he opened his mouth to say so, every fiber of his being revolted at the
idea of letting her go. He snapped his mouth shut.
Malik smirked at him. “I thought not. Well, old man, let’s
just hope once you get her in your bed, you will be able to think straight
again.”
Nico hoped so because he did not relish being so smitten
with Cordelia that he couldn’t think straight.
Once he had her in his house, in his bed, under his control,
all would be right in his world again.
The swell of music filled the ballroom as Cordelia tried to
keep her eyes open. She wasn’t one who liked late nights. When she had been
hired to write her column, it had become a necessary evil. After a night of no
sleep, getting engaged, and moving to her sister’s rented townhouse, she wanted
to curl up in bed for three days.
Cordelia had not wanted to come to the ball tonight. Diana
had insisted. When her sister decided on a matter, there was no way to avoid
doing what she wanted. In fact, her father had said both of them had been
cursed with their mother’s pride. Diana apparently inherited more than she had
because Cordelia was standing in a hot ballroom watching people dance.
“Do stop moving around, Cordelia.”
Cordelia drew in a deep breath and almost coughed. “This
dress is just a bit tight. I cannot seem to get comfortable.”
Diana glanced at her. “I did not know you had filled out so
much or I would have made sure to have it let out.”
“Why did I need to make an appearance? I do not understand what
it will help.”
“You know why. What I cannot understand is why you did not
tell Mr. Blackburn where you would be tonight.”
She shrugged. “I did not even contemplate that.”
“Why not? Soon you will have to answer to him.”
Her stomach muscles clutched at the thought. “Mr. Blackburn
does not like society that much.”
At that moment, it felt as if something brushed the back of
her neck. Her heart quickened as she shivered.
Nico
.
She did not know how she knew he was there, but she did. It
was as if her blood had warmed ten degrees. Her body tingled with excitement.
Cordelia looked around the room and saw the tall
Egyptian-looking man who had been with Blackburn the night before. He was so
tall that he was easy to see. Her gaze shifted, and she saw that Blackburn was
with him.
“It seems that he tracked me down.”
Diana looked at her. “Whatever do you mean?”
“He is walking toward us.”
Diana followed her line of vision. “Oh, he does not look too
happy.”
“He rarely does.”
Her sister glanced at her then back to Nico and Malik. “Who
is that man with him?”
“Blackburn called him Malik last night. I am unsure of his
full name.”
As if he had some kind of special powers, the crowd parted,
allowing the men to walk through it with ease. He stopped just inches in front
of her. He stared at her for a moment as if he expected her to do something.
She could not. Her heart was beating hard against her breast, and it seemed
that the heat of the ballroom was finally getting to her because she was
lightheaded.
“Lady Cordelia.” He took her gloved hand and even through
the material, she could feel the heat of him warm her hand. Again, he ignored
etiquette and pressed his mouth against her glove. It was blatantly sensual and
completely against the rules. There was one thing she had learned about her
soon-to-be husband and that was he had never really worried about society’s
decrees of proper behavior.
Instead of letting go of her hand, he stepped beside her and
set her hand on his arm. “You met my friend Malik last night, of course. Malik,
this is Lady Diana, Lady Cordelia’s sister.”
He nodded in the direction of her sister but said nothing.
He looked a little too stunned to speak. When she looked at her sister,
Cordelia was surprised to see Diana’s cheeks pink, and for once she seemed speechless.
“I did not know you had moved to your sister’s home.”
She heard the reprimand in his voice, and she did not like
it. “I apologize.”
The look he sent her said he knew she was not truly sorry.
His lips twitched. “I was worried. My mother arrived and wanted to meet you.”
“Your mother?” she asked loud enough for a few people around
them to look at her strangely. She cleared her throat. “I apologize. I was just
taken aback by the announcement.”
“She is here, as is my father. They would like to meet you.”
Her heart was already beating out of control and now he
wanted her to meet his parents? She was not good at socializing. Her father had
never thought it important to have her trained, and she had been happy not to
worry about those things. She had spent her days reading and riding horses.
When she had found herself in need of money, she had learned the rules. She
only put on airs to gain access to the
ton
so that she could investigate them. Nico wasn’t truly part of the
ton
, but he moved in their circles.
Which meant she was marrying into it.
Her panic exploded but she fought the need to run from the
ballroom screaming. She only knew of society mothers…and that did not make her
feel any better. Her own sister’s mother-in-law had been horrid from memory.