Laying the paper aside, her father poured syrup over his pancakes. “Dorothy, stop hovering like a bird of prey and sit down. If Kiya wants anything else, she knows where it is.”
“Russell, it’s her first day back home.”
“It’s okay, Mom. Dad’s right. I’m a big girl now. You shouldn’t be waiting on me.” Kay turned her attention to her breakfast. Nothing had changed at home, she mused. Her father was still a dictator. She had often wondered why her mother had married him. They had never seemed happy together. There was always a fine edge of tension between the two of them.
Kay ate quickly, then excused herself from the table and left the house by the back door.
Outside, she stood on the patio, one foot tapping impatiently. Her father had been right. She never should have left here. Having enjoyed the freedom to come and go as she pleased, to do what she wished when she wished, she was never going to be happy being under her father’s thumb again. And being married to Victor Rinaldi would be even worse. Bad enough to be the Alpha’s daughter. Being the wife of a man she couldn’t stand would be a million times more terrible. Not to mention the unpleasant prospect of living with Victor’s parents, two of the most unlikable people she had ever known, neither of whom was particularly fond of her. But then, she wasn’t particularly fond of them, either.
Feeling thoroughly depressed, she made her way to the barn. Twenty minutes later, she was astride her favorite Arab mare, Barika, galloping along the southern fence line that paralleled the grassy banks of a shallow, slow-moving stream.
She loved riding, loved the sense of speed and freedom that it gave her. Loved the feel of the wind in her face. She let Barika run until the mare slowed of her own accord. Pulling up in the shade of an ancient oak, Kay dropped down on her belly and drank from the stream. The water was cold and sweet.
She ground-tied the mare, then stretched out on her back and gazed up at the sky. Puffs of snowy white clouds drifted across the bright blue expanse. A red-tailed hawk floated lazily overhead, its keen eyes scanning the ground for prey.
It was peaceful here, with the stream bubbling happily over the rocks, and the bees buzzing as they flitted among the wildflowers. A warm breeze whispered through the trees and teased the tall grass.
Kay rolled onto her stomach. The only things she had truly missed about this place were her mare, this patch of land, and the serenity it brought her.
She plucked a dandelion and twirled it between her thumb and forefinger, thinking it was kind of sad that she had missed her horse more than her mother and father. She loved her parents, knew they loved her in return, but she hadn’t missed their company the way she imagined mortal daughters missed their folks. There had been no chatty letters from home, no weekly phone calls exchanging gossip, no e-mails or text messages. But then, her family wasn’t like other families. There were pack rules to follow, secrets that must be kept, and always the awareness of the phases of the lunar cycle, the increasing tension that colored everything as the night of the full moon grew closer.
Her feelings about running wild through the night had always been ambivalent. Chasing through the timbered hills with the pack could be exciting, but it could also be dangerous. From time to time they had encountered others of their kind who were more feral—renegade males who had been cast out of their own packs and wanted to fight for territory. Single males in search of a female. An occasional Alpha who had completely forsaken his humanity and ran with the wild wolves.
Sitting up, Kay stared at the water and wondered yet again where Gideon was spending the day, and if he dreamed while trapped in the dark sleep of his kind, and how long he would stay here before he grew bored or restless and moved on. And what she would do without him.
There was so much about him she didn’t know, yearned to know. He was nothing like she had expected a vampire to be. The werewolves claimed vampires were soulless, bloodsucking monsters with no shred of humanity or decency. But Gideon wasn’t like that. Being with him filled her with a sense of belonging that she had never felt here, among her own kind. She had known him only a few short weeks, and yet she not only loved him, she trusted him more than anyone else she knew.
She looked up in surprise when her mother rode into view.
“I thought I’d find you here,” Dorothy said. Dismounting, she sat beside Kay. “This was always your favorite place to come when you were unhappy or troubled. Or pouting.” She smiled faintly. “Which is it today?”
“None of them. All of them.”
“Does it have anything to do with Mr. Marquet?”
Kay glanced away. There were times when her mother was far too perceptive.
“Kiya?”
“It has everything to do with him,” Kay admitted. Though it was more than just her feelings for Gideon. She missed her job, missed having her own place. She missed Wanda. Her friend must be wondering what had become of her.
Dorothy rested her forearms on her bent knees, her expression pensive. “It would be better for everyone if he left. You know that, don’t you? Vampires and werewolves are natural enemies. His being here puts an emotional strain on all of us.”
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here at all.”
“Be that as it may, you must know the two of you have no future together. Your path has already been decided.”
Kay crushed the petals of the dandelion, then tossed it away. “What if I don’t want to follow that path? What if I don’t want to marry Victor and live with his family? What if I want to live my own life, make my own decisions?”
“I’m afraid those choices aren’t yours.”
“Were they yours? I know you’re not happy here.” Kay took a deep breath, and then asked the question that had plagued her for years. “Why did you marry my father?”
“We never should have met. Maybe it was fate. Maybe it was just bad luck. What difference does it make now?”
“I’d like to know.”
Dorothy gazed into the distance, her expression pensive as she related the story of how she had met Russell.
Kay listened intently, her gaze never leaving her mother’s face.
Dorothy paused a moment, her thoughts obviously turned inward as she ran her thumb back and forth over her wedding ring. “It wasn’t until a few days after you were born that I found out your father was a werewolf. I’m amazed now that I didn’t realize it sooner. Maybe I didn’t want to admit it. I don’t know if he ever intended to tell me, but one night I went outside for something, I can’t remember what, and I saw him change from wolf to human. It terrified me and I ran into the house. I grabbed you and Mark, then ran into the nursery, and locked the door. My fear enraged your father. When he broke down the door, I told him I wanted a divorce, but he just laughed and told me that werewolves mated for life.
“I ran away a few times, but”—she shrugged—“he always came after us. He became even more possessive after Mark died. Then, when he found out you had inherited the wolf gene even though you were part human, I knew there was no chance he would ever let you go. And I couldn’t leave without you. You were all I had left.”
“So, you just, what? Gave up?”
“You have to understand. I didn’t know how being half werewolf would affect you. It just seemed like you’d be better off here, with those who would understand you, who would be able to help you handle the change when the time came.” She sighed again. “Once I resigned myself to staying here, it wasn’t so bad.” She took Kay’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I had my little girl. I had a lovely home and every luxury imaginable.”
“Mom …” Kay shook her head. “I don’t know what to say, except that I don’t want to live your life. Ever.”
“I know,” Dorothy said sadly. “But I’m afraid you don’t have any other choice.”
It was near dusk when Kay returned to the house. As soon as she stepped inside the back door, she knew something was up. The house was ablaze with lights. Peeking into the dining room, she saw a number of buffet tables groaning under the weight of numerous large platters of meat and cheese, roast hens, hams and spareribs, and a variety of side dishes. A square table held bottles of wine and champagne, as well as a crystal punch bowl filled with sparkling cider for the kids. A quartet of smaller tables held an assortment of cookies, cakes, pies, muffins, and scones.
Her father met her in the hall. “There you are!” he exclaimed, his voice sharp with impatience. “Hurry and get dressed. We’re having a party.”
Kay’s heart skipped a beat. “What kind of party?” she asked, though she was certain she already knew the answer.
“We’re announcing your engagement tonight.”
“Don’t you think you might have mentioned it to me?”
“I thought it would be a nice surprise,” he replied, his voice cool. “Hurry and change. Most of our guests are already here.”
“I’m begging you, please don’t make me do this.”
Her father’s eyes narrowed ominously. A muscle throbbed in his jaw. “I am not going to discuss this with you again, Kiya. My decision stands and will be obeyed. Now go upstairs and make yourself presentable.”
She wanted to argue with him, to beg him to reconsider, but there was no changing his mind once it was made up. As Alpha, he held the power of life and death over her and everyone else in the pack. His word was law. Knowing that, she lowered her gaze in surrender. “Yes, sir.”
Blinking back hot tears of resentment and frustration, she ran up the back stairs to her room. Mindful of the guests gathered in the dining room, she fought off the urge to slam the door.
A new dress of dark blue silk was laid out on the bed. She stared at it, thinking it should have been black, to match her mood.
Her father had never been one to express his affections openly, yet Kay had always been sure he loved her in his own way, but now … she shook her head. If he truly loved her, he wouldn’t force her to marry a man she despised. How could he condemn his only daughter to a life without love? It wasn’t fair. Worse than that, it just wasn’t right. But there was nothing she could do about it.
Forcing everything from her mind, Kay brushed her hair, carefully applied her makeup, put on the blue silk dress, and stepped into the matching heels.
When her father knocked on the door twenty minutes later, she was ready.
“Smile, daughter,” he said. “This is a happy occasion.”
She didn’t reply. And she didn’t smile as she followed him down the stairs.
A number of people milled around in the large family room that served as the pack meeting place. Men, women, and children smiled and nodded as she entered the room on her father’s arm. Her mother stood between Victor and his parents. There was a smile on her mother’s face, but her eyes were sad.
“Welcome!” Alissano said jovially. “As you all know, we’re gathered here tonight to celebrate my daughter’s betrothal to Victor Rinaldi.”
Cheers and applause greeted his announcement.
“Victor, join me, please,” Alissano said.
Looking like the cat that ate the canary, feathers and all, Victor strutted forward.
Alissano pulled a diamond-and-ruby ring from his coat pocket. “This ring has been handed down from father to son in my family for generations. Since I have no blood son, I would be honored if you would use it to plight your troth to my only daughter.”
“It is I who am honored,” Victor said. “I will be proud to call you Father.”
Beaming, Alissano handed the ring to Victor.
“Kiya Marie Alissano,” Victor said, slipping the ring on her finger, “with this outward symbol of my love, I plight thee my troth.”
Kay stared at the ring. It felt like a lead weight on her finger. She flinched when Victor put his arms around her, closed her eyes tightly when he kissed her.
There was more cheering. More applause.
When Kay opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Gideon standing in the doorway.
Chapter 21
Gideon’s first thought was that Kay was the unhappiest looking bride-to-be that he had ever seen. Of course, he hadn’t seen that many, but even vampires knew that brides were supposed to have some kind of inner glow. Whatever fire had once burned inside Kay, it had gone out. No surprise, he thought, glancing at the prospective groom. Victor Rinaldi was strutting around the room like the pompous ass he was, grinning as if he had just won the lottery which, in a way, he had. Being married to the daughter of the Shadow Pack’s Alpha probably carried a lot of weight within the werewolf community.
Gideon remained where he was as the guests moved into the dining room.
Smiling and nodding at those she passed, Kay made her way toward him.
“Looks like congratulations are in order,” Gideon remarked sourly. “Although I must say, I’ve seen brighter smiles on condemned prisoners.”
“They were probably a lot happier than I am,” she muttered glumly.
“I might have an answer to your problem.”
“Really? I’d love to hear it.”
Gideon took a deep breath. “You could marry me instead.”
Kay blinked up at him, wondering if she had heard him right.
Gideon rocked back on his heels. “Not such a good idea, I guess.”
“No. I mean, I don’t know what to say.” She shook her head. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, I’m afraid I am.” Looking over Kay’s shoulder, he said, “We’ve got company.”
“Kiya,” Russell Alissano said, “you can talk to Mr. Marquet later. Your guests are waiting.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You’re welcome to join us for dinner, Mr. Marquet,” Alissano said, taking a possessive grip on his daughter’s arm.
Kay sent Gideon a pleading glance, then obediently accompanied her father into the dining room.
Gideon waited a moment; then, muttering, “What the hell,” he followed Kay and her father.
The dining room was papered in a rich dark red stripe. Long white tapers set in elegant gold wall sconces cast a warm golden glow over the room. A glance through the archway revealed four antique trestle tables laid with crisp damask cloths, delicate china and crystal flutes. These were arranged in a square in the center of the room. The buffet tables against the back wall held enough food to feed a small army. Or maybe just a pack of hungry werewolves, he thought, remembering Kay’s prodigious appetite.