Lost Paradise (4 page)

Gary brought over some more mugs, giving me a
happy smile. I gave him a halfhearted one back.

“You are wasted, Dev,” Danial said rolling
his eyes and smiling. “What have you been drinking?”

“Blood, laced with a little something,”
Devlin said raucously. “Want some?”

“Just one,” Danial said, gingerly taking up a
mug. “I’m only doing this because I’m so happy for you.”

By the time Danial had finished his mug, he
was singing along with Lash and Dev, his notes pretty much on key.
I’d never heard him sing before. I tried to listen, but it was hard
to make out the lyrics, even though there weren’t many other people
in the bar. Giving up, I went over to the bar where Terian was
chatting up a brunette.

I tapped him on the shoulder. “Got a
minute?”

“Sure.” He said good-bye to the woman, then
turned to me. “Congrats.”

“Thanks. You must have been here before.”

“Once, with Titus, after I met Leri with him
the first time,” Terian sighed. “I needed a drink, and I think he
did, too. He brought us here.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
I produced the letter given to me by Lash a couple days ago.
“Here.”

Terian took it. “What’s this?”

“I know this isn’t the time. But I don’t know
when I’ll see you next. Going to Danial’s and Devlin’s every
weekend is fun, but I’m starting to feel like I never see anyone
but the three of them anymore.” I gave him a half smile. “I hope
Sundown is adjusting okay?”

I’d met Sundown a week ago. Theo had been
right; she could’ve been my sister, something I found upsetting,
but didn’t know how to address, not that it was my place to do that
anyway. It was Terian’s business who he dated. But I’d seen in her
eyes when she’d met me that the resemblance between us hadn’t been
lost on her, either.

“What’s this, Sar?”

“A letter from Leri.”

He made as if to crumple it. I stopped him.
“Wait, read it.”

“I don’t want to hear anything she has to
say,” he said vehemently, and made to crumple it again.

“It’s about Keriam’s real identity,” I said
quickly. “She is the only one who knows, Tears. Read it. You can
always burn it later.”

Terian nodded, stuffed it in his pocket, and
then walked away abruptly.

I’d done my good deed for the day and it had
left me in a foul mood, feeling unappreciated. It was about
midnight by now; past time to leave. I walked over to Danial, Lash
and Dev, who were singing When a Man Loves a Woman.

“I’m ready to go home.”

Devlin staggered to his feet. “My Lady,” he
said gallantly.

“I’m not letting you guys drive,” I said,
holding out my palm. “Keys, please.”

Dev handed them to me as Terian teleported
Danial home. A little while later, I arrived back at Hayden with
Lash, Devlin, and the bears, all of whom were now coherent. Leaving
the keys with the bears, I followed as Lash and Devlin walked
upstairs together, supporting each other.

“Think Danial will tell Theo?” Lash hissed
snidely, as he went inside his room. “Won’t he be surprised.”

Guilt hit me. It wasn’t right that Theo
didn’t know about the twins. In all the celebration, I’d forgotten
to tell him. A phone call was out of the question.

“Love!” Devlin called loudly from his
doorway. “Come to bed!”

Screw it, I’d teleport home quick and tell
Theo. Elle was at our house tonight, but I shouldn’t wake her if I
was quiet.

I went up to Devlin. “I’ll be right
back.”

“No!” he sang with longing and volume. “Come
to bed, my love. Come and be with me! Thou are flesh of my
flesh!”

“Go take a cold shower and brush your teeth,”
I said sternly. “And maybe I’ll think about it when I get
back.”

With deliberate effort, Devlin headed to the
bathroom. Reassuring myself that as a vampire he couldn’t drown, I
teleported to my bedroom at home.

“Theo,” I said softly.

“Sar?” he said, his words heavy with sleep.
“What are you doing here? Is something wrong?”

“I saw Stephen today. I’m having twins.”

Theo’s face lit up. “That’s wonderful! I
wanted—”

“Only one is yours,” I said quickly.

He rolled onto his back, staring at the
ceiling. “Is Stephen sure?”

“Yes,” I said, apologetic. “I didn’t think it
was right that you didn’t know.”

“It’s okay,” he said in a tone that meant it
really wasn’t. “This is good. You’re not only having my child,
you’re having his, too. We’ll be rid of him that much sooner.”

He was deluding himself, but I was too tired
to argue. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ve got to get back.”

“Elle and I’ll be there at the horror movie,”
Theo said, rubbing his eyes. “Elle has macabre taste. Must be from
Tawny. I never had a taste for horror movies.”

Was mentioning her a dig at me, because he
was angry over my news?
“I watched too many of them with her
when she was young, trapped in her cougar form,” I replied. “I
didn’t think it would warp her, but I guess it did.”

“I don’t think that was it,” Theo said,
raking his hand through his hair and giving me a smile. “But maybe
it was. Go. I’ll see you tomorrow, Sweetheart.”

Maybe I was being too sensitive.
“Sleep well,” I said. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Sar,” Theo said.

I teleported quickly back to Hayden. Devlin
was still in the bathroom. I got undressed and slipped into bed. He
came out a moment later, looking ill.

“Are you okay?” I said, concerned.

“I will be,” Devlin said, sighing. “I’m out
of practice. It’s been a while since I did drugs that heavily.”

Many, many possible replies crossed my mind,
but I held my tongue on everything except, “Go to sleep.”

He laid down in my arms, one possessive hand
on my belly, stroking it softly.

* * * *

The next day, I didn’t see Lash in the
kitchen when I went down for breakfast. Concluding that he was also
not feeling well, I ate quickly and teleported to Danial’s.

It was mid-March now. Business was back in
full swing, and Solutions Inc., Danial’s detective company, was
booked solid.

I worked hard for the first four hours, even
though it was Saturday, then took a break about lunch. Danial was
still sleeping. Hesitant to disturb him in case he also was feeling
ill, I brought my hastily made sandwich over to the werecompound,
eating most of it on the way. Then I sought out Elle and Theoron to
break the news to them that there were going to be two babies born
in late summer, instead of one.

Theoron was amazed one of the babies would be
like him. “A dhamphir?” he said incredulously. “I thought I was the
only one.”

“You were. Don’t worry, you’re still
special.”

Theoron looked mournful. I hugged him.

“It’s Devlin’s child, isn’t it?” Elle said
astutely, her blue eyes looking at me with Theo’s exact calculating
stare.

She still looked nine, but she was maturing
faster and faster. “Yes,” I answered honestly. “You know he and I
are Oathed, Elle. There is nothing wrong with him being the father
of my baby.”

Elle shrugged nonchalantly. “Dad is happy
about it. I saw him last night when he came in with Terian.”

Apparently to her, Danial’s opinion was all
that mattered.
That was a blessing
. “Let’s take a walk,
kids, while we wait for your father to get up.”

During the walk, Elle and Theoron both
eagerly pointed out tracks to me, and also named some birds we saw
and heard. Though the weather had been cold and there was still
snow coating the ground, the first signs of spring were evident in
the budding trees.

When we returned, Cia and Aran were waiting
for us. Aran Jr. was there, too, in his fox form.

Cia greeted me, her eyes dancing with pride.
“He’s changed for the first time. We’re letting him spend time as a
fox for a while to learn how to use his other form.”

“He’s adorable,” I said, petting Aaron Jr.’s
soft reddish fur. He made little yips and barks, then jumped up on
my legs. I picked him up carefully. He licked my nose, then began
struggling to get down.

Danial came out of his bedroom, dressed.
“Please go get on fresh clothes,” he told the kids. “Hurry
now.”

Theoron and Elle ran to get ready, as I said
my goodbyes to Cia and family. When I returned to the great room,
Danial was there alone, reading a book.

I looked him over skeptically. “How are you
feeling?”

“Okay,” he said, his tone off enough from
normal that I understood his response to be a positive
exaggeration. “I take it Devlin was hurting last night?”

“Yes,” I announced, smiling. “He said he was
out of practice.”

“That drug the blood was laced with is very
potent,” he said, wincing slightly. “You can lose your reason
easily with just a glass.” He paused, gathering his courage. “Is it
true I was singing?”

It was in his voice how much he wanted that
to not be a true memory. “Your voice was good,” I praised, giving
him a kiss. “You should sing more often.”

Danial blushed. I watched him with relish.
“You should blush more, too,” I added, kissing him again. “You are
unbearably attractive when you blush.”

He tugged me down on the couch next to him
with unnatural swiftness and tickled me. “Is that so? Well you are
unbearably attractive when you wriggle about and shriek—”

“Stop!” I shrieked, laughing. “Stop! I need
to breathe!”

Danial stopped tickling me, giving me a quick
hug before releasing me and standing up. “We should go, Sar,” he
said, offering me his hand. “Where’s Theo? He should be here by
now.”

“Here!” Theo called loudly, striding in. “I
was getting these for Sar.” He handed me a large bouquet of white
roses.

He had never gotten me flowers before, ever.
I was so touched, I started to cry. Danial handed me a tissue. I
took it gratefully, then went into the kitchen to put the roses in
some water.

Theo came in behind me. “I didn’t mean to
make you cry,” he said, resting his hand on my upper arm.

“They aren’t sad tears. They’re happy tears.
Thank you, they’re beautiful.” I leaned in close to some of the
beautiful blooms, hoping to catch some fragrance, but there was
none. Masking my disappointment, I followed Theo back to the great
room where Danial and the kids waited.

* * * *

We made it to the theater in plenty of time
to get our tickets. I stood in line for candy and popcorn, while
Danial and Theo went with Theoron and Elle to get seats. I had just
finished giving my order to the attendant when I felt a hand cup my
buttock and squeeze.

Danial would never do something like this,
especially out in public. “That had better be you, Theo,” I said
darkly, turning to look. My eyes met an expansive chest. I raised
my head to take in laughing golden eyes and a winning smile, laced
with more than a little triumph. “What are you doing here, Dev?” I
said in surprise.

“Seeing a movie,” Devlin said, smirking, as
he put his hands on the counter on either side of me. He leaned in,
then rubbed me gently with his lower body. There was a shifting
beneath his jeans, then a gentle flexing motion against my
groin.

“Stop that,” I said sternly, trying not to
laugh. Devlin smirked wider, then rubbed again. Crimson with
embarrassment, I looked over at the cashier to see Lash paying for
the food I had ordered, along with some extra bottles of water.

“Where are you sitting?” Devlin said, moving
his body away from mine casually, as if nothing had happened. “We
want to sit near you.”

If I said no, he’d do it anyway.
“Follow me.” I grabbed my food, Lash grabbed his water, and we
three headed into the theater.

The movie trailers hadn’t started yet. Theo
and Danial both turned to me with a smile, then both of them looked
annoyed. “What are you two doing here?” Theo accused,
irritated.

“Seeing a movie,” Devlin restated. “Blood by
the gallons and songs to boot. What could be better?”

“The ratio of guards to kids is two to four
with just you two,” Lash hissed to Danial, ignoring Theo. “With us
its four to four. Better odds.”

Lash was right, in that I was human and
vulnerable…making my half-human children within me equally
vulnerable.
“He’s got a point,” I added half-heartedly.

Danial rolled his eyes. “Sit down, then.”

Theo growled as Lash and Devlin sat behind
Theoron and I, but didn’t protest further.

I was able to relax during the film, knowing
they were both watching my back literally. While I enjoyed the
movie, the blood and gore was a little over the top. Devlin, the
kids and Lash laughed through much of it, while Danial and Theo did
not. When it was over, we all walked out together.

“If they ever make a movie of my life, I want
Depp to play me,” Devlin said. “He’s a great actor.”

“He would play me instead, Dev,” Lash said,
grinning with his one fang bared. “He looks more like me, anyway.
You’re too tall and blond.”

Johnny Depp didn’t look a thing like Lash,
but I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to antagonize him.

Devlin gave him a good-natured shove. Soon
they were tussling in the parking lot. After a moment, they broke
it off, then turned to face us.

“Where’s your SUV?” Devlin said to Danial.
“We’ll escort you.”

Uh-oh.
“We have to go,” I said, giving
Dev a smile. “We’ll be fine, it’s just down—”

“To your parents, yes,” Devlin said,
grinning. “Lead on. We’re coming, too.”

I gaped at him. “What?”

“No way,” Theo growled.

“Yes,” Devlin said, grinning widely and
baring his teeth. “Sar’s having my child. It’s only appropriate
that I meet her parents. It’s positively overdue.”

God, I should have seen this coming, as
soon as I saw him tonight
.