“I thought vampires were immortal,” Penelope noted.
“Immortal, yes. Not indestructible.” Kaj glanced at all the faces staring back at him.
“That’show you found us,” Eclipse said as realization dawned.
“What does that mean?” Penelope asked, clearly wanting all the details.
Kaj smiled. “Because I fed from Acadia, I have a direct link to her.” His thick shoulders shrugged. “Granted, this place still wasn’t easy to find, but I’m a male on a mission.”
Obsidian paused, his fork suspended between his plate and his mouth. “What mission is that?”
Kaj’s gaze swung over to Bijou. “I’m seeking refuge for my daughter. I’m not sure whether you’ve heard or not, but I’ve taken on the role as Alpha.”
So itwastrue. They’d heard rumors that Kaj had been forced to assume the position because their presiding Alpha—his father—had been taken out.
There was a hint of sadness in Kaj’s tone when he said, “It wasn’t a position I’d been looking to fill, I assure you of that.”
“I’m sorry,” Obsidian said softly. “We heard rumors, but they were unsubstantiated. You’re not an easy male to track down.” Obsidian peered over at Kaj’s daughter. “And you’d like us to provide her safe harbor?”
“In exchange for my help, yes.”
Obsidian’s dark brow rose slowly. “With?”
“I know your brothers are seeking their mates, and I’m willing to offer our help in any way you might need.”
That certainly got Eclipse’s attention, but Obsidian waved him off. “Hold that thought until after the meal.”
Kaj nodded, lifted his fork, but before the silver tines made it to his mouth, his head swung around.
Eclipse followed his line of sight to see Acadia stepping into the room. The dark-haired Fae’s head shot up, amethyst eyes meeting Kaj’s. Her hand went to her chest as she stood there, staring. Their eyes locked from across the room, held for the longest time.
Eclipse could sense the tension in the Fae, but it wasn’t from fear. More like recognition and … longing.
Without thinking, he slipped into the female’s mind. It was an invasion of privacy, sure, but he was curious.
Of course, the instant he saw what she was thinking about, he backtracked right out of her head and briefly wondered if brain bleach was even powerful enough to scrubthatimage from his brain.
Chapter Three
While he’d had every intention of corneringAcadia at some point during his visit, Kaj hadn’t expected this. After all, timing was everything. Considering how she’d refused all communication with him since his departure, Kaj had expected her to keep as far from him as physically possible.
Didn’t mean he wasn’t pleased by the turn of events.
Every single thing he had accomplished in the past eighteen months had been fueled by the need to get back to her, but Kaj wasn’t the sort to expect things to be easy. Least of all his reunion with the female he had walked away from all those months ago.
It was thanks to her unselfish offer to heal him back then that he’d been able to find her. Ever since he’d fed from the Fae, Kaj had been connected to her on a deeper level. And what do you know: that connection only seemed to strengthen with proximity. Only, she hadn’t realized he was there. He knew because he’d felt the shift in the air the moment the lovely Fae stepped into the room. Not only because his senses were overdeveloped and he could detect the slightest nuance, either.
Oh, no. It certainly wasn’t that simple.
Then again, nothing in Kaj’s life was these days.
For one, it defied the laws of their creation that the female he’d bonded with happened to be a mystical fairy, the very one who’d nursed him back to health, essentially credited with saving his life.
“Would you excuse me?” Kaj asked Obsidian and the others.
Obsidian offered a clipped nod, his gaze bouncing between Kaj and Acadia. “Careful.”
Nothing got by that angel.
