Diana eased Charlie from beneath the pink blanket and brought her to her shoulder to rock her gently. No burp this time, just a satisfied little sigh that caused havoc with Diana’s heart.
Ryder took the baby to change while Diana fixed her clothing. Then she walked to the changing table and stroked a hand across Charlie’s downy head of dark hair. She smiled. “She's so beautiful.”
“Like her mother,” he said, and skimmed a kiss by the corner of her eye.
“Right now, I'm not feeling very beautiful. I’m tired, hungry for human food, and I need a nap.”
Ryder eyed her dubiously. “Are you sure it's human hunger?”
“I'm sure. I'm famished. I know that isn't what you were expecting. Vampires don’t eat, yada yada.”
“No, they don’t. The only thing I hungered for was blood. Human food actually made me sick at first. It was several months before I could stomach human food, and even then, it didn't provide any nourishment.”
She tilted her head toward the door. “I don't want to cause you any concern, but maybe you could bring me a snack? Then I'll try to sneak in a nap until it's time for our stakeout. I should have at least an hour to rest.”
“Sure, darlin. Would you mind letting Melissa draw some blood samples to see what's happening?”
Diana had been poked and prodded so often in the last few days that she felt like a pincushion, but it was probably for the best. They needed to know what was happening to her. She needed to be strong for her family.
Her family. The thought brought a smile as Ryder left the room. Diana watched Charlie, who slept so peacefully in the bassinette, her little butt stuck high in the air in a pose that was becoming achingly familiar. She trailed her fingers down Charlie's back, needing to convince herself the baby was truly real. Truly there for them.
Was this was how her mother had felt when she and Sebastian were newborns?
Her mother! Oh, God.
Guilt slammed into her that she had yet to speak with her mother. Tell her about Charlie.
Sebastian had come by earlier to see how she was doing. He’d mentioned that he called their mother to let her know about the baby, and that Diana was doing fine.
But her mother deserved more. She had deserved more for a long time, but Diana had always been too busy. Only in the past few months had she realized that, and tried to reach out to her mother.
She grabbed her phone and dialed.
Her mother immediately answered, as if she had been waiting by the phone. “Mi'ja. How are you feeling?” she asked, her softly accented voice bringing reminders of Miami and home.
“I'm fine, mami, and the baby is fine. Beautiful. We named her Charlotte after Ryder's mother.”
“That's a wonderful name, mi'ja.” A hesitant pause followed.
“It's going to be a little crazy the next week or so,” Diana said, “but I'm hoping you can come up after that and see her. Spend some time with us.”
“De verdad, mi’ja?” her mother said happily, and launched into a machine-gun rapid outburst of all she had to do, and how excited she was to visit and see the baby.
“Mami, por favor. Take a breath,” Diana teased, and her mother's laughter drifted over the phone line.
“Perdoname. I'm just so excited. I never thought I'd live to see this day. You with a baby. Happily married. It makes me so happy.”
“It makes me happy too, mami,” Diana said, and it had never been more true.
***
Connall pulled Siobhan off the pathway in Central Park and kissed her hungrily. He understood why Kieran had been so taken with her. Not only was she a wickedly good fuck, the darkness in her soul was truly delicious. He had never thought he’d meet someone who enjoyed the hurt as much as he did, but he was wrong. The past few days with Siobhan had been dangerously addictive. Sacrificing her to the human wanna-bes would actually make him sad.
For about five minutes.
Not that Siobhan had a clue to her coming fate. She was still caught up in the aftermath of her turning, full of newfound vampire power, and thinking she was now invincible. But vampires were not as immortal as most humans believed. Her mistake.
Siobhan deepened the kiss and bit at his lower lip, drawing blood with her fangs, which she greedily lapped up. His cock jerked in response, and he pulled her deeper into the shadows of the hidden path and tore open her shirt, needing a final taste of her gorgeous tits.
As he bit down, sinking his fangs deep into her flesh, she screamed his name as an orgasm tore through her body.
Such a shame, he thought, her release pummeling him through their connection and making him want to fuck her one last time. But he reined in that naked desire. He intended to satisfy it later tonight in Michaela's tight and dead little body.
He finished feeding and licked Siobhan’s wounds closed, then tugged the shirt over her naked breasts. But there was still enough cleavage visible to catch the eye of the two undead guards at the entrance to the condo. Not to mention that with her vampire desire riding so high in her, it would spill over to the guards, creating yet another distraction so he could get inside the building and reach the penthouse floors.
He had been doing his research since last night, asking around to find out who Michaela might be visiting in the upscale building.
Time and time again the answer had been Ryder Latimer.
Rumor had it that although he wasn't a true elder, the Vampire Council had taken him into their midst because of his power and his money. It was also why most vampires avoided any kind of confrontation with him. Not that Ryder apparently sought out the violence that Connall so loved. From everything Connall had heard in the last twenty-four hours, this vampire stuck close to a tight circle of friends and to equally powerful humans, including his new wife. Playing Goody Two-shoes to the undead world, and earning the respect of the “good” vampire community.
Connall had no use for good, nor for respect. Fear was what gave him power, as the vamps he had tortured for the information about Ryder had discovered. He had killed all but one, wanting to make sure the survivor would let others know not to mess with him in the future.
“Are you ready, Siobhan?” he asked, and prompted her to repeat his instructions to be sure the fog of desire hadn't made her forget.
“It's easy enough, Connall. Distract the two vamps at the door so you can sneak in through one of the other entrances. Can I feed on the cute one while I'm at it?”
Putting the bite on one would only help with his plan. “Snack as you wish, mo cuishle. You can let me have a taste of him afterward.”
Siobhan smiled and stroked her hand over his still-erect cock, but he pulled it away.
“Later, mo cuishle. Let's get going.”
They flew down the path toward the East Side building, but he stopped shy of their final destination. There were only a few buildings low enough for him to keep an eye on Siobhan and create the distraction he needed to breach the condo’s security. After he had step one of his plan in place, he would move down to a side entrance and work his way inside.
With a hungry good-bye kiss at the corner, which almost had him rethinking his plan—almost—Connall broke away, and tenderly brushed a hand along her hair. “Be safe, mo cuishle.”
She offered him a saucy grin, and sashayed down the block toward their target.
Connall raced to the other side of the street and tracked her passage down the sidewalk, flying up and across the rooftops to a spot diagonally across from the entrance to the condo building. He crouched there, waiting for Siobhan to arrive. He’d told her to delay until the residential traffic had died down. He needed it quiet in order to achieve his mission.
So he hunkered down to count out the minutes, smiling as he thought about the mayhem he would soon wreak on Michaela and her friends.
***
Michaela knocked softly on the bedroom door. Ryder had sent her up to wake Diana. It was time to firm up the plans for tonight.
The other woman opened the door and smiled sleepily. “Already?”
“Sorry.”
“No worries. I feel almost human again.” She sent her a wry look. “Which suddenly takes on new meaning.”
Michaela chuckled. “I guess it would.”
Diana hesitated in front of the baby’s crib. “I better not leave her alone. I want her close in case Connall somehow manages to make it into the building.”
Michaela nodded. “Your brother and his family will be here soon. It’s good you’ll all be together.”
“We will all be together,” Diana corrected, scooping the baby into her arms. They headed downstairs.
In the living room, Michaela went over to sit next to Jesus on the couch while Diana walked over to Benjamin, who was lounging in one of the leather chairs.
“Hi. We haven’t met. Not formally, anyway.” She juggled the baby and stuck out her hand to Benjamin, formerly of the Slayer Council, and now a vampire, like Diana.
Who would have thought? Michaela’s head was almost spinning with all the weird twists life had been presenting lately.
Ben rose and took her hand. “Good to meet you.”
“Ditto. Glad to see you, um...looking better,” she said awkwardly.
“I never got to say thank you before, so I'll say it now. I appreciate what you did for the Council and for Michaela.”
Diana nodded. “And I'm sorry about your brother. If I could have avoided his death—”
His golden features grew cold at the mention of the sibling who had nearly killed him and Michaela. “Justice was served, Special Agent Reyes...or should I say Latimer?”
“Diana, please,” she said and released his hand.
Michaela and Jesus rose, and they all gathered around the coffee table, where Ryder had laid out a blueprint-sized aerial shot of their building and the few blocks surrounding it. They discussed the various vantage points and the best places for them to assume positions in order to contain Connall. Even with the extra man, they could not close off every avenue of escape or entrance into the building.
“Maybe I should call in some of our vamp friends,” Ryder said, clearly concerned about how vulnerable their home might be.
Michaela shook her head. “Too many people, and he might be scared off. That would only make him harder to find in a city this size.”
He nodded, glancing worriedly at his wife and new baby. “If Connall breaches security and gets into the building, I have no doubt he knows just where to go to make the biggest statement.”
“He's not going to get in here,” Michaela said. “Not if it's the last thing I do.”
“He’s not getting to anyone,” Jesus said with narrowed eyes, looking directly at her. “If it’s the last thing I do.”
She shivered at the determination in his gaze, and she knew it was meant for her.
“More like it'll be the last thing he does,” Ryder said grimly, pulling their attention back to the planning. “I've got two vampires on the front door and a man on each of the side entrances.” With an index finger, he tapped the entrances on the aerial photo. “Sub-basement is secure, and we've got eyes on each point of entry. Diana will be monitoring those cameras, as well as the feeds from the outside.”
“The goal is to stop him before he sets foot in the building,” Jesus said.
“I assume he means to create a distraction of some kind at the front door,” Ryder said.
“Probably with Siobhan or some other fledgling,” Michaela said. “He'll be watching, and when he sees an opportunity, he'll make his move.”
“No doubt at one of the side doors,” Jesus put in.
“The two security guards at the front are well-trained and prepared for a vamp attack,” Ryder said. “They should be able to handle Siobhan, or even Connall, but I don’t plan on taking any chances. I’ll be close by to help, just in case.” He shot a glance at Diana. “Sebastian, Melissa, and Mariel will be here with you.”
“They’ll be helpful in watching Charlie,” she said, but Michaela understood what she was really saying. Having someone watch Charlie would allow her to fight, to the death if necessary. Which she had no doubt she’d do.
As would Michaela. This was her first, best, and probably last chance to kill the bastard who had murdered her mother. She was not about to let him escape. Or hurt any of these people. Even if it meant sacrificing her own life.
“We should each take a quadrant to watch,” Jesus said, motioning to the buildings on or near the corners of the surrounding block.
“I can see most of the streets from our balcony in addition to the feeds from the security cameras,” Diana said.
“We should all be wired so we can stay in touch,” Jesus said. “And you can keep us posted on what you see.”
With that, they each chose an area to guard. They were just finishing the plan when one of the security guards buzzed them on the intercom to let them know the food Ryder ordered had arrived.
Minutes later, a young man delivered bags filled with fragrant food that smelled of garlic and tomato and fresh bread. Michaela’s stomach growled.
“Mmm, Luigi’s, my favorite Italian restaurant,” Diana said, smiling broadly at Ryder. “Thank you.” She kissed him.
Everyone chipped in to set the table and dish out the food, then tucked in. Diana ate heartily, as did Jesus. Michaela was impatient to get on with the fight, but she couldn’t help taking time to savor the delicious food, worried that this might be the last supper for all of them.
As the meal wound down, Jesus went to fetch the duffel bag of communications gear he had brought from the field office. He’d also brought several protective vests.
“I’ll go upstairs and get yours,” Ryder said to Diana, and at her raised brow he added, “Don't waste time arguing with me,” and disappeared up the stairs.
Jesus handed Michaela a vest. “That goes for you, too.”
She glared at him, but knew this was one fight she’d lose. With a huff, she slipped off her weapons harness and let him help her put the vest on, then replaced her guns and knives.
After Ryder returned and got Diana in hers, they each took one of the headsets and transmitters from Jesus and put them on. After a quick sound check, they each confirmed the area they would secure, and with a final nod of good luck, they all went to assume their positions.
Michaela, Ben, and Jesus headed for the elevator, where Sebastian and Melissa were stepping off with their little daughter. Ryder waited by the condo door to let them in.
Jesus looked hard at Diana’s brother. “You'll help keep them safe?”
Sebastian raised the hem of his bulky sweater to display his Kevlar vest and a 9mm pistol tucked into his waistband. “Silver bullets,” he said, to make sure they understood he meant business.
Jesus nodded. “Be safe.”
Michaela led the way onto the elevator, anxious to get on with it. But riding down in the small enclosure, she couldn’t avoid J’s intense gaze on her. She shifted uncomfortably, and felt her face heat under his scrutiny. Thankfully, Ben stood in the corner, studiously pretending not to notice their silent interaction.
When they reached the ground floor, Ben hurried out, leaving her alone with Jesus. She faced her lover and said, “Don’t do anything stupid, J.”
He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. “If I didn’t know better, I might think you cared.”
She jabbed him, and said, “Please, J. I mean it.”
“Yeah, I know. I love you, too, Michaela,” he said, and before she could utter a word, he bent his head and gave her a kiss that nearly seared her nerve endings. Then he broke away from her and strode off the elevator.