Her Secret (10 page)

“Theo also has reservations,” I said firmly.
“I know you are lonely for friends your own age. But you spending
the night away from home is dangerous. You know I don’t mean just
in you getting kidnapped—”

She looked at me imploringly. “Mom,” she
said, drawing the word out, “I know! I won’t change in front of
anyone!”

“Not purposely,” I said, hugging her to
soften my words. “But what if you get angry? Scared?”

She looked at me like I was an idiot. “I said
I wouldn’t do it!”

I must have looked at my own mother like that
once. This was my punishment. “Elle, how about you ask this
girl—”

“Violet,” she supplied with a little
arrogance.

“Why don't you ask Violet if she would like
to come here to spend the night some weekend?”

“It’s not the same!” she wailed.

I put my foot down. “I know it’s not the
same. But it’s the best offer you are going to get. And even that
isn’t going to be easy.”

She looked at me resentfully.

“You know normal people don’t live like
this,” I continued. “They don’t have bodyguards, or a vampire for a
dad, or—”

“You’re normal,” she said, hugging me
hard.

That might have been the first time I’d ever
been called normal. But with that basis for comparison, it was
true. “Do you want me to ask Theo and Danial about having Violet
come here to spend the night, or not?”

“Please,” she answered.

“Okay. Before I do that, I need to meet
her.”

* * * *

Enjoying my newfound freedom from guards, I
took Elle to her dance lesson that afternoon. Violet was a shy,
polite girl with brown eyes and brown hair. Next to Elle, she
looked plain, but she seemed very nice. The only trouble was she
not only looked nine as Elle did, she really was nine years old.
Was that old enough for her to be suspicious of how abnormal Elle’s
home life was?

As the class was ending, a woman close to my
own age came up to me, an older version of Violet. “Hi, I’m Cathy,
Violet’s mother. Our girls seem to be becoming fast friends.”

“Yes,” I said, watching Elle and the other
girls practicing.

“You must have married young and had Elle
when you were about twenty or so, like I was when I had Violet. It
was a challenge being that young and raising a child, wasn’t
it?”

I didn’t know what to say. There was way, way
too much to explain. I just smiled and nodded.

“Elle looks like you, but she must get those
eyes from her father.”

“She does,” I replied, watching Elle as she
moved across the floor. I opened my mouth to ask her about Violet
spending the night, and then my eyes fastened on Theo’s form in the
dance studio doorway.

Instead of his usual loose clothes, he had on
a tight blue T-shirt the color of his eyes, and tight jeans. His
clothes stretched across his muscular body like a second skin. His
hair, usually messy, was carefully styled. In short, my usually
good-looking husband was breathtaking.

“What are you doing here?” I said, giving him
a smile.

“Coming to meet Elle’s friend,” he replied.
“I thought we could go for dinner afterwards.”

Cathy was staring at him in equal parts
amazement and interest.

“This is Violet’s mom. Theo, meet Cathy.
Cathy, this is Elle’s father, Theo.”

Cathy gave him her hand to shake. Instead, he
kissed it. “Good to meet you,” he said, giving her one of his
winning smiles.

She gave him a warm smile back, blushing. I
barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes.

“Hi,” the dance instructor said, coming over
to Theo. “Can I help you?”

Theo introduced himself and then kissed her
hand, too.

Watching her blush, I became annoyed. We
weren’t here to be cute, we were here for Elle, who was watching
the spectacle with the other girls and looking as irritated as I
was.

“Theo, are you going to let Elle come to
Violet’s sleepover?” Cathy asked.

“We have plans that night as a family,” I
said smoothly. “But we’d love to have Violet come and spend the
night with Elle and us, if she’d like to.”

“Sure,” Cathy said, her eyes still on Theo.
“I’m sure she’d like that.”

“Are you coming to Elle’s recital?” the dance
instructor said to Theo, hopeful.

“Yes,” I said smoothly. “Elle’s adoptive
father will be there as well.” I didn’t want to leave Danial’s name
out of everything, especially as she was sure to point him out as
her Dad at the recital and he’d already arranged to come.

The two women looked over at me a little
strangely. Theo was glaring at me like I’d rained on his
parade.

“Theo was a POW for some years,” I said
seriously, spinning the story I’d worked out on the way here. “I
thought he was dead, and Elle was raised by Danial and I. She
thinks of him as her Dad. I’m telling you this so you’ll understand
why Elle will refer to Danial as her Dad. I didn’t want anyone to
be shocked, or make her feel as if she isn’t normal, for having two
dads.”

Cathy was first to recover. “I understand
completely,” she said, putting her hand on my arm. “It’s terrible
to lose someone, and not know if they are coming back to you alive,
or if they are dead.”

I nodded to her, as the dance instructor
echoed her remarks. Theo’s stormy expression had left his face.

“Are you going to let us continue?” Elle
said, glaring up at Theo from the dance floor. “You’re early.”

“She’s right,” the dance instructor said
quickly, flustered. She called the class back to attention and they
began practicing again.

I exchanged numbers with Cathy. I gave her my
cell, leaving it ambiguous whether Elle lived with us, or with
Danial.

When the class ended, Elle came over to us.
“Was I good?” she asked, giving me a hug.

“You were spectacular,” I said, hugging her
back.

Theo picked her up. “You were good,” he said,
prideful.

Elle beamed.

I followed Theo and Elle back to Danial’s in
my truck. By the time we got back, it was dark. As we slowly walked
to the front door, Elle was still talking excitedly about Violet,
and how much fun they would both have when she came to stay the
night, and how many things she wanted to do. The first thing we
heard as we opened the front door was the clash of swords, and
yelling.

Chapter
Five

Theo drew his gun and
ran into the great room, Elle and I hot on his heels. Entering the
dining room, he stopped, then holstered his gun.

“I thought there was trouble,” he said
grumpily. “You’re just practicing.”

Terian and Danial were sword fighting in the
cleared space of the great room. Instead of common rapiers, they
were fighting with broadswords.

Terian swung down and Danial blocked him
easily. Terian thrust, and Danial knocked it away, deflecting the
blade. Terian paused. Danial just waited, his knees bent, his sword
held easily in his hand. His hair was held back tightly in a short
ponytail, as Terian’s was. Both of them had on leggings, soft boots
and swordsman’s shirts.

Terian circled and Danial circled with him.
Though Terian clearly had been practicing, he didn’t have anywhere
near the skill Danial had. Terian tried several times to strike
Danial, but Danial parried his sword easily, deflecting the blade
each time. Then Danial went on the offensive, and within a few
seconds had Terian’s sword away from him. Terian grimaced, and put
up his hands.

“You win.”

Danial put both blades aside, and went to
Terian. “It takes a lot of practice,” he said with a smile. “It
will get easier.”

“I know,” Terian said. “I just wish I was
making more progress.”

“You are,” Danial said reassuringly. “You
just started this week. You’ve only had two lessons.”

“Tomorrow, then?”

Danial nodded. “Same time.”

“I’m going to go shower,” Terian said. “If
anyone needs me, I’ll be out in the woods after, patrolling.” He
shot us a smile, then left.

“How’s he really doing?” Theo said
conspiratorially, crossing to Danial.

“Better than you did, when I first taught
you,” Danial said with a grin.

“Hey, I bet I still can beat you,” Theo
challenged.

Danial just gave him a cool glance and then
tossed him Terian’s sword, bending his knees and assuming his
former stance. Theo assumed the same stance, and began circling
Danial.

I stayed where I was, worried this was more
than playing.

Theo ran at Danial suddenly, and they hacked
at one another, grunting and crying out as they fought. They moved
almost too fast for me to follow them. The swords rang off one
another again and again. Theo was swinging with force, but his
movements were graceful as Danial’s were. They moved as if
dancing.

Then suddenly, it was over. Danial moved
fast, spinning and hitting Theo’s hilt and Theo dropped the blade,
shaking his hand. Danial kicked it away, and then he held his sword
on Theo.

“You win,” Theo said, putting up his
hands.

Elle and I gave Danial a round of applause.
Danial inclined his head in a gesture of appreciation as he picked
up Theo’s sword and his, and took them into the cellar.

“Elle, go get out of your clothes and into
pajamas,” Theo said. “Take a nice shower, and we’ll all be in to
tuck you in shortly.”

“I want to stay up—”

“Now, Elle,” I said, giving her my
don’t-push-it look. “Or Violet is not coming to stay
overnight.”

She went without another word.

“I’m tired,” I said, crossing to Theo. “Let’s
make this fast.”

“We will.”

Danial came upstairs, and directly over to
me. “Are you sure you are okay?” he said softly, touching my hand
with his. “You are having no ill effects from the drugs?”

“No. I’m just tired.”

“Hold still, then.” He kissed me softly, then
deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into my mouth, holding my
face in his hands.

I kissed him back for a full minute, our
bodies pressed together. Danial was stiff by the time he drew back,
his eyes dark with desire. He waited a moment, his lips inches from
mine.

I didn’t cross that small space to kiss him
again. While I’d enjoyed the kiss a lot, there was no lust rising
rampant through me, as there had been last time. The desire that
had always flavored our embraces was gone.

Danial searched my eyes, then stepped back.
“It is working,” he said despondently. “You feel no longing for me
at all anymore.”

I stepped forward and put my hand to his
face. “I still love you as much as ever,” I said softly. “Don’t
sound so sad.”

“It’s hard not to be,” he said a sigh. “But
I’m very happy, too. You have control and so do I.”

“It’s a relief,” Theo said, pleased.

“What is this about Violet coming to stay?”
Danial said neutrally, changing the subject.

“We can’t have Elle leaving, even for a
night,” I said patiently. “It’s not safe to have her sleeping at a
place with no guards. The easy solution is to have Violet come to
stay instead. If you’re agreeable, she can spend that night with
Theo and I.”

“How do you think that will be easy, Sar?”
Danial said edgily.

“Danial, Elle needs friends. She is alone
most of the time. I don’t want her being so lonely she decides to
start changing at night and not telling us again.”

He gave me a considering look. “You are
right. But how are you going to explain guards? The foxes must come
with you, even if it’s only one night. And where will she
stay?”

“I still have her old bed all set up in what
used to be my sewing room. It’s a mess now in there, but I can fix
it like it was. It’s okay if Violet and her mother know where I
live.”

“That’s okay with me,” Danial said finally.
“But I’m not budging on the guards. Brian will come and spend the
night with you. Warren and one of the other foxes will stay outside
and watch the house to make sure nothing happens.”

Theo was nodding “This will work, Danial. If
all goes well, Elle will be able to do this again. Sar’s right, she
needs friends.”

Danial smiled then. “I agree. Go ahead and
set it up.”

* * * *

Later that night, as Theo and I were driving
home, he said, “You were right to say what you did.”

I flushed, as I’d been thinking about Devlin,
wondering if Danial had talked to him lately, or if he’d return for
Danial’s Hallows party. “What’s that?”

“I was upset when you brought up Danial at
the dance studio. But I understand why you did it, and it was the
right thing to do.” He reached over and grasped my hand in his.
“I’m sorry I got upset.”

“It’s okay,” I said, giving him a smile. “By
the way, I’ve been meaning to ask: what happened to the Hallows
party? Danial always has one, but no one has mentioned anything
yet. If he waits too much longer, it’ll have to be a Thanksgiving
party.”

There was a long pause. “Danial isn’t going
to have one this year,” Theo said finally.

“Why? It’s tradition. Danial enjoys the pomp
and circumstance, and besides—”

“Because we’ve had almost every vampire of
note and also some non-vampires of power send entreaties to attend
the party this year, Sar. Everyone wants to see Theoron. They also
all want to see you.”

SHIT with capital S, H, I, and T
.
“What’s Danial going to do?”

“Danial is delaying for now. He and I are
worried that the drug won’t be enough if you’re around that many
vampires. The non-vampires he can ignore, period, no problem.”

“Non-vampires?” I squeaked.

Theo caught the look on my face, and squeezed
my hand. “Powerful sorcerers, weres, fairies, with a few others
mixed in. There were under twenty requests total from all of those.
There have been over a thousand messages from vampires all over the
globe.”