Point of No Return (3 page)

“She is the woman I employ to see to the
sexual needs of my guards,” Devlin said bluntly. “She’s trustworthy
and kind, also.”

I floundered for words and found none.

Devlin took my lack of reply for doubt in her
abilities. “She is good with animals, Sar, really. I trust her with
my cat when I am away. Besides, she will enjoy a night off, so to
speak.” He chuckled.

Say something
. “Is she a
werebear?”

“A werecoyote/werefox half-breed,” Devlin
said. “She keeps to herself, but she does her job well.”

How would he know?
I colored,
wondering if she’d been one of the fifty women he’d mentioned
having sex with after me.

“Sar? Are you still there?”

“Were you and she ever together?” I
whispered.

“I don’t bed my employees,” Devlin said, half
amused, half irritated. “Though I understand why you ask, after
Danial and Monica’s little tryst.”

“Then that’s fine,” I said, relieved. “How
long has she worked for you?”

“I found her in Rio last fall. Having her
around does ease a lot of the tension. I don’t have any female
guards, as Danial does.”

“Do you not trust women enough?”

“I trust them equally. They just aren’t as
physically strong as males, and guards have to be strong. In any
case, Lash is the one who has final say in hiring. Why do you ask?
Would you prefer a female guard?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I assured him. “But my
pets don’t like strangers, and they’ll probably accept a female in
their house more easily than a male.”

“Take care, Sweetheart,” Devlin sang to me.
“I’ll see you on Saturday.”

After hanging up, I lay there a while trying
to talk myself into being happy. I had Devlin, who was quite
possibly the world’s best lover, and his brother, too. It went
without saying that I’d not be alone ever again at night unless I
wanted to be, waiting for someone to come home. This wasn’t a
fling. They both had essentially married me. So what if my third
husband had left me for another woman. It wasn’t that bad,
right?

My eyes went to the carvings on my dresser of
the cougar and myself, and my eyes flooded with tears. Hell, yes,
it was bad, it was awful, and I wanted Theo back if I had to give
my soul to do it. I cried myself to sleep.

* * * *

The next morning, after showering off some of
my despair, I called Danial’s house looking for Elle. She was in
lessons, and called me back at lunchtime.

“Hi,” she said softly. “Are you coming to
work anytime soon? Dad said you might not come here for a while. He
told me you were okay, but you needed some time by yourself.”

“That’s true, but I’d like to see you, if you
want to see me.”

“Yes,” Elle said tearfully. “Please.”

Damn you Theo, what did you tell her
now?
“What is it, Sweetheart? You’re upset.”

“Theo is living with Tasha in the place the
guards stay,” Elle said angrily. “He has her come along on all of
our walks together now.”

“Do the best you can to be nice,” I said,
trying to be calm about it. “But if you want some time with him
just by yourself, tell him that. He loves you.”

“You’re alone there,” Elle said softly. “I
don’t understand why you won’t come back and be with Dad—”

I couldn’t deal with this, not now. “Elle,” I
said sharply. “We aren’t going to—”

“You went right from living with Dad to
living with Theo,” Elle interrupted. “Why was that okay and this
wouldn’t be?”

Shit, I was always going to be paying for
that. Well, I’d done it, and I guess I did owe the coin. “Elle,
there is a lot you don’t know, but I’ll do my best to explain on
Saturday. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said sullenly. “See you
then.”

* * * *

I spent the rest of the week reading,
exercising, and deciding what to tell Elle and what not to. I did
my best not to wonder about how my life might change, though the
constant tension gnawed at me, getting worse each day. I grew so
antsy that I finally called both Kat and my mother, and set up
lunch dates with them. Then instead of talking over my worry with
either, I pretended that everything was fine.

* * * *

Friday night, Devlin called from Mexico to
say that he would be a little late getting home. “Things are
different here, and often meetings take much longer that they do in
the States. Mexicans, as well as most Latin Americans, value family
and friends over business.”

“It must be important,” I said, curious.
“Will you be back tonight?”

“No, early tomorrow morning.”

“What about dawn?”

“I have Titus to protect me, Sar. Don’t
worry.”

“I’m just worried,” I said hesitantly. “When
I burned you, I saw how much it hurt. I’m sorry for that.”

“I healed, with your help,” Devlin assured.
“It was not a bad burn, as they can sometimes be.”

“Danial told me how much being burned hurt. I
remember your screams. I just wanted you to know I was sorry.”

“I hurt you much worse before,” Dev replied
sadly. “Let it go. We can’t make a new start if we hold past
grudges.” He paused. “Sleep well, Love. I’ll be kissing you
tomorrow.”

“You’re right. Take care, Dev.
Goodnight.”

* * * *

Saturday dawned clear and snowy. I picked up
Elle at nine, and we drove into Alan’s Creek for breakfast.

The little town was growing slowly, a few
chain restaurants having opened in the last year. More houses were
on the surrounding hills than were there two years ago. While I was
happy the town was prospering, I couldn’t help but be a little
nostalgic for the town I’d first come to know. I was also saddened
and scared, wondering how much more it and the other things I loved
would change in my lifetime.

After a movie, and a sumptuous lunch of fried
food, I brought out Devlin’s choker from under my turtleneck. “Do
you see my choker?”

She looked up and froze. “That’s not Dad’s
symbol!” she squeaked angrily. “Whose is it?”

“It is Devlin’s. He interceded at the
gathering. Three powerful vampires stood against Danial. They
wanted me to leave him and go with them. Devlin got them to back
down, but to do it he had to lay claim to me.”

“Why didn’t Dad make them back down?” Elle
said tearfully. “He said he would protect you, Mom.”

This was the question I dreaded answering
most. I took a breath, and let it out slowly. “He did his best,
Elle. But they didn’t fear him enough to make them go away.”

“Yet they were afraid of Devlin.”

“Yes.”

“I’m afraid of him sometimes,” Elle
whispered.

I did a double take, worried and alarmed.
“Elle, has he ever done anything that would make you think he would
hurt you?” I demanded.

“Nothing,” she answered, meeting my eyes.
“He’s always polite to me when I see him, and he always calls me
Little Lioness. But sometimes the things he says, or the tone in
his voice...I know that he’s faking. I can almost see another
person under his smile. That person, he’s...he’s...”

“He’s what, Elle?” I said, reaching out and
touching her hand. “You can tell me. I won’t tell him or anyone if
you don’t want me to.”

Elle shivered. “He doesn’t have any rules. He
does what he wants when he wants. That’s the best I can say it,
Mom.”

I hugged her tightly. “You don’t need to
worry,” I told her gently. “He isn’t going to hurt me. And he’s not
going to hurt you either.”

“Are you sure, Mom?” she said, staring
searchingly.

“Yes.”
So long as I did what he asked of
me, anyway
. “Now come on,” I said, mustering a smile. “We have
a little while yet before I take you home. Let’s go to the art
store and get you some new supplies.” I got up, and began clearing
the remains of lunch.

“Mom, can we go somewhere else?” Elle said
suddenly.

Her request was so uncharacteristic that I
turned to look at her. “Where do you want to go?”

“I want to get lipstick.”

“Why?” I asked, before I could stop
myself.

“I want to wear makeup,” she said
stubbornly.

I gave her ten-year appearance a thorough
looking-over. “You’re too young for makeup, Elle.”

“No, I’m not,” she said arrogantly, folding
her arms over her chest. “Tasha said she got to wear lipstick when
she was my age. She let me try some on, in fact.”

My eyes went to slits, my rage building
instantaneously. “Did she?” I purred.

My voice had the same tone that Devlin’s did.
Elle backed up a step. “Yes.”

“And what else, pray tell, did Ms. Tasha have
to say about you and makeup?”

“She said she got to wear lipstick when she
was ten, but she had to wait for the rest until she was
fourteen.”

I wanted to make a crack about how Tasha
wasn’t too much older than that now, but worried Elle might ask me
how old I was. I looked at Elle, standing so resolutely, and
debated how to handle this new development.

Tasha would most likely be her stepmother
sooner or later. Could I make her into a bitch? It would be easy:
Elle already disliked her, she was just using this as an excuse,
knowing how I would feel. Part of me wanted to. It said Theo was
getting everything he wanted way too easily, and I was the one
fighting to hold onto what was left of my life. But the person
who’d fare the worst wouldn’t be Tasha, or Theo, or even me. It
would be Elle.

“Come on,” I said, giving her a smile. “I’ll
take you to a department store and we’ll get you some high-end
lipstick.”

She gave me her most winning smile.

“But,” I said, grabbing hold of her. “You are
not going to get a dark shade, Elle. Makeup is supposed to
accentuate your appearance.”

“What does accentuate mean?” she said,
grabbing my hand.

“It means that makeup is supposed to make you
look nice, but people aren’t supposed to think you are wearing it.
Come on.”

* * * *

After buying Elle a light shade of dusty pink
lipstick, we headed out of the mall towards the exit. As we neared
the outside doors, I noticed some beautiful light gray chenille
sweaters almost silver in color. I was instantly reminded of the
sheets Devlin had brought to my home. Better yet, when I touched a
sleeve, it was soft as a cat’s fur.

“Isn’t this pretty?”

“Mom, I’ve never seen you wear that color
before,” Elle said.

“Does it look good on me?” I asked, holding
the sweater up in front of me.

“Yes,” she said. “It makes your hair look
more golden.”

“Sounds like a sale,” I said, grabbing one.
“Hurry. We’ve got to go back to the registers and find a short
line.”

* * * *

We got to Danial’s around five thirty. He met
us at the door.

“You’re late, my dears.” He looked down at
Elle, then blanched. “Is that lipstick you’re wearing?”

“Yes,” she said proudly. “It’s called Lusty
Kiss.”

Danial looked at me, appalled. “You are
letting our nine-year old daughter wear a lipstick called Lusty
Kiss?” he choked out.

“I didn’t know it was called that,” I said
lamely, flushing. “I had her pick a light shade.”

“Go take that off,” Danial said, glowering at
Elle. “You are too young for lipstick.”

“I am not!” Elle said, and flounced away.

He grabbed her before she went three feet.
“You are my daughter, and you will do what I said,” Danial said,
his eyes red. “Now take it off!”

I expected she would cry, or maybe say she
wasn’t really his daughter. Instead Elle got a tissue, wiped off
the lipstick, and tossed the tissue away. “I’m going to see Cia,”
she said sullenly. “I said I’d watch Aran Jr. for her tonight.
Brian is getting a movie, and Demi said we’d make popcorn.”

“Go,” I said gently. “Have a good time.”

Elle ran back and hugged me. “Thanks for
today, Mom.”

I looked at Danial over her shoulder
meaningfully. He stared back, then threw up his hands.

“Elle, keep the lipstick,” I said. “But wear
it only when we go out, not here.”

“You mean it?” she said excitedly.

“Yes. But that is all you are wearing, Elle,
until...until another two years pass, no matter how old you look by
then. Understand?”

“Yes,” she said, then turned to look at
Danial questioningly.

“That’s okay,” he said, nodding. “Go see Cia.
Your mother and I have things to discuss.”

Elle gave him a brilliant smile, then bounded
out the door.

“She is growing up too fast,” Danial said
worriedly.

“It’s Tasha’s fault,” I said nastily. “She is
the one who put wanting lipstick into Elle’s head.”

“If it hadn’t been her, it would’ve been
someone else,” Danial said soothingly. “Elle has seen you in
makeup, Sar. Tasha does wear some, but not much more than you
do.”

I was irked, and didn’t reply.

“What did you buy?” he asked.

“Just a sweater. Can I use your bathroom to
change?”

“You can use my bedroom,” he said, trailing
kisses down my neck. “And perhaps you can delay putting your new
sweater on for a few hours.” He pulled his body tightly against
mine, his hands caressing me gently. On my neck there came the
slight brush of fangs.

My knees went weak instantly. “Stop,” I said
breathily. “I can’t stay with you tonight.”

“Why not?” Danial said, in between kisses. “I
can send over someone to watch your home and pets. Elle will be
gone for the evening with the weres. We’ll be alone.”

“Devlin asked me to come to him tonight,” I
said quickly. “One of his men is coming for me shortly.”

Danial abruptly stopped in mid-kiss. He
didn’t speak, but it was obvious he was pissed off. “How long until
he’s here?” he growled finally.

“He could be here anytime now.”

Danial gave me a slow smile. “Then he’ll have
to wait a few moments.”