Shade could feel his heart racing, his blood pulsing, as he struggled to beat down the beast. He didn’t want to harm this young female, but he couldn’t let her go until they understood the risk. He heard Luca come rushing into the fray, Shannon with him. "I have this, Luca. But stay close."
Madison stared back at him, wild-eyed. What was he saying? They were talking about her like she wasn’t even here. She was aware of others surrounding her. The man she’d met the last time she was here, Luca, and another girl, the ancient butler, and the nanny. She felt Cory's hands on her waist, but the man held her in place with his eyes. She watched as Kate stroked his arm and continued to talk to him in a quiet tone.
"Shade, let her go. You're scaring her more. Let me talk to her. I understand what’s at stake. Let me talk to her alone."
Closing his eyes, he released Madison and turned to Kate, speaking to her with urgency. "This is a risk. We can’t let her go until we understand, until she understands…take her, Kate. Take Shannon with you. I will keep Cory and Luca here with me. I need to understand how this happened and what we are going to do." Pulling her into his arms, he snuggled into her neck, kissing her. "Grazie, my queen. You know what you must do. "
Kate breathed a sigh of relief, as he released Madison from his immobilizing gaze. But she knew they weren’t out of the woods yet.
Madison almost stumbled backward when he closed his eyes. It was almost as if he’d been holding her upright. She could hear the audible sigh from Cory, as his father backed away. She watched the tender exchange between Kate and Cory’s father. The way the man held Kate and gently nuzzled his face into her hair, kissing her neck. She was confused by the contrast of the evil she’d seen standing in the office and this man who treated Kate with such devotion.
Luca stepped forward and nodded to him. "Master, let's go back in the office. Give Kate time to talk to her."
Luca looked at Cory and nodded his head, indicating he should follow. Reluctantly, Cory released Madison. "It's okay, Maddie. Everything will be okay. Go with Kate." The three men headed back to the office, as Cory cast one last glance over his shoulder at her.
Kate took her hand and led her to the stairs, motioning for Shannon to follow them. "Come on, Madison. We'll go back to Cory's rooms. We can talk there."
Madison was aware she was being led further into the house, but she knew running was out of the question. She felt resigned to accept whatever was about to happen to her, as she walked with the two women up the stairs and back into Cory's living room. Kate closed the door behind her and made her way to the sofa, patting the seat next to her. Madison sat down, keeping a little distance between them, and watched as the other woman sat across from her. Kate nodded toward the pretty girl with the long brown hair.
"This is Shannon. She's my best friend. We’ve been friends for over ten years now. She is...engaged to Luca. And she’s mortal. Like you."
Kate sent Gi a message to bring up some wine and some Midnight. Madison blinked her eyes rapidly, looking back and forth between Shannon and Kate. "Mortal? I don't understand."
Kate gave her a sad smile. "I'm so sorry for this evening. I'm so sorry it unfolded this way."
There was a tap at the door and Gi entered with a tray of assorted bottles and three glasses. He nodded and left quietly. Shannon poured a white wine for herself and Madison, but then poured a thick, red wine for Kate.
Shannon handed her the glass, and said, "Drink up. It will help, trust me."
Madison looked at the two women and then sipped at the wine. Shannon smiled at her and said, "Just chug it."
Madison looked back at her. "I think I might need a clear head."
Shannon shook her head. "I've been where you are now. Trust me, just chug it."
Madison tipped the glass up and drank, placing the empty glass on the table where Shannon refilled it. Madison looked at her. "What does that mean? I'm mortal like you. What does that mean?"
Shannon looked back at her and asked, "Do you love him?"
Madison nodded her head, looking back at Kate. "Yes, I do love him."
Kate smiled at her. "Good. That's the biggest hurdle. We can get past everything else."
Madison frowned. "I still don't understand. That man...his father...his eyes were glowing, and he had..." She left the words unspoken, questioning her own sanity now and wondering what she’d really seen.
Kate finished the sentence for her, "Fangs. He has fangs."
Madison was hoping she’d imagined it, but Kate only confirmed what she’d seen. Her eyes went to the novels scattered on the coffee table. "So, he’s a vampire? Is that what you're saying?"
Kate nodded her head. "We’re all vampires here, except Shannon. The staff, Lorenzo, Luca, they were all born vampire."
Madison looked at her with surprise. "Born?"
Kate nodded. "There’s very little in the mythology of vampires that runs true. They’re not the walking dead. They were never dead. They’re born, like you. They’re immortal, to a degree. They do require blood to live, but most don’t attack mortals to feed. There are rogues among us, but they’re rejected in our community. Most vampires mate with other vampires, but occasionally, they will sometimes fall in love and mate with a mortal."
Madison took another large gulp of the wine. Shannon immediately refilled the glass and said, "Told ya."
Madison looked at Kate. "So, Cory’s a vampire?"
Kate sighed and leaned back against the sofa. "Cory’s a half-breed. His mother is mortal. Shade met her in a club. He was visiting in the States on business. She was about the age you are now, maybe a little younger. They stayed together for a few weeks while he was here. He fed from her, and, of course, had sex with her, and then he went back to Italy. She got pregnant. Shade had no idea about the baby, and Cory's mother had no way to get in touch with him. It’s only coincidence that Shade and I ran into him in California a few years ago. Half-breeds are not accepted in the vampire community, because they can't sustain their race, and they don't fit into the mortal world either. Cory had a really hard time growing up. Shade offered him a job within his coven, making the leathers for the warriors. He still had no idea Cory was his son. It was only after Cory's mom came to visit, and she recognized Shade that we figured it all out."
Madison's hands were still shaking as she held her empty glass in Shannon's direction and Shannon filled it again to the rim. Madison looked hard at her.
Madison stared back and asked, "And you love Luca? You're going to marry him?"
Shannon smiled at her. "Well, yes, only they don't call it a marriage. They call it mating. And since I'm mortal, it gets complicated. But I have Kate to lead me through, and you have both of us, if it’s what you want."
Madison drank again from the glass before looking back at Kate. "You mean there's more?"
Kate brushed the hair back from the young girl’s face, the fear still evident in her eyes. "Madison. You're safe here. And yes, there's more. I was mortal too. Like you. Like Shannon. I met Shade and we fell in love. We wanted to stay together, to be mated. For Shade, it was imperative. He’s a master, a king over a very large coven, and having an heir was required. In order for us to be mated, I had to be turned."