Cassidy shrugged. “He was very curious about the incident in the alleyway and asked me point-blank if you had some involvement in it. York is a good cop with good instincts and he’s very interested in you.” He shot Stefan and Lucian an angry look. “I’m just glad I didn’t know everything there was to know about you when he asked me. I wasn’t lying to him when I told him no.” He glared at Lucian. “You put me in the rather awkward position of having to keep certain information to myself.”

  “I’m sure we can find a way to compensate you for your trouble.” It was the wrong thing to say. Delight knew that as soon as the words left Lucian’s mouth.

  Cassidy jumped from his chair, his anger a living, breathing thing. “I won’t dignify that with an answer, but only because there’s a lady present.” His stance was like a fighter’s, loose and limber, ready to go at a moment’s notice. “Hell, all I know is one minute Delight is bleeding to death, then you’re sucking the blood out of her, then she’s sucking the blood out of you, and then she’s miraculously healed. Damned if I don’t feel ready for the shrink’s chair.” He raked his fingers through his hair and blew out a deep breath.

  He straightened and regained his composure. “I watched it all happen and I’m damned if I can believe it, not even with Delight sitting there in front of me, hale and healthy.”

  She could only imagine how the detective must feel. She’d lived it and was still having a hard time reconciling the cold, hard facts of the matter. When she’d called Cassidy she’d been human. By the end of that night, she’d been shot and brought back to life as a vampire.

  The detective ambled toward her, picked up her hand, and kissed the back of it. His old-fashioned manner charmed her and his forthrightness pleased her. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.” He shot a defiant look at Lucian and Stefan, nodded at Chase, and then strode toward the door.

  “Cassidy.” He stopped, but didn’t turn around. Lucian swore and sighed. “Will you tell anyone?”

  “I should let you wonder about that.” A low growl came from deep within Lucian, but the other man ignored it. “But who the hell would I tell? Zane York? And really, what would I tell him? That you’re all vampires?” He swore under his breath, shook his head as if he was arguing with himself, and finally turned back around. “As long as you don’t go around killing innocent people we’ll have no problem.” He gave a low laugh. “And I guess if you were going to do that, I would have been the first on your list. Your secret is safe with me.”

  Lucian gave her shoulder a squeeze before walking toward Cassidy and holding out his hand. Lucian waited patiently and was rewarded when the other man reluctantly shook the proffered hand. “I did not mean to insult you. I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

  “Just doing my job,” he said with a shrug, as if not used to accepting praise.

  “Few know our secret and only those that we call friend.” Lucian paused, letting his words sink in before he continued. “If you are ever in need of anything, anything at all, you have only to ask. You are welcome in my home.” Lucian bowed formally.

  A slow grin broke across Cassidy’s face. “I’ll bet that hurt.”

  Lucian laughed at the other man’s easy humor. Delight shook her head at the changeable nature of the male species. At each other’s throats one minute, best friends the next. Not that she minded. She liked Sam Cassidy. He had an easygoing manner that hid a sharp intellect and a keen sense of humor.

  “I’d like you to come to our wedding.” Lucian looked almost as surprised as everyone else as he uttered the words, but he did not retract them. “Please.”

  This time it was Cassidy who offered his hand to Lucian. “Congratulations.” He rocked back on his heels for a moment and a wistful smile played at the corners of his mouth. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He nodded once more and then he was gone, the heels of his boots striking the hardwood floor in the hallway. A door opened and closed in the distance, and they collectively let out a sigh of relief.

  “Wedding?” Delight caught the threat of hurt in her brother’s underlying question and scooted closer to him. She should have told Chase first but there had been no time. She certainly hadn’t expected Lucian to blurt it out in front of everyone.

  She took her brother’s uninjured hand in hers. “Lucian saved my life. But beyond that, I love him.” Tears welled in her eyes but she blinked them back. “What he did in order to save my life changed me.”

  She paused, searching for the right words to make her brother understand how deep her feelings ran. “We’re linked somehow and it feels right. I know I’m different now, but I’m still your sister.” She hadn’t realized she’d been feeling vulnerable until that moment. There was no way to know how Chase would handle the fact that his sister was now a bloodsucking vampire.

  What would she do if he was repulsed by her? She released her hold on him and clutched her hands in her lap. A week ago, she would have hugged Chase and fussed over his injuries. She would have laughed if anyone had suggested her brother’s feelings for her would ever change. But they were both different people now, had been through a series of events most people couldn’t even begin to imagine.

  “I love you, you know.” Chase banished all her fears with those few simple words. A weight lifted from her heart and she began to truly believe that everything would be okay. “You’re my sister and I only want what’s best for you.” Chase drew her into his arms and hugged her. He laughed and then grabbed his ribs and groaned. “Damn, that hurts.”

  Delight immediately released him, worried he’d hurt himself. His injuries might not be life-threatening but they were still serious. “You should still be in bed,” she scolded.

  He grabbed her hand and held it, not finished with their conversation. “It’ll be hard to grow old and die and leave you behind someday.”

  Oh, God, she wasn’t ready to talk about this, not yet. A single tear slid down her face and she dashed it angrily away. “That won’t happen for many years yet. We’ll deal with it.” They had no choice. Their new life was not going to be an easy one. They’d both have a lot of adjusting to do.

  Chase let the subject drop for now, even though she could see he still had many questions. There was a wisdom and acceptance about him that belied his years. Somehow Delight knew that the changes ahead would be harder on her than on him. Her younger brother had already accepted what she hadn’t even begun to think about.

  Knowing it was cowardly, she changed the subject anyway. “Where’s Miss Nadine?”

  “She came here after Stefan called her to let her know I was safe.” Chase grinned. “She watched over the doctor while he saw to my injuries, then Stefan took her home. She knows you were hurt, but not what really happened. She’s really worried, but it’s probably better that way.”

  Delight’s heart hurt. This was yet another big change in her life. She’d already quit her bartending job at Etienne’s. But now it would no longer be possible for her to live and work at the Grande. It had been her home for her entire adult life. Chase had grown up in that house. She couldn’t imagine her life without Miss Nadine and the Grande.

  Lucian sensed her turmoil and came to sit on the sofa beside her. He lifted her onto his lap and pulled her close to his heart.

  “I have already found someone who can take your place at Miss Nadine’s. A young college student who needs the room and board and small salary while she works her way toward her degree.” The fact that Lucian had already thought of this problem and had moved to fix it didn’t surprise her. Even though she knew it had to happen, it still hurt.

  She was losing everything. Lucian caught her thought and his expression turned grim. She was losing everything but was gaining so much more.

  Delight wanted what was best for Miss Nadine, but change was hard. This was the only life she’d known for years. It was her stability. “I guess that’s for the best.”

  Lucian tipped her chin up and kissed her, not caring that they had an audience. “Just because you do not live there does not mean that you are no longer part of her life,” he pointed out. He was right, but it would be different. Nothing would ever be the same again.

  “I know you’re right.” She squared her shoulders and sat up straight. “I’m just feeling sorry for myself.”

  “I offered to give her enough money to retire, but she turned me down.” Lucian gave a sharp bark of laughter. “She has as much use for my money as you do.”

  “Well, I guess I should be heading out.” Chase pulled himself off the sofa. He groaned and grabbed his ribs. “Damn, that hurt.” He carefully leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Where are you going?” She grabbed his hand to keep him from leaving.

  “Now that I know you’re going to be okay and I’m mobile, I’m heading home. You’ve got a lot of plans to make.” He tugged on his hand, but Delight wouldn’t let go.

  Lucian frowned at both of them. “I thought you understood this is your home now, Chase.”

  Her brother shook his head. “I think you two need your space, and to tell you the truth, so do I.” As hard as she tried not to let it, that hurt Delight. Chase tried to give her a smile, but it fell short. “Besides, you’ll be newlyweds soon and you’ll need to be alone. I understand that.”

  She couldn’t bear to think of losing Chase and Miss Nadine at the same time. It was too much. Panic welled up inside her.

  “I think we can reach a compromise of sorts.” Lucian glanced at Stefan, and he nodded quickly. “We have an old carriage house in the back garden. It has a loft apartment upstairs and a large enough space for your own art studio down below. It is yours for as long as you want it.”

  It was the perfect solution and Delight almost kissed Lucian then and there. But Chase’s acceptance was not a foregone conclusion. He could be stubborn when it came to certain things.

  “I’ll pay rent.” Chase’s male pride quickly asserted itself and Delight felt like smacking him for not jumping at the offer, even as she was proud of him at the same time. She respected his need for independence, knew he had turned into a man almost overnight because of what had happened. He’d always been mature for his age, but this had quickened the process.

  “That would be fine, but I would prefer services. A trade, if you will.” Lucian’s odd request piqued not only Chase’s curiosity, but hers as well.

  “What do you mean?”

  Lucian swept his arm around the room. “We three are vampires, unable to function in the daylight. There is much you could do to help your sister adjust and to assure her safety in her new life.”

  It was absolutely the right thing to say. Delight could practically see the wheels spinning in her brother’s head and knew he was considering Lucian’s request from every angle. It surprised her when he turned toward Stefan. “That okay with you?”

  Stefan nodded but otherwise remained silent on the matter. It was enough for Chase. “I’ll go home and pack our things and get them moved tomorrow.”

  Lucian reached into his shirt pocket and drew out a platinum credit card. Chase scowled at it, but Lucian ignored him. “It’s not for you. It is for household expenses that you incur on my behalf, and that includes moving Delight’s belongings to her new home. It is nothing to throw your few boxes and bags in with hers.”

  She could tell that Chase thought about debating that fact, but reluctantly inclined his head. He accepted the proffered card and slipped it into his back pocket. “I’ll take care of it.”

  She hated for Chase to leave, even if it was for only a few hours. After all he’d been through, she wanted to keep him close. He might say he was fine, but she could see the lines of pain around his mouth and the strain in his eyes.

  Delight held her tongue as he took his leave of them. It was time to start treating her brother like a man instead of a boy. That meant respecting his pride and letting him set his own boundaries. It was much easier in theory than in practice. She wanted to wrap him in a blanket and tuck him into bed like she had when he was a little boy and had gotten injured. Those days were over, but she could still love him and look out for him as much as he’d allow.

  “May I offer my congratulations as well?” Stefan bowed briefly to her. “Welcome to the family, Delight. You will meet Cristofor and Johanna tomorrow night. I took the liberty of calling them yesterday evening.” Lucian swore under his breath, but Stefan heard it and smiled. “Our older brother was not pleased that he had not been kept informed about things, but I believe that Johanna has him well in hand.

  “Now I must leave you.” Before Delight could respond, Stefan slipped through a door to the left of the fireplace, a wraith swallowed up by the dark of the night.

  “It is hard for him.” Lucian nibbled her neck, distracting her.

  “What’s hard?” She leaned back into his caress, sighing as his hands slipped up her torso to cup her breasts. Her insides turned soft and she felt the familiar ache between her thighs. There was no mistaking the fact that she wanted him. Her need for Lucian never seemed to diminish and she doubted it ever would. She cupped his growing erection that strained at the front of his pants. “Besides that.”

  “He is alone now that Cristofor and I have found our true loves.” Lucian stood with her cradled in his arms. “And the weight of it lays heavy on him. I worry for him.”

  “You don’t think he’d do anything drastic, do you?” She sensed Lucian’s deep fear for his brother. The fact that he was so worried scared her. She knew she really couldn’t truly understand the depth of Stefan’s loneliness, but she comprehended it was profound.

  “No. Not yet at any rate.” Lucian carried her easily through the house and up the darkened staircase. It was odd not to need lights in order to see. “I will confer with Cristofor when he comes. I will not lose him as we have lost others before.”

  Delight had more questions but he kissed her and drove them all from her mind. His firm lips devoured hers. He thrust his tongue inside her mouth, claiming it as his own. Frantically, she tugged on his hair, pulling him closer to her. He needed this right now and so did she.

  Everything else in her world might be tentative and uncertain, but not the passion that flared between them. She gave herself up to the fires of desire that smoldered within her, only waiting for his touch to ignite them.

  Chapter Twenty

  It was better than she’d ever dreamed it would be. Delight stood within the protective circle of her new husband’s arms and surveyed the small group of friends and family that had gathered for their wedding. The ceremony had been performed by a member of the clergy, surprising Delight.

  Lucian had taken a wicked delight at teasing her about it after the ceremony was over. “Did you expect both of us to burst into flames in the presence of a holy man?” He’d whispered the words in her ear just before kissing her in front of all their witnesses.

  She still had a lot to learn but was discovering more every day thanks to her new sister-in-law. Delight found she’d liked the other woman on sight. With her short, dark brown hair, golden-brown eyes, and a smattering of freckles that she tried to cover with makeup, Johanna was open and friendly with a wonderful sense of humor. Johanna was every bit as practical and grounded as she was, and every bit as normal. Having been human herself until a few months ago, she had helped ease some of Delight’s fears.

  Children had been a big question on her mind, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to ask Lucian about it. Somehow it was much easier to talk to another woman about these things. She’d never had another woman friend her age and found that she was enjoying the friendship and camaraderie. It was good to have an ally when it came to dealing with three overbearing, overprotective men. The two of them had bonded instantly, much to the unease of the brothers.

  According to Johanna, it was rare for a Dalakis bride to get pregnant, and the children were always male. Always. They aged naturally until they reached their full maturity and then stopped, their bodies muscular and honed to a peak of perfection.

  Lucian’s mother had been rare in that she’d given birth to three healthy sons all within a one-hundred-year span. Most had only one or two children spread over a span of their entire lives. Johanna suspected it was nature’s way of controlling the population, given the fact that vampires were basically immortal.

  But there had been tragedies. The brothers’ parents had died during the seventeenth century when their mother had been caught away from home after sunrise. She’d spent the night nursing a sick child in the nearby town and had taken shelter in the family’s root cellar. The members of the child’s family had been frightened by her deathlike appearance when they’d discovered her body and had fled to the village priest for help. The priest had declared her a vampire and cut off her head. The moment she died, their father had died as well.

  When the brothers awoke that evening, they’d found their father’s lifeless form. Their grief and rage had known no boundaries as they’d scoured the countryside in search of their mother’s remains. When they’d discovered what had been done, they’d taken their bloody revenge on the priest and then withdrawn to their castle home, shutting out the world around them. The town, which had depended on the Dalakis fortune for survival, had suffered and many eventually moved away, fearing that the land was now cursed. It was something that none of them ever talked about. Johanna had garnered the details from an old journal she’d found in the castle’s library.

  It was strange to imagine Lucian growing up in a real castle and that his brother still resided there. “What are you thinking?” Lucian wrapped his arms around her and nibbled on her neck.

  Delight leaned back into his loving embrace and gave a contented sighed. “Can’t you tell?”

  “I’m trying to respect your privacy by not peeking.” He tipped her head back and kissed her. A shiver ran down her spine and her nipples puckered against the bodice of her dress. It was always that way. Whenever he touched her, she was instantly aroused.