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On the deck above, I heard the other three bringing the dinghy aboard. The engine sputtered to life and the boat swung around, heading back the way we came. I left Eden long enough to fire up the heat, then lifted her back onto my lap.
Twilight popped into the cabin to check on us. She frowned, seeing Eden’s shivers. “She needs a hot drink.” The lithe, dark-haired vampire moved around the tiny galley, opening and shutting cupboards.
“Don’t bother,” I said. “This boat’s not set up to cook while we’re running. Things’ll go flying as soon as we hit a rough patch.” As if in emphasis, the boat crested a wave, landing on the other side with a bone-jarring thump.
“How about another blanket then?” Twilight dug one out of the storage chest and tucked it around me and Eden. “And water.” She handed Eden a bottle and she drained it.
Meanwhile, Twilight uncorked a bottle of blood-wine and passed it to me. I accepted it gratefully; I could barely recall the last time I’d fed. I drank my fill and handed the bottle back.
“Anything else?” she asked Eden.
“No, thank you.” Eden closed her eyes and rested her head against my bare chest. Her teeth had finally stopped chattering, although she clutched my shoulder with one hand like she was afraid I might vanish if she didn’t hang on tight.
Something unknotted inside me.
It felt like I could breathe deeply again. Like my heart could beat the way it was supposed to. Like the world could resume turning.
Eden was back. She was in my arms where she belonged.
The rightness of it filled my chest with an almost human warmth.
I glanced up to see Twilight’s mouth hitched in a knowing smile. “I’ll leave you two alone, then.”
“Thank you,” I said, my gaze returning to Eden, who’d closed her eyes.
I stroked her matted hair and murmured soothingly, telling her she was going to be all right, that we’d have her home in an hour or so. She nodded sleepily and relaxed against me. We sat that way for long minutes, her drowsing in my arms, me trying to come to terms with that feeling of rightness.
That warmth.
Hell, yeah, you’re in love with her.
I hadn’t really believed in love, figured it was more a mating urge than anything else.
I’d told myself I’d never fall in love. Love made you stupid or weak or both. I only had to look at my mom to see how it could fuck your life up.
When I mated, I’d choose wisely, leaving messy emotions out of it.
My throat closed up. I sipped in a breath—and gave into those messy, inconvenient emotions.
I loved Eden, and yeah, she was my mate. It was time to stop resisting, to admit that I wanted forever with her. If she’d died, I would’ve wanted to plunge a stake into my own heart.
The small cabin warmed rapidly. Eden’s shivers finally eased. She stiffened, her hand flying to her abdomen.
My brows lowered in a worried frown. “What’s the matter?”
“The baby…he moved.” She gulped. “I haven’t felt anything since we came aboard, and I was afraid.”
“They…they didn’t hurt you, did they? Other than your cheek?” The question scraped out of my throat.
“No. Not like you mean. I even had food and water—your dad made sure of it.”
I feathered my fingertips over her swollen cheek. Sending Lemaire to his final grave as part of a fair fight had been too good for the SOB.
“As soon as we dock, I’ll call Olivia and have her check you both out.”
She nodded her thanks and fell silent again. Her breath deepened and she fell asleep. A few minutes later, the boat slowed, and she stirred.
“We’re back?”
