“I’m fine, just exhausted. I’m going to tuck Conor into bed, fix him a bottle for later, and get some sleep.”
He nodded. “I’ll be down in a little while.”
Rising, she kissed him on the cheek and then carried the baby upstairs to get him ready for bed.
Saintcrow stared after her, thinking their lives would never be the same again.
~ * ~
Saintcrow was sitting on the sofa a few nights later, reading the paper, when Kadie came downstairs.
“I have a favor to ask,” she said, snuggling against him.
He looked at her, one brow raised. “What is it, I’m afraid to ask.”
“Sofia and Holly are meeting at the Kincaid’s tonight to play Canasta. Do you think you could look after Conor for a couple of hours? He’s down for the night.”
Saintcrow blew out a sigh. He’d known this was bound to happen sooner or later. He was tempted to refuse, but she’d been working so hard, she deserved a night off. After what happened the last time she’d left home he would have said no, but Jake and Rose lived just down the road. Forcing a smile, he said, “Sure. Have a good time.”
“I don’t think Conor will wake up, but if he does, there’s a bottle in the fridge. I love you!” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and she was gone.
Tossing the paper aside, Saintcrow switched on the TV, found an old monster movie that always made him laugh, and settled back on the sofa.
The movie had just ended when Conor let out a wail.
Saintcrow swore softly. His first thought was to mesmerize the child and make him go back to sleep until Kadie got home. But then his curiosity got the best of him. Going into the kitchen, he pulled the bottle from the refrigerator, warmed it with a glance, and carried it up to the nursery. He hadn’t been in there more than once or twice and he paused a moment to look around. He saw Kadie’s touch in the blue walls and the white curtains, the antique shelf filled with toys and books and stuffed animals. The crib and a changing table stood against the far wall, along with a diaper pail.
Moving to the crib, he stared down at the baby. Thus far, he had avoided being alone in a room with the kid, had only held him when Kadie was present. From the smell emanating from Conor’s diaper, it was obvious the kid needed a change. He muttered an oath. Changing dirty diapers was a task he had managed to avoid, he mused, as he picked the boy up and carried him to the changing table. He removed the soiled diaper and disposed of it, ran a wipe over the boy’s little butt, and managed to get him into a clean diaper without too much trouble.
Picking he boy up, he settled in the rocker in the corner. Cradling the baby in his arm, he offered him the bottle. Conor latched onto it as if he hadn’t eaten in a week, his pale blue eyes fixed on Saintcrow’s face.
“What do you see, kid? Man or monster?”
One plump, tiny hand reached up and touched Saintcrow’s cheek. He flinched at the boy’s touch then covered the boy’s hand with his own.
Staring down at Conor, Saintcrow wondered once again if giving the kid a little of his blood would somehow quiet his urge to feed on him. What the hell, he thought, it was worth a try.
Biting his forefinger, he held it to the baby’s mouth. The kid swallowed and made a face.
“Too strong for ya, huh?” Saintcrow muttered. And even as he wondered if it had hurt or helped, he felt the bond that arced between himself and the child. Lifting the boy’s hand, he pricked Conor’s finger with the tip of one fang and licked the tiny drop of blood. And the bond grew stronger.
Rylan! What are you doing?Kadie’s shocked voice rang out in his mind only moments before she appeared in the room and grabbed the baby out of his arms.
“Wait a minute!” Saintcrow said. “Let me explain before you go off half-cocked and say things you’ll regret.”
“I regret trusting you with this child!” she exclaimed, her eyes red with rage.
“Darlin’, I didn’t hurt him. I just thought that by giving him a little of my blood, it might help me resist the urge to drink from him. And it did.”
“You bit him!”
Saintcrow nodded. “And I took a little of his so that I’ll always be able to find him.”
Kadie blinked at him. “You weren’t drinking from him,” she murmured. “You were bonding with him.”
“Yeah. Probably be a good idea if you took a little of his blood, too.”
Kadie gazed at Conor. Bite him? But Saintcrow was right. Doing so would allow her to find him whenever she needed to. Lifting his tiny hand, she squeezed the skin where Saintcrow had pricked Conor’s finger. A tiny drop of bright red oozed out and she licked it up.
