Page 82 of Damian’s Conquest

Nina chuckled, and there was a sparkle in her eyes. She leaned in and dropped her voice to a whisper. “I’m eating for two.”

Naomi gasped. “You’re pregnant?”

She laughed, and shook her head. “No. But I have to eat enough for me and Amaury.”

Finally, it clicked. “Oh, sorry, sometimes I’m so dense.”

“It’s all new for you. Just go ahead and have another Danish. You won’t gain any weight.”

“But I always do.”

Nina put her hand on her forearm. “Has Damian bitten you yet?”

Heat shot into her cheeks, and she was lost for words.

“Just like I thought. I haven’t seen you with him yet, but Amaury told me how Damian looks at you. It would have surprised me if he wasn’t drinking your blood.”

“I’m… it’s…” Goddamn it, she was as flustered as if her boyfriend’s mother had just walked in on them having sex. No, worse, having sex and Damian sinking his fangs into her breasts.

“No need to blush, Naomi. Damian didn’t just inherit Amaury’s good looks. Even as a little boy, his appetite for blood was quite insatiable.” She smirked. “So have another Danish. You’ll need it. Because whenever the boys come back from a rescue mission, they’re quite hungry. And not just for blood.”

Naomi couldn’t believe how openly Nina talked about sex. She’d never met a mother who was as easygoing as her. Nina was talking more like a girlfriend than a woman who was at least thirty years her senior. She didn’t just look young, she behaved young.

“You’re so nice.”

“I like you too, Naomi.” She was about to say something else, when her cell phone chimed. She looked at the display. “That’s Amaury.” She picked it up and pressed it to her ear. She listened for a while, then said, “Thanks, baby.”

Nina disconnected the call. “They’ve freed Mick. He’s alive, just a bit drained. Literally. Grayson and Sebastian are bringing him in, together with Cynthia. They should be here in about fifteen minutes.”

“And Tracy?” Naomi held her breath.

“No word from Damian yet.”

Her heart began to beat faster, and again she experienced the same nervousness as before. Warm hands on hers startled her.

“Damian will be fine. Besides, he’s got three hybrids as backup. Now eat, and we’ll join Amaury and the others when they bring in Mick. They’ll probably take him down to the medical center.”

“The medical center. Damian mentioned the other day that Scanguards has its own little hospital, and its own emergency response unit.”

“We do, because we can’t send people with certain injuries to a regular hospital. There would be too many questions.”

“You mean you don’t just treat vampires there? Humans too?”

Nina nodded. “If they were attacked by a vampire, or if they are associated with Scanguards, then yes, we treat humans there.”

“All the things I’ve seen and heard about in the last few days, they’re amazing. This is like a separate world. I still can’t believe that I’m seeing all this. I want to pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming.”

“And do you like that dream?” she asked unexpectedly.

Naomi met Nina’s gaze. “Yes, I do. Because Damian is in it.”

35

Damian shoved his cell phone back into his pocket. “Mick is safe, but Tracy wasn’t held at the same location. She’s most likely here.” He gestured to the house on the other side of the street.

He, Ryder, Cooper, and Vanessa were sitting in Ryder’s SUV.

“Ryder, you and Vanessa go around the back, and make sure Ralph doesn’t escape out that way while Cooper and I enter in the front.” Damian motioned to Cooper. “How are your lockpicking skills coming along?”