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The man just shook his head. “I wish you well, Tiffany.” To Emily, he said, “Looks like your daughter will get the training she needs.” His smile was crooked as he continued, “And I’ll be going now, and don’t worry, there’s no charge.” He was congenial enough, but had the look of a man who’d just escaped the executioner.
“Thank you,” Emily said.
The man inclined his head toward her then took off, rising swiftly into the air and heading back in the direction of downtown Freeport.
Emily caught her daughter’s arm. “Let’s return to earth for now.”
“Yes, Mama.”
Emily’s brows rose in surprise. But she was quick to accept a moment of grace with her daughter.
She took her gently by the arm and levitated her down to the ground. The child walked slowly, holding her mother’s hand. “I’ll be good, Mama. I will. You’ll see.”
Emily dropped to her knees and gathered her daughter to her chest. “It’s okay. You just needed something I couldn’t give you.” She looked up at Zane, nodding.
Tears burned Zane’s eyes. Truer words had never been spoken. As for his daughter, he had no illusions about the sudden shift in her attitude. It was temporary at best. Only time and attention to her vampire needs as well as diligent consistent discipline would make a real difference.
Tiffany glanced in Olivia’s direction, her gaze curious, but she didn’t say anything.
Zane moved to slide his arm around Olivia, holding her close. He introduced her to Tiffany, adding Olivia’s relationship to the shifter packs of Swanicott.
Tiffany’s eyes widened again. “You’re a shifter? So you can’t even fly?”
Olivia shook her head. “Nope. But I can do other things.”
“Like what?”
Olivia glanced at Zane. “Why don’t I show Tiffany what I can do? That way, you can have some time to catch up with Emily.”
“You wouldn’t mind?” Emily asked.
“Not at all. I love kids and I think I have a couple of tricks that can keep her entertained for awhile.”
Zane felt in those words all of Olivia’s future intentions toward his newly discovered daughter. He turned to Emily and asked if it would be all right.
“Yes, of course. I think she would enjoy spending time with a shifter.”
Olivia crossed to Tiffany and gave full expression to her wolf-ness by shifting right in front of her. Tiffany clapped her hands and laughed.
Emily suggested they sit on the back porch to talk over the details of basically shared custody. Emily wanted four days at her house, but Zane didn’t think three-days-a-week in flight school would be enough for Tiffany. The last thing he would do tonight, however, was argue with her.
He sat in a chair beside her, but throughout the conversation, much of his attention was fixed on his daughter.
He shook his head in disbelief. He had a daughter. He wondered how long it would take before the idea seemed real to him.
Olivia chased Tiffany all around the yard. When Olivia raced behind Tiffany and nipped at her heel then raced away, Tiffany screamed.
Emily rose from her chair, a hand to her chest. “Tiffany?”
Zane heard her motherly concern.
But the girl had already taken off after Olivia, flying at top speed, laughing loudly the whole time.
Definitely, his daughter.
He tugged Emily back down to her chair. “She’s in good hands. You’ll see. And Olivia won’t let her get away with anything.”
“Sure. Okay.” She groaned softly, a tormented sound that helped Zane to better understand the pressure Emily had been under.
