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"Good." Roman nodded. "You're looking a little better, Angus."
Only because of the bairn. "Yer baby is... special."
"Of course he is." Shanna took Constantine from him. "How did you two get along?"
"Verra well." Angus followed her to the crib. "He has... bonny eyes."
"Yes." Shanna smiled as she placed Constantine in the crib.
"What is this?" Angus touched the unusual mobile hanging over the baby's head. "Bats?"
Roman chuckled. "A gift from Gregori. His idea of a joke."
"Aye." Connor wound up the contraption. "It plays the theme song from the X-Files."
The tinkling music started, and the blue plastic bats flew around in a circle. Constantine's eyes widened, and he flailed his arms and legs.
"I heard you gave the baby a sporran," Roman said. "Thank you."
Connor chuckled. "Just doona give him any Scotch whisky till he's - oh, about eight."
"Eight?" Shanna gaped in horror.
Connor grinned. "He'll need a claymore by the age of ten."
Shanna shook her head. "Men. Always planning ahead for a violent world."
Roman frowned. "As long as evil abounds, we have no choice." He put a hand on Angus's shoulder. "How are you, old friend? Are you ready to talk?"
Angus wandered back to the crib and stared at the mobile. The bats were circling now at a slower pace. "There's nothing to say."
Shanna huffed. "Emma obviously disagrees. She's been trying to contact you for a week."
Angus closed his eyes briefly. He knew he was being a coward.
"I e-mailed her," Roman said. "I told her to come and be changed back whenever she was up to it."
"Did she say when she was coming?" Angus asked. The bats were slowing to a stop.
"She didn't answer," Roman said. He joined Angus at the crib. "She may want to discuss the matter with you first."
Angus gripped the crib railing. "She wants to rant at me for killing her. I know she hates me."
"Are you sure about that?" Shanna asked softly.
"Of course she hates me!" Angus paced across the nursery. "I turned her into the verra creature she hates the most."
"Then why hasn't she come here to get changed back?" Shanna asked.
"I think you should see her," Roman said. "What if she wants to forgive you?"
Angus snorted. "How could she?" He couldn't forgive himself.
"All things are possible through love," Roman whispered.
Angus closed his eyes as he felt tears gathering. He swayed and placed a palm on the wall to steady himself. He couldn't go on like this, overwhelmed with such guilt and failure. He'd sworn to protect her, but he had killed her.
A knock sounded on the door. "I'm looking for Angus MacKay," a strange voice announced.
Angus turned to see a young man in a suit, hovering by the door. "I am the MacKay."
The young man entered the nursery, smiling. "You're a hard man to find, Mr. MacKay." He handed Angus an envelope. "You've been served." He strolled from the room.
Angus ripped open the envelope and scanned the papers. "The devil take it." The papers slipped from his hands and fluttered to the floor.
"What is it?" Roman asked.
Angus leaned against the wall, stunned.
"I have to return to London. Emma is suing me for pain and damages."
"I have good news and bad news," Richard Beckworth announced when Angus strode into the solicitor's London office.
"Is she here?" Angus's heart thundered in his chest. A part of him dreaded seeing Emma again. He recalled her beautiful face that had once gazed upon him with so much love. Now he imagined it full of hatred and recrimination. How much more pain could his heart endure?
But another part of him longed to see her. She had every right to be angry. He'd transformed her against her will. If she needed money so she could take time off to recover from the trauma he'd caused, he could understand that. In fact, he'd give her enough to make sure she never wanted for anything. He just wanted her to return to a normal, happy, mortal life.
"Miss Wallace and her solicitor are in the conference room." Beckworth relaxed in the chair behind his desk. "First, I wanted to catch you up to speed, old chap. The good news is they want to settle out of court."
"Of course they do." Angus sat in a wingback chair facing Beckworth. Richard had been his solicitor for the past hundred and seventy-five years. "She can hardly walk into a mortal courtroom and claim that I killed her. Even though I did."
Beckworth winced. "Don't admit to any wrongdoing in their presence. It was also a brilliant move on your part to get rid of your harem last week."
"What was brilliant about it? It cost me a bloody fortune." Angus had inherited five Vamp women when he became the British coven master in 1950. He'd ignored them for years. They were stashed away in his castle in Scotland, and Beckworth handled their monthly allowance.
After this ordeal with Emma, Angus had wanted to return to his castle, but he didn't want the harem there. Beckworth had drawn up the necessary papers to set them free. Unfortunately, the price of their freedom had been high. Angus had agreed to buy them a townhouse in London and pay support for ten years.
Beckworth shook his head. "Imagine how upset Miss Wallace would be if your harem was still intact."
Angus swallowed hard. "Does she know about them?"
Beckworth snorted. "Of course. Her solicitor was eager to add the harem to her list of grievances, accusing you of polygamy."
"Bloody hell. I was never married to them."
Beckworth shrugged. "Common-law marriage. The point is moot, though, since you've already legally separated from them. Her solicitor will make a stink of it, but don't worry, their case is weak."
"Richard, I doona mind paying damages. How much has she asked for?"
Beckworth winced. "That's the bad news, old chap. She doesn't want money. She - she's asking for controlling interest in MacKay Security and Investigation."
"What?" Angus leaped to his feet. "She wants my business?"
"Not entirely. Just fifty-one percent."
"She canna have it!" Angus paced across the office. "Why would she ask such a thing?" The answer dawned on him immediately. That clever vixen. She knew exactly how to inflict the sharpest wound. His business was the closest thing to his heart, other than her.
"The obvious reason is revenge, but there could be more to this request." Beckworth steepled his fingertips as he considered. "Perhaps she feels insecure about making a living for the rest of eternity. This move would certainly give her long-term job security."
Angus snorted. "I would have gladly given her a job. And a damned good salary."
Beckworth frowned. "If this goes through, she'll be giving you a job."
Angus scowled at the carpet as he paced. "I'll offer thirty percent." That might be a good idea, actually. If he could keep her working alongside him, perhaps her anger would dissipate in time, and she would learn to love him again. "She can have up to forty-nine percent, but no more."
Beckworth's eyes widened. "Are you serious? Your company's worth a fortune."
Angus shrugged. His mission of protecting the innocent and tracking down murderous vampires had always been more important than the money. He had very few needs, other than bottled blood and a safe place to sleep. "I need to take care of her."
"You're in love with her, aren't you?"
Angus slowed to a stop. "Aye, I am."
There was a hint of a smile before Beckworth schooled his features. "Go on to the conference room. I'll be there as soon as I get some papers together."
Angus took a deep breath. It was time to see Emma.
Emma fidgeted in her chair. What was taking so long? Her stomach was in knots and her heart was pounding. What if Angus was furious? What if he thought she was attacking him? Shame on him for driving her to such drastic measures. She jumped at the sound of footsteps outside the door. Angus was coming. She stood.
The door opened. Her breath hitched when he entered. His face was slanted downward, so she couldn't see his expression. He turned to shut the door.
He was wearing the familiar blue and green plaid kilt. Her heart ached with longing. He turned to face her. His green eyes widened.
