Chapter One Hundred Eight He sat back in the seat of the private jet, watching the stars out of the window. They were well over the ocean now, heading towards Australia, although it was impossible to distinguish the waters below. They had only been in the air two hours, and Anton already missed his wife and son horribly. Bryn had looked absolutely ravishing in her dress, although oddly vulnerable at the same time. He should be there by her side, at the opening, encouraging her as she showed off her artwork. It had taken all his willpower to stay safely in the shuttered kitchen when she went to her car during the pre-sunset hours. And then leaving Max... He sighed. His son had known something unusual was happening from the moment woke up. Nothing Anton did seemed to soothe him. Max didn't want his bottle, kicked and cried while being changed, and was just fussy in general. He constantly looked around, trying to find Mommy, and resisting Anton's efforts to hold him close. The vampire felt sorry when he handed Max over to Jess to baby sit. The pack would head to the gallery to look at Bryn's works, but would miss the opening night. He barely had time to pack and gather his passport when the driver arrived. The ride had passed uneventfully until the driver mentioned that they would be another two passengers on his flight. Anton had a good idea who one of the passengers would be. So he wasn't surprised when an hour after boarding the private jet, Richard, his arm around a female companion, walked in on the plane. Whereas Anton had chosen to travel in casual clothes, Richard was dressed in a suit, the woman in a dress. She was blonde, but very pale. Anton got the sense, one he couldn't quite explain, that not only was she his lover, but his meal as well. There were no marks on her throat, but there was gossip that Richard was choosy enough about the appearance of his lovers that he chose other more easily hidden places to feed from. "Anton," Richard acknowledged stiffly. The other vampire's eyes drifted to the empty seat next to Anton. "Your wife is not accompanying you?" "Lilith specifically requested my presence," Anton explained. "And Sabryn is involved in opening a new gallery tonight." "She paints? How amusing," Richard said. "Besides, this business is best kept between vampires. Humans need not worry their pretty heads," he tickled his companion's chin, "about such matters." At that point, Anton had resumed reading, studiously ignoring Richard. He knew he wouldn't be able to hide behind the newspaper for the entire flight, but he was going to try his best to do so. Richard took up a lot of the steward's time, demanding various meals, drinks, and occasionally offering his scraps to the girl. Granted his scraps did consist of pieces of lobster and other gourmet faire. Still, the few times Anton did raise his head, she looked miserable. Discreetly watching Anton as Richard ate, she wondered if he was like her 'lover'. If so, the louse deserved her disdain. She could still feel the sting of the bites on her hip. They chafed every time she moved too close to the arm rest. Anton, for his part, ate his meal in silence. He noticed an article in the entertainment section mentioning the opening of the Nepthene. He made a mental note to save the newspaper in case Bryn didn't have a copy of the article. He was missing her so much already, and it would be at least a week before he saw her or Max. Trying to distract himself, he looked out the window to see if he could see any stars, trying not to think of what they were doing, and failing miserably. The last thing he needed was to have his name spread around among the employees. Still, he didn't lie when the tall blond woman asked his name. He was mildly surprised that he wasn't detained and arrested on the spot. [Maybe she doesn't hate me, after all.] He told himself he didn't care if she did or not. Mostly it was true. But deep down he felt a twinge of guilt. The blond, who he'd heard one of the guards call Vandala, looked him over with a critical eye. Whatever she saw in his direct gaze and polished attire, she must not have considered him too much of a threat. She did, however, escort him up to Ms. Adrik's office. He was mildly amused as he imagined her wrestling him to the ground if he got out of hand. He could smell her vampire strength a mile away. The elevator ride to the second floor was uneventful. The vampire didn't fear him, and he meant her no harm. At least, not unless she provoked him. She led him directly down the hallway and to Lindy's office, knocking politely before sticking her head through the door. "Sorry to interrupt. There's a Marrok Deschamps here to see you. Should I let him in?" "I'm sorry?" Lindy said, not quite believing she heard Vandala the first time. "Marrok Deschamps is here to me?" She could feel the blood drain from her face. He couldn't be here to try to kidnap her, could he? And if he were, why would he be telling everyone his name? She realized that Vandala was staring at her with a puzzled look on her face. "Send him in, but stay close by," she said softly. "Is Alex still here?" Arching an eyebrow, Vandala said, "He is. Would you like me to send for him?" "No," she said, a little too quickly. "Not yet. Actually, don't say anything to him unless something happens. I don't want to alarm him." "Should I be alarmed?" "I hope not," Lindy answered, cryptically. Hesitating for a moment, Vandala finally opened the door and stepped aside to let Marrok enter. Unlike the last time Lindy'd seen him, he looked almost professional. His brown slacks were nicely pressed, he wore a white dress shirt and a lightly patterned tie. No suit jacket, but highly polished shoes. Close cropped brown hair, freshly shaven face, manicured hands. No scratches and scrapes on his fingers. No dark circles under his eyes. No evidence at all of the predator he was...except maybe for the way he studied her. He was nearly drinking in the sight of her. "I'll be just outside in case you need anything," Vandala said, partially closing the door behind her. Marrok watched her go out of the corner of his eye before turning his attention back to Lindy. "You're wondering what I'm doing here." "The thought had crossed my mind." She palmed the silver letter opener that she had been assaying. Before her Transformation, she wouldn't have let something like that in her office for safety reason. Now she relished working with them. Standing up, she walked out from behind her desk to stand eye to eye with him. Her face was emotionless as she stared at him. Cobra quick, she slapped his face, nails raking across his skin. "How dare you come here after what you did to me." He hissed but didn't flinch as she struck him. He knew it was coming. Tamping down the urge to get violent, he felt the scratches on his face close up, leaving only a slight sting behind. Narrowing his eyes at her, he ground out, "I let you go. And I didn't take what was rightfully mine. Or did you forget that?" "No. That's the only reason I haven't killed you where you stand." She wasn't going to let him intimidate her like he had before. This was her territory, and she held the cards here. And he knew it. One yell, and Vandala would be in here to protect her, if she hadn't already used the silver letter opener on him. "Now what are you doing here, Marrok?" He looked like he wanted to glare at her, but managed to keep his tone civil. "I want to see my son. Without getting my head lopped off by your family. This isn't one of the best places to negotiate, but I really didn't think you'd accept an invitation to my house. At least not without bring the FBI along." Lindy crossed her arms, an eyebrow arched. "You really think after threatening to kill me and take your son anyway that I'm going to allow you to get within ten feet of him? How do I know that you're not going to try to stake me or my husband and then take Liam?" He smiled at her, casually stepping over to take a seat on her couch. "What makes you think I won't do that anyway? It's not as if I haven't had the opportunity. In case you haven't noticed, I came here under a flag of truce. I want to make a deal with you. The boy deserves a little peace in his life. And as long as you agree with me, he'll have it." Crossing his ankle over his knee, Marrok leaned back and watched her. "Give me regular visitation with my son, and I won't interfere with you raising him." "And I'm supposed to believe you. After you made your feelings about vampires crystal clear." Although it might be a good resolution. Part of Lindy felt that Liam should get to know his biological father, or at least until the boy was old enough to say if he wanted to or not. She had always wondered what her mother was like, and would have given anything for time with her, even just a few minutes. But how would she get Nate to agree? "I honestly don't care whether you believe me or not. I will see him, one way or another. It's up to you whether you want to cooperate. This is your chance to make things easy on yourself. Unless you have a taste for violence...but somehow I got the feeling that you're trying to suppress that." He smirked at her. "You don't know what you're missing, Lindy. Everyone needs to run a little wild once in a while." "That's Mrs. Rudenko to you," she said with a hiss. Why did his words make her feel like she needed to take a shower to get the slime off? But his offer was tempting. Let him see Liam every so often, and they wouldn't have to worry about Marrok snatching him away. But that was only if Marrok could be trusted, something Lindy wasn't certain of. "I need to think about it." "Mrs. Rudenko? I thought there already was one of those. Don't tell me she died? That would be a pity." "She's perfectly healthy, no thanks to you," Lindy snapped. "Not that it's any of your business, but Rudenko is my husband's proper last name. Adrik was something he assumed for a while." She wondered why she was telling him any of this. And why she wasn't kicking him out of her office. "I see. I didn't think you were the type to take up with another man like that. I'm pleased to know I was right." He lifted his nose slightly, sniffing the air. "Although it's fairly obvious...I can smell him on you. Your husband. He wears enough aftershave for two people. Your perfume is a different story. I think I could sniff that all day and never get enough." She almost countered that she wasn't wearing any perfume, but a chill ran up her spine. He couldn't have meant it the way he sounded. Marrok had made his feelings about vampires and those who slept with them abundantly clear. "What does this have to do with Liam?" "I don't want my son raised by just anyone. If I thought you were fucking around with any man that came along, I wouldn't hesitate to take 'Liam' back. I'll tolerate your husband," he said, sneering the word, "because you trust him. And I, believe it or not, know that you are the best chance my son has at having a good life." That was an admission she knew was hard for him to make. Lindy stared at Marrok, wishing desperately she could just scent him the way she did when she was a werewolf to see if he was telling the truth. "I have to think about it," she said honestly. "I don't want to cut you out of Liam's life, but I have to consider what's best for him." "Fair enough." He stood up slowly, brushing down his slacks. Cautiously, he walked closer to her, invading her personal space. She brought up the knife between them, eyes fierce, but didn't stab him even when his body pushed her arm back towards her body. His body was touching her, and if he'd been her lover he was definitely close enough to kiss her, but she stood her ground and didn't scream for her bodyguard. And although there was fear in her scent, she didn't let it show on her face. Mouth close to her ear, voice soft enough to be a whisper, he murmured, "You earned my respect, Lindy. That just doesn't happen to me, vampire or otherwise. I thought you should know that." Backing away from her, he watched her blink at him in confusion. "I'll be in touch...by phone. And I'll see myself out." Reaching for the door knob, he cast one more glance over his shoulder. "Be careful on your way out to your car. There's all kinds of weirdoes hanging around this late at night." She stood there, watching as he retreated out the door. Once he was gone from sight, she dropped into her chair, letting her weapon fall from her grasp. "What the hell just happened?" she murmured. "And how am I going to explain it to Nate?" It took a lot of convincing to get the desk clerk to give her a key without first calling the room for permission. After checking her driver's license and passport--and Max's passport--he reluctantly handed over the key and gave her luggage to a bell boy to be brought up later. Nearly bouncing in the elevator, she kissed Max's cheek. "Are you ready to surprise Daddy?" Too captivated with his own reflection in the mirror-like shine of the doors, Max didn't answer. Not that she'd expected him to. Hitching her purse strap and the diaper bag's higher on her shoulder, she watched the numbers increasing rapidly on their ascent. Finally the carriage slowed and jerked to a stop, a bell sounding their arrival. Glancing once more at the keycard in her hand, Bryn stepped out into the hallway, dragging the empty stroller along behind her. It had been three long nights and days since she'd last seen Anton, and she couldn't wait to wrap her arms around him. She couldn't wait to see Max's face light up when he heard his daddy's voice. When they reached the correct door, she quietly inserted the keycard and opened the door, careful not to bang anything against the wall. If he was going by a normal schedule, he'd probably just gone to bed. Give or take an hour or so, from the time difference. She wasn't surprised to see the living room of the suite darkened. In the bedroom, Anton laid sprawled out over the bed, trying to get some sleep. Much to his disappointment, Bryn hadn't answered the phone call he placed to their home It would have been early evening, and she should have been home in theory. Figuring that she had an errand to run, he left a message, promising to email her when he woke up. So far the Council meeting had been somewhat productive. The vampire in question who had aided in Natasha's escape had been sentence to an execution which would happen the next evening. But even Lilith's formidable persuasion hadn't revealed where Natasha's whereabouts. It gave some satisfaction to see him dealt with, but mostly he was missing Bryn. Sighing, he rolled over onto his side. [I must be missing her more than I realized,] Anton thought. [I can almost smell her perfume.] Standing in the open doorway beyond the end of the bed, she watched him with a smile on her face. He had that pouty look he sometimes got, that always made her putty in his hands. And while thinking of his hands, she couldn't help but notice how empty they were. His large, powerful, and yet so tender hands, that she couldn't wait feel on her skin. She bit her lip at the sigh he let out, and stepped forward, unable to make either of them wait a second more. Stopping at the opposite side of the bed, she settled Max down on the comforter and let him crawl/climb his way over to Anton. He felt something tugging on the blankets. Anton rolled over and jolted to wakefulness when he saw his son there. "Max?" he said, sitting up. He wasn't sure that he was dreaming until he picked up the boy. He smiled brightly, scooping Max against his chest. And his smile got wider when he saw Bryn standing there "If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up," Anton said as he reached for his wife. "When did you get here?" She climbed on to the mattress, walking on her knees and settling down next to him. "Just now," she said, leaning closer to kiss his mouth. "I told the manager to send up my bags in an hour, so I could have some time to surprise you." Scooting close to his side, she wrapped her arm around his waist and settled her head on his shoulder. Releasing a loud groan of approval as he embraced her as well. "Surprise!" He pulled her tight against his body and tilted back to recline on the bed "I can't tell you how much I've missed you, my dear," Anton said, kissing her lightly. He bounced Max higher against his chest. "I think that you've grown an inch since I've left, Max." Splitting his attention back to Bryn, he nuzzled her neck lightly. "I can't quite believe you're here, my dear. How did you manage to get time off?" "A lot of begging, cajoling...and a little bribery." She smiled at him. He smelled so wonderful it made her a bit lightheaded. She could barely resist the urge to crawl into his lap...deciding to at least wrap her leg over his. Sliding her hand over his chest, she circled his left nipple with her fingertip. "I told him that if he let me go now, I'd work overtime for a week and bring in more of my paintings. Oh, and the final total finally came in from the opening. I made a little over a hundred." She smirked. "Thousand." Anton made a slight choking sound "Over a hundred thousand? That's wonderful!" His arm tightened around her waist. "I am so proud of you Bryn. Which paintings sold? All of them?" He wanted to show Bryn exactly how proud of her he was, and how happy he was to see her here But that might be a bit tricky since there wasn't a crib in the room for Max. "Almost all of them. Actually, the one I thought people would really like, Autumn, the girl with wild red hair--the buyer backed out at the last minute. I'm not sure why, but Justin seemed to think it wouldn't be long before someone else made an offer. There were a couple of sets that didn't sell, either, but I think the subject matter was a little too bleak. I guess no one wants pictures of grave stones in their living rooms." She squirmed a bit, warmed by his smile. It felt so good to have him so proud of her. It was almost the best feeling in the world. "Then there were some I couldn't bear to part with, even if they'd sold for millions. But I left those at home." Sliding her hand down, she gently rubbed his stomach and felt him twitch beneath her. Anton's smile grew even brighter. "That is wonderful news, my dear. I can't tell you how proud I am of you. I'm sure that it's just the beginning of a long and wonderful career." He leaned over and kissed her again, this time more deeply. This is what he had been hoping for when Bryn took the job. As the kiss threatened to become something more, Anton felt a slap against his chest. He looked down to see Max staring back up at him with sleepy looking eyes. "You want me to pay more attention to you, Max? Or are you ready for a nice, long nap?" "I think he'd love both...maybe falling asleep on Daddy's chest?" She kissed Anton back, before untangling their legs. "Why don't I give you two a few minutes alone? I think I'm going to raid the mini bar and then go take a hot shower. That was the longest, most hellacious flight I've ever been on." Scooting to the edge of the bed, she glanced over her shoulder at him. "I'll leave the door open...in case you want to join me later." "I will definitely join you in a few minutes, my dear." He blew a kiss at her as she went into the bathroom. He then turned his attention to the little boy resting against his skin. "I've missed you a lot, Maxim. Have you missed me?" Anton gently patted Max's back as his son cuddled closer. He gently rocked back and forth, knowing that his son must have been tired from the flight over. One he was sure that Max was asleep, he gently put the baby down in the center of the bed before climbing out. He then hurried over to the bathroom, eager to see his wife. "How horrible was the flight, my dear?" he asked. Bryn looked up in the midst of unbuttoning her pants. She was bare from her waist up and couldn't help but blush as he stared at her. "No worse than any other, I guess. I hope you don't mind, but I chartered a plane. I wanted to get here as fast as we could. But it still took forever. I'm so tired I feel cross-eyed." She stared at the bridge of her nose to illustrate her point. "Now that I'm here, though, I don't think I'll be getting any sleep soon. Not that I want to." "I don't think I'll be getting any sleep either, now that you're here." Anton crossed the room to pull her into his arms. "I still can't believe that you're here, my dear." Stroked her his hands through her hair before cupping her face. "I'm glad that you chartered the plane. I have missed you so much, Bryn. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you." His hands slid down her back and then circled to the front to finish undoing her pants. "But I can show you" "Mmm." She pressed her palms to his chest, leaning close to kiss his skin. A little smile curved her lips. "Just yesterday you seemed light years away. There were little moments during the day when I'd get so hopeless wanting you that I'd start worrying about things that could happen to keep us apart." Sliding her arms around his torso, she hugged him tightly, unwilling to let go. "I love being able to touch you whenever I want. But...I have a small confession to make. And it makes me feel a little guilty." "What's that?" he asked. "I--I didn't miss you as much as I thought I would. I mean, there were even moments when I liked having the bed all to myself. Weird, huh?" Anton smiled tenderly as he pushed her slacks over her hips. "I understand what you mean, my dear. But I'm very glad that you're here with me now." He kissed her forehead softly. It wasn't exactly a relief, but a reassurance that Bryn was able to stand on her own feet. His hands roamed over her back. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you," he said, bending slightly so he could nuzzle her neck. Bryn wrapped her arms around his shoulders, lifting up on her toes to meet his height. Her chest was painfully tight as he squeezed her close to him. [He loves me so much. He tells me he missed me horribly, and I tell him not so much. Stupid, stupid, stupid.] Clenching her eyes shut, she pressed her lips to his before whispering, "I love you so much." He threaded his fingers through her hair. "It may sound silly, my dear, but even though I missed you, I'm glad that you said you didn't miss me as much." He nodded at her quizzical expression. "I was afraid that you wouldn't handle me being gone so well. That I was making you too dependent on me." He squeezed her waist. "Does that make any sense my dear?" "Yes and no," she said, still frowning. "I wouldn't want you to miss me any less. It feels almost...unfaithful or something. Not that I was thinking about anyone else when you were gone. It's..." She shook her head. "It feels a little like I just said I don't love you as much as I once did. But that's not true, at all. And I'd hate for you to ever think that. If anything, I think I miss you more when you're at work for the night. Because you're so close and I can't see you." Anton took her head in his hands, tilting it back to they were staring in each other's eyes. "I don't think that you love me less at all, Bryn. It's okay for you to feel that way. Besides," he said, a playful gleam coming into his eye. "Maybe it's good for us to spend a little time apart." Anton's hips gave a shallow thrust against hers. "Makes the lovemaking more intense when we reunite." She nodded, her hands settling on his hips. "Although sometimes I don't know how it could be. I love everything you do to me." Pushing herself closer to him, she gently kissed his mouth, sucking and tugging his lower lip. It felt so good to have his arms around her again. She'd missed that very much. Going to sleep and waking up in his embrace. She'd only wanted the bed to herself for a short period of time. Anything more and she thought she would go crazy. "I want you to do naughty things to me. Make me squeal." "Yes, ma'am." Anton began kissing her mouth, pulling on her lips and tongue. He let his hands slide down to stroke along her sides and tangle in her underwear. His mouth traveled down her neck to her shoulders as he worked her underwear down her legs. "How loud do you want me to make you squeal? Do you want to yell so loudly Lilith has to tell us to shut up?" She giggled at the visual his words produced. "Absolutely. I want to yell so loudly we won't be able to hear her telling us to shut up!" Reaching for one of his hands, she happily left the other to its task as she raised his palm to cover her breast. Her nipple hardened even further under his touch, and she let out a soft whimper as he pinched it between his fingers. Reaching around to squeeze his ass, she teased the cleft with her fingertips. Anton gave a soft moan, wiggling his ass in an attempt to get her fingers lower. He managed to work her underwear down to her ankles. Smiling, the head of his erection rubbing against her stomach, he pulled her tighter against his body. He started to kiss her neck with an open mouth just behind her ear. Stooping slightly, he picked her up, waiting for her to wrap her legs around his waist, and carried her into the shower. Shivering as the hot water hit her back, Bryn firmly slid her body against his. His skin felt slightly damp already, even though she was blocking most of the spray, and she had to press her lips to his shoulder to taste the salty flavor. It amazed her how he effortlessly held her up while also managing to touch her wherever he could. His strength was always an incredible turn-on...she guessed she was lucky he'd been built this way at his Transformation. He never needed to work out to maintain his powerful, muscular stature. His body would always excite her, and she hoped hers would do the same for him. "I want you, sugar. So much." "Soon, my dear, soon" His breathing had deepened as his arm went tighter around her body. He shuddered as he felt her mouth exploring his skin. Still plucking lightly at her nipple, he let the fingers of his other hand dip down into the crease of her ass, and let out a drawn out groan as her hand on his ass tightened. Impatient to have him inside her, she shifted her hips forward, rubbing against him, situating herself above his cock. He groaned, his breath hot on her face. Using her hands, she positioned him and slowly began sinking down to cover him. Her teeth bit into her lip as he began to stretch her. Even just days made him feel brand new. "More...help me." Anton let go of her breast to grab her hips. Slowly he pushed deeper into her, moaning at how tightly she gripped his cock. Trying to get more leverage, Anton pressed her against the cool tiles of the shower, working himself deeper and deeper into her body. "Missed this, missed you, so much..." Arching her back, she pushed back against him until he was fully embedded within her. She let out a whiny sigh, letting her head fall forward to rest against his. "Me too," she murmured, eyes closed. "Why is that I never feel complete until you're inside me? I even sleep better this way. If it weren't for the strange looks we'd get in public, I'd suggest we stay this way all the time." She smiled as he laughed. "I really do think you were made for me. Or vice versa. I never imagined I could feel this good. This...perfect." His breathing was labored, as if he had been running a marathon. "We were meant...to be...together...forever." He could barely move, she was gripping him so tightly. And yet he somehow managed it. He let out a contented moan as his thrusts became more smooth and steady. "I love you so much, Bryn. And if I have anything to say about it, I'm going to love you like this forever." She smiled widely at him, even though it slipped a bit with his every move. She realized she believed him, and had faith that he would. That had to be the best feeling ever invented. "I know you will." Wrapping her arms and legs securely around him, she sought to stay as tight against his body as possible. Kissing his mouth, she poured all of her passion into her actions, finally, breathlessly saying, "I'll love you just as much...no, even more. Forever." Anton kissed her back eagerly. He forgot about talking, and forgot about thinking. All he concentrated on was being with this wonderful woman, his human, and soon to be vampire, mate. Every stroke pushed him to greater heights of pleasure, and he intended to bring her along. He reached between their bodies to rub her clit, grunting with each thrust. Bryn gasped, digging her fingernails into his skin. She nipped at his lips and tongue, wishing for a moment that she could sink her fangs into his neck like he would one day do with her. She wanted all of him she could get, and he seemed determined to give it to her. Body trembling uncontrollably, she clenched down around his rapidly thrusting cock, moaning and squealing as he drove her into orgasm. Her heart pounded violently, and the rush of heat that suffused her already flushed skin made her feel faint. She curled up tight around him, muscles tense, unable to get close enough, wanting to sink right through his skin. A few more strokes and Anton was shuddering in bliss against her body. He kept pressed against and deep inside of her, eyes closed and head leaning against hers. His breath slowly returned to normal, but he didn't let go of her for one moment. If anything, he clenched her tighter. Whimpering, she settled her head on his shoulder and gently rubbed the spots where her fingernails had dimpled his skin. Although pleasantly exhausted, she couldn't help but feel a bit of giddiness as she eventually pulled back to meet his gaze. "I made arrangements for another small vacation from work. On our anniversary. I was thinking we should start making plans now so we know where we're going." He kissed her cheek almost continuously, soft pecks. "Where would you like to go, my dear? He said, nuzzling her jaw. "I know we toyed with the idea of going back to Europe like our honeymoon, but would you rather do something else? Stay within the States, maybe?" "I'll go anywhere. I just want to be with you. I know you don't want to go back to Russia. So we'll go anywhere else. You once said you wanted to go to Alaska--how about a cruise? It will be summer time, so all of the animals will be out. And we can stay in the cabin during the day. I'm sure they let you leave the ship for dinner time, if you want." She hesitated a moment before adding, "Or we could go to Florida. Stay close to the beach. Maybe take a day off, and...search for Alexandra's daughter." Anton gently stroked Bryn's cheek. He had thought less about Alexandra once he met Bryn, but learning of their shared pasts had got him thinking again. "I would like that, my dear. But only if you want to. I don't want a repeat of what happened in Europe, intentionally or accidentally." "There wouldn't be. I know she is me, and I'm her. I just worry about you. I don't want to be opening any old wounds." Loosening her legs around him, she encouraged him to lower her down. She tugged him along with her as she stepped further under the hot spray of the shower head. "I hurt as much for you as I did for me in Europe, Anton. I hate to see you in pain. But I would gladly share you with my past selves. You have no idea how much it affects me to know you still love them--me--so much. It...It makes me feel like every bad thing I've faced in this life was worth it, just so I could come back to you." Her eyes glistened a bit. "I know exactly why I kept coming back for more." He hugged her tightly, nose buried in her now damp hair. It was when she said things like that he felt so awed and humbled by her love. He was a killer, to put it bluntly. He killed to survive. And he tried to do penance for his actions, tried to balance the darkness of his impulses by loving his wives so intensely. "My dear, I don't feel worthy of such devotion." "You created it, my love. I have loved you since the day you were born." She felt him shudder against her, and held him securely. Shivering a bit in response. She suddenly wanted to hurry out of the room, to pick up Max and hold their little family close. The miracle their love made real. "I love you for giving me our son...the best gift I could ever receive. I will cherish you both for the rest of my life--however long that happens to be." Anton let out a contented sigh. "That is going to be for a long time, Sabryn. I swear to you that I'll do everything in my power to make that so." He to was hit with a desire to go hold his son again, to be surrounded by the two of them, to back in unconditional love, both given and received. He shut off the water of the shower, shivering slightly at the loss of its heat. But he grabbed a towel and helped Bryn dry off before seeing to himself. Lingering a moment to kiss some drips off his chest, she watched him from beneath spiked lashes. "You want to go see him, too, huh?" She smiled. "Part of me can't wait until he's walking and talking, but I also don't want him to grow up anymore. He's so easy to hold and cuddle now. That'll probably change soon. I can't imagine what it will feel like when he doesn't need us anymore." As if aware he was the topic of conversation, Max let out an audible cry to get their attention. "Ah, speak of the...little angel. Must be time for a snack." "Don't say that, Bryn. The not needing us part, not the snack," he added when he saw her look of confusion. "I feel the same way. I want to see the man he becomes, but I also want to hold onto him like this forever." Wrapping a towel around his waist and watching Bryn do the same, they walked into the bedroom of the suite and were shocked when they saw who was there. "Empress," Anton said, wondering what the hell Lilith was doing in his room. Nearly ramming into his back when he stopped so suddenly, Bryn peered around his arm and stared in horror at the sight before her. Sitting on the bed, their son in her arms, Lilith looked the very picture of serenity. She had Max cradled on his back, happily sucking on the bright beads of her necklace. Bryn suddenly had to urge to grab the woman by her hair. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She sidestepped Anton and headed straight for the Empress, ready to claw her eyes out if she had to. "Get your hands off my son!" Lilith didn't visibly react to Bryn. She continued to cradle Max, showing no signs of handing him over. "I came to speak to Anton about the fact that you were not here. I was concerned, but apparently misinformed." "Sabryn finished her business and joined me unexpectedly," Anton said. He stepped forward, intending to take Max from Lilith as well. "Is there more you wish to discuss?" Ignoring the fact that Bryn was reaching for Max, Lilith said, "Indeed there is. It seems you are being very careless these days. My security agents may be good, Mr. Rudenko, but they can't be everywhere at once. In fact, the agents assigned to watch over your wife and son narrowly escaped my wrath when they managed to hire a second plane to Australia. Had they been informed of her plans to leave the country, perhaps there never would've been a moment of danger. Unfortunately, there have been several instances since yesterday when your son had no protection at all. Imagine my surprise when I found him here, unattended, when any manner of lowlife--Natasha included--could have gained entrance to this hotel room. Is it your intention to have Maxim abducted? What would you have done if you'd walked out here after your tryst and found nothing but an empty bed?" Before either of them could reply, Bryn snatched Max out of Lilith's arms and quickly backed away from the vampiress. She looked about as ready to cry as their son was. Anton's eyes narrowed. "If you and the Council had listened to my concerns for the last seven hundred years, we would not be in this awkward position now, Empress. You had told me that my wife and son would be watched over, would be safe. Now you are telling me that your security force is not capable of handling the unexpected? You can't have it both ways, Lilith. And how was Bryn to inform them of her travel plans given that your security team hasn't seen fit to introduce themselves to us?" Lilith arched an eyebrow, obviously perturbed by his defiance. "I expect her to inform my office. At the very least she could've told Vandala, would relay the necessary information. Your travel plans, however, are the least of my concerns. It is your own responsibility to keep Max safe when in the privacy of your home--or your hotel room, as the case may be. A simple lock is hardly sufficient security. Vigilance and an eye to detail. That's what it takes." She stood up, staring in Max's direction, her face alight with awe. "Do you even realize how important this boy's life will be? How imperative it is that he survives...no, flourishes! He's going to change the world!" Bryn took a couple more steps backward, bumping into Anton's side. She let out a small gasp, as if not expecting him to be there. Glancing at him, she wondered if he could read her thoughts. [She's nuts!] This was something that Anton had been concerned about - Lilith becoming over attached and possessive of Max. He knew that the Empress had plans for his son, plans which Anton probably wouldn't agree with. He wanted to give Max a normal as possible life. Lilith seemed to have other ideas. "We will take proper precautions from here on out, Lilith. Now, my wife and son need their rest and a chance to adjust to the time change." He hoped she would take the hint. She blinked at him, the light behind her eyes flickering before dimming to a dull glow. Clearing her throat, she started to take a step towards Max before realizing the grim determination Bryn was showing. She wasn't about the let the Empress anywhere near the boy. Taking a deep breath, Lilith nodded. "I trust that you will. He is, after all, your son. I only wish to protect my interests." She took a few steps toward the door before pausing. "I hope you will be ready for check out, tomorrow." Looking towards Bryn, she said, "In case he hasn't already told you, tomorrow's proceedings will take place at my home. You are to be my guests for the evening, and as many nights after as you wish. I think you'll like the estate. It has every amenity you could ever wish for." Bryn merely stared at her, eyes narrowed. "I bid you good evening," Lilith said, in a biting tone. "I'll show myself out." Anton merely nodded, not saying a word as Lilith swept out of the room. He put his arm around Bryn and guided her to the bed so she could sit down. "She had no right to say anything, my dear. You did nothing wrong." He sat down beside her, holding her and Max tight against his body. She sat rigidly, both arms tight around Max, watching the doorway to make sure Lilith didn't come back. If she hadn't been so alarmed by Lilith's presence--anyone else's presence in their hotel room--she might've attacked the woman. Even if she lost. The nerve of the Empress was as hard to stomach as the burning acid in her throat. "How could she?" she said, unsure if the words were even vocalized. "How could she get in here and just *take* him? Does she think she owns him?" Her voice cracked with the last few words, and she shuddering from the water still clinging to her skin. Anton held her tighter and rocked her softly. "The Empress is an arrogant person, if you haven't noticed. She's not used to being told 'no,' my dear." He gently stroked her hair. "And if she does think she owns him, she's' going to find out differently very quickly." Anton rubbed her back, trying to reassure her and hide how unnerved he had been to find her in the room as well. Curling protectively around Max, Bryn pressed her lips to his forehead. He could feel their intense emotions and was reacting with fear, clinging to her towel and his daddy's hand. Glancing at Anton, her lip slightly quivering, Bryn said, "I should've stayed home. I don't want to go there tomorrow. I don't want that bitch anywhere near him, ever again. I hate her!" She swallowed heavily, looking back down at Max again. "If I'd had my hands free, I might've staked her. I sure wanted to." Closing her eyes briefly, she shook her head. "There has to be some sort of privacy lock on the door. We have to use it. I don't want to wake up and find her here again." "You didn't do anything wrong, my dear." He gently kissed her forehead and squeezed her tightly. "Let me go check the door. I'll be right back." Standing up reluctantly, he crossed over to the door and examined the lock. It had a dead bolt that could only be triggered from the inside, which he promptly set. He also grabbed the chair from the table and wedged it under the door knob, assuring him that no one would be entering the room without permission. He turned around and looked at Bryn, his heart breaking at how frightened she looked. "I'm afraid that we will have to go to Lilith's this evening, my dear," he said as he walked back to her. Anton sat down on the bed and pulled a blanket over Bryn's bare shoulders. "It's an execution that we've been asked to witness. One of the vampires who admitted to assisting Natasha. But we won't stay there longer than necessary." She nodded, leaning into his embrace. She knew she was overreacting. Although not exactly their ally, Lilith was the closest thing they had to a defense against Natasha. It wouldn't do them any good to get under her skin. She just needed to be taught a few manners. [I'd be glad to do it, too.] Still, the next time she saw that possessive gleam in the Empress's eyes, Bryn knew she'd do anything to get Max as far away from the woman as possible. "I don't want her touching him. I don't care if she thinks he's the Messiah, she's not getting her hands on him again." She met Anton's gaze. "And I hate the way she was looking at you. It was disgusting." Anton raised his eyebrows. "And how exactly was she looking at me, my dear?" Bryn sounded angry and possessive. "Like she wanted to take your towel off and throw you on the floor." "Hmmm," Anton said. "I hadn't noticed." He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "There's only one woman I want throwing me on the floor, my dear." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh please! I know you noticed. How could you not? She was practically salivating. And wouldn't it just be very convenient for her if I wasn't around--she'd have you and Max. Exactly what she wants. I wouldn't be surprised if she told her damn guards to forget about me and just protect him. You notice that she didn't much give a damn about whether or not I was safe." Anton gently stroked her head, trying to soothe her. "Okay, maybe I noticed, but trust me, it's not going to happen." Anton nuzzled her head gently. "Maybe we should hire our own guards. I'm not talking about the werewolves - they're doing more than they should already. I mean some vampires who would answer directly to you and me." "How would we know who to trust? Natasha obviously has friends, even among Lilith's followers. It seems to me that we'd almost have better luck with ordinary humans." She cocked her head. "Or maybe a very highly trained human, who's already aware of vampires' existence and even has a degree in psychology to better understand Natasha's twisted mind?" "As in Fox Mulder." Anton wasn't exactly sure what to think about that idea. He still didn't fully trust the former FBI agent. And the other vampires would look askance at him for just associating with the man. If they thought that Anton had revealed any vampire secrets to him, he could face sanctions from the Council. "Yes. If I can trust him enough to have him pick my brain every few weeks, I think I can trust him to keep me and Max safe." She turned a bit to face him, adjusting Max in her lap to face him as well. "I know you don't like him, or trust him. But I do. Much more than a vampire I've never met. And the werewolves trust him. They wouldn't lie to us. Besides, he has the training and plenty of free time. He could even stay in the werewolves' guest house to be close to us. This feels right, Anton. I feel like he came here for a reason, and this might be it." He wanted to refute her arguments, but he couldn't. She was right. He might be the best equipped to handle this particular situation. And Bryn would be more comfortable with him. He couldn't deny her anything. "We'll ask him when we get home, my dear." Anton pulled her tighter against him and laid down. "I just want to keep you safe." She crawled up closer to him, gently sandwiching Max between them. Then she grabbed the blankets and pulled them up, tucking them in tight. "Thank you, sugar. It really makes me feel better." She wrapped her arms tightly around both her men, snuggling in to their warmth. Pressing her lips to Anton's, she let out a soft sigh of appreciation. "I love you so much. And I know you'll do anything to keep us safe. But I don't want to put you in any danger...so if we have to call of Lilith's