Chapter Eighty-one She had cried the last of her tears half an hour ago. it seemed to her that she would weep forever, or at least as long as Marrok let her live. Hunched up in the corner, hiding from the daylight, she could remember every detail of that dream she had about being home, safe with her husband. That dream had done what Marrok's taunts hadn't been able to do. She now sat in the corner and waited for him to return. She was hungry for both food and for blood, as well as thirsty. But she didn't reach for the bottle that still contained a swallow of water. She just sat there, staring straight ahead, waiting for Marrok to come back and gloat about talking to Nathaniel. About regaining his son. About how he was going to finish her. She didn't have to wait long. Yet instead of hearing an engine outside that announced his presence, she jumped when the locks on the door abruptly slid open. Blinking at the added brightness from the doorway, she could barely see his silhouette in the glare. It was enough for her to realize that he wasn't himself. Or at least, not him human self. Partially Changed, bipedal, he pushed the door open with his shoulder and stared at her with green-gold eyes...and her heart pounded as she saw what was caught in his jaws. Scared to death and curled into a protective ball, the brown rabbit looked to weight around 6 pounds. Not much, but it was blood and she could feel her heart pounding. He padded over to where she sat, his eyes never leaving hers. Cautious, as if worried she might grab him instead of the rabbit. It suddenly sounded like a good idea, but she knew he'd be much too fast for her to catch. Instead, she tentatively reached out for the squirming bunny, almost afraid he'd trick her and snatch it away. She nearly sobbed when he released the frightened animal into her grip. She held tight onto the rabbit, feeling its heart pounding in its chest. Not certain how Marrok would react, she let her fangs extend. [I'm sorry, little one. Forgive me.] With a slight hiss, she bit down into the rabbit's neck, ignoring its panicked squeals and kicks. She drank, wondering why Marrok was showing her this small kindness. Her eyes opened to mere slits, to keep an eye on him. He back out of her reach, Changing to complete human form. Instead of wincing and shrinking away from the pain she'd once felt from the Change, Marrok seemed to relish it. He stretched and groaned, twisting this way and that, before finally shaking like a wet dog. The sight would've been amusing if she'd had the ability to think anything was funny anymore. Yet, as he stood up, she became blindingly aware of his nudity. He stood staring at her, a bored expression on his face, as if both daring her to look her fill and yet not caring whether or not she liked what she saw. "Your meal is compliments of your husband. It didn't come cheap." She ducked her head down and away, trying not to look at him as she drained the rest of the blood from the rabbit. She knew that he had spoken to Nate, and that most likely her husband had agreed to Marrok's terms. She put the now dead animal down, gently smoothing its fur back into place. "So what happens next?" she asked with a sigh. "You get Liam back and I go home in an urn now?" "Something like that. I've yet to make arrangements for the exchange. I thought maybe I'd make him wait a little longer. Draw out the suspense, so to speak." He gave her a wicked smile he didn't feel. She looked like hell. Even visibly improved from the rabbit's blood, she still looked as though she was molting. Like some sort of sick bird. Her hair was stringy and dull, strands falling out to lay limply on her shoulders. Her skin was grayish and mottled, eyes nearly fogged over. And it was all his doing. Despite his anger and ferocious need to get to his son, he'd never killed anyone for the sheer pleasure of it. Like he seemed to be doing now. He had her husband by the balls--if he'd asked for the moon, the man surely would've given it to him. Just to save her. It would be so easy to take the boy and run. So why didn't he? "Tell me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." "I can tell you two. Liam and Viviane." She turned her head to look at him, trying to keep her eye line above his waist. "Your children," she said, admitting for the first time that Marrok did have a claim to Liam, as much as she hated it. "They are the innocent ones who are mixed up in this. When they eventually find out, are you going to be able to look them in their eyes when this is over and done with?" He felt like sneering at her. But she was right--that was the gist of it, wasn't it? Even if the boy forgot everything after infancy, he would one day ask too many questions. Lies would only keep him quiet so long. And Viviane. Sweet Viv, who was as effect on him as a lie detector, who could sometimes hound him like a gumshoe detective. She was an incredibly smart little girl, and if he suddenly showed up with her 'little brother', a child she'd never even heard of before, he'd have a million questions to answer. And even if he lied to her...even if he somehow got her to believe in him, to make her understand, their relationship would never be the same again. He wouldn't let that happen. Not in a million years. He'd been through so many women. He'd hurt them just as much as he'd been hurt in return. He didn't trust any of them. Not one...except his beloved Viviane Clarisse. "Leave the children out of it. Why should I spare your life?" Lindy took a deep breath. "Because deep down, despite your professed hatred for vampires, I think you can't hurt someone who hasn't deliberately hurt you. And despite what you think, I never meant to hurt you by keeping your son from you. I was just trying to keep him safe the only way I new how." She looked up at him squarely in the eye. "And if that's enough reason to kill me, then let's get it over with." He let out a low growl, stepping closer. "You think I can't hurt you? How much are you willing to *stake* on that little bet?" "I have to...stake," she couldn't help but stumble over the word, "everything on it. You're holding all the cards. You've got the power here." She lowered her gaze. "You've made it crystal clear how you feel about my kind. And I can't stop you. I'm still too weak, and you have the sun on your side." She shrugged her shoulders. "Just please tell my husband and my parents when I'm gone. They'll be hurting enough about Liam. They shouldn't have to wonder if I'm still around or not." He growled again, unable to help himself. [Damn you, bitch!] She had no right to tell him what he could and couldn't do, had no right to make him feel guilty one minute and then want to rip her head off the next. And he did want to. He was keenly reminded of his hatred of vampires every time he looked at her. Then she started that 'poor me, I'm gonna die' crap and he wanted to kill her even more. But worst of all...worst of all was when she made him feel sorry for her. This walking-dead, spawn-of-hell bitch, the very kind he loved to loathe, turned into a pathetic quivering wreck, a broken child in a vampire's body, and he actually felt pity. He felt remorse, shame, empathy. The devious bitch was messing with his head. "I'll be back to kill you tomorrow." She didn't respond other than a slight, accepting nod of her head. She didn't watch as he turned in a fit of disgust and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him. [Tomorrow it is then,] she thought. She ran her had through her hair, eyes resting on the rabbit. [But if he's going to kill me, why did he bother to bring me blood?] Not bothering to ponder it much more, she curled into a ball, letting out a little whimper. [Maybe I'll get one last chance to see Liam and Nate.] He'd borrowed an old van to make the drop-off. The pounding bass from the CD player kept him from hearing the rattling chains in the back, but he was well aware that she would try to escape. Hands shaking as he turned the wheel, he pulled into the parking garage one hour before they were destined to meet. Not at all stupid, he hadn't told them about the van. The vampire would be looking for a blue Ford sedan. Even that wouldn't be where Marrok would be waiting. He would find his son, instead. Parking on the first floor, not far from the exit, he shut off the engine and waited. His eyes scanned the almost empty floor. Silence issued from the back of the van. Even though the windows back there had curtains, it was well after sunset and there was no danger of her getting burned. That meant her stillness was because she was waiting. Waiting for him to make a move, touch her, open the door, shoot her in the head. Anything. In the back, Lindy sat, waiting for her fate. Hands cuffed behind her and her ankle chain bolted to the side wall. She had been a bit surprised when he came for her after dark. She had expected him to stake her then and there. But instead he had put handcuffs on her, knowing that she was still too weak to make any real attempts at resistance. Once she was cuffed, he half guided, half dragged her out to this van. She sat staring straight ahead, moving only to keep her balance as she swayed in the back of the cargo area. [This is it,] she thought, although she wasn't sure exactly what would happen. [Either he's going to stake me in front of Nate once he has Liam, or he's going to stake me and then get Liam. Either way, I'm dead.] Time passed very slowly, taking the remaining light of day with it. Only the overhead lights in the parking garage lit the interior of the van, and only by a small fraction. Marrok didn't try to engage her in conversation, but quietly read a book and occasionally checked his watch. If she'd had the strength or the hope to get set free, she might've reminded him again of his children and the mistake he'd be making. Instead she just sat there, staring blankly at the back of his seat. She knew it was almost time by absently watching his movements. He grew slightly more uncomfortable with every minute, shifting around in his chair, until he finally put the book down and sighed. If she'd been paying close attention, she might've noticed that he never once turned the page--but it only registered in her subconscious. Quietly clearing his through, he half-turned in his seat and stared out the passenger's side window. He was silent for so long that she started when he actually spoke. "Tell me again why I should let you live. And don't say 'my children' or I'll stake you right now." She took a deep breath, trying to come up with the magic words that would save her life. She just shook her head. "Nothing I say will save me. You've made up your mind, and there's nothing I can do to change it. Just please, make it quick." His eyes narrowed as he turned to stare at her. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you really want to die that much? Nothing to go home to, maybe. The husband beats on you? Ignores you, has his little marital rape and then goes to bed. Your job sucks, you have no friends, your lucky to get out of bed some days. Is that it? Little pretty princess has it so bad scrubbing toilets and waxing the floor, and can't go to the royal ball? Well, God damn it, maybe I should end your pathetic useless life if it's that bad. What good are you to anyone else, anyway?" "What the hell do you care anyway?" she answered sharply. Her eyes glowed and her fangs sharpened as her hands curled into fists. "You're the one who took me away from my friends and family. From the people I love, the job I take pride in. You've made it clear that you'd soon as kill me as look at me, whether or not you get your son back. So ether quit the mind fuck and kill me or let me go!" He let out a quiet growl, teeth bared and slightly elongated. "Don't fucking give me orders, bitch! Now tell me why the hell I shouldn't kill you, and you better make it good this time, because you won't get another chance!" She didn't back down. Eyes still flaming, she stared at him and growled back. "Because I was once a werewolf like you. And I did all I could to see that your son had a werewolf upbringing, because I understood how important that is. I asked my family to relocate from the other side of the country. You may not like what I am now, but at the very least, you should respect what I once was and let me live." He roared with anger, standing up, too tall for the van and looming over her, claws extended. "Don't give me that ssshit, damn it! Don't tell me what I want to hear! Fucking tell me why the hell you're ssstill alive, what you fight for! I don't care about the rest of it!" "I fight for the very thing you're tearing away from me! My family!" She tried to stand up as well, but tripped over the chain. Refusing to be cowed any more, she glared up at him from the floor. "If you think that we'll quietly sit by when you take Liam, you're wrong. If I die or not, Nathaniel will hunt you down like the dog you are. And I will haunt all your dreams, dead or alive." He tilted his head at her, staring, and although she thought she might've imagined it, a hint of a smile appeared briefly on his face. "So, you're not a bag of decayed flesh after all. Something in there is still kicking." Slowly, deliberately taunting, he pulled the keys to her cuffs and leg iron out of his pocket. "How much do you want these?" She was breathing heavily through her nose. "With all my soul," she hissed. She continued to glare up at him, not able to right herself due to her restrained hands. Still holding her stare, he dropped the keys to the floor of the van. They hit with a solid clank, followed by a jingle as the keys settled. He didn't say another word, merely turned and picked up his book, maneuvered over the driver's seat, opened the door and stepped out. It slammed closed behind him, and she could only hear the faint echo of his footsteps as he walked away. Not daring to believe her luck and fearing it was some sort of nasty trick, she wormed her way forward. Rolling onto her back, she managed to get the keys between her hands. "Come on," she gritted out, worried that Marrok would return and snatch the keys from her as she got it into the lock. Squirming and wiggling, she managed to fit the key into the tumblers and turned it. The clink of the handcuffs releasing was one of the sweetest sounds she had ever turned. Almost hyperventilating with excitement, she unlocked the chain around her ankle. She scrambled into the driver seat and looked out. [No sign of Marrok.] Deciding to push her luck further, she slipped over to the passenger side and cautiously opened it. Still not seeing her captor, she slipped out of the van. On shaky legs, she began running as fast as she could away from the van, searching for a phone so she could call for help. Her gaze darted around maniacally, still fearing she'd be snatched off her feet at any minute. As she reached the end of the lane and peered around the corner for him, she unwittingly trotted out into the incoming traffic. Brakes screeched and she jumped as a black sedan stopped just inches from her legs. Giving the annoyed woman behind the wheel a startled look, she hurried past and headed towards the sidewalk beyond. That was when she saw the wide eyes of the man in the next car in line. Nate's mouth dropped open as he stared at her, his face ashy-white with disbelief. He opened his door and started to step out, belatedly realizing that the car was still moving. Hurrying to get back in the car and press on the brakes, he put the car in park. About to rush over to her, he paused suddenly. [It's a trap!] Fearing for Liam, in his car-seat in the back, he got back in the car and closed his door. Instead, he waved frantically to Lindy, telling her to come to the passenger's side, waiting to unlock the door until she was actually in distance. Ignoring the honking horn behind him, he too looked around nervously for Marrok to appear. She yanked the door open and climbed inside, past the gear shift, practically climbing into his lap. Lindy wrapped her arms around his neck and began sobbing, shaking hysterically. Pressing her forehead against his neck so she could smell him, she reached back and caught one of Liam's hands in hers. She continued to sob, not able to speak from relief. He squeezed his eyes shut to wash away the tears and quickly locked all of the doors. Wrapping one arm tightly around her, he pressed on the gas and started to drive. "It's okay, baby--let me get you out of here." He could barely concentrate on the road in front of him, but managed to pull out of the parking lot without incident. Steadily increasing speed, he strove to get as far away from that garage as possible so he could hold her without fear. His eyesight blurred continuously, but he kept going. "Oh God, Lind, hold on to me. I'm never gonna let you go." Still not able to speak, she clung to him tightly, watching as he drove away from the parking lot. It started to dawn on her that she wasn't going to die, that she was free and back with her family. She continued to sob, but now it was tears of joy. [I'm free.] He continued to drive for several more miles, until he felt safe enough to pull the car in to a McDonald's parking lot and shut down the engine. Then he gripped Lindy with both arms and squeezed her tightly to his chest. He couldn't contain his own sobs of grief and joy as he buried his face against her neck, slowly rocking from side to side. She clung to him tightly, never wanting to let go. She listened to his heartbeat, pressed against his chest, reminding her that this was over. She was safe now, as was Liam for the moment. Still nervous that Marrok would appear out of nowhere and demand the child werewolf, she clung to Nate tighter. Shivering with excitement, disbelief, and still a little fear, he didn't give much thought to sinking his fangs into her neck...even though they were nearly out in the open. Barely drinking from her, he knew she was weak, he encouraged her to drink her fill from his body. As soon as they were home and completely safe, they could feed to their hearts content. She drank from him, feeling her strength start to return with each swallow. She trembled still as she pressed tighter against him, still in shock and still afraid that Marrok would return. She whimpered a bit when he ran his hand through hair, and a large clump of it was pulled out by the barest touch of his fingers. He pulled his mouth away from her, whispering, "It'll grow back, Lind." He held the back of her head, keeping her mouth firmly latched to him as he tilted the seat back. Although Liam immediately began reaching for her, Nate didn't pay much attention to him. Their son's needs came second to making sure she was well. "We'll get you some food as soon as you're done. Then we'll go see your family. I don't think any of us has slept since you were gone." She continued to drink as he talked. Swallowing, she could feel her strength returning, although she knew she needed more than he could give. Starting to feel queasy from the influx of blood after so long without, she slowly retracted her fangs, but kept herself pressed against his neck, unwilling to be parted from him. "Love you, Nate." He squeezed his eyes shut but was unable to staunch the flow of fresh tears. "I love you, Lind. So much. I thought...thought I'd never...see you again. I f-felt so damned helpless. Wan'ed to rip his throat out. I'm s-so sorry, baby." "My f-f-fault. Should've stayed home like you asked," she whispered, sobbing as well. She heard Liam's frustrated cry and turned to look at her son. The boy was straining towards her, making demanding grunts. "Nate, can you hand Liam to me?" Hastily wiping at his face, he reached back to unbuckle the car seat. Impatient, Liam pushed the restraining bar out of the way and almost leapt forward towards them. Grabbing him before he could launch himself, Nate quickly handed Liam over to his Mommy. "He cried for you every morning before I put him to bed. I tried feeding him, rocking him, handing him over to your mother...nothing worked. He didn't want anyone but you. I don't blame him one little bit." She tucked the boy against her chest, hugging him tightly. "I missed you, Liam." She kissed his forehead, more tears welling out of her eyes. "I missed you so much." She rocked Liam gently, keeping him pressed against her so he could smell her scent. "I didn't think I'd see you again. Either of you." Nate kissed Lindy's forehead and pulled her close to him as well, until the were all pressed tightly together. "I think we should go home and see everyone. They've all been worried sick." He glanced back at the brightly lit building behind them. "Would you like to go through the drive-thru first. You've got to be starving." "Please," she whispered. She wasn't able to talk about what happened. Not yet. Reluctantly, she let Nate put Liam back into the safety seat. He made sure all of the doors and windows were still securely locked before backing up and pulling into the drive-thru lane. Lindy ordered a large meal, along with some cookies for Liam, even though it wouldn't be likely she could eat all of it at once. As soon as they had their food, they were on the way home. Even as she ate, Nate held on tightly to her hand. He wasn't about to let her slip away again. He prayed this wouldn't turn out to be another dream. She managed to wolf down half of the extra large burger and drained most of the soda before a wave of sleepiness washed over her. She pushed away the burger and drink, leaning against the seat as Nate pulled onto the highway. "Nate," she said, her head nodding. "Do me a favor?" "Anything, baby." "Be here when I wake up," she murmured as her eyes drifted shut. He squeezed her hand, then lifted it to his lips. "I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else." She slept through the ride home, waking up only when he pulled up to the gate and entered the security code. Lindy startled awake, eyes darting and wide until she realized that she was no longer captive to Marrok. She was safe with Nathaniel. [And Liam,] she thought, twisting back to look at their son, a smile slowly growing on her face. [I'm home.] Nate rolled his window back up as soon as possible, then drove quickly towards the house. He suddenly felt as if they had too few security precautions on the property, even though that wasn't the case...unless, of course, he wanted to turn his yard into a mine field. "They'll all be at our house...probably fairly somber, but they'll perk up when they see you're both safe and sound," he said, smiling. "And don't be shy about telling us when you want some rest. It's your first night...back, and there's always time to visit later." "Okay," she said. Pulling herself more upright, she sat up, watching the road pass by as they turned towards their house. She could see lights on in their living room, and figures moving in front of the window. Nate had barely pulled up into the driveway when the door opened and Jess looked out. "Lindy!" Jess shrieked and ran towards the car. Lindy opened the door as soon as the car was stopped. She got out and managed to take a few steps forward before Jess made it to her and hugged her tight. Jess was openly sobbing, holding her daughter tight and rocking her back and forth. After parking the car, Nate got out and rested his arm on the roof. He rested his chin there, watching them, his eyes tearing up. Knowing he'd feel exhausted once the reality of her safety hit him, he plucked Liam out of the car seat and motioned for the other two to follow him. "Let's go inside. It's cold out here." Jess, thinking that Liam's scent had just been residual and not because the baby was still there, looked confusedly from Liam to Lindy to Nate and back to Liam. "How... I thought...." Lindy shook her head. "He let me go." Jess shook her head as well. "You're kidding, right?" She looked worried when Lindy began shivering. "Let's get inside like Nate said." He let the women enter before he did, smiling when he heard several exclamations of joy as soon as Lindy was spotted. Locking the door tightly behind him, Nate set his overanxious son on the floor and let him do a fast crawl towards the living room. Hanging back for a moment, Nate stood in the foyer and wiped his hand over his face. He was still shaking visibly, felt as if he might collapse. Letting his head fall back on his shoulders, he stared up at the ceiling and whispered a quiet, "Thank you, God." From his position on the couch next to Bryn, Anton watched as the werewolves all gathered around Lindy. They were circling her, petting her, hugging her, generally acting like they were greeting a member of the pack that had been gone for a long time. Which is exactly what she was. He waited, knowing that he'd have a chance to greet her shortly. And he smiled when there were another set of overjoyed cries when Liam crawled into the room. But not seeing Nathaniel, he got up. "Be right back, my dear." He walked over to the foyer, looking for his brother. He saw Nathaniel standing there, leaning against the wall. "Are you okay, Nathaniel?" Nate started, his gaze flying to Anton's, causing him to stumble a bit to catch his balance. Even though his face was wet and he was obviously distraught, his voice was angry when he said, "Why aren't you out there with her? You should be greeting her, not staring at me. Get out of here!" "Her parents are with her now. I think they need a few minutes alone." He was a bit hurt by Nathaniel's rebuff. "I'll leave you alone if that's what you want." He turned to walk back to the living room. Nate watched him go, backing against the wall once more. His head bounced against the painted surface, and he slid to down to sit on the floor, legs sprawled before him, arms limp in his lap. He let his stiff fingers fall open, revealing his own little souvenir...the clump of hair from his wife's head. Bitterly closing his eyes, he tried as hard as he could to believe this was really happening. Deep down, he could only wonder when the dream would end. Meanwhile Lindy was hugging and being hugged tightly by Alex. "He just let you go?" Alex repeated, a bit dumbfounded. Lindy nodded. "And I'm not exactly sure why." "Who cares," Jess said, wiping tears from her eyes. "All that matters is that you're here, safe and sound." Bryn smiled at Lindy over Alex's shoulder, still waiting for her turn to say welcome back, then turned her attention to Anton as he walked back in the room. "Is everything okay?" "I'm not sure," Anton said, casting a worried look back towards the foyer. He turned back to Bryn and leaned closer, speaking quietly. "He's upset, but I'm not sure that he'll accept my help. I'm not sure if I should push, or leave well enough alone." She frowned. "Upset about what? I thought he'd be overjoyed that she's home. And Liam, too." He shook his head. "I don't know exactly what the problem is. Maybe something happened that they haven't told us about." "Anything he might've done is well justified. Lindy is weak and pale, and that guy could've killed her. I'd be glad if Nate killed him." "And so would I. I think this is something else." Anton looked back at the hall again. The werewolves were focused on Lindy and Liam, and hadn't noticed that Nathaniel was missing. Deciding that he was going to find out what was wrong, or at least get him into the living room, Anton turned back to Bryn. "I'll be back in a moment, my dear." A determined look in his eye, he headed back to the foyer again. When Anton turned the corner, he saw Nathaniel sitting on the floor with his eyes closed. He looked miserable, his face pinched with anguish, hands facing upwards, something offered up in his palm like a sacrifice. Only as he stepped closer did Anton realize that it was a mass of blond hair. He reached out to touch it, then started as Nate muttered, "What do you want now?" "I wanted to find out what's wrong," Anton said softly. He leaned against the opposite wall, then slid down it to end up at Nate's eye level. "I wanted to find out why you are here crying when everyone else is in the living room celebrating. What's wrong? What happened?" "Nothing happened. I got my wife back, kept my son, and every thing's just hunky-dory." He let his head fall back with a thud, releasing a deep sigh. "Except she's not really the same. And I doubt she ever will be again." He laughed, humorlessly. "And it's not over. That bastard will be back again, whenever the hell he feels like it. Only next time, I doubt he'll let her go." He knew better than to say something trite, such as everything would be okay. "You're right that things aren't going to be the same, Nathaniel. Lindy will have to deal with what happened to her, with your help. She won't be the same, but she may not be different too. And as for that bastard, yes, he could return at any time. But we will all face him, together." Anton glanced back into the living room, where Lindy was starting towards Bryn, Liam in her arms. He could see that she was putting on a brave face, but she was tiring quickly. "She's going to need your aid, your strength. And when you need aid, I'm here for you. Bryn and I are here for you," he amended. Nathaniel rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand. "I'm just so damned tired. Physically tired, mentally tired. I'm not ready to deal with this now. And I'm almost certain that now is when she's going to need me the most." "Then let Bryn and I say welcome home to Lindy, and the let the both of you getting rest. I think what she needs the most from you right now is just to be near you." He stood up and offered his hand to his brother. Nate grabbed his hand and wearily pushed himself to his feet. "I'm sorry I made you worry. I guess I'm not myself. I'm trying to reconcile everything, and it doesn't help that I'm low on blood and sleep." "It's okay. And let's take care of both of those problems. Do you have blood on hand?" When Nathaniel shook his head, Anton made sure the others were otherwise occupied, undid the cuff on his shirt and pulled it back, baring his wrist. "Here," he said offering it to Nathaniel. "Take what you need. I've got bagged blood back home, so don't worry about me." "Lindy needs it more than I do," he said, shaking his head. "I'll be fine until tomorrow. I'll feed then." He gestured to the living room. "Let's go, you can ask her." Anton nodded. They headed back to the living room, where Lindy was hugging Bryn tightly. The werewolves were standing in a loose knot around her, as if protecting her from any threat. Lindy looked tired and pale and slightly like she didn't believe this was happening. She smiled weekly back at Anton, but it was Bryn she addressed her words to. "I didn't think I'd see you again." Bryn pulled back to look at her, eyes shining with unshed tears. "I couldn't bring myself to believe you were gone. I kept thinking that any minute you'd walk through the door and ask if I wanted to go out to lunch." She embraced Lindy again, kissing her on the cheek. "I'm so glad we don't have to live without you. I would've missed you more than you can imagine." Lindy smiled tiredly, tears spilling down her face. She then turned to Anton and hugged him. Anton gently patted her back. "It's good to have you home, Lindy." He could feel that she was thinner than she had been. He looked over her shoulder at Bryn, hoping that she'd understand why he was offering what he did. "Do you need to feed, Lindy? I don't think Nate can spare any more blood at the moment." Lindy shook her head. "No," she lied. She didn't want to feed from Bryn's husband. She wanted to feed from her husband. "Lindy, you need to feed. You've gone too long without it." Nate held up his hand, still holding the clump of blond hair. "I don't want anymore of these falling into my hands when I touch you. Just take it. Enough to get you through the day, until we can both feed as soon as the sun goes down." Lindy looked uncertainly at Anton, who nodded. She then looked over at Bryn, trying to convey an apology with her eyes. When Anton lifted his wrist, Lindy gingerly bit into his wrist and drank. Anton winced slightly as Lindy's fangs broke his skin. He also looked at Bryn, hoping that she understood that he did this only out of necessity. The werewolves made it a point to be watching elsewhere as Lindy fed from Anton. Bryn looked away as well, sitting down on the couch and pulling Max out of his carrier. She cradled him in her arms, smoothing down his hair and watching him sleep. She knew why Anton and Lindy were doing this, but she couldn't help but be jealous. Only their son had fed from Anton's blood until now...and possibly Nathaniel. She hadn't imagined anyone else doing so--except her and their second child. And there was no telling if those would ever even happen. Lindy drank for a few minutes, and then withdrew. She could have fed for another five minutes, could have drained Anton. But she only took what she needed. "Thank you," she said to both Anton and Bryn. Anton nodded, feeling slightly woozy from the sudden blood loss. He made his way over to the couch and sat down beside Bryn. Anton put his arm around her, hugging her tight. She settled Max on her shoulder, facing Anton, and rubbed his back. To Anton, she said, "We shouldn't stay too long. They look tired." "Yes, I agree." Anton rubbed her arm. "We'll give them a few more minutes and then duck out." But Jess beat him to the punch. "I think Lindy needs her rest now," she said in a tone of voice that brooked no argument. She looked over at Nate. "One of us will be standing guard outside for the day." Nate put his arm around Lindy's waist, pulling her close. "Thank you, but I think we'll be okay with the alarm. All of you could use some rest, too. You didn't stop searching any more than I did. Besides, I don't think he'll be coming around here anytime soon. He had his chance tonight, and he didn't take it. I don't know why, but it wasn't because he didn't have the opportunity." After one more round of hugs, the werewolves started heading towards the tunnel entrance. "Are you going to need help getting home?" Walter asked Anton and Bryn. Anton shook his head. "We'll follow in few minutes." Walter nodded. Reluctantly, Lindy's family all filed off to the wine cellar. "I have a feeling your mom is going to set up camp on your doorstep anyway, Lindy," Bryn said. "She's been going nuts worrying about you. Everyone has." Nate nodded, looking down at his wife. "We do have a guest room and two couches, if they need sleep. Maybe we should ask if they want to stick around?" Anton shook his head. "You two want time alone together. I think we should be going." Feeling better now, he stood up and offered Bryn his hand. "Shall we, my dear?" He helped Bryn to her feet. "I'm glad you're home, Lindy." "Me too," Bryn said, patting Liam on the head as she walked past. "I'm glad you're both home. If you're up to it, maybe we could visit for a while tomorrow night. If not, you know where to find us." She gave Lindy another hug, careful to keep from squishing Max between them. "Rest well." Lindy squeezed her gently also. "You too. Thank you for watching after these two," she said, nodding at Liam and Nate. She also gave Anton another light hug before leaning against her husband. Anton gave them both a small smile. "We'll check on you tonight. Sleep well." He put his arm around Bryn and guided her towards the wine cellar as well. Lindy looked down at Liam and picked him up. "I don't know about you, Nate, but I just want to go up to bed and curl up in your arms while we hold Liam." "It sounds perfect to me." He kissed her forehead, lingering for a moment. "Why don't you get Liam a bottle ready while I set the alarm and make sure every thing's locked down tight. Then we'll go upstairs together." "Okay." Fighting the urge to follow when he reluctantly broke their embrace, she took Liam with her to the kitchen. Pouring some formula into a bottle, she placed it into the microwave to reheat it. Waiting impatiently, she started at every little sound, holding Liam close as if she were afraid of him being snatched out of her arms. Lindy jumped when the microwave buzzed. After checking the formula's temperature, she capped the bottle with a nipple and hurried back to Nate. "I'm not sure what I want to do more first. Just go to bed, or take a shower." "I think we can handle both," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked up the stairs. "Although, I have to confess that I have ulterior motives--I want to check you out. Make sure he hasn't hurt you. If you want, we can get the portable crib out and bring in the bathroom so Liam is close by." "Please," she whispered. She wanted to be near them both, to know they were safe and she wasn't alone. They walked upstairs and into the bathroom. Nate kissed her lightly on her forehead. "Be right back, gorgeous." Then he left to get the crib, leaving Liam with her. Lindy leaned back against the wall for support. Opening her eyes, she looked across at the mirror, and almost gasped at the sight. There was a stranger that looked vaguely like her staring back. Dark circles were under her eyes, her hair was matted in places flat against her head, her face gaunt and pale despite the blood she had fed on. Turning her head to one side, she sniffed. [I stink. I don't know if I should try to clean these clothes, or burn them.] Looking back into the mirror, into the eyes of the wreck that was staring back at her, she started to cry silently. Nate walked back out, carrying the folded-up crib. He frowned when he saw her face, but reached his hand out for hers. "It'll get better, Lind. You're home now. You just need to get some rest and relax." He pulled her closer and softly kissed her eyelids. "Anton's been covering everything at the warehouse. I'm sure he won't mind doing that a while longer, while you work on getting better." She nodded silently, leaning against him. "I'm just so tired," she said quietly. "I know, baby." She watched as Nate then put the portable crib together. Once Liam was in it, watching them with wide eyes, Lindy began to undress. She felt small and vulnerable, even under her husband's watchful eye. He knew his stare was probably unnerving her, but he couldn't bring himself to look away. Aside from checking for any injuries, which he did diligently, he couldn't stop drinking in the sight of her. So was so close, touchable and solid; this time, she wouldn't disappear in a puff of smoke under his fingers. And even though she was so pale, so slender from her weight loss, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on. "I can't even begin to tell you how beautiful you are, Lind. How lucky I am to have you. I thought I'd wither away to nothing without you. It hurt so much..." Her tears were falling again. She didn't feel beautiful at all, looking at each of her ribs. "I hurt too, Nathaniel. I think the worst moment wasn't when he was taunting me, or when I was hiding from the sunlight, but when I dreamed that I made love to you and then woke up alone..." His eyes flickered wide in recognition. Stepping closer, he carefully pulled her into his embrace. He was conscious not to squeeze her too tightly, even though he wanted nothing but to crush her against him and never let go. "You weren't alone, Lind. During any of it. But especially not in that dream. We did make love that night. Nothing anyone could say would make me believe otherwise." She clung to him tightly, still sobbing. She shivered, feeling cold, naked and weak. She buried her face in his shirt, inhaling deeply, drawing warmth and comfort from his body. "I didn't think I'd ever hold you again. I was sure he was going to kill me, no matter what happened." He rubbed her back, lightly rocking her back and forth. "It's over now, Lind. He's not going to get to you again, I promise. And we're all going to guard Liam with our lives." He kissed her temple. "Why don't you in the shower and get warmed up, while I take off my clothes? Then I'll wash your hair." Lindy nodded. Reluctantly she stepped away and turned on the tap to the shower. Giving the water a moment to warm up, she got under the spray. The feeling of water washing over her body was a blessed relief to her, relaxing her tight muscles. She didn't have enough energy to scrub herself clean, but just stood under the spray. After removing his clothes and tossing them in the hamper, Nate opened the door to the shower. He saw Lindy jumped at the sound. Mentally wincing, he quietly closed the door behind him. His touch was gentle and careful, as he moved up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. He pressed his face against her neck, breathing in her scent. "I want to stay like this, forever." "Me too," she whispered, leaning back against him. Between the heat of the water and the heat of his body, she relaxed further, almost going limp in his arms. One of her hands went over his, tangling their fingers together. She rested her head on his shoulder, letting her eyes drift shut. He felt warm and solid and real. She let out a soft moan. "Just relax, Lind. Let me take care of you. I'll hold you up," he whispered. "And if you get tired, I'll carry you back to the bed. I'll dry you off, give you one of my t-shirts, tuck you in...then I'll get Liam, and we'll all snuggle in together. Safe and sound. I promise." "'Kay," she whispered. It was finally starting to penetrate that she was home. Her muscles relaxed further when Nate started rub his hands through her hair, wetting it. They were both relieved when no more came out. She let out a contented sigh when Nate started shampooing her hair. "Love you, Nate. Love you so much." He smiled to himself at the sound of her sleepy voice, moving around to face her. Crouching a bit, he kissed her mouth as he continued to lather her hair. "I love you, too, Alinda. More than you'll ever believe possible." Anton held the door from the tunnel open wide for Bryn. He still felt a bit light headed from allowing Lindy to feed off of him earlier. "I need blood before we go to bed, my dear." It was a bit of a shock to realize that Lindy was home, and that Marrok had apparently let her go. He had volunteered to go with Nate to the drop point, hoping to be able to help somehow. But Nate had refused, which Anton understood. If he had been in the same situation, he didn't think he'd want anyone there to watch his heart be ripped out either. Bryn nodded, setting the baby carrier on the couch. Max still cradled against her chest, she said, "I'm going to change him and feed him. Do you need any help getting to the kitchen?" "I, uh, don't think so." He took a tottery step. "On second thought..." He leaned hard against the wall, waiting for the dizziness to pass. Anton felt Bryn's arm go around his waist. He placed his over her shoulders, using her as a guide and not really leaning on her. "Thank you, my dear," he said as they set off towards the kitchen. "If I had known that I would have been giving blood tonight, I would have fed before we went over." She didn't say a word as she guided him to the kitchen. She wasn't angry with him, or annoyed--she just didn't have much to say that she thought he'd want to hear. Keeping her arm tightly around his waist, she waited for him to flip on the kitchen lights before walking towards the refrigerator. "I can cut the bag open if you need me to. Otherwise, I'll be upstairs." "I think I can manage, Bryn," he said. He knew that she was upset about Lindy having fed off of him. And he was going to talk to her about it. He hadn't intended for her to feed from him at all. His offer had been intended for Nathaniel, and hadn't felt fully comfortable letting Lindy feed in front of Bryn. But other than flat out refusal, he didn't see a way to avoid it. He watched Bryn reheat the blood in the microwave. After she set the timer, she readjusted Max in her grip. She trailed her fingers over Anton's stomach as she walked by, letting him know that she wasn't angry. Leaving him in the kitchen, she walked upstairs with her son. Max was amazingly alert as she turned on the light in his room and laid him down on the changing table. She could see so much of Anton in his little face, from the shape of his nose to the length of those sweeping eyelashes. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, feeling a surge of moisture come to her eyes. [This is stupid. It was just blood, for Christ's sake!] Down in the kitchen, Anton drank the now warm blood, feeling his strength return. He downed the unit of blood quickly and grabbed a second one out of the refrigerator. Anton warmed it as well and drank it at a bit more leisurely pace. But he didn't linger over it. He wanted to get upstairs to Max and Bryn. When he finished the second unit, Anton got up and stretched. He shut off the kitchen light and headed upstairs. He found her in Max's room, sitting in the rocking chair, with her red shirt half-unbuttoned, as she fed their son. Obviously more awake than he'd been in the tunnel, Max suckled noisily. His grunting filled the room. With his hand curled around her finger, Bryn lifted her gaze. "You look like you feel much better. I'm sorry if I've been quiet. I didn't mean to make you think I was upset with you." Anton knelt by the chair. "It's okay, Bryn. I do feel much better now." He gently reached out and stroked the top of Max's head. "I hadn't intended for that to happen at all. Nate said that he was short on blood, and I wanted to help. I had thought Nate would feed from me and then Lindy would feed from him." He brushed his lips against her temple. "Are you sure you're okay with it?" Biting her lip, she ducked her head slightly and shook it. "I know why it happened, and that it doesn't mean anything. But..." She stopped, not wanting him to feel anymore guilty than he probably already did. "But?" he asked, persisting. Her voice lowered even more. "But it hurt my feelings. And I know that's stupid, because it wasn't intentional. And it's just blood, so it shouldn't matter. But for some dumb reason, it does." "Because it's an intimate act that I don't perform with just anybody. Because it's a reminder that you aren't Transformed yet." He gently pressed his lips to her head. "I wish we could share that intimacy now, Bryn." She leaned towards him, pressing her forehead against his, wrapping her free arm around his neck. "I know you do. So do I. And I'm sorry I got jealous. It's not your fault; you didn't do anything wrong. You've never purposefully done anything to make me jealous, and I'm ashamed that I don't have the faith in you that I should. I don't ever want to hurt you." "I know, my dear." He pulled her a little closer. "It's okay for you to be jealous, as long as you tell me that. It's when you bottle up your emotions that I worry, when you pretend that everything is okay." He nuzzled her cheek. She nodded, sniffing. "I'll try not to do that anymore." Tightening her grip on him, she hugged his neck and pressed her cheek against his. "I love you, Anton. I love everything about you, especially how you're always so sweet to everyone. And it was very nice of you to help Lindy." She turned her head and kissed his cheek, lingering there. He held still for a moment before turning and stroking his lips across hers. "I love you too, Bryn. And I think Lindy's going to need *our* help for a while to come." He looked down at Max. "When you're done feeding him, I'll see if he needs blood. Hopefully he'll sleep a little longer tonight than he did last night." She nodded, returning to rocking the chair as she leaned back a bit. "I didn't expect her to look like that. It scared me. I don't even want to think about what you might've--" She shuddered slightly. "I hope that werewolf rots in hell." Anton nodded in agreement. "If I have any say about it, he will." He reached out and stroked Bryn's hair reassuringly. "Physically, she'll be fine. Because she's newly Transformed, the lack of blood hits her harder than it would Nathaniel or I. All she needs is a lot of sleep and blood over the next few days." Anton paused for a moment. "I've had that happen to me before, Bryn. All vampires experience it to some degree in some point of their lives. I'm more worried about any psychological damage that bastard has done to her." Bryn leaned into his touch, her toes curling as he continued to stroke her hair. "She was very quiet. At first I thought it was because she was overwhelmed by her family's excitement, but I think it goes beyond that." She looked down at Max, who'd finished feeding, then lifted him up on her shoulder to burp him. "Do you think she'd go to counseling? That thing with Zenobia fell through rather quickly." "Yes it did. As did Jess's attempts to bring out Fox Mulder." He hadn't asked the werewolf why her friend hadn't come out at her request. Nor did he really care. As long as the former FBI agent stayed away, he felt much safer. "The tricky part will be finding someone she can talk to who we can trust to keep our vampirism a secret." Max let out a small cry and then a large burp, making Bryn laugh. "Jeez, you must feel better now, sweetie. You wanna go see Daddy?" With one last rub on his back, she handed the baby over to Anton. She considered buttoning up her shirt but realized that it would be pointless. Back to the subject of Lindy, she said, "Well, she doesn't need to tell this person *everything*. Besides, even if she did, they'd have to keep everything she said in confidence. They'd lose their license and probably go to jail otherwise. But that's if they even believe her in the first place. The more likely scenario is that they'd diagnose her as having hallucinations or maybe schizophrenia. She'd be better off not mentioning vampirism at all." "That's the problem. I think that vampirism is going to play a big part." Curious, Anton held his finger to Max's mouth. Max looked at it for a moment and then his eyes flamed. Anton winced as his son bit down on his finger and started to suckle. "Marrok didn't do anything until she became a vampire. And how does she otherwise explain her abduction?" Anton leaned against the rocking chair as Max continued to feed. Bryn watched Max closely, amazed by how much he looked like Anton when his vampirism showed through. She gently stroked his hair, which he didn't even seem to notice. "So maybe Jess needs to try to contact Fox Mulder again. She said he was a believer and had psychology experience. I know you and Nate don't like that idea, but I think we need to trust Jess." "You're right. I don't like it. But if it helps Lindy, I'll live with it." His scowl at the mention of the FBI agent disappeared when he looked down at his son. "Has Max tried to feed from you yet? Or is he just content to nurse for the moment?" She shook her head. "He seems to be fine waiting until you come home...but I can't imagine that will last too much longer. Not with the way he's growing, and now that he's awake more often." She gave him a wry smile. "I just hope he doesn't try to bite me when he's nursing. I have a feeling being bitten there would hurt a lot." Anton winced in sympathy. "I'll bet." He looked thoughtfully at Max. "Hopefully he's associating blood with fingers. Maybe we should try cow's blood in a bottle also." He smiled down, realizing that Max had stopped drinking. "I think he's fallen asleep, my dear." She smiled as well, taking the baby from him until he could stand up. They both kissed him goodnight before settling him in the crib. "I think his link with Jess must be waning a bit. He hasn't been nearly as upset a s she has." She turned off the lights as they walked to their own bedroom, waiting for Petunia to get up from where she lay on the hallway floor. "It must be good to be a baby...no worries, everyone giving you what you need, being able to sleep whenever you want. I hope I enjoyed that while I had it." "So do I, my dear. In some ways, maybe it's good that Liam is so young. He won't remember much, if any, of his mother being gone, or the hell his father went through." Walking over to their bed, Anton began to turn down the sheets. "I wonder what happened. He had Nathaniel exactly where he wanted him, but slipped up badly enough so Lindy got away? It doesnŐt make sense.Ó "No, it doesn't...it makes me wonder if he has something even worse in mind." Stepping out of her shoes, she sat down on the turned-down bed and let out a whoosh of breath as Petunia landed in her lap. Shaking her head at the overgrown puppy, she patted her soft fur. "I have to admit, I'm more than a little worried about Lilith. She took such a strong liking to Max. I hope she doesn't have any ill will in mind." "I don't think she does. But who can truly claim to know her mind?" Anton kicked off his shoes and sat on the bed, beginning to unbutton his shirt. "She meant it when she said she'd protect him with her life." He leaned back against the head board. "I just hope she doesn't get it in her head that she can do a better job raising him than we can. Because I don't want to make her an enemy, but I won't let her take him from us." With a deep sigh, Bryn pushed Petunia off her lap and pointed to the dog's bed next to the wall. "Go lay down." Tail between her legs, the dog slowly wandered over and flopped down. Since Max had come home, she'd been kicked out of their bed and hated it...as evidenced by her attempts to quietly crawl on to the mattress in the middle of the day. Bryn slid down on her back, lying horizontal to Anton's vertical, her head on his thigh. "Sometimes I think we should just move to your castle in Russia and leave all of these jerks who keep bothering us behind." Anton sat up a bit so he could stroke her head. "And we'd meet a whole new set of jerks to bother us, my dear." He ran his hand over her hair, enjoying its silky feeling. "Let's face the truth, Bryn," he said with a bit of humor in his voice. "The world is filled with jerks." She smirked at him. "It's a pain being the only worthwhile people on this earth, but someone has to do it." She rolled onto her side, letting out a soft moan as his fingers slid through her hair. "I really, really want to make love to you tonight Anton. If I don't get you inside me soon, I'm going to go insane. I can't even look at you without getting excited." His fingers went a little lower to stroke the nape of her neck. "Welcome to my world, Bryn. I always get excited looking at you." His touch went from teasing to sensual. "I want in you so badly, my dear. In some ways, this is almost worse than when we tried to go without sex for the month before we got married." Her breath was coming faster and she bit her lower lip. Sitting up, she crawled closer to him, then straddled his lap, sitting down as carefully as she could. "Do you really get excited every time? So I could come visit you at the office some time and you'd be hard the minute I walked in the door?" "That's already happened, Bryn." His hands came around her waist, holding her lightly, but firmly. "I've had fantasies about you coming into my office and hiding under my desk. You're giving me a blow job while I'm trying to hold a staff meeting." He leaned in close and brushed his lips against her jaw. Shuddering lightly, she closed her eyes and slid her hands over his chest. "You're giving me ideas, Anton. I do believe that one day your fantasy might come true. Are there any others you'd like to tell me about?" "Hmmmmm..." Anton's eyes drifted shut as he thought about what to tell her. "Us having dinner in a dark quiet restaurant at a table with a floor length tablecloth so I can duck under it and lick you whenever I please. Us on a secluded beach, so I can make love to you with the waves washing over us." One of his hands dr