Page 187 of Vampire's Choice

He’d first crossed her path as her childhood bodyguard in Japan. Then as a knight during the Crusade. Finally, he’d been reborn in this form, forever bound to her soul. If she did share her thought with him, she knew from her head to her tingling toes, what his response would be. No hesitation.

Same goes, my lady. Always and forever.

Three weeks later, Ruth stood on a cliff overlooking the water. The vast, rolling ocean. She’d thought she knew every place on the island, but over the past few weeks she’d endeavored to explore every inch of the terrain, and discovered this new remote viewing perch. From here, she could see the rock formation where she’d waited for Merc’s return and found Lord Mason.

The cat pendant at her throat vibrated with the energy that told her everything was tranquil today. As tranquil as an island inhabited by large predators could be. Including herself.

The night sky was full of stars. A smile crossed her face as a section of them blackened into a winged male shape. He was home. Merc landed next to her, his hands already on her waist and the side of her neck to claim the kiss he wanted. She pressed herself against him, opening up to him.

“You’re home early.”

“I’m able to help these other angels do things more quickly. Efficiently. No wasted time on diplomacy.”

She chuckled. “So they’re giving you the jobs that require simple speed and violence.”

“It seems to be my preferred milieu. But some things I prefer to take my time for…”

His arms slid around her. She saw the silver glimmer of writing and symbols ripple across his forearm, then melt back into the skin. Praises to the Goddess, and protection and guidance for Her warriors. When he wished, they could remain visible. Marcellus had been the angel who awarded them to him, after Merc’s first battle in the ranks of the Legion.

Her angel incubus. Who served the Goddess, but also served and cared for Ruth. She remembered the night she’d risen to find he’d taken care of things with the floor, just as he said he would. There was no evidence of violence in her family home. Only the energy vibrations of life itself, and lives well lived.

Tonight, after working at her father’s desk on the paperwork that needed managing, she’d decided to leave all that and come here. As she passed through the door, she’d stopped, touching those knife marks Mal had created in his idle pastime of target practice. She’d returned to the desk and picked up Kohana’s knife. There was energy there. Strength. She gripped the hilt where her father had gripped it so often, and felt as if she was holding his hand.

Give it time, Charlie had told her. When you first experience a terrible loss, that’s where your mind lights. But over time, it moves to how they lived their lives, what they meant to you. Not how they died. And then…you start to feel other things.

All these weeks, she’d waited and hoped. Then let it go, knowing it would come in time. And it had.

She’d stood stock still, her heart beating in her ears.

She’d felt them.

The brush of a strong hand, the sense of a smile. The heart-crushing scent of her mother, the strength of her father surrounding her. His hand on her shoulder as he stood just behind her. As they both stood with her.

Tears had squeezed out of her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself, her hands folding over her collarbone, as if she could overlap their fingers. She held the feeling to her. I love you both, so much. I love you.

She let herself think of the one memory worth holding onto from that terrible day. Her father had two tattoos he’d maintained throughout the years, using his blood to anchor the ink, as vampires had to do so it wasn’t “healed” or reabsorbed. One was the lioness and feathers art around his biceps. The other was on his side, under his left arm, alongside his heart. The small flower had the same blue color as Elisa’s eyes, and the bloom was bordered by two words. Adan. Ruth.

Elisa’s fingertips had rested on that tattoo. Ruth had zero doubt her mother had intentionally reached for it in her last moment to leave a message for them.

We love you.

It was as she’d told Adan, hoping, wanting to believe, but now she was sure. Everything she did to protect this place, to keep it fulfilling the mission her father had created it for, would weave itself into that echo, making it ever stronger. They would always be here. Willingly. Just like herself.

Adan and her father’s worry, about having someone to protect her, to help her, it would extend to the sanctuary’s wellbeing too, because Merc loved the island as much as she did.

She’d put the beaded scabbard and that long knife on her belt, to wear it along her thigh. It made her feel balanced.

When it had happened, she knew Merc had seen all of that in her head. He let the beaded strands slide through his knuckles now as she removed the scabbard. At the look of kindled heat in his gaze, she removed her shirt. Then her jeans and the rest of her clothes, leaving them in a neat bundle. Putting her hands behind her back, she dipped her head down. Lowered her eyes.

I love you, Master.

His hands cradled her face, bringing it back up as he lowered his mouth to hers. She leaned against him. He’d taken to wearing his version of Legion wear a lot more often, the black battle skirt, plus an upper body harness loaded with his preferred dagger and a short sword. It was a good look for him. She slid her hands to his taut backside, digging her fingernails into it, her body tightening in anticipation.

“I didn’t give you permission to touch me.”

He spoke against her ear. Though she’d offered herself to him, and he gave them both pleasure, it was only in the past few days he’d let the Master in him aggressively respond to her again. The only times before then it had shown itself was when he wouldn’t allow her to work or push herself too hard.

Maybe he’d known she wasn’t ready for the vulnerability that came with bringing it into the intense sexual encounters they shared. But the other night, she’d proven she was more than ready.