Epilogue.
Deoctra stood in the Dodge House guesthouse facing the small, dark Dumont family matriarch. Once she had considered the other fem a friend, mentor and future mother-in-law. More, Palea Dumont had almost taken the place of her own lost mother. Their once-close relationship had been lost in all that had happened between them in the last few years.
"Why have you come here, Diniti?"
"I know I"ve done things to endanger those you love, but I thought I had... " She touched her stomach. "I have a new life growing inside me and two younger siblings to consider. I need my child to be able to grow without fear of reprisal. Is that possible?"
Palea Walker-Dumont bared her incisors and grabbed her by the throat. "You have committed acts that I find unforgivable. Time and again you have endangered my children, who I love far more than my own life. Because of you, Mikhel nearly had his masculinity stripped from him. You tried to kill my Kattia. You endangered Mikhel"s true bloodl.u.s.t. You connived with your protege Diana to kidnap Serge. Now you come asking for forgiveness?"
Palea lifted her in the air and flung her across the room. Deoctra scrambled to her feet, her heart racing. Coming here alone in an effort to make peace had been a mistake. But she tried again. "Please. Forgive me."
"No!" Palea flashed across the room and backhanded her. As she fell, Palea gripped her by her neck and lifted her off her feet again, squeezing her throat so tightly Deoctra barely had the strength to attempt to pry her fingers loose. "Now, you die for all your sins."
"Mother! No."
Palea released her throat, allowing her to drop to her knees, gasping for breath.
Deoctra lifted her head and saw Mikhel striding across the room to them.
Palea shook her head. "Do not interfere, Mikhel."
"I gave her my word she had nothing further to fear from us, Mother."
Deoctra crawled on her knees and pressed her back against the wall. She longed to call out to Falcone. But even if she knew where he was and if he managed to come to her defense, she feared Palea would kill him in a rage. As dangerous as her present situation was, she wouldn"t risk Falcone"s life.
She would have to depend on Mikhel to convince his mother to allow her to leave- alive.
"I gave no such word, Mikhel, and I have already forgiven far too many of her transgressions. She is not leaving here alive."
Mikhel stepped in front of her. "I gave her my word, Mother. All her transgressions have been the result of feeling betrayed by me. I bear her no ill will."
"You nearly died because of her!"
"She made a mistake, Mother."
"She has made too many of those involving my children. Stand aside."
"No, Mother."
"You would challenge me?"
"No. I would ask-beg-you to honor my word. I gave it to her. She came here to make peace. Please allow her to leave in peace, Mother." "She has caused this family much grief. You ask too much of me in this. Stand aside." "No, Mother. Please, let her leave." "Why do you defend her?"
"I gave her my word, and this all started because I hurt her. She"s trying to move on with her life. She"s pregnant, Mother. If you kill her, you"ll be killing her child as well. Please allow her to leave."
She heard Palea sigh. "Very well, if it means so much to you. I will allow her to leave in peace, but if I ever see her again-" "Mother! Don"t." "Very well." Through Mikhel"s legs, Deoctra saw Palea flash out of the room. She closed her eyes and slumped back against the wall. She felt an arm around her shoulders. When Mikhel knelt beside her, she trembled and leaned against him. He hugged her. "It"s all right. You"re safe." She looked up at him. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, but I"ll see you safely off the property." He lifted her to her feet. He walked her out of the guesthouse and along the winding path that led to the front of the compound. Along the way, she could feel several pair of hostile eyes on her. She shivered at the hatred surrounding her.
Mikhel put an arm around her shoulders. "It"s all right."At the front gate, he turned to look at her. "They won"t follow you.""She would have killed me."He sighed. "After losing my older siblings, she"s very protective of us."
"You saved my life." "It was the least I could do." He smiled. "I"m sorry things didn"t work out between us. I hope you and your baby will be safe and happy." She nodded. "Thank you." She squeezed his hand and ran down the road where she" d left her SUV. A tall, dark male emerged from the driver"s seat. A swell of pleasure rushed through her. Her eyes filled with tears and shewalked into his open arms. "Falcone!" He embraced her, kissing herneck. "You"re shaking!" He lifted his head and looked down at her."Are you all right? What were you doing in the Dumonts"compound?" "Nearly getting myself killed." "What?" He starteddown the road. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back. "Leave it.We"ve made a sort of peace. Let"s get out of here."
He opened the pa.s.senger door and helped her in. She watched as he walked around the vehicle and got in on the driver"s side. He started the engine and drove down the narrow road leading away from the Dumont compound.
"Where have you been?" She saw his fingers tighten on the steering wheel. "On some d.a.m.ned wild goose chase Vitali sent me on. Jacoby called me back and told me you needed me." He turned his head to cast a brief glance at her. "Did you?" "Yes, but I managed." "If I"d known, I wouldn"t have left. You know that, don"t you?" She nodded. "Yes." Nothing in her life had gone as she"d planned. Mikhel had rejected her, she"d lost two sisters and she"d lost Leon, the male she"d begun to hope she could build a life with. Things had seemed bleak then, but now a whole new world lay ahead of her. She was carrying a child, she could be with her remaining sisters without fear of the Dumonts hunting them down, and she had full confidence that the male seated beside her really cared about her.
She placed her hand over her stomach. Life was full of possibilities. "Whose baby is it? Leon"s or mine?" She had slept with both men during the period when she had become pregnant. She knew Falcone was hoping it was his. She hoped it was Leon"s. If it were Leon"s child interesting possibilities would arise-especially if it were a boy. A male would have a claim on his pack. Maybe, just maybe, she didn"t have to abandon all her hopes for the future. If it were Leon"s baby, one day she and her son might again challenge Acier Gautier. If that happened, her son would challenge Acier in a way in which no one could take issue.
"Deoctra?" "Does it matter whose baby it is?" "No. I"ll stand by you either way." She settled back against her seat. "I need a f.u.c.k. Take me home, Falcone, and f.u.c.k me." "That"s been the plan from the moment I met you."
The hunger in his voice was unmistakable. After they"d f.u.c.ked like rabbits, she would call Tali and Smo and introduce the three of them. Falcone would take one look at her lovely sisters and get hot all over. The thought of Tali and Smo discovering the carnal pleasures to be found at the end of the c.o.c.k of a big, handsome shifter who loved vampire p.u.s.s.y aroused her.
Now that Bella was back in the country maybe the five of them would have a family f.u.c.k fest of their own...
About the Author.
Marilyn Lee lives, works, and writes on the East Coast. In addition to thoroughly enjoying writing erotic romances, she enjoys roller-skating, spending time with her large, extended family, and rooting for all her hometown sports teams. Her other interests include collecting Doc Savage pulp novels from the thirties and forties and collecting Marvel comics from the seventies and eighties (particularly Thor and The Avengers). Her favorite TV shows are forensic shows, westerns (Gunsmoke and Have Gun, Will Travel are particular favors), mysteries (love the old Charlie Chan mysteries. All time favorite mystery movie is probably Dead, Again), and nearly every vampire movie or television show ever made (Forever Knight and Count Yorga, Vampire are favors). She thoroughly enjoys hearing from readers.
Marilyn welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
Also by Marilyn Lee.
Bloodl.u.s.t 1: Conquering Mikhel Dumont Bloodl.u.s.t 2: The Taming of Serge Dumont Bloodl.u.s.t 3: Forbidden Desires Bloodl.u.s.t 4: Nocturnal Heat Bloodl.u.s.t: All In the Family Branded Breathless In Black Carnal Confessions Full Bodied Charmer Moonlight Desires Moonlight Whispers Playing With Fire Pleasure Quest Return to Voltar Road To Rapture Shifting Faces The Fall of Troy The Talisman White Christmas
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