Chapter 1 Kerry's Pov

• It’s odd. Being a mother was odd—not in a bad way, though. I suppose I just wish I’d had enough time to prepare myself for it, and I wish there wasn’t always a threat looming over my daughter’s head, one I couldn’t do anything about. I could tell Silas, of course, but I had a feeling Asher wouldn’t like that. The last thing I needed was to anger him; he might actually take Via away from me this time.
• Anyway, aside from the negatives, it was refreshing to look at the world from a different angle. I’d always thought of myself as just human—nothing special. But now I was learning that my lifespan far surpassed that of a human. I had enhanced strength, better vision, and, with enough training, I could grow a killer pair of wings like my dad. It was strange at first, but once the idea stuck, I found that being supernatural wasn’t as bad as I’d thought. Still, I was thankful I didn’t have to stick to just one diet like Silas.
• “Trust me, it’s not as bad as you think,” Silas had said when I asked if vampires ever got tired of just drinking blood. Surely, decades of that would make it grow bland? Not that blood was appealing in the first place.
• I watched from the kitchen counter as Silas took a sip from his mug. His eyes stayed fixed on me, and I knew he was trying to gauge my feelings about his eating habits. A few months ago, I would have gagged at the very smell of blood. Now, I found I wasn’t bothered in the slightest. Sure, I still didn’t like blood, but I knew Silas needed it to survive, just like I needed food. That was more than enough to suspend any disgust I might have felt. Honestly, I didn’t know how past me could have been so insensitive toward vampires.
• “Do you want me to feed her for you?”
• “Uh…” I stared down at the baby feeder and the unopened bag of blood. “Yeah, I think that would be best.”
• Silas stepped closer to me, holding our daughter with one arm and sneaking the other around my waist. “My beautiful baby,” he cooed, pressing soft kisses on my cheeks and ears. “Look at you, being all domestic.”
• “I’m sure you’re loving it,” I said, trying to fight back my blush. Silas and I had been together for a while now—we even had a baby together—but I still couldn’t help feeling flustered around him. Moments like this brought back memories from years ago, when he’d teased me constantly. Back then, I saw him in a different light—a big brother I never wanted. Now, he was my lover, and we had a beautiful hybrid daughter. Her future was probably going to be a hell of a ride.
• “I love everything about you. You’re just so fucking gorgeous, baby.” His kisses trailed over my neck, and I tilted my head to give him better access. My hands clenched as I leaned further against the counter in case my legs gave out. His sharp fangs grazed the soft skin of my neck. Normally, I’d freak out at the idea of being bitten, but I trusted Silas with my life. He wouldn’t bite me—unless I asked. And I wasn’t that kinky.
• Silas pressed himself against me, and I felt him harden as he rubbed himself against me. Octavia made a small noise, and my eyes widened.
• “Silas, the baby!”
• “Oh, right.” The vampire reluctantly stepped back, clearly displeased. But soon, his focus returned to the little bundle of joy in his arms. “I’m sorry, Via. Daddy definitely didn’t forget about you.” He pressed sweet kisses on her face, making me smile. “Here, hold our baby, baby. I’ll fix her something.”
• “Uh, can you not call us both ‘baby’? It’s a bit weird,” I said, taking Via from his arms.
• “You’re both my babies, but I’ll come up with something else soon enough.”
• I shrugged. I wasn’t really against any term of endearment Silas might use. He could call me anything, honestly. That’s right—I might be turning into a complete simp for him. How could I not? He was perfect.
• With one last loving glance at him, I stepped out of the kitchen. “Look, Via, the roses are in full bloom today.” The floor-to-ceiling window in the living room gave a perfect view of the garden outside. These were little details I hadn’t noticed when we first moved in. Another major detail was that I could also see into the neighbor’s living room through his window. I tried not to look in that direction. Sometimes, when my gaze lingered too long, I swore I saw Asher’s looming figure, staring back at me with his menacing grin.
• Even now, I hadn’t gotten over his presence. I was unsure when he might show up to take Octavia from me. “I won’t let him have you,” I whispered, more to myself than to the baby in my arms, who couldn’t understand a word I said.
• “Kerry?” Silas’s sudden voice behind me made me flinch. He placed a soothing hand on my shoulder. “Sorry for startling you. What are you thinking about?” He guided me to the sofa and took Octavia to feed her himself. I stared down at my empty hands, rubbing them together uncomfortably.
• “How fast Octavia’s growing.”
• “Right. It’s a bit unsettling for you, I guess.” Our daughter was only a week old, but she already looked four months old. Bill suggested her rapid growth might be tied to her mixed blood. None of us knew how she’d turn out—or why she never cried like most babies. But worrying now would be futile. We could only wait and see. At least Silas wasn’t bothered. He only seemed saddened that Octavia wouldn’t experience a full childhood like most kids. But those were worries for another day.
• “It’s not unsettling for me.”
• “Of course not.” Silas leaned down and kissed me, soft and loving. “She’s beautiful. Thank you, my love.”
• “I should be thanking you. You’ve been so good to me. I don’t know why I acted like such a brat before. I’m sorry.”
• “Nah, you weren’t a brat. Not to me.”
• “Yeah, I believe you.”
• ---
• Later that night, when I’d put Octavia to bed, I snuck under the blanket, ready to sleep. I’d be snoring in a few minutes if Silas hadn’t suddenly pinned me to the bed and started kissing me.
• “Silas? What the hell!”
• “Are you sleepy, baby?”
• “Well, yeah. It’s been a long day.”
• “Too bad. I was thinking we could do something fun.” His tongue dragged across my neck, drawing a moan from me. His lips curled in amusement. “I can’t stop thinking about how I almost lost you, Kerry. It’s scary. I know everything’s okay now, but I still feel worried. I don’t want to lose you or Octavia again.”
• “You won’t. Not now.” I didn’t know what the future held, but right now, we were safe. That’s all that mattered. But the threat lingered, and Silas deserved to know. “We’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll tell you everything.”
• “Didn’t you say…”
• “I know. I didn’t want to worry you. I’m sorry.”
• “Why can’t we talk now?”
• “Because…” Teasingly, I wrapped my legs around his hips, pulling him into a passionate kiss. “I want you to show me how much you missed me.”
• The frown on his face melted into a heated grin, and I caught a flash of his sharp fangs. My body heated in a way I didn’t entirely dislike. I might be developing a kink for those teeth.
• “I can do that,” he whispered heatedly, before kissing me deeply.