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  Worried, she nudged him. “Does my tale sound too fantastical to be true? Or do you think I’m crazy?”

  He drew her tightly against his heart and stroked her back. Against her ear, he huskily murmured, “Your revelation answers burning questions. I now see why you regarded me with such hatred. It’s more than troubling to think I could ever be such a butcher. Surely the future is not written in stone?”

  “Do you hate me? For trying to kill you to save the world?” she whispered. “As I used to hate you?”

  “Used to,” he asked against her lips, his breath mingling with hers. “Never again. I’ve been captivated by you since the first moment I saw you. I’ve dreamed of you nightly—or perhaps they weren’t dreams…”

  Again, she couldn’t be sure, but she suspected many weren’t.

  A tap sounded on the door. “Milord, once more you sleep until the sun climbs high in the sky. Are you feeling ill?”

  Nikolai froze then a mist filled his eyes. “’Tis Robert, my trusted groom. I must bid him farewell. I must not let him worry about me. He has been as a father to me.”

  “You could turn him into a vampire and give him eternal life at your side.”

  Nikolai shook his head. “He would not make a good vampire. He wouldn’t wish it so. He’s a very God-fearing man.”

  “And you are not?” So little did she know him, but she knew he was her soul mate. She hoped he wouldn’t have a change of heart.

  “No. I am a man of science. If there was a God, he wouldn’t let his people suffer so.”

  She could not understand how he could respect Robert’s belief if he did not share it but respected his decision. “Should I hide?”

  “Nay. I wish for you to meet him. When your comeliness overwhelms him, God-fearing or not, he will understand my decision.”

  Her lips curved at that, and she rose to find her clothes and step into them. She fastened her buttons and smoothed her gear.

  “Milord? Are you inside?” Robert’s voice grew higher pitched. The knocking on the door grew fierce.

  Although shrugging into his tunic, Nikolai opened the door, peeked out and admitted the man. With haste, he barred the entrance. Then he pulled the old man into a hug as if he would never let him go, and she wondered if he’d changed his mind. She didn’t know that she could ever give up her father.

  When Nikolai motioned for her to join him, she stepped forward and stood at his side feeling as if she’d been there and would be there forever. It felt right. She wondered how she’d ever doubted it.

  Robert’s eyes grew wide, but he stood stoically and lifted his chin another notch. “Is this she, milord? The maiden who has caught your fancy?”

  Kes tingled at the words and captured her mate’s hand, vowing never to let go.

  “Aye, my dear, Robert. This is Kes, soon to be my most cherished bride.”

  Robert clapped his hands before his face and broke into tears. Then he grabbed Kes to him and kissed first one cheek then the other. “’Tis brimming over with happiness for you, I am. ‘Tis a lovely life I wish for both of thee.”

  She hugged him, the lure of his blood strong, and knew they must not linger lest she not be able to control her blood lust. She retreated then she gave Nikolai a meaningful look.

  Her lover nodded and the tale unfurled as he explained he was leaving. At first, Robert cringed and fear filled his eyes, but then softer tears replaced it. “I wish you an eternity of happiness, milord. I won’t know what to do without thee. You have been as a son to me.”

  “And you have been my second father. I shall visit if I am able,” Nikolai promised. “Take good care of my keep and my people. See to it their lands are fertile and their crops plentiful. If not, share of your wealth.”

  Robert swiped at the tears streaming from his eyes. “I shall do as you say and follow your example, milord. ‘Tis upsetting my mind that thee leave these earthly bounds before me, but I shall follow your decree. Pray, do not worry. We shall comfort your people and make your death believable.”

  She and Nikolai nodded in unison.

  “Thank you,” she said with fervour. “I’ll take good care of him.”

  “We will take good care of one another,” Nikolai said and pulled her into his arms.

  She had to make sure of one last thing. Looking deeply into his eyes and straight into his soul, she said, “Swear you won’t hurt anybody should I die.”

  Anguish flickered across his eyes. “I would not let you die. Pray, do not think it. Our kind live forever, do we not?”

  She hated to think of her end, too, of being separated from him, from her family, but she had no choice. “Please. Swear it to me.”

  He took her hands in his and hypnotically rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. In a low intense tone, he promised, “I swear I shall not let you die, but should you, I swear no harm shall befall your family or our beloved planet.”

  Integrity and honesty rang through his voice. Appeased, she burrowed into his open arms and she brushed her lips against his. “I’ll love you forever.”

  “I’ll love you more.” With that promise, he claimed her lips, scooped her into his arms and cradled her against his heart.

  Epilogue

  Kes watched in awe as her mother gave birth to her. She winced when Zanna’s fingers crushed hers. Vampires in labour had awesome strength. Although she winced, she didn’t pull away. This was the least she could do for the woman who had given life to her.

  As the baby emerged from the birth canal, wailing and kicking, Kes held her breath. She still couldn’t believe this was happening, that the miracle of time travel had brought her adult self to the moment of her birth. She still didn’t understand how she and Nikolai could be here on twenty-fourth century earth, but she decided not to question whatever forces made it possible.

  “You did good, Mommy,” Kes said as she stroked Zanna’s damp hair away from her perspiring face. She leant forward and kissed her mother’s forehead still debating whether or not to tell her younger set of parents who she really was. For now, she was the younger Dmitri’s second in command and the person who had made peace between the vampires and the mortals.

  She let Dmitri hold his baby, relishing the look of love and devotion for his new child. Emotions she’d never before felt twisted her insides, and she blinked back tears of happiness.

  She stepped forward and held out her arms. “May I hold the baby?”

  Dmitri looked up and smiled at her. He cradled the still-crying infant to his chest and looked as if he was scared to relinquish her. Then he held the baby out. “I should be able to trust the mother of two to know how to hold a child not to mention our matchmaker who made our little miracle happen.”

  Heat rushed into Kes’ cheeks and she looked away afraid Dmitri would wonder at her reaction. She also wondered how her children, Alexa and Vlad would feel knowing they had been born before their mother?

  “Don’t worry. I love her like my very own.” Kes took herself in her arms and stared in amazement at her miniature face so tiny, perfect and incensed at being kidnapped from her mother’s comfy womb. “Shush, little girl. You have the best parents in the world. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  Dmitri kissed his wife and gazed into her eyes. “Have we decided what to call her?”

  Kes held her breath. She wondered if her name could change since so much else had. She couldn’t see herself as anything other than “Kes” or “K”. If they chose another name, she didn’t know whether to influence them to change it back or not.

  “She doesn’t look like an ‘Alexandra’.” Zanna’s brow furrowed and she held out her arms for her daughter.

  With great reluctance, Kes lowered the baby into her mother’s arms. She had to bite her tongue from saying, “She should be ‘Kes’.”

  Dmitri peered into the child’s face. “She looks like a ‘Kes’.”

  “Kes?” Zanna looked up at her husband. “I’ve never heard of it, but it’s rather pretty.”
/>   “It just came to me.”

  Kes wondered if she’d projected the thought into his mind or if he’d truly thought of it on his own. But she knew from many years of learning to hide her thoughts and battling theses paradoxes not to overly worry.

  “That’s pretty,” was all she allowed herself to say.

  “Kes it is.” Zanna nuzzled her daughter and crooned to her.

  Kes backed away, feeling safe knowing her world was back on track if a different one. Earth had survived, and she was still here.

  Silently as she could, she backed out of the room and joined the rest of her family in their cottage. She hugged her husband and kissed him. “The baby’s beautiful. She’s healthy, and everything’s okay.”

  Nikolai pulled her closer and drew her over to the older Dmitri and Zanna who tenderly held hands. He held out his hand to Dmitri. When the older man took it, Nikolai asked, “Am I finally forgiven?”

  Dmitri and Zanna both did a double take. Zanna laughed lightly. “There’s nothing to forgive. You’re not that Nikolai.”

  Kes’ heart swelled with love and she took her mother’s hand. “Would you like me to introduce you to your daughter again?”

  Zanna looked to her husband and arched her brow. “Have we decided whether or not to tell our younger selves who we really are? You slipped again last week and called me ‘Zanna’ instead of ‘Zee’ in front of the others. The truth always comes out.”

  Mischief danced in Nikolai’s eyes as he nibbled Kes’ ear and murmured, “I vote we tell them.”

  Kes squirmed and leaned into his caresses. She raised her hand. “I vote we tell them, too. But not today. Give them a little time to enjoy the new baby.”

  Zanna scowled. “All right. As long as I get to see you—her.”

  Kes laughed. “I think we have the most confusing family tree in history.” She rubbed her still-flat stomach then inhaled deeply and decided to divulge her happy secret to everybody at once. “And it’s about to get larger.”

  Nikolai’s eyes widened and he mouthed, “You mean..?”

  Euphoric, she took his beloved face between her hands and gazed into his eyes. “Yes. I’m going to have another of your babies.”

  About the Author

  Ashley Ladd lives in South Florida with her husband, five children, and beloved pets. She loves the water, animals (especially cats), and playing on the computer.

  She's been told she has a wicked sense of humour and often incorporates humour and adventure into her books. She also adores very spicy romance, which she weaves into her stories.

  Email: [email protected]

  Ashley loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com.

  Also by Ashley Ladd

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  Crazy in Love

  Recipe for Disaster

  Friction

  Best Mates

  Doggy Style

  Simon Says

  Caught in the Middle

  Night of the Senses

  Secret Admirer

  Last Man on Earth

  Christmas Miracles

  Naughty Boys

  Heart and Soul

  Submissive Dreams

  Liquid Heat

  Brit Party

  Wild Fantasies

  Confessions of a Nympho

  The Perfect Gift

  Wishcraft

  Shipwrecked

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