10. Lorna

After another half hour of driving, Nathan pulled into the parking lot of a small airport. My dhampir continued to give a running dialog of all the guys' attributes the entire time. No matter what I told her, she refused to shut up. I didn't have the heart to lock her up, though. Even if her thoughts were inappropriate, she was funny, and I really needed a distraction from the darkness of the last three weeks.

As soon as Nathan put the truck in park, I scrambled over Kenrid and pushed the door open. The cool night air once again calmed my raging hormones. I didn't get more than a few feet from the vehicle before Kenrid's cool summer rain wrapped around me. Now that it wasn't mingling with the others, I realized how much I missed his magic calling to mine.

I drew in a deep breath and turned to face him. He stood a couple steps away with his hands shoved in his pockets. The tall lights in the parking lot cast shadows across his face, but I could see him watching me. I just wasn't sure what his expression meant.

I opened my mouth several times to give a dozen different reassurances and excuses, but they all sounded weak, even in my mind. I wasn't sure I could control anything anymore. Yes, my dhampir and I were determined, but determination didn't mean success.

Nathan and Elliott strolled around the back of the truck a moment later, both with a bag slung over their shoulders. Nathan stopped at Kenrid's side, but Elliott marched right into my space and pulled me into a tight hug. I didn't fight it. My arms wrapped around his waist, and I settled my cheek against his chest. His heart thumped against my ear, sounding just a little too fast.

"I'll see you in two days," Elliott whispered.

His chest rumbled, and a whole-body shiver quickly followed. Elliott's magic wrapped around me. The green haze that preceded a shift to his wolf circled us both. It sank through my skin and brushed against my own magic. It felt so right. Different than Kenrid's but just as right. Where Kenrid's magic felt like a soft summer rain, Elliott's was like snuggling with a loved one in a warm blanket by the fire.

The mingling of our magic faded, and Elliott released me. His shoulders were slightly hunched, and his hands curled into fists just before he turned and walked away.

Nathan took a step closer to me with Kenrid glued to his side. My dhampir rose to the surface, but she didn't try to take over. She just watched as his scent surrounded me. I didn't need her to tell me that his blood would be stronger than Conrad's. I could smell the intensity of his magic.

We cannot give in,I told my other half.

No, we cannot, she agreed.

"When you arrive at our home, you'll need to be half-fae and half-human," Nathan said. "I'm still trying to decide whether we should continue to use your true identity or make up a new one. Hopefully whatever we find in the boxes we stole from Conrad will help with that choice."

"You want to take them with you?" Kenrid asked. "We won't be able to do anything with them while we're on the road."

Nathan pulled his shadowed gaze from me and looked at the fae. "Good idea."

"I'll get a cart," Damon offered, jogging toward the small airport terminal without waiting for a response.

Nathan turned back to me, and I shivered under the intensity of his gaze. Even though the lights shadowed his face, I could feel the magic in his blood calling me.

"I'm trusting you with two of my most valuable men and best friends," Nathan whispered. "Kenrid has the ability to put you in a magically induced sleep if he has to. Don't force him to make that decision."

All my desire for the vampire shriveled up into a ball of resentment. His words stung, no matter how justified they were. I was a stranger to him—to all of them—and he was sacrificing so much to keep my secret. I wrapped my arms around my stomach and stared at the cracked concrete under my feet.

Asshole!my dhampir hissed.

No, he's right,I said.

"I promise not to hurt them or put them in a compromising position," I said. "Thank you for the sacrifices all of you are making and have already made just to keep me safe. I won't be a burden to you."

Several snarls and low growls echoed through the parking lot, but I didn't need to pull my eyes from the ground to know it was Elliott and Damon. I wanted to tell them to stop because Nathan was right. But I said nothing, just continued to stare at the concrete. I'd already created enough turmoil for them. Arguing wouldn't make it better.

"Let's go," Nathan said, and his luscious scent disappeared.

I stood in the same spot until they finished loading all the boxes on a cart. Elliott gave me a look of longing before following Nathan to the terminal.

"Come on, d'laej. We have a long drive ahead of us," Damon said. "And I'll need you to sit in the front so I can regenerate some energy."

"How long do you need?" Kenrid asked, opening the front passenger door for me.

I assumed he was talking to Damon, so I hopped into the front and pulled the seatbelt across my shoulder.

"Three or four hours," Damon replied, climbing into the back seat. "We should stop and get some food for Lorna before I do, though."

"Good idea," Kenrid said, then closed my door.

The conversation sounded a little weird to me, but I wasn't about to deny myself a meal. Now that they mentioned it, the thought of real food made my stomach growl.

Damon's chuckle from the back did weird things to my insides. I wanted to be close to him, but I knew I couldn't. Not just because of Nathan's warning. I wasn't ready to test my resolve. The fact that my dhampir wasn't pushing made me think she wasn't ready, either. I had a feeling that Damon wouldn't wait, though. They all wanted to find out how far they could push me before we made it back to the compound.

A few minutes later, we were back on the road. Another half hour after that and we were pulling into a fast-food drive-through. I ordered several cheeseburgers, fries, and an extra-large soda. Kenrid ordered a salad and several bottles of water. Damon's order looked a whole lot like mine.

I felt a little guilty that Kenrid had to pay, but I had nothing on me except Elliott's clothes. As soon as I got back to Kenrid's house, I needed to give him most of the cash I'd taken out of my account. I'd left everything in the room he'd been letting me use, which was probably a good thing.

"You shouldn't eat all of that at once," Kenrid said as he pulled out of the drive-through and back onto the main road. "It'll likely make you sick."

I sifted through the bags anyway. He was probably right, but I was starving. Luckily, the restaurant separated our orders into three bags. I handed Damon's back to him and set Kenrid's on the center console, wondering how he'd eat a salad while driving. Maybe I could offer to drive so he could eat.

I frowned as realization struck me. "So… where exactly are we?" I asked, while unwrapping a cheeseburger.

The first bite melted in my mouth. I almost cried. Scratch that. Tears spilled from my eyes as the burst of flavors made love to my tongue. Yes, I know it was just a cheap cheeseburger loaded with unhealthy calories, but it was also heaven.

"We're in Vermont," Kenrid said, seeming not to notice my mini breakdown.

I quickly swallowed my next bite. "Holy shit," I grumbled. "I didn't put two and two together when Elliott said he'd see me in two days. It'll take us that long to drive back, won't it?"

"Yes," Damon replied from behind me. "We'll drive for the next sixteen hours or so, then stop for the night. We should reach New Orleans before the end of the next day."

"Oh, okay." I stuffed another bite into my mouth. Had he really said we were going to New Orleans, not Pensacola? Kenrid mentioned before that their main headquarters or whatever were in New Orleans. They must've intended to keep me there.

Not in another cell, my dhampir hissed.

No, I don't think so.

I really didn't. She should feel their dedication to me just as easily as I did. If I really was Damon's mate, I couldn't see him agreeing to lock me in a prison. Right? Or would he? I had no idea how demons treated their mates. Come to think of it, I had no idea how any of the supernaturals treated their significant others. I just automatically assumed it was like a normal marriage. What if it wasn't?

Do you know? I asked my dhampir.

I'm only a day old, she snapped. How would I know?

For some reason, her response made me giggle.

So, you're like a baby dhampir?

Shut up, bitch.

I laughed out loud. Children aren't allowed to use that kind of language, I taunted.

She didn't respond, but I could feel her amusement.

"You should really share your conversations," Kenrid said. "I'm a little jealous of your dhampir's ability to make you laugh like that."

I opened my mouth to tell him, but it really wasn't his business. It was between me and my dhampir.

"It's kind of personal," I said. "But I'll try harder to keep it to myself. I've always hated it when people whisper around me. I immediately want to assume they're talking about me, even if they're not."

"Don't," Damon grumbled. "You be you. Don't worry about us. If Kenrid wants to make you laugh, he needs to be funnier. Or hang around Elliott more often."

I choked on the bite I'd just taken. Half of his comment brought tears to my eyes and the other made me want to laugh again. I glanced over at Kenrid, expecting to see a scowl. A smile played at his lips, and those damn tears of mine fell.

"Why would you put up with me and all the chaos I'm bringing into your lives?" I asked before I realized that maybe I wasn't ready for the answer.

"Because you are my mate," Damon said. "Unlike my brothers, I don't question my magic. You're fated to be in my life, and I'm grateful for the privilege."

I grabbed my soda and took a really long drink. No one had ever said anything like that to me. I couldn't even wrap my head around the sincerity of his words. How would I ever prove I was worthy of him?

"Unlike you, Damon," Kenrid said, pulling me back from my downward spiral, "some of our lives are rather complicated." He glanced at me for a moment, and his smile widened. "But I share Damon's sentiment. I've already told you that my magic wants you. That hasn't changed."

My gaze danced between the two men as my confused brain tried to make sense of their declarations. Kenrid continued watching the road, but Damon's focus didn't leave me.

"You expect me to be with both of you?" I finally asked. "And you're okay with that?"

"I want you to be with me," Damon replied. "But if you also choose to give part of yourself to Kenrid, I have no objections. So long as you also give part of yourself to me."

We get to have both!my dhampir said excitedly.

I didn't respond to her. I wasn't sure I could satisfy one man, much less two. I had a feeling Elliott would have something to say about all this, especially with the way his magic had wrapped around me not even an hour ago.

We can satisfy all of them, the greedy little bitch said. Think of all the things they can do for us. She proceeded to give me all the images of the things she wanted done. Heat and longing surged through my body. Damon and Kenrid both growled.

"Don't do that," Kenrid warned, "or we won't be driving through the night."

"It's not my fault," I whined. "My dhampir is a horny little bitch."

Damon's booming laughter startled me. I quickly set my drink back in the cup holder so I didn't spill it. Kenrid was right. I'd only eaten one burger, and I was full. I stared longingly at the others in my bag.

"Put your food in the center console," Damon said. "Elliott special-ordered it as a cooler, so it'll keep for a few hours."

"That's really clever," I said, flipping open the lid and marveling at the insulated lining. Several bottles of water and soda were already inside. I reorganized them and I added my leftovers, then settled Kenrid's salad on top.

"I need to replenish my energy," Damon said, still watching me. "Staying in human form drains my magic. I just wanted to warn you before I change."

I hadn't even thought about how Damon was different. I had so many questions about the differences between shifters and demons, but as soon as his magic swelled, I forgot everything. I was glad he warned me ahead of time. His unique smell of chocolate latte with mint engulfed all my senses. My eyes rolled shut as I tried desperately to stay in my seat.

Please let me taste him,my dhampir pleaded.

No! We're supposed to be proving we're worthy, remember?

You're right,she conceded, but her desire didn't go away. This will be way harder than I expected.

You think?

She snarled at me, but I didn't care. I knew it would be hard, maybe even impossible, to deny my urges.

"Ready for your first test, little d'laej?" Damon asked.

My eyes popped open, and I shook my head. "Nope."

Damon's demon form took up the entire back seat. He lay on his back with one wing climbing up the rear window and the other leaning against Kenrid's seat. One of his legs was bent at the knee, leaning against the back of the seat because he was too tall to extend them. The other disappeared behind my chair, probably with his foot on the floor.

He was tremendous. Even in the cab's dark interior, I could see the sculpted muscles of his chest and abs. Just like every other time I'd seen his demon, he wore only a pair of leather pants. Really tight pants that hugged his thick thighs and gave a tantalizing outline of his … well, enough said.

"We both need rest," Damon said, interrupting my ogling. "You can sleep on my chest."

I snorted. "Yeah … no. I'll just lean my seat back and take a nap if I get tired. Besides, someone needs to stay up and talk to Kenrid, so he doesn't get sleepy."

Kenrid chuckled, but I couldn't take my eyes off Damon. I should've been horrified by the enormous creature filling the back seat, but I wasn't. His magic called to me just like it always did, as did his scent.

I licked my lips. Damon's smile shined bright against his dark brown skin. I wondered what the horns crowning his head felt like. Were they hollow like a ram's, or were they solid bone? I remembered how the scales covering his arms felt beneath my fingertips. And the desire to run my fingers along his wings nearly had me crawling in the back seat.

"Go ahead, Lorna," Kenrid said. "I'll be fine if you want to test your resolve with our demon."

My face flushed a hundred shades of red. Thank goodness it was too dark for anyone to see.

"Nope, I'm good," I insisted, forcing myself to face the front of the vehicle. Damon was a huge temptation.

He chuckled at my response.

"He's right," Kenrid said. "We really do need to see how much you can handle. We'll try to keep you away from the vampires for as long as possible, but you need to be able to stand at Damon's side in front of the clan and act normal."

I frowned and glanced over my shoulder at the demon. He extended a clawed hand to me, and my entire body lit up. Again, I should have been afraid of the long claws pointing my way, but I wasn't.

"You'll knock me out if I do something stupid?" I asked. "I really don't want to hurt anyone, especially you guys."

"You'll be fine," Damon said. "Now get back here so I can rest."

Kenrid nodded and gave me a quick smile. I couldn't believe I was actually doing this.

Don't be stupid,I warned my dhampir. We have to prove we can do this.

Like I don't know that, she snapped back. But I am licking him.

No, you will not!

I won't bite, just lick.

I rubbed my hands across my face and unbuckled my seatbelt. I crawled over the center console and fell onto Damon's massive body. He grabbed my waist and situated me the way he wanted, lying on my stomach with my head on his shoulder. Every inch of my body lined up with him, except for my legs which rested on the seat between his. As soon as I settled, his hands left me.

Something very hard and very large pressed into my lower stomach. I tried to ignore it, but seriously … Whew! Instead of focusing on his arousal, I trailed my fingers along his chest, feeling the scales lift under my touch. It was mesmerizing, and I wished it wasn't dark outside so I could see it.

Damon didn't say a word when I reached out to touch the edge of his wing. Just like I suspected, it was buttery soft like well-worn leather.

"Does it hurt lying on your back like this?" I asked.

"No."

"Is it uncomfortable when I touch here?" I asked.

"No."

Kenrid cleared his throat, and I blushed, realizing what I said.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Kenrid," I said. "I was talking about his wings."

The fae laughed, and his magic tickled my senses. My blush deepened.

"The membranes in my wings are very sensitive," Damon said, but I could hear the humor in his voice. "What you're doing feels good, though. I will tell you if you do something I don't like."

"Okay."

I let my hand fall back to his chest and laid my cheek where I expected his heart to be. It thumped loudly beneath me. I listened to its slow rhythm while my fingers drew circles on his pectoral. My eyelids grew heavy, and I yawned. I hadn't felt tired before, but now I wasn't sure I could fight off sleep.

A light touch along my spine startled me but only for a moment. Damon's warm hand settled on my back. I raised my head until my lips reached Damon's jaw. I placed a soft kiss against his skin, and my dhampir smiled.

I fell asleep feeling safe and protected and maybe even a little bit cherished.