8. Going home

8

GOING HOME

G etting on the plane to head home is significantly nicer this time around.

I consider my dad's estate ‘home' now. Before, I wasn't certain I was going to stay. I mostly wanted to come to meet Julien and see what life would be like living with vampires. I was only on the plane with just my father, who I barely knew. This time, I'm with Damek. My fiancé.

It hasn't been that long since that first plane ride, but so much has changed. I'm not the same girl I was back then.

Damek holds my hand, something he's been doing with great frequency since my cousins started in their petty insults.

He squeezes my hand. "You're really quiet."

I scoot in my seat so that I can angle myself toward him. "I'm just wondering when you're going to run away."

"Run away?" He cocks an eyebrow.

"My family is," I let out a sigh, "dysfunctional. Or maybe it's just me who makes them like that. You saw how they are with me. I figured you wouldn't want anything to do with me after that."

He shakes his head. "Your family…" his voice trails off and he hesitates like he's not sure what to say. "Your family sucks. They're downright rude to you. Your grandfather just puts up with it and your mom…" he shakes his head. "Where was your mom during our engagement party?"

"Mom has always been good at hiding." It's a needed skill in a family like mine.

"The point is, I'm not ever going to run away from you." Damek's voice grows softer. "Was it always like that?"

"I was an easy target." I lower my head, not wanting to see his reaction. "I'm the one who is different. I'm the hybrid. Everybody else has a succubus mom and an incubus dad. And I know I'm not as pretty as my cousins, though it was sweet of you to stand up for me." I finally dare to look into his eyes. "Thank you for that. Nobody has ever said such sweet things about me before."

Damek runs his free hand through his hair. "That was messed up. You know it's not normal, right? I don't make fun of my hybrid cousins because they're only half vampire."

"Vampires are different than succubi and incubi." I shrug, hoping to show him it's not a big deal—even if it is . I've always hated the way I was treated. All I've ever wanted is to belong.

He continues like I didn't even speak. "As for you saying they're prettier than you, that is a downright lie . Your cousins have nothing on you. You're so beautiful, Maddie. They're just jealous, that's the only explanation for their behavior."

The thought of my gorgeous succubi cousins being jealous of me is enough to almost make me laugh. But the way Damek looks at me…

Is he serious?

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "But I'm only—"

He cuts me off. "Half succubus, yes. But you're far more charming and charismatic than your cousins."

My breath gets caught in my throat.

He's saying that after meeting them. And he doesn't seem like he's just trying to make me feel better. It's almost like he genuinely means the words.

But… how? How could he possibly feel that way after meeting them? They're so beautiful and perfect. I'm the one with flaws.

"You're surprised." Damek studies me and shakes his head slightly. "I wish you could see yourself the way I see you." He pauses. "Someday, you will."

"I will?" I ask.

He nods. "Once we get married and we have a mate bond, I will be able to share my thoughts and feelings with you."

Oh, right.

My cheeks grow warm at the thought of that .

"There is something I want to talk to you about," Damek says.

I clear my throat as I look at him. "What is it?"

His heart rate slightly increases, which leads me to believe that he's nervous. I sit up straighter as I wonder what he's about to say.

"Next week, my family is going on vacation—it's something we do every year around this time. And I was wondering if you would come with us." Damek looks at me with hope in his eyes.

He wants me to come on vacation with his family?

My heart swells at the idea that he wants me there. But then I think of his mother. I'm certain she would be happier if I didn't come.

"What about your mom?" I ask, not breaking eye contact.

He doesn't flinch or react at all. "I want you to come. I think that once my mother spends a little time with you and gets to know you, she will adore you as much as I do."

He adores me?

Why does him saying that give me butterflies?

Still, I don't want to give in just yet. I want to make sure he knows what he's doing by inviting me.

"Damek, it's your last vacation with your family before our wedding. Shouldn't you enjoy your last time alone with them before you're stuck with me?" I ask.

He grins. "You're already part of my family. When I asked my dad to put in an alliance request with the Scott Clan, I knew exactly what that meant. I wanted to marry you and I'm sorry if I haven't made my part in this very clear."

He wants to marry me.

Some part of my gut loosens at his confession and I feel lighter.

"You didn't know that I wanted to marry you?" Damek's brows knit together.

I shrug. "I don't know. I guess I thought you were kind of forced into this. You're twenty-five, which I know is still young but most vampires are married by your age. I figured you were being pushed into making a decision and figured I was your best option."

I expect him to laugh, but he gets a serious expression on his face.

"My father has never pushed me into marriage. After what his father did to him, he never wanted to do that with me," Damek says. "There was no list of women for me to choose from. I just met you and after talking to you for only a few minutes, I knew I wanted to marry you."

My heart pounds loudly in my ears as I consider his words.

I've never had anybody look at me the way Damek does. And I've never had anybody treat me like he does. He's kind, sweet, and he likes me. He chose me over all of my gorgeous succubi cousins.

But I don't understand why . It just doesn't make sense.

"Maddie," Damek says.

I look up. "Yes?"

"Will you please come on vacation with my family next week?" he asks.

I can't stop the smile as I nod.

Damek smiles back, his entire body relaxing at my acceptance. "We're going to the beach—a supernatural only island. It will be warm, but we'll be spending most of our time in the water. My family owns a beach bungalow. It's always a lot of fun."

Spending a week on an island sounds perfect right now. And the fact that Damek will be there only makes it better.

"Thank you for inviting me." I chew on my lower lip, wondering if he will regret bringing me. I still think he should have some alone time with his family before our marriage.

"I want you to come," Damek says, interrupting my thoughts. "I know you probably don't believe me, but you are my family now."

Family.

With Damek.

I squeeze his hand tighter. "Thank you for inviting me. But are you sure your mother doesn't mind? You talked to her, right?"

Damek looks away.

"Damek!" I sit up straighter. "You did talk to her, right?"

"I asked my dad. He can tell her," he says.

I groan. "But she hates me. She'll spend the entire vacation thinking I invited myself."

"No." Damek shakes his head. "I promise you, I will not let her think that. I won't allow my mother to be mean to you. I will talk to her before we leave, I promise."

I chew on my lower lip, not knowing what to say.

Queen Rune may love Damek, but she loathes me. I'm not sure even he can keep her from being upset at my presence.

"She has to get used to you," Damek says stubbornly. "And it's like I said, she will love you once she gets to know you."

I don't know about that…

"I know my mother." Damek gives me a pointed look. "She doesn't much like anybody when she first meets them. It takes a while for her to warm up to people."

Maybe he is right.

Still, I think back to our first meeting. She was about as warm as a snowman in Alaska.

"What about Duncan?" I ask.

Damek furrows his brows. "My brother likes you."

"But does he want me to come on your last vacation before you're married?" I ask. "What if he wants to spend quality time with his big brother? I don't want to ruin that."

Damek chuckles. "My brother would laugh if he heard you say that." He turns slightly so he can face me better. "Trust me when I say that my family will all welcome you on this trip. Even my mother will welcome you, even if not at first."

"Okay." I sigh. "Fine. I won't object anymore. I just wanted to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. This will be the first time I've ever spent more than a couple of hours at a time with your family and going on a week long vacation seems like a lot."

"I think a week on an island is exactly what we need." Damek smirks.

A week where I'm unable to run away from his scheming mother. Yes, that sounds like it's going to be a load of fun.

Still, spending a week with Damek won't be so bad. And I do want to get to know his family better. And maybe he's right. Maybe I do need time to get to know his mom. Maybe once she gets to know me she will like me better.

Or maybe the whole week will be miserable.

Still, I can't back out now because Damek is clearly ecstatic. He wants me there. So not even his mother will scare me away.

I put my head on his shoulder. He slips an arm around me and we stay snuggled up like that for the rest of the flight home.

We land at the airport and I am surprised to see Julien is waiting for us. I figured my father would send one of his drivers to get us.

"How was the engagement party?" Julien asks as he drives Damek and me toward the Scott Clan estate.

I look at Damek and decide to let him answer this one.

"It was an experience I hope to never repeat," Damek says simply, then turns his gaze to me. "And if they try anything like that at our wedding, they will promptly be escorted off of Rune Clan property and banned from all future events."

I grin at his protective proclamation. "I will pass the message along to Grandpa."

"Please do," Damek says.

Julien chuckles. "Ah, I knew I should've gone. I could've been comedic relief. Or, at the very least, I could've distracted all your female cousins with my dashing good looks."

I snort. "Succubi are really picky. I doubt any of them would be swayed by your looks, Julien. No offense."

"I'm not sure that I believe you," Julien replies. "You've never had confidence in yourself. I, on the other hand, know exactly how good looking I am. Trust me when I say they would all be tripping over themselves to get close to me."

Damek looks at me, then at Julien. "If you met them, I'm not sure you'd be impressed. They're nothing like Maddie."

Julien glances toward me, but quickly looks back at the road. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I respond before Damek can. "Just my cousins being themselves."

"If any of Maddie's family comes to visit, I need you to keep an eye on them," Damek says to Julien. "Don't let them drip their poisonous insults to her."

Julien grips the steering wheel tighter. "I will look after her, don't worry."

I groan, sinking further into my seat.

It's sweet that they want to look after me, even if it's not necessary.