Dracula's Desires by Linda Mercury Page B

around.
    She revolved away, her black coat flipping like a matador’s cape behind her. “Angel of the Lost? You’ve found me. Go away.”
    Long, fast strides took her through the pain-soaked grounds, past the humans and the concrete gate, back to the Mustang. The sun had gone down and the air chilled. Spring still hadn’t completely thawed the nighttime.
    She unlocked the driver’s side door, slipped into the seat, and leaned her head back against the rest.
    Lance materialized in human form in the passenger seat. The angel buckled his seat belt and faced her. “What happened, Valerie? Tell me everything.”
    Damn. His scent filled her car, impregnated her clothing and hair. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel.
    â€œHe was kidnapped by Fallen Angels. They brought him here and disappeared.” Valerie adjusted her rearview mirror, wishing that cursed blue sedan would reappear. “They hurt him. He’s probably dead.”
    â€œHe’s not.”
    â€œGood. Because that’s not the least of it.” Twisting as best she could, Valerie reached into the backseat for her thermos. She drank blood and brandy right from the lip.
    â€œYou shouldn’t drink,” Lance scolded as though he were her father. His eyes were too bright, too blue for her to gaze upon comfortably. Despite his early disgust, the crotch of his pants revealed he still wanted her.
    â€œNone of your business, Dad”, the baby answered. Valerie saw Lance lift an eyebrow at the sarcasm. “None of us are bound by human physiology here.”
    She petted her stomach. “Good job, kid.”
    â€œYou too, Mom.”
    â€œWell, now that I’ve been well and truly schooled, how did the Fallen disappear? They cannot create pocket dimensions. We would both know if he were still on Earth.” Lance kept his gaze on hers even as he reached for her thermos.
    â€œA thrice-bitten human.” Valerie took another drink and closed her eyes, shutting him out. “It is considered an abomination amongst my kind to leave someone in that state. Yes, a sin it is, for it drives the human mad. Powerful mad.” Valerie’s language took on the rhythms of ancient storytellers. She wasn’t drunk, but she wished she could be. Ilona’s soul left in that shell? The thought broke Valerie’s heart.
    â€œMad,” Lance murmured. “How mad?”
    â€œA human caught in the in-between, without the oblivion of our tears, sweat, and blood? Dangerous.” She set down the brandy. “What they imagine can come true. In a twisted way. She dreams worlds into being. Radu left her like this. Alone. Insane. His neglect of all these years will kill John. Her dreams will topple, and those murderers will be let loose on the world.”
    â€œShe has to be stopped,” Lance stated. “The Fallen are behaving erratically, arranging situations to get themselves killed.”
    Valerie’s eyebrows lifted toward her hairline. That explained a lot. “Why do something so complicated, though?”
    â€œI think there is more than one mind in this scheme. We need to stop both of them.”
    Valerie bent her head toward the angel. Their gazes met; hers cautious and shuttered, his luminous and unknowable.
    Right back where this whole thing started. Looking at each other, each with secrets the other could not comprehend.
    For John. For him, and only him, she would take one more ride on the emotional merry-go-round named Lance Soleil.

C HAPTER 19
    M iraculum. In Latin, it meant to wonder at. Lance’s essence wondered at the miracles sitting next to him in the Shelby.
    Valerie was here, with him, alive, healthy, and with child. An angel child, at that! He was going to be a father. How could such things be possible? Lance wanted to touch her, to feel the thick fall of her hair on his hands, to lift her into the air and proclaim his joy.
    With less than a breath, he sent the knowledge