Enchanting Absinthe (Sex with Strings, Book Four) by Shona Husk Page B

clotting up the airport. He was traveling light because he figured Claire was either going to tell him to fuck off, or he wasn’t going to need clothes for the next week or so because he wouldn’t let her out of bed.
    Five days had felt like five months. He’d felt the pull of her from the other side of the world. He hadn’t cared it was the last gig they’d play as Lucinda’s Lover, he hadn’t cared about the damn media statement. All he’d wanted to do was fly back. Maybe he should’ve waited another week instead of squeezing in the trip, but once he knew who she was, he’d had to see her. He hadn’t anticipated her news.
    He hailed a cab and gave directions to the large house that overlooked the park. He’d made another appointment to see it, simply because Claire had refused to see him otherwise. If he had to buy the damn place just so she’d talk to him, that was fine. He’d never lived in Australia; maybe the change would do him good. He rubbed his hand over his face and closed his eyes. He had forty minutes to kill.
    Even though he wanted to sleep, he couldn’t. It was as if his body knew he was getting closer to Claire and couldn’t settle. He touched the letter in his jacket pocket again. He’d fronted up the Shamanic Council chambers in LA and caused a stir that had involved much spluttering and staring from the stuffed shirts who ran the place.
    He hadn’t undermined her secrecy, but he had gone in and demanded they recognize his bloodline and put him on their extensive family tree. To say they were aghast was an understatement, but given who he was—Peregrine Fiorelli—they couldn’t really say no, especially since they had officially struck the Fiorelli bloodline from the register after they’d all been killed by his mother’s family.
    So technically the Council had been forced to acknowledge him, which meant technically they couldn’t kick Claire out if they were to try to make a go of it. He was sure the Council was secretly pleased to get a bit more variety in the gene pool, even if it was tainted with Vampire blood.
    The trouble was, it had been so long since he’d been in a relationship he wasn’t sure he knew how anymore. But if Claire would have him, he’d try. And if she didn’t want him, she was going to have to get used to him hanging around because he wasn’t just going to walk away and pretend he didn’t have a child. That part of his Vampire blood was strong, children were valued—and not just because they continued some precious bloodline—but really valued because they were rare. It might be another four hundred years before he had another one.
    The cab stopped, but William knew he was here before he opened his eyes, he could feel her as if she was part of his body. A part that constantly ached. He knew that wasn’t right and he knew it was something to do with the bond and the separation, because as soon as he’d landed, the pain had lessened.
    He paid and hauled himself out of the cab, sure he looked like something that had been run over a few times. As before, she was waiting out front, looking every bit as professional as last time in a knee-length skirt and jacket, but she was wearing those boots. His gaze slid from her shoes to her stomach. There was still nothing to give it away, but this time he could sense it. Claire and him and someone else.
    People without magic were missing out on a whole extra sense, another way of seeing the world.
    Her gaze slid over him and he knew he looked rumpled at best. “You came back.”
    “Did you really think I wouldn’t?”
    She shrugged as if it meant nothing. She wasn’t going to make this easy.
    “Can we at least go inside?”
    “You’re not here to view the house, so why waste my time?”
    “You refused to see me.”
    “I can’t see you. My parents will work it out and then tell the Council.”
    He nodded, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the letter. He handed it over.
    “What is