A week later

Fang stood inside Trace's nursery while Vane changed the toddler's diaper. It was so strange to see him doing something like this after all the battles the two of them had fought. Vane's hands were every bit as bloody as Fang's and yet here he was . . .

A loving father.

Squealing with laughter, Trace reached for his dad as Vane picked him up and rubbed his back, smoothing down the yellow Sponge-Bob shirt. Trace wrapped his chubby arms around Vane's neck and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. Damn if the two of them didn't look just alike.

Except Vane didn't drool as much.

It made him wonder what it would have been like to have that kind of relationship with his own father and it brought home just what had been taken from Aimee. She was devastated over the loss of her birth family. And he couldn't blame her at all.

Nicolette, for all her faults, did love her children.

Vane set Trace down so that he could run to grab his toys. "I meant what I said. You two are welcome here for as long as you need to stay."

"Thanks." Fang watched as Trace grabbed an oversized LEGO and chewed on it. "And not just for this." He indicated Trace with a tilt of his chin. "I can't believe what you were willing to risk for me."

Vane shrugged like it was no big thing, but they both knew otherwise. It had been one hell of a thing Vane had done and Fang still didn't really understand why. "We're brothers, Fang. Nothing will ever change that."

"Yeah"-he indicated Trace with a jerk of his chin-"but I was never that cute."

Vane laughed. "True."

Most of all, Fang couldn't believe that Bride had allowed Vane to go and make such an offer to Savitar, knowing it could have been her life too. Their sacrifice erased any hurt left by his being trapped in the Nether Realm. For the first time since he'd left his bed in Peltier House, he felt close to his brother again. "You know I love you, right?"

Vane pulled him into a tight hug. "I don't ever want to lose you again. Next time you pull one of these vanishing acts, either in this world or the next, I swear I'll kick your ass."

Fang laughed as he shoved Vane away from him. "Man, quit hugging on me. You are a perv."

Vane punched him in the arm. "You're such an asshole."

Trace gasped. "Daddy said a bad word!"

Fang picked him up from the floor and laughed. "You tell him, pup. Keep your daddy straight."

But for the first time in years, he felt almost whole again.



Aimee was still hesitant around Bride and Fury's mate, Angelia. Tall and blond, Lia was an Arcadian wolf who'd belonged to Fury's birth pack. They had reconnected last fall when Lia had come to Sanctuary to hunt him down and kill him.

Now the only one Lia would kill was the one who looked askance at Fury.

Yeah, life was anything but predictable.

Lia was staying here with them while Fury was meeting with Sasha to get an update on what was happening at Sanctuary. Aimee couldn't stand the radio silence and Fury had volunteered to be her liaison with her brothers.

"Aimee? Could you set the table?"

As she went for the plates, a flash near the doorway caught her attention. Dev materialized in the kitchen beside her.

Aimee almost dropped the plates. No one from her family had spoken a single syllable to her since Maman had thrown her out.

Dev glanced sheepishly at Bride and Lia before he turned his attention back to her. "Can I have a word with you?"

Handing the pretty blue plates off to Lia, she led him into the living room where they could speak without the others overhearing them. "What's going on?"

He materialized her suitcase. "I wanted you to have your things. I don't agree with what Maman did, none of us do. We're trying to soften her up-"

"But she is Maman."

He nodded as he set the case down beside the couch. "She won't hear us for now. We keep hoping every day that she'll relent and send one of us after you, but it's just not happening. I really miss you and wanted to let you know that you can call on us anytime you need something."

His offer warmed her completely. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to take him up on it. Not without getting him into all kinds of trouble and risking his having to join them here at the Kattalakis home. "Maman would be furious."

He shrugged. "I'm a big boy. I can handle it."

Yeah, right. No one was that big. Maman didn't like anyone going against her wishes-as was proven by Aimee's current situation.

"So how goes it?" she asked, dying for an update.

"It's tense. There's a lot of riffraff coming in, thinking they can push it since they no longer have to fear Savitar's wrath. But Remi's having a blast since there's no eirini laws in place to restrain him. We've all been getting some of our more predatorial instincts out." It was then she realized just how bruised his knuckles were.

She shook her head, amused and yet worried about her brothers. "How many have you killed?"

"None, but there's always tomorrow."

She laughed in spite of herself. "You're so sick."

He smiled with pride-gods, how she'd missed that shit-eating grin of his.

"What about the rest of the family? Are they returning?"

That sobered him immediately. "They're still in Oregon. When the cubs are born, they'll return."

It was what she'd figured. "Then you'll be on the run again. Moving from place to place like we used to do."

"No." Those blue eyes of his cut completely through her. "This is our home. No one's going to chase us out."

Her heart stopped at what he was saying. To continue to run the club without Savitar's backing was suicide. "Is Maman sure?"

"Yeah. After all Dante runs a club that isn't a limani and they haven't had too many incidents."

"Yeah, but-"

"It was a decision we all made," he said, cutting her protest off. "Besides, we've added a few others to our company, including Constantine, who is here to defend us for as long as we need him."

"It's the least he could do."

He nodded in agreement. "The Dark-Hunters are also taking up posts at night to help us out and Kyrian and Talon, hell even Valerius, are making sure to come by and visit . . . just in case. And of course Nick is there so much, I'm about to start charging the little bastard rent."

She laughed at the last bit, though the news did surprise her. While some of them had been patrons over the decades, she hadn't realized the extent of their loyalty. "Really?"

"Yeah. Since the Dark-Hunters can't be around each other without draining their powers, they swap out each night. So all in all, it's not as bad as you think."

Aimee narrowed her gaze on him. "But?"

"But what?"

"There's a but in your tone."

He tucked his hands in his pockets in a way that reminded her of a bashful kid. "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling and I think Maman has it too. She's really been on edge these last few days."

"Maman is always on edge."

"True, but this is . . ." His voice trailed off as he looked past her shoulder.

Aimee turned to see Fang in the doorway.

There was an instant tension between the two of them. Like two enemies measuring each other up as if waiting for a chance to strike. She hated for the two men who meant the most to her to be this uncomfortable together.

She looked back at Dev to see his gaze drop down to her hand, which was still unmarked.

He cleared his throat. "I better get going."

"Dev, wait." She went to place a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

"No problem." He left so fast, she was surprised there wasn't a vapor trail.

Fang came forward, his expression apologetic. "I'm so sorry, Aimee."

She placed her hand over his lips. "Don't ever apologize for loving me, Fang. That's the one thing in my life I would have no other way."

He pulled her against him. "Yeah, but I hate what it's costing you."

So did she, but she would never let him know that. Aimee laid her head against his shoulder. It always felt so good to be next to him. Even at night when he slept as a wolf. He always lay right next to her and half the time she used him as a pillow. He never complained.

Fang closed his eyes as he held her. He didn't understand it, but being with her was like coming home. He'd heard that expression his whole life but he'd never really understood it until now.

And as he held her, his hand began to burn like it was on fire. Cursing, he stepped back.

"Ow!" Aimee snapped, shaking her own hand before she blew cool air across her palm.

The two of them froze in place as reality hit them hard. They knew instantly what it was.

They were mates.

Aimee moved to put her arm under his and hold her hand beside his hand so that they could watch the marks appear together. The highly stylized symbol was similar to Vane's and Fury's, but different enough to mark it as their own.

After all this time . . .

They finally knew in reality what they'd known all along in their hearts.

Aimee placed her marked palm over his and tightened her grip on his hand. "They look like wolf heads."

Fang frowned. "No, they don't."

She turned her hand over again. "Yes, they do. It has ears and everything."

Fang cocked his head as he realized she was right. It did look like a wolf outline. "Are you all right about this?"

"Should I not be?"

Honestly, he half-expected her to wig out at any second. Not that he would blame her after everything she'd been through. "I don't know . . . I mean, it's cost you everything."

Aimee swallowed. It was true in a way, but in another . . . "It didn't cost me you. I always knew I wouldn't have a choice over who the Fates chose for me and truthfully, I'd have it no other way. I never once dreamed that I'd feel toward my mate the way I feel toward you, Fang. Do you think I'd go stalking through two hell realms for anyone else?"

He laughed. "I hope not."

Aimee held his hand in hers as she walked into his arms until her breasts were pressed against his chest. "How do you feel about it?"

Fang swallowed as he felt his body harden. Damn, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. And like her, he'd never once dreamed he'd feel this way toward another person, never mind his mate. "Relieved that I'm not a complete freak."

"Fang!" she said in a chiding tone.

He gave an innocent blink. "What?"

Aimee shook her head at him. "We have got to do something about your brutal honesty."

"Like you didn't have the same thought."

Okay, maybe a little, but she'd never admit that out loud.

"Are you two coming to eat?"

Hating the interruption, she looked past him to see Bride in the doorway. "We're coming." When she started to pull away, Fang held her close.

"I just want to feel you here for a minute longer," he projected to her.

Her vision swam at that. He held on to her as if she were the most precious thing he'd ever touched and it made the love inside her well up. Gods, how she loved the way he felt against her. The hardness of his body. The deep masculine smell of his skin. She could stay like this forever.

"Uncle Fang?"

Smiling, Aimee looked down to see Trace tugging at Fang's leg.

"What you need, sport?"

Trace wrapped his arms around Fang's leg, squeezed tight, then ran off toward the kitchen.

Aimee laughed. "I guess he needed the same thing I did."

"Guess so." Fang took her hand into his and pulled her toward the dining room.

Bride pegged them both with a stern frown. "What are you two up to?"

Fang looked at Aimee then back at Bride. "What?"

"You look like two wolves who found a bone." It was a Katagaria expression that meant the same thing as the cat who ate a canary.

Bride's gaze dipped to Fang's hand. She gasped and almost dropped the salad bowl she was holding. Setting it on the table, she snatched his palm up to look at it. "Oh, gods, you're mated!" Then her eyes really widened. "I really hope it's to Aimee."

Aimee laughed before she held her palm up to show her. "Thankfully so. Otherwise I'd have had to kill me some ho and then beat Fang senseless."

He held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, you know my future sessions are all under your control."

"Dog right, boy."

Vane entered the room and looked around with a puzzled frown. "What's going on?"

"Your brother's mated."

"Yeah, to Angelia."

"Not Fury, sweetie."

It took a second for the news to register. Vane gaped at them before he held his hand out to Fang. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Fang said, shaking it.

Lia came running forward from the kitchen. "Let me see!" she said to Aimee. She grinned as she compared their marks, which were basically the same except for the colors. Aimee's was blue while Lia's was red. "Welcome to the family. Not that you weren't here already, but now it's official."

In spite of her happiness, those words brought a stab of pain as Aimee realized her birth family would never be this happy for her.

It was so unfair.

But she wouldn't let it taint her joy. At least that was what she told herself. The truth, however, was that it did. No matter what happened, her family was her family and she wanted them with her.

Their absence ached deep inside her heart, but she refused to show that to the others. They were happy for her and she was so grateful for them that words couldn't convey even an inkling of what she felt. So she sat there, choking back her tears while Vane and Bride broke out champagne and they all celebrated.

Even Fury when he returned was thrilled. He kissed her on the cheek and shook Fang's hand.

Aimee excused herself from them and went to the bathroom. The moment she was alone, she shut the door and flashed herself to the alley outside of Sanctuary. It was completely dark. Eerily so. She glanced up at the light that had always been moody on its best night.

When would Griffe get around to fixing it?

Missing her family, she went to the door to open it, then stopped.

They won't be happy. Tears gathered in her eyes as those words cut through her. She wanted to run inside and tell her parents. To have them laugh and congratulate her the way they'd done for her mated brothers. She wanted Dev and Remi and all the others to congratulate her too.

It would never happen.

Go home.

A single tear fled down her cheek. This was her home. . . .

But not anymore. This would never be her home again.

Her home was with Fang as his mate. Forcing herself to let go of the doorknob, she stepped back. As she did so, she caught a glimpse of pink from the corner of her eye.

She went over to it. Her heart sank as she realized it was the body of their waitress, Tara. Just like the other murders that the police had tried to blame on Fang, she was completely drained of blood.

But she still had her soul. . . .

Stumbling back, she realized in an instant what this was.

A demon kill.

Her breathing ragged, she started for the door only to feel an evil presence in the alley with her.

Someone tsked. "You didn't really think you'd be able to interrupt us and then go your own way, did you?"

Out of the darkness stepped not one, but an army of demons.

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