Lyssa nodded. They'd moved out of the maze but there were several benches placed among the landscaping. Sinking down on one of them, she turned away, enough to cloak herself in the shadows as she slipped off the blouse and removed the bra again. Usual y she wore darker colors, since she'd learned that wearing pale colors when nursing a child on blood was inadvisable.

With Lyssa being Fae and a vampire of reduced capacity, they hadn't been sure if her blood could nourish Kane. Often a vampire child with a non-vampire mother had to be nursed on a mix of the father's blood with human formula, so Lord Brian had shown them how to measure that out, reinforced with a vitamin elixir. Fortunately, it appeared both her blood and the blood mix were acceptable to Kane.

However, as he'd just demonstrated, his preference could vary, but the baby was thriving, the most important thing to all of them. When possible, born vampires were nursed far beyond their human counterparts, until they reached the age of three. It seemed to help their mental and physical development.

Jacob placed the child in her arms so Kane could sink his tiny, kit-tenlike fangs into the curve just above the nipple, drawing on the veins there. After Lyssa settled him, she made sure her pale skin was stil mostly in shadow. Despite her teasing, she didn't see any reason to provoke Jacob's territorial instincts around Mason. As an alpha, he'd had them long before he was a vampire, and that bloodlust was stil detectable, though on low simmer.

She glanced toward him. Whether or not he'd read that from her mind, he was giving her that lazy, heavy-lidded look that made her think of what they'd just shared. When Kane bit into her breast, innocently enough, the stimulation reminded her of Jacob biting her just below, around the nipple itself.

A shudder went through her, dual reaction of mother and lover. Jacob's lips curved in that dangerous smile. He'd folded her blouse and the bra, putting them next to her, though she'd noted how he rubbed his thumb over the heat that lingered in one of the soft cups.

The way he flipped so easily between lover and father was irresistibly sexy. When Kane let a trickle escape, Jacob anticipated him, using his ruined T-shirt to cradle the breast and blot away the escaped blood so it couldn't drip onto her slacks. “No table manners at all,” he clucked reprovingly.

Mason had turned tactful y away, leaning against the corner post of the lattice maze. As he drew Jessica against his front so they could look out toward the ocean, Lyssa heard him murmur to his servant.

“I'm thinking I might replace the veranda with a saltwater pond. Pipe the water in from the ocean. It would be like having a wave pool in the backyard. Would you like that, habiba?”

“You know I would,” Jessica replied softly, the sweep of his thumb along the outside of her right breast obviously distracting her, if the way she was biting her bottom lip and lifting her chin, a response to arousal, were any indication. Seeing it, Mason's tone became huskier.

“I like the idea of looking out the window just before dusk, seeing you disrobe and stroke through the water, your beautiful body tempting me to come out once the sun sets.”

“Good idea. The pond,” Jacob remarked. “Can't blow up a body of water. well , you can, but it doesn't require as much reconstruction. Not like a marble veranda.”

Jessica sent him an amused look, even as Mason bared fangs in his general direction. Jacob shot Lyssa a breathtaking grin. Touching Kane's head with a father's tenderness, he knelt to place a kiss on her breast, right above the baby's mouth, a brush of contact. Then he sat back on his heels to watch them both. If the world stopped turning, Lyssa knew she would be content, locked forever in a moment like this. Such things never lasted long enough.

“I've already talked to my pilot. We can leave in the morning if you wish.” When Mason glanced toward her, he shrugged. “I assume I'm going with you. You'l need as much help as possible if you're going into the Fae world.”

She rol ed her eyes. “Goddess save me from honorable men who think a woman can't do anything by herself. I've barely agreed to let Jacob go with me. I appreciate the offer, Mason, but I won't give you an excuse to dodge Council meetings.”

“Excel ent attempt to provoke my temper and change the subject. But I know you too well.” He gave a half chuckle. As he did, he dipped his head to tease Jessica's throat with tongue and fangs. Her breath whispered out, thready, then sucked back in on a quick catch. Lyssa noted then that he'd made his own use of the shadows. He'd apparently commanded her to slide her fingers beneath the short gauzy skirt she was wearing and was idly watching her play with herself through the thin cloth.

When it came to sex, male vampires were more than capable of multitasking. Lyssa could smel Jess's unique scent on the wind. So could Jacob. It stirred his blood, despite the fact he'd spil ed himself only moments earlier in Lyssa.

Damn vampire appetites. His rueful look gave her a quick flash of amusement.

“You need backup, my lady,” Mason added.

“I've agreed to Jacob's going. You will not be going with me, Mason. That's final.”

“You think I'm a child you can order around?” Those amber eyes glinted.

“Hardly. You're the vampire we're trusting with our son while we're gone.”

That stopped whatever he was about to say and stil ed Jessica, both of them forgetting modesty as they looked toward her in surprise. When Lyssa freed a now-sleepy Kane from her breast, Jacob leaned forward, blocking the view. He teased the twin punctures closed with his mouth and gave the silken skin a more personal cleaning. It caused a catch in her throat, a sound much like Jessica had made, masturbating herself for Mason's pleasure.

When Jacob raised his face, the hair over his forehead brushed her lips. She gazed at him with a mixture of tender exasperation and desire. Male vampires and their insatiable needs, indeed. You feed off of one another. Behave, so I can have this conversation with Mason.

Offering an unrepentant look, he dried the area with his T-shirt and slipped her bra back on to her body. Since he had to lean into her to fasten it in the back, she let her lips touch his shoulder. When she shrugged back into her blouse, he took a far quieter Kane from her arms, offering his free hand to help her rise. Lyssa faced Mason. “You know better than anyone what happens to a vampire child not protected in our world.”

Shadows crossed the male vampire's gaze. “I was fortunate in your patronage, my lady.” The stiffness to his tone came from the pain of memory.

“I will always wish you'd had it much earlier.” The regret was there, but then she arched a brow, giving him her usual haughty look. “You wouldn't have turned out so surly and difficult.”

“Yes. Having your gentle nature and flexibility in my life earlier would have been such a great influence on me.” He snorted.

Lyssa almost smiled, but then her gaze shifted to Jess. “Kane is very fond of you already. I know you will protect him with your life if needed.”

“Yes, my lady.” The girl seemed overcome by the vote of confidence, but when she looked toward the baby, her expression eased. “He's so stubborn and fierce, he could fight off enemies all by himself.”

“With his lungs alone,” Mason noted. “She's already playing tag with him, building up his strength.

He'l be walking more than crawling in no time. He doesn't like not being able to catch her.”

“Predator instinct.” Jacob chuckled. “As inevitable as rain.”

“Indeed.” His lady slanted him an ironic glance, even as her fingers settled on the bite mark at her throat, drawing his attention to that sensual reminder.

For all that she teased him about his appetites, Jacob knew she was a master . . . or mistress, as it were, at keeping those appetites gnawing. He knew that was the way she liked it.

Mason sighed. “You outmaneuvered me. As capable as Jacob is, I do wish you had more reinforcements. However . . .” He offered a more formal bow. “I am deeply honored. Your son shal be safe with us.”

“Thank you.” Lyssa reached out, pressed his hand.

“Don't worry about us. Based on what Brian has said, even an army of vampires couldn't defeat the magic of a handful of Fae. Our greatest weapon will be our wits. That's one weapon I wield fairly well without reinforcement.”

“With a skil that makes a man's blood run cold,” Mason acknowledged. But as he briefly met Jacob's gaze, Jacob saw his own concerns reflected there.

“You better be back before our next Council meeting,” Mason said lightly. “Else we'l have to take Kane along. He's likely to stage a coup to overrun Council.”

“Do your own dirty work.” Lyssa gave him a fond look, then returned her attention to her son. He leaned backward over Jacob's arm to grab a strand of her hair that the breeze had carried over his tender head. “We leave tomorrow night. If all goes well , we should be back before that next meeting.” 3

MANY in the vampire world thought Lady Lyssa was aloof, a woman hard to read. She was, but Jacob knew exactly what saying good-bye to their child cost her. The fol owing night, he drew Mason and Jessica away while she took one last strol with Kane in her arms. They went to a statuary garden on the northwest side of the estate. all the sculptures were creatures, and Kane had a typical toddler's passion for animals. When Lyssa put him on a miniature horse, he was smiling up at her, waving his arms and holding a strand of her dark hair in either hand as if they were the horse's reins. Jacob was close enough to see her, though he was also in her mind.

He knew she wouldn't mind him there for this. He'd said his good-bye to Kane as well , but Kane had a unique sense of the two of them, even when only one was present, and they'd take every moment they could with him before they had to go.

“You be very good for Lord Mason and Jessica,” his lady murmured, stroking his back and balancing him so he wouldn't topple off the horse. “They will teach you many wonderful things and take excel ent care of you.”