It was an excuse and they knew it, but they were gracious enough to let her escape. When she opened the door to the kitchen, she instantly saw that she wouldn’t be able to find any solitude there either. Not only was her nephew raiding the fridge, three more boys were helping him: Adam and Nicholas, Zane and Portia’s twelve- and thirteen-year-old sons, and Sebastian, Ursula and Oliver’s ten-year-old half-Asian son.

All four boys whirled their heads in her direction, looking like deer caught in headlights.

“Oops,” Sebastian said, looking absolutely adorable with his sheepish facial expression.

“Don’t worry,” Cooper said. “Aunt Katie said it was okay to make ourselves something, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s fine. No worries, kids,” she said quickly and walked through the kitchen, exiting through the other door.

She almost bumped into Haven in the corridor. “Hey, sis, don’t you wanna dance?”

Katie sighed. “I can’t, please, Haven. I just can’t.” Another tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek.

Haven wiped the tear away with his thumb. “I think you should, sweetheart.”

She shook her head and tried to squeeze past him. But he took her by the shoulders, stopping her.

“There’s somebody who wants to dance with you,” Haven insisted.

“Haven, don’t you understand? I can’t pretend any longer that nothing is wrong.”

“Then let me make it right,” he said and turned her to face the hallway leading to the entrance door.

There, in the foyer, stood a vampire.

“Luther,” she whispered.

Haven let go of her shoulders. “Happy New Year, sis.” She heard him walk away.

Her feet carried her to Luther, who met her halfway.

“Katie,” he murmured, pulling her into his arms. “Oh God, I missed you.”

His lips were on hers before she could say anything. His kiss was brief, but hungry. When he released her lips, he pressed his forehead to hers.

“They let you go?”

“Kind of.”

She pulled back, staring at him, gripping his arms to hold on to him. “I can’t let you leave again. Luther, please.”

He brushed his hand over her cheek. “I’m not leaving, baby. I made a deal.”

Her heart beat into her throat. “A deal? What kind of deal?”

“The council dropped all charges against me in exchange for me working for them.”

“Doing what?” Striker Reed and the dangerous work he’d done for the council suddenly flashed in her mind. “They want you to be a tracker for them?”

Luther threw his head back and laughed. “A tracker? No. That’s not my specialty. They want me to consult on prison security for them. Considering I was able to break in and out again, they figured they need to upgrade their systems.”

Relief flooded her.

“I can work from San Francisco,” he added. “If that’s what you want.”

Katie threw her arms around him and pressed herself against him. Suddenly she lost the ground under her feet. Luther was lifting her up.

“I take that as a yes.”

“Yes,” she said into his ear.

“Good. I hope you don’t mind if I skip the party. But I don’t feel civilized enough right now to be among people.”

She shifted her eyes to the staircase.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Luther pivoted with her in his arms, when he suddenly froze, his eyes directed toward the door to the living room.

Katie followed his gaze and saw Samson standing in the open door.

“I’m glad you’re back, old friend,” Samson said.

Luther’s voice cracked slightly, when he answered, “It’s good to see you, brother.”

Katie saw it in their eyes. Their old friendship was restored. They were like brothers again.

Samson turned with a nod and a smile and went back into the living room, closing the door behind him.

47

Luther set Katie on her feet and locked the bedroom door behind them. Only the lamps on either side of her bed were lit, otherwise the room was dark. The music from downstairs was subdued and just loud enough to give a little background ambience.

He couldn’t believe he’d actually made it back. After he’d presented his plan to the council to negotiate his release, he’d taken a vicious beating from Bauer and Patterson, the guard who’d stabbed Katie. Once they were satisfied that they’d caused him as much pain as he’d caused them, the council had debated for several days. Days he’d spent in a dark cell, thinking of Katie and praying he’d see her again.