Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
He knelt beside her and spoke softly. “Daddy’s here, Little girl. Ready to go home?” He smoothed his hand over her shoulder.
“Daddy? I must have fallen asleep,” she mumbled.
“I’m glad. It’s late.” He stood and picked her up, loving that she wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled close to him.
The contrast between his actions in the last couple of hours loomed in his mind. His brutal vampire nature couldn’t be more different from the tender side of him his Little girl brought out. Marcus had believed becoming a vampire had eliminated gentleness from his nature. He hugged her closer, treasuring her sweet scent and beautiful curves.
Will you turn her?
Marcus met Darius’s gaze. I will accept her decision if she chooses not to become what we are.
Darius nodded. That’s what a true Daddy would say and do. Focus more on his Little than his own wants and desires. I hope I am as brave as you if I ever find my mate.
You will be. Good night, Darius.
Take care of her. Carina is special.
Marcus bristled slightly at Darius’s compliment and pushed his jealousy aside. His clansman would never step over that line. That she is.
Carrying his precious armful carefully, Marcus descended the stairs to settle her safely into the passenger seat. He paused for a second to scout the area for any threats before sliding behind the wheel and driving out of the parking garage. He didn’t believe Costa would have rallied to mount an attack so quickly, but Marcus hadn’t gotten this old without checking out all possibilities.
He chose the long way home to monitor if anyone had trailed him. The abandoned roads at that early morning hour would make that obvious. He pulled into his estate only when he was sure they were alone.
Scooping Carina out of the car, he walked directly to their bedroom. He stripped off her clothing and tucked her into bed. As he undressed, she snaked a hand from under the covers to search blindly for Mischief. Marcus plucked the stuffie from its hiding spot and tucked the raccoon into her arms. Carina murmured her thanks and snuggled with the plush animal.
He finished undressing as he treasured the view of his adorable Little. Marcus gathered the discarded clothing in his arms and carried it into the bathroom. After tossing the clothes into the hamper, he returned to the enormous bed and climbed in beside Carina. To his delight, she scooted over without delay to cuddle against him. With a sweet sigh of contentment, she crashed into sleep in his arms.
Marcus remained awake for several hours. He hadn’t needed much sleep as a mere human. As a vampire, he required even less. As he held his sweet Little close, Marcus explored different options on how to convince Carina to allow him to change her. In the end, he decided she deserved the unglamorized truth and vowed to talk to her soon.
“Daddy? You’re thinking too loud,” Carina groused.
“Sorry, sweetheart. Go back to sleep.”
She flipped over to her other side and buried her face in the pillow. Marcus held perfectly still, waiting for her to drift into dreams. A few minutes later, Carina shifted onto her tummy. Just when he thought she’d allowed herself to doze, she turned her face toward him.
When her gaze met his directly, Marcus asked, “Can’t sleep?”
“No, Daddy.”
“Would you drink a warm bottle for Daddy?”
She scrunched her nose and refused. “No, thank you.” Carina opened her mouth to say something else and closed it again.
Marcus waited for a minute to see if she would speak to him. When she didn’t, he told her softly, “Little girl, you can ask me anything.”
She nodded as if she understood and wiggled onto her side to face him fully. Reaching out, she traced one of his scars. “Do you like living so long?”
Amazed by their connection, Marcus knew she’d picked up on his thoughts. He shifted onto his side, so they faced each other a few inches apart. “Most of the time. I’ve had my clan to provide people I trust and who always have my back. Alaric, Titus, Darius, Bram, Donovan, and I have relied on each other for years.”
“I haven’t really talked to Donovan. He’s the DJ, right?”
“He is. Donovan oversees every facet of the entertainment. He’s also solitary.”
“Really? He’s like a wild man while he’s playing music. He never takes a break and seems to sense what people need to get them out on the dance floor.”
“He’s good at his job. He also uses up all his ability to socialize each evening. Thank goodness Nightfall is only open on Friday and Saturday. He’s a hermit the other nights to recharge his peopling battery.”
“I’d like to talk to him again. You know to thank him and tell him how much I appreciate his skills. I love dancing out on Nightfall’s floor.”