"I spoke with the President," Bill said aloud. Everybody turned to listen. I was sitting at the kitchen island having a glass of water; Roff was sitting next to me having a sandwich after fixing one for Winkler and Chris. Tony, René and Gavin were off doing training again, from which I had been excluded. Roff's sandwich actually smelled good; it was roast beef, thin-sliced with tomato, cheese and lettuce. I got up and made one for myself, asking Bill if he wanted something while I worked. He smiled and nodded, so I put two sandwiches together and then settled on my barstool to eat while we listened to Bill.

"The president wants to give you another commendation," Bill took a bite of his sandwich.

"Ummm," I was busy chewing a mouthful of roast-beef sandwich and it tasted like heaven. I closed my eyes and sighed in pleasure. I could taste it! That was amazing. Winkler was watching me, a look of fascination crossing his features. When I swallowed, I said, "Bill, I haven't looked at the last one. Or the Medal of Freedom." I felt embarrassed over that, but so many things had happened at that time, including Tony's little betrayal, that I'd handed it back to Merrill and refused to read the letter or open the medal case.

"How are you eating that?" Winkler interrupted. He was shaking his head in confusion. I was enjoying my food.

"Honey," I turned to study his handsome face, "I feel a lot more like I do now than I did a while ago." That wasn't mine—I was quoting an old friend, Bill Scholes, who'd lived close to Don and me. He'd moved away when he retired and we didn't get to see him after that. I missed his philosophical musings. I smiled at Winkler and took another bite of my sandwich.

"Raona, I hope you do not have to be sick later," Roff was concerned, too; I could tell.

"We'll see. I haven't coughed up any wine or water lately, and I always had to before."

"Lissa, I have a confession to make." Griffin was there in the kitchen, scaring Bill, Winkler and Michael half to death. Well, Kifirin and the Larentii weren't the only ones with Nexus Echo. Winkler looked as if he were about to pull me to safety and start fighting with Griffin. I patted his arm.

"Winkler, this is my father," I said, nodding in Griffin's direction.

"You're the werewolf?" Griffin held his hand out to Winkler. Winkler took it, still eyeing my natural father with distrust. I knew what that look on his face meant; he couldn't scent Griffin any better than I could and the news that I had a father was shocking. I'm sure Winkler had all the old records on me, just as the vampires did. More than likely, he knew all about Howard Graham. Griffin was reading Winkler's mind, too.

"That man was never Lissa's father," Griffin huffed. He turned back to me, then. "Lissa, sweetheart, I gave my blood to you after you were wounded on Refizan. It was during the day and you were nearly asleep. That's why you don't remember, baby. My blood will allow you to walk in daylight and eat normal food if you want. You can still live on blood, but you don't have to. I also removed the shield disc on the back of your neck. You don't need it, now."

I was gaping at him, my mouth likely hanging open in shock. Griffin offered a crooked smile. "The blood of my kind can do wondrous things, little girl. Did you think I would hold back from that as soon as I had permission?"

"I don't know what you might do," I mumbled, staring at my half-eaten sandwich. "Do you want something to eat or drink?"

"Something to drink would be nice," he agreed. Roff slipped off his barstool before I could and brought Griffin a glass of wine. Griffin sat down with us to drink it.

"You don't look old enough to be Lissa's father," Bill said. He was getting information he never thought existed.

"I am more than one hundred thousand years old," Griffin smiled at the Director of the Joint NSA/Homeland Security Department. Michael was the one who gasped. I did my best not to look shocked, even though I was.

"Can you tell us where Jimmy Hoffa is?" Winkler grinned and stuffed a corner of his sandwich in his mouth.

"I could, but that is considered interfering. I can't do that," Griffin was also grinning now.

"Now we know why Lissa's special," Winkler responded.

"Lissa's special for many reasons and not just because I'm her father," Griffin replied.

Tony seemed a little worse for wear when he, Gavin and René wandered into the kitchen. He looked like he'd been in a fight and I wondered what Gavin was teaching him. Whatever it was, I wasn't getting those lessons. "Dude, you look like you need a good laundering," I lifted the tail of Tony's shirt; it was hanging out and appeared to have slid through the grass more than once.

"Are you calling me dude?" One of Tony's dark eyebrows lifted.

"I called you dude, dude. Want to step outside now?"

"I don't need another ass-kicking," Tony grinned, a dimple appearing in his cheek.

"Uh-huh," I said, handing Gavin an accusing stare.

"Cara, he needs to know these things," Gavin huffed. Griffin laughed.

"Where's that superhero costume now?" I poked Tony in the ribs.

"I landed on a planet with bigger, badder superheroes," Tony said. "Have to work my way up again."

"Poor thing." I patted Tony's back. Gavin frowned and cleared his throat. I slid off my stool and went to him. "Poor thing," I patted him on the back. René burst out laughing.

"Cara, if your father were not here," Gavin threatened.

"He means that in the nicest way possible," I patted his flat stomach. I was thinking that most men would kill to get abs like that.

"She just paid you a compliment," Griffin said, sipping his wine.

"I failed to hear it," Gavin grumbled.

"She thinks that most men would kill to have a body such as yours," Griffin smiled mischievously. Tony snickered.

"And that's why I didn't say it out loud," I said, smacking Tony on the arm.

"I should go, Amara is telling me dinner is ready," Griffin stood and gave me a lop-sided grin. "Lissa, will you give me a hug before I go?"

I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I gave him one anyway and asked him to tell Amara hello for me. He hugged me tightly before he left and kissed the top of my head. Then he was gone as quickly as he'd arrived.

Gavin was waiting to pounce, and as soon as Griffin was away, he snatched me up and hauled me out of the house.

 I got a lecture inside our bedroom on being more circumspect, and it didn't do anything to improve my mood. I heard Roff at one point; he'd sneaked inside the guesthouse to make sure things were all right and when he heard Gavin handing out the lecture, he left again.

How was I to know that teasing with my friends wasn't acting in a dignified enough manner? I was born in the wrong century for Gavin. I was sitting on the bed, my back against the headboard with my arms crossed angrily over my chest. I wasn't even looking at Gavin as he had his little fit. I had no idea why he was so out of sorts at the moment. He finally let me go after an hour because I hadn't responded to any of his complaints. I wasn't speaking to him right then. He probably didn't care.

* * *

"Raona, the wolf was watching you closely and you put your hands on Anthony. Gavin did not like that," Roff whispered to me later, after I'd gone out to the grounds for a walk in the dark. Roff caught up with me while I made my third swift and angry lap around the fence.

"He should know by now that I'm not about to jump in bed with either of them," I grumbled. I'd had plenty of opportunity with both while Gavin had been absent. Why would I consider it now, while he was here?

"I think he wants your attention," Roff was doing his best to keep up with my swift, angry strides. He wasn't a vampire and I realized that after a bit. I slowed down so he wouldn't have to trot.

"What's your suggestion, then?" I asked. "I can't bake him a pie or anything."

"What would you do for your first husband, Raona, if he were still alive?"

That question made me stop in my tracks and Roff almost collided with me. I sighed, rubbing the space between my eyebrows.

"What is it, Raona?"

I looked up at Roff's face. How had I forgotten that he was more than three hundred years old? How? "Don got depressed every now and then because he couldn't do what he wanted to do or treat me the way he wanted to treat me. He wasn't in good health for a long time and well," I didn't finish.

"Perhaps Gavin would like to take you home, Raona, so he could protect you. He did not like it at all that you were up in daylight, capturing criminals while he slept. I believe he feels inadequate in some way."

"But he shouldn't—I wouldn't want to take him on, I've seen him fight," I said. "Come on, Roff, let's go back inside." It was nearly four in the morning, which meant two good hours of night left. I found Gavin reading in the bedroom when I went looking for him.

"Gavin, come with me for a minute," I put my hand on his cheek. He looked up at me, his dark eyes puzzled.

"Where are we going?" he asked, setting the book aside after marking his place.

"It'll be a surprise—I have to turn you to mist," I said. He allowed it without arguing, which surprised me. It only took a few minutes to reach Centennial Freeway, the highway that passes by the state capitol. There was a deep blue, cloudless sky all around us, with a few stars winking far off in the distance.

The statue of The Guardian atop the capitol dome was lit up and beautiful as we circled it. When you're in an airplane or a jet, that noise is all around you when you fly. All Gavin and I had was peace surrounding us as we flew. I had never imagined stepping onto the top of the capitol dome and leaning against The Guardian so I could kiss Gavin, but I did. The winds whipped our hair and clothing but neither of us minded.

I love you, Gavin, I sent. He kissed me harder and deeper. When his fangs nipped my lower lip and then moved to my throat, I didn't object.

Chapter 9

 I didn't wake in the day after Gavin and I continued our lovemaking in the bedroom, but I did dream. Why are my dreams so disturbing, now? If I'd felt comfortable asking Griffin, perhaps he could have told me. I didn't feel comfortable with that so I was left with a conundrum of sorts. I saw the High Demons' palace in my dream, but somehow I knew that the time in which I saw it was far in the past. The High Demon King presided over what I imagined was his Council.

"The Ra'Ak have taken Harifa Edus, Raoni," a High Demon informed the King. "Only Le-Ath Veronis now stands out of all the worlds in the Dark Realm."

"Are you willing to go and help the vampires?" The King snorted, blowing a bit of smoke from his nostrils. "We are safe here, are we not?" He looked like a king, his face handsome and stern, his eyes a deep blue as he gazed out at his Council.

"I would go, if you asked it of me," The High Demon backed down, muttering.

"Nedevik, I think you would be alone in that venture," the King replied. "My troops do not wish to go. What care have we if the others die? The balance will be maintained as long as Kifirin stands."

"The Veronis Imperea is asking us to accept the comesuli—they are the most vulnerable to the Ra'Ak. She says they will work for us if we offer them shelter." Nedevik's words drew the King's interest.

"Are they willing to work our fields and tend our herds?" the King asked. He was intrigued by the idea, I could tell.

"As well as cook, clean, and manufacture clothing, wine and other necessities; they eat just as we do," Nedevik replied.