Bitten By Love (Harmony Glen #25)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

ION

This tradition of cooking outdoors and spending time with family is rather new to me.

Well, at least in this century. Long ago, there was no choice but to cook outside.

For so long, it was a luxury to have indoor stoves that no one would choose to build a fire outside. Especially those living in villages.

However, here I sit under a large awning attached to the back of my granddaughter’s mate’s house, watching him grill several large steaks. Of course, the three vampires, myself included, will not be eating, but the camaraderie is very nice.

“Ion, do you want more wine?” Sam is a literal giant. He closes the cover on his grill and walks to a cooler placed near the back door. There’s no ice within, but it keeps the wine from getting hot while we’re outside.

I finish the last sip of the California Cabernet. “That would be appreciated, Sam.”

Once he’s filled my glass, he returns to the grill.

“I like this tradition.” I relax into the Adirondack chair and enjoy the wine.

“Barbecuing is a good way to spend an afternoon. I understand you, Mari, and Tilda plan to hunt together later.” He turns the steak over.

The scent is pleasant, even if eating cooked meat has not appealed for more centuries than I care to count.

“Thank you for including me. This idea of family has been long missing from my life, such as it is.” It does no good to dwell on those I’ve lost, even if their absence still twists at my barely beating heart.

Sam stares for a moment. “I have felt you were my family since our time in Belgium, Ion. Even after our lives moved in different directions. I always knew I could count on you and that if you had need of me, you would call.”

Before the world became so small with increasing technology, Sam worked for me on my farm in what is now Belgium. “And that is so, my friend. I’m sorry for the circumstances that brought us back together, but I’m pleased you called for my help, and that led to finding my granddaughters.”

His frown is eased by a nod. “I know you would have wished for Pierre Brochet to be rehabilitated, but I cannot say I’m sorry he’s gone.”

“I understand.” Wishing a vampire from my line had made better choices in his long life will not make it true.

Pierre chose violence, domination, and torture.

He stole unwilling women and made them vampires and then told them lies to keep them at heel.

Mari and Tilda were among those women. “Things did not go the way I would have wished, but I was not surprised by the outcome.”

With a frown, Sam closes the grill’s cover. He picks up his beer and takes a long pull on the bottle. “I think a car just pulled in.”

My granddaughters and Max, Tilda’s Sasquatch mate, are inside the house. “Are you expecting someone else?”

“No.”

As a car door opens, I sniff the air. “It’s Lori Manning.

” Rising, I go inside. A knot forms in my stomach, worried about the possibility that something more has gone wrong in the human woman’s life.

After her daughter Livi was kidnapped in the middle of the night by a boogeyman, things have not been going well with the child’s trauma recovery.

Mari is already at the door when I approach. “It’s Lori.”

“I know.” I step beside her as she opens the door.

Dark rings around Lori’s eyes, and her red hair like a wild halo around her pretty face, it’s obvious that she hasn’t had enough sleep.

My heart pounds once at the sight of her.

Something about this sweet, single mother of twins has captured my attention beyond anyone else in my exceedingly long life.

Shaking aside my inappropriate attraction, I wait for Mari to speak.

Meanwhile, I remind myself that Lori is human and young.

The term “too old for her” is laughably accurate.

“Lori, what’s wrong?” Mari reaches out her hand as soon as Lori is under the porch’s roof.

Looking from Mari to me, Lori bites her bottom lip. She catches her breath. “I’m so sorry to interrupt your family party. Max mentioned you were all getting together today.”

“You’re welcome to join us.” Mari steps back to allow Lori to enter. “But you look as if you’ve come for more than a steak. What’s wrong?”

Max says, “Is it the girls? What’s going on?” Tall and hairy, the Sasquatch is fiercely protective of this town and those he cares for. An officer with the local police department, he works with Lori, who is a dispatcher.

“The girls are safe.” Lori’s gaze shifts to me. “I wonder if I can speak to you, Mr. Radu?”

“Of course.” I point to the couch in the living room and offer her a seat.

Mari clears her throat. “We’ll be in the backyard if you need anything.”

Once we’re alone, I sit in the chair. I long to offer her some kind of comfort, but sitting too close would be foolish. Not that I would ever harm her. I’ve lived so long, my need for blood is minimal. However, my other desires are another story. “How can I help?”

She twists her hands together, making her skin red as the blood rushes to those areas.

My senses are so keen, I hear the flow and her heartbeat quickening. The pulse at her throat is an alluring patter that draws my attention. What is wrong with me? I shake off the madness and focus on the distressed woman.

When she looks up, there are tears in her blue eyes. “This may have been a mistake.”

“I can’t see how, Lori. How is Olivia’s therapy going?

” When the child was retrieved by Tilda, nearly sacrificing her own life to free her, we all knew the trauma of the experience would leave a lasting scar emotionally.

I did what I could to help her sleep with my elixir, adding it to a cup of herbal tea.

Once she was sleeping through the night on her own, I stepped away in favor of the local psychologist to help.

Gripping her hands tighter, Lori bites her lip again. “I don’t think it’s helping. Livi is so sad and scared all the time. I just want my happy, sweet girl back.”

“These things take time. Olivia is young. She will recover with your help and with her sister’s.” It hurts my soul to know that the child is suffering. Seeing Lori so upset calls to something inside me that I believed long dead.

She stops fidgeting and meets my gaze. “You could fix this. I heard that vampires can remove memories. I know you can help my baby.”

If my heart had a regular beat, it would stop. I think I might have misunderstood her. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do. I want my baby to be happy. She used to sing and was learning to play piano. She did well in school. Now, she just wants to sit in the corner, and she cries all the time.” Tears well up in her eyes, making them look like crystal pools.

“You must give this more time, Lori.” I like the way her first name feels on my tongue, even as I hope that using it will make her listen.

“Can you fix this, Ion? Can you make her forget?” She leans closer without any fear of me.

Wildflowers and beeswax are what her scent reminds me of.

It might be autumn, but Lori smells of spring.

Standing, I put some distance between us.

“There is a difference between what is possible and what is right. I will not steal from Olivia. She will recover if you give her time and the love you have always shared with her.”

Dashing the tears from her eyes, her mouth pulls into a flat line.

“I see.” She gets up and faces me. “You could help, but you won’t.

What good is a thousand-year-old vampire if he won’t help when he’s needed?

You should go back to wherever you were hiding before you came here.

This town is full of people and monsters who all help each other. You don’t fit in.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way.” A knot forms in my gut like a pile of rocks.

I’ve been told worse things. I’ve been banished from villages at the hot ends of torches and escaped horrible deaths more times than I care to count.

Still, this mildly worded reprimand from Lori Manning feels worse than all of those things.

Storming to the front door, she stops with her hand on the knob. “I thought…” She shakes her head. Anger rolls off of her in waves.

Unable to stop myself, I walk toward her with my hands open. “Pick some other way I can help you. What you ask is not possible.”

“Only because you refuse.” She draws deep breaths that she lets out slowly, trying to calm herself.

I can’t really argue with that. “Stay a while and let’s talk about this, Lori.”

“You should go back to calling me Miss Manning.” She swallows. “I’m so angry at you, but I can’t let that keep me from asking.” She bites that full bottom lip.

My body reacts in ways that are completely out of character and out of place in the current situation. “What else do you wish to ask me?” Please let it be something less horrible.

“Will you come and at least help her sleep? Neither Livi nor Dotty has slept through the night since you came to the house for a few days after we got her back.” She stares directly into my gaze, which is not usual for a human. They typically look away from a vampire’s eyes.

This woman will be my undoing. I nod. “What time shall I come?”

Her expression softens, and more tears shine in her eyes. “Eight?”

Could she have thought I didn’t want to help? Madness. “I’ll see you then, Miss Manning.”

With a swift turn, she’s out the door and running to her car.

Unable to take my eyes from her, I watch until she backs out of the driveway and drives away.

The back door opens, and Tilda steps behind me. “What did Lori want from you?”

“To remove Olivia’s memories of the boogeyman.” I stare at the corner where she turned.

Tilda sighs. She places one elegant hand on my shoulder.

As both a vampire and a swan shifter, she is both fierce and graceful.

She lived as a swan maiden until Pierre took her mortal life and made her a vampire.

Having been a victim, I think she understands Olivia’s trauma better than most. “I was afraid it was something like that.”

“I refused, of course.” I face her.

“I never doubted that.” She fusses with her long blonde plait. It’s a nervous habit, I’ve noticed over the past few weeks.

Unsettled, I struggle to stay in one place. “Will you make my apologies, Tilda? I find I need a long run and an even longer meditation.”

She smiles, but there’s only sorrow there. “I’ll explain. Go do what you need to do.”

Bolting out the door, I head for the woods and the conservation area. All this excess energy needs to be expended before I see Lori Manning again.