Night Play (Dark-Hunter #6)(10)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

A tiny old woman stood in the doorway. Her hair was gray, but her eyes were sharp and intelligent.

"It’s okay, I was just looking," Vane said.

And then he caught a scent of something strange. A fissure of power in the air that was even stronger than that of a Were-Hunter.

Acheron?

The old woman smiled at him. "Come inside, wolf. There’s someone I think you want to talk to."

She held the door open as he entered the small, dark shop, lined with shelves and cases of custom-made dolls. Without a word, she led him behind the counter and through a set of heavy burgundy curtains.

Vane drew up short as he saw the strangest sight of his entire four hundred years of life. The mighty Dark-Hunter Acheron Parthenopaeus sat on the floor of the back room with his legs crossed as he played dolls with his demon companion and a human infant.

Vane couldn’t move as he watched the infant girl sitting on Ash’s bent, leather-clad knee while the Dark-Hunter held her there with one large hand on her belly. Dressed in a frilly pink pinafore and black Mary Janes, she was beautiful, with short, dark auburn curls and a plump, angelic face.

Ash held a male doll in his right hand while the little girl chewed on the head of a red-haired Barbie that looked strangely like the Greek goddess Artemis, who had created and ruled the Dark-Hunters. The demon sat in front of them holding a blond doll. The demon herself had black hair with a red stripe in it that matched Ash’s hair perfectly.

"See, I knew baby Marissa was quality people," the demon said to Ash.

"Look how she eating the head off the redheaded Artemis doll. Simi needs to teach her to belch fire, then introduce her to the real heifer-goddess herself."

Ash laughed. "I don’t think so, Sim. Marissa isn’t quite ready for that, are you, sweetie?"

The little girl reached up and placed a wet hand to Ash’s chin as she laughed at him. Ash playfully nipped at her hand while the demon took his doll and made it dance with hers.

"I think my doll needs a pair of horneys, akri," the demon said to Ash. "You think Liza will make me a demon doll like me?"

Horns appeared instantly on the doll’s head, along with red and black hair. The demon squealed in delight. "Oh, thank you, akri. It’s a Simi doll!"

Cocking her head, the demon looked at the little girl in Ash’s lap. "You know, Marissa is a cutie baby, but she be even prettier with horneys too."

"No, Sim, I don’t think Amanda or Kyrian would appreciate getting their daughter back with a pair of horns on her head."

"Yeah, but she look so so deprived without them. I could make them really pretty. Maybe pink to go with her dress?"

"That’s okay, Simi."

The demon pouted. "Oh pooh, you no fun, akri" She held up the male doll.

"See this, Marissa? Okay, now here’s what happens when he make Barbie mad.

She gets her barbecue sauce and she eats him."

Ash quickly took the doll from Simi’s hand before she could place it in her open mouth. "No, no, Simi. You’re allergic to rubber."

"I am?"

"Don’t you remember how sick you got when you ate those tires off the truck that made you mad?"

The demon looked really disappointed. "Oh. Is that what made me ill? I thought it was because the heifer-goddess was there."

Ash placed a quick kiss to the top of the baby’s head, then handed her to Simi. "Watch Marissa for a few minutes and don’t eat her or let her eat anything."

"No worry, akri. I would never eat baby Marissa. I know how much you would miss her if I did."

Ash gave the demon an affectionate hug before he got up and sauntered over to Vane. Tall and lean, Ash was the epitome of a young man in the prime of his life. There weren’t many people taller than Vane, but Ash was one of them.

And it wasn’t just his height that was intimidating. There was something primal and powerful about the Dark-Hunter. Something that even the animal in Vane feared.

Even so, they had known each other for centuries. In fact, Ash had been the one who had helped Vane to find his mother. To this day, Vane wasn’t sure why the Dark-Hunter had helped him.

But then, no one understood Acheron Parthenopaeus.

"You know, it’s not nice to spy on people, wolf."

Vane snorted at that. "As if anyone could ever spy on you." He looked back at the demon and little girl. "I never pegged you for a babysitter."

Ash glanced down at Vane’s hand, then met him with a level gaze. There was something extremely disconcerting about Ash’s liquid silver eyes that swirled with mystical power and ancient knowledge. "I never pegged you for a coward."

Anger sizzled through Vane at the insult. He lunged at Ash, only to have the Atlantean spin out of his reach.

"Don’t." That single word carried enough command to give Vane pause.

Ash looked over his shoulder to the old woman who was still standing in the opening of the curtains. "Liza, would you fetch Vane a cup of tea, please?"

"I don’t drink tea."

"Liza?"

"I’ll be right back with it." The old woman went out into the shop.

"I don’t drink tea," Vane reiterated.

"You’ll drink hers and you’ll like it."

Vane’s gaze darkened again. "I’m not one of your Dark-Hunters, Acheron. I don’t dance to your command."

"Neither do they. But that’s neither here nor there, is it?" Ash cocked his head as if he were listening to something that only the Atlantean could hear.

"You’re seeking answers."

"I don’t need anything from a Dark-Hunter. Ever."

Ash let out a slow, deep breath. "I’m sorry about Anya, Vane, but it was meant to be."

Vane curled his lip at the offer of sympathy; his heart was still broken over her loss. "Don’t talk to me about fate, Dark-Hunter. I’ve had it with that subject."

To his amazement, Ash agreed. "I know the feeling. But it doesn’t change what’s going on inside you, does it?"

He cut a glare at Ash. "What do you know about it?"

"Everything." Ash crossed his arms over his chest as he watched him with a gaze that set Vane on edge. "Life would be so easy if we had all the answers, wouldn’t it? Will your pack come for you? Will Fang be normal again? Will Bride ever accept you as her mate?"

Vane went cold at his words. "How do you know about Bride?"

He didn’t answer. "You know, humans are amazing in their capacity to love.

Don’t sell either one of you short because you’re afraid of what might happen. Instead, maybe you should focus on what will happen if you leave her."

That was easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one being hunted. "What do you know about fear?"

"Enough to teach a lifetime course on it." Ash looked past him to see the infant standing up beside the demon on wobbly little legs that were still learning how to support the baby’s weight. "She’s beautiful, isn’t she?"

Vane shrugged. He was far from an expert on what made a human child beautiful.

"Hard to believe that if Kyrian hadn’t had faith in Amanda and in their future together, she would never have existed at all. No one would have heard the beauty of her little laugh or seen the preciousness of her smile Think about it, Vane. An accountant who only wanted a normal life and a Dark-Hunter who thought love was a fable. If Kyrian had walked away, he would still be living alone as a Dark-Hunter. And Amanda, had she managed to survive the Apollite and Daimon who were out to steal her powers, would probably be married to someone else by now."

"Would they have been happy?" Vane wasn’t sure why he asked that question.

Ash shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But look at their baby. She’s going to grow up the daughter of a sorceress and a Dark-Hunter. She will know things about this world that few people ever do. For that matter, she already does. Now imagine if she never existed. What would the world have lost without her?"

"What has it gained with her?"

Ash didn’t hesitate to answer. "It has gained a truly beautiful soul who will grow up to help anyone who needs it. In a world full of malice, she will never do harm. And two souls who have never known love now have each other."

Vane scoffed at that. "Have you ever thought about writing romance novels, Ash?

That might wash in fiction, but let me tell you about the real world. That little girl will grow up, have her heart broken, and be used by people out to take advantage of her."

"And her parents will tear the heart out of anyone who tries it. Life is a gamble, Vane. It’s harsh and painful most of the time, and it’s not for the timid. Spoils go to the victor, not to the one who doesn’t even show up for the battle."

"What are you saying?"

"I think you already know. Will Bride have a better life without you? Who’s to say? Maybe there is some human out there who can appreciate her. But will he ever appreciate her as much as you do?"

No. Vane knew it deep in his heart. Her tender touch was priceless to him. "What if I get her killed?"

"Death is inevitable for humans. She will die someday. But the real question is, will she ever live?" Ash started away, then paused. "Will you?"

Vane stood there in silence as he thought over what Ash had said.

Liza returned with the tea and Vane thanked her before he tasted it.

Much to his dismay, Ash was right. It was good stuff and he did like it. Ash picked the baby up and turned back toward him. "You know, there’s always the possibility that Bride might not accept you. Meet her as a man, Vane. Give her what your father never gave your mother. Let her see the man and the animal and then let her decide for herself."

"And if she leaves me?"

"Is that what you fear most?"

Vane looked away. Damn Ash for his sagacity. No, his worst fear was that she would accept him and that he wouldn’t be able to keep her safe from his enemies. "All you can ever really do, Vane, is give it your all and trust that everything will work out."

"Do you really trust the Fates?"

Ash’s answer surprised him. "Not at all. They make mistakes just like everyone else. But in the end, you have to believe in something." Ash cuddled the baby to his chest. "So what will you choose?"

Ash’s question hung in Vane’s mind as he made his way back to Bride’s shop. He didn’t know what choice to make and Ash hadn’t really helped.

In wolf form, he nosed his way in the door of her boutique. Since he’d moved in with her, Bride had made it a habit to leave the shop door ajar any time he left. As if she knew he’d be back.

She’d also made him a comfortable pallet behind her counter so that he could lie quietly and watch her while she worked. And he did like to watch her, especially when she interacted with other people. There was a kindness to her that others he’d known lacked.

He particularly liked to watch her with Tabitha. The two of them were extremely amusing. At least when they weren’t discussing how much every member of his gender, with the exception of their fathers, sucked.

He half-expected Tabitha to attempt to neuter him just because he was male. Right now, Bride sat on her wooden stool beside her register as she finished eating half of a deli sandwich.

"There you are," she said, smiling at him. "I was wondering what happened to you."

She held out the other half of her sandwich and let him eat it from her hand. Vane finished it off, then placed his head in her lap. She stroked his ears and the tenderness of it shattered him.

Maybe Ash was right. Didn’t he owe it to both of them to at least give her a choice? Vane Kattalakis had never allowed fear to govern him. But then, he had never lost anyone he loved until eight months ago.

In one night, he had lost everything.

Gods, he was so tired of being alone. So tired of not trusting anyone.

Of having no one to laugh with.

Maybe Bride was his future.

Maybe he would try this and see.

But how?

What did humans do to court each other?

Bride sat on her stool as she cleaned up after her lunch and tossed the garbage in the trash can. The last two days had been horrible as she put her tiny apartment in order and did her best to forget Taylor and his cruelty. Except the rat bastard had yet to return her stuff.

"Please don’t make me have to go and get it," she said as she reviewed a catalogue for new merchandise by her register.

If she did, she was taking Tabitha with her just for the sake of vengeance.

And if Tabitha happened to bring a tire iron well, it wasn’t as if Bride could keep her from it. It was a free country, after all. And if the tire iron ended up falling against Taylor’s kneecaps a time or two or three dozen, well, accidents did happen.

Relishing the thought, she reached down and petted her wolf behind his ears and felt instantly better.

Over the last two days, Vane had become her constant companion. He sat even now behind the register at her feet, completely content just to be with her. If only she could find a man so loyal.

The door to her shop opened.

She looked up to see Taylor coming inside. Her heart stopped. He was tall and good-looking in that phony TV sort of way. He wore a pair of khakis and a black Ralph Lauren polo shirt.

He strode into the store like he owned it. Like he hadn’t carelessly broken her heart just a few days ago.