Kade's Dark Embrace

Epilogue

Sydney woke feeling optimistic, looking forward to her future with Kade. She gazed up at the stark white ceiling dreaming of how she would decorate their new home. The open penthouse was quite a contrast to the historic, Garden District mansion in New Orleans. She wondered how Kade would adjust to the cold, hard streets of Philadelphia, but guessed he could more than hold his own. She looked forward to living in both cities, in both of their homes.

Kade felt supremely confident, because he knew without a doubt that he was the only person Sydney had ever really loved. He was ecstatic that she had accepted his proposal and looked forward to their life together. She was the woman of his dreams.

Sydney laughed to herself, thinking about how much she actually liked belonging to Kade, and having Kade belong to her. She moved to lay her head on Kade’s smooth chest, his vampire heartbeat resounding in her ear.

Letting her thoughts drift back to New Orleans, Sydney wondered how Samantha was doing. She had left the mansion, before she had a chance to visit with the girl, and in the fray of taking off back to Philadelphia, she’d forgotten to ask Kade how she was.

Kade stirred, hugging Sydney closer in an embrace. He kissed the top of her head. “Sydney love, what are you thinking about so hard this morning? I may not be able to read your thoughts clearly yet, but I certainly can sense you thinking...very loudly. Is something wrong?”

“Just wondering about Samantha, that’s all. It's hard to believe that girl in the cell with me is the same girl we met in Sangre Dulce. Samantha seemed so innocent, and scared, but not in a submissive kind of way. She was a fighter, no doubt about it.”

Kade sighed, “Do not worry, Sydney. Your instincts are correct though. Ilsbeth detected dark magic on the girl’s aura. Even though the coven can eliminate the darkness, the magic is infused within her. She is forever a witch now.” He shook his head feeling frustrated about how he left things with Luca. “There is something else that bothered me though. Before you left, Luca seemed off. I don’t know if the dark magic emanating off of Samantha was affecting him or what, but he actually seemed...I don’t know...caring? Yes. He seemed caring toward the young woman.”

“What’s wrong with that, Kade? I mean, Samantha has been through a lot. Asgear...did you see what he did to her? Anyone would show feelings after seeing what happened to her.”

“I know. It’s not caring that is a problem per se. It’s just that...I have known Luca for over two centuries. Other than Tristan, he is my best friend. He is loyal, respectful, honest, a valiant warrior, but caring about the feelings of a crying, human woman? Usually, he would not care in the slightest. No way. That isn’t his style. Honestly, I have never seen him in love with a woman in all our time together. Sex with a woman, yes, but never love. When we were with Samantha, he actually comforted her. It was strange...for him anyway. I don’t know. It’s probably nothing.”

Sydney turned her naked body beneath the sheets pressing her soft flesh against his chest. He leaned down kissing her warm lips, parting them with his tongue. Growing with hot with need, Sydney reached down to explore the evidence of his arousal.

They both jolted when Kade’s cell phone rang loudly. “Damn phone. I’ll get it later. Don’t stop.”

Sydney sighed, “Okay, but maybe just answer it this one time and then turn off the ringer so we can make love in peace.”

Kade reluctantly pulled out of her arms and reached down to the floor, scavenging through his clothes. He glanced at the cell. Ilsbeth? Why was she calling? He shouldn’t be hearing from her so quickly. Answering, he sensed that something was terribly wrong. They’d been attacked on the way to the coven. Ilsbeth and the girl made it back safely, but Luca was missing.