“That’s great!”

“I have requested they install the bathroom between our room and the one next to it so it will be accessible from both rooms. They are also adding a closet in the nursery.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

“Is there anything else you want?”

“A kiss?”

A slow smile spread across his face as he drew her into his arms. “I do not need a contractor for that,” he replied, and lowered his head to hers.

Elena had never truly appreciated the benefits of being wealthy until she saw how quickly money could get things done. She had seen some evidence of it when the castle was wired for electricity. Due to the age and size of the castle, it had taken a considerable amount of time. But that was then and this was now. She had expected it to take many weeks, perhaps several months, to build a bathroom and a closet where none had existed before. But money could buy miracles and manpower, and the renovations were accomplished in less than a month.

Elena stood in the middle of the floor, turning slowly as she admired her new bathroom. The floor was gold-veined white marble. There was a white oval tub with a Jacuzzi, a square shower big enough for two, a toilet that flushed automatically, recessed lighting, and two sinks set in a granite countertop. She had not yet decided on a color for the walls.

Since the rooms were so large, the contractor had suggested adding a walk-in closet for the master bedroom. It was, Elena thought, big enough to be a room of its own. Drake moved their old wardrobe into one of the other bedrooms.

The new bathroom, walk-in closet, and smaller closet in the baby’s room made the nursery a little smaller, but Elena had assured Drake that wouldn’t be a problem. When their daughter grew older, she could simply move into one of the other, larger bedrooms.

Elena thought of little else besides the baby. How strange, to think that she carried a living being inside her. She could hardly wait to hold her daughter in her arms. What would their child look like? Would she have her father’s blue eyes or her mother’s brown ones?

Drake drove her into the city the evening after the renovations were complete. He agreed with her choice of the white crib and the rest of the furniture and arranged to have it delivered at the end of the week.

“You’re going to spoil me, you know,” Elena remarked on the drive home.

“That has always been my intention,” he replied, squeezing her hand. “Whatever you want, whatever you need, you have only to ask.”

Elena spent the next day painting the nursery and thinking she had never been happier than she was now. The man she loved slept in the next room. They were having a baby. A girl, she thought, smiling. Life was good. No, it was better than good. It was perfect.

She had just finished painting the window seat when Drake appeared in the doorway.

“You have been busy,” he remarked, glancing around the room.

“Do you like it?”

He nodded. “Yes, but should you be painting in your condition?”

“I’m pregnant, silly, not sick. Besides, it’s nice to have something to do to pass the time while you rest. I was thinking of painting the bathroom the same shade of yellow as the nursery,” she mused aloud. “Or maybe a light blue. What do you think?”

“Whatever you decide is fine with me.”

“I think, in deference to your masculinity, I’ll paint it blue.”

“Thank you,” he said, chuckling. “What would you say to a walk down by the lake?”

“The same thing I always say,” she replied with a saucy grin. “Yes!”

The lake was beautiful, as always. Stars winked on the black blanket of the sky like the twinkling lights on a Christmas tree.

Kneeling on the shore, Elena dipped her hand into the water, and quickly jerked it out. “I was hoping to go for a swim, but it’s too cold.”

“Is it?”

“Feel for yourself.”

He shook his head. “I believe you, but if you want to swim, then swim we shall.”

Elena heaved a sigh as he quickly undressed. Being a vampire, she supposed he was immune to the cold.

“Are you coming, wife?”

“No. It’s like melted ice in there.”

“Will you not trust me, my sweet?”

With a sigh, Elena pulled her sweater over her head, stepped out of her shoes, socks, and jeans, removed her underwear, walked into the lake. And shrieked when the chilly water swirled around her ankles. When she would have retreated, Drake captured her hand in his and gently tugged her toward him.

Surprisingly, as she waded out closer toward him, the water grew warmer. “Why is it warmer out here?” she asked suspiciously. “You didn’t pee in the pool, did you?”

Drake threw back his head and laughed. “No, my love. I merely infused a little preternatural power into the water to warm it for you.”

Elena sighed with amazement. Truly, there was nothing this man couldn’t do.

Holding her against his side, he carried her out to deeper water. Once, she had been frightened to be out so deep, but no more. Nothing could happen to her while Drake was there. Leaning against him, she gazed up at the stars.

“What shall we name our daughter?” she asked after a while.

“I have not given it any thought, but I think you have.”

“I was thinking about naming her after my mother, if it’s all right with you. Unless you’d rather name her after your mother.”

“No. What was your mother’s name?”

“Kaitlyn.”

“A fine old-fashioned name,” Drake said. “I like it.”

“I looked it up. It means ‘pure.’” She smiled up at Drake. “Are you as happy as I am?”

“Never doubt it for a moment.” He brushed a kiss across her brow. “You have given me more happiness than I deserve.”

“Drake! What a thing to say. You deserve to be happy, just like everyone else.”

“I am pleased that you think so, but there are incidents in my past, things you do not know.” He thought of the people he had killed when he was a new vampire. His lack of compassion. Of Luiza. “Events I regret that I can never make right.”

“Shh.” Elena twined her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “I don’t care what you’ve done in the past, or why you think you’re unworthy of happiness. It’s over and done and none of it matters now. Got it?”

“Yes, wife,” he replied solemnly.

“Good. You’re my hero. My knight in shining armor. And I won’t have you thinking otherwise.”

“Tarnished armor,” he said with a wry grin.

“Stop that!”

“I will do my best not to let you down.” How could he do otherwise when she was looking at him like that, as if he were Superman and Albert Schweitzer all rolled into one.

She kissed him then, her lips achingly sweet and filled with love, and in that kiss he found hope. And an encompassing warmth that felt like forgiveness.

Chapter 32

The next day, Elena called the furniture store and asked if it was possible to have their order delivered that night. The salesman said he didn’t think so, but after asking her name, he quickly changed his mind and assured her that it would be there by nightfall. She was grinning when she hung up the phone. Amazing, she thought, the miracles that could be obtained just by mentioning the Sherrad name.

They were arranging the furniture in the nursery later that night when the doorbell rang.

Elena looked at Drake. “Are you expecting someone?”

He shook his head and turned away, but not before she saw the worry in his eyes.

She followed him down the stairs, hanging back a little when he opened the door.

It was Andrei.

“Is something wrong?” Drake asked after inviting his brother inside.

“Liliana has returned to the Fortress,” Andrei replied. “I thought you would want to know.”

Drake lifted one brow. “You came here to tell me that?”

“No.” Andrei nodded at Elena before returning his attention to his brother. “Stefan has left the Coven.”

“Where has he gone?”

Andrei shook his head. “No one seems to know.”

“When did this happen?”

“I am not sure. I have been busy looking after Katiya and making sure your new rules are upheld. Cullin has claimed Marta for his own. She is now living in his apartment. I was not aware that Stefan was missing until Liam informed me last night. The last time anyone remembers seeing Stefan was four nights ago.”

“Perhaps he has gone hunting,” Drake suggested.

Andrei sat on a corner of the coffee table. “He would not leave the Fortress without telling someone. I thought perhaps he had come here.”

“No. I have not seen him.”

“Katiya thinks . . .”

“Thinks what?” Drake asked.

“That with you and me being happily married, and our wives pregnant . . .”

“You told Katiya about Stefan?” Drake asked sharply.

Andrei shrugged. “Not intentionally.”

“What about Stefan?” Elena asked, perching on the arm of the sofa. “Oh!”

Drake looked at her, his eyes narrowed. “Oh, what?”

“He’s the son, isn’t he? The one who got a girl pregnant and the girl and the baby died.”

“Katiya told you that?” Drake asked.

“She didn’t mention his name when she told me. She didn’t know which brother it was.”

“Well, she seems to know now,” Drake muttered. “Dammit!” He paced the floor from one end to the other.

“Do you have any idea where he might go?” Andrei asked.

“He once talked about going to America,” Drake replied.

“America!” Andrei exclaimed. “Do you really think he would go that far?”

“Would that be so bad?” Elena asked, glancing from Drake to Andrei and back again.