Lance took her hand in his and clasped it with both hands, but didn’t raise it to his lips. “Yes, thank you for coming so quickly.” Then, Lance turned to me. “This is Raven, and she possesses the gift of magic.”“She’s a witch,” I said, nodding my head, wondering what other supernatural creatures might walk through the door next.“Yes,” she said, circling me slowly as a cat would size up a mouse. “And you are?”“Lance’s fiancée,” I said flatly. I was in no mood for a catfight or to deal with catty women.“Yes, well,” she said, turning her attention back to Lance, “he never mentioned you.”“And he never mentioned you,” I returned, wondering what her past relationship had been with him. Obviously, she wanted it to be more than it was. Get in line, lady.She suddenly laughed. “Lance and I have been friends f

“Why don’t we go downstairs to dinner while Garrett and Patrick clean up?” Lance said, indicating the crimson pool of blood on the floor where Clarence’s body had been. “I’m sorry about Clarence,” I said, rubbing his arm. Lance had calmed down considerably. We still didn’t know who was after the baby or me, but at least we were a bit closer. We knew that I was pregnant and that someone was after the baby. A shiver went through my body at the thought.Lance took a deep breath. “He was loyal,” Lance said, lost in thought. “He definitely had to be compelled. I trusted Clarence with my life.” He took a deep breath, shaking his head. “He deserved better than this.”I nodded, not quite sure what to say. After all, what was there to say to someone who has lost a friend? Then, a thought occurred to me. “Lance, does this mean that you can go out into the sunlight now?”

An hour later, we were in his Learjet on our way back to Las Vegas. I had fallen asleep on the plane and woke when Lance shook my shoulder. “Leila, we’re here,” he cooed. I opened my eyes, lying against his shoulder. He stroked a lock of hair away from my eyes. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” he said, smiling. “We’re here.”I looked out the window of his Learjet and it was pitch black outside. “What time is it?” I asked groggily, feeling like I could sleep for the rest of my life.Lance smiled, amused by my expression. “It’s three o’clock in the morning,” he said, making sure that I was fully awake before he moved. The plane was on the ground and at a complete stop. I didn’t even remember landing. “Let’s get you to the castle and then you can go back to sleep.”“Okay,” I said. Then, I felt something move in my stomach and I instinctively lifted my

“Lance, I’m telling you, she tried to compel me,” I said, sitting up on the edge of the bed, holding my stomach.“Are you sure that she wasn’t just asking you to go dress shopping with her?” Lance asked, helping me to settle into the bed.“Well, at first she said that we needed to go dress shopping, but I told her that I wanted Angela to make my dress and then she said that we were going dress shopping today and told me to get up and get dressed,” I said. “She didn’t ask. She told me … and her eyes flared.”“Are you sure they flared?” Lance asked, sitting down on the bed beside me.“You don’t believe me,” I said, rolling onto my side as tears slid slowly down my cheeks.“Hey,” Lance said, forcing me to look at him. “Of course I believe you.” He wiped a tear away from my cheek. “It’s just that Charlotte and I hav

A moment later, Lance came out of the shower, looking delicious with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Within minutes, he emerged from the bedroom dressed in an impeccable gray Armani suit with a crisp white shirt, open at the neck. He looked spectacular. “Ready?”“You’re going with me?” I asked, taking another sip of my cold coffee.“Yes, if that’s okay,” he replied, crossing the room to me. “I’d like to hear what Ambrosia has to say.”I nodded, putting on my lipstick. “Of course.” I closed the tube and slipped it into my purse. “Shall we?”Lance held out his arm for me just as a knock sounded on the door. “Just in time,” Lance said, and then stopped. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring.“Another ring?” I asked, and then noticed that it held a Bloodstone. “One of the spelled Bl