Wulf closed his eyes as her words tore through him. Only Cassandra had ever known him. His habits. His likes and dislikes. And she remembered them. In all these centuries, she was the only lover who had learned those things. What was he going to do without her? A knock sounded on the door.
"Hey, Cass?" Chris called. "If you're still up, I ordered a pizza for you since you said you wanted one. It should be here in a few minutes."
She giggled at that as Wulf frowned at her. Their bodies were still joined. "I told him after you came down here that I would kill for one slice of pepperoni pizza," she explained. Raising her voice, she said, "Thanks, Chris. I'll be back up in a few minutes."
Wulf's frown deepened. "If you need to rest…"
"Are you kidding? I meant it when I said I'd kill for pizza."
"You should have said something earlier. Chris would have had the cook make you one."
"I know, but by the time I went upstairs, Marie had already started on the chicken and I didn't want to hurt her feelings. She's a really nice lady."
"I know."
She saw the stricken look on Wulf's face. Marie had been working there for almost eight years and she mistakenly thought Chris was her boss. Marie had given Cassandra the whole story of how Chris's father had hired her and then three years ago, after Chris's father's heart attack in the living room, Chris's mother had moved to a new home across town so that she wouldn't have to relive her husband's death every time she walked through the house.
His mother had tried to get Chris to leave as well, but for an obvious reason, he'd stayed behind with Wulf. The house had been left in trust to Chris by his father, so Chris's mother couldn't sell it and force him to move.
There was no telling how many times in the last eight years Wulf had met Marie. "I'm sorry, Wulf."
"Don't be, I'm used to it."
He withdrew from her and dressed, then helped her back into her clothes. But he wouldn't let her walk back up the stairs for fear of her stumbling. Instead, he carried her to the sofa and made her lie down while he fetched a pillow and blanket for her.
Cassandra smiled at his kindness as he returned and tucked the blanket around her, then snatched the remote from Chris.
"Hey!" Chris snapped indignantly.
"You're not pregnant, Chris." He handed it to Cassandra.
"Fine," Chris said sullenly. "See if I ever have a baby for you."
"Yeah, right. By the time you get around to it, my child will have grandchildren."
Chris was aghast. "Oh, oh, oh, I don't want to hear it from you, horn head." That was a familiar insult Chris used to nettle Wulf. Cassandra hadn't understood it until Chris explained that it stemmed from the mistaken belief that Vikings wore horned helmets in the Middle Ages.
"That's it," Chris continued, "I'm switching schools to Stanford. I'm tired of all this snow anyway. I might not get laid there either, but at least the women in class won't be dressed in parkas."
Kat entered the room and rolled her eyes. "Is it just me or do these two argue like two little kids every time they get together?"
"They argue like kids," Cassandra said. "I think they're trying to make needling other people an Olympic sport."
Chris opened his mouth at the same time the door buzzed. "Pizza," he said, getting up.
A strange tremor went through Cassandra. Rubbing the back of her neck, she looked around. "You okay?" Kat asked.
"I think so." She just felt… odd…She leaned her head back against the sofa to see Chris with the pizza in his hand and the delivery guy outside. Chris paid him.
"Hey," the guy said as Chris pulled back. "Do you mind if I come in for a sec and use the phone? I need to call the store about the next delivery."
Chris cocked his head. "How about I bring you a cell phone for the porch?"
"C'mon, man, it's cold out here. Can't I come in to make a call?" Wulf was on his feet, quickly heading for the door, as Chris pulled back even more.
"Sorry, dude," Chris said more sternly.
"No one unknown comes into this house, capische ?"
"Chris," Wulf snapped, his voice low and steely. "Get back."
For once Chris didn't argue.
Wulf grabbed a sword from the wall at the same time the Daimon on the porch pulled two huge daggers out from the insulated pizza bag. The Daimon tossed one dagger at Chris, then turned to engage Wulf. Chris staggered back, his face pale as he fell to the floor.
Cassandra was on her feet headed for Chris when Kat caught her. "Think of the baby. Stay put."
She nodded as Kat jumped the couch to go help Chris. Cassandra grabbed another sword off the wall, ready for battle, just in case. Luckily, Chris was back on his feet unharmed by the time Kat reached him. The pizza, on the other hand, was DOA. Thank God the box had deflected the dagger. Wulf and the Daimon continued to fight on the porch.
"Holy shit," Chris breathed, running toward Cassandra with Kat behind him. "There are a shitload more of them headed for the house."
"What?" Cassandra asked, her knees going weak with the thought of it. Wulf killed the one on the porch and slammed the door shut.
"Dammit to hell, Chris, are you all right?"