Luther's Return (Scanguards Vampires Book 10)

“Oh, Katie,” he rasped. There was so much he wanted to tell her, to give her, to make her feel.

It was then that he felt her clench around him. Her orgasm caught him unaware, and it was too late to hold back his own release.

With a guttural moan, he thrust into her again and joined her in ecstasy. Before his eyes everything blurred. A sensation akin to floating gripped his body and carried him away to a place where nothing mattered, where the world was in order. Where everybody was happy.





35


Katie pulled the pizza out of the oven and placed the hot baking tray on the stove.

“I’d almost forgotten what it smells like in a kitchen when somebody’s cooking,” Luther said from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder, smiling. Luther was leaning against the kitchen island, wearing sweats and a T-shirt, both belonging to Haven, for whom she kept a small closet in her house in case of emergencies, while Luther’s own clothes were in the dryer. Katie had slipped into yoga pants and a T-shirt after they’d slept for a few hours. But a text message had awoken them.

“That’s not surprising,” she said. “You haven’t been around humans in a long time.” She turned to switch off the oven.

“My wife liked to cook.”

Katie froze, surprised that Luther was revealing something from his past. She hesitated, but then asked as casually as she could, “Vivian?”

“Yeah, she would spend hours in the kitchen. I think she always found it a pity that I couldn’t eat what she concocted.”

“Well, I’m not much of a cook,” Katie admitted. “I didn’t make the pizza. I get it frozen from Pasquale’s, and just shove it in the oven.” The sound of the garage door interrupted her. “Just don’t tell them. They think I actually make it from scratch.”

Luther’s hands were suddenly on her shoulders, and he turned her to face him. “Another illusion? That of the perfect aunt?”

“Don’t we all try to show others what they want to see?”

“Are you doing that with me, too? Showing me what I want to see?”

Slowly she moved her head from side to side. “I can’t pretend with you.”

“Good.”

Luther gripped her chin between thumb and forefinger and dipped his head to hers. His kiss was gentle, but full of heat nevertheless.

The door to the kitchen was flung open, and Luther immediately released her.

“Mmm, pizza!” Cooper said, charging in. “I’m starving!”

The closing door almost hit his sister Lydia in the face. She stopped it with her palm and thrust it open again. “Cooper, you have no manners!” she chastised her younger brother, then tossed a long suffering look at Katie. “Sorry, Aunt Katie, he still hasn’t learned to knock. I keep trying, but he’s a lost cause once he smells pizza.” Her eyes darted to Luther, then quickly back to her. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“Hey, Lydia, so good to see you!” Katie greeted her with a smile and pulled her into her arms. She squeezed her niece tightly and ran her hand over her long red hair. “How are you holding up?”

Nineteen-year-old Lydia drew her head back and sniffled. “I miss Isabelle. She’s my best friend.”

“I know, honey, I know.”

“We’ll get her back,” Luther said from behind them.

Katie released her niece and turned sideways. “This is Luther, he’s been helping us. Luther, that’s my niece Lydia, and—” She pointed to the sixteen-year-old hybrid already cutting the pizza in slices. “—my nephew Cooper. Haven and Yvette’s kids.”

Luther offered his hand to Lydia. “Your mother is Yvette? But that’s impossible.”

Lydia hesitantly shook Luther’s hand and quickly released it. “I’m adopted.” Then she pointed to Cooper. “But unfortunately Mom had him later.”

Cooper grinned, chewing on a slice of pizza. “You’d be bored if you didn’t have me to boss around, sis.” He stretched his free hand out to Luther and shook it. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Luther looked quizzically at Katie. “I guess we’re not talking about the Yvette I knew a long time ago, because she’s a vampire.”

“Oh, Mom’s a vampire,” Cooper said casually. “That’s also why she sucks at cooking.” He grinned at Katie and pointed to the pizza. “This is amazing! You’re the best cook in the world, Aunt Katie!”

Katie rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you at least sit down while you’re eating?”

She turned to the hanging cabinets and pulled three plates from it, then placed them on the table, while Cooper put the baking tray with the pizza in the middle of the kitchen table.

Luther pulled the chair back for her and motioned her to sit. She could sense that he was still baffled about Cooper’s comment and looked over her shoulder. “Maya, Gabriel’s mate, is a doctor. She pioneered a fertility treatment for vampire females. It was successful.” She ran her hand through Cooper’s dark mane. “And this boy here is one of the results.”

“Hey, I’m not a boy. I’m a man!” Cooper protested.