Luther's Return (Scanguards Vampires Book 10)

She motioned to the couch and sat down in one corner. Luther joined her, pulling her onto his lap, before he leaned back into the cushions, one arm wrapped around Katie, the other resting on her thigh.

“I don’t have a family,” he said hesitantly. “And it’s nice to be reminded what it’s like to have people who care about you. Scanguards was my family once.”

“Is that why you came back? To remind yourself of what it was like to be part of Scanguards?”

He sighed and dropped his head back against the sofa, looking up at the ceiling. He didn’t want to answer the question, but something inside him pushed him to do it nevertheless. “I came back to atone for what I’d done to them. For how I wronged them.”

“So you do feel remorse.”

Luther closed his eyes. “From the moment I found out that it wasn’t their fault, I’ve done nothing but regret my actions. If I could only turn back time, but I can’t.” He opened his eyes and found Katie looking at him. “I erroneously believed that Amaury and Samson let my wife die. I was wrong. They offered to turn her when it was clear that she was dying in childbirth. But she refused.” He’d gone half insane when he’d found out the truth. “And I failed her as a husband.”

“How? How could you have failed her? Things like that happen. Medical complications…”

Luther put his finger over her lips. He didn’t want her to make excuses for him. “I never wanted to be a father. I wanted a wife who loved only me. When Vivian got pregnant, I was suddenly not the most important person in her life anymore. I started resenting the child. And I started resenting her for shutting me out.” He shook his head. “It’s my fault that I wasn’t there when she needed me. I left because we were arguing all the time. It was selfish of me not to accept that she was going to divide her love between me and the child. I’m responsible for her death.”

Katie cupped his face with both her hands. But she didn’t say anything. Did she understand now what a selfish bastard he was? That he wasn’t the man who could keep her safe? That she should stay away as far as possible?

“I’m so sorry for what you had to go through, Luther,” she murmured and brushed her lips over his. “So sorry.”

“Don’t feel sorry for me, Katie. I don’t deserve it.”

She wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself to him.

“Please, don’t,” he begged. “I’m not what you want me to be. I’m not your hero. In a few days I’ll be gone. We both know that. You should listen to your brother. He’s got good instincts. I’m only gonna cause you grief.”

“I make my own decisions.” She drew back to look at him, her hands laced behind his neck. “You should know that by now, Luther.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.” He grimaced.

“Don’t look like I’m making you do something you don’t want. If I remember well, you couldn’t get enough of me this morning.”

He groaned, shoving a hand through his hair. “It’s not about that, and you know it. This physical thing that’s happening between us is explosive. The sex is out of this world amazing. And your blood…” He got hard just thinking of it. Of sinking his fangs into her beautiful flesh, while he thrust his cock into her. “I’m not strong enough to resist it. That’s why you should be the voice of reason. That’s why I’m telling you all this. So you know what you’re dealing with.”

“I know who you are: a man who wants to do right. If you really came to atone, then help me save Samson’s daughter. What becomes of you and me doesn’t matter.” She combed her hand through his hair, and the sensation sent a shudder down his spine. “Is it so wrong that I want to enjoy your company for as long as I can? Haven’t we both earned a little reprieve from our past and the misgivings we have? Don’t we deserve a few hours of happiness? That’s all I’m asking.”

He gazed into the green depth of her irises. “You deserve so much more, Katie.” He cupped her nape with his hand and rubbed his thumb along her jaw. “But I’m too tired to fight with you.”

“Good.” A satisfied smile on her face, she reached for the envelope her niece had brought her. “Then help me figure out what Forrester plans.” She pulled a handful of sheets of paper from the envelope and unfolded them. “Stalkers feel superior to their victims and have a need to boast about the things they’re going to do. Somewhere in these letters we’ll find where he’s hiding.”

Katie handed him a sheet.

He gave her a brief kiss and took the copy of the stalker’s letter. “Yes, my bossy witch.”



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