The next few weeks went by in a blur as Cassandra finished the baby's memory box. For the first time in her life, she actually felt safe somewhere.
It was a glorious feeling.
Chris and Kyra, the so-called Apollite babe Chris had found, spent a lot of time in the apartment. Kyra was a pleasant woman who would often pretend that she couldn't remember Wulf just to annoy him.
The tall, thin Apollite would look at him guilelessly and ask, "Do I know you?"
It irritated Wulf but amused everyone else.
As the pregnancy progressed, Cassandra realized another reason why Daimons couldn't have children. She became increasingly needful of blood. Her biweekly transfusions turned into daily ones, and for the past two weeks, she'd needed two to three of them a day.
The increase worried her. Did it mean the baby would be more Apollite than human?
Dr. Lakis had told her it really had no bearing on the baby's biology and that she should relax. But it was hard for her.
All night long, Cassandra had been rather depressed and too tired to move. She'd gone to bed early, even before dawn, wanting to rest and just be comfortable for a few minutes.
Wulf came in and woke her up long enough to ask her how she was.
"I'm sleeping," she snapped. "Leave me alone."
He'd held his hands up in surrender, laughed good-naturedly, and then curled up around her. She had to admit she loved the feeling of him there. The sensation of his hand on her stomach.
It always seemed like the baby knew when it was Wulf's hand on him. He would immediately become more active, as if wanting to say, "Hi, Daddy, can't wait to meet you."
He also reacted to his father's voice.
Closing her eyes, Cassandra tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn't easy since Little Bigfoot started dancing the fandango and decided to knee her in the ribs a few times.
She lay there for about an hour until the lower back pain set in. Within twenty minutes, she realized her contractions had stabilized and were steady.
Wulf was sleeping peacefully when Cassandra woke him up.
"The baby's coming," she gasped out.
"Are you sure?" But one look at her exasperated face and he knew the answer to that asinine question.
"Okay," he said, trying to wake up and clear the fog in his mind. "Stay here and I'll summon the troops."
He ran from the room to wake Kat and to send Chris for the doctor, then he ran back to the bedroom to be with Cassandra who was up, walking around.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm pacing to help with the pain."
"Yeah, but-"
"It's okay, hon," Kat said as she came through the door. "The baby won't be born on his head."
Wulf wasn't sure about that, but had learned not to argue with a pregnant Cassandra. She was rather tense and emotional, and could let blood with her tongue when she wanted to.
Better to just give her what she wanted.
"What can I get you?" Wulf asked.
Cassandra was panting. "How about someone else to have this kid for me?"
He laughed at that. At least until she gave him a murderous glare.
Sobering, he cleared his throat. "I wish I could."
By the time the doctor came, Wulf was standing behind her, holding her stomach and trying to help her breathe through the contractions. He could feel each contraction tighten against his palms and knew exactly when she was going to curse in pain from it.
He hated that she had to go through this. She was already sweaty from the exertion and she had barely begun the labor to bring their son into the world.
Hours went by slowly as they worked together and Cassandra screamed all manner of obscenities at him, all men in general, and the gods in particular.
Wulf would hold her hand and bathe her brow while the doctor directed them both on what to do.
It was just after five p.m. when his son was finally born.
Wulf stared at the tiny infant in the doctor's hands as the baby squalled with a set of lungs that had to come from a healthy child.
"He's really here," Cassandra sobbed as she held on to Wulf's hand and stared at the baby she had birthed.
"He's here," Wulf laughed, kissing her damp temple. "And he's beautiful."
The doctor cleaned and examined him, then handed the baby to his mother.
Cassandra couldn't breathe as she held her child for the very first time. His tiny fists were clenched as his screams let them all know he was here. His face was wrinkled like an old man's, but even so he was gorgeous to her.
"Look at his hair," she said, brushing the thick mat of black hair down. "He looks like his father."
Wulf smiled as the baby wrapped his tiny hand around his father's index finger. "He has your lungs."
"Oh, please!" she said indignantly.
"Trust me," Wulf said, meeting her gaze. "Every Apollite here now knows that my parents were unmarried at my birth, and that if you survive the night, you plan on making me a eunuch."
She laughed at him and then kissed him while she held their son.
"By the way, if you were serious about any of that, Cassandra," the doctor said, her eyes alight. "I do have a scalpel I can loan you."
Cassandra laughed again. "Don't tempt me."
Wulf took the baby from her and held him carefully in his large hands. His son. The joy and fear inside him was debilitating. He'd never known anything like it.
The baby was so incredibly tiny. A miracle of life. How could something so tiny ever survive? He knew he would kill or seriously maim anyone who ever threatened his child.
"What are you going to name him?" Wulf asked Cassandra. In all these weeks, he had purposely stayed out of her decision. He wanted the baby's mother to name him.
It would be her lasting legacy to their son, who would never really know her.
"How about Erik Jefferson Tryggvason?"
Wulf blinked in disbelief. "Are you sure?"
She nodded as he lightly touched the baby's cheek.
"Hi, Little Erik," he breathed. His heart clenched as he called him his brother's name. "Welcome home."
"The baby probably wants to nurse now," Dr. Lakis said as she finished cleaning everything up. "You might want to hand him back to his mother for a bit."
Wulf did as she suggested.
"Will you need a lactation nurse?" Dr. Lakis asked Cassandra. "Apollite babies generally won't take bottles or formula, especially when they have a mixed heritage. There's not really a safe formula we can try since we don't know how much Apollite or human is in him."
"I think the nurse would be a good idea," Cassandra said. "I don't want to mess this up and stunt his growth or turn him into a mutant or anything."
The doctor had a strange look on her face that basically said, "I thought your child was a mutant."
Wisely, she held her tongue.
Wulf walked the doctor out. "Thank you," he said as they entered the living room where Chris and Kat sat waiting.
"Ha!" Kat said as soon as she saw Wulf. "I told you he'd arrive unhurt."
"Damn," Chris muttered before he handed her a twenty. "I just knew he'd been neutered after all that."
They both rushed toward the bedroom to see the baby, while Wulf talked to the doctor.
She gave him a sad smile. "I suppose it's somehow fitting."
"What is?"
"The last baby I help into this world is the one who is destined to keep it safe."
Wulf scowled. "What do you mean, the last baby?"
Dr. Lakis sighed as if the weight of Armageddon were upon her. "My birthday is Thursday."
Wulf went cold at her words and what they meant. "Your twenty-seventh?"
She nodded. "Dr. Cassus will take over monitoring their health. She'll be the one who gives Cassandra her four-week physical and makes sure everything is progressing as it should."
Dr. Lakis started for the door.
"Doctor, wait."
She turned toward him.
"I'm-"
"Don't say you're sorry. I'm just another Apollite to you."
"No," he said sincerely. "You're not. You're the woman who kept my wife safe and who helped to birth my son. I won't ever forget that."
She offered him a tremulous smile. "I wish you luck with your son. I hope he grows up to be the man his father is."
Wulf watched her leave, his heart heavy. He had tried so hard to stay detached from everyone here. To not care and not see how very human his enemies were. But it was impossible. Just like staying away from Cassandra was impossible.
Against his will and common sense, they had all invaded his heart.
How could he ever go back to his role as a Dark-Hunter after all this?
How could he kill another Daimon when he understood them so well? How?
Cassandra was exhausted by the time Wulf returned to her. Kat and the nurse had taken the baby to watch so that she could rest. Of course, they would have to wake her when it was time for his next feeding, but for a little while, Cassandra would be able to rest in comfort.
"Close your eyes," Wulf said.
Cassandra did as he asked without question and felt him place something around her neck. Opening her eyes, she saw an intricate, antique necklace. The design was obviously Norse. It had four square pieces of amber mounted on their sides in a diamond shape. In the center was a circular piece with another amber stone embedded in it, and dropping down from that was a tiny Viking ship that had its sail made of more amber.
"It's beautiful."
"Erik and I bought two of them from a Danish merchant in Byzantium. It reminded us of home. He gave his to his wife and I was going to give mine to my sister, Brynhild."
"Why didn't you give it to her?"
"She wouldn't take it. She was too angry at me for not being there when our father died, angry at me for raiding. She said she never wanted to see me again, so I left and have kept the necklace with me ever since. I pulled it out of my safe when Kat and I went back for my sword."
His sadness touched her. Over the past few months, she had learned just how much Wulf's siblings had meant to him. "I'm sorry, Wulf."
"Don't be. I like seeing it on you. It's as if it were meant to be there." He brushed his hand through her hair. "Do you want me to go sleep on the couch?"
"Why would I want that?"
"You said earlier that you weren't ever again going to let me near your bed."
She laughed lightly. "I don't even remember half of what I said."
"That's okay. I think Chris was recording it in the other room for posterity."
She covered her face with her hands. "I hope you're joking."
"No, not really."
Cassandra ran her hand through his silken hair and let the strands of it slide through her fingers. "Well, now that it's over, I'm much more tolerant of you. So, come and snuggle up. I think I could use it."
Wulf quickly obliged her.
Cassandra let out a long, tired breath and drifted off to sleep.
Wulf watched her as he let the warm softness of her body seep into his very heart. He took her hand in his and studied the delicate shape of it.
"Don't leave me, Cassandra," he whispered. "I don't want to raise our son without you."
But wishing for her to stay was as productive as wishing for his soul back.
On Thursday morning, Wulf couldn't sleep. Cassandra and Erik were both blissfully unconscious. But his thoughts wouldn't settle down long enough for him to rest.
Getting up, he donned his clothes and left the apartment. Since few Apollites were up and about, he didn't have to endure many sneers or glares.
He knew he had no business headed where he was, but he couldn't stop himself.
He had to say good-bye to Dr. Lakis. She had strangely become another member of their small troop over the weeks when she had kept vigil over Cassandra's and Erik's health.
Her apartment wasn't far away from Phoebe's.
Unsure of his reception, he knocked on her door.
A boy around the age of twelve answered it.
"Are you Ty?" he asked the boy, remembering Dr. Lakis talking about her oldest son.
"My mama's not going Daimon. You can leave her alone."
Wulf flinched at his angry words. "I know she's not. I just want to see her for a minute."
"Aunt Millicent," he yelled without letting him in. "The Dark-Hunter wants to see Mama."
A beautiful woman around Chris's age came to the door. "What do you want?"
"I want to see Dr. Lakis."
"He's going to kill her!" the boy said from behind her.
She ignored the boy. Narrowing her eyes, she stepped back and let Wulf enter.
Wulf took a deep breath in relief as she led him to a bedroom on his left. The door opened to show him a room with five small children and one more woman around Millicent's age. Dr. Lakis lay on the bed, but he barely recognized her. Instead of the young vibrant woman who had delivered his baby, she already looked as if she were fifty years old.
Millicent shooed the children and the other adult out.
"You only have five minutes, Dark-Hunter. We want to be with her as long as we can."
He nodded, and once he was alone with her, he knelt beside the bed.
"Why are you here, Wulf ?" Dr. Lakis asked. It was the first time she had ever used his name.
"I'm not sure. I just wanted to thank you again."
She blinked her tear-filled eyes and appeared to age another ten years. "This isn't the bad part," she whispered. "That comes later when our bodies fall apart while we're still alive. If we're lucky, our organs fail quickly and we die. Otherwise it lasts for hours and is excruciating."
Her words tore through him as he thought about Cassandra going through this. Of her in even more pain than she had been in when Erik was born. "I'm so sorry."
Dr. Lakis didn't take pity on him. "Just answer me one question?"
"Anything."
Her gaze bored into his with its molten heat. "Do you understand?"
He nodded. Yes, he knew what they went through and he understood why Daimons became what they did. Who could blame them?
Dr. Lakis reached out and touched his hand with hers. "I hope your son is spared this. I really, really do. For his sake and for yours. No one should die like this. No one."
Wulf stared at the hand that now had wrinkles and age spots. A hand that had been as smooth as his just a few hours ago.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.
"Take care of your family and don't let Cassandra die alone. There's nothing worse than going through this on your own."
Her family returned to the room.
Wulf got up and left them to their loved one. As he reached the door, Dr. Lakis stopped him.
"In case you wanted to know, Wulf, my name is Maia."
"Safe journey to you, Maia," he said, his voice deep from his repressed emotions. "I hope your gods are far more merciful to you in the next life."
The last thing he saw was her son falling into her arms and weeping.
Wulf left the apartment and headed back to his own. By the time he reached it, his anger was smoldering. He entered his room to see Cassandra lying asleep with Erik beside her.
They looked so beautiful like that. She was a young woman who should have the rest of her life ahead of her. She had a baby who needed to know his mother.
Most of all, Wulf needed her.
It couldn't end like this. It couldn't.
He wouldn't let it.
Grabbing his cell phone, he went back to the living room and called Acheron.
To his surprise, Ash answered it on the first ring.
"Are you back?" Wulf asked.
"Apparently so."
He ignored Ash's usual sarcasm and went to the matter at hand. "Have you any idea what has happened while you've been gone."
"I know, Wulf," Ash said in a sympathetic tone. "Congratulations on your marriage and Erik."
He choked at the mention of his son. He didn't bother to ask Ash how he knew about either event. Ash wouldn't answer and everyone knew the man was a freak.
"Is there any..." Wulf couldn't even bring himself to ask whether or not they had any hope of a future together.
"You're not ready for the answer."
His anger exploded at that. "Fuck you, Ash. What do you mean, I'm not ready?"
"Listen to me, Wulf," he said in the patient tone of a parent dealing with an upset child. "Listen carefully. Sometimes to have what we want most, we have to give up everything we believe in. You're not ready to do that yet."
Wulf tightened his grip on the phone. "I don't even know what you're talking about. Why can't you ever answer a simple question?"
"Ask me a simple question and you will get a simple answer. What you ask me is extremely complicated. You've done what Artemis wanted you to do. You've saved your lineage and her brother's."
"Then why don't you sound happy about it?"
"I don't like to see anyone played with or used. I know you're in pain right now. I know you're angry. I understand it. You have every right to feel every emotion that's churning inside you. But this isn't over. When you're ready, I'll answer your question."
The bastard actually hung up on him.
Wulf stood there feeling even more betrayed. He wanted Ash's blood, but most of all he wanted Artemis's and Apollo's. How dare they screw with them like this, as if they were nothing.
The door to his bedroom opened to show him Cassandra standing there, her brow furrowed with concern.
"Hi," she said, looking very tired.
"You should be in bed."
"So should you. I was worried when I woke up to find you gone. Is everything okay?"
For some reason it was always okay whenever she was around him. It was what made it so hard being with her now.
He tried to imagine what it would be like holding her hand while she aged in front of him.
What it would be like when he watched her decay into dust...
Pain racked him so fiercely it was all he could do not to show it. Not to shout out until his anger shook the very halls of Olympus.
He wanted her then, wanted to be inside her so badly that he could barely think.
But it was too soon. She was still sore from birthing his son. And no matter how much he wanted the physical comfort of her body, he would never be so selfish.
Cassandra wasn't expecting Wulf to pick her up and pin her to the wall behind her. His lips covered hers as he kissed her as if he'd never have another chance to kiss her.
Breathless, she breathed in the scent of her ancient warrior. Let the feel of his arms holding her steal her away from the reality of what was inevitable.
She knew he needed her. He wouldn't admit it. She knew that too. He was too strong to ever admit he had a weakness. To ever say he was afraid, but how could he not be?
Neither of them knew if their son was human or Apollite. The preliminary test had been inconclusive. And it would be another three months before they would test Erik again to see which DNA was dominant in him.
Whatever the outcome, Wulf would be left alone to see to Erik's needs.
He let go of her.
Cassandra took his hand and led him back to the bedroom. She sat him on the bed, then forced him to lean back.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
She unzipped his pants. "After all these centuries, I would think you would be able to recognize a woman seducing you when you saw it."
He sprang out into her hands. Cassandra ran her hand down the length of his cock. He was already hard and leaking. She traced the tip of him, letting his wetness coat her fingertips.
Wulf couldn't breathe as he watched her. He cupped her face with his hands as she bent down to tease him with her sweet mouth.
His breathing ragged, he watched as she licked her way up to his tip while her hand gently cupped his balls. It was so nice to make love to someone who knew him. Someone who remembered how he liked to be touched and caressed.
Someone who remembered him.
For centuries, he'd only had strangers touch him. None of them felt like this. None of them warmed the cold place inside his heart and made him weak from it.
Only Cassandra did that.
Cassandra felt his body relaxing more with every gentle suck and lick she gave him.
He came with a fierce growl.
After he was completely sated and drained, he lay on the bed, panting, his eyes closed while she straddled him and lay down over his chest. His arms enclosed her as she listened to his heart pounding.
"Thank you," he said softly, stroking her hair.
"You're welcome. You feel any better?"
"No."
"Well, I tried."
He gave a bittersweet half-laugh. "It's not you, love. It's really not you."
Suddenly Erik woke up crying. Wulf fastened his pants while Cassandra picked the baby up and comforted him.
Wulf watched as Cassandra lifted her shirt up to suckle his baby. He stared in awe at the sight, which touched every feral male part of him. This was his wife and his son.
He felt primal around them. Protective. He would kill anyone who dared to threaten either one.
He sat back on the bed and cuddled Cassandra as she fed his son.
"We've started freezing my breast milk this morning," Cassandra said quietly.
"Why?"
"For Erik. Dr. Lakis said he would most likely need my milk until he's six months old. The Apollites have developed a way of preserving it since so many of their women die before their children are weaned."
"Don't," he whispered against her temple, unable to bear the thought of her dying. "I... I've been thinking about this. A lot."
"And?"
"I want you to go Daimon."
She leaned back to give him a shocked stare. "Wulf? Are you serious?"
"Yes. It makes perfect sense. That way-"
"I can't do that," she said, interrupting him.
"Sure you can. All you have to do-"
"Is kill innocent people." She looked horrified. "I can't."
"Phoebe doesn't kill anyone."
"But she feeds from someone who does and she has to suck his blood. No offense, yuck! Not to mention the small fact that I am no longer equipped to suck anyone's blood and the last person I want to bite into is Urian. And while we're at it, let's not forget that you and your cohorts will be after me if I ever step foot out of Elysia to hunt anyone else."
"No they won't," he said emphatically. "I won't let them. I can keep you safe, Cassandra. I swear it. You can stay in the cellar with me. No one ever has to know."
Her features softened. She laid her soft, warm hand against his cheek. "I would know, Wulf. Erik would know. Chris..."
"Please, Cassandra," he begged, thinking of Dr. Lakis and what she had looked like. How she had aged. The pain on her face. "I don't want you to die. Most especially not like-"
"Neither do I," she said, interrupting him. "Believe me on that one."
"Then fight for me. Fight for Erik."
She flinched. "That's so not fair. I don't want to die any more than you want me to, but what you're asking me is impossible. It goes against everything you have fought for and believed in. You would hate me."
"I could never hate you."
She shook her head in disbelief. "The divorce courts are full of husbands who thought that when they married their wives. How would you feel a year from now after I have taken several innocent lives?"
He didn't want to think about that. He only wanted to think about them. For once in eternity he wanted to be selfish. To hell with the world. For twelve hundred years he had defended the humans.
All he wanted was one year of happiness. Was that so much to ask, for all he'd done for humanity?
"Would you at least think about it for me?" he asked quietly, even though he knew she was right.
"Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it." Talon's words haunted him.
"Okay," Cassandra whispered, but even as she said the words, she knew better.
They both jumped as the phone rang.
Thinking it was Ash since it didn't register a caller ID or number, Wulf pulled it off his belt and answered it.
"Hi, Viking."
His blood went cold at the sound of the thick Greek accent he remembered all too well. "Stryker?"
"Yes. Very good. I'm proud of you."
"How did you get my number?"
If Urian had betrayed them, so help him, Wulf would rip his Daimon heart out and feed it to him.
"Ah, that's an interesting question, isn't it? I'll give you credit. You have led me on quite a merry little chase around town. But I do have my resources. Luckily one of them lives right here in town."
"Who?" Wulf demanded.
Stryker tsked at him. "The anticipation must be killing you, no? Who do I have? What do I want? Will I kill this person I hold?" He paused to make a delighted noise. "Well, I'll have mercy on you. I think you're smart enough to know what I'm after."
"I won't give you Cassandra. I don't care who you hold."
"Oh, it's not Cassandra I want anymore, Viking. Use your head. She's as good as dead in a few weeks anyway. What I want is your son and I want him now."
"Fuck you!"
Again the Daimon tsked at him. "Is that your final answer? Don't you even want to know whose soul I'm going to devour?"
Not when compared to his son or Cassandra. It really didn't matter. No one on earth was more important to Wulf. But he had to know. "Who do you have?"
The phone went silent for several seconds while Wulf held his breath. It couldn't be Cassandra, Erik, or Chris he held. Who was left?
The answer made his blood run cold.
"Wulf?"
It was Cassandra's father.
