Moonlit Heir

at the puddle spreading beneath her feet on his pristine gravel. He just stood there, a silhouette against th

is imposing stranger was anything but a savior. The guy looked like he'd stepped off the cover of a vampire

nched her abdomen, stealing her breath. "My car... it kind of died. And...

ticked in his jaw. "You're in labor. On my property." His voic

went haywire, storm's a nightmare, and then... boom. Baby decided it was show

"Who are you?" he repeated,

be picky. "Elara Thorne," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Look, I really didn't mean to trespass.

ands of dark hair to his forehead, making him look even more severe.

ered under her brea

ien said abruptly

rised. "Really? You

g through them. "Don't mistake my hospitality for charity, M

d, Elara carefully pushed herself out of the car. Every movement sent a jolt of pain t

, his voice surprisingly

her pride. "Yeah

s she shuffled towards the mansion. The gravel crunched under thei

d people who probably disapproved of unexpected, pregnant visitors. The air smelled faintl

crackled merrily in a stone fireplace, casting a warm glow on the dark wood paneli

a sofa, a groan escaping

moment, his gaze intense.

another contraction hit. This on

rrowed. "Fi

utching her st

ck woolen blanket from the back of the sofa a

er Elara. "Thank

oak door. As he reached for the handle, he paused, turning back to

mewhere past that cre

. "Did you see anyon

haze of pain. "Just... headlights. Briefly. Be

htened again. "G

ficity of the question. "Um... I thin

here. Don't move." And then he was gone, the

e warmth of the fire was soothing, but a knot of unease tightened in her sto

it was accompanied by a sharp, undeniable pain. Her bre

e of her baby, willing herself to stay ca

o her heart. What if help couldn't get here in time? What if she was truly alone, str

earthiness. It was sweet, almost sickly, like overripe fruit mixed with something m

ting dancing shadows on the walls. The rain c

ing coming from somewhere deeper within the h

d like a

too slow.

as getti

the woman, of the child, was a chaotic assault on his senses. Wildflower and something

ther turning on the lights, the moonlight filtering through the tall windows enough to

ling a number he hadn't used in decades. It rang thre

n the blazes

his voice low and urgen

ouncil finally decide to stick the

A female. She's in l

the phone. "A human? Lucien, wh

ting towards the hallway where the woman lay. "Her scent

s voice, sharp with alarm. "What

. "The one who left he

mpossible. No one has broke

's here. And the scent of the child...

.. can yo

tang of the child's scent clung to the air. "I'm sure. And there's s

. "The trackers. They must ha

yes hardening. "And they won't care about t

Lucien?" Corbin asked, hi

e unnatural life growing inside her. A flicker of something he hadn't fel

s voice rough. "But I won't let

heart. The storm raged outside, mirroring the turmoil within him. He was a creature of the nigh

ounds of a woman in labor echoing through his ancestral home, Lucien Va