The Immortal Hunter(96)

"For another ten years only, though, right?" she asked quietly.

Decker nodded. "I'm sorry, Dani. I wish I could make this easier for you."

"You do, just by being here. I can't imagine facing all this alone." She slipped her hand into his, squeezing it. "I guess that's what love is, sharing the good and the bad, the happy and the sad."

"Yes," he murmured. As they started down the stairs again, he was wishing he could take all the bad and sad away for her.

"And family."

"Family?" he asked uncertainly.

"Well, I'll still have family with you."

Decker was worrying that she meant babies and was imagining her heartache should they have a stillborn or a child who was born mad like Leonius when she added, "Your mother and father and brothers and sisters and that aunt you are so fond of."

"Marguerite," he murmured with relief.

"Yes. Your aunt Marguerite. We'll have them, and each other. We'll be okay." She raised a smile to his face and said, "We will."

"Yes." He bent to kiss her gently and then assured her, "We will."

As they broke apart to continue down the stairs, Decker started making plans; ways to keep Dani and Stephanie safe, ways she could still see her family for now, even visits to his aunt and cousins... Anything he could think of to help her through this. He knew it wasn't always going to be easy, but he was going to work very, very hard to do his best to make Dani happy. She hadn't chosen to be turned, but she was his life mate, and the woman who had brought peace and passion to his life. He was going to make sure they were more than okay. He was going to make her-

"I'm going to be happy," she said suddenly. "And make sure you're happy too."

Decker smiled as he realized her own thoughts must have been traveling along the same lines as his. Squeezing her hand, he assured her, "I already am."