Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(97)

Janie nodded and set a bag by the door. “I brought that sundress you wanted to borrow for your trip. You packed yet?”

“Yes.” Warmth slid through Cara as she sat with the baby on her lap. Hope’s brown hair was tied up in pretty green ribbons that matched her sweater. Flowers decorated her jeans, and little sparkly shoes covered her feet. The blue marking winding up her neck showed her to be a prophet declared by fate, but for now, fate could stay out of her life. All of their lives, actually. “Maybe I shouldn’t go.”

Hope faced her and tapped her cheeks again. “Cara on trip with Tayen. Water.”

Cara smiled, her heart full. “Yes. We’ll see water.”

“You’ll only be gone two weeks.” Janie ran her hand down faded jeans and crossed to sit on the couch. “The war is over, everyone is healthy, and you and Dad deserve some fun. I promise nothing interesting will happen while you’re gone. Plus, it’s crucial we get those samples to the lab in Seattle. They have nuclear equipment we don’t have here.”

“I know.” Cara ran through the checklist of the research materials she’d included with the tissue samples. “I’m quite curious what they’ll be able to find out about the virus and the cure. I mean, how the cure for the vampire virus might be used to help humans with so many diseases.” She studied her daughter. Janie’s blue eyes were clear, and a happy glow covered her cheeks. “You’re happy.”

“I am.” Janie returned the smile. She ran her hand down her daughter’s back, studying her mother. “How weird is it that we look about the same age?”

“It’s like a sci-fi movie.” Cara shook her head. She’d mated a vampire, and Janie had mated a demon-vampire, which had changed their human chromosomal pairs to something more . . . something immortal. “I freely admit I love not aging. Never understood those old movies where the vampires were all sad and full of self-hatred.”

Janie chuckled. “Maybe they were alone and didn’t have immortal family all around.”

“Good point.” Cara leaned in and nuzzled Hope’s neck, tickling until the girl giggled. “Plus, in those movies, the vamps sucked blood to survive and couldn’t go outside or they’d melt.”

“How goofy is that?” Janie stretched her neck. “But the legends have to be built on some reality.”

The door opened again, and Talen Kayrs stalked into the room.

“Tayen!” Hope pushed off Cara and toddled toward the massive warrior.

He caught her before she rammed into his legs and lifted her high, his hard eyes softening in a way that just melted Cara’s heart. “There’s my girl.” He tucked her close and rubbed her back.

Delight glowed from her, and she wiggled enthusiastically, patting his chest. “Tayen. Yaaaaaay, Tayen.”

Cara started laughing. “Traitor.”

Janie grinned and shook her head. “She sure doesn’t hide the love, does she?”

“Why should she?” Talen easily held her with one muscled arm and tugged on her hair, not looking anything like a grandfather. “The kid has excellent taste.”

“Tayen!” Hope agreed with a vigorous head nod. “Water and Tayen. Lotsa water.” She gurgled. “And fire.”

Talen glanced down at her. “The forest fires are just about over, sweetheart. The smoke is finally going away.” He swung her around, end over end, and she giggled uncontrollably, her legs kicking as she played.

“Thank goodness.” Cara looked at the clear day outside. It was late fall, but summer had been dry, and many forest fires had cropped up in Washington and Idaho. While the fires hadn’t come close, the smoke had hung over the lake for weeks. It was time to get out of town for some fun.

She stood and walked over to grab the sundress out of the bag. “I’ll toss this in, and we’re off.”

“The Hummer is having electrical problems.” Talen settled Hope again and then frowned. “I called Kane to come fix it, but he’s in the middle of something. So I’m borrowing Dage’s Jeep.”

Cara stretched up and kissed Hope’s cheek. “I’m ready.”

Janie hurried over and hugged her mother. “Have a good time, and good luck on the adventure.”

“Thank you,” Cara said, anticipation lighting her veins. “We’re driving to Seattle to deliver those medical research samples to the lab, and then we’re catching the plane to Hawaii for some fun. I’ve left all the travel information by the fridge, in case you need it.”

Janie nodded. “Definitely check in, but don’t worry about us. Everything will be great. Bring some macadamia nuts home.”

“I promise.” Cara settled her palm over her abdomen. The war was over, life was good . . . so why was her stomach tingling with butterflies?

What could possibly go wrong?

Janie and Hope left, leaving her alone with her overprotective mate. Perhaps on the trip, they could realistically discuss her research and the benefits of teaching the next generation of humans how to look outside the western medicinal box in healing diseases.

She winked. “Lose the frown, or I’m kicking you right in the shin. Maybe higher.”

He leaned in. “Kick me. Please.”

Her stomach fluttered. “Don’t think I won’t.”