Jaden had refused. Duncan was still trying to figure that one out. If he’d stayed behind only to fill in the gaps for the Dunne family why had he shut Duncan out of his mind? True, he’d mentioned something about giving him privacy with Moira, but still. They’d never been apart for long, at least not mentally. The last few weeks in Paris, unable to communicate with Jaden, had been a strange sort of torture he’d never before been forced to endure.

Another thing he needed to discuss with the vampire. Was it possible that their bond had become too strong? Duncan had actually started to feel ill while in France, a rare occurrence for the Sidhe. He’d returned home as soon as possible only to feel the near-fatal blow Kaitlynn’s “friend”, Jeremy West, had dealt Jaden. The pain had nearly dropped him. Only the knowledge that Jaden had survived kept Duncan from losing his mind long enough to get to him.

Only to find Leo Dunne had connected with the land in order to save his wife from Kaitlynn. The reassurance that Jaden would live, that the land itself was sustaining him, had eased the terror riding him. If Leo hadn’t killed Jeremy in such a spectacular way Duncan was certain he would have found a way to make the Black Court vampire suffer a thousand deaths for harming Jaden.

Duncan shook his head and turned his attention back to Moira. Jaden would be home soon, and then everything would come clear. In the meantime, he had Moira in his arms, and he had no intention of wasting any time in making her his.

Too bad he just couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.

Jaden watched the fading dust of the limo and turned to the Dunne family with a smile. Inside, his heart was broken in two. He laughed to himself. It made perfect sense that it was in two pieces. It had just been ripped from his chest, and wasn’t it fitting that Moira and Duncan each held a piece? Still, he had things to do, places to go, yadda yadda. He was certain that someday he’d be able to see Duncan and Moira together, happily bonded, and not want to drop to his knees in agony.

And maybe someday monkeys will fly out of my butt.

“What the hell is going on?”

Jaden turned to Aileen Dunne, the sight of her reminding him of the woman who had just taken off with a piece of him in her little hands. “Seems Duncan has found his true bond.” He shrugged. “You know how it goes. You get a little kiss, do a little mattress mambo, mutter a few words and before you know it you’ve got a little wife nagging at you to lower the toilet seat.”

Leo Dunne was the only one of the Dunne family to look even remotely amused. Sean Dunne glared at him, his green eyes flashing, the pebbles at his feet popping like water on a hot skillet. “That isn’t remotely amusing, vampire.”

“Dad, chill. It’s okay. Jaden’s cool.”

Jaden blinked in shock. The last person he’d expected to stand up for him just had. “Thanks, Shane.”

Shane Joloun Dunne shrugged his shoulders, an easy grin on his face. “I know what you did in that control room, and I know how you saved Ruby. You’re all right as far as I’m concerned.” The man brushed his golden curls off his forehead, his emerald eyes twinkling. “Besides, something tells me that you’re not done with us. Not by a long shot. We might as well get used to you being around, right?” Shane winked at him, looking like he knew something no one else did, including Jaden.

That’s it. I hereby declare you a freaky-ass dude. “Yeah. Well. My bond brother just mated your sister. I’m betting we’ll see each other over Thanksgiving turkey once in a while.” Not. If the pain he was experiencing now was anything like what he’d feel when he saw Moira and Duncan happily snuggled together he’d probably be forced to do a little sunbathing. Enough sunlight would eventually render him dead enough not to care what happened between the only two people he’d ever loved.

Even Leo, the normally easy-going brother, was looking at Shane like he’d lost his damn mind. “What the hell are you talking about?” From the amused exasperation in the Sidhe’s voice it wasn’t the first time he’d been forced to ask Shane that question.

“You’ll see.” Shane slung an arm around his mother’s shoulder. The poor woman was so tense she jumped. “Let’s go inside and have a nice cup of tea. Okay, Ma?”

“But, Moira.” Aileen refused to allow her son to turn her, keeping her gaze focused on Jaden. She was wringing her delicate hands. Jaden was worried she’d start ripping off fingers if she tugged any harder. “Where is Duncan taking my daughter?”

If I know my bond brother, to the nearest bed. “Probably back to Dunne’s new house.” He pointed to Leo, who was cuddling his wife close to his side. Ruby was a delightful armful, with rounded breasts and hips and a pouty mouth that Jaden, under other circumstances, would have loved to taste. “Don’t worry.” He stared down the road. He couldn’t catch even a fleeting glimpse of the limo. “Your daughter’s with the best man I know.” He turned to face them again and plastered a smile on his face. “Tea sounds good.” The bow he gave them was exaggerated. He was delighted when Ruby giggled. “Shall we?” He offered the brunette his arm, grinning when she took it. He stuck his tongue out at Leo and sauntered into the house with the newest Dunne, trying his best to pretend that he wasn’t bleeding to death inside.

Las Vegas, two weeks before Christmas…

Jaden danced across the floor, wondering what the fuck was wrong with him. He was starving, and not just for blood. But none of the many hot, available bodies called to him. Hell, at this point he’d be willing to pay for a body that appealed, but none of them did. Not one, damn it. Not even the blond with the blue eyes whose build so reminded him of…

Okay, not going there.

Jaden loved a big, strong man, and dayum if that guy didn’t have big and strong down to an art form. Not even the stupid Santa hat detracted from his looks.

Then the guy had to go and ruin it by lifting some little twink up in the air and almost dropping him.

Jaden laughed and rolled his eyes. Or not.

He hit the edge of the dance floor and made his way through the crowd, pausing only long enough to check his watch. Almost two thirty, and he still hadn’t fed or gotten laid like he’d originally planned. As a vampire he couldn’t even get good and drunk without a little veinicular help.

Heh. Veinicular.

Jaden sighed and propped up a wall. It was pretty fucking bad when the best part of the evening was a lame vampire joke. He hadn’t been laid in more months than he could count, and sucking without fucking was, well, chocolate without peanut butter. Coke without rum.

Turner without Hooch.

Jaden rubbed his chest. The ache that kept him from following that blond’s tight end right to nirvana had been growing by the night. He knew exactly who to blame for it too.

Damn it, he missed them. He missed them both so much it hurt.

“You okay?”

He grimaced and stared down at the small Asian woman in front of him. “Yeah, I’m good.”

She shook her head, her glossy black hair shimmering under the lights. “If you’re hungry I could feed you.” Her startling eyes looked up at him with a mild expression, almost as if she was offering to order him something off the dollar menu at Taco Bell.

Akane Russo had the weirdest eyes of anyone he’d ever met. One eye was dark brown with a startling light hazel star in the center. The other eye was a pure light hazel. Black brows were a straight slash above them, giving her a stern expression.

Those eyes freaked him the fuck out every time he saw the woman. Considering how many times they’d worked together over the years, he’d found himself freaked out quite a lot. He’d long ago become used to the sensation and counted her as one of his few real friends. “Nah. I’m good.”