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His brow furrowed as he considered her tight lips and stormy eyes. “You believe me, don’t you?”
     
    He deflated as she broke away from him, walking to collect the discarded clothes that had been thrown on the floor hours earlier.
     
    “ At this point, Sebastian, I don’t know what to believe.” She slipped into her shirt and shorts, all the while averting her eyes to the floor. “A month ago I never thought I’d cheat on my husband. And I didn’t believe in vampires.”
     
    “ Yeah well, this vampire sure does believe in you.” Sebastian gathered her up in his arms and buried his face in her shoulder-length fall of soft brown hair.
     
    For a moment he allowed himself to cling to the softness and supple warmth of her full-figured body, before pulling back to bare his emotions.
     
    “ Look, I know this whole thing started out as a physical affair,” he nodded, “but you can’t deny the fact that it’s gone far beyond that.”
     
    “ I know, and that’s what frightens me.” Again his lover broke away from him, heading with swift steps in the direction of the door.
     
    “ Why should something so beautiful frighten you?” Sebastian followed her, watching with helpless eyes as she opened his door and stepped through to the other side.
     
    “ I don’t know baby. It's just, we have two rather major obstacles standing in our way.” She shook her head, turning on her heel to begin a long trek down the hallway that separated his home from hers. “My wedding ring. And your fangs.”
     
    With that, she was gone.
     
    Standing for a long moment just inside his doorway, Sebastian finally retreated into his apartment and heaved a deep sigh.
     
    “ This is probably the first time in my life I regret being a vampire.” He folded his arms before him. “To use a downright pathetic cliché, it can indeed suck.”
     

Chapter 9
     
    Hathen Noble stood up high on the border of the fountain that marked his second home at Nightingale Park. Yet although he stood tall and proud on this platform, towering above the members of his den who surrounded him on the ground below him, he felt smaller and weaker than he ever had.
     
    How can I stand here and accuse any member of my family of betraying me? He looked straight into the face of Clotilde; the wide-eyed, innocent looking blonde who gave him a sugar sweet smile in return. How can I even question the loyalty of people who would kill and die for me?
     
    He realized, though, that during her time with his den, Scarlet may have hypnotized or entranced any or all of his members.
     
    Whatever the case, I need to ask my people some tough questions tonight . He took a deep breath and drew himself up, bracing his arms before him. If anything it’s for their own good .
     
    “ I’d like to thank you all for coming together tonight for the purpose of this meeting.” His voice rang out loud and clear in the night; bringing every head upward and every gaze alert. “I have to warn you, though, that it will not be ‘pleasure as usual’ at Nightingale Park tonight.”
     
    He paused, closing his eyes to inhale a deep gust of fortifying Florida air. “I have to say some tough things this evening, to pose questions I’d rather not ask.”
     
    Sebastian had heard enough.
     
    “ Spit it out Hathen!” He cried out from the back. “You have a strong group here. They can take it.”
     
    “ Speak for yourself!” Clotilde looked over nervously.
     
    Hathen laughed, more from nerves rather then amusement.
     
    “ Brave up little one.” He reached forward to touch the shoulder of a cowering Clotilde. “You’re the biggest survivor of us all. You survived Scarlet’s attack, and helped to bring her to justice.”
     
    Clotilde considered this for a moment, then smiled.
     
    “ I did, didn’t I?” She stood up straight, squaring her shoulders. “I never knew I was so bad ass.”
     
    Hathen pitched his head back, laughing outright.
     
    “ You most definitely