The scowl miraculously disappeared. "Excellent. I have always wanted to drive his Jag."

This demon behind the wheel of a powerful Jag? Bloody hell, Chicago would never recover.

"When hell freezes over, gargoyle," he muttered, his lips twitching when he heard Darcy turn her giggle into a sudden cough.

Levet narrowed his gaze. "Who put you in charge, vampire?" he demanded. "I'll have you know that Viper quite often allows me to ..."

"Silence," Styx whispered as he pulled Darcy to a sudden halt.

Darcy shot him a worried glance. "What is it?"

"A Were." He sniffed the air. "All. Your mother, if I'm not mistaken." A cold smile touched his lips. "I've wanted to meet her."

Easily reading his mind, she gave a shake of her head. "No, Styx."

Frustration raced through him as he lifted a hand to lightly touch her bruised jaw.

"You can at least allow me to bloody her."

"Please, Styx, I just want out of here." She clutched at his arm as she swayed wearily.

Swiftly Styx had his arm around her waist. Dammit. He wanted to punish the woman. He wanted to return with interest the bruises she had given his mate. A lot of interest.

But Darcy was right. She had endured enough. The only thing important was getting her back to his lair so he could care for her properly.

Not that he intended to forget the debt he owed her mother. Someday . . .

"If she attempts to harm you I will kill her," he muttered as he tucked Darcy even closer to his side before continuing into the dark garage.

"Only after I'm done with her," Levet warned, deliberately moving until he was on the other side of Darcy.

She gave a low, strained laugh. "Men."

Stepping from behind the thick pillars, Styx easily-spotted the gleaming black Jag that had been hidden in a distant corner. He also spotted the slender, blond-haired woman who was casually leaning against it.

Darcy's mother, of course.

They looked too much alike to deny the connection. Or at least they did from a distance. A closer look revealed the woman's delicate features had been hardened by a bitter cynicism that her daughter would never possess.

The woman straightened as they neared, and Styx struggled against his fury as he felt Darcy shiver.

He wished the woman in hell.

Oddly, Darcy wasn't at all surprised to see her mother.

The only surprise would be if she had allowed Darcy to slip through her fingers without being a pain in the ass on one last occasion.

Swallowing the urge to scream in frustration, Darcy stepped directly in front of the smiling woman. It wasn't a desire to be near her dear mother. She had endured all the up close and personal she could stomach with Sophia. But she was all too aware that Styx was anxious to punish the woman for kidnapping her. She didn't want to see any more blood tonight.

"What do you want, Mother?"

Sophia took a moment to run a slow, infuriatingly intimate survey of Styx. She clearly liked what she saw, as a heat smoldered in her eyes.

Of course, what was not to like?

He was tall, dark, yummy goodness.

Still, he was exclusively hers, and Darcy didn't like her own mother eyeing him as if he were a bit of tasty-candy she intended to devour.

Ignoring the scowl gathering on Darcy's brow, Sophia continued to stare at the silent vampire.

"I merely desired to have a look at the vampire who has seduced you away from us. Mmm, I must say you have good taste. He is delicious. No wonder you found Salvatore so lacking."

Darcy gave a derisive snort. "I would not stay even if it weren't for Styx. I have no desire to become ... what did you call it? A breeder?"

With an obvious effort, her mother forced her attention away from Styx to offer her daughter a taunting smile.

"It is not all bad, my love. There are certainly benefits to be discovered." She gave a low, husky laugh. "Sometimes several benefits."

Darcy didn't miss the less than subtle implication. She grimaced at the mere thought.

"Perhaps for you."

Sophia shrugged. "So, you can turn your back on your duty to your family?"

Darcy widened her eyes at the unfair accusation. "Family? Perhaps by blood. No wait, you altered my blood. I belong to no one."

"You think your life will be so much better with a vampire? Just think, Darcy. There will be no children, no family to call your own. Not ever."

Darcy didn't need to turn around to know that Styx had stiffened with unease. For all his arrogance, he was remarkably sensitive to the fear she might be lured away from him.

"Actually, you couldn't be more mistaken," she said with absolute assurance. "I have already found my family."

"I see." The green eyes narrowed.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine without me."

"And your sisters? Are you going to toss them aside so easily?" Sophia delivered her coup de grace with a sweet smile.

Darcy's heart gave a sharp squeeze. Damn the woman. She certainly knew how to go for the kill.

Her chin tilted. "How can I toss aside sisters I haven't even met?"

"Oh, we will find them. You can be sure of that."

"I hope you don't."

Sophia's expression hardened. "It's a futile hope. Besides, just because you were not taken with Salvatore doesn't mean one of the other ones might not want to share his bed. He is handsome enough, and charming when he makes the effort."

Darcy couldn't deny the truth of her words. Although Salvatore couldn't possibly compete with Styx, he was a beautiful male. She didn't doubt for a minute that there would be any number of women leaping at the opportunity to offer him a litter or two.

"Perhaps," she conceded. "But as much as I long to meet my sisters, it isn't worth giving in to your blackmail."

Sophia lifted her brows, as if caught off guard by Darcy's response.

"Touché, my love." Her expression became wry. "I suppose there is nothing left but for us to say good-bye."

"I hope you aren't waiting for a kiss."

Much to Darcy's surprise, her mother didn't have a cutting comment. Instead, her expression became somber as she studied Dairy's pale face.

"No, but it would be nice to part on terms that are not so bitter." Something that might have been self-derision rippled over her lovely face. "You might consider me the mother from hell, but what I did was for the protection of my pack. Can you truly blame me?"

Shock held Darcy perfectly still as she attempted to sort through the implications of her mother's words.

"You want my forgiveness?"

"I suppose I do. You are my daughter, after all."

"Darcy," Styx growled from behind, clearly suspecting some trick.

"It's all right, Styx," Darcy soothed. She was a fool, of course. There wasn't a reason in the world to trust this woman. But Darcy knew herself well enough to realize that she would regret harboring her anger and disappointment. Such negative emotions were bound to weigh on her heart. "Actually I would prefer to make our peace. It doesn't seem right to ... dislike your own mother. And to be honest, I would like to know my sisters if you do find them."

A smile that seemed almost genuine curved her mother's lips. "Then I will make you a bargain. I will introduce them to you as long as you promise you won't try to prejudice them against their own pack."

"I would never do that," Darcy protested. "Besides, if they are anything like me they will have a mind of their own. They can decide what they want for their own future."

"Then we have a deal."

"I ..." Darcy gave a slow nod of her head. "Thank you."

"You see, I'm not entirely evil."

"I'm glad to know that."

Mother and daughter regarded each other for a long moment, a tenuous harmony replacing the bitterness in Darcy's heart.

At last Sophia gave a restless shrug and began walking toward the opening of the garage. "Run along, darling. These emotional partings are really not my thing."

With a small smile, Darcy watched her mother leave. She wasn't goofy enough to ever believe they would have the sort of relationship she had always dreamed of, but just maybe they could at least find a measure of peace.

Having restrained himself long enough, Styx moved to her side, and before she knew what was happening she was being scooped off the ground and held tightly in his arms.

"Come, Darcy," he said gently. "It's time you were in your bed."

Reaching up, Darcy pressed her fingers to his lips. "Our bed."

Chapter Twenty-Four

Much to the astonishment of everyone, Styx in the end allowed Levet to fulfill his dream of driving the gleaming black Jag. Ignoring Darcy's curious gaze, he muttered something about being willing to sacrifice the citizens of Chicago just to shut up the annoying pest, but he didn't doubt his all too perceptive mate was beginning to suspect that he didn't detest the outrageous gargoyle as much as he liked to pretend.