"Libby?" I looked up and saw Lorcan standing nearby. "The queen would like to talk to you." His arm was around a teenaged girl who was dressed in black. She had black-rimmed eyes and an eyebrow ring. Her hair was as shiny and dark as a raven's wing, except for two cherry-red stripes on either side of her face. "This is Tamara. She'll watch the boys."

"She will?" I asked.

Her eyebrows went up, giving emphasis to the silver ring.

"She's a great babysitter," said Ralph.

"Yeah," said Tamara. "I do all my Satanic rituals after the kids are asleep."

"What?"

Lorcan laughed. "She's teasing, Libby."

"Thanks for watching the boys, Tamara," said Ralph in a choked voice. Suspicious, I looked at Ralph. Yep. He was laughing, too. He got up and helped me to my feet. I looked over my shoulder and saw Tamara sit down next to the boys. She caught my gaze and waved. It didn't make me feel any better. I felt very protective of Stephen and Michael. We all traipsed over to the other side of the room. Mom and Dad squeezed in next to Lorcan and Eva on a yellow couch. Ralph and I took a blue, puffy chair. Once again, I sat down and he leaned on the armrest.

Ruadan and Ash had joined us and there, hiding behind Damian, was Stan. He was such a chicken-shit. I saw Zerina, too, and a few others I didn't recognize. This was quite the get-together. Everyone quieted and looked at Patsy, who sat on the center couch with her husband, Gabriel. She opened her mouth.

"I'm so pleased to meet all of you," burst out Mom. She turned solicitously to the queen. "How are you feeling, dear?"

"Fine," said Patsy. She looked flummoxed. Well, Mom did that to people a lot.

"I'm so glad to hear it. And just think, if my daughter hadn't saved your life, you wouldn't be sitting here now." Mom tsk-tsked. "Not to mention what might've happened to your poor babies!"

Did Mom know how to give a warning tucked into warm fuzzies or what? I bit my lip to keep from grinning. Mom was probably the only human around who wouldn't be instantly cowed by vampires and werewolves. And dragons.

"Libby kicked ass," said Patsy. She glanced at my mother. "Would you like me to high-five her?"

"Maybe later," said Mom.

Gabriel snorted a laugh, which earned him a pinch on the leg from his wife.

"It's getting close to dawn, so let's just get down to brass tacks. Libby killed Lia. I ain't too sorry about it. I've wanted to blow that bitch up since the day I met her." She waved off the various reactions, which ranged from gasps to chuckles. "Lorcan and Eva used their ��bergeek powers to ferret some info. I'm the new chief of the bloodsuckers and the wolfies. So, even if killing an Ancient once meant the end of a Family, it doesn't anymore."

"And if someone kills you?" asked Dad.

"We'll just make sure that doesn't happen." Patsy rubbed her belly. "So, wanna tell me why you all can't be glamoured?"

"Why do you need to know?" asked my mother.

Patsy gave her an are-you-serious look, and Mom responded with a damn-right-I-am look.

"Fine. Do us all a favor and ask your invisible A-Team to come out and play nice."

"Nope. They're our insurance," said Dad pleasantly. "You keep us safe, and you stay safe."

His pronouncement had the same effect as if he'd said, "We think you eat babies."

"Wait just a damned minute. We don't go around killing decent folks," said Patsy. Her voice vibrated with indignation.

"Um, hello? Didn't you tell me I couldn't leave Broken Heart?" I asked. "And then you threw me in vampire jail."

Patsy had the grace to look uncomfortable. "You blew up my living room. And you can't control your dragonfire."

"Now, now," said Mom. "We don't need to rehash the past. Queen Patricia, we do understand the nature of your citizens. We know that you need secrecy to survive. We have no intention of telling anyone else about Broken Heart."

"You'll forgive us if we seem skeptical," said Gabriel.

"I've gone toe-to-toe with Michael Shermer," Mom responded. "I can handle the skepticism of a loup de sang. "

"Here's the thing," said Patsy. "I don't like the idea of your guys running around my town. Nobody's safe as long as Synd is still alive. So call them in, and we'll figure out a plan together."

Mom and Dad looked at each other, then at me. Mom shook her head. "Like you said, it's getting close to dawn. Let's all get some rest, and discuss it in the morning. Er, evening."

"It would be better to strike at Synd now," said Ash. "He's vulnerable. With a day's rest, he'll be at full strength." She pointed at me. "She's not a vamp."

"No, she's your bait," said Ralph, his arm going around me protectively. "She's exhausted, and I'll be damned if I let her out of my sight again."

The independent woman in me protested his high-handed territorial behavior. But the girly-girl in me told the independent me to shut the hell up. I snuggled closer to Ralph. Everyone looked at us. Patsy's gaze stayed on us the longest. Finally she said, "Is there something we should know?"

"Yes," said Ralph. He cupped the back of my neck and said, "I claim you, Liberty Monroe."

I felt heat spiderweb up my neck. I looked up at Ralph. What had he just done? Well, other than tell everyone here that we were a couple.

"Liberty," said Mom. "Have you mated with him?"

"I . . . uh . . . that is . . ." I swallowed the knot in my throat, blushing furiously. "Yeah. Well, sorta."

"You two did the nasty?" demanded Ash.

Ralph and I stared at her. I couldn't answer, but Ralph did.

"That's none of your business."

"You did." She put her hands on her hips and laughed. "Oh, Jesus. Do you have tattoos? A circle with two slanted lines?"

"How did you know that?" asked Ralph.

"Because I'm the leading authority on dragons in this room. You've bonded."

"You did the vampire hitch?" asked Patsy. Her eyes goggled at Ralph. "Holy shit."

"There was no hitching," I said. My gaze flew to Ash as my heart started to pound. "W-what does that mark mean?"

"Two souls become one," explained Ash. "Although since you both have some of Sybina's soul, it's more like two half souls reuniting." She shook her head. "I've never come across this situation, but whatever. You two are married."

"Married?" I squeaked. My heart tripled its beat as a lead weight settled in my stomach. I couldn't look at Ralph. I didn't want to see his expression. What if he was in for the nookie, but not up for a very long-term relationship? I was, though. I didn't care how insane, irrational, or illogical it sounded. I wanted to be with Ralph and the boys. And forever suited me just fine.

"How do you unbond?" asked Patsy. "Or is there a time limit? Vampires are only bound for a hundred years."

Ash snorted. "Dragons don't un bond. They mate for life."

A wave of horror washed over me. "I bonded." I swallowed hard. "With Ralph. But I'm a human."

"Your dragon half is stronger," said Ash. "You've got strength, fire magic, and you're damned near immortal. You can't fly or shift, but hell, that part's no fun anyway."

"But we didn't . . . I mean not - you know, all the way."

"Doesn't matter," said Ash. "It's the heart of a dragon that chooses his mate. FYI, you can't poison Ralph."

"Poison?" I asked faintly. I was still shell-shocked. And what about poor Ralph? I got up the courage and slanted a glance at him. He looked as discombobulated as I felt.

"You're both half-dragons. So if Ralph drinks from you, you won't poison him."

I hadn't thought about Ralph sinking his fangs into me. I wasn't sure how I felt about being his lover and his meal.

"How did this happen?" The question came from my father, and his tone was not friendly. Neither was the look in his eyes.

"I'd rather not go into details, sir," said Ralph. He looked at Ash. "When you say for life . . ."

"Sorry, dude. Dragon mating trumps vampire bonding. There's none of that wiggy shit where your mate suffers the same fate as you do. Libby is your wife until one of you dies, which for you two is a really, really long time." She threw her hands up in the air. "Look, I don't care if you two boink each other stupid. I have another problem. If I don't get Synd tonight and take his soul, I can't stick around."

"A soul shifter?" Mom studied Ash. "I didn't think you existed."

Coming from Mom, that was saying something.

"I'm hurt. Really." Ash blew out a breath. "I have to take a soul every ninety days, and it's not like I have a choice. I can't control my nature. When it's time to absorb a soul, my physical form takes over. There's no controlling it or reasoning with it or stopping it. Capiche? "

"Yeah," said Patsy. She looked queasy. I wondered if it was because of her pregnancy or because of Ash's soul-sucking. "Just don't forget to get his spit before you whack him. It's the only way to help Patrick and Jessica." She rubbed her eyes, sighing. "Let's just get some rest, and do another one of these fun, fun meetings tomorrow. And Dora, if there's any way to contact your . . . insurance , then tell 'em to stand down, okay?"

"Agreed," said Mom.

The meeting broke up. Ralph helped me from the chair.

As we headed toward the boys with my parents in tow, Lorcan and Eva joined us.

"Dora and Elmore, we have accommodations for you," said Lorcan. I glared at him. "Oh, really? The kind with glass and bossy electronic voices and too much of the color white?"

"Whoa, now." Lorcan put his hands up in a surrender gesture. "They're in the bungalow next to Ralph's."

Eva smiled. I liked her. She was nice and seemed less intense than most of the vampires I'd met, with the exception of Ralph. "How about we take Stephen and Michael for a slumber party?"

Ralph took my hand and squeezed. "Thanks, Eva."

"How in the world are the vampires supposed to handle two mortal children?" asked Mom. "What if they wake up? Or have a tummy ache? Or need a glass of water?"

"Tamara is - " started Eva.

"No, no," said Mom, waving away objections. "We'll be happy to watch the boys."

"I'd be thrilled if you and Elmore would watch the boys," said Ralph.

"Excellent! Now, go away and let us play with our grandsons."

Grandsons. I couldn't believe how easily Mom and Dad accepted Ralph and me as dragon-mates. Married by almost-sex. My stomach clenched. Oh. My. God.

There wasn't a get-out-of-mating card. Ash said a dragon's heart chose its mate. Had Ralph and I chosen each other?

Or had Sybina chosen for us?