She took hold of his hand and smiled into his eyes. “Here, with you. If you’ll have us.”
Us.
Payne looked down to find a little boy with his head tilted right back, staring up at him. He looked eerily like Payne had as a boy. Did the boy think Payne looked like him too?
“Luca...” Elissa crouched so she was eye level with him. “This is Payne.”
Luca stared at him again and then sleepily rubbed his eyes and held his hand out. Elissa gave Payne an expectant look. Payne took the boy’s tiny hand in his.
“Nice to meet you.” The boy shook his hand and then paused and frowned. He moved underneath Payne’s arm and stroked the symbols on his dirty skin, and then looked up at him again. “You’re like me. My daddy said I would get these too, when I’m a grown up. Are you my big brother?”
Payne smiled and ruffled his sandy hair. “Something like that, Kid.”
It was better he play big brother to the little Hell spawn than treat the small boy as his uncle. It still felt weird to have an uncle who was several hundred years younger than he was.
“Is daddy here too?” Luca looked around him and Elissa caught his shoulders, bringing the boy to face her.
“He had to go away... but Payne is going to take care of us.” Elissa smoothed her fingers across the boy’s cheek and he smiled at her, dark eyes overflowing with affection. “We’re going to live here together... with some other nice people... like a family.”
Payne choked.
Elissa frowned up at him and then her expression softened. He cursed the lingering connection between their blood or perhaps it was her natural talents that allowed her to see straight through him to the feelings he was trying to hide. Affection. Fear. Hope. And a lot of confusion and a bit more fear. With another helping of fear on top.
Family?
She stood and Luca settled into her side, resting his head on her leg. She wrapped one arm around him and Payne noticed that she was covering his ear and pressing the other one to her body.
“Just... let him think it for now. Please? He’s been through so much,” she whispered, her silvery eyes imploring him. “He needs a family.”#p#分页标题#e#
A family. Payne looked down at Luca. Someone to love him unconditionally. Someone to teach him about the world and being an incubus, and how to control his hungers and embrace his nature. Someone to protect him and keep him safe, and never let anyone hurt him or discover his name and use it against him. Someone who would always be on his side, always there for him, no matter what.
All the things Payne had never had.
Until now.
He looked at Elissa and saw all those things in her as she stared into his eyes, hers full of love and acceptance.
His true mate.
He held his hand out to her and tried to stop it from shaking. “What if it didn’t have to be for now... what if it could be forever?”
Elissa’s soft lips curved into a beautiful smile and she placed her hand into his. He drew her to him, stepping into her at the same time, caught her cheek with his other hand and tilted her head back so he could see into her eyes. His salvation. His whole world. She had given him everything he had never dared dream of having and he would do the same for her. He would love her forever and raise Luca with her, as a family.
“We’ll drive you crazy,” she said.
“I know.” He smiled.
“You’ll never get a moment’s peace.”
“I know.” His smile widened. She would end up giving him peace because he had a suspicion that the females of Vampirerotique would keep her busy for a lot of her time. Kristina was due to birth twins soon and Sera and Chica doted on her. He had noticed the way Sera had looked at Luca tonight. They would be all over him like a rash. He was going to end up spoiled.
“And I’m going to make you submit to me every night.”
Payne purred inside at that but put on his best poker face. “You can try, Witch.”
She smiled sassily. “And I will succeed, Vampubus.”
“Vampubus? Seriously?” He frowned at her.
“Incupire?”
His frown became a black scowl.
“How about... mate?” she said and he was man enough to admit he melted inside a little at the sound of her calling him that, and the thought that she was going to give him the second chance with her that he desired.
He purred aloud now and growled as he gathered her closer. “Mate.”
He dipped his head to kiss her.
“Ew.” The small voice made him freeze and look down. Luca grinned at him and raised both hands towards him. “Up.”
Payne heaved a sigh, already wondering when he would get his witch alone again so he could make up for the last time they had made love and show her that if she stuck with him, he would make it worth her while. He would play her games and give her pleasure she had never known, and he would gladly submit to her, and only her.