The kitchen clock read twelve-thirty when Vincent and I returned from the hospital, and the whippets showed their gratitude by circling our legs as we edged into the pantry to fetch treats. I ditched my boots as soon as I sat down. The stiff leather had my toes cramping, but I justified the pain, since we were photographed no less than eight times at the hospital, which didn't include the ambush in the ER waiting room where Vincent stirred the pot a little more.

After a quick shower, I changed into my usual loose-fitting tee and baby doll shorts, returning to find Vincent hovering over his cellphone. It didn't take long before his gaze lifted, and he blessed me with those smoky grays.

"You took a shower," he said, the words tumbling over his lips like a taunt.

"I smelled like hospital." I leaned up on my toes and kissed Vincent's cheek on my way to his coffee machine. I needed a jolt after the thing with Mr. Pearlman, but nothing to dose me. "What's got you moody?"

"Am I moody?" he asked, turning to watch me.

"You didn't say much on the way home."

"I rarely say much unless I'm provoked."

"Yes, I'm familiar with you. So, let's say I'm provoking you. Talk to me." I flipped on the coffee maker and spun around, leaning my elbows on the counter.

"That business card Milt gave me at dinner..."

"Yes... I couldn't make out the message. What did it say?"

After a painful hesitation, he answered. "It said, What's under the church?"

"Church? As in Trinity? He knows about the hidden door? But how?"

"Because I'm an idiot. I took a foolish risk, knowing they had surveillance on you. I wasn't thinking straight after all the bullshit with..." He clenched his fist, bringing it to rest on the cupboard with a restrained thud.

"I'm starting to think MC is more of a threat than the demons."

Vincent sighed heavily. "I'm forced to agree with you on that."

"And we're still not telling anyone about the door?"

He pushed away from the counter and came to stand in front of me. A strand of hair hung over his forehead, and I reached up to press it behind his ear.

"For now, let's keep it our secret," he said. "And I don't want you near that area unless your job requires it." Vincent enveloped me in his arms, proving himself through his strength, but I also felt his vulnerability. I brought out the weakness in him. Not necessarily a good thing for a gargoyle.

Curious fingers dipped between my thighs, and Vincent circled his thumb over the sensitive knot under my panties, also his weakness. I tilted my hips, encouraging him as he worked a finger inside the fabric to tease me further.

"So sweet," he said as his lips groped for my mouth. "So wet."

"Well... have I told you how much you turn me on?"

Vincent's eyes flicked to the refrigerator, and I followed his gaze. The last time he pinned me there, his oral assault had me coming like a tsunami, but the positioning was not ideal for a guy who stood six-foot three or better. Apparently, this was not Vincent's plan, nor was coffee in my immediate future. He lifted me up and carried me through the apartment into the bedroom. Clothes were quickly dispatched, and he wasted no time burying his face between my legs. I had all of him, without cellphones, or domus responsibilities, or million dollar mergers. And he had me, with all the crazy that came with it.

Vincent's urgency became apparent as soon as I took the plunge, and his powerful tongue lashed me until I quaked into a blissful buzz of half-awareness. I woke from my climax high when I felt him at my entrance, circling me, priming me, then driving into me with desperate intent. I wrapped my legs around his hips, controlling his thrusts, keeping him in check as he took what he needed. It didn't take long before I felt the familiar quiver.

"C'mon, Reese. Come for me again," he goaded as I bucked off the bed and exploded in a release of cosmic proportions. He gripped my hips and dragged me hard against him as the waves of my orgasm retreated. Then, without warning, he pulled out and unloaded onto my stomach, groaning with a satisfying roar toward the ceiling. "Damn, baby!"

Vincent cleaned me up and tucked me into his arms as we basked in the afterglow of our encounter, but I couldn't help wondering why he pulled out. Was he worried he would lose control and bite me again. or was he thinking about the high magister's warning? Maybe it was nothing. Sex with Vincent had never been mundane. Whatever his reason, he seemed content to play with my hair as we drifted gently into sated sleep.

Vincent's cellphone woke us up, and when he squinted at the name on the screen, his eyebrows rose into the perfect 'Oh shit' pose.

"Who is it?" I asked, waiting for him to stop staring at the darn thing.

"It's your father, Marco Bourdain."

Vincent rolled out of bed as he grabbed his pants and pulled them on one-handed. "Marco. What do I owe the pleasure of..."

A voice bellowed out of the speaker and Vincent held the phone away from his ear, speaking into the other end.

"We didn't know for sure until just recently. Then we had the incident with Boris..."

More yelling ensued, and Vincent left his pants unzipped as he paced the end of the bed.

"Caleb didn't want you taking an unnecessary risk before we knew. Surely, he told you that."

Yelling.

Vincent grimaced as Marco lambasted him. Probably not the best way to start a father-son relationship. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I assure you, we were only thinking of the disruption it would cause if... Yes, sir. Let me ask her." Vincent stopped pacing to look at me, pressing the phone to his chest. "Your father would like to talk to you. Are you up for it? I doubt he'll treat you as roughly as me."

Crap.

I took a deep breath as I stretched my arm out, and he pressed the warm phone into my hand. "Hello?"

"Hello. Elise?" Marco's voice sounded deep and mature, and I pictured him as a wide man with a large lung capacity.

"I go by Reese, actually."

"I'm sorry. That may take me a while to get used to. You were named Elise by one of the nuns at the convent. It means one who is pledged to God. They were very fond of you there."

"I don't remember that part of my life. I'm sorry."

"You were very young. I didn't expect you to remember me, but I thought you might remember your mother."

I swallowed. "No. My memories start during therapy at age five. I was adopted by then."

"By humans who live in DC. Caleb told me a few things about you. Unfortunately, your boyfriend has been silent as the grave."

"Vincent is actually my mate."

Silence.

"You have barely learned who you are and already you're mated? Apparently, Caleb failed to mention everything. I expect Boris knows this as well?"

"A good bit of it," I said. "But he probably won't be talking to anyone for a while. He got his butt handed to him at the magister hearing."

Marco snorted then quickly cleared his throat. "I am making plans to see you as soon as I can arrange it. I told Vincent this as well. You and I have a lot of catching up to do. I will see you soon, Elise."

I handed the phone back to Vincent and dropped onto my pillow. "He's coming to see me. I'm going to meet my birth father. And this is a secret mission for him, right? He has to lie to his family about the visit."

"Yes. He already gave me his alibi. He's bringing his niece, Deidra. She and Colin have a mutual interest in each other."

"Oh? What kind of mutual interest?"

"Sex."

"Damn. Not good for Sylvie."

Vincent sat on the edge of the bed and started a text. "Yeah. That could be a problem. I'm telling Colin now. He'll probably be over in a few minutes. You might want to get dressed." He gestured to my clothes strewn across the floor, and I climbed out of bed, shaking my nakedness at him as I scooped them up and headed for the door.

"I'm going to brush my teeth."

"Why don't you keep your toothbrush in this bathroom?"

"Because we're giving each other space."

"No, I'm giving you space."

I rolled my eyes, acknowledging and ignoring his argument. "I'm not going far."

The dogs wagged their tails when they saw me coming, and I detoured from my path to give them a scratch. That's when Colin walked in the front door, catching me in the act. The initial shock stopped him in his tracks, and I wrapped my arms around my chest, letting my shirt hang in front of my belly, hoping it went low enough to cover all the bits. Based on Colin's slack jaw, I guessed he had a clear shot.

"I'm sorry. I should have knocked," Colin said, not looking sorry at all.

Vincent's stomping feet had me sprinting into action, and I escaped into the spare room before the fur started flying.