“Thank you,” he murmured against her mouth before his lips left hers to travel down her neck, nibbling in strategic places. “I love the picture.”

“You sure it’s not the scotch?” she asked breathlessly as she ran her hands through his hair and pulled his head into the crook of her neck.

“Positive. It’s perfect. You’re perfect,” he said against her skin.

“I’m so far from perfect it’s laughable.”

“I love that you make me laugh.”

“And I’m still kind of mad at you.”

“I’m calling a Christmas truce. If soldiers in battle can do it, it shouldn’t be that much of a stretch for us.” His fingers lifted the back of her shirt and she shuddered as his hands caressed the skin at the small of her back.

He felt the normal buzz of electricity grow as his blood began to move through his veins and his fangs descended. He ignored his reaction and continued to explore the soft skin around her collarbone as her hands stroked his neck.

“Gio…”

“Let’s not fight,” he whispered. “Just for a little while.”

“But, Gio—”

He cut her off with a deeper kiss. Giovanni felt her moan and move over him, and he became almost lightheaded with desire.

She finally grasped his shoulders and pushed back.

“Oh, tesoro,” he groaned as his head fell to her shoulder. “Why are you—”

“The phone,” she said breathlessly, “is ringing.”

“Why?”

She snorted and grinned at him. “Carwyn, remember?”

“Damn that priest,” he muttered. “I’m going to burn his Hawaiian shirts the next time I see him.”

She grinned and stood. “Well, I’m going to answer the phone.”

He slouched in the sofa, closing his eyes while she went to answer the phone.

“Carwyn.” He heard her laugh. “You better lock up your Hawaiian—what? What are you—”

She gasped as he rushed to the phone and grabbed it out of her hand.

“—need to talk to Gio immediately. I can’t—”

“I’m here,” he said to his friend.

He’d heard the panic in his old friend’s voice from across the room. His heartbeat sped in anticipation of danger. Carwyn hadn’t panicked in two hundred years.

“I need you here, Giovanni di Spada. I need you in Ireland. It’s Ioan…my son is missing.”

Chapter Ten

En route to Dublin, Ireland

December 2009

Giovanni pulled Beatrice close as the plane took off, both of them glancing out the window to see Ben waving at the plane with a frightened look on his face. Her grandmother had one hand on the boy’s shoulder and Caspar stood behind them. The three were leaving directly for the safe house in the Hill Country as soon as the plane was off the ground.

She huddled into Giovanni’s side and buried her face in his collar. They had fought horribly about her going with him, but he finally relented when she threatened to fly to Dublin on her own if he left her behind.

Giovanni gripped her arm as the plane took off, and she was almost afraid he would leave bruises. She was beginning to realize he hated flying. He never said anything, but every time they flew together, he looked distinctly uncomfortable at takeoff.

“Tell me about Ioan,” she said to distract him. She wondered whether he would break his usually reticent behavior to tell her anything specific.

“Ioan is…he’s Carwyn’s oldest son, and his biological great-grandson, I believe.”

“Really?”

“Great or great-great grandson, yes. He’s only about one hundred years younger than Carwyn. He’s very powerful and very smart. His wife, Deirdre, is Irish and they’ve lived in the Wicklow Mountains for the last two hundred years or so, though they’ve been married for much longer.”

“And they’re both Carwyn’s children?”

He nodded. “Yes, Ioan asked his father to change Deirdre. They met when she was human. I believe he was around five hundred years old at the time.”

Beatrice fell into silence, contemplating a couple that seemed suddenly very familiar.

“So, if he’s so powerful, how did he disappear?” she asked in a low voice. “Is it Lorenzo?”

Giovanni shook his head. “I don’t know. I think it has to be, but this attack doesn’t make sense. Ioan is not political. He’s one of the most compassionate vampires I’ve ever met. He’s also a superb scientist. Some of our conversations…” His face fell, and Beatrice realized that not only had Carwyn lost a son, but Giovanni had lost a friend if they couldn’t find Ioan.

“He has studied medicine for around three hundred years,” he finally continued. “And he will periodically go into Dublin for free clinics at night. He treats poor families, drug users, prostitutes…He has a very deep compassion for those on the fringes of society.”

“But how does that—”

“Carwyn said he disappeared from Dublin during one of these clinics. He’s weaker in the city. Earth vampires usually are. They draw their strength from the ground. And if he was put into a position where humans might have been hurt if he didn’t comply, Ioan would let them take him.” Giovanni sighed and closed his eyes. “He wouldn’t even hesitate.”

She swallowed and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Do you think he’s already dead?”