Control

Chapter Thirteen

Hope placed her hand in his. “Of course you may.” He led her out onto the dance floor and drew her close. Hope spent the first moments of the dance watching Locke and her feet. When she relaxed she let her eyes travel over the room. “Locke?”

“Yes, dearest?”

“We’re the only people dancing like this.”

“So we are,” he said still smiling. Hope looked away from the crowd noticing how many people were watching them.

“Why are we the only people dancing like this?”

“Hope, look at them,” Locke said, “rubbing against each other, it’s obscene. There’s no class, no skill. We are dancing, they are… practically rutting.”

“Wow,” Hope said.

“What?”

“I just didn’t realize that you were a prude.”

“I am not a prude,” he said arching a brow at her.

“Okay, master,” she said as another couple came close to them.

“You don’t believe me?”

“Not a bit.” He smiled, liking that she was arguing with him. Liking even more that she was teasing him.

“I’ll have you know that I simply like dances that show finesse.”

She laughed as he spun her. “Of course, master.” He pulled her back to him and held her close for a moment.

“Would you rather dance as they are?”

“N-no.”

“Prude,” he teased.

“I guess I had that coming,” she allowed.

The song ended and he bowed to her. “Thank you for the dance.”

She curtseyed. “You’re very welcome.” Locke spotted Jon leaning against the wall.

“I’d like to introduce you to someone,” he announced, taking Hope’s hand and leading her over to Jon. “Jon, this is my companion Hope. Hope, this is Jonathon Espoir.”

The two studied each other. Jon paled. “Locke… it can’t be.”

Locked looked around himself. “I think that we should take a walk. Don’t you?”

“Yes,” Jon’s voice was unsteady. He cleared his throat, not taking his eyes off of Hope. His gaze made her uncomfortable, but in a different way than the twins. He seemed to see too much. “The courtyard?”

“Hope?” Locke asked holding out his hand. Hope, was puzzled as she took his hand as Jon led the way to the courtyard. There was a frozen pond in the center of the courtyard. Locke took off his tuxedo jacket and slid it over her shoulders as they paused near some frosted rose bushes.

“Hope…” Jon started, his voice cracked and he cleared his throat before trying again, “you look so much like your mother.” Hope went still, her blue eyes wide.

“Jon was your mother’s master,” Locke said. “I know this because my men were the ones that called out to kill her.” Hope gasped taking a step away from him and releasing his hand. Locke took a deep breath forcing himself to continue. “When Salem and I got there Jon told us that he had killed her.”

“I had to,” Jon said. “I would have done anything to keep her safe. Hope, Kayla was the world to me.”

“There’s more,” Locke said.

“More?” Hope asked her tone barely a whisper. She didn’t know how much more she could take. This man… was he the reason her mother had cried at night? Was he the man Kayla had called out for in her sleep?

“Give me your hand, dearest.” Wordlessly, Hope placed her hand in his. He leaned down and punctured the skin or her wrist with one fang lapping some blood up. He pulled away and kissed her hand tenderly. “Jon,” he said releasing her hand. Jon offered Locke his hand without hesitation and Locke repeated the process, without the kiss. “She’s your blood, Jon. Hope, this is your father.”

Hope looked between them, stunned. “I-I need to use the bathroom,” Hope gasped before running back inside.

“My daughter?” Jon whispered. “She’s my daughter.”

“I knew that her blood tasted different, I simply didn’t realize why.”

“Should we go after her?” Jon asked worriedly.

“No,” Locke said. “I think she’d want to be alone.” Locke frowned for a moment studying the younger vampire. “How did Marius find out about her mother?”

“That she could read?” Jon asked lowering his voice.

“Yes.”

“He just knew, I don’t know how. My only guess is that one of my servants told him. It’s why I had them all dismissed. I wasn’t sure what I would do if they had stayed, knowing that one of them was the reason I lost the only woman that I had ever loved. Be careful, Locke.”

“I plan to. I helps that I’m older than Marius and better liked. He won’t come after me easily.”

Jon ran a hand through his dark hair. “Now I can’t stop thinking about Kayla by herself, pregnant and scared.” He took a shaky breath knowing what question he had to ask but terrified to speak the words. “What happened to her?”

Locke was silent for a moment before deciding on the truth. “She died,” Locke said. Jon winced but Locke could see that he had expected that. “From what Hope has told me, they had a fairly happy life.”

“I guess I’m very lucky.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you found her. Anyone else would have probably killed her.”

“I didn’t find her. She broke into my home and into my room to find a book that had her mother’s picture in it. She’s brave, caring, and smart, but a little reckless.”

“Locke, do you love her?”

Locke cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I care for her,” he hedged. “We’d better get back inside.”

Meanwhile

Hope had gotten mixed up and found herself in another area of the mansion. With a sigh she sat down. Her hands were shaking and she didn’t know what to think. Why didn’t her mother tell her that her father was a vampire? What did it mean to be half and half? Would her father hate her after he found out how her mother had died? Was this why Locke didn’t seem to want to touch her? How long had he known?”

“You’re far away from the party,” a man purred. Hope looked up meeting Romulus’s cool gaze. Remus was right behind him.

“Did you get lost, little girl?” Remus asked. Hope started to stand. “I didn’t give you permission to stand.”

“Careful,” Romulus smirked, “we may have to punish you.” Both man laughed. Hope knew that whatever the joke was, she didn’t want to get it.

“My master will be looking for me,” Hope said.

“Master,” Romulus snorted.

“A real master would have taken you by now,” Remus added. “I can smell your… enticing innocence from here.”

“We can fix that,” Romulus said.

“Yes,” Remus agreed. “So tell me, little girl, how would you like to be made into a woman?”