N.T.M., whose idea this whole Insider’s Guide was and who did so much work on it—and whose kind nature is bested only by his patience and his sense of humor.
Dr. Jessica Andersen—my CP and confidante and sparring partner.
LeElla Scott—you have too many nicknames at this point to list.
So I’ll just go with the most important one: Bestie.
And Kaylie’s momma—who’s still my Idol.
As always to Mom, Boat, and the Boo.
Father Mine
ONE“So, Bella looks good.”
At the counter of the Brotherhood’s kitchen, Zsadist picked up a knife, squeezed a head of romaine lettuce together, and started drawing the blade through at one-inch intervals. “Yeah, she does.”
He liked Doc Jane. Hell, he owed her. But he had to remind himself of his manners: It would be damn tacky to bite the head off a female who was not only your brother’s shellan, but who had saved the love of your life from bleeding out on the birth table.
“She’s recovered beautifully in the last two months.” Doc Jane watched him from the table across the way, her Marcus Welby, M.D., bag beside her ghostly hand. “And Nalla’s thriving. Man, vampire young progress so much faster than human babies. Cognitively, it’s like she’s nine months old.”
“They’re doing great.” He kept slicing, moving his hand down and through, down and through. On the far side of the blade, the leaves sprang free in curly green ribbons like they were clapping at having been liberated.
“And how are you doing with the whole dad thing—”
“Fuck!”
Dropping the knife, he cursed and brought up the hand that had been on the lettuce. The cut was deep, down to the bone, and his blood was red as it welled up and dripped off his skin.
Doc Jane came over to him. “Okay, let’s get you to the sink.”