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it.”
    She smiled and patted his arm. “Thanks, Pete. I’ll remember that.” And she would, because with Remo around, having the police chief on her side might come in handy.



Chapter Six
    N othing. Not a hint of brimstone, not a wisp of shadow or smoke. Samael had ignored Tatiana’s repeated requests for his presence. Requests that had quickly turned into pleas, and after the second hour, had eroded almost to the point of begging.
    Tatiana didn’t beg. But for the sake of Lilith… she might. Hands clenched at her sides so tightly that her metal one creaked, she called out to the father of her kind once again. “Samael, liege of darkness, lord of all vampires, I beseech you come to me.”
    The only reason for his absence that made sense was that she was still too weak from grief to call him properly. She clung to that, because the thought that her liege, her source of power, had abandoned her was… unacceptable.
    “Please, Samael. I-I… beg you.” The word soured in her mouth, a bitter reminder of how far she’d fallen. Because of Malkolm and his comarré pet.
    The air stayed still while she vibrated with anger. She picked up a vase and hurled it across the room with a snarl. “Damn you, Malkolm. Damn you and your meddling whore.”
    Kosmina came running in. “Is all well, my lady?”
    “No, all is not well.” Tatiana tucked the rest of her emotions away as best she could, but Kosmina knew what these last days had brought to the House of Tepes. She would certainly understand Tatiana’s frustrations. “I asked not to be disturbed.”
    “My apologies, my lady.” Kosmina’s gaze skipped to the shards of Chinese porcelain decorating the carpet. “Shall I have that cleaned up or leave it for later?”
    “Clean it.” Tatiana stalked out of the room, the overwhelming need to hold her child burning through her body like sunlight. She wrapped her arms around herself as she headed down the hall and into the empty nursery.
    The faintest tang of Svetla’s ashes still lingered, but not enough to drown out Lilith’s sweet scent.
    Tatiana sank into the rocker where she’d often sat with Lilith, closed her eyes, and inhaled. She could sense Lilith’s weight in her arms, hear her soft coos and demanding cries, feel the delicate silk of her skin. Heat stung Tatiana’s eyes. She opened them and stared skyward. Not tears, she told herself. Anger. Righteous, indignant anger at what had been done to her and her child.
    One of the rocker’s wooden arms groaned under her grip. She released it and stood. It was time to make something happen. There had to be a way to summon Samael, but just in thinking that, she knew there wasn’t. Even the council had been unable to call him when they’d wished his decision on whether or not to name her Dominus.
    The father of all noble vampires only came when he wanted. That was the trouble with the ancients. They only did what they wanted, not what benefited their children. As parents went, they were wretched examples. Howwould they know how desperately she wanted, no, needed Lilith back? How could they begin to understand?
    A knock on the nursery door dispersed her thoughts. “Yes?”
    Kosmina stuck her head in. “My lady, Daciana has returned with your new comar.”
    “That didn’t take long. I guess Rennata didn’t want to deal with my emissary any more than she wanted to deal with me.” The tickle of anticipation trilled down Tatiana’s spine. Her sorrows temporarily pushed aside, she nodded and pointed out the door. “Send them to my office. I’ll be there shortly.”
    “Yes, my lady.” With a short bow, Kosmina left.
    Tatiana took a long look in the nursery mirror and arranged her expression into one of calmness and serenity. She would drink from this new, unspoiled comar until her strength was completely returned to her, until power rippled over her skin. Then she would call Samael again, and this time, he would come to her. She hoped.
    “Faith,” she whispered,