I did my damnedest to stay awake as I waited for Vincent, wrapping myself in a robe after a much-needed shower and staking a claim on the balcony chaise. Vincent was required to speak to Rafael and his domus after the challenge, which Rafael retracted after the battle with the demons.

It turned out Rafael knew his chances for winning were slim, but Emile had encouraged him to make the challenge, planting the seed in Rafael's head and nurturing it in the hopes of providing an opportunity for a demon ambush. The plan had worked, but the end result was Emile being ostracized by all three New York domi and forced out of the city. What an asshole.

Clyde was the first to alert me to Vincent's presence, but I had little time to prepare before Vincent picked me up and carried me back to his room. In his human form, he looked like he had been in a brawl with the entire membership of the WWF, but he seemed determined to tuck me into bed before he disappeared into the bathroom. I hadn't been resting long when my eyes flicked open to find Vincent lying next to me, propped on his elbow, his beautiful gray eyes locked on my face.

"Good morning," he said as he smiled a heart-melting, no holding back smile. Was I dreaming?

"Yes, it is," I offered in return. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by a city bus, but I've felt worse."

"I'm glad you're in one piece. I was really worried about you." I lifted my hand to his face and let it drift over his cheek where a pair of matching cuts marred his perfect features. He closed his eyes as he leaned into my touch.

"There is very little that scares me, Reese, but I was nearly overcome with fear when I saw you being carried off by that demon. It was my worst nightmare come true. The fact that you are here in my bed, alive and well, is a testament to your cleverness."

"Did you hear my whistle?"

"Yes. We were following a hunch that you had been taken to Cecile. Did Christoph tell you he was taking you there?"

Bonnie and Clyde lifted from their positions at the end of the bed and nuzzled between our chests, reminding us it was breakfast time. I appreciated the distraction. I didn't want to think about Cecile or Willem or the fact that I needed to tell Vincent that a demon's blood ran through my veins. The thought made me physically ill.

"Yes, he did. Do we have to talk about this right now? The dogs are hungry."

Vincent's forehead bunched in worry, like he suspected I was hiding something, which I was, but he submitted to my suggestion, and the morning quickly turned into a three ring circus, with every member of the domus inviting themselves over to talk about the events of the evening. Rizzo had been released from the hospital and was given the prime spot on the couch with plenty of pillows to accommodate his delicate condition. Lunch was prepared by Wren and Amelia, and before I realized how much time had passed, I was helping Griffin clear the dinner dishes. Feeling the fatigue of a full house, I scooted Rizzo's feet out of the way and reclined next to him, refilling his glass with red wine. Of all the Valentinos, Rizzo was the only one I ever saw drink wine.

"You gave us a real scare, mon amie," he said as he took a sip.

"I was pretty scared too, Rizzo, but if you want to know the truth..." I leaned in to speak conspiratorially. "Christoph revealed everything but his social security number to me. He was a regular blabbermouth."

Rizzo's eyebrows shot up. "Really? I cannot say I am surprised. You have that effect on us." He smiled as he glanced at Vincent across the room. "Have you told Vincent what happened between you and Christoph?"

I bit my lip as I eyed the wine bottle. A sedative sounded pretty damn good about now. "No. I don't want to ruin the mood. Not everything Christoph said was good."

Rizzo nodded. "I understand. I only hope it has not changed your feelings about the domus or about Vincent. He has a good heart, and I believe you have brought him out of the darkness. Unfortunately, Emile has a long way to go to find the light."

I frowned as I slid off the couch to kneel next to Rizzo. "I'm so sorry about Emile. Do you think you will ever see him again?"

Rizzo shrugged, looking neither happy or sad about the situation. "No one knows what will happen in the future. I have yet to inform my domus in France about his betrayal. It will not be taken gladly."

"Will you call them or will you tell them in person? How long has it been since you've seen the members of your domus?"

"Five years, but we keep in touch in other ways."

I felt a presence behind me, and I turned to find Vincent standing behind me, holding a glass in his hand. It was filled with something pink and sparkly. "I brought you something to cheer you up."

"How did you know I needed cheering up?" I stood and accepted his offering. When I held it under my nose, I knew right away what it was. The three maraschino cherries floating on top also gave me a clue. "Shirley Temple, extra cherries. Thank you, Vincent."

I brought the glass to my lips and took a sip. After swallowing the first carbonated rush, I poured more into my mouth and kissed Vincent. When he opened to accept my tongue, I let the sweet nectar spill into his mouth. His moan tickled my lips as he drank greedily, and I felt his hand blaze a trail down my spine and over my backside.

"You two need to take your affairs elsewhere," Rizzo said with a smirk. "Why don't you escape to the rec room."

"The rec room?" I asked as I glanced between the two of them.

"It's a fully padded space built next to the machine room just above us," Vincent explained. "We use it for flight training and sparring."

Hmm. While I was eager to spar with Vincent and fuck him six ways from Sunday, I knew I couldn't do it until I came clean about my parentage, and this was something I had been avoiding like the plague. In fact, just the thought made me scowl, and Vincent was on me like stink on shit.

"What's on your mind, Reese?" he said as he drew me into his arms. He smelled so good, like body wash and essence of gollum. "Your mind has been preoccupied ever since we got home. Christoph was filling your head with lies, wasn't he? How many times did he kiss you?"

I glanced down at Rizzo, who appeared to be interested in the label on the wine bottle, but I knew damn well he was listening to us. "Can we talk about this somewhere else?"

"Of course." Vincent took my hand and walked me out to the balcony, shutting the sliding glass door behind us. The sun had abandoned the sky completely, and the colors left in its wake reminded me of a fresco at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. I appreciated the sky's calming effect, but I didn't think it would soothe Vincent's mood once he heard what I had to say.

Vincent set my glass on the table, then he took a seat on the chaise and pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms around my waist as he nuzzled his face into my neck. His overtly affectionate gesture had me grinning despite the growing lump in my throat. 

"You smell divine," he said. "I think the demon scent is finally wearing off."

Ugh.

"Or, maybe it's the body wash in your shower. It's pretty potent."

"Are you saying I smell potent?" he teased.

"I love your potent smell, Vincent. It was the first thing I noticed about you, besides your ruggedly handsome face and fine, fine body. It made me want to jump your bones."

"Really?" He appeared almost giddy as he trailed kisses across my jaw all the way to my mouth. Damn. I so didn't want to do this. I wanted to stay ensconced inside Vincent's loving embrace with or without the benefit of sex. I loved him. "There's something weighing on your mind, baby," he said when he broke away. 

I glanced at my hands, which were bunched in my lap. "Yes, there is. And I really, really don't want to tell you."

I felt his chest heave as all the air escaped his lungs, and it took a moment for him to regain his composure before he lifted my chin with his thumb. "Whatever it is, we will tackle it together. Look at all the obstacles we've overcome already."

"Not all obstacles can be overcome." I shook my head and he grabbed my chin between his thumb and forefinger to hold it still.

"You're starting to worry me. What happened while you were with that demon? What kind of bullshit story did he plant in your head?"

I forced myself to look at Vincent as I told him the story of my kidnapping and how Christoph had landed in a tree, forcing me to hang on for dear life. When I told him I fell out and Christoph kept me from breaking my neck, Vincent shivered violently. Then I regaled him with my traumatic transformation, which I had done to give me a means of defense, and finally I explained that Christoph had not behaved badly until we walked onto the beach. When I finished my detailed account, I still had not revealed my big secret.

"Christoph didn't kiss me until after he told me... until after I learned the truth," I said. "So, I don't think he was using the information to coerce me."

"It doesn't matter when he kissed you. Demons are selfish liars," Vincent said as his body stiffened beneath me. "Tell me what he said that has you so upset."

I knew Vincent held a biased opinion of demons. He had spent the better part of his life battling and despising them, while my exposure had come in the form of falling for a demon and thinking he was just a guy with anger and control issues. I closed my eyes, swallowing down the stupid lump that was threatening to choke me.

"He said my grandfather is a demon."

The silence that followed my declaration had my heart skittering inside my chest, and I willed my eyes open to look at Vincent. His eyes were closed, and his breathing had become more labored, like he was working hard to force air in and out of his body. I knew this was shitty timing, and I glanced through the glass door at the activity inside Vincent's apartment. All the younger Valentinos were there, apart from Wren who had gone home with a headache.

Vincent adjusted himself beneath me, and I pushed off the chaise, giving him the freedom to bolt if he needed to. He looked up at me, his eyebrows pinched in disbelief. Was this an obstacle that couldn't be overcome? My hand automatically moved to my belly when a wave of nausea swept through me. Why wasn't he speaking? His silence was torture.

"Vincent, please... say something."

My phone rang in my pocket, scaring the shit out of me, but I ignored it. There was no one else I wanted to talk to except Vincent, although at the moment, neither he nor his larynx were communicating with me. My phone stopped ringing, and I continued to wait for Vincent to get a grip. He had crossed his legs on the chaise, assuming a meditative position, and he appeared to lose himself in thought. My phone started up again, and this time I pulled it out of my pocket to see who the hell needed to talk to me so badly, since it wasn't Vincent.

When I saw Mr. Pearlman's name light up my screen, I felt my pulse jump in my neck. Mr. Pearlman never called me. I swiped the screen.

"Mr. Pearlman. Are you alright?"

"Hi, Reese. You remember when I said I heard scratching noises on my walls that kept me awake?"

I didn't like how his voice came out choked and unsteady, and I tried to sound reassuring as I answered. "Yes, I remember."

"Well, I found out what it was, and there are a couple of strange-looking fellows here with wings and horns. They say they'd like to talk to you."

A shiver wracked my body when I heard someone yell in the background. "Give me the phone old man. Reese, this is Christoph. Long time no see."

"Christoph. What have you to done to Mr. Pearlman? So help me, if you touch one hair on his head..."

I clenched my fist and nearly punched Vincent when he appeared next to me. "Reese, give me the phone."

I shook my head as I pressed the speakerphone icon so we could both hear.

"You're in no position to make threats," Christoph said. "Here's how this is going to go down. You're going to come to your apartment and pay your old friend a visit. Then we're going to make a trade. His life for yours. But, here's the most important part. If we see one sign of a gollum, your friend here is dead. Pretty simple instructions. Easy for a clever female like you."

I tightened my jaw, trying to keep the anger and fear at bay, but my reaction was nothing compared to the look of contempt on Vincent's face. He appeared ready to snatch my cell away, but I held up my hand.

"How do you expect me to get there without a gollum escort?" I said into the phone. "How can I trust you not to ambush me?"

"Hail a cab like the rest of city. If you aren't here at least two hours before dawn, you'll be short one friend. And, Reese, Willem sends his regards."

The phone went silent as I looked up into Vincent's eyes. He was wearing his steely mogul stare.

"Reese, you know you can't..." he began.

"How can I not?"

His expression softened, and he brushed my bottom lip with his thumb. "I just got you back."

"Are you saying you still want me? Do you think Christoph was lying about my parentage?"

With his eyes flashing the color of the city skyline, Vincent held me captive in his intense gaze. "I don't care whether he was lying or not, although I plan to investigate the accusation thoroughly. Nothing will change the way I feel about you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I just hope you will always want me in it."

I took in a shuddering breath as I slipped my hand into his, threading our fingers together. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear you say that. You had me worried when you clammed up earlier. I thought I was going to lose my dinner and my lunch, but I have one request. Can we tell your family about Willem after we rescue Mr. Pearlman from these annoying demons?"

"Willem? Is that your supposed grandfather's name?"

"Yes. Christoph was taking me to the hive so I could speak to him and Cecile. Apparently, I have a brother too, a half brother."

Vincent shook his head, and he brought his finger to my lips to silence me. "Please, one problem at a time. As far as Mr. Pearlman is concerned, we have to involve the others. We'll need an ironclad plan for pulling off a rescue without putting you in too much danger. At least we know you can fully transform now. That's a definite advantage."

"Oh, hell. I'll be honest with you, Vincent. I feel more vulnerable when I've got those damn wings and claws. I can barely walk, let alone fight. And, I wasn't lying when I said the transformation hurt like a bitch slap to the crotch. I passed out when I transformed in front of Christoph."

"You did? Do you have any idea how long you were out?" Vincent pursed his lips as his fingers tightened around my hand.

"I don't think it was long. Christoph actually seemed concerned about me when I came-to. He thought I was going through the death throes."

"Concerned about you? No offense, Reese, but I find that hard to believe. He was probably worried Cecile would be angry she didn't have the pleasure of killing you herself."

I flinched at his harsh words, and I couldn't help taking offense, but I didn't try proving my point. He could very well be right. "What should we tell the others about Christoph's motives?"

"I think we should get as close to the truth as possible. He has been tasked with bringing you to Cecile. They won't need any more justification than that to get on board." Vincent brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it. "We won't be able to keep this from them for long though, and if the truth comes out tonight, we'll both need to be prepared for some nasty fallout."

I lowered my eyes, feeling selfish and ashamed. "Oh, Vincent. I knew it was a bad idea to drop this on you right now. I can't let you hide this from your family. It's completely unfair of me to ask you to do that."

"Don't second guess yourself. Your forthright nature is one of your many redeeming qualities. I'm glad you told me now. Let me worry about what happens later."

The number of Valentinos still camped out in Vincent's living room had dwindled to three, but they were the ones we needed to recruit for our rescue. Colin and Vincent were both nursing wounds from their earlier battle with the demons, but Jonathan had come late enough to the party that his injuries were minimal. Of course, Rizzo was out of commission, but he helped us hatch a plan.

"We could send Reese in a taxi with a gollum disguised as the driver and two others hiding on the floorboards," he offered.

"That would be easy to do, and with many of the demons on the injured list, we won't be facing the same kind of numbers," Jonathan put in. "This stunt is probably a desperate attempt by Christoph after his failure."

"Okay. You take me to my apartment in a cab. Then what?" I asked as I stood behind the couch picking dog hairs off it.

"Once you get to Mr. Pearlman's, you stall the demons long enough for us to scope the perimeter for scouts and take them down," Vincent said. "Your focus is to do everything in your power not to let the demons remove you from the premises."

"How would it be if Reese transformed before she arrived at Mr. Pearlman's door?" Colin suggested. "They won't be expecting her in gollum form, and that will make it harder for them to carry her off."

I grimaced at Colin's suggestion. The thought of transforming actually incited a twinge of pain. When the room went quiet, I realized everyone had turned to look at me, forcing me to say something. "Despite my supreme distaste for bone crushing pain, I will do whatever it takes to get Mr. Pearlman out of there alive. Maybe I could transform in my apartment."

"What if they're waiting outside?" Rizzo said.

"She could transform here before she got into the cab," Jonathan offered. "But it will be difficult to disguise the wings."

"Mr. Pearlman's window faces the sidewalk," I said. "If they're watching for the cab, they'll see me walk up to the building."

"By then, what the hell could they do about it?" Colin put in.

"Take it out on Mr. Pearlman," I argued.

Vincent stood from his chair and started pacing, his face contorted with concern, while Bonnie and Clyde trailed behind him like a pair of lost pups. He stopped mid-stride to look at me and both dogs collided with his legs. "I don't want you arriving unarmed. End of story."

"And I already told you. I feel more vulnerable when I'm in my gollum form," I said, crossing my arms.

"Do you know how to use a blade, Reese?" Jonathan asked.

"Um, I know how to use a kitchen knife, but I don't think I'll need a weapon. Christoph didn't act like he intended to hurt me." Once again, all eyes in the room zeroed in on me, and I was forced to continue. "I'm just going off my previous dealings with him. He seems determined to deliver me to Cecile in one piece." I made a point to look at each of their quirked eyebrows before adding. "You guys have to admit, the fact that I'm a female plays to our advantage here."

Vincent's lips tightened, and I felt compelled to put his mind at ease. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, stretching onto my toes to accomplish it. "Have a little faith in me, Vincent. I may not know how to wield a blade, but I spent eight months with a demon. I know how they operate and what their weaknesses are. They really aren't any different from your average, testosterone-driven guy."

"And that's supposed to reassure me?" he said as he tried to pin me with his CEO stare.

"We have at least five hours to get her up to speed," Colin said as he lifted from his chair. "I suggest we take her to the rec room and teach her a few basic fighting skills. If her claws don't keep her enemies at bay, she can always fall back on her female attributes. We all know how effective they are." He raised his eyebrows, adding a shoulder shrug when Vincent scowled at him.

"I'm in agreement with half your suggestion, Colin," Vincent said, tightening his grip on my waist. "The rec room is an excellent idea, but only Reese and I will engage in battle training. I know what your weaknesses are."

PLAYLIST SONG: Nice To Know by Chroma Key