Adam by Jacquelyn Frank Read Free Book Online

that,” he denied softly, although it was very much a supposition in Vampire circles. “And even if they did, it would not matter to me. It never has. You are everything to me. You are my only love. I need nothing else so long as I have you. I wish you would believe that.”
    But Jasmine knew Syreena didn’t believe him. If she had, then maybe Ruth would not have been able to weaken her mind, tormenting her over children she simply could not create.
    Although if Jasmine was going to be fair, Syreena and Damien had once been very happy, strong and content in spite of the Princess’s infertility. They had seemed to love each other powerfully enough to overcome this obstacle and learn to be happy with just each other.
    Jasmine walked away from the couple. It was just too painful to watch them now. Needing to escape, for just a little while, she flew away from the Romanian fortress and traveled the miles to the Russian provinces of the Lycanthropes. She was drawn to these caverns again and again for one reason. She asked herself for the thousandth time why she was there, why she was so obsessed with checking in on the little Demon orphan she’d rescued that day long ago in similar caverns.
    She had no more answers now than she ever had.
    Jasmine went in search of Leah.
     
     
    “Mama, have you seen Father?”
    Legna looked up at her son and tried to hide her surprise. It wasn’t like her son to seek out his father voluntarily, and it certainly wasn’t time for lessons.
    “He is in the south wing. Just beyond the baths. Why do you ask?”
    “Oh, I had a question for him.” Seth shrugged it off, but Legna was a Mind Demon, and that made her a powerful empath. She could sense her son’s emotions very easily. She was grateful for that because it was the only way she would ever know what was going on in his head most of the time. Ever since he had reached puberty, he had become like a stranger to her—and a hostile stranger to his father.
    She had to give Gideon credit for his patience with the boy. Gideon was a very direct creature and didn’t see much value in indulging in wasteful emotions. Not that he wasn’t a devoted and loving father. He was, and he tried to show it as best he could. As Gideon’s Imprinted mate she was very well aware of how deeply loving and passionate a man Gideon truly was. And, with her, he was quite demonstrative.
    But since Seth had reached ten years of age, they had lost touch with each other. Seth had started to reject his father’s attentions and affections ... now the only way they connected was in their daily lessons. It baffled Gideon no end. He was Ancient and wise, had lived so many ages and experienced so many things, but he had never been a father before and found himself at a loss. He wanted to be direct, address the problem head-on, but luckily Legna had been able to convince him that wouldn’t be a very good idea. Seth was very sensitive, even a little brooding. He tended to come around to things in his own way and in his own time. It was best to let him do so without forcing him or challenging him before he was ready.
    “I am certain he would love to answer your questions,” she said, turning from her baking and dusting off her hands.
    “Yeah. I know. He’d never miss a chance at a lecture,” Seth said, coming just shy of sounding snide.
    “Seth, your father loves to teach you. He wants to prepare you for the world and for the future. He does it to protect you. There are so many dangers out there.”
    “He should just leave me to my own devices. Seems to me he’d be happier if I got bounced off the earth,” Seth said with a shrug.
    “Seth! Why would you think such a thing?”
    Seth drew back at her powerful response, looking a little trapped for a moment, almost as if he hadn’t meant to speak his feelings aloud.
    “Never mind,” he said hastily, pulling back as his mother reached for him. “I was just talking trash.”
    “First,” she said as she grabbed