“So if any ghosts tell tales of a strange vampire family they encountered, you can order them to shut up,” I added. “My power to command ghosts will fade, but yours never will. That’s why we’re telling you about Katie. You’re going to help us keep her a secret.”

Bones’s mouth curled. “And you’ll want to do that, for if word of her survival spreads, you’ll be considered an accomplice in duping the vampire council.”

“How?” Marie asked bluntly.

“With this,” Ian said in a cheerful tone.

We all turned. He held up a camera, smirking.

“Got some lovely shots of you speaking with Crispin, Cat, and Mencheres, but it’s the boat in the background that really makes it incriminating.”

“Besides.” Mencheres’s smile was wide enough to show his fangs. “You’ll do it because if you don’t, I can tear your head off from two cities away.”

Marie let out a sharp laugh at that.

“I can send Remnants after you from the same distance, so let us dispense with the threats.”

“Yes, let’s,” I said at once. “Instead, why don’t we try something neither of our species has been able to do before? Let’s trust each other.”

I held out my hand, staring into Marie’s hazelnut eyes.

“Back in New Orleans, you swore by your blood that if there was a public execution, you’d leave Katie and the rest of us alone. You got your execution. Now give us our peace, and we’ll promise to do the same with you and your people.”

Marie looked at my hand, then at the boat beyond.

“Are you prepared to hide her until she dies a natural death? With her bloodline, that could be a very long time.”

“Then that’s how long we’ll be away,” I replied evenly. “Mencheres has promised to handle issues with their people, and I was never a social butterfly anyway.”

Her gaze flicked to Bones next.

“You would give up so much for another man’s child?”

“Katie is my child,” Bones responded instantly. “She may not be my biological daughter, but that merely means she’ll have two fathers.”

Marie glanced at the boat again. I did, too. Tate was on deck, Katie standing next to him. She had Helsing in her arms, as per usual. Much to my delight, Katie loved having a pet, and my kitty took the additional affection as his due. It was almost dark, but I could still see the new blonde highlights in Katie’s auburn hair. She loved the sunshine although we had to slather her with SPF50. Maybe she spent so much time in it now because she’d seen it only rarely before.

Then Marie looked back at me. With a hint of a sardonic smile, she grasped my hand.