Forgotten Kisses

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Forgotten Kisses ISBN 9781419915031 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Forgotten Kisses Copyright© 2008 Rena Marks Edited by Helen Woodall. Photography and cover art by Les Byerley. Electronic book Publication March 2008 With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/) This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

FORGOTTEN KISSES Rena Marks

Dedication This is my first book and it is dedicated to all my favorite authors including Laurell K. Hamilton, who wouldn’t write fast enough for me. And to Kim Harrison, without whose advice I would never have taken the first step.

Trademarks Acknowledgement The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Buick: General Motors Corporation Coke: The Coca-Cola Company Corvette: General Motors Corporation Dillard’s: Dillard International, Inc. Lamborghini Gallardo: Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.P.A. McDonald’s: McDonald’s Corporation Post-It: 3M Company

Forgotten Kisses

Prologue It was the oddest dream. I awoke with my hair wet, my skin slick and my heart pounding in my chest. I sat up in bed, hoping to dispel the horror in my mind by reminding myself of my surroundings. The dream had started like an erotic movie. Vivid but brief glimpses of flesh— yummy, muscled male flesh so tanned and tempting that I was frantic to see more. When I realized it was indeed my dream to do with as I pleased, I reached out to touch that slick, shining skin. It was pure heaven beneath my fingers, satin below my touch. His hand reached up to cover mine, pressing it firmly against his warm flesh. Hard muscles glided beneath the heated skin and he trembled beneath my touch. A sweep of golden, honey brown hair blocked my view of his face but showed a glimpse of strong jaw that I longed to press kisses against. I closed my eyes in ecstasy when he found my breast. And then, while my eyes were still shut, he kissed me. His mouth slanted to mine, urgently seeking, wanting and demanding. His tongue swept inside, dancing erotically against mine. I moaned at the taste of exotic, masculine perfection. Knew that my body reached for his as though seeking the missing half of my soul. I broke the kiss, pulling slightly away so I could see his face and know the lover that fit me so perfectly. And then it changed for the better. Another lover arrived and there were two. Creamy skinned, contrasting with dark hair, muscles still hard but longer and leaner than the first. I leaned toward him and his body was much cooler. So many differences between the equally beautiful men, sleek muscles to compact, defined muscles, dark skin tone to light skin, exotic heat in one’s touch and erotic coolness in another’s. I just wished I could see faces. The pale one kissed down the side of my neck and then ran his tongue wetly between my breasts. His mouth attacked my nipple, kissing and sucking and licking all at once. I arched my back and my deeply inhaled breath sounded like a hiss. And then there was a heated mouth cupped hotly against my sex like a vacuum as the first lover behind me refused to allow me to forget about him. I moaned while the two pleasured me simultaneously.

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But the dream changed. We were in the middle of an ancient battlefield now, where swords clanged against metal shields. My imaginary lovers protected me, one on either side. The tanned, muscled lover protected me from the pale fighters. The pale, sleekly muscled lover protected me from the darker skinned soldiers Both sides wanted to slaughter me, the only woman on the field and I had no idea why. I wanted the eroticism back! In the distance, the dust blurred my vision as I watched a young man slowly appear on the horizon. The crowds of fighting warriors parted, creating a pathway as he walked directly to me and my two lovers. Now not only did the crowd part but the fighting soldiers were actually opposing races, bloody vampires and violent werewolves in various stages of change. The vampires and wolves bowed low as the man walked toward us. For some odd reason, I felt extreme happiness as he approached. I had to fight myself to not run to him. I didn’t even know who he was but he had to be like me. Human. As he approached, I realized it wasn’t as dusty as I’d imagined. It was his image. He appeared to shimmer, fading in and out and I saw his form shift from a young human to a werewolf, back and forth. I didn’t care that he wasn’t as human as I’d originally thought. He’d stopped the vicious fighting and I was grateful for that. He was so near now and I was ready to grab him protectively into my arms when I saw he was even younger than I’d assumed. A teenager, really. He lifted his hand to my shoulder like he couldn’t wait to touch me and I saw that his eyes matched my own. He smiled broadly at me, just as happy to see me as I was to see him. His mouth contained vampire fangs. I screamed and screamed at the trickery. Now I sat in bed shivering, the sweat that had glistened on my skin drying and cooling me quickly. My heart wasn’t pounding so painfully anymore and I was able to think again without the adrenaline racing unhindered through my limbs. What was that about? A vampiric werewolf dream? Maybe I dreamed the vampire part because I suspected that they’d moved into the business next door to mine. And the werewolf portion? I’d had lunch with my friend Connie earlier and I’d known for years she was werewolf. That’s it, I soothed myself, alone in my huge bed. There was no one else to comfort me, so I spread my pillows out along the length of my body, making a barrier to hug. The only part I couldn’t explain away was the teen. Why would I dream that? I’d never had much to do with children, especially since the parting gift from my exhusband was internal abdominal scar tissue which rendered me infertile.

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Chapter One I was just a regular, everyday person. Or so I once thought. For even in this enlightened day and age, prejudice is a big problem. During these modern times we employ the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. It’s illegal to discriminate against vampires now that we know they exist. But honestly, who’s going to enforce that? Especially when not every vampire has come out of the closet. The owner of Bang’s Bar and Grill, Julian Bax, appreciates my vote for him with city council He tries to show his appreciation by sending me gifts and asking me out. I return the gifts and refuse the invitations. I don’t like to be indebted to anyone and I’m already called coffin-bait behind my back, a derogatory term used for a human woman who sleeps with the undead. But as much as I protest, I’m sorely tempted. Vampires are absolutely gorgeous, sensual creatures. Beautiful faces, beautiful bodies. Their pale skin seems to glow with an inner light, like the full moon on a clear night. They all have ruby red lips and thick eyelashes. Natural beauty. Tall and muscular, the way mankind should have been had we not poisoned and corrupted our bodies with bad food, chemicals and sluggish living. My gym was slow on that fateful day that marked a turning point in my life. I’d turned down the volume on the music and was doing paperwork. I glanced up when I heard the door chimes ring. Three women entered and I smiled at them. I’ve always suspected they were vamps but I don’t think anyone else did. Lily, Anna and Nicki worked at the Bang’s next door and I longingly admired their outfits. All I ever wore was sweats or workout clothes. Lily caught me staring and smiled. “I knew you’d have your nose buried in the books. I’ll bet you haven’t even had lunch yet.” I peeked at my watch. Oops. She was right. “Will you watch the gym while I run next door and get something?” I asked. “Sure. We’ll be working out.” She pointed to the workout clothes under her arm and gave me a smile. Lily was rarely without one. I headed next door, trying to make it a quick trip even though I knew the three girls wouldn’t mind. It always amazed me to enter the establishment. It was like crossing a threshold into another world. The interior was dark, the windows blacked out so no natural sunlight filtered through. First clue that screamed vampire. I walked up to the glossy black bar which was set up in the middle of the darkened room like a center stage. “Hey, Johnny,” I called.

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Johnny Hamilton was huge, at least six foot four and full of muscles. And tattoos. I think he doubled as a bouncer during the dance hours. A very handsome but dangerous-looking man and if he was now undead, then I don’t know what his race used to be. He wasn’t pale like most vamps but darker skinned, almost tanned looking. His well-shaped, smooth head gleamed so I had no idea what color his hair should have been. “What’s it gonna be, Luscious Leah? Bacon cheeseburger and fries?” he asked teasingly. “Oh, please. I can hardly have the smells of burgers and fries wafting around while my girls are working out, right? I’ll have the usual.” My usual consisted of a salad. Johnny grimaced. “Haven’t you ever heard that men like women with curves?” “I have curves.” I grinned. “You just can’t see them under the sweats.” Johnny put in the order while we bantered some more. And then my salad was bagged and ready. I handed him a five but he refused. “I can’t take your money, Leah. The boss’ll kill me.” “If you don’t take my money, I can’t accept my salad. And then I’ll starve. I hardly think the boss would appreciate you letting me die from starvation over this, right?” I heard a chuckle behind me and whirled around. There’s a reason why I avoid Julian Bax, the owner of Bang’s. It’s sort of like being an alcoholic. If you know you’re an alcoholic, you avoid alcohol. It’s too much temptation. Same thing with Julian. It’s hard to refuse him when he stands there so devastatingly delicious. A tempting male morsel to melt on your tongue. So I simply stay away. Julian and I go way back. I’d met him years ago after the death of my husband. Since the funeral, Julian has tried sending me gifts which I’d refused, asking me out and using every excuse he can to have any sort of a relationship. Now that I’m on city council and the only vote to refuse shutting down his establishment, he uses the appreciation excuse to send presents. However, I’ve learned the hard way about being indebted to supernaturals. My husband was obligated and toward the end I found out he’d tried to use me as payment. “You know I can’t accept free food, Julian.” He reached for my hand, pressing the softest kiss to my knuckles Despite my resolve, flutters tingled through my body at the contact. “I know you won’t accept free food. And you know that it will not break me.” His dark eyes gazed into mine. I lowered my eyes to his lips. Time stood still. They were incredibly sensual. Most women plumped theirs up with injections for that kissy effect but Julian had it all for himself. Glossy black hair with a superb, lean muscled body completed the sexy ensemble. The one that I frequently imagined nude. I was lost in the beauty of Julian before I became aware he was speaking softly. “Let me walk you safely back to your gym, Anjelia.” 8

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“Safely? It’s next door and it’s broad daylight.” But it was a sweet offer and I squeezed the fingertips still entangled with mine. However, I spoke too soon. “She rejects you again and again and still you offer her protection? What can you possibly see in that human over a vampire?” a female voice rang out. The beautiful redhead glided toward Julian, her emerald-green eyes shooting daggers at me. Her pale complexion was set off to perfection by the deep emerald outfit she wore like a second skin. The shimmery, green material was so dark it was nearly black. Why couldn’t that pale skin be covered with the ugliest smattering of freckles? Julian was still looking into my eyes. I spoke quietly, for his ears only. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag, hmm?” He knew what I was talking about. Until this point, he’d not yet admitted being vampire. The bar went deathly still. Julian’s eyes never left mine as he uttered one word. “Johnny.” The muscled bartender-bouncer took hold of the redhead’s arm and dragged her to the stairs from whence she came. I heard her pleas as she was pulled away. “Please, I didn’t mean anything. I meant no disrespect. Really—” There was silence when the door slammed. Soundproofing. Necessary for a nightclub, I justified. Julian acted as though nothing unusual had occurred. “Shall we?” He offered me his arm. I was slightly shaken up by the scene with the redhead so I took it. He walked me slowly back to my gym through the shadows of our building’s hanging canopy and handed me my bag. Since I now knew he was a vampire, he must have been extremely old to be able to walk outside in the shade. One of the reasons why I never quite knew for sure whether or not he really was one. Nearly at my door, he turned to me. He pulled me close and stepped in, his lips hovering over mine. “You’re under my protection, Anjelia. She won’t bother you again.” His lips barely touched mine and instantaneous desire slammed into my body. Before I knew it, he was gone. I was left breathless and achingly unfulfilled. Lily, Anna and Nicki were upon me immediately. Still bemused from the encounter with Julian, I just stared at the trio. As usual, Lily was in the middle, her pale blondeness a stark contrast to the dark hair of the other two. The three girls were always together and all were beautiful in their own way. Lily was sweet, a gentle little soul with dark, large eyes. She reminded me of a doe caught in the headlights. Anna was, well—Anna. Not quite a bitch but very close. Unless she liked you and I guess I was lucky in that respect. She was athletic with dark hair and tilted green eyes. Full lips and heavy brows that seemed to fit her face made her overall features extraordinary. 9

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Nicki was the intelligent one. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d been a rocket scientist when alive. And depending upon how long she’d been dead, of course. She was also the mediator of the group. She was slender, with eyes as dark as Lily’s, yet almond shaped instead of round. Her pale skin had a light smattering of freckles over her cheeks and the bridge of her pert little nose. “How’d you rate a walk back with the boss?” Nicki asked. “I don’t know. Something strange happened.” “Strange? Like what?” asked Lily. “I was talking to Julian and a redhead appeared out of nowhere. Said something about how she doesn’t know what he sees in a human. Johnny pulled her away and Julian offered me his ‘protection’. Does any of this make sense to you guys?” There was a minute of silence while the girls looked at one another. “The redhead is Danielle. She’d love to sink her claws into the boss. They used to be close centuries ago. For some reason Julian still keeps her around.” Lily shuddered and that said it all about her feelings for Danielle. “What does this have to do with me?” I asked. “She’s jealous. We all know that the boss has, shall we say, a soft spot for you?” “A crush? He barely knows me. I avoid him more than I speak to him. I’ve given him a few votes, that’s all. I expect nothing in return. Especially now.” “Especially now? Now that you know what we are?” Anna nearly growled. “No offense guys.” I held out my hands in a submissive gesture. “But I don’t date humans, much less vampires.” Suddenly Lily grinned. “This may just work out to our advantage. If the boss thinks that you won’t go out with him because you know for certain what we are, instead of refusing for just suspecting, he’s going to be furious with Danielle. And we get to watch.” All three continue to grin at each other. I smiled. They were incorrigible. “Play it as you will, girls,” I said, moving to my front desk. They waved at me and headed back to the bar. At the door, Lily looked back. “Oh, by the way, I’m glad you know. I’m tired of sneaking over here to work out on cloudy days or running through the shadows. And ‘protection’ means you’re marked as Julian’s property. No one else can own you, mark you, bite you, whatever. Bye!” She left me standing with my mouth open. I closed it as I realized that Julian would question them when they returned. He had noticed them working out. He’d ask and they’d tell him I thought it creepy to date a vampire. He was starting to ask me out more often lately. Maybe now he would refrain. Maybe this could work out to my advantage. Maybe, if I’d have known that I was about to embark on a dark, twisted path with the supernaturals of the world, I’d have packed up and moved away.

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***** The next morning dawned bright and early, complete with birds singing. I remembered tonight was my monthly city council meeting. Being a member is nothing to brag about, for they’re a bunch of snobs. Plus, it’s an inherited position. My father was Mayor of the city and my mother was the City Manager back in the good old days before the council was corrupt. Both are deceased now but when I moved back home, the position was offered to me based on my lineage. I’m sure that’s a decision now regretted as I’m considered contrary. As far as I know, mine is the only appointed position. I drove over to Main Hall and entered the conference room, then took my seat and tugged my black blazer around myself. The air conditioning was always turned up full blast in these meetings. I suspected half the council members were from hell and this was finally their chance to control the temperature. “Been wearing a lot of black since you’ve been hanging out with the vampires.” The tone in the voice was snide and I knew who it was before I even looked up. “Councilman Grove. I do not now, nor have I ever, hung out with vampires. If I chose to, however, I would do so regardless of your opinion. I actually wore black when I realized it was my monthly meeting. And since when is wearing it a vampire consideration?” My tone was as sarcastic as his own. I couldn’t help myself. The weasel always made my hackles rise. Glenn Grove was a pain in my ass. His vanity was incredible, not that he had anything to be vain about. His hair should have been brown but the shades varied during the month. He started the month with a fresh dye job and it was a few shades darker than normal, nearly black. It slowly faded during the month to an almost reddish color before he dyed it again. He wore thick, coke bottle glasses and a mustache that hung in waxed handlebars down the sides of his mouth. His weight also fluctuated greatly. A lot of the time he was on a liquid diet and was rail thin. Then the man would lose all control, ignore the diet and blow up a good fifty pounds before the vicious cycle started again. He was in his thin mode right now. “I think bite marks on your neck would be a good indication of whether or not you’ve gone vampire.” The jerk actually tried to look down my blouse. “I think a better indication would be my funeral procession followed by my rise shortly thereafter.” “Maybe we should behead or stake you to make sure you don’t rise.” “If you think you can get that close to me, you try it,” I warned. “Children, children. Please take your seats.” Mayor Barbara Flagstaff spoke to both of us but looked directly at Glenn. I allowed myself a smirk as he sat with an unbecoming shade of red coloring his cheeks. Councilmember Glenn Grove was a woman hater. Everyone knew it and everyone wondered why his own wife put up with him. And, it absolutely burned his butt to 11

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have to concede to our female mayor. Barbara tended to favor me. She was a fair person, had known my politician parents and welcomed another woman to the council. If she had her way she’d get rid of Councilman Grove but his position was elected and not appointed. “First up on the agenda is whether or not to allow a bar and grill type establishment known as Bang’s to continue to run its business. Arguments for the position are that we don’t want to attract this kind of nightlife attention to our city. Arguments against claim that diversity is needed in our city…” Barbara’s voice droned on, bored. We’d heard this argument every time it was allowed to be brought up, about every three months or so. I scribbled on a notepad near my fingers. This was the usual argument against Bang’s, nothing new and as usual I would veto it. “As you all know, this bill needs a unanimous vote in order to pass. All in favor of the bill?” A few hands went up. “All against?” My hand rose. There was a collective groan across the table. I sighed. “Did you really expect anything different this month?” I asked no one in particular. “Especially from coffin-bait,” someone muttered. I was sure it was Grove. “May I remind each and every council member that we are televised and professionalism must be observed at all times?” The mayor’s voice rang sharply. She was a stickler for keeping on track. There was no response. No one would confess to the statement. I smiled, my chin up. “My vote stands.” “Then with seven ayes and one no, the measure once again doesn’t pass. Next point of business will be the allowance of a new development to the city…” Three hours later we finally stood to leave. It was eleven p.m. and I thought about driving to the gym to finish paperwork but all the antagonism in the board meeting exhausted me. It would take all my energy just to get home and drag my tired body straight to bed. I walked across the darkened parking lot to my car. It was eerily silent outside. I fumbled with my car key as I tried to insert it as quickly as possible into the lock. Instead I dropped the damned set and bent over to retrieve them. A booted foot stood in my line of vision so I slowly straightened. “Why do you persist on vetoing my bill every time it’s brought up?” Councilman Grove asked me, his piggish eyes boring into mine. “Why do you persist in bringing up a bill like that?” “What’s it to you, Councilwoman?”

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“Because a few decades ago it would have been black and white segregation, Councilmember I would have vetoed it then. And I’ll veto it now.” “I’ll be honest with you. There’s an organization out there that believes in segregation. And before you look down your nose at me, think about it. We’re their food. There should be segregation.” “What’s your organization? Ku Klux Klan?” “Dammit, woman! Where’s your brain? Think about it. Us versus them. They have unlimited strength and we’re the bottom of the food chain. They can hypnotize us into believing we enjoy helping them, which is exactly where you are now.” “This argument is pointless. You’re so paranoid you’re beyond reason. I really need to go home and get to bed.” I had a small headache beginning to pound in my head from mentally bashing my head against a brick wall. Grove grabbed my upper arm. “Take your hand off me,” I demanded. He opened his mouth to speak. Words never made it out. Let’s just say, I panic when I’m grabbed. Before I realized what had happened, Councilmember Grove was hunched over his groin on the sidewalk and my knee ached from the connection. I left him there, rolling on the ground. I got into my car and drove home where I could ice my knee. When I arrived there, I locked my door behind me. That’s when I felt it. The best way to describe it is something watching me. The very air around me stilled and my senses prickled with awareness. An awareness that left me feeling naked and exposed. I’ve had these feelings for as long as I could remember. I have no idea who or what watches me, whether it’s good or evil. I can’t imagine it’s good, because I can remember being watched once while I took a beating and no fairy godmother intervened. And there was no intervening this time. I cocked my head to the side as if I could hear something I could not see. I waited, as if something would show itself. It didn’t. It never did.

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Chapter Two On Sunday, I slept late and then cleaned my house. The whole thing, top to bottom. It was starting to get dark by the time I finished so I thought I’d take a long, luxurious bath as a treat. With a nice wine, perhaps. Candles lit around the tub. And some Barry White playing. No, make that Lloyd Weber. The haunting piano tones that send shivers down your back. The only problem was in having to run out for the wine. At least the liquor store was nearby. In fact, it was located in the same strip mall as my gym and the vampire bar. I entered the store and went straight to the wine section. I grabbed my usual but then paused as I thought about it. Maybe I should try something new. Be adventurous. I pondered this for a moment before hearing a smooth, familiar voice. Julian Bax stood next to me as sexy as always in black slacks and a black shirt, the collar dipping low enough to show his exposed pale throat. I nearly groaned. I was wearing old denim shorts and a ratty t-shirt with my hair in a messy ponytail. I felt dusty and dirty while he was immaculate. Better than immaculate, he exuded prime sex appeal with the whispered promise of complete and utterly incredible orgasms. “How are you, Anjelia?” “I’m fine. Yourself?” “Good. What are your plans this evening?” “I thought I’d sit at home in a long bath, decided I needed wine and then decided to experiment with new ones.” A little too much information but I felt I had to explain all three bottles in my arms. I was never more aware of the need to tug my shorts further down my legs when my arms were otherwise occupied. “This one is good. I’d replace this though.” “With what? I’m a creature of habit. I always purchase Old Faithful here.” I gestured to the third bottle in my arms. “Let me.” He stepped in close enough to kiss but didn’t. Instead he took two of the bottles, placed one back on the shelf and kept one. Then he reached for another. “Try this, also. I think you’ll like it.” I nodded. “Okay. Thanks.” “Shall I carry them to the counter for you?” “Sure.” He was still close as we walked to the counter and set down our bounty. “Just put them on my account,” Julian told the store clerk.

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“Julian!” I protested. “Anjelia. I know what you’re going to say and I already compromised with you once this week. I let you buy your own lunch.” The clerk bagged the wines. Julian grabbed the heavier of the paper sacks and walked me out to the car. I fought with myself all the way out, knowing what I should do. “Julian, since you paid for my wine, the least I can do is invite you over for a glass.” Was that my voice I heard? I could hardly tell as my eyes gazed into the velvety darkness of his. All I know is I felt incredible sexy and sultry, as though I could tempt him if I exerted the smallest effort. I caught myself finally and looked away, afraid to stare directly at a vampire. Afraid of possible mesmerization. “Are you inviting me because you’d like my company or because I bought them?” “Because you bought them.” “I’d love a glass.” Vampires never let opportunity pass them by and I wondered if he saw the opportunity to fulfill my desires. We drove to my house. I live in a modest little Victorian-style house, a buttery yellow with white trim. It has a wraparound porch surrounding the bay window that looks into my living room. I unlocked the front door and Julian waited on the porch. I’d expected him to follow me in and turned back to look at him when he didn’t. I raised an eyebrow. “You have to invite me in. I’ve never been in your house.” “And if I don’t?” He raised his hand and tried to place it through the open doorway. It was stuck on an invisible force field, unable to penetrate inside. I walked toward him. His hand was still out, held up against the invisible field. I reached out to him. There was no field for me and my palm settled directly onto his, my fingers perfectly aligned but so much smaller. I pressed against him and he pressed back toward me. I let my hand float gently backward, until the field began. He couldn’t follow again and mine left his. I dropped my hand and stepped back. It was all very interesting and curiosity was one of my dominant traits. “Come on in.” Julian stepped over the threshold. “Thanks.” “Don’t mention it. You were holding our wine,” I said with a wry smile. I walked toward the kitchen and he followed me. I opened a drawer and rifled around for my corkscrew before I remembered I’d thrown it away. “Julian, I forgot. I broke my corkscrew last time I used it. I meant to buy another at the liquor store.” “I guess it’s a good thing you have me along.” He smiled wickedly, baring his teeth. Perfectly white teeth showed, bordered by fangs. 15

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“How sharp are they? Surely you’re not going to…” He didn’t answer but brought a wine bottle up to his left fang. Puncturing the cork, he wiggled it gently, sliding it upward. He pulled the bottle from his mouth and used his incredible hand strength to smoothly pull the rest of the cork from it. I swallowed. His teeth were white and perfectly straight. And as sexy as hell. “I guess you are good to have along. I can’t believe you just did that.” “I’ve been telling you that for years. And what good are fangs if you can’t use them?” I ignored that since I didn’t know in which way he was referring to using those fangs and retrieved the wineglasses. Julian didn’t like being ignored and reached for my hand. “Careful,” I warned. “You do want to be invited back, right?” It was false bravado. Panic had hit my lower stomach as I realized I was alone in a house that I’d invited a vampire with superhuman strength into. Then he smiled and my fears vanished. His lower lip curved and he dropped my hand gently. I watched that lip sexily pouting and had the urge to lick my own before I licked his. I poured the wine. We clinked our glasses together and I took a small sip. “You were right,” I acknowledged. “I usually am,” he answered smugly. I took another drink and tried not to guzzle it with my nervousness. “Show me your place?” he asked. I shrugged. “Sure.” We walked through the second kitchen door and into my living room. My sofa faced the door and I had a bay window that looked out to my front porch. Julian looked about appreciatively. “I like it. It’s very feminine. It suits you.” I had a dark moment as I thought of how my previous house looked when I was married. I’d hated it, the black and white décor, all my husband’s idea. I shrugged off my mood and we walked through the living room to what was originally my office but now was a library. I took him to my bedroom next. “I like your bed. Most single people have small beds,” he said huskily. I preferred a large bed, I slept in the middle, safe, with pillows around me. Though I wouldn’t share that. “You know, if I ever spend the night, you’ll have to move the bed from the window. That wall should do.” I looked at him. “You won’t be sleeping over.”

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“Anjelia, what dirty little mind you have! I merely meant if I were to housesit for you or perhaps if you ever needed an overnight bodyguard. Surely if I am doing you a favor like that you won’t expect me to sleep on that small sofa?” he teased. “Which brings us to the guest bedroom. Feel free to decorate this any way you want.” I led him into the small room which felt dwarfed by his size. Julian smiled slowly at me. “If you let me decorate it, I’d close off the window. Black blinds, black curtains. With that much black, the coverlet should be black also. With your guest room looking so vampy, you’ll never have another human houseguest.” Black? I fought the horror. Was he similar to my ex-husband with his likes and dislikes? I chalked it up to black simply being a vampire color and my husband having been a supernatural wannabe. I shrugged. “I have no human houseguests now. And the room is set up for humans.” The guest bedroom was painted a light, summery blue. Sheer white curtains adorned the window and a lacy white coverlet was on the bed. Nope, I’d never had a single houseguest, male or female. We entered my room again so I could show him my adjoining bathtub with the candles strategically placed around it in preparation for my bath. It was big enough for two. Or, at least, I’d assumed it was. I’ve never had a man in my tub. Or my house, for that matter. “Very nice,” Julian murmured. “I like a big tub.” I had a mental vision of him in my tub, the lights turned low and all the candles lit. The vision jerked something low in my abdomen, triggering a need I hadn’t felt in a long time. He knew. He stepped toward me and brought both hands up to cup my face. I couldn’t help myself, I tilted my head upward as my lips parted in expectation of his kiss. His mouth slowly descended and pressed to my own. I moaned at the connection. His tongue snaked out to meet mine, eagerly tasting and pleasuring with each stroke. His kiss was sultry and sexy and sensual and absolutely perfect. It was the best I’ve ever had. And it scared the living daylights out of me. I pulled away. Whirling around, I left the bathroom. It was up to him to follow, which he did. I headed for the upstairs as if nothing was unusual. My second level was just a loft reached by a tiny little winding staircase. “No basement?” he asked as if the kiss never happened. “No basement. I don’t really need one, it’s just me.” At that moment a thought occurred to me. I wondered if he only felt safe in a basement where no sun could reach. “Do you sleep, uh,” do the undead sleep or do they die? “in a basement?” 17

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“Yes. It’s the safest place from the sun.” “Where do you live?” “Lately I live at Bang’s.” “In the bar? All the time?” “Do you want to know a secret?” I nodded, that curiosity gene getting the better of me as I leaned in. “Underneath the building where we work is a huge, cavernous basement. We actually live there beneath the businesses.” “No one knows? How could we not hear you?” “All the businesses except for Bang’s are daytime operations. During the day we sleep quietly under there. At night we can make as much noise as we want, the businesses are closed.” I was impressed. “That’s actually pretty clever.” “You won’t tell anyone?” “Nope. Not if you’ll show me sometime.” “Would you like to come now?” I looked down at myself. “I really am in no condition to be out in public.” He looked at me strangely. “I’m sure you know you’re beautiful, Anjelia.” “Beautiful?” It made me want to laugh. “You’re surrounded by vampires who look like supermodels. You think I’m beautiful?” He touched my cheek. “Absolutely. No vampire’s skin can be this warm, not naturally. And it’s so smooth, so soft. Vampires, we all feel the same. Touching another vampire is like feeling yourself.” “May I?” I indicated touching with my fingertips. He nodded. My fingers found his cheek, tentatively at first. His skin did have a different texture than mine but it was probably something I wouldn’t have noticed on my own. I trailed my fingertips to his hair. It was glossy and black, cut modern and short. Few people have truly black hair. Usually they have a dark brown version. His skin was a pale creaminess that contrasted beautifully with his hair. It was rare to see a black-haired individual with white skin. His eyes were dark, a deep pool of ebony I could see my reflection in as he caught my gaze with his own. Then, slowly, he brought his hand up to cover mine, keeping it pressed to his face. His hand cradled mine as he turned his head to press the barest of kisses to my palm. I noticed it was a few degrees cooler. I shivered for him. “Are you always cold?” I asked. “It’s something you get used to.” He shrugged. “But do you crave warmth?”

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He nodded. “We can’t go into the sun. We dread summer because the days are longer and that means less time that we can be outside. It makes for long days.” I had the strangest urge. An urge to lift his shirt and wrap my arms around his bare skin. To warm his cooler body with mine. Instead, I stepped back. “Let me take a quick shower and you can show me your basement, okay?” Julian inclined his head and stood where I left him. I backed away, still fighting the insanely uncontrollable urge to lift his shirt. I showered quickly and even washed my hair. I blow-dried it a little bit and put the rest up in a loose knot where it would dry curly. And finally, I hurried out to my living room where he still waited. “All done.” He stood and his nostrils flared ever-so slightly. I was aware that he was sniffing me. I never wore perfume. My ex-husband didn’t allow it and now I was just out of the habit. I know now that perfumes are too strong for the sensitive noses of the supernaturals and my ex was making me more attractive to them. All Julian would smell was the scent of just scrubbed skin and the faint scent of the shower gel I used. Grabbing my car keys, we drove to work. His work, the bar and my work, the gym. “Where shall I park?” “Here is fine. We’ll enter through the bar.” We went into Bang’s and Johnny was behind the bar as usual. He waved at me and I waved back before Julian escorted me to the back stairs. “Going up leads to my office. Going down, however…” It didn’t look like a downstairs. It was a closed hallway. I looked at him, puzzled. “It’s masked. Courtesy of Tanya, our resident witch. Humans don’t notice the opening. Here, take my hand and trust me.” Julian walked slowly through the wall. His hand gently pulled mine through and the rest of me followed until I was on the other side also. I didn’t feel anything. My brain was befuddled, like it couldn’t comprehend my body going through a wall. He didn’t let go of my hand and I was too flabbergasted to notice that we stood there staring at each other, holding hands. This was the first glamour I’d ever seen. The basement was huge although winding passageways which reminded me of a maze broke it up. It was faintly lit, the walls dark like those of a cave that went on for miles. Julian walked the length of it, pointing out small details. Actually, there wasn’t much I could see. Vampire vision must be a lot better than human vision. His quarters consisted of one large room. There was a sitting area with a loveseat and chairs at the front of the room. A small door led to the bathroom. “You live here?” “I sleep here. I have lots of homes. Homes in other countries, other states.”

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“Vampires don’t sleep in coffins?” “We don’t need to, not always. But, if we’re injured and need to heal or if we need a recharging, so to speak, we have coffins for that purpose. Each one has healing soil enclosed, from each vampire’s homeland. Would you like to see?” I nodded and we left his quarters. The coffin room was in the center of the basement. There were rows of coffins set in a circular pattern. Each coffin was a duplicate of the one next to it, no variance at all. “How do you know which is yours?” “A vampire can sense his own. Smell his personal soil even if two vampires come from the same homeland.” “Where’s yours?” He took me to one of the coffins and opened the lid. Sure enough, it had soil in it. “You can touch it.” That was when I realized that he still held my hand. He released me and I dipped it into his coffin. The soil flowed through my fingers. “It’s warm,” I said, astonished. He nodded and looked surprised himself. The soil didn’t feel like plain old everyday dirt. It was silken to my fingers, flowing in and out and between. “It can’t be dirt. It feels magical. It makes me happy.” I laughed too happy to contain it. I felt bubbly, like I was filled with the effervescence of champagne. Leaning toward him, I confided, “I want to take off my clothes and roll around in it, like a mud bath.” “You feel the magic?” He still looked surprised. Then he looked back at the soil. “It should be simple dirt to you. You shouldn’t even feel the warmth.” “I do. I’d like to lie in it.” “Go ahead.” “It’s a coffin. What if the lid slams shut?” He climbed in gracefully and held out his arms. “Come on.” I climbed in also and lay next to him. We were a little close, it was a one-man coffin. It felt peaceful and relaxing, like taking a warm bath on a lazy day. Or, watching a storm outside when you don’t have to leave the warmth of your home. I snuggled into his body, relaxed and aware that I could sleep like this. I basked in the comforting feeling of his coffin. Then I realized the comfort wasn’t wholly from the coffin but from the body pressed alongside mine. As soon as I realized that, comfort left and awareness began. His arm was under my head and I was slightly turned toward him. I couldn’t see anything in the dark but I was very aware of where our bodies touched. One of his knees was pressed slightly between my own, innocent enough. The innocence would shatter if I opened my legs and let it slip further against me.

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My heartbeat sounded in my ears. I could actually feel it thumping, pounding the blood through my veins. Certain he could hear it in the close proximity, I said, “We really should get out. I need to get home and I just feel like taking a nap.” “Why don’t you spend the night, sometime?” He leaned over me and the muscles of his thigh pressed purposely between my legs. It caught my breath. Warmth pooled between my legs and I knew without a doubt that special spot was beginning to swell with pleasure, whether he knew it or not. “It’s a little strange. I mean, it’s perfectly normal for you to sleep in a coffin but I’m human. How would I explain it?” “No one needs an explanation. No one will know but you and me,” he whispered. We were talking about two different things. Weren’t we? “Be brave, my sweet.” I felt his breath against my lips and I knew how near he must be in the dark. “Maybe,” I hedged, still wondering exactly what we were talking about. His finger stroked alongside my cheek. It found its way to my mouth and traced my lower lip. Now I knew exactly what we’d been talking about. I paused while I fought the overwhelming urge to part my lips and suckle his fingertip. “One day.” I promised and wondered what I was promising, the sleep in a coffin or more. No matter, in either case I was sorely tempted. My thoughts ran rampant. I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. As much as I fought prejudice against vampires, I didn’t want my own life linked to them. Although Julian made my heart race and my blood soar, I didn’t really want to be coffin-bait. I didn’t want to sleep with a vampire. But he was a temptation I’d never before known. Sure, I blamed my squeamishness on almost being sold to the supernaturals. Still, I wondered. Deep inside, was I as prejudiced as the rest of my race? But I was too far gone and it had been too long since I’d had any male companionship. My body creamed. I turned slightly and sucked on the finger so near my lips. After feeling the desperation in the long, deep pulls, he knew exactly what I needed. He took it gently from my mouth, quickly unsnapped my jeans and pressed on my swollen clitoris with the finger still wet from my mouth. I moaned when I felt the connection. Electric shock zipped through my body at the sudden warm succulence of his moist finger. My hips thrust at him, slow, smooth circles rotated in rhythmic undulations. “That’s it,” he crooned. “Lose your inhibitions. No one will know. Come for me.” His finger was pure magic. He inserted it deep within my slippery passage while his thumb pressed my clit.

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I was on fire for him, vampire or not. My breathing grew heavy while enjoying his ministrations and I wondered exactly how wet I was. I wondered if my slickness ran down my thighs, if it covered his fingers in sticky juices. If he would smell me later should he bring his fingers to his face. That thought sent waves of pleasure spiraling throughout me. My muscles clenched around his fingers as the orgasm slammed into me, the splendor going on and on, reaching every nerve ending in my body until I thought I might die from sheer bliss. “Julian,” I called out on a sigh. His lips found mine and he slowly kissed me, bringing me down to earth. I began to relax and he removed his hand when my muscles released, cradling me to him while my thunderous heart finally calmed. When we climbed out of his coffin he closed the lid regretfully as though he didn’t want to leave. It was the oddest thing. I should have felt like I had to brush myself off but I didn’t. He took my hand again, leading me from the coffin room. I allowed it, pretending that I needed to be led in that poor lighting. Ignoring the fact that I’d just climaxed in his coffin. A vampire’s coffin. We went back upstairs to the bar. On the way up he asked me if I would mind waiting while he fed. “How, exactly?” I suspiciously covered my neck with my hand. Was this payment for the orgasm? He laughed. “I mean with a glass of O Negative from the bar, Anjelia.” “Oh. Why O Negative?” “It’s my favorite.” “I just wondered. O Negative is my blood type. I wondered if you knew.” He laughed again. And hugged me. “No, I can’t smell your blood type through your skin. I would never dream of feeding from you without your invitation.” He stopped hugging me but was still standing close. Close enough to kiss, again and again. “I do think you’re perfect for me though. You feel the healing magic of my coffin although you’re human. You’re just my flavor and you respond to me wonderfully.” I thought, for just a moment, that Julian might have kissed my lips briefly. But I don’t exactly know for sure. Maybe I imagined it. We were upstairs and headed to the bar where Johnny was tending as usual. He nodded at me and slid a glass of Red down the counter to Julian. “Leah, can I get you something?” “No, Johnny, I’m fine.” “Anjelia,” I heard behind me. I turned to see Nicki. “When did you get here? Come see Anna and Lily for a minute. I’ll bring her right back,” she said to Julian.

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She grabbed my hand and led me through the crowded dance floor to a table where Anna and Lily sat. I went with her, relieved because I wondered if Julian wanted to drink in private. I wasn’t sure how I felt about watching him drink a glass of blood. The thought turned my stomach. Blood stains, doesn’t it? I imagined it staining his lips, staining his teeth and I fought down the revulsion. As we walked away from Julian, I thought to myself, I can’t believe I was just in a coffin with a vampire. Did I really lie close to him and let him touch me? Did I moan with pleasure and have the most wondrous climax of my life? I didn’t have time to ponder it further because Nicki and I reached the table and sat down. I looked at the other two. Lily leaned into me, face curious. Anna slouched back in her chair with a bored expression upon her face. “What’s up, Leah? Not much of a bar hopper, are you?” Anna said. “Looks like I’m hopping right now,” I said sarcastically. “And you’re with Julian. Miracles happen.” “I’m not really with him. We were just visiting, like friends. I ran into him earlier.” “Then how did you end up here?” “Well, as you can see, I’m not exactly dressed to be on a date. He was just showing me around and we wound up here.” I waved my hand as if it was no big deal but they didn’t fall for it. There was a pregnant pause. “Well, to wind up here, he would have been showing you around downstairs, correct?” I didn’t know quite how to answer. Lily smiled. “Fess up, girl.” “Yes, we were downstairs. He was just showing me his coffin.” That didn’t sound good. Especially with the way all three girls stared at me. “I mean, our clothes were on. That is, just showing me his coffin. We didn’t do anything. We weren’t even thinking about that. I mean, I wasn’t. Not that Julian was. What? Say something.” I finally stopped talking. Nicki spoke. “A vampire doesn’t share his coffin, Leah. Ever. Especially a master vampire. To know where he slumbers when dead to the world, you’d have the power to destroy him. Did you notice that all the coffins were the same? No one knows which coffin belongs to him. Even us. We can only sense out our own.” Julian chose that moment to appear. He placed his hand on my shoulder and I looked up. I felt that momentary life pause, where the world just stopped as I gazed into his dark, penetrating eyes. “I thought you were bringing her back to me, Nicki,” he growled, while returning my stare. Her voice was unrepentant. “She’s been gone two minutes, Julian. I was going to bring her back in two and a half.”

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“Smart aleck.” He took my hand and led me away. The music was loud and he held me close, wrapping his arm around my waist as he spoke into my ear. “Do you want to dance?” “No, I should be getting home. I work tomorrow morning.” While reluctant to leave, I really felt like I had to get home and collect my thoughts over what just happened in the coffin. I thought he might argue but he didn’t. He simply nodded and we walked back out to the parking lot. Once we arrived at my car, he got in with me. I looked at him in surprise. “I’ll see you home,” he said. “But how will you get back? We drove here in my car.” “I fly,” he said simply. I drove to my house and he walked me to my front door. I wondered if he would kiss me but he didn’t even try. He just inclined his head toward me, told me he’d had a fun evening and then he was gone. I shut my front door, bemused. I actually had fun too. With the vampires. With Julian.

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Chapter Three Two nights later my doorbell rang. I opened the door to find Julian standing there. I invited him in though I was a bit wary of his intentions after I had allowed him to masturbate me. Would he want me to sleep with him now? We sat on my sofa and I made sure there was some space between us. “Relax, Anjelia. I’m not here to bite.” “Why are you here?” “I just thought you’d like some company. You seemed to enjoy my presence the other night.” “It was fun,” I acknowledged. “I’m not sure what your intentions are now, though.” He held up his hands in a mock surrender. “Nothing. I swear. I just thought I’d let Johnny handle the bar for a while. But you know how it is when you’re in charge, you want to jump in. I had to remove myself so I wouldn’t be tempted.” “Okay,” I said warily, still not convinced. “Will you let me take you out to dinner?” “I didn’t know vampires ate. Food, I mean.” “We don’t. Unless we have a human servant, in which case the ability to taste returns. Probably a trait from the caveman days to give vampires and humans something in common.” “What’s a human servant?” “A binding between a vampire and a human. It’s rare since it has to be a master vampire. It’s like your human version of a marriage. But permanent.” “So you’d like to take me to dinner and watch as I eat?” “I’ll have a glass of wine. You do eat, right? You’re not something other than human?” he teased. “I eat.” “Go on, then. Put on a fancy dress and I’ll take you out to an even fancier restaurant. It’ll be fun.” I nodded. For some odd reason, I was comfortable with Julian as if I’d known him a lot longer than I really did. I rose and went into my bedroom to change. Once inside, I called out to him. I’d left the door ajar so he could hear me. “Will you explain more about vampires to me?” “Of course. What would you like to know?”

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I thought about that. “I don’t know. I like Anna, Lily and Nicki. I’d like to know more about your race, I guess. I’d hate to make a social blunder like cutting my finger and sucking on it in front of a vamp.” He laughed at that. “You can suck your own blood if you wish, my sweet. The blunder occurs in not offering a lick to the vampire.” I stuck my head out the door. His eyes were glued to the opening. “What? I should offer a lick of a bleeding cut to a vamp?” He nodded. “It’s courteous. The vampire will accept and in doing so, you have the promise that he’ll protect you from any harm that night.” “Harm by the vampire? If he gets hungry for more blood?” “Or if he sees you in danger. Any kind of danger, whether from another vamp, a racing car, a speeding bullet. He will automatically rescue you. A courtesy.” I stuck my head back into my room to finish getting ready. That opened up a whole lot more questions. I sauntered out of my bedroom, adding the last earring. “You’re beautiful,” he said as he rose from the sofa and kissed my cheek. “This old thing? It’s been sitting in my closet forever,” I teased. That statement actually was true. I bought it as one of those “just in case” dresses and I’d never worn it. I sighed. It was a silky green dress and strapless looks good on me. It ended at mid-thigh which was a little shorter than I’m comfortable with but I’d actually bought the dress for its color. I’ve never owned anything in green and I found the color made my hazel eyes turn the same. Now, I’ll never be able to wear it again because he’ll know it’s the only dress I own. Except for the “funeral” dress. All in black and the last funeral I wore it to was my husband’s. We got into Julian’s sporty little black car. I am not good with cars. I’m not totally ashamed to admit that I don’t know a Corvette from a Buick, although I have heard the names and I know the Corvette is more expensive. All I know about this little black number is that it attracted attention. We stopped at a red light and people stared. At the restaurant, we were seated in a private room. I wondered how much money he had to command his own room. I wondered if that was one of the questions I could ask and decided against it. I ate alone while he enjoyed his glass of wine. “I almost feel guilty eating in front of you.” “I cannot eat.” “I know. Still, it seems rude.” “I find it relaxing to take you to dinner. One thing is certain, we won’t run into any other vampires in the city that I’ll be forced to make polite conversation with.” “Oh. Good point. I guess they wouldn’t be at dinner…unless they were with a human, right?”

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“Right. And what are the chances of that? So tell me, how’s the gym business coming along?” “It’s fine, actually. Sometimes I’d like to play hooky and just not show up for work one day. It would be easy if I had employees, I guess. I just can’t afford any.” “Why don’t you let me send one of my employees over? They’ll be paid by me whether they’re at the gym or at the bar.” “I can’t accept that.” “Why not? You can trade, perhaps. She’ll be paid by me and you can offer her a free membership.” “That does sound appealing. But I can’t let you pay wages for me.” “Don’t think of it as owing me. You’d be doing me the favor, really. And I have to pay them anyway whether they’re at the bar or at the gym. Vampires pay for servitude and loyalty. Not just employment.” I smiled at him. He did sound sincere. “Tell me about all your vampire abilities, Julian.” “What do you wish to know? The basics? Newer vampires cannot be outside during the daylight hours, of course. A few have the ability to be awake during more daylight hours. Especially an old master vampire, like myself.” “How old are you?” “In my day, a woman would have slapped me if I’d asked her that,” he teased. I giggled. “Are you going to slap me, Julian?” “I would never raise a hand to you, Anjelia,” he said as he took my hand in his. “You have to know how I feel about you.” I pulled my hand away. And I smiled at him gently. “You can’t possibly know how you feel about the real me. You don’t know me. Really know me.” “And if I said I do?” If he really knew, he would know about my repulsion for watching him down a glass of blood. I fought the thought away. “Then you would know that I enjoy my solitary existence. I’m not looking for a relationship.” “What I know about you is that you fear a relationship. You had a bad experience with your marriage and let it taint you for life.” “Maybe.” I finished eating my meal in silence. We drove back to my house and he walked me inside. Together, we sat on the sofa and I looked at him. I had a glimpse of his profile before he turned and gave me the full impact of his face. Sucking my breath in, I spoke. “If I am interested in having a relationship, you’d be the first to know.” “Thank you.” He smiled slowly at me. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

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“Work during the day. And the gym closes early so a facial in the evening with my friend, Connie. Nothing special.” Connie and Desiray owned their own business also—a mother-daughter skin care team. We traded services, a gym membership for spa facials. “Can I see you?” I thought about it. I still had questions, along with lots of curiosities. So I nodded. He leaned forward and kissed me, a gentle little brush of lips against my forehead. Then before I knew it, he slipped out the door and was gone. And then it struck me. I was disappointed. Disappointed in the forehead kiss because I wanted much more, even while I fought the feelings. At work the next morning I felt very energetic. I worked out, I did my paperwork and I visited with gym clients. I was instructing one lady on a weight machine when she motioned toward the front. I looked up and saw Julian at the front desk watching. A rush of pleasure shot through my stomach and I walked over to him. “Hello, Julian.” “Hello, sweet.” He kissed my cheek, his lips lingering in a warm, soft touch. I wanted so very badly to turn my lips to his to be kissed properly. “I brought your lunch.” “Thank you. You didn’t have to.” “I know. I thought you might forget to eat, otherwise.” “You’re probably right.” I sat at the front desk and he sat with me. “Your facial still planned for tonight?” “Yes.” “Would you like me to drive you?” “Aren’t you getting tired of me?” “No.” “Well, it would be fun to have company for the drive downtown. And on the drive back.” “Your friend Connie is the esthetician?” “Yes.” “Is it Connie Sameo?” “Yes. Connie’s SkinSpa. Do you know her?” “I know who she is. I have never been formally introduced. What time shall I come back for you?” “Seven. My appointment is at seven-thirty.” “I’ll be here.” After he left, I wondered why he wanted to go with me to Connie’s. Did he really just want to be with plain old me?

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That evening Julian arrived right on time for my appointment and whisked me across town. He waited in the outside waiting room while I entered the office and smiled at Desiray, my friend’s daughter. “Hi, Des. Where’s your mom?” “She’s in there, getting ready for you.” She motioned toward the facial room and I made my way into it. “Hi, Anjelia.” Connie smiled at me and as always, I was amazed at how young she looked. I knew she was in her early fifties, since her daughter was in her thirties, yet Connie could easily pass for thirty-five or six. Obviously the good skin was attributed to her years as an esthetician. Or so everyone thought. I knew better since I’d been friends with her at various times during our lives, despite the difference in our ages. Connie looked good because she would live for a very long time. She had let me in on her greatest secret. She was a werewolf. I’d known about Connie forever. I knew about her back when I was married to Trevor, although she and I lost touch for a while. She helped when Trevor died, flying out east to help me sell the house and move back to my hometown where she still lived. She even helped me purchase a new home and get my life back together. Trevor had wanted to sell me. Sell me to pay a debt he owed. That part I never shared with Connie. Especially since I was sold to werewolves and she was one. I’d kept the information from her since I didn’t know what pack I’d been sold to or even what pack Connie belonged to. It just seemed too private to share. It didn’t surprise me that Julian had heard of her. The supernatural world ran tight even though the vampires and werewolves had struggled in some sort of war for centuries. During my facial I could see the moon through a skylight above the facial bed. So far it wasn’t full, yet I could feel the mounting tension in Connie. “It won’t be long now,” I murmured with a pumpkin mask slathered on my face. “Yeah,” she agreed distractedly. “What does it feel like?” I asked. “It’s hard to describe. The human side of me dreads the full moon. The change is painful. Your body twists and breaks unnaturally. Yet after you change, it’s pure relief. The animal side welcomes the strength, the freedom. And you know it’ll be hard to wait for another moon. The hunger is insatiable, there are so many hungers rolling through your body.” “What do you do?” I whispered, so as to not break her mood. “Every full moon your pack meets, welcomes new members and gathers to change together. We run and hunt. We meet a few days before the full moon, get acquainted in our human forms, take care of pack business. And then after the change, we’re acquainted with certain wolves. Wolves mate for life, you know.”

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“I know.” I still whispered, trying not to break her train of thought. “My wolf-mate passed away.” “You had a wolf-mate? But you’re not married.” “As a human, I’ve never married. As a wolf, I’d mated. He’d had an accident in wolf form, several years ago. I haven’t re-mated since.” “Did you love him?” “No. Not as a human. He wasn’t my type. When we were wolves however, we were well suited. We craved each other. We always ran together. You see, a mate is exactly that, you’re together in your human form, together as wolves also. A wolf-mate, though, is just your mate in wolf form. You may go your separate ways as humans.” “Was he Desiray’s father?” “Yes. It was hard so many years ago. When you get pregnant in wolf form, Anjelia, you bear a pup, not a baby. She stayed a pup until puberty and then one full moon she changed into a human form. And suddenly, I had a daughter. A daughter whom I had to teach how to walk and talk and eat as a human. It took a long time, many years. I was grateful to the pack for all their help.” “Didn’t her father help?” “Sure, when we were wolves. The pup ran with us then. When I changed to human form, she came home with me. She never knew her father as a human. I never had much to do with his human counterpart. In fact, I believe he was married in his human form. I didn’t know his wife.” She shrugged. It didn’t seem like a big deal to Connie. It was very confusing to me. “Are some married people pack mates?” “Sure. It’s just that we weren’t. He was married to a human woman. I don’t know if she knew what he was or not. I don’t even know if she was aware that he had a pup.” “Were you human or wolf during the birth?” “I’d hoped to be wolf. Especially since I’d been impregnated in wolf form. It just seemed more natural to follow it through. But it wasn’t to be. I went into labor early, before the full moon, so the wolf king had to expend a lot of energy to force me into a change. Then I bore her. A live, squirmy pup. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.” “Where was she born? Surely not in a hospital?” “No. We could never have that. Our wolf king took me in, helped me with the birth. He’s a doctor. Then, to feed the pup, he kept me in the change until she was weaned and able to eat on her own.” “How does he force you into a change?” “A wolf king is very powerful. That’s what makes him king. It was difficult for him, it left him exhausted to use that tremendous amount of power for me. And…” She paused, as she thought about which words she’d share with me next. “He’s unbalanced,

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mentally. He was to take a human once. The woman was marked for his bride. Our wolf queen. He put his power into her marking to heal her from an injury. But before she could be changed, she was stolen from him. It changed him. He can no longer control his emotions when we’re close to a full moon. The lack of power makes him go insane. The pack deals with it as best they can, wolves are very loyal.” “That’s so sad.” I meant it. My heart bled for the poor wolf king and I didn’t even know him. “Yeah, well. I can’t share anything else with you, my human friend. I’ve shared way too much already.” “I know. It’ll never go further than this room.” She smiled at me, wiping the last of the mask from my face. “I know, Anjelia. You’re a good friend. Such a good friend that I’d like to ask you to come with me to my next meeting. Tomorrow.” “What? That sounds like such a private affair, a wolves-only affair.” She grinned. “Oh, come on. There’s someone there that I’d like to meet. He was recently changed. This will be his first full moon. I’d like to talk to him before some other wolf-slut snatches him up.” “You’re interested in his human form?” Connie’s face softened. “Yeah. Can you imagine? Me? That’s why I need a friend with me. I’ll chicken out by myself. I know it.” “No one will be changing, right?” “No, you’ll be fine. It’s a few more days ’til the full moon. We’ll meet again to change then. Once in a while, we split up our meetings that way.” I rose off the facial bed and gathered my shoes and purse. “Would you like to come with me tomorrow night, then?” “Sure, I’ll come with you.” “Great. I’ll pick you up at nine.” “I’ll be at the gym. Pick me up there.” We walked out to the waiting room where Julian rose as we approached. I introduced the two of them and then he and I were on our way. After work the next evening, I changed in the dressing room and left my workout clothes there. Connie was waiting for me in the front and I grabbed my keys to lock up. The minute we walked outside, you could hear laughter and voices. The action was already starting at Bang’s. We got into her car and drove off. “Will I be the only human there?” I asked during the drive. I had to admit I was nervous. “Probably. It doesn’t matter.” “It matters to me.” 31

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“Yes, you’ll be the only human there but I got permission for you to attend. It’ll be so exciting, Anjelia. Usually we mingle, get to know each other. Then our wolf king shares any pack business and if we’re lucky, we get to watch a mating. Not tonight, though. This meeting is a split meeting, which means that we couldn’t get the whole thing together next week during the full moon, so we do the mingling and pack business tonight and when the moon is full, we do the changing and mating. That’s one reason why I was allowed permission to bring you.” “Yeah, not sure I want to watch anyone change into a wolf in front of me. No offense.” “None taken,” she grinned. “How do you feel about watching a mating?” I rolled my eyes. The meeting place was a huge mansion with massive front gates. Men stood at the door, acting as bodyguards. They eyed us appreciatively and nodded to Connie as we entered. There were groups of people inside mingling. A buffet table was set up in the center of the room along with a bar for wine. As we stood near a winding staircase I eyed the place in awe. Connie watched me. “It’s a magnificent place, isn’t it?” “Absolutely beautiful,” I agreed reverently. “Do you always meet here?” She nodded. “It’s our wolf king’s home. Or at least one of them. This one has lots of land. It’s one of the places we use to hunt when we change. Oh, look, Anjelia. That’s him. The new guy I was telling you about.” I looked to see where she pointed. He was a handsome man, blond hair with tanned skin, standing near the bar with the bottles of wine. He smiled at something that was said to him and dimples appeared. “Well, are we going to go talk to him or what?” “Oh, I don’t know if I can.” She looked at me pleadingly. “I’ve never done this before.” I smiled. She was as nervous as a schoolgirl. This was a woman who had been single all her life and raised her child all on her own. “Come on. I need a glass.” I didn’t give her a chance to respond before walking toward her hunk. Connie followed me and I paused before getting to the table. “Excuse me. We’re just after the wine.” “Oh, well, allow me. I shouldn’t be standing in the way of the wine, anyway.” He smiled charmingly. “What are you drinking?” I gestured to the bottle near his right and reached for my own glass He tipped the wine bottle to my glass and I halted him at half. “That’s plenty for me. I’m human. I can’t metabolize the alcohol as well as you all can.” He raised an eyebrow. “You’re human?”

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“Yes, I’m here with my friend.” Connie had been quiet up to this point. I glared at her, silently trying to get her to talk. “I’m Anjelia. This is Connie.” He nodded at me. “I’m Ajay.” He turned toward Connie. “You’re a werewolf?” She nodded and finally spoke. “You’ll be able to tell on your own, soon. After your first change.” “You can tell I’m brand new?” She nodded, silent once more. I tried to break the silence. “No doubt she can sniff you. You must smell like a virgin.” We all laughed. “It’s been years since I’ve been told that,” he still chuckled. “I do have lots of questions, though. The wolf king was supposed to answer them but this meeting was scheduled too close to the full moon. I guess he’s not at his best.” Connie nodded. “I’ll help you. What questions are you wondering about?” “Some of it’s a little embarrassing, probably.” She smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Been there, done that. I wasn’t a born werewolf, I was made also.” “We have a lot in common, then.” “Yes, you do,” I cut in. “And I’m going to save you both a little embarrassment and take myself off so you can have some privacy.” “Oh, you don’t have to leave,” Ajay protested but his face was slightly flushed. “I’m sure this is going to be bad enough for you, especially in front of a human. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I’ll give you two a little time and I’ll be back when you have the really embarrassing stuff out of the way.” I didn’t give either one a chance to respond before walking away and soon Connie was engaged in a conversation with her handsome man. Her face was glowing, her stance casual. I noticed that she was unconsciously standing with one leg slightly forward, curving her hips in a very feminine fashion. Boy, she had it bad. I sauntered over to the buffet table, which looked odd. Then the realization hit. There were no veggies, no cheeses, no fruit. There was meat on the table, just meat. Rare meat, past pink-looking. Into the bloody stage. Yuck. I looked about the room. Werewolves seemed a little cliquish. A group of more mature women was huddled in a corner. A younger set of girls was huddled in another corner, directly opposite a group of men which comprised the largest group in the room. Instead of the young girls being primped and in party mode, the males seemed to be. Biceps were bulging and the men searched boldly at the giggling younger girls.

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I nearly gagged. It was one of my pet peeves, older men lusting after young girls. Why was that acceptable in society anyway? If an older woman looks twice at a man young enough to be her son, she’s on the cover of a magazine. I was heading back toward Connie and her new friend when the group of men suddenly parted and one of them stepped forth. He was tall and muscular, almost too muscular. Very broad-shouldered and his hair was a beautiful brown with lots of blond streaks running throughout. It was longer than most men’s and he wore it tied back in a ponytail. His eyes were golden brown. His eye color matched his hair color somehow, which was hard to describe when your hair was more than one color. He walked directly to me and reached for my hand. I tried to take it back but he turned it palm up and traced the lines there. His fingertip tingled where it touched my skin gently. I stared at him as he held my hand until he looked up and gazed directly into my eyes. I felt a jolt of something through my body and narrowed my eyes at him. My heartbeat jumped when he spoke. “You’re a healer. Maybe psychic. Or you would be, if you cared to use your abilities. I’m Leo.” “Nice to meet you, Leo. My name is Anjelia.” I would pass on divulging my last name to the weirdo, no matter how handsome he was. “You have a mark, Anjelia. A mark of protection, from a vampire. Yet it is not complete. Why is that?” “I’m just human. The mark of protection is a courtesy, nothing more.” “A vampire’s mark is never courtesy. He wants it to be much more than that. He couldn’t have you if you were one of us, a werewolf.” “No, thanks. I’d like to remain human.” This time I did pull my hand away. I was scared now. There was something strange about him and I seemed to be the only human in a room full of werewolves. It would be easy enough to turn me against my will. I turned to walk away and noticed a thin man with lots of wolf features invading my personal space. Wolf features except for his eyes. His eyes, strangely enough, were still human. Sometimes if one spends too much time in wolf form, features refuse to change back. He growled at me and it made me catch my breath. “Away.” I heard Leo’s voice grate behind me. I wondered about the protective quality in it. Perhaps it was okay for him to threaten me but no one else. “She smells like vampire.” The skinny wolf was saying in his deep, mutated voice. “A protection mark. That is all. She is not yet a vampire,” Leo answered. “You see, pretty Anjelia,” he reached out to touch my hair, “you don’t turn your back on me. I am the wolf king and you—you are pretty enough to be my queen.” His voice threatened.

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This was the wolf king? I was surprised. He was beautiful, even when crazy. This was the man I’d pitied just yesterday, the man who’d done so much for Connie when she’d been impregnated by a wolf. “Hey, Dr. Jekyll, I just came with a friend. I’m not one of your kind nor do I wish to be. I also am not in the market for any mates.” “Yet you smell like vampire.” “She smells vampire enough for me to come and protect her.” We both turned toward this new voice. Julian stood in the midst of the werewolves. The room was silent as everyone strained to listen. “Julian, you send someone reeking of vampires into our midst. We took it as a peace offering. Dinner.” “So you offered to make her werewolf, Leo?” Julian raised his eyebrows and his look was very unfriendly. Leo shrugged one powerful shoulder, uncaringly. “I did not know she was claimed as yours.” “She is.” “You came alone? No backup?” Leo hissed. “I did. You know what that means.” They stood nearly eye to eye. I contemplated slipping out while they were occupied. I was sure a fistfight was about to break out. “She was marked by us, first. Does that not mean anything?” Leo growled. All faces turned to me. The skinny werewolf was behind me. I knew what he was about to do. I clasped my arms to the front of my chest as he ripped the clothing from my back. Long ago, when I was married, my husband had branded me. A real, painful, smell the flesh burn, brand. It was low on my back, right in the center of my spine. There was a snarl from the werewolf at my back and I whirled to face him instinctively. Although I held the remnants of clothing up the front of me, the entire room could now see my exposed back. A moon, with a wolf’s face in it. I didn’t know how Leo knew of my brand. “So she has your mark and mine. Was it willing, Anjelia?” Julian asked. “Willing? It’s a brand. Of course it wasn’t willing.” There was silence for a moment. “Is mine willing then?” My answer seemed very important. He’d offered me protection, I’d be a fool not to accept it. Especially in a room full of hungry-looking wolves, some of whom had eyes that had started to change. I nodded.

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“So be it.” Julian turned and looked at Leo. The wolf king stepped back, although he still watched me hungrily. Maybe it was my exposed back because Julian took his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. He walked me out of the room quickly and he turned to me once we were outside of the mansion. “Did you drive?” I shook my head. “Connie drove.” “We need to get out of here as quickly as possible before he changes his mind.” “Okay.” I wasn’t going to argue. He stepped closer to me and enveloped me in his arms. I was aware of floating, dimly aware of soaring through the night air. And then, just like that, we were on my front porch. I was still in his arms and I stepped back. I turned to my door. “Are you coming in?” He nodded. “I think there are things we need to discuss.”

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Chapter Four We entered my house and Julian sat himself on the sofa. No hesitating, no waiting for me to ask him to be seated. I guess you’re pretty arrogant when you reach a certain age. I removed his jacket and handed it to him. I’d long ago lost the tatters of my top. But hell, he’d seen what was underneath. And I’m sure he’d seen women in bras before. “I’m going to put something on.” He nodded and I walked toward my bedroom. I was halfway there when I realized he had full view of my branding. No one’s had a full view of my brand in a very long time. I slipped on another top and met him back in the living room. “I completely forgot about Connie. I left her there. What if they harm her?” “They won’t harm her. She’s one of them. Besides, she’s your only connection to the pack now.” I sat next to him on the sofa and then asked the first question. “You already knew who Leo was. How do you know him?” He sighed. “I wasn’t sure how involved you were in supernatural existence. I was worried when you said your friend’s name. Connie Sameo is a known werewolf in the supernatural world. Remember I said I’d heard of her but never met her?” I nodded. “Vampires and werewolves have feuded for centuries. In the beginning, wolves protected us during the day while we slept. In return we paid them handsomely so they could live a normal human existence, which they benefit from now. Leo, the wolf king, is a surgeon. Can you imagine a vampire being a surgeon? In any case, as evolution occurred we no longer needed each other and the feuding began. I have known him for decades. We’re on the edge of a war that will unavoidably wipe out a lot of humans.” “How long has he been insane?” Julian looked uncomfortable. “Uh, I’m not exactly sure.” “But you know him well enough that you do know he’s insane.” “I’ve heard rumors. None have been verified. Shall I go on?” I nodded and realized that for some reason he didn’t want to discuss the wolf king’s insanity. “By accepting my protection at the club when I pressed a kiss to your knuckles, it gave you a mark. A marking that humans can’t see but others can. It marked you as mine, therefore protecting you. The marking isn’t complete but by verbally accepting it at my club, it’s enough to protect you from vamps in this city. For the werewolves,

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however, it wasn’t enough until you verbally admitted that you accepted it in front of them. But that won’t last I really think you should let me mark you a little more. It’s in your best interest.” “How exactly will you mark me more?” “The first part of it was done with a kiss to your knuckles. More can be done with full-blown sex, our combined fulfillment.” I nearly flinched. I’d wondered why he’d pleasured me only in the coffin. He continued on, “A full mark, which will also establish you as my human servant, would be achieved through simultaneous sex and blood donation.” “Oh, I don’t think so.” “I didn’t think you’d be willing. Still, what harm will the sex alone do? Especially if it will protect you from the werewolves. And I’ve already pleasured you, sweet. You’re a challenge to the pack now because you carry a werewolf mark. Your only protection against them is due to your unwillingness to be branded. But soon that just won’t matter.” “You know, I only need your protection because you wouldn’t leave me alone. If you had, I wouldn’t be attracting all these other supernatural beings.” “Not true. You were offered by your ex-husband, were you not?” he countered. I took a deep breath and didn’t ask how he knew. “My ex-husband is not open for discussion.” “All right then. You would still be a target because you aligned yourself with me against the humans by defending vampires and keeping the club open. And now you are not well liked with them.” Great. Here I was in this mess because I refused to act like the snobbish human that I really am. “Are you sure the only way I can take your mark is sex?” “It won’t be a full marking. But enough for other cultures to leave you alone, yes.” “Okay. Go ahead, then.” He smiled wryly. “You are so romantic, my sweet Anjelia. Should our first time not be worth it?” “Only if it’s our first and last, Julian,” I threatened. Before I could even blink he leaned toward me and moved those incredible lips against my cheek. “Have you ever been kissed by another vampire, my sweet?” “No.” My voice was a whisper with him this close. “Careful of my fangs. They’re sharp.” I had no time to protest before his lips found mine and at first it was soft. It grew more demanding as the tip of his tongue parted my lips and delved inside to stroke my own.

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I moaned and it elicited a deep tingling feeling in my body. A silky flood of warmth and a sense of well-being cast over my entire soul. I didn’t want the kiss to end but it did. All good things must come to an end. That was just the beginning of the pleasure, however. Red-hot lust slammed into my loins, curling my insides and drowning me in instant, thick cream. All I needed now was a couple of fingers inserted deeply enough to tickle the rim of my uterus. He obliged better than I could imagine. His fingers slipped into my pants and found me hot and ready. They curled in me, stroking the walls of my sheath. I shivered with pleasure, especially when long, strong fingers began to pump in and out of my sex repeatedly. He knew exactly what I wanted. My nether lips were swollen and slick as he rubbed my juices over my bared skin, shaved smooth the night before. He tore his mouth from mine to suck at my neck while he removed the top I had just put on. I whimpered when he pulled his fingers from my slit. “Shhh,” he comforted, sucking on my earlobe as he deftly unsnapped my pants. They were whipped down my legs and I was left naked. He licked the cream from his fingers and inserted them into my labia again. Two, then three. I kissed his lips and tasted myself on him. I inhaled deeply as the incredible smell of sex turned me on even more. My tongue twined with his, over and over and I ran it over his fangs. I wanted to feel him. The jutting strength of his cock. With shaking fingers, I unbuttoned his shirt. They were moving so slowly and I just wanted to rip the clothing from his body. With the shirt parted, I found what I was looking for. Smooth male skin pulled taut over sleek muscles. Sexy ridges of abs that ran down into his pants. When I unbuttoned those pants, his cock sprang before me, hard and swollen and ready. I pumped it with my palm, driving him wild. “Oh, yes, my sweet. Just like that,” he muttered, while he paid careful attention to the nub between my lips. His finger grasped at my clitoris and gently pulled. “I’m going to make you come with my cock deep inside you,” he promised and I shuddered at the thought of his long, thick male organ thrusting deep between my sensitive folds. The thought almost made me explode there. “Please, Julian,” I begged. “I can’t hold out.” He was still half dressed. His pants were pushed down below his knees and his shirt was on but parted to expose his chest. He leaned me back on the sofa and inserted the head of his cock between the lips of my pussy.

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I tried to buck my hips to force him inside but he held still. Teasing me with just the swollen head of his huge cock. “I want it deep inside,” I snapped. “Like this?” his deep voice rumbled as he slammed in full to the hilt. I felt his balls slap against me, sending an extra shiver of desire through my sensitive flesh. “Exactly,” I purred. He withdrew slowly, then plunged deeply again, over and over, establishing a rhythm. When he slammed into me, he simultaneously pressed his hips at the end, as though he were sending the head of his cock through my uterus. Julian looked deep into my eyes and I almost thought his glowed red. It didn’t take long to send the fireworks coursing through my body. I exploded at the same time I heard his groan and wondered how he timed our orgasms perfectly. It curled throughout my body and spread out over every pore of my being while my breath heaved my chest. We were still connected as one, with him collapsed on top of me while we caught our breath. “That was the mark?” My voice was husky, my brain slow. My eyelids were heavy and I seemed to move in slow motion. Julian nodded. “You’re mesmerized. I’m sorry. But there are benefits to being my human servant, Anjelia. If you were, you would not get mesmerized by any vampires.” I shook my head slowly, trying to clear it. Mesmerization felt oddly familiar to me although I didn’t like it. “Too much too soon.” Julian moved his seductive lips closer to mine. “What are you afraid of, my sweet?” “Explain the human servant again,” I said, mostly to distract him while I collected my thoughts. “A human servant is bound to her master and the master vampire is bound to the servant. The tie can only be with a master. You would be immune to most blood diseases and we would share eternal life. You would also be immune to other vampires, your physical strength would increase—it is not such a bad thing, Anjelia.” He explained between soft kisses. “What do you gain?” “I would be able to feed through you without physically feeding myself, I would be able to walk in the sunlight with you as my contact and I’d be able to exist on much less sleep than I do now.” It was a tempting offer, I must admit. Or else I was just in an agreeable mood. “You’ve given me the pros. What are the cons?” “Personally, I would not consider them cons. For the rest of our lives we would have to have skin contact and blood exchange.” “How?”

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“Skin contact is just that. Bare skin, yours to mine. Yours to warm mine, mine to cool yours. It’s not exactly a necessity but without it we will both be sickly until we do it. We will feel much better with it.” “Yeah?” “I can tell what you’re thinking. It is not sexual. It’s—comfort. And blood exchange is…” There was a big pause here and Julian looked into my eyes as he pondered the question. “I would have to feed from you. Probably once a week or so. To sustain my life. Right now I obtain my nutrition from any other blood source. Once you are my human servant, however, no other blood source will completely fill that need. Only yours. I will depend on you.” Well, that was a lot of responsibility. “I see. I’ll keep it in mind. Have you ever had a human servant before?” A stupid question, since death breaks the tie. “No, I have not. You are the only person I’ve ever made the offer to.” I didn’t ask why, so he continued on. “Since you are in such a generous mood tonight, I have another offer for you.” I looked at him warily. “Think of it as a business offer, if you will. If you and I have an alignment, it blends the humans with the vampires.” “What kind of alignment?” “If you won’t have a personal relationship with me, how about pretending? If we are known as a couple, we will have the best of both worlds.” “How do we pretend?” “A few interviews, a few photographs. We’ll be seen from time to time in public. I don’t suppose you’d consider wearing my bites on your lovely neck?” I shook my head negatively at him. “Okay, then how about if you start accepting my gifts? And of course, we’ll hold hands, we’ll kiss in public, all the things couples do.” I refused Julian’s offer. Oh, I agreed to the dating pretense, although I wasn’t entirely sure why. But as far as being an eternal human servant, sorry. I had been married to the wrong guy until his death. Can you imagine being tied eternally to a virtual stranger? A tie that even death wouldn’t break, for our deaths would be tied together? I’m surprised that Julian was so gung-ho about it.

***** Good news travels fast. The next morning I found that everyone seemed to know something was going on, some connection with the master vampire and myself. I stopped for my morning coffee and the guy who makes my coffee was unusually

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reserved. Of course, now being slightly marked, I knew why. The guy who normally makes my coffee was a werewolf. Funny how I’d never noticed before. While I waited, Danielle, the red-headed vampire bitch, entered the coffee shop. I nearly shivered at the hatred in her eyes when I was virtually a stranger to her. She seemed to be taking the “protection” thing literally, though, because she ignored me as I did her. When I left, I realized the significance of this encounter. The coffee shop was obviously owned by a supernatural because of the separate door used by vampires. No, it was not segregation, it was a shaded area from the sunlight. It was rarely used, because vampires don’t really need coffee. Although, I guess humans don’t either. In any case, the humans didn’t realize what the door was for. I had never run into Danielle before. Either she was in the coffee shop for some other reason and pretended to be a customer or she was following me. Which was odd since she had previously avoided me. By late afternoon, I had two messages from Julian. I ignored both. Nicki appeared and brought me some dinner. Obviously Johnny had prepared it, for it was a juicy burger and fries. She sat down while I ate and asked if I was coming to Bang’s later. I looked at her blankly. “Why would I come to Bang’s? I’m not exactly the party type.” “Because Julian requested it. The press will be there. We’ve admitted publicly to being vampire. It’s big news. Surely you’re not going to refuse him?” I smiled, the idea tempting. “Oh, no. Anjelia, you can’t snub him. Not tonight. Not when we’re going public.” “I agreed to his protection. I agreed to pretend to date him. But this is the first day since our pretense. I am not going out with him tonight. He hasn’t even asked me.” Plus, he had pretty much duped me into having sex with him once. Nicki shrugged. “He doesn’t usually have to ask. You certainly are stubborn. Most women would be falling over themselves to be honored with his presence.” I rolled my eyes. “Not me. I have other plans.” “What plans?” “I’m curling up with a good book.” “Damn. I better come home with you. You might need some supernatural protection.” I took that as teasing but that’s exactly what she did. I was locking up the gym and she was waiting near my car. We drove to my place and actually, I didn’t mind having someone along. Nicki was asking me some pretty personal questions and at first, it was okay. “I don’t understand why you don’t date Julian—for real, I mean. We all know you’re attracted to him.”

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I was silent as I thought about it. Could I be that obvious? The sex was awesome but why did I fight it? I wasn’t even sure myself. “Yes,” I admitted slowly, “I’m attracted to him. But I’ve always been attracted to the wrong types. Nicki, a vampire and a human can’t work.” “Why not? Surely you’re flattered that he’s all but crawled over the ground you walk on. For years. Since you were married to that creep and let him move you out of town. I can’t believe how often you ignored Julian’s advances, returned his gifts, shunned him in every way but one. You were fair in voting for the club.” “Can we talk about something else? This conversation is getting a little uncomfortable.” “Okay, Leah. What else shall we talk about?” “How about you? You and the other girls. Why are all three of you always together?” “We’ve been together for decades. After a while it just becomes habit, I guess.” “Wouldn’t most people grow apart? Like human relationships?” “We just never have. Lily sired me, you know. I didn’t know it at the time but I had a weak heart. It would have given out. She sensed it and converted me before my heart quit. Isn’t that just like her? To convert someone because they would die?” I smiled. “What about Anna?” “Anna. Anna took us under her wing, got us away from the vamp who had converted Lily. She’s strong, stronger than even she realizes. It’s not easy to break a conversion. She broke her own and she broke Lily’s.” “Johnny?” “Johnny was sired by Julian. Johnny loves Lily, has always loved her. She’s afraid of being ‘tied down’ as she calls it, especially since ridding herself of her sire so we’ve always tagged along. It’s worked well for us.” Nicki and I were having a good time with the visiting but needless to say, my phone was ringing off the hook. So I took it off the hook, setting it on the counter nearby. Around ten thirty, Nicki left for the bar. Soon there was knocking at my front door. I looked out the peephole and saw Johnny. “What do you need, Johnny?” I yelled through the door. “I’m here to escort you to Bang’s. With a message from Julian.” “Come on in, then. I certainly don’t want my neighbors to know the message,” I said as I opened the front door. He entered my house and looked around. “Nice place, girlie.” “Just the way I like it. Have a seat.” Holding a package under his arm, he handed it to me as he spoke. 43

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“Julian’s message is please, please attend tonight and honor him with your presence. To show his appreciation, he’d like you to have this gift.” “A gift and he’s asking please?” I opened the box. Inside was a party outfit. Not just any party outfit but complete. Underwear, shoes, hose. All in black, except for the underwear. That was red silk. Hooker red. “Please,” Johnny repeated. I looked up. Oh, what the hell. First Nicki, then Johnny. A girl could only take so much pressure. I nodded and he looked relieved. I took my box into the bedroom and changed. My hair had been up in a ponytail so all I had to do was spritz it to bring the curls back in. It was already bouncy from being up. I walked back into the living room where he was waiting. He stared at me. I have to admit, it made me a little self-conscious. “What?” I snapped. He gave an appreciative male smile. “Sorry. I’ve only seen you in sweats. You’re very—well, you’re hot.” “Thanks. I think.” I looked down my body with disgust. Julian obviously had fantasies about me in the “Dominatrix” role. There was lots of black, lots of cut out holes and lots of skin showing through. It was a tight pantsuit and had a long half-skirt that draped down my backside to the ground, like the train of a wedding gown. Looking at the bright side, I should be glad there wasn’t a cape. “Shall we?” he said and offered me his arm. We arrived at Bang’s and of course didn’t have to wait in line. I could feel eyes watching us as we strode directly to the front door. Johnny escorted me inside and I noticed Julian right away. It was hard to miss him, since his outfit was the match to mine. We were both in black although his was more masculine and missing the damn half-skirt. He was announcing the next act on stage. I was aware of applause and then Julian made his way to us. He nodded to Johnny, who removed my hand from his arm and placed it on Julian’s. Before I knew it Johnny left and I was standing alone with the sexiest vampire in the room. He leaned forward and brushed my cheek with his lips. “Thank you for coming tonight. I appreciate it.” That left me speechless. I raised my eyebrows. “I could hardly waste the outfit. I definitely think people know we’re together.” He laughed softly. “Especially if we can find a little quiet corner where I can whisper in your ear. Or nibble at your throat.” I shivered at the laugh. And at the thought. He escorted me to a table and I was aware of how many eyes were upon us as we made our way. I also noticed how many of those eyes were female, tinged with jealousy. 44

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We didn’t sit across from each other but on the same side. He was slightly behind me with his arm casually across my shoulders where he could press his lips to my ear. Which he did frequently. I was beginning to enjoy myself. I don’t know when I became aware of it but suddenly I was. I’m ashamed to admit it but I was enjoying the pretense. It’s not every day that an average girl like me snags the master vampire of the city. Especially when he looks as yummy as Julian. So what if he wasn’t a prime catch with my own race? Then there was a man before us asking if he could have a few questions answered. Julian nodded and he sat down. “Anjelia, my sweet, meet Jack Horntrey with the Enterprise paper.” The Enterprise was a local newspaper and featured me quite frequently during some of my more controversial moments. Yet, I had never met Horntrey personally. “Mr. Horntrey.” I held out my fingertips. He grasped them eagerly. “Councilmember Romere.” He was one of the most attractive redheads I’d ever met. And I am definitely not attracted to redheads. His eyes were a soft brown with dark lashes. It was a good thing, to balance that red hair. His hair wasn’t a bright red but on the softer blondish side. His skin tone was even, unlike the ruddy complexion of most other redheads and I could tell he spent time in the sun. “Thank you both so much for granting me this interview. If there is anything you don’t wish to answer just let me know.” I barely noticed Julian’s nod. “Why do you suppose Bang’s has become such a happening place?” “People need a new place to meet. Here, there’s mystery and excitement in a trendy new setting. It’s also a safe bet because of our rules which ensure your safety,” Julian answered. “Like?” “If you meet a vampire at Bang’s, there is no ingesting of blood allowed on the premises. There’s also no mesmerization allowed, so everyone has free will. It’s about meeting people, different people, in an environment that is fun but most importantly, safe.” So the vampires were definitely out in the open. I wondered how city council would react. Eventually the questions turned to our relationship as I knew they would. “How long have you two been an item?” Julian answered. “Since the sweet Anjelia finally stopped refusing me. I’ve chased her for years.” “Please.” I turned toward the reporter. “Can you imagine any girl turning him down? He’s absolutely perfect.” I leaned toward those ruby red lips and pressed a kiss gently to them. Odd that it wasn’t awkward, it actually felt natural. Like we were a real couple. Like we’d kissed many times before instead of just a few. 45

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“I understand you’ve been a member of city council for quite a while.” “Yes, I have been.” I knew what he was implying. That Julian was with me for my votes. Although I should have known better, this was an unforeseen circumstance. “Julian and I go back much further than my council membership. I simply needed time alone after my marriage before I was even ready to think about getting into another relationship.” “How does the council accept this relationship?” Everyone was aware of certain council members trying to run the vamps out of our fair city. “I hadn’t thought about it. Just as I never thought of whom the council’s significant others may be. For all I know, there might be several that are interracial.” Yeah. Like with the demon crowd I mentioned earlier. Julian whispered against my lips without turning his head. “With that, Mr. Horntrey, we will leave you. Our song is playing.” I guess we now had a song. He motioned to Johnny to come over and sit with Horntrey. Johnny was there in a flash and Julian introduced him as his second-in-command. He instructed him to answer the rest of the questions. Then he pulled me to my feet and we glided to the dance floor. We stayed close together so I locked both arms around his neck. He didn’t seem to mind and actually kept his head lowered to whisper in my ear. “We have a song?” I asked teasingly. And to myself, I thought, I could fall in love. I could just pretend he doesn’t ingest blood. He smiled. “They will have a few pictures like this and we can retire to my office if you wish.” I nodded. “Of course, I cannot resist some liberties while we are so close that you would not allow otherwise.” His warm, deep voice murmured near my ear and his hands skimmed my bare back lightly. I wanted the contact of skin against skin. I relished the feel of his fingers sliding down my body. The thought of them buried deeply inside my wetness. I knew I should say “slow down and remember it’s just a pretense” but he was right. I certainly wouldn’t be allowing this in his office. And those fingers felt delicious on my bare skin. His lips found mine. They hovered over me, not quite touching yet. “I would like a real kiss, Anjelia. Pretend there are no people around us and that you wish to be here tonight with me.” He was the master of seduction, no doubt about it. When his lips touched, ever-so gently, I parted mine in invitation and he opened his mouth over mine. He pressed

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gently in encouragement, allowing me to make all decisions. I decided to slip my tongue into his mouth, just a little taste to appease the swirls of excitement that had gathered low in my belly. He met me eagerly. Our kiss continued. I didn’t want to reach the end. But there was a prickle of awareness that made a tingle start at the back of my neck. I pulled away from him and he looked at me wryly, as if he half expected it. Looking around, I noticed why I’d felt odd. Glowing red eyes from across the room. Danielle watched, ruining my mood. “Would you like to go back to my office now?” Julian asked, blissfully unaware. I nodded. He clasped my hand in his and we walked across the dance floor to the back stairs. Before we reached the stairs, I noticed a woman making her way toward us. She was the only person in a bar full of black garbed vampires dressed entirely in white. She was petite, a heart-shaped face framed by waves of white-blonde hair. Sunshine blue eyes made you think cheerleader. She watched Julian as she walked toward us, her face eager. “Julian.” “Tanya. Meet Anjelia.” He turned toward me. “Tanya is our resident witch I told you about.” I held my hand out for her to shake. She looked at my hand, held in midair, disdain on her pretty face. “I can’t touch humans,” she said, her voice gentle and sweet, contrasting with the nasty look I’d glimpsed in her eyes. Julian grasped the hand that I’d held out, bringing it to his lips and kissing the inside of my wrist. “Her loss is my gain,” he whispered, his voice husky. He’d subtly saved the day, rescuing me from any embarrassment over the rejection of my proffered hand. He needn’t have bothered. Female rejection never offended me. Still, the gesture was sweet and I curved my hand to cup his jaw. “Nice to meet you, Tanya,” I said, while deliberately keeping my gaze on Julian. I wasn’t aware if we were still in our pretense-mode or not but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t pretending. I was remembering the kiss we’d shared on the dance floor. I was barely aware of Julian steering me from Tanya and to his office. Yet, we were there, opening the door to enter. His office was plush, richly decorated in a masculine style. I sat on the suede-like sofa. Julian sat next to me, without touching. Perhaps he felt that I was already back to my senses and regretted my rash decision with the kiss. “Anjelia, I am having a good time. Tonight. With you.” “I’m having a good time too,” I began warily. “Would you like to have dinner tomorrow night?”

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“Are we still pretending to date, Julian?” “I’d like to make it real.” “No.” “Just no? No reason?” “No new reason. The same reason as before.” “How long can you avoid me? I know you want me. I felt it in your kiss and in the shared pleasure we’ve had.” The reminder of indiscretion made me angry. “Look, if this pretense was a way to sneak in something else, you can call it off right now.” I knew I was being unreasonable but unaware of why. Wasn’t I just the one who was thinking I could fall in love? Wasn’t I the one who wanted him, even now? “Why are you so stubborn, Anjelia? What are you afraid of?” he asked, his voice enticing, making me think of hidden delights. “I’m not afraid of anything, Julian. I just don’t want my choices taken away.” “You’re attracted to me. Why not let nature take its course?” “If nature takes its course, you’d have been dead centuries ago.” “Okay,” he conceded. “But before our pretense, you actually enjoyed being with me those first couple of nights, right?” “Yes but even then I made it clear that we are not an item. It’s a hands-off relationship.” “Well, let’s be friends then. Pretend in public, friends in private?” I nodded cautiously. He’d backed off a little too quickly. I remembered from my relationship with my ex-husband that this was never a good thing. “So will you go to dinner with me tomorrow night? I like being with you and I like watching you eat. It makes me feel—human.” I was less threatened, back in control. “Yes, I’d like to go to dinner with you then. You and I. Friends.” Julian lowered his forehead to mine. And whispered. “Friends. With benefits.”

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Chapter Five Sunday morning I awoke and had just showered and dressed when the doorbell rang. A delivery truck sat outside. On a Sunday. I answered the ring and the man at the door told me he had a box for Julian Bax. I signed for it and he placed it in my entryway. I eyed it curiously and wondered what was inside and why Julian had it delivered to my place. I guess I would find out tonight when he arrived. In the meantime, I had to drive to the mall to find another dress. One of the parking lots was roped off, separated from the rest of the mall for a traveling carnival. I hadn’t been to one in years. It was daylight out and there were a few families out with their kids. It would be fun to go to a carnival. Maybe I could change Julian’s mind about dinner and talk him into watching me eat a hotdog instead. The most fun about it, though, was that I could postpone buying my dress. Oh, hell, I would need another soon anyway. I may as well bite the bullet and get it. I found a dress quickly enough and was at the register fishing for my checkbook in my handbag. The clerk finished the sale and handed me my bagged dress and receipt. “I haven’t paid you.” “Oh. Julian Bax has an account with us. We’ve been instructed to put your purchases to his account.” “Whose instruction?” “Why, his. I imagine.” She stared at me, baffled as to why I would even ask. I could be upset but it would be embarrassing. Then another idea clicked in my head. “You know, I have another couple of purchases to make. I’m leaving my bag here, okay?” She nodded. I arrived back home that night and changed my clothes, put on a little more makeup and brushed my teeth. Not that this was a real date. Better. I was comfortable with Julian and didn’t have to be wary anymore now that the ice was broken by great sex. I did consider him a friend, as much as Lily, Anna and Nicki. And a friend with benefits wasn’t such a bad idea. I had left the front door open and heard him call my name when he arrived. “Come in. I’m inside.” I met him in the hallway dressed in my short skirt, flip-flops and t-shirt. “I may be a little overdressed,” he said while openly eyeing my bare legs. “Yup. One of us has to change. Depends on what you want to do.”

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He raised an enquiring eyebrow. “I went to the mall today,” I explained, “and they have a carnival set up. The weather is perfect. It’ll be so much fun. Unless you have your heart set on watching me eat dinner, of course.” “We can have dinner any night. A carnival isn’t always around. We’ll go.” “Oh, good. Then I hope this fits.” I brought out my shopping bag with casual clothes for him. Even shoes. And I had fun picking out underwear. I got the most outrageous pair I could find. Bikini-style undies, with a face in the middle, in a silky, bright purple. The nose was the crotch. I wouldn’t see them on him, of course but I would know. I handed him the bag. “Please. Use my bedroom and change,” I said graciously. “You bought me…clothing?” “Uh-huh. Carnival outfit. But don’t worry. You paid. Your account at Dillard’s? They wouldn’t take my check.” “Well, surely no one would expect a girlfriend of mine to pay for her own clothes. Right?” he tried to justify. “And this pretend girlfriend is just going to love dressing you up since you dressed me up last night.” “You were gorgeous last night. Everyone said so. Johnny called you hot.” “I looked like Cher.” He went into my bedroom and left the door ajar. I sat in the entryway facing the door, much like he had previously while I’d changed. I gasped. From the entryway chair, I had a view into the mirror on my dresser. Julian had been watching me undress. I narrowed my eyes. He stripped off his suit, watching my eyes in the mirror. I refused to look away. “Well, well. You little voyeur,” I whispered. “Oh, didn’t you know?” he called out. Damn that super-vamp hearing. “I assumed you knew I was watching. You left the door ajar.” “So we could talk!” He was holding out the purple bikinis. “Uh, Anjelia, surely…” I clucked my tongue. “I wore the outfit you’d picked out for me. You’re not going to hurt my feelings and not wear mine, are you?” I had the view of his buttocks as he whipped the bikinis up those long, muscular legs. Wow. They fit well from the back, as they emphasized the tightest, most perfect ass I’d ever seen He pulled the khaki shorts on before I could see the smiley face and long crotch-nose in front though. I sighed. Too bad. He opened the door fully and stood in the doorway, his chest bare. It was smooth, with six-pack abs just like a magazine supermodel. The need to lick my lips arose. Or

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just swallowing down the extra saliva that had pooled in my mouth would help. I smiled instead. I pulled the shirt over his head, for something to do. I was hoping he hadn’t noticed my racing heartbeat. His eyes watched mine as he put his arm through the sleeve. I still held the bottom of the shirt and tried to act casual. “You look nice,” I complimented. “Don’t forget the shoes.” He went back to the bag and we sat on my bed. There were sandals for him. “Sandals? Master vampires don’t wear sandals!” He would wear the purple bikinis with the big nose but balked at sandals? “Humans wear sandals. We’re going to a human function. Please, Julian,” I said, a serene smile on my face. He closed his eyes and I think counted to ten. When he opened them, he put on the sandals. “I don’t know what you’re fretting about. You have beautiful feet. Most men don’t, you know. If we weren’t just friends, I’d show you what girls like to do with those feet.” He looked at me sharply but I just smiled again. He grabbed my hand, locked my front door and raced out to his car, dragging me along. “Slow down!” I yelped, breathless. Julian never paused, he just kept looking from side to side. In his car I turned to him, starting to feel bad. “Julian, are you really that uncomfortable?” “Not too much.” “You really are beautiful. I wouldn’t have you look bad.” “I know.” “You look very human.” “Promise me that someday I get to dress you very vamp.” “I promise.” He raised my hand to his lips and pressed his lips to the inside of my palm. I looked away, very slowly. And soon we were there. I’ve always loved carnivals. The lights, the screams, the smells of the popcorn and hotdogs. I inhaled deeply to absorb the scents and Julian smiled. “What do you want first?” he asked. “Popcorn? That fry-bread stuff?” “I can’t get over the guilt of eating while you watch.” “Become my human servant and I can enjoy food again.” “I’m not that guilty yet.” Have I mentioned that vampires are opportunists? I purchased popcorn first and we rode the Ferris wheel so I could eat and ride at the same time. I pointed out sights to Julian from the very top where the ride had paused.

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He sat casually with his arm around me, smiling indulgently. I didn’t mind his arm and I would probably appreciate if it got cool later. I leaned forward to look down and put my hand on his bare thigh, feeling the hard muscles clench underneath my touch. I looked at him questioningly. “Is something wrong?” “Your extreme happiness at being with me is making Pinocchio’s nose grow,” he said, kissing the tip of my nose. “Pinocchio? What do you mean?” He kissed my lips next. Gently. And his breathing began to deepen. “Oh. You mean…” “Yes.” My hand jumped off his thigh. I placed it into my own lap as the ride moved down again. When the Ferris wheel descended, we walked around the park. I tried not to touch him unnecessarily. I remembered the package that had been delivered to my house. “Something was sent to you today. To my house.” He nodded. “I sent a box of my clothing to your house.” “Clothes.” “Lots of men keep clothes at their girlfriend’s. To hang next to yours in the closet.” I continued to look at him blankly, wondering where he was going with this train of thought. “In case I spend the night. I’d have a change of clothing.” He looked down at himself with a wry grimace. “Or if we changed plans at the last minute and I had to change suddenly. Or even if you had guests who snooped through your closet, they’d see my clothes.” I laughed. “I get it. You wouldn’t have to wear the clothes that your loving girlfriend bought for you in that case.” He smiled down at me. “Unless it hurt her feelings. Then you’d wear them, wouldn’t you, Julian?” I teased. He gulped. And then looked serious. “I’d probably meet the dawn for you, my sweet.” The carnival closed around two a.m., late for humans, early for vamps. I was tired but I didn’t want my “date” to end. We walked around and then Julian asked if I wanted to know anything else about vampires. “I’m curious about everything. What other tidbits do you have for me?” “I can help you stay up later, revive you, stop you from being tired.” “You can?” He nodded, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “I’ll need your permission.”

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“You have it. Go ahead.” We were in front of an all night convenience store and I’d expected a trick. I thought he would run in and get me a sugary soft drink. Instead he leaned forward and pulled me into him, with his arms hooked around my waist. He pressed his lips to mine and I never protested. I was in shock at first, until a shot of fire raced through my veins. His lips teased at mine, nibbling on my lower lip until I moaned and opened. His tongue darted in and mine was all too eager to meet his. My arms wound around his neck and I couldn’t get close enough. His hands were everywhere, massaging my back and then sliding down, cupping my backside. He tasted of male, slightly spicy and made me crave more. I doubted I could conjure up the usual image of Julian with bloodstained lips if I’d wanted to. It was the bulge pressing against me that caused me to come to my senses. I broke off the kiss and pulled away slightly, keeping my arms around his neck. “What was that about?” I asked, trying to be accusing. It wasn’t working with the arms wound around him. He grinned. “Still tired?” I wasn’t. Not in the slightest. Actually, I felt like I could run, like I’d been revived magically. I stared at him, stunned. I couldn’t even be upset, I was so amazed. I was even more astounded at how much more I wanted. How instantly horny I was. Lust filled my body. I could actually feel my body softening, my eyelids fluttering, my lips swollen from his expert kisses. “Finish the job,” I whispered. “You are sure?” “I need your cock thrusting into me.” “Careful. You may become that real girlfriend.” His eyes glowed with desire. He wrapped his hand in my hair gently and tugged my head backward. With my neck exposed, he traced my racing pulse with his tongue. I could feel the heat from his mouth and my nipples grew erect, reaching for him through the thin material of my cotton tee. He lifted one of my legs to wrap around his waist. I could feel the bulge through his pants as it pressed against the seam of his zipper, over my swollen sex. On my own, I wrapped my other leg around him too and he cupped my behind in his hands to hold me. I ground myself against his body. Tiny little bursts of pleasure sparked around my clit. Very slowly, he walked. Beyond some bushes was a park bench, where he sat with me still balanced on his lap. Unfortunately, a streetlamp lit the area like a spotlight on a theater stage. 53

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“Julian,” I protested. “Anyone could walk by. Look at how much light is shining right on us.” But still, it was kind of exciting to know anybody could walk by and watch. I felt the swell of his power as the air became thicker. Instantly, the lamp was blinked out, leaving the bench we sat on in shaded seclusion. With only the moon as our light. “No one will walk by at the time of night, my sweet. If they do, I will sense them long before they get here. Come, let me have one of those delicate nipples between my fangs.” The thought of danger with those sharp fangs lightly scraping my nipples was an incredible turn-on. I lifted my thin white t-shirt, eagerly taking my bra with it, to expose my breasts to the night air and for his view. He spent a moment or two just feasting on the sight Then he looked up to catch my eyes. “They’re beautiful,” he complimented. “Pink and white. Strawberries and cream.” I smiled and felt his hands slowly come away from my buttocks and rest on my thighs. They slid slowly up, up under my skirt, pushing it up over my waist. My string bikini panties were thin, cotton and white to match my shirt. He grasped the strings that lay over my hips and yanked. My underwear came away in his hands like tissue paper. He tossed it aside. He stared at my spread body, my swollen labia…and I could feel the night air touch my sensitive skin. Then he lowered his face to my aching nipple, giving it a lick before whispering, “I love to see your lips spread open for me like that. Eager, as if you can’t wait for me to sink and thrust into you. They’re flushed pink on the inside and your little clit is so swollen, as if it wants to be taken between my teeth.” He inserted his finger deep into my slick core as he spoke and at the same time sucked my nipple. I nearly came unglued at the magnificent feelings between the sudden two simultaneous pleasures. I squirmed, pushing more breast into his mouth and thrusting my pussy deeper onto his finger. “You’re so wet,” he groaned, his voice rumbling against my hard nipple. “Suck it harder,” I demanded and gasped when he did as the pleasure spikes of sensation filled me. I looked down to see his dark head at my breast, my skirt bunched up at my waist and his finger thrusting in and out of my body. I nearly climaxed. My inner muscles clenched deliberately around his finger and he chuckled. “Okay, sweet stuff.” His left hand deftly unbuckled his khakis and his hard rod burst out. It was long and thick and eager for me. Slowly, he wrapped his hand around it and pumped it for my entertainment. 54

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I never even give him a chance. I pulled my pussy back from his wet fingers with a slight slurp and swallowed his cock with my juicy lips instead. He raked lightly over my moisture-slicked clit with a thumbnail. I thrust hard onto his cock, my body riding his like a storm in the sea. He reached deep and filled me fully and I was so wet I slid up and down his body easily. I loved fucking without a condom. I was so lucky vampires had no viable sperm and no human diseases. I could tell he was close by the way he increased the speed and pressure on my swollen clitoris. If he pressed it deeply one more time… Instead he pulled it and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger. I exploded, waves of electric pleasure coursing throughout my body as my inner muscles convulsed and milked him for all he was worth. I felt the rush of liquid heat from his semen as it coursed through my swollen sex and I collapsed onto him, my mouth opening and sucking on his neck to keep myself from screaming. He smelled slightly of aftershave and we came back to our senses with the scent of our musky lovemaking mingling in the night air.

***** I read the morning paper with my coffee. Actually, it was yesterday’s paper, since I had never read it. The interview from Horntrey was in it. It isn’t half bad, I thought but then it got personal. It started out telling exactly who I was, a business owner next door to the club and a member of city council. It told how Julian and I could not keep our hands and eyes off each other and how we “retired” to his office early in the evening. It was slyly implied that we were not resting and was more gossip column at that point. And it made me realize I’d been played. Of course Julian realized what would be printed when we disappeared. Early. I was duped and had given into my deep desires yet again. I was angry enough to ignore Julian for two days. I ignored him despite numerous phone calls to my house and to the gym. Of course, it was easy to ignore him since I was ignoring all ringing phones since the article. And there were a lot of rings. In the meantime, I spoke to Connie and she told me that Leo had invited her over to his house. Being her king, she couldn’t refuse and told me that during the day he was quite normal. It was only close to a full moon that he became slightly insane. Although she did notice one slightly odd, stalker-ish, thing. Leo kept the tattered remains of my blouse at his house. Leaving the gym on the third night of my Julian silence, I was unlocking my car when I sensed him behind me. I could do that now, perhaps it was since the marking? So I didn’t turn around. “Good thing I didn’t leave the gym during daylight hours.”

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“You would not be that cruel, my sweet. You know that I would follow you. Why are you avoiding me?” “I’m not avoiding you. You have your life, I have mine.” I replied coolly, although it was an outright lie. “You have not returned any of my phone calls. You have not come into the bar for lunch or dinner. You have not come over to see me at all.” “I agreed to pretend to date you for the humans and to accept your mark for the supernaturals. I don’t know what else you want from me.” “I want you to want to be around me. I don’t want you to pretend.” “Julian, you can’t force feelings on me.” “Don’t you feel anything for me?” I took a step back, because like it or not, I was not getting better at lying. He stepped forward and put his hands on the car on either side of me, trapping me in his arms, anger clouding his voice now. “Would you feel something for me if I kissed you? Would you feel the same feelings for me that I have for you or is it simply lust for you?” I whispered as his lips lowered to mine. “It’s lust, Julian.” “I’ll take it,” he whispered back before his lips descended. I kissed him thoroughly. I couldn’t help it. My head swirled as I felt the dizziness begin. Once again, I was mesmerized. “Damn it,” I muttered when I could speak. “I don’t like being mesmerized.” “I could mesmerize you to do other things with me, Anjelia.” I looked at him sharply, aware that he could. There was a dangerous element to the air. I suddenly wanted to throw caution to the wind and jump into bed with him. Was I mesmerized now, at this moment? I took a deep breath. It didn’t matter. I didn’t care. “Okay, then. Just come home with me,” I snapped. “Are you sure?” His voice sounded satisfied, as if he knew the answer. I nodded. Because at that moment, I was. I wrapped my hand around the back of his head and greedily pulled his lips back to mine. I wanted to taste him, possess him. We kissed hungrily, for long moments and vaguely I was aware that our bodies were pressed as closely as physically possible. He was all hardness, all male, pressing against my softness. His lips broke from mine long enough to leave hot, lingering kisses down the side of my neck, each one burned an imprint. “We need to get to your house,” Julian murmured into my ear. “Mm-hmm.” I didn’t quite trust my voice. He walked me around to the passenger side of my car and he got into the driver’s seat. We drove to my house and before I knew it, he was there, opening my door.

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There was no waiting for us. The moment my front door closed we were upon each other. Julian was undressing me. I was flinging his clothes off. When he was nude, I wondered what the hell possessed me to try to hold out and waste three whole days. His body was masculine perfection, the cut of each muscle exciting. I wanted to put my lips to each of those sexy cuts, run my tongue along the dips and valleys. I held his hand slightly away from me while my eyes drank in the sight of him. He stood perfectly still while I looked him up and down. I wandered slowly around his body, letting my fingertips trail along him, just because I couldn’t stand not to touch him. When I stood behind him, I pressed my nude skin against his and felt him shiver at the contact. I slowly peeled away and lowered myself to kneel behind him. Pressing a light kiss to the back of his knee, I let my breath blow as I rose slowly higher. I pressed another kiss to the swell of his buttock and felt him shiver. “Anjelia, come kiss me,” he commanded, his voice a deep husky vibration. I obeyed. I crushed my mouth to his and the kiss sent new spirals of ecstasy rolling through my body. Our tongues entwined but I couldn’t get enough. While our mouths searched each other, he picked me up and took me into my bedroom. He lowered me to the bed and broke away from the kiss long enough to nuzzle my neck while his large hands explored the curves of my body. And then he was in me. My thighs were wrapped around his hips and he was buried deep inside, filling my emptiness and making us one. I couldn’t get enough of him. Each stroke made me clench my inner muscles, trying desperately to hold him in me as he withdrew. The first time he pulled out of my body, I actually whimpered. He paused mid-stroke and reassured me by pressing his mouth to mine. I opened my mouth, seeking his tongue and he obliged. My heart thundered in my chest and he kissed me so passionately, I felt fangs. I felt them, before I realized how sharp they were. The press of his fangs cut my lip. Still, he pressed his mouth to mine, hungrily tasting, seeking and kissing. When he pulled back, his mouth was smeared with my blood. It was bright red against his pale skin and he was so incredibly sexy. His eyes fluttered and his thick black lashes swept his cheek. He plunged into me again, giving a slight smile when I gasped. “I’m sorry, I bled you. I can seal it for you.” His lashes swept downward again as he leaned closer to lick my bleeding lip. He pulled out again and then leaned forward, licking my lip clean as he thrust his hips into me again. When he licked my lip, it nearly brought me to the edge of my climax. I felt it looming, near enough to grasp. The thought made me moan. “They’re connected, aren’t they? Sex and blood?” I gasped. He nodded. “Think about it,” he said and plunged forcefully into me one last time, triggering my release. I rode the waves and clenched him deep inside me, gripping him, milking him hard enough to make him come too. 57

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I felt his liquid as it flowed into my body and he groaned into my neck. I felt the warmth of his breath as he exhaled onto my throat and at the end of his climax he opened his mouth to latch onto my neck. I froze and knew he fought with himself not to bite. Our racing hearts calmed and eventually he withdrew and rolled from me. Afterward, I lay in the crook of Julian’s arm. My lips felt bruised and swollen. He was watching me with his dark eyes and I stared into the beauty of his face. “I don’t know if you’ll ever let me love you again. So I gave you the full mark. You’re immune to vamp powers now.” “No more mesmerizing?” He kissed my forehead, giving me a glimpse of fang. “No more mesmerizing.” “But I’m not a human servant, right?” “Not technically. Unless you’d like to donate blood?” I shook my head. “Then I would like to love you again.” I smiled. “So soon? I wasn’t planning to cut you off, you know. It was too good.” “It’s nice to know. And yes, I am ready again.” He pressed against me and I felt him, swollen and hard. Now, I was vaguely aware that this seemed a little sudden. I jumped into bed with him. And now, after making love twice, I was ready to become a human servant. I can’t explain it myself fully. My inhibitions were gone and it felt as though a switch was thrown and I was simply ready. It wasn’t me, I know. I was the one who lived by myself after my husband’s death. Celibate. I’d avoided Julian for years. But I guess when you’re ready you’re just ready. We were making love the third time, close to dawn and I told him what I wanted. I drew his head down to my neck while we were thrusting and he whispered against my skin, sending shivers across my heated skin. “You’re ready then, Anjelia? Ready to be mine for all of eternity?” So final. Forever. And I knew at that moment I loved him. “Yes. Now. Do it.” Was that sultry voice mine? He bit. So this was the human servant marking, huh? Can’t say I was ready for it but it had damn better be worth it. It was. After the sharp pain diminished, a new sensation was released. A steady, constant need to nurture, an overwhelming need, one that I recognized as me being helpless to overcome. After that, how do you describe pure bliss? There’s no possible way except for the joining of two souls. The feeling of unconditional love, love without jealousy, pure beauty. The knowledge of, if one dies, the other will follow.

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It was the last thing I remembered as lights burst inside my head. I took a deep breath and let the darkness take over. When I awoke, I was alone. A single rose lay on my pillow next to me, with a note. “Anjelia, my love. I did not want our first time clouded by my death at dawn. I returned to my coffin for the few hours it takes me to reawaken. I look forward to seeing you later today and kissing your sweet lips.” Perhaps he suspected how I felt previously and decided to ease me into sleeping with him while he died. Later that morning, I entered the gym. One thing about having vampire sex, it’s energizing. I felt like I could do everything at once. I started to unlock drawers and heard the front door chimes. Looking up, I nodded at several members entering for their workouts. It wasn’t long before the girls from Bang’s walked in. “Hey, Leah, you working out with us?” “Yeah, let me set the answering machine.” The three of them were already on the equipment when I joined them. I straddled a bench and awoke some slightly sore muscles. And then remembered how I’d straddled Julian at one point last night. Anna watched me, a smile on her face. “What?” I muttered, suspicious. “Little sore?” “Little,” I grumbled. Their grins were full on, now. “Oh, come on. You have to tell us,” Nicki said. “I don’t kiss and tell!” “Every girl kisses and tells. What makes it work is the guys don’t know about it,” Lily said. “Okay. We’ll say the ‘sisterhood, never-tell-lest-we-die solemn oath’,” Nicki said. All three girls smacked their foreheads, then lips, then each other’s hands. They turned and looked at me expectantly. I rolled my eyes at Nicki. “To think, you’re the smart one of the group. You’re all a bunch of loonies. But I’ll tell you a little bit. What do you want to know?” “Was he good?” “Do you doubt it?” “How many times?” “At least three and that was because I was tired.” “You going for it again?” “As long as I can.” “Kinky?” “Any way I want it.”

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The girls had dreamy expressions on their faces. Until Lily spoke. “Danielle’s not going to like it.” I must have looked concerned because Anna spoke next. “Danielle is still in punishment. Who’s worried about it? Hopefully she’ll learn her lesson and be a better person when she gets out.” “What is her punishment? What is she being punished for?” I asked. “She was disrespectful the day you found out we were vampires. Julian was keeping it under wraps to woo you and she let it out purposely. Although she claimed otherwise. She was hoping it’d scare you away,” she shrugged. “Now, let’s work out and when the sun goes down we can take you shopping. Now that you’re the boss’s girlfriend, you have to dress the part.” I smiled. I loved to shop but I just didn’t have that kind of money. I was not using Julian’s accounts, not now that I was sleeping with him. I’d feel paid. No, I would simply bow out at the last minute. “By the way, how did you know it was Julian? I never mentioned his name,” I asked. “We watched you doing the bump and grind in the parking lot.” That Anna. She was such a delicate flower.

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Chapter Six It was hours later when the girls returned with another vamp. She was lovely, just as pale and dressed in Bang’s gear. Dainty with straight black hair and upturned Asian eyes. She was rail thin and gave the impression that one needed to protect her. It was a totally incongruous feeling since she was so much stronger than me. “This is Gigi. She’ll watch the place while we go shop.” “Thanks, guys but…” I frantically tried to think of something. Nothing would come to mind. “We have money,” Anna taunted. She held up a credit card. I narrowed my eyes and read the name on it. It was Julian’s. “I can’t use his card!” “Why not, my sweet?” I whirled to face Julian who’d snuck up behind me. “I can’t let you pay for my clothes.” “It makes no difference to me, Anjelia. Lily—” “Yes, boss?” “Where did you get all the outfits needed to be employed at Bang’s?” “You.” “Nicki?” “You.” “Anna?” “You.” He turned to me. “You will need new things, Anjelia. The girls can show you what. Think of your new wardrobe as a uniform, if you will.” I sighed. He continued. “If you don’t go shopping, I will be forced to pick things for you. Now that I would enjoy. However, you didn’t seem to care for the last outfit I bought. I believe you referred to yourself as Cher?” His sense of humor made me smile. Besides, there was always the threat of dressing me vampy. “Perhaps I should shop for myself,” I conceded. One of the girls cheered. I nodded. “I’m glad to see you came to your senses, my sweet. Now, come kiss me goodbye. I must return to work.”

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I pressed a dutiful kiss to his lips and he whispered seductively, “Be sure you buy nighttime things. In red. For me.” I kissed him again with the thrill of anticipation lacing it this time. At ten o’clock I was yawning. Most of the shops had thrown us out but a few were still open. Which was smart considering the ungodly amount of money we were spending. Lily had been given specific instructions and was following them to a T. I needed formals, cocktail dresses, casual wear. She’d even insisted I buy new workout clothes. I drew the line at negligees and slinky undies, though. Not that I was a prude but I was beginning to discover that vampire taste was different from human. Besides, I was getting tired. We got back into the car and Anna was speaking. “Now what shall we do? All the shops are closed. Want to party?” She turned toward me as she asked the question. “I am not a vampire. I sleep at night.” “Oh, please. Everyone knows you’re coffin-bait.” “What is that supposed to mean?” I asked suspiciously. She just grinned. “Benefits to being coffin-bait? You don’t need as much sleep as you used to. You can replace it.” “With what?” “Sex.” “What?” “You can replace sleep with sex. It’ll reenergize you, like you slept a few hours. We can take you back to Julian or you can do one of us.” I like to think of myself as a young, modern woman. But that just made my mouth drop. I knew about the replacement thing but I thought it was just between Julian and me. “There are some things that girlfriends just don’t do for each other,” I responded, quite tactfully I might add. Anna looked at me puzzled. “Are you serious?” I looked at her, just as puzzled. “Are you?” Nicki laughed. Hard. “This is priceless. Anjelia, have you only been with men?” I nodded. “We’re not like that. I mean, we like men. But we don’t have rules like humans do. It’s not a big deal to us. Although, Anna does prefer women but she doesn’t limit herself.” Anna nodded. “I don’t want to be with a woman,” I said. Nicki stopped laughing. “I know. It’s okay. How about Johnny? Do you want him? We are often with him, though he prefers Lily all by herself. She just won’t give him the time of day unless it’s just for fun with all of us.” 62

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I looked at Lily. She looked uncomfortable. “I don’t think Julian would like it if Leah messed around with Johnny.” “Are you jealous, Lily?” Nicki asked with wide eyes. “Are you finally getting possessive?” I knew Nicki was teasing her because Julian takes the possessive cake. Lily missed the tease and answered anyway. “Are you kidding? That man’s head would swell. Let’s drive back to Bang’s and show Julian some of your stuff. All this talking, I might have a quickie with Johnny.” We drove back and took my packages upstairs to Julian’s office. I sat on the couch with my feet propped up. He was looking through my packages. “I knew it. I knew you would not buy negligees.” He produced his own bag and shook out the slinky, filmy stuff. “Now…now everything is complete. Would you care to try these on?” “Nope.” I rose from the sofa. “I’d like to go home, Julian. I’m tired.” I blinked and suddenly he was in front of me. I hated when vampires used that warp speed. He lightly traced the circles under my eyes. I had been up most of last night with him. “Come here,” he said, his voice all sultry and husky at once. I stepped closer to him and he gathered me in his arms. “Do you wish to sleep by yourself tonight?” “You’re working.” “I can leave early. I would like to leave early tonight. I’d like to hold you while you sleep.” I smiled ruefully. “That may be all I do tonight. I’m really exhausted.” He nodded. “I’m getting someone to take over, my sweet. I’m looking forward to hours of just holding you.” “If I open my eyes and you’re staring at me, I may scream,” I tried to tease. “I’ve made you scream before,” he said seductively and kissed my fang marks. I knew fang marks could be healed, sealed shut with a vampire’s saliva but I suspected that it was a macho thing to have his marks showing on my neck. We drove to my house in my car. I had a glimpse of Anna and Johnny on the dance floor before we left. I wondered who would be getting lucky or if they all would. Julian placed my packages on the sofa. I jumped into a hot shower and he picked which negligee I’d sleep in. He didn’t bring anything. He was waiting for me afterward, sitting nude and pale and beautiful in my bed. He opened his arms to me and we got comfortable. And I told him I loved him. I fell asleep as soon as my eyes closed. I awoke predawn. Just in time for me to make love to Julian before the sun hit and he unwillingly “slept” for a few hours. He would need to feed too. What better time 63

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than during sex? Without being able to mesmerize me, a bite hurts. What makes it worth it is the bone-tingling orgasm you get with the one you love. I would be ravenous afterward. My body would crave food, lots of human food, to make up for the blood loss while I supported both my body and his. I stretched languorously. It tightened the negligee across my breasts. Julian watched hungrily. I smiled, knowing my nipples hardened at his look. “Are you hungry?” I asked. “In more ways than one,” he answered. “Would you like to satisfy both of those needs before dawn?” “With you, always.” His lips found mine and hovered directly above them. It would be a teasing day. I could easily tease back. I curled my fingers into the back of his hair, turned my head and pulled his face into my throat. He inhaled deeply as if he couldn’t resist the flow of rich, warm blood running just under my skin. As though he could smell it, even sense it somehow. I knew I could drive him to lose control. It was a powerful feeling. He nudged my thighs apart with his legs and I wrapped them around his waist. The thin fabric of my negligee is what separated his hard, throbbing flesh from my hot, wet softness. He pressed his erection against my opening but couldn’t enter with my trapped negligee. I tried to reach down to lift the material but he caught my hand and brought it back up. I nearly groaned. He was so much better at the teasing than I was. He bent his head to suck on a nipple through the negligee. I could feel the warm wetness of his mouth and wanted my bare breast sucked. I squirmed beneath him and he chuckled. “Quit teasing me,” I muttered hoarsely. “You sure?” he laughed. “Of course,” I nearly snapped, my control almost gone with frenzied need. With one hand he ripped the fabric from my body and plunged deeply inside me, stretching me and filling me at once. We both paused and I moaned in ecstasy. He began to thrust and I met him, stroke for stroke. One hand I wrapped around his back, scratching him lightly with my fingernails. I felt when his climax loomed by the change of his breathing and the rhythm of his strokes. Once more I stretched my neck in front of him, feeling the pull of my ligaments. Being so close to climax with the scent of my racing bloodstream just beneath my heated skin was more than he could resist. He tensed and groaned and I felt his warm breath on my neck before he bit. The tingling pain triggered my release and spread through my body like hot lava. I clung to his suddenly dampened body as we rode the waves of pleasure together.

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I loved this feeling of mingled sweat and exhaustion, combined orgasms, musky sex smells and shared closeness afterward.

***** Julian was out for the count. I made sure the drapes were fastened securely so no light could enter. The bed had been moved away from the window previously as a precaution. That was definitely a benefit to being a human servant. I could rearrange my own furniture at will with my new strength. No waiting for friends to help, no struggling by myself anymore. I showered and made my breakfast. It was Sunday and I didn’t have to go to the gym. I read the paper and cleaned my house for the few hours that Julian needed to sleep. Normally, even if a vampire has the special ability that Julian has of only needing to be “dead” for a few daylight hours, they still have nothing to do when the sun is out for they can’t stand directly in its rays. Being bound to a human, though, was to Julian’s benefit. By staying in contact with my skin he could walk through sunlight. It was a scary risk to take. Supposing I forgot and let go of his hand? He would fry immediately. I hated it and he loved it. I guess after not being in the sun for centuries, I’d want to take walks in the afternoon too. It did allow us to get back and forth to Bang, where he could hang out without the sunlight. I made myself a second breakfast. I was ravenous. I heard the shower start and there he was, standing before me with a towel on and nothing else. “What would you like to do today?” Julian asked. “Hmmm. Well, you’re already dressed for what I have in mind.” He smiled. “And afterward?” “Sounds like there’s something you want to do.” “I’d like to take a walk in the park. In the sunshine.” “Ugh. You know that turns my stomach.” “Please,” he lowered his towel so that I saw hipbones. I swallowed. He was still in teasing mode. “Maybe if we were handcuffed together. Or tied with a scarf,” I bargained. “Did you want to practice that? The tying?” The towel dropped completely. I stood and licked my lips. All that beautiful creamy skin and he wants to walk in the sun. “We can walk later. For now though…” my voice stopped in mid-sentence so I walked to him. I ran my hands down that perfect chest. I trailed the spiral of hair that would have led down his pants if he’d had any on. Breathing deeply, I reached for his hand and led him into my bedroom straight to my window. Opening the drapes while still holding

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onto his hand, I let the sun hit us full blast. We stood in the window, me clothed and Julian nude. I watched as he raised his face to the sun, his eyes closed. I studied the profile of his flawless face. He was absolutely beautiful. Dark, thick lashes swept like lace against pale cheeks and those full red lips begged to be kissed. My heart swelled with love for him and I had the sudden realization that he was mine. All mine. Forever. I touched a bare shoulder, feeling the curve of hard sleek muscle beneath my fingertips. Need arose, hot and sweet, making me melt inside I was surprised at first, until I remembered. I was his human servant and my skin craved his. The need was constant until satiated. There was a dangerous element to making love in the sunlight. We had to have continual contact. But it was what Julian wanted. No, it was what he craved. He’d been deprived of sun for centuries. I was access to the sun for him. It was such a small gift I could offer. I reached to a dresser drawer with one hand and pulled out a scarf. I tied our wrists together quickly, our palms facing each other, our fingers entwined. He pulled me by my bound hand to stand before him with my back to the window. He raised my hands and placed them around his neck, then deliberately pulled the scarf from our wrists. I sighed and it made the side of his lips pull upward. I linked my fingers behind his head. He looked into my eyes as he unbuttoned me slowly button by button, taking his time. Finally, he pulled the two halves of my blouse apart. I was bare beneath. I watched his eyes darken as he stared at my breasts. Placing his hands on my waist, he leaned before me and tasted my skin. He took a nipple into his mouth and I moaned with pleasure, thrusting my breasts outward. His tongue was perfect as he swirled over and over my nipple as he sought to give me as much pleasure as possible. His hands gripped my waist as he knelt before me and lowered his mouth to the center of my body. He traced a sensuous trail between my breasts down to my navel. “What is it you need, Anjelia?” “You,” I gasped. “I need you, your skin covering mine. My body craves yours.” “As mine does as well, my sweet.” He stood and I kept my hands on his chest, gently pushing at him to walk backward. When his legs hit the back of the bed, I shoved more forcefully. He was out of the sunlight now and we didn’t need direct contact. He was on his back, his legs hanging off the bed. I straddled him and lowered myself to him. His fingers dug into my hips as my body welcomed his. He was so long, I could feel his strength deep inside me. I leaned forward, tantalizing his lips with a breast. His tongue swept across my nipple, and then took it into his mouth to suck with just the right amount of pressure to make me gasp again.

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“Julian,” I moaned. He thrust his hips upward as his tongue attacked my nipple, bringing me immeasurable pleasure. He rolled over, keeping his fingers locked on my hips so we’d stay connected deep inside When I was flat on my back, he took my left leg and swung it over his left shoulder so my thigh crossed his chest. It felt amazing. Slick and wonderful and I begged him to go faster. He gave small grunts of pleasure as he complied with my wishes. “Please, yes. More,” I gasped as the sensations spiraled out of control. My inner sheath clenched uncontrollably around his swollen flesh as my orgasm shuddered throughout me. He released my leg and we collapsed on my bed, my body still open wide and gasping around his throbbing cock, his head down and buried in my neck. My hands stroked his bare, damp back. “You still want to go out in the sunshine, don’t you?” “I haven’t been in the sun for centuries. I am hoping the novelty will wear off soon, I know you can’t stand it.” “I just worry about it so much. What if I forget and let go of your hand? I’ll watch you burn before my eyes, before I die myself.” “You won’t forget, my sweet. And I certainly won’t forget. We’ll be fine, it’ll be safe.” He soothed and kissed my forehead. I rose and shut the drapes so he could get up and we showered amid many loving kisses. We stepped off the back porch and my hand clenched his. There was a trail through my back yard, a walkway through parks and open space in the neighborhood. We strolled along the curvy path, looking like any normal lovers except for my death grip on his hand. I wondered if Julian was able to tan now that he could be in sunlight. Silence ensued as we enjoyed the sun. “What are you thinking, my sweet?” “How much I love you. How sorry I am that I wasted years avoiding you when I am so very happy with you.” Julian stopped me and turned me to face him. “I love you, Anjelia. I have always loved you. I will always love you. But will you still love me years from now when you realize you cannot have children? When you cease having a normal human life? When it is traded for the violent, bloody life of a vampire?” His face was the usual mask he wore when he held his emotions in check. I simply smiled.

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“I had a normal human life. I was miserable. It was violent and bloody also. My life is perfect now, as it should be. And there may still be blood involved but there are other benefits.” “Then I would like to know— Would you marry me?” he said on a whisper. I was shocked for a moment before I spoke. “We can be married?” “It won’t be recognized by human law and vampires don’t marry, so we’ll compromise and marry our cultures together anyway,” he smiled. “If you would like to.” “I would love to,” I responded and he bent to kiss me as the sun shone down at us. I heard laughter and a rubber ball rolled across the path. A child of four or five came running to retrieve it, his blond little towhead gleaming in the sunshine. I tried hard not to look at the chubby little legs as he ran sturdily on them. I didn’t want Julian to notice me watching him. And I didn’t want to notice if Julian watched him. Because, to a vampire, would he just be food?

***** It was Friday and my monthly council meeting. We made it through the normal city business and were in the midst of a break. I looked at Councilman Grove warily. He had been too quiet. He wasn’t able to bring up the usual issue of Bang’s this meeting for we’d declared a time limitation to the number of times he could bring up the same issue that everyone knew I’d veto. He was beginning to gain weight again. Surely he was twenty pounds heavier than the last time I’d seen him. He made no mention of our last council meeting and I was fine with that. He looked pained. I could tell he couldn’t wait to get something off his chest. Then before the meeting convened, he asked Barbara a question. In a concerned sort of way that was as fake as the hair color on his head. “Madam Mayor, I have a question before we get started.” “We’re not yet televised, Councilmember.” “Oh, that’s all right. It’s off the record, anyway.” “Proceed.” “I’m wondering how it affects our council if one of our members becomes involved in an issue that is brought up nearly monthly.” Barbara looked as puzzled as the rest of us. “Please rephrase the question. I don’t understand.”

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“Specifically, if our very own Councilmember Romere is involved with the citizens of the bar and grill Bang’s, how does that look? Does it appear that may be the reason she was appointed to a city council position?” “I appointed Anjelia Romere myself. Just what are you implying, Councilmember?” “Madam Mayor, I’m not implying anything. The relationship is public knowledge, however. I’m simply saying that this is a view that will be voiced and we should be prepared.” I looked around the room. Some heads were nodding and the others were swaying. “Yet, Councilmember Romere’s personal relationship is her own. I have never heard any mention of anyone’s personal relationship being an issue.” “We’ve never had to deal with this type of relationship before.” There was silence at this statement because that was true also. Several heads turned and looked at me waiting for my response. “That statement was inappropriate. We’re bordering on prejudice here.” I managed to speak without any inflection in my voice. Which was good because normally I couldn’t do that. I was easy to fire up, especially where Grove was concerned. “That’s a valid point.” Mayor Flagstaff added. “We may need to rethink this issue privately since we’re out of time and the cameras are about to start.” “I suggest making it soon because calls are sure to be starting.” There it was, the smirk. Back on his face, back in his voice. “Then let me add something to this very personal and private issue. If there is any question on this subject, it is to be referred to me and me only. If I hear one whisper of anyone voicing their opinion to the media, I will make your life a living hell.” All eyes in the room widened at the Mayor’s threat. Barbara was just not the kind of person to threaten or blackmail. Further, she was putting her political career on the line to take the heat for appointing me. I stayed after the council meeting to speak privately to her. “How much of a problem is this for you? Would you like me to resign my position?” “That depends, Leah. How much of your father’s daughter are you? He would never have backed down from anything.” “I’m not my father and I’m thinking of you. How much heat do you have to take?” She nearly smiled. “Child, I’ve taken heat over and over throughout the years. I’m still mayor, aren’t I? I took heat over appointing your position, didn’t I? We’ll wade through this mess. I’d watch Grove and his followers, though, if I were you.” “I’ll watch them.” “Are you happy, Leah?” “Yes, I am.”

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“That’s all that matters, then. Yes, we’ve all known what Bang’s consists of, even though we’ve played dumb. Are you all right with it?” “Being with the vampires is no different from being with humans, Barbara. They’re just less judgmental.” “Grove will definitely try to get to you through them. Are you ready for it?” “I’m fine with it. But I don’t want you in the crossfire.” “Anjelia, do you know why I appointed you to a council position?” “No.” “I knew your parents would raise a fair and level-headed daughter. The council needs that. Grove has corrupted too many heads. And I’m too old to worry about my position. If they could get rid of me, they would have already. But I’m still Mayor. If the day comes that they manage to change that, I’ll move on.” “Fair enough. Thanks for the advice.” “You’re welcome. Next meeting?” “I’ll be here.” I hugged her briefly and had to force myself to let her go. She was the last tie I had to my parents. I ran into Grove at the coffee shop the next day. His coffee was in his hand so at least he was on the way out. I noticed with satisfaction that he took a step back and nearly brought his hand in a protective gesture to his jewels. He was with another man, middle-aged, his forehead looking overly large because of the lack of hair. His mustache was extremely thick, probably compensating for the bald spot six inches higher. In fact, it looked like the entire top of his head slipped down and was stuck there above his lip. His teeth were on the small side and as he smiled I saw more gums than teeth. But the teeth I could see were an indistinguishable off-color from years of smoking. The new man looked at me appreciatively. As if. I stared at Grove, refusing to look away. To his credit, he acted like the adult and nodded to me. “Romere.” “Grove.” The slimy, weasel-looking man with him held out his hand. I clasped it briefly, the sweat on his palm nearly making me flinch. I broke my hand from the shake and wiped it on my jeans, no longer caring that he was watching. “I’m Mikey Simoney,” he said as he waggled thick eyebrows that needed trimmed. “Italian.” “Leah Romere,” I said coldly. He was looking at a finger on my left hand. “No ring?” I showed him my left middle finger. “Not on this one, anyway.”

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He guffawed. “A woman with spirit. I like it. No ring on the finger next to it, either. I like that even more.” “Then you’ll love this.” I leaned forward, thrusting my cleavage out. His eyes lost focus as he stared at my breasts, probably trying to imagine them naked. I pulled my neckline out from my skin revealing Julian’s marks. The two men looked at my fang marks, the disgust evident on their faces. I smiled sweetly and left them there, hips swaying as I walked away to the coffee line. But my victory was short-lived. I had gotten to the front of it when I noticed that no one was standing near me. I was sorely tempted to sniff myself but fought the urge I looked around. There was a definite space between me and the next person in line and no one would meet my eyes. I looked down and saw my neckline was still cockeyed and my marks still bared. I adjusted my top discreetly and ordered my coffee. The woman next to me still stared. She had peroxide blonde hair and her skin was so tanned it gave the appearance of leather. Actually, she looked like she’d just fallen off a barstool. “How could you be with creatures like that?” Her voice was quiet with no inflection but wonderment in it. “Like what?” I asked since she wasn’t being nasty. “Dead creatures. Letting them drain your soul through the blood that The Divine has given us. Satan spawned them to walk among us.” “I not only allow them to feed from my precious blood but they’re wondrous in the sack,” I confided. She was properly scandalized. “Come to one of our meetings. Learn the light. You’ll see that you’ve been wrong in allowing them near your holy vessel.” She fished a card from her purse and handed it to me. Curiosity was the only reason I accepted it. She was with an organization called Human Hierarchy. I flipped it into my back pocket. I noticed my coffee was done and I stepped up quickly for it. The werewolf serving it rolled his eyes at me. I smiled. At least he could pass as human, I thought. It would suck to be a vampire.

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Chapter Seven Life with Julian was great. He called me constantly, just to hear my voice. Each time sent a tingle into my belly. We always ended our conversations with me telling him I loved him. And he would assure me that he loved me even more. Our happiness and engagement lasted for months. Well, for six months actually. Then I ran into Leo. I was downtown and walking down the hallway to Connie’s SkinSpa when I noticed him. He was standing in the doorway and nodded at me. A smile touched his lips. He had a masculine chin but tiny little dimples dipped into his cheeks when he smiled. I’m such a sucker for dimples. He really was a handsome man. “Anjelia. It’s good to see you.” “Leo. What are you doing here?” I asked warily. “I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk to you about that mark you have.” “Why?” “Because I have curiosities about it and your relationship with the vampires. Please.” “Sorry, Leo. I don’t trust you.” Still, he smiled. “I don’t blame you. But we are not at all close to a full moon and I assure you I am in complete control. Let me buy you a coffee. Come see what my personality is normally like.” “I have an appointment with Connie.” “She knows I wish to speak with you.” There was arrogance in his tone and I realized that while I owed Leo nothing, Connie certainly did. She was a member of his pack and how much pressure would she have to take by me avoiding him? A coffee shop was at least a public place. So I nodded but stepped into her doorway anyway. She was sitting behind her desk, looking worried. I smiled at her, mostly to reassure her. “I’m canceling. Having coffee with Leo.” She nodded. “Call me later.” Leo and I headed across the street to a small, old-fashioned restaurant. We engaged in idle chitchat until our coffee arrived and then he got down to business. “I’d like to know about your brand. Why was it not willing?” It was just like Julian suspected. Once the novelty of my mark being unwilling faded, I was fair game. “I had an abusive husband. He branded me. I had no idea what it was or what it meant. I just thought it was a burn for a long time.” 72

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“Several wolves in my pack have been conversing on this. We don’t believe that you belong to the vampires. We would like to fight for you. I’d like you to be my queen.” “Thanks. It’s a little sudden, isn’t it?” I tried to joke. “No,” he looked puzzled, almost as if I’d been in the running previously. “I have a lot to offer you. You wouldn’t be just anyone. You’d be my queen, unlimited resources and power at your fingertips. I have money, a lot of money. You would never want for anything.” He listed his qualifications like a job interviewee. “Oh. Well, Leo, I’m flattered. You’re a handsome man. A prime catch,” I smiled. “But I’m with Julian. I want to be with him. I love him,” I said as gently as I could. “Would you want to be with Julian if you weren’t mesmerized by him?” My body stilled. If it was able, I’m sure my heart would have stopped. “What do you mean? I’ve been mesmerized a couple of times but I’m not mesmerized now.” “Aren’t you? How many years did you refuse his advances? And suddenly, within this short period of time, you are not only aligned with him but sleeping with him?” I was sure he and everyone else were just guessing we were sleeping together. After all, we started out as a pretense. And how did Leo know I’d refused Julian for years? He’d certainly done his homework. “I can prove it, Anjelia,” he continued. “How?” I whispered. My breath was shallow as my gut clenched. “Your brand. It’s my mark. The wolf-face in the moon. The face is mine. We have our own power together. I can un-mesmerize you if you’ll let me.” Was I mesmerized? Now? It did make a little bit of sense. I fell in love with Julian quickly and I decided to make our pretense real while outside my car with him kissing me. The first time I told him I loved him was that night. It was also the night I agreed to become his human servant. It was possible I was already mesmerized by then, even though I could not be introduced to it now. There were moments when I wondered why I acted a certain way or couldn’t remember why I didn’t react a different way. I closed my eyes and swallowed down the nausea that was fighting its way up my stomach. I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to know. And yet I did need the truth. “Yes, un-mesmerize me.” Then I would know. I would know if I truly loved Julian. Leo scooted his chair closer to mine. “I’ll need to touch your mark, you see.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and massaged the base of my spine where my brand was. It began to feel warm and then hot. I gasped and knew he was right. The mark was his. Leo lowered his lips to mine. “It’ll take away the pain, Anjelia.” I wrenched my head away before his lips could descend. What was I, fair game? I wanted to feel the pain, especially if what I was feeling for Julian wasn’t real.

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Just then Julian was in my head, he knew what was happening. I felt his desperation as our tie was severed and I knew the truth. I had been mesmerized. Heat flushed throughout my entire body, a violent wave that left me nauseated. My eyes slowly focused. I had been staring into Leo’s face. “Do you see, Anjelia?” I nodded. Yes, I saw all right. I stood shakily. “Where are you going?” “Home. Julian’s there.” I left Leo sitting at the restaurant. I drove home and cried. All the way. My cheeks were still wet when I arrived at my house. I opened the front door and there was he was. His eyes were bloodshot and he reached for me. “Anjelia, my sweet—” “Don’t touch me, Julian,” I shrieked. I wasn’t sure if I could resist him if he touched me. He dropped his hands to his sides. “You tricked me, dammit. None of this was real.” “Of course it was real. My love for you is always real.” “But do I love you?” “Only you can answer that. But you did. You’d told me so.” “It doesn’t matter, does it? Because I don’t trust you. I could never trust you again. Leave, Julian.” “No, Anjelia. Don’t throw this away. Think about what you’re doing. Why would Leo wish to disarm us? He merely wants you as a werewolf, my sweet. Trust me.” “How can I trust you! You kept me mesmerized, dammit.” “I was afraid, Anjelia. Afraid that you would never come to me on your own. Afraid that you would go on without me.” I hardened my voice. “Leave, Julian.” “Anjelia, wait. Whatever happens between us, we cannot let the outside world know. You would become bait for other species. We must at least keep up a pretense. And you are still, you will always be, my human servant. We need contact and blood exchange between us.” “You’re no longer welcome here.” I’d never revoked an invitation before. Didn’t even know such a thing existed. It wasn’t intentional. I didn’t mean for my statement to be taken literally but that’s exactly what happened. A wind blew and Julian was forced from my house. The front door didn’t close but I knew that he could not enter. I collapsed on the sofa. Julian was in the porch window watching me. “I also revoke my invitation for Johnny, Anna, Nicki and Lily,” I said aloud. They were the only vampires I’d ever invited in. I’d cried myself to sleep that night. When I awoke the next day, my eyes were swollen and red. Lovely. 74

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I went to the gym. It was silent and empty as if my gym itself knew my sadness. Before too much time passed, Lily arrived. “Leah?” she said in a hesitant voice. I looked up at her, miserable. She ran toward me and held me. We cried. “You’d think I’d have no tears left with as much as I cried last night. And here I am crying some more,” I told her. “I thought you would never see us again, Leah. I felt your revocation last night.” Too bad the revocation didn’t work at the gym but it was a public place. “I didn’t want Julian ordering you guys over to change my mind.” “He wouldn’t do that.” “Wouldn’t he?” “Are we still welcome here, then?” I nodded. “I just need some time, Lily. That’s all.” I got the time I wished for. Julian still called me. I wouldn’t answer so he left messages. At first I couldn’t listen to them and erased them as fast as they came in. After a week, however, I was able to start listening. The messages were what I’d imagined. Please call him back. Please come to my senses. Please realize I loved him and know that he loved me also. I did what I do best. I worked out. All the time. There’s something mind-numbing about punishing your body. With my hair tied up in a sweaty ponytail, I’d crank up the music and try not think about anything at all. I worked out alone, I worked out with others. And yes, I worked out with the girls next door. Until I started to sicken. I was dragging, lethargic and aware of the girls watching me. I knew what the problem was, I needed contact with Julian. Human servant to her master. Skin contact and blood exchange. I was vampire dinner. I received a phone call from Leo while at the gym that day. As far as I knew from Connie, Leo was eccentric enough that he didn’t use the telephone. Which was why the last time I’d met him it was in person at Connie’s spa. “Hello? Anjelia, is that you?” he was shouting into the phone. “Leo? Yes, it’s me. What’s going on? You’re shouting.” He lowered his voice. “I wanted to see how you were. I didn’t know.” “I’m fine. But I thought you didn’t make phone calls,” I said, still holding the phone from my ear. “Normally, I don’t. But my attempts to see you have been thwarted.” “Thwarted? How?” “Julian sends vamps to patrol the parking lot where you work. I finally found your address and he has vampires guarding your house also. Vampires at night, his human employees during the day.” 75

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“I see. Well, Leo, I am fine, I assure you.” “Perhaps we can meet? For dinner or coffee. Or just to visit, if you’d like.” “I don’t know, Leo. I have to think about it, okay? Can I call you back?” He gave me his phone number. I promised to let him know in a day or two. I wasn’t planning on meeting him. Or dating him, for that matter. But I was angry at Julian’s highhandedness. So I locked up the gym and walked next door to the club. I was escorted in and the vampiric eyes of those who’d been my friends avoided me. It had been a while since I was there last. Julian was down in a heartbeat and gathered both my hands in his. I’d almost forgotten how beautiful he was. That black hair, the perfectly white skin and the piercing onyx gaze. I pulled away abruptly and he let my hands drop. I saw the grief in his eyes. Too bad. Yet, just that small contact made my health feel better. “I need to talk to you, Julian.” “My office?” I nodded and followed him up the stairs. Once we were alone, he closed the door. He perched on the edge of his desk, long lean legs stretched out before him. It would take almost nothing to stand between those legs and offer my throat. Anger at my weakness tightened my voice. “I heard from Leo that he’s being kept from the premises.” To his credit, Julian nodded. “I’m sorry, Anjelia. I don’t trust him.” “Well, I don’t exactly trust him either but you can’t keep him from here. Or from my house.” “Do you intend to see him, then?” I thought about it. “Yes, I do.” He was quiet a moment and the silence stretched between us. “May I suggest then, that you go somewhere where I can have a vampire in attendance? Just as a precaution?” “With me? Like a bodyguard?” “No, neither one of you needs to know who or where the vampire is. Yet he’ll be within screaming distance.” “Like a public place? In broad daylight?” “I can get a vampire anywhere. But an underground restaurant is best, where he does not have to stay out of direct sunlight.” I nodded. It wasn’t such a bad idea and I didn’t trust Leo. “Anjelia, I am truly sorry. I really do love you.” “I know, Julian. And I love you too. But I don’t trust you.” Then I moved into the small distance between us and I kissed him softly. I couldn’t help myself, I missed him so. But, before it developed into too much, I pulled away.

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“You know we need a blood exchange, right? And some skin contact before you sicken?” he asked. I nodded. “Let me love you, please. Without it, it will just be painful for you.” “I can’t bear to be intimate with you. Not now. I’ll take the pain.” He looked into my eyes. Then he lowered his lips to my neck. The bite was vivid and I caught my breath. Never before had I fed him without lust dulling the shock. I tried not to wince but of course he knew. “Relax, baby. Relax.” He blew his breath over my fang marks and sweet sensuality flowed through my veins. He began to drink, gently at first and then his hunger grew. A hunger that matched my growing orgasm. My body was taking over. My nipples hardened, begging for sweet licks and the now familiar swirls of his tongue My labia swelled and I had the urge to spread my thighs wide to receive him. I refused. I squeezed my legs together but that was worse, focusing my attention on my swollen sex between them. I wanted run my fingertips over his chest. I wanted to let them trail down below his pants and cup the weight of his testicles in my hand. I wanted to stroke his cock, to feel the strength of it as it stiffened in the palm of my hand. I wanted to feel it thrust into my warm, wet, softness over and over. Damn my traitorous body. Tingling began from my clit and hit nerve endings everywhere in my body as my climax started and began to grow. When it burst, I cried out and collapsed in his arms. He held me and rocked me, while I came to my senses. I have to admit, it took me a while because it was so comforting to be held and I felt so cherished. I lifted his shirt and wrapped my bare arms around him. Skin to skin. I should have been angry. I’d told him no love, just a feeding. Sometimes vamps were so controlling but right now I was just too relaxed to feel anger. I wallowed in my afterglow enjoying the temporary security of his arms enclosing me. When I was ready, I stood and let his arms fall away. Julian and I agreed to keep up our pretense. I knew it was going to be difficult but now that the initial anger had left me, I realized that I had no choice. By breaking up with him, I was opening myself to every supernatural Tom, Dick or Harry who wanted a taste of the vampire dinner. We were bound for life although I was choosing separate lives. The first start of our pretense was to have dinner again, like old times, in a public restaurant. The second was me calling Leo. I wasn’t sure if I could lie directly to Leo, to pretend that Julian and I were still together, or if I should be honest with him and ask him to keep it quiet. It would be difficult to lie to him since he was technically the one who broke us up.

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Leo and I met for lunch which was Julian’s idea. I heeded his advice and met Leo at The Subground. The Subground was exactly that, a restaurant partially underground with plenty of dark corners for those vamps with special powers, like those who do not need as much “sleep” during the daylight hours. He was seated in the waiting area when I arrived and rose to greet me. “Leo.” “Anjelia. I am so glad you called and agreed to meet with me.” I smiled. I hoped it reached my eyes. “I have a little free time on my hands these days.” “I’m sorry.” He didn’t look sorry. I didn’t respond and the waitress seated us at our table before he continued our conversation. “How are you?” “Fine, actually. Julian and I have an understanding. He still protects me, I protect him with the humans and we pretend that everything else is hunky-dory.” “A pretense?” I looked at him firmly. “Yes. And I am fine with it.” He nodded. It wasn’t close enough to a full moon for him to begin acting insanely. “If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. I feel responsible.” Feel responsible? I almost snorted. The derision must have shown in my face because he spoke quickly. “You carry my mark. It makes me responsible for you.” “Don’t worry about it, Leo.” He looked at me intently. “Friends, then?” “Friends,” I agreed. I held out my hand and he reached for it across the table. At that moment someone approached. It was the reporter from the paper. “Are you having a good lunch?” “Mr. Horntrey, how nice to see you again.” His sharp eyes looked over at Leo, not missing a detail. “Aren’t you Dr. Freedman?” Leo was a doctor in the human world? I’d nearly forgotten. “Yes, I am.” I spoke next. “Leo is a very good friend of mine.” Horntrey didn’t miss a beat. “How is Julian?” “He’s fine but prefers that Leo take me to lunch today. He is—resting—during the day. You understand. I’ll join him tonight.” He shook his head. It seemed to satisfy him. “Well, enjoy your lunch then.” He nodded once at Leo and left. 78

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“I like that we are very good friends, Anjelia.” I smiled and tipped my glass to him. That evening I dressed for my night at Bang’s. I would have to be more careful tonight since Horntrey would more than likely send spies to the club. Julian sent a car for me and to my surprise, instead of Johnny, my girls stepped out. We all hugged. I’d missed them and truth be known, they were the closest things to friends that I had. Anna admired my lipstick, which made us late because then the four of us had to go inside to retrieve it. When we were finally in the limo, all of us with matching lips, Lily told me that Julian was requesting marking me tonight with vampire bites. A show of a true relationship between couples, almost like a human hickey except any other beings with a sense of smell could tell I belonged to Julian. Unfortunately, a bite is quite the orgasmic experience. And the last time, when I chose the pain over the orgasm he didn’t pay attention. Long ago, when vampires were discovered living among us, blood banks were set up for the express purpose of donating blood to vampires. One sole human conceived this concept of attaining a billionaire status, dreaming of blood bank chains across the world. He went broke, however. It was discovered that humans had an orgasm when bitten by vampires and there was no blood donation from that point forward. Let’s see, painful needle—ultimate orgasm? Hmm. Which do you prefer? Me, sporting fang marks, is pretty good proof that our relationship is as fine as it always was. But damn it, I sure didn’t want an orgasm from Julian. Not if it wasn’t necessary, like when I had to give blood. This was a pretend relationship or had he forgotten? I was pretty upset over it and it was ruining the party mood that the girls and I were in. We were drinking a bottle of pretty expensive stuff that belonged to Julian from the limo cabinets. “Leah, don’t worry about it. You can show some bites that aren’t Julian’s if you trust one of us to do it,” Nicki suggested. I tried to raise my eyebrows and the wine made me giggle from the effort. “Can you imagine Julian’s face when I’m already marked and claim it’s his?” This struck me as really funny and I decided I was feeling more than a little tipsy. “Okay, let’s do it. But whoever does it, be gentle.” It was Anna and she was. I barely felt her fangs slice into my neck, they were so sharp. It amazed me that vampires don’t slice off their own tongues when speaking. She withdrew little blood, just enough to mark my neck. Consequently, it was just a little orgasm, not the bone-tingling ones I’d shared with Julian. I was grateful or would be when sober. And, no, I do not count this as sex. With a woman I consider it a blood donation. Doing my civil duty, dammit.

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The limo pulled up and we giggled our way to the front of the line. The girls were teasing me about being a lesbian. I joked back that Julian would have their heads if I switched sides. They didn’t find this as funny, which made me laugh even harder. A buxom biker chick in line was watching us with hands on hips. “Why the hell do they get in without standing in line?” she yelled at the bouncer. Anna flashed her boob at the biker. The bouncer, a new one with dark, upturned Asian eyes, yanked us in quickly. We stood in the club, our eyes adjusting to the flashing lights. The music pounded through my entire being. Dressed to kill, we were feeling very sexy. Or at least those three were, having watched my mild orgasm. On a sober night I would probably say that we were looking slutty. Anyway, we decided to dance. We made our way to the center of the floor and all four of us wriggled to the music. That was when Julian and Mr. Jack Horntrey of the Enterprise found us. I saw Julian first and walked over to him, my hips still swaying in tune to the music. “Hello, my love,” I whispered for Horntrey’s benefit and pressed tightly against him. I wrapped my arms around his neck. The lock and choke hold. My favorite position. Julian looked a little shocked and then leaned down to kiss me. He had no other choice with his head trapped. One whiff of my alcohol-laden breath and I saw acknowledgement register. “My sweet, I was looking for you. Mr. Horntrey had hoped for another interview.” “Oh, I’m sorry. I was just having fun with the girls.” Julian smiled. “How much fun?” “Try a five hundred dollar bottle of fun from your limo,” I whispered and hoped it was softly. I turned to Mr. Horntrey. “Nice to see you again.” He looked at Julian at the “again”, trying to register if Julian was aware that we’d met earlier. “Remember?” I continued casually to Julian. “I told you I ran into Mr. Horntrey while lunching with Leo.” “Oh, that’s right. I forgot your lunch with the good doctor was today.” “Julian,” I chided. I looked over at Horntrey. “Tell me you are more attentive to your girlfriend. It was just this morning that we discussed it, already he’s forgotten. Of course, he had other things on his mind,” I added suggestively, fingering my neck bites. I saw Julian stare at my bites. I smiled sweetly at him. He glanced at the other girls. Each of them smiled back from the dance floor. He drew me close as if pretending to kiss my neck but was sniffing my bites. Too late. I’d doused them with perfume in the limo. Stung like hell.

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I turned to Mr. Horntrey. “What is your interview about? Personal?” He nodded. I was vaguely aware that I was still encircled in Julian’s arms. He was still kissing my neck near my bites. They were starting to feel a little warm and tingly with his breath. I was getting turned on and fighting it. “I don’t suppose my friends can answer your questions? They’re employees of Bang’s. A different perspective, maybe?” I asked. He looked at me shrewdly. “Is there a reason why you won’t?” I laughed seductively. “I think Julian has other things on his mind.” Julian raised his head from my neck. I leaned back, resting my weight comfortably against his body. Just like old times. “And to tell the truth, I do too.” Mr. Horntrey nodded, satisfied. “I’ll talk to your friends.” I wrapped my arm around Julian’s waist. We left the four of them standing there and went up the back stairs. No sooner had we gotten to his office than Julian demanded, “Whose bites, Anjelia?” I was still in my sweet mood. “Can’t remember, sugar. Might have been yours.” He growled. I’d have expected that from Leo. “Don’t play games with me.” I raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have the right to know. You threw that away.” “Dammit. It had better be one of those girls.” I shrugged. “Might have been. But whom would I rather do? A female or a male?” He growled again. “You’re wasting a good drunk, Julian. We’re supposed to be happy. Do you want to go downstairs and dance happily or do you want to stay up here and growl at me?” “You’re right, of course. Let’s go downstairs and dance.” I was surprised. I’d expected a little more jealousy, maybe some sulking. But I was okay with a happy Julian and a happy night it was going to be. Back downstairs, we stood arm in arm. Johnny motioned him over, holding his hand at his ear in a gesture that meant Julian had a phone call. “Johnny wouldn’t interrupt me unless it was important. I’ll take this in my office and I’ll be right back, all right?” I nodded and he pressed a kiss to my forehead. Damn, that was distracting. I watched him walk away, the broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist. That perfect backside. I sighed. I certainly missed seeing that wonderful body unclothed. I turned back around and was startled by Danielle standing next to me.

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Chapter Eight “Keep away from him.” Well, wasn’t that original? I raised my eyebrow at her. “How do you propose I do that? Insert a ten foot straw into my neck and he can slurp from across the room?” “Damn you. He was with me until you snapped your fingers. You don’t even want him, why the hell are you here?” “How do you know what I want?” I asked. “Back off, Danielle. She’s protected by Julian.” We both turned our heads to Anna’s voice. Danielle looked at her hatefully. “Sticking up for her too?” “Yeah. I’ve got her back.” “You don’t want to align yourself with the wrong people, Anna. Stay out of it.” Anna draped her arm over my shoulder. “I’ve already chosen. Maybe you missed it?” “So be it.” Danielle moved so quickly, I never even saw it. She was there one minute—in the next she was gone. I released the breath I didn’t know I was holding and sagged into Anna. Adrenaline made my legs quiver and my knees weak. “I think you made an enemy,” I told her. “We were always enemies. She just chose to acknowledge it. Come sit with me until Julian gets back.” We sat at her table and I hate to admit I’m a chicken but an angry vamp is scary. I was trembling and I sat as close to her as I could. She let me, occasionally rubbing her hand up my arm, trying awkwardly to comfort me. I wouldn’t tell her but she wasn’t very good at it. “I think you need to tell Julian about Danielle. Obviously she hasn’t learned her lesson regarding you,” she said. “I don’t know. It seems a lot like tattling, doesn’t it?” “Tattling? She’s ten times as strong as you, if a little tattling is on your side, so what?” I leaned my head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around me. It was more comforting than that annoying rubbing. “Leah, trust me.” “I don’t know, Anna. I can’t go crying to Julian every time a fingernail gets broken.”

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“How about your neck getting broken?” she snapped. “I won’t tell. But I’m going to stick really close to you from now on. I don’t trust her one bit. Never have. She’s a bitch and a half and I ought to know. I’m half a bitch.” The half part was debatable and I raised my head from her shoulder. It made her snigger. I bet she didn’t think I’d call her on it. We were interrupted by Johnny. “Ooh, I like this female cuddling. Can I watch?” “Like you haven’t watched before. Go away,” Anna snapped again, her patience at an end.

***** I continued my friendship with Leo. I didn’t know how far the friendship would extend as we grew closer to the full moon. I know that Julian didn’t like it but I actually enjoyed myself. Especially when I learned something rather interesting. It was speculated that my ex-husband’s death wasn’t an accident, like I originally thought. Although no one has ever stepped forward. I wasn’t upset. Did I mention my husband was an ass? I still refused to be Leo’s “queen”. He continually asked. I avoided him as gently as I could during the full moon. When he was normal, he was actually very intelligent and quite pleasant. We became good friends but this wasn’t without its drawbacks. The more I was around him, the more I noticed how handsome he was, so different from Julian. Leo was tanned and his muscles were those of a bodybuilder. His hair was sunstreaked brown and he always had that sexy stubble on his jaw. A lot of women angled for his eye and yet he never seemed to notice. I met him for lunch and even dinner often. Julian didn’t say much about it but his mouth tightened whenever he saw me leave with him. Especially since I mentioned that I now thought the idea of any bodyguards was a waste of time. Since I never saw any to begin with, I don’t know if they were dropped or not. One night Leo and I were at dinner when I noticed Anna in the restaurant. I waved her over and hugged her. I introduced her to Leo and then asked her what she was doing there. “I was meeting Johnny but now he can’t make it.” “Leo,” I turned my head, “would you mind if Anna joins us?” His smile was strained but he graciously nodded his head. So she joined us and sat closer to me than Leo. Our conversation was a little strange that night, it seemed that Anna and Leo were adversaries. I was getting weary of the antagonism but was paying attention, hoping a piece of information would slip out. I finally had to ask. “Do the two of you know each other from elsewhere? Neither one of you told me you’d met previously.” “We haven’t,” Anna said. 83

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“You’re sensing a rivalry for your attention, Anjelia,” Leo said. “Rivalry? I’m friends with both of you.” “Yes. But both of us would like more than a plain friendship with you.” Anna didn’t dispute that but watched me steadily. “Oh. Well. Leo, I’m flattered. I value our friendship and I wouldn’t like to ruin it with anything further. Anna, I value our friendship also. And I’m just so stunned, I don’t know what to say.” I knew the response “eww” was out of the question. “Don’t worry about it, Leah. Dr. Freedman shouldn’t have mentioned it to you. It makes you uncomfortable.” Touché. Leo’s eyes narrowed at her and she smiled serenely, in that Anna way. When we finished with dinner, she asked if she could give me a lift. I agreed since my house was on her way. I smiled at Leo, hoping he would understand. “Anna, it was a pleasure meeting you,” he said and then turned toward me. “Anjelia, I’ll call you.” I grinned. As far as I knew, I was the only one he willingly called. He grinned as well. I kissed him on the cheek and he hugged me briefly. “Let’s go, Leah,” Anna said abruptly. We got to her car and Anna got into the driver’s seat. We drove to my house but she surprised me by turning off the engine. “Um, would you like to come in for coffee?” I was forced to ask. “Gee, I’d love some, thank you very much,” she replied as if touched that I’d asked. I sighed. She was as persistent as Julian sometimes. We got inside and hung up our coats. Anna made herself comfortable in the kitchen, kicking off her shoes. “Okay. Spill it. Why were you really in the restaurant?” I asked her. “Meeting Johnny?” “Leo didn’t know Johnny was a vamp. He thought you were having dinner with a human. I knew otherwise and neither of you need to eat.” “Wow, Leah. Sometimes you’re as smart as Nicki.” “Cut it out. And don’t give me that crap about being in league for my affections.” “Leah.” Anna looked surprised. “Of course I’m in line.” “Anna. Cut the crap.” “Okay, okay. It was my turn to watch you tonight. I slipped up and you saw me.” “I’m still being watched?” She nodded and then put her shoes back on. “And by the way…” She was walking to the front door. I followed her. She was halfway out before she turned back.

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“I do find you attractive.” She leaned forward and kissed me. And then she was gone. Damn her. I locked the door behind her and got ready for bed. Suddenly exhausted, I collapsed as soon as I hit the pillow and dreamed. I knew it was a dream. I had on a white nightgown, silk, nothing more than a drape, really. I was looking through the curtains at the moon. A full moon. I knew instantly whom this dream would be about. I sensed when Leo entered my dream. I felt it when he stood behind me, not quite touching but so very close. I watched his reflection and saw his eyes hungrily sweeping over my body. He then brought them up to meet mine in the window. His eyes never broke contact and he reached around my body to bring his warm hand up to press against my abdomen. I sucked my breath in, my eyes shutting briefly at the splendor of the contact. “Open your eyes,” he whispered. My eyes flew open to meet the warmth of his gaze in the window. His eyes burned, a bright glowing amber full of desire. He brought his lips down to the side of my neck. I moaned at the connection. His breath blew hot and moist and his tongue traced lightly across my skin, teasing me as he tasted. Oh, hell, it was my dream. I could do what I wanted, couldn’t I? I reached for his hand still on my abdomen and pushed it down, down to my thigh, then back up but this time under the silk nightgown. His palm was against my skin now and I could feel more of the heat contained in his hand. I brought the nightgown up to my waist as I lifted it higher. He cupped my aching breast and then brought his other hand around me to my other breast. He lifted both simultaneously and then pressed them together, massaging gently. They were heavy and full, peaked for his attention. His mouth nibbled on the sensitive skin under my ear and he pressed his body against mine so I could feel the burning erection. He was hard and hot and perfect. Perfectly mine. The mate I should have had. “Leo,” I moaned. “Can I pleasure you, Anjelia?” “Mmm. You can do anything you want to me, sweetie.” He grinned at me in the reflection. “But not during the daylight?” I shook my head regretfully, dreamily. “Not during the daylight. Too complicated. You’ll be my secret, my fantasy. My dream.” He whipped the silk over my head and I watched us in the reflection, me naked with tanned, muscular arms reaching around me and cupping my breasts. His hands

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looked so much darker against the cream of my skin. The tips of his fingers teased my sensitive nipples and I threw my head back at the feel of his tongue on my neck. “I want you, Leo.” I turned myself in his arms. Now I could see him fully. “You can’t believe the things I want to do to you, Anjelia.” He pulled my hair back, forcing my head backward. His mouth descended, urgent and almost angry. He swept my mouth with his tongue and I couldn’t catch my breath during the onslaught. “You should be mine,” he growled. “Never forget it. You were meant for me.” We were moving now to the bed in the center of the room. Our bodies were mashed together from the waist down, his hands firmly holding my hips against his. His thighs pushed mine back, one at a time as we walked slowly. I sat on the edge of the bed and he kneeled before me. He spread my legs, gazing deeply at me. His eyes looked up at my lust-filled face before lowering again. “You’re wet,” he said, dipping a finger into me. His touch was electric and I took a deep breath at the feel of his finger in my most intimate place. He curled his finger in me and stroked me. “What shall I do to you first?” he whispered. “Taste you? Pleasure you with my mouth?” I shuddered. I was almost ready to lose control. “You know what, sweetie? This is my dream. I think I’ll do what I want.” He brought his gaze back up to my face and I pushed him slightly away. “Stand up,” I commanded. He stood slowly, watching me as I unfastened his top button on his waistband. I cupped him through the material and let my fingers trail over his enormous bulge to find the zipper. I unzipped slowly, sensuously and could swear that he grew even harder. I tugged at the pants, pulled them down and over his legs and when he stepped out of them, I was staring at the biggest cock I’d ever seen. “You’re huge,” I said. “I’m part animal.” “The big, bad wolf?” “The better to eat you, little girl.” “Still my dream, Leo,” I reminded him, moving my hands up to his hipbones. I bent my head and licked at him delicately. His erection throbbed with its own life and I encircled the head with my lips. He was leaking pre-cum and I lapped it up greedily, enjoying the taste of him. “Anjelia,” Leo rasped, his voice alarmingly deep. I placed kisses along the side of his length to the base and then brought my mouth back down. His skin temperature was hotter than usual or else I was just used to Julian’s being cooler than normal.

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I took as much of him as I could into my mouth. I sucked and I swirled my tongue around him. I felt satisfaction at the noises he was making—deep guttural sounds. I felt his hand bunch in my hair and before I knew it he had pulled out of my mouth and was kneeling again, his mouth seeking mine as if he sought his taste from my lips. “Figures the first time I kiss you and it’s in a dream,” I said when I could break my mouth away. My legs were on either side of his waist as he was kneeling, his muscular chest in my plain view. I wrapped them around him as I let my hand curl around his biceps, solid and bulging under my grip. “I tried to kiss you once before. You wouldn’t let me.” “I didn’t know your kisses would be this good. I don’t want to stop,” I moaned, before opening my mouth to his onslaught again. “You could have this during the daylight if you’d let me.” I shook my head. “No, just cheek kisses in the daylight.” “I’d like this dream to go on all night but it’ll be morning soon and you’ll be waking up. I’m going to finish you, give you some relief. Something to remember me by.” He smiled as if knowing a secret that I didn’t. Forcefully, he pushed me back on the bed and cupped my buttocks in his hands, lifting me and bringing me to his mouth. I felt the moist heat on my most delicate flesh. There was no teasing, no tugging gently. Just a full-out sucking. My entire body seeming to be sucked into his mouth. The sight of Leo’s head between my legs was so sensual, I had to close my eyes, afraid the sight would make me climax. It did. The sensations started where his mouth was and spiraled throughout me. I was sucked into a vortex of colors and feelings as I exploded into his mouth. My muscles were contracting and quivering as I opened my eyes. It was daylight in my own bedroom. I wasn’t in the huge room of my dream, just my own ordinary bedroom, the one I fell asleep in. My body was still throbbing and trembling as I breathed deeply. When I calmed sufficiently, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I stood on shaky legs to shower. What was that about, dreaming of Leo that way? I felt guilty. Leo was my friend, that was all. Maybe I just missed the relationship I had with Julian. Yeah, that was it. I was as horny as hell.

***** The next day, Leo stopped by the gym to visit with me. I barely listened to his heartfelt apologies regarding Anna. I was hoping my face wasn’t flushed, recalling the dream I’d had about him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you weren’t aware of, uh, well, that you thought you were just friends, uh…you are but…” “Leo, sweetie,” I tried to calm him as I pulled him down to the waiting-area sofa next to me, “It’s fine. Really. I had to find out about her sometime. It’s not really a big deal.”

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“Are you sure?” “Of course. We’ll do dinner again, just you and I. Everything will be normal. You’ll see.” Leo was quiet and then hostility filled the air. Julian must have been nearby. I looked up to find them staring at each other. The testosterone levels in the room jumped high enough to put hair on a girl’s chest. The air crackled with the tension. “Julian,” I said gently. It broke his gaze from Leo. He placed a hand possessively around my arm, made bare by the sleeveless top I wore. I could take this one of two ways, he was either showing Leo I was his property or he was telling me it was time for our contact. I was leaning toward the “property” thing. “I had a few minutes. I thought I’d spend them with you. I didn’t know you had company,” Julian muttered. “That’s quite all right.” Leo’s voice was gravelly, hard. “I was leaving anyway.” He turned toward me, his voice softening again. “I just wanted to apologize for last night.” “Leo,” I chided. “You have nothing to apologize for. Last night was fine, I had fun.” “You’re sure?” “Of course.” I leaned forward to kiss his cheek. I lingered for the briefest moment. It was warm beneath my lips. Tempting and familiar. Julian kept his hand on my arm. I pretended not to notice. “I’ll call you, Leo.” “Please do. Tonight,” he demanded. I smiled a promise. As soon as the door shut, I turned toward Julian. “It’s not very polite to scare off my friends with your possessive hand around my arm.” Julian glanced at his hand as if he’d just noticed. “Oh, I’m sorry.” “Why did you really come, Julian?” “I’m hungry.” He leaned forward and kissed the shoulder his hand had been on. I shuddered as the sensations coursed through me. “Why was he apologizing to you?” Julian asked softly. “He thinks he upset me last night by telling me that Anna was interested in me. As more than a friend.” “Does that interest you?” “Of course not.” “Then I’m fine with you being with Anna as much as you want.” “You should be fine, sugar. Because I’ll be with anyone I want. Leo included.”

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The smooth, handsome mask slipped and he began to look dangerous. “Whether I like it or not?” “Julian,” I said gently, “let’s not fight. We’re not a real couple. Do you want to go into the backroom and have a snack?” I tapped my neck and smiled playfully at him. It worked. His beautiful lips curved upward. “You know I can’t resist you as a snack. I just have one question before we adjourn to the back?” I nodded. “Was it Anna who bit you the other night?” I nodded again. I’m sure I had a sheepish expression on my face. “Was that before you knew about her, ah, orientation?” “Uh-huh,” I admitted. He threw his head back and laughed. I laughed with him. I did remember to call Leo that night. I called about an hour before I left work and didn’t spend much time closing down since I was on the phone all that time. Leo was in high spirits. It wasn’t my phone call, I was sure. It was confirmed a moment later. “I have a new toy, Anjelia. I’m in it right now.” “What is it?” “It’s a brand-spanking new, only sixteen miles on the odometer, Lamborghini Gallardo.” “Yum. Color?” “Why do the women always ask that?” he scoffed. “Color’s important. So is size, don’t let anyone tell you differently.” There was silence for a second before he laughed. Silence because I’d never made a sexual innuendo to him before. My dream must have made me bold. “It’s silver,” he said with the laughter still tingeing his voice, “but not just any silver. A deep, shiny color that tempts me to wear black leather.” I grinned although he couldn’t see it. He was going with the flow, teasing me back. “I look good in black too.” “Then I’ll have to pick you up. You want to see how fast this baby goes, don’t you?” Fact was, I’ve never been up close to a Lamborghini, much less taken a ride. “I think I would like a ride. I’m locking up now. Meet me at my house?” “Sure. How much time do you need?” “Just long enough to put real clothes on instead of my sweats. Bye.” He chuckled at my eagerness, before telling me goodbye. I raced home, slamming through my front door like a whirlwind. I was flinging off my clothes, letting them land where they may, when I heard Leo call out at the front door. 89

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“Anjelia?” “Come in,” I yelled and then snickered because he actually didn’t need a formal invitation like a vamp did. “I’m changing. I’ll be out in a sec.” The first thing I saw hanging in my closet in the color black was a pair of leather pants given to me by Anna during our shopping spree. That should do. I slid them up bare legs and looked for a top. I rifled through my now full hangers and found a cute little silver top with little black buttons and leather piping down the sides and sleeves. Perfect. What a match. I put the top on and remembered how much I liked it when it was in the store. Anna must have found the pants and knew they’d match. I left my bedroom and Leo rose from my sofa. I froze. Leo was in black leather pants. Leo was yummy in leather. I’ve been around lots of the leather-clad, mostly vampires of course. His black shirt was drawn taut across his chest, with a cut-out gap exposing his throat. A thin, silver chain was around his neck emphasizing his tan. The sleeves were short, made to fold at his biceps. Leo mistook my stunned reaction for surprise at our both being in leather pants. “Wonder what would happen if we tried to plan our outfits?” He chuckled. “You look better,” I teased. “Yes, I do,” he agreed. It took me by surprise and then I swatted his backside with my little silver handbag. I grabbed my house keys and we headed out to the brand-new Lamborghini. “Wow. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” I asked, awestruck. “No.” His voice was quiet and I turned to him. He was looking at me, not at the car. “Leo?” I whispered. He smiled easily and clicked a button. The car door swung upward and the smell of new car filled my nose. I inhaled deeply as we seated ourselves and then we were off. “Mmm. Nothing smells like a new car.” I leaned back, closing my eyes. “My queen would have had a new car whenever she wanted one.” My eyes snapped open. “Funny.” He laughed at me before showing me just what the car was capable of. We listened to the radio as we rode. When a classic song started, we looked at each other. A grin was on Leo’s face and he cranked the volume so we could sing along. Thankfully, the music was cranked loud enough to drown out our singing voices. One song led to another and when our throats were sore, Leo turned down the volume. Driving by a McDonald’s, he swung the car into the lot. “I’m hungry,” he said.

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I laughed. “Leo, you can’t pull up to a McDonald’s drive thru in a Lamborghini. It just isn’t done.” “Well, I know enough not to park it.” He grinned. “We’ll grab something quick and we’ll eat at your house, okay?” “Okay, fine. But they’re going to think I have a cheap date.” He laughed but couldn’t answer since we were at the loudspeaker. He ordered and my eyebrow rose at the amount of food. And the fact that he hadn’t asked me what I wanted, merely ordered for me. When he finished, he turned to me. “What will you have?” My mouth dropped and he closed it with a finger tapped to my chin. “I guess I’ll have another coke, cheeseburger and fries for my date,” Leo said loudly. “That whole first order was for you?” I asked. “You didn’t think I’d order for you without asking what you’d like, did you?” “Um, no.” “Liar.” “Surely you can’t eat this much.” “High metabolism. There are benefits to turning furry. Lots of benefits.” I didn’t respond even though I dreamed about those other benefits. We brought the food back to my house and sat on the sofa, spreading out the bounty on the coffee table. We clicked through several channels before flipping the TV off. When we’d finished eating and there was silence in the house, we both leaned back on the sofa, looking up at the ceiling. “Leo?” I asked. “Hmm?” “Thank you for keeping your cool with Julian today. I know how hard it was.” “Easier when I tell myself you’d cater to the underdog so I’d be defeating myself.” “So sure you’d win?” I teased. He grinned back. “Seriously, I know you love him. It would hurt you for me to hurt him.” “I do love him. No matter what he’s done, I can’t help myself.” I turned to face Leo as he still stared at the ceiling. He reached his hand out for mine, holding it loosely. His hand was large and warm and we sat for a while just holding hands. I tried again. “I think I’ll probably renew my relationship with him soon.” “I know. But forgive me for not wanting to know the intimate details.”

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He finally turned to look at me and his face was pained. The look in his eyes broke my heart. “I’m so sorry.” “Call me if you still want to remain friends with me. I won’t bother you by forcing a friendship on you.” “Leo, you’re never a bother. Of course I want to be friends.” I wanted that look of stark pain to disappear from his face, especially knowing that I caused it. I leaned toward him and kissed him lightly. The way a sibling might. “What do you feel for me, Anjelia?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “I don’t know. I care about you a lot. But I do know I love Julian.” He rose and I followed, since my hand was still entwined with his. “I need to get going. I work tomorrow morning.” He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. I wasn’t sure of his mood but I felt trepidation cloud my stomach. I frowned. I didn’t want him driving the fast little car this late, not in this mood. It was a raw, antsy feeling, making my arms and legs tingle. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this strongly about something. “Do you want to stay in my guest room? Less drive time means more sleep for you.” “No, I’ll be fine.” “Please.” He looked at me, then really looked at me. “What’s wrong?” I couldn’t tell him that I had a bad feeling about him leaving, could I? I’d sound like a nutcase. But terror clenched my heart at the thought of losing Leo. “I don’t know exactly.” “Are you afraid of being left alone?” I nodded. It was a lie but he would be more likely to stay if he felt he was protecting me rather than saving himself. “Okay, I’ll stay.” I tried not to look overly relieved as I showed him the guest bedroom. I turned down the bed for him and showed him the spare toothbrushes and razors in my bathroom. He stripped off that tight, sexy shirt and stood bare-chested, never even thinking twice about it. The leather pants rode low enough to show each cut of muscle on his abdomen. There were a lot of ridges. I was staring when I realized he’d caught me. “I don’t have anything for you to sleep in, unless you’d like one of Julian’s…”

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“No. I sleep au naturel. Warmer temperature, remember?” He sat on the bed. I turned to leave the room. “No goodnight kiss?” he asked. I turned back to him. Tomorrow I would be back with Julian. And it’s not like I’ve never kissed Leo. And I was so grateful that he’d be safe tonight, in my house. And yes, I know I was justifying. He watched the conflicted emotions cross my face. I sat on the bed next to him and cupped his face in my hands. I ran my fingers against the stubble on his jawline and slowly pressed my lips to his… Leo was familiar to me. Safety, protection and passion all wrapped up in one warm, hard package. My mouth was greedy, wanting, taking and satisfying its curiosity. His taste was tantalizing, making me liquefy inside. My hands left his face to wander over his chest and then lower, to the abs that had always tempted me. They rippled beneath my touch. We were both panting at this point. “God, Leo. I can’t resist you.” He took my hand and pressed it over his chest. His heart thundered under my palm. “I know exactly. You’re my mate, consummated or not. Willing or not.” “We don’t get a choice?” “No.” “But I’m tied the same way to Julian.” “I know.” I leaned forward and licked his neck. I felt a growl emanate from deep within him and instead of scaring me, it made my desire peak. I licked again, the way a wolf might. There were so many senses involved, the visual, the taste, the satisfaction in giving pleasure. It was carnal and sinful and so very, very hot. He pulled me onto his lap, my legs wrapped around his waist. My mouth found his again and it was a wet, sultry mesh of tongues and pants and moans. I wanted him so badly. I wanted to feel him take me on my knees, like a wolf with my ass in the air. Thrust into me, dominate me, give me pleasure unimaginable. I wanted him to howl as he came and spill hot semen into the core of my body. The most primal instinct. I pulled away suddenly and made my way to the door, a safe distance away. “Sorry,” I said, without looking back. “It’s those muscles. You need to stop working out. Maybe you should try to get fat.” I was through the door before I gave a quick glimpse back. He still sat on the bed but this time there was smug male satisfaction across his face. And an erection to rival the one I had dreamed about.

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Chapter Nine He was gone by the time I awoke and I missed him as I dressed for work. I missed his wit and his charm. And those incredible muscles. I’d never realized how lonely my life was previous to Julian and Leo. I’d never realized that there was something lacking. I loved Julian, of course. But Leo, he was easy companionship. A true friendship. A friendship that I was ruining with my teenaged-acting hormones. I was leading him on and was about to kill the friendship I enjoyed. I knew what I had to do today. I had to satisfy those hormones. I sought out Julian for an orgasm-induced feeding. That feeding was an altering event, because afterward we were back downstairs at the bar, enjoying a break together before I had to return to the gym. After the previous day of Julian laughing over Anna, we’d fallen into a comfortable companionship. And I realized I felt guilty I fed Julian and I received my satisfaction during it but Julian never got his release. It was truly a one-sided relationship. Just like my relationship with Leo. What was it with me and relationships? Was I selfish? Was I bitter over my exhusband? I began to soften as I recalled memories with Julian. Sometimes when I went to Bang’s to visit with him, I waited for him to take a break for a feeding. I watched him work, feeling like a vampire voyeur myself. I watched his muscles glide. I watched his hair gleam under the lights. I watched as he commanded attention and I saw him give little smiles of praise for his employees. It was enough to melt your insides, to turn your body deep inside to molten liquid. I’d already made up my mind to change our relationship. I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do but I did have an eternity to spend with him. I was happier when I was with him. So it was that night that I took the back stairs up to his office. I entered the office and sucked my breath in sharply. Julian and Danielle were sitting on the sofa. She was wrapped in his arms and they pulled apart at my entrance. She licked her lips slowly while watching me and I noticed the bites on his neck. I thought I might be sick at the physical pain clenching my stomach and it was enough to change my mind right back. Mentally, I cursed myself for my stupidity. Perhaps I should have stuck with Leo. “A word with you, Julian? In private?” I asked mostly to break the silence. He nodded and Danielle glided past me, smirking on her way out. I’d love to scratch her eyes out. Julian was wiping the bites on his neck which still bled slightly. I’d interrupted them before she had sealed them with her saliva.

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“Here, let me,” I took the cloth from him and dabbed lightly. “Do you want me to get her back to seal them shut?” It would kill me to fetch her. I really hoped he wouldn’t. “No, it’ll be fine.” Yet he continued to let me dab. I did it because it was an excuse to touch him. “Danielle was feeding because she is still weakened from her punishment. Only her master’s blood is powerful enough to restore her health.” “You don’t need to explain to me.” “I do,” he gripped my waist. “I love you, Anjelia.” “Please. Let’s not go there. We have separate lives.” “You are so stubborn when we could be so happy. My body aches for you, day and night. I would do anything you asked, you have to know that.” I was angry when I spoke, the vision of Danielle in his arms fresh in my mind. “Would you let me date others, Julian? Would you let me be with Leo?” He let silence be his answer. So I continued, “How do I know if I love you? How do I know I’m not mesmerized? How do I trust you?” “I can no longer mesmerize you, my sweet. You attained that benefit when you became my human servant.” “How do I know that the feelings aren’t left over from being mesmerized? How do I know they’re true? I’ll never know.” “I know that I cannot watch you with another, Anjelia.” “You may have no choice. We’re tied together until death.” “So you cuddle to Leo and I return to Danielle? Is that really what you wish?” The mental image of Julian with Danielle was too much. I closed my eyes briefly. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his head to my breasts. “It’s going to be quite painful to watch each other with others when we have to come together daily for skin contact and blood exchange.” “Are you saying that if I’m with Leo, you’ll be with Danielle?” “I’m saying that I can no more watch you with Leo than you can watch me with Danielle.” He was right and it made me angry. I shoved him backward and he let me. He looked up at me, expressionless, his face smooth. I sighed and straddled his lap. I looked into those onyx eyes and lowered my mouth to his. I didn’t touch his lips but hovered slightly above them. He never moved a muscle. “Do I want you so badly because I’m your human servant and we’re connected? Or because I love you?” I whispered. “Did you want me before you were mesmerized by me? In either case it doesn’t matter. You want me now, like I want you. Why do you continue to fight it?”

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I was watching that lower lip as he spoke. The perfectly shaped lip, with the perfectly white teeth just beyond. I let the tip of my tongue lightly caress that lip. And his breath caught. There was no emotion in his face yet I could make his breath catch with just a caress. His hands were spanned across my waist. I took them and held them behind his back so he’d get the message not to touch me. And then, with his hands held prisoner, I leaned in and kissed him deeply. He opened his mouth willingly and my tongue swept inside. I was the aggressor and at the last moment I remembered those sharp fangs and pulled back. He was breathing harder now but just watching. I unbuttoned his shirt slowly, knowing that I could stop at any moment. When it was loose, I opened it fully and looked at his chest. The skin was smooth, his musculature more subtle than Leo’s but definitely defined. I pressed a kiss to the satiny skin and released my hands so they could wander up his arms. I let my fingertips glide over his muscular forearms and taut biceps. And then over his chest. I licked a nipple while my fingers trailed lower to the waistband of his pants. I paused, considering. I wanted this so badly. Was it worth the consequences? Would he expect a change in our relationship tomorrow? “Don’t stop, my sweet. Please, don’t stop,” he whispered in a deep voice thick with need. I looked at him helplessly. “I want you so badly, Julian. Is it the binding?” He nodded. “What we had before the binding was simply enhanced. We’ll feel this way throughout eternity. A long time to fight ourselves.” “What happens tomorrow? What will you expect of me?” “I expect nothing but the continuation of our pretense. Anything else you wish to do I’ll accept gladly.” So tomorrow we could go on the same as always. It was almost too good to be true. The entire relationship was up to me. I released the waistband of his pants and unzipped his zipper. The room was silent and those sounds echoed loudly. His body sprang forth, proudly male. He stood long enough for me to tug his pants down his hips and then sat back down, me on his lap again. “Can I touch you, my sweet?” “No,” I whispered. “Keep your hands to yourself. You said I set the rules.” “For now,” he agreed and I was too far gone to argue. I leaned toward his neck and lapped the wounds made by Danielle. I knew those punctures would be highly sensitive and saw him close his eyes in rapture. I knew what he wanted and the wounds were fresh. I pressed into them with my tongue, reopening them. Then I sucked hard. A human suck will leave a hickey while a vampire suck is drinking instead. But a human suck over such a sensitive area can be erotic ecstasy. A little taste of blood was 96

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in my mouth but for some strange reason I wasn’t repelled. It was simply Julian, a form of Julian. We were interrupted as the door opened. And he was unclothed. I blocked him with my body and looked over my shoulder to see Danielle standing hesitantly in the doorway. Julian watched her with eyes that were hooded. “You dare to enter my private office?” I watched gleefully as she paled. “I am sorry, Master. I remembered I hadn’t sealed my bite and wondered if you needed me.” Julian was watching my face. So I answered. “He doesn’t need you, Danielle. He has me.” He smiled slightly at me and I didn’t hear the door shut. I slid off his lap and kneeled between his legs, carefully shielding him from her view. I leaned my head down to his lap and felt his hand bunch in my hair. The door clicked and angry footsteps echoed in the distance. I listened with satisfaction and then took him into my mouth. His hand pressed against the back of my head as though he couldn’t bear to let me go. My mouth was filled with sweet hardness, the headiness of Julian. He groaned as I kissed I released him long enough to lick up and down his shaft and then just sucked the head of his cock. “Oh. My sweet. How I’ve longed for this.” “Really? Then you’ll finish like this.” He gasped as my meaning sunk in. I wanted to swallow his essence. The first time ever. His cock throbbed with excitement. I cupped his balls in my hand, feeling the weight of his jewels inside the satiny skin that covered them. And then I took his entire length into the wet warmth of my mouth. I worshipped his body freely, showing the love I had for him in every slow, sensual movement. Every kiss, every lick, every stroke. He was helpless, making small grunts of satisfaction and thrusting carefully into my mouth. I knew what he wanted. I pulled him closer to the edge of the seat. “Fuck me like this,” I whispered and helped him thrust into my mouth. It drove him wild. I could feel when he was close. His cock was throbbing and his balls were tight. And then he released with a groan as he spurted down into my throat. I swallowed him greedily, the sweet essence that was Julian. He lifted my head from his groin and moved me back enough so that he could kneel before me too. He ground his mouth to mine, tasting himself on me as I moaned at the eroticism. Laying me backward on the floor, he lifted my skirt to my waist and

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removed my soaking panties. Then he lifted my shirt and unsnapped the front closure of my bra, freeing my heavy breasts. My nipples were rosy and hard, pointing into the air and ready for his attention. His face was level with my groin now. He reached up with both hands and pulled on my nipples, then twisted them lightly. I gasped and gasped again when his tongue found my clit. He licked it wetly and deliberately, just the right amount of pressure. “Ohmigod,” I moaned. He continued his tongue action, long licks between my swollen lips and then a light sucking on my clit. He brought one hand down from playing with my nipple to finger my passage, thrusting in and out of my wetness. It felt amazing. I was in awe that this was how much pleasure I’d brought him just moments ago. He sensed my orgasm and concentrated on sucking harder on my swollen clit. I exploded like a time bomb, millions of fragments of me bursting throughout my body at the warmth of his mouth on my most sensitive area. “Julian,” I gasped. He lifted his head. “I love you.” He crawled up the length of me, lying on his side and looking into my eyes. “As I love you, my sweet. Always.” We were collapsed on the carpet. His fingers lightly encircled my bellybutton, playing with the jewelry that pierced it. “It’s late, Anjelia. I should get you to bed.” I knew he meant his but I needed to be on my own home ground. I turned toward him. “I need to get home. Will you stay there with me?” “Yes, my sweet. Let’s get dressed.” We got dressed and walked down the back staircase. Danielle was in the main section of the club and averted her eyes as we walked by. Julian called out to Johnny that we were leaving. Maybe she had learned some humility. I have to say that Julian and I getting back together was a relief. No matter what he did to trick me I had to come to grips with the fact that I loved him. It certainly made things easier since I did tie myself to him. Eternally.

***** The next day I was at the gym when Lily stopped by. She was frustrated and told me she needed to work out her bad mood. I’d never seen her in a bad mood. I asked her what happened and found out she had a confrontation with Danielle.

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“Does it seem like confrontations with Danielle occur whenever someone is alone?” I wondered aloud, remembering my own with her when Anna saved me. “It does seem like that’s often the case,” Lily responded. “Well, Lily, let me make your day.” I told her about Julian and I getting back together again. I told her how. She started to giggle, especially when I told her about Danielle walking in on us. Her eyes grew huge. “And you did what!” I smiled. “I kneeled between his legs and there wasn’t a thing that Danielle could do about it. You should have seen her face.” Lily laughed, holding her sides. I was glad to see her mood uplifted. “I guess this means I’m out of the running?” Anna asked. I whirled around. “Don’t sneak up on humans. You scared her,” Lily admonished. “Sorry,” Anna said. “I forget.” She reached for a lock of my hair, gently caressing it between two fingers. I swatted her hand away. Lily rolled her eyes at us. “I’m heading back to Bang’s. Get her to tell you about her revenge story. You’ll love it.” She called out as she left. Anna raised an eyebrow to me. “A real Danielle story?” I smiled. “It’s real.” “I thought you were making up a story to make Lily feel better.” Sometimes that Anna had a sweet side. “Did you just come by to check on her?” I asked. “Yes. To make her smile again. But you beat me to it. Now, move over and share your secrets, girlfriend,” she said, straddling the bench with me. Anna and I were laughing at Danielle’s expense ten minutes later when the phone rang. Lily was on the other end, her voice in a panic. “Leah, come over. There are cops swarming all over the place.” I looked out the front window and saw one squad car. “All over?” I asked. She leans toward exaggeration. “Yes. Upstairs in Julian’s office,” she answered, her voice breathless. A little worried, Anna and I headed to Bang’s. Entering the bar, I ran smack into Johnny. “Where’s Julian?” “He’s up in his office with the police.” “Police? What do they want?” 99

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Johnny shrugged as if it were no big deal. Then he grinned when realization dawned. “Lily call you? Why don’t you go up and find out for us all?” I grinned back and realized that if it were as serious as Lily imagined, Johnny would be next to Julian as his second-in-command. I headed up the stairs and knocked on the door, opening it when I heard his voice call out to enter. “Here she is now.” Julian was saying to the two uniformed officers. I raised my eyebrows. “Anjelia, these officers have questions for you regarding my whereabouts last night.” One of the officers cleared his throat and spoke without looking at me directly. “We’re just asking questions, Councilmember Romere. No one is under investigation here. In fact, we were hoping that you might be able to help us.” The officer was under the common misconception that by looking into a vampire’s eyes, his will would be immediately compromised. As if the vampire could drive you to do something outrageous like rob a bank. Mesmerization without blood draw. I spoke as gently as I could. Never having been a product of discrimination, I found that I had no patience for it. How some races lived with it their entire existence was beyond my imagination, not that they had a choice. Not all vampires had this wondrous ability, most were only able to mesmerize for feeding or sex. Even then that was with contact. “I’m human, officer. You don’t need to avoid my eyes.” He raised his startled eyes to me. “Of course not, ma’am.” And lowered them again. I sighed. He didn’t get it. “What happened last night?” “A couple of bodies were discovered a few blocks from here, the blood completely drained. Both had fang marks. We were wondering as to the whereabouts of your, uh, boyfriend, because one of the bodies was carrying a business card of his. Yet, he insists he doesn’t know either of the women.” “Officer, if a vampire is starving it’s possible to completely drain a human body of its blood. But if he has fed recently there’s no way he could drain two bodies,” Julian said. “How would we know when you fed last?” I lowered my neckline. “Julian fed last night on me. If he drained two women dry, he would not have been able to feed on me. And I happen to know he feasted with his usual amount.” I looked at Julian and we shared a look of remembered intimacy, a look between lovers. I smiled slightly as I thought of his feeding frenzy at the height of ecstasy. “Likewise, if he’d fed on me first before the two women he might have been able to snack on one of them but not drain them both dry.” The other officer spoke. “We’re not accusing anyone. But we do need help, especially if this is a renegade vamp. We need help to keep this quiet. You can imagine the public uproar if a vampire serial killer is on the loose.”

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I turned to look at him. He was older than the first cop, with a close crew cut. His green eyes glowed with his skin so tan. I’d nearly forgotten how tanned skin looks. I was pale myself. I hadn’t spent much time in the sun since dating Julian. “Serial?” “This isn’t the first murder. The previous victim, singular, was also female, attractive and carrying the same business card.” I looked at Julian. “Is it possible that another species is trying to make it look like a vamp killing?” He thought about it and shook his head. “No. Say it was a werewolf. He may manage to puncture with vampire marks but the smell of blood would overwhelm him and he would be helpless to fight his natural urgings.” The young officer spoke. “Natural urgings?” “Eating. Chewing,” Julian answered. “A vampire’s natural urge is to merely drink. We do not eat.” Both officers looked slightly ill. “We’re keeping the murders quiet as long as we can. I don’t know how long we can keep doing so.” “We’ll see what we can do to help you. Please feel free to contact me on my private line,” Julian continued. The older officer spoke. “I wondered if we could come into the club tonight. Undercover, of course.” Julian shrugged. “Anything that helps you.” The officers shook his hand, still avoiding his eyes. They looked at me hesitantly. I looked directly into their eyes, held out my hand and shook the older officer’s. “By the way, ma’am, I know who you are. My name is Ray Gearman.” “It’s nice to see you again, Ray.” The younger, good-looking officer held out his hand. I slipped mine into his as he spoke. “Thomas Oser.” Julian stepped behind me to clasp me around the waist. A possessive hint. I let go of the officer’s hand and smiled. “My pleasure, Thomas. And please, both of you, call me Anjelia.” The door shut quietly behind them and Julian nuzzled my neck from behind It had taken me awhile but I finally understood. He didn’t always touch me sexually, we just had a continuous need for skin contact. Just like we had a need for me to feed him. He could feed from others in addition but if he were cut off from my blood source, he could not survive. It was rumored that we could feed monthly but we did it weekly. He lifted the back of my shirt and the front of his. He pressed his bare chest to my back for as much skin contact as was possible. The sensations of warm familiarity flooded through me, overwhelming in their intensity. We stood together in silence for a few moments, his skin gaining warmth from mine. “Thank you for leaping to my defense.”

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“I was worried.” I closed my eyes. “Why didn’t you tell them I am your sole source of nutrition?” “It would have been twisted around. They would have said I could still feed from others even though it did not sustain me. And it would have been one more thing for your city council to use against you. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t seal your bites.” I turned to face him. “I would have just had to show them the other bites.” The ones on my breast. I had the satisfaction of watching his face harden. I smiled before leaving the office. Some days it was nice being a woman. I went back to the gym to finish work. When I finally closed, I noticed a Post-it note stuck to the phone. It said to come directly to the bar and Julian had an outfit for me laid out in his quarters. I locked up the gym and headed next door. As usual, the line was already starting, heading out the door and halfway through the parking lot. I walked to the front of the line and paused, noticing that the vampire-bouncer was unfamiliar to me. He looked directly at me and nodded me through. I briefly wondered how he knew who I was. I found it a little amusing, the thought of my picture being shown to new employees. The boss’s girlfriend, I could hear Johnny drawl, admit her with no waiting, ever. Johnny was at the bar as usual. He crooked a finger at me but before I could reach the bar he whispered something to the other bartender and headed my direction. “Julian said I’m to take you to his quarters to change.” I grimaced and then nodded. Undoubtedly another outfit handpicked by Julian. No wonder the girls had insisted on taking me shopping with his card. He gave me his arm and we made our way through the crowds and to the back. We reached the master quarters and Johnny sat on the sofa with his back turned toward me. Lying across the bed was a scarlet dress in a shiny material I’d never seen. I touched it tentatively. Surprisingly, it was as soft as skin. From the generous amount of material it had, it couldn’t be as revealing as his other outfits. “How surprising,” I told Johnny. “It’s actually quite modest.” “Is it? Well put it on so I can see.” I dropped my clothes and stepped into the dress. One leg at a time, sliding up, up over my hips. Up my waist, arms in the sleeves, a halter tie slipping around my neck and… “Where the hell is the neckline?” Johnny’s head shot around at the sound of my voice and I smoothed the shiny material over my hips. It was a modest princess cut, flaring out slightly from my waistline. But the plunging neckline, if it could be called that since it was nowhere near my neck, barely covered my nipples. “Good thing you’re well endowed. If you moved wrong you might gap the material out otherwise,” Johnny said. 102

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“I can’t possibly wear this!” “Sure you can. You look great.” His eyes were glued to my neck. Only a vampire wouldn’t notice how much breast was exposed and focus on my neck instead. “Johnny, lower your eyes.” His eyes blinked up to my face. “Lower them,” I insisted. They drifted back down to my neck. “Lower.” Now they were on my breasts. “Oh.” He stood and walked over to me. He peered into the neckline and before I could decide if I should be offended or not, he stuck a finger into the material. “Here’s the secret.” He pulled the material away from me about a half-inch and we saw film over the lining of the dress. He tugged on the clear plastic covering a sticky adhesive on the inner lining. He moved the dress back in place and smoothed the top with his thumbs. “Oh,” I said, realization dawning, “now it’ll stay in place.” Johnny continued smoothing the dress over my breasts, copping a not-so-innocent feel. “Bet you’re glad Julian didn’t send Anna to look out for you, huh?” The look on his face was pure devilment. I couldn’t help but smile as I playfully slapped his hands away. We headed back upstairs and noticed a swarm of people at the bar. I saw Johnny scan for Julian but I didn’t see him anywhere. “Let’s just head to the bar. He’ll show up or I’ll find him eventually,” I said. He smiled gratefully. He couldn’t stand to have poor service at his bar. We entered the bar together and began serving drinks. “What can I get you?” I smiled at a thin, pasty white man with shifty eyes. “Scotch. Dry.” His eyes scanned the bar as he spoke, looking for potential vamps. A junkie. There was nothing more pathetic. He wore a button-up dress shirt with a collar. Disguising the scars on his neck, no doubt. I slid his glass at him. His hands shook as he took it. “Hello, beautiful” A blond man took a seat next to the junkie but his eyes were on me. He was handsome in a beachboy sort of way. He also had a gorgeous body for a human. Maybe I was now biased but he was a bit too flashy for my tastes. I didn’t respond to his suggestive compliment. “What can I get for you?” “Your number?” I smiled. “You’re not my type. But I will get you a drink. What would you like?”

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“What’s your type?” The junkie answered. “She goes for the vamps.” Blond surfer boy looked at me in disgust. “What’s a vamp got over me besides fangs?” The junkie answered again. “It’s the danger element. That inhuman strength, knowing they could snap your neck like a twig while giving you the best orgasm of your life.” It was my turn to look disgusted. “Actually, I just happen to love him. That’s all. I would love him if he was alive and I love him even though he’s dead.” Turning to the customer who stood behind the blond, I smiled. “Need a drink?” I didn’t wait for his response. I slid him a glass of Red. O-Negative. His favorite. The junkie, the blond and I watched as Julian drained the glass, the blood staining his lips. “Hello, my love,” he whispered sensuously. I leaned across the bar and pressed my lips to his. “Have a good night, gentlemen,” I called out as Julian wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me effortlessly over the bar. The blond dropped his jaw at his first glance of vampire strength. Julian and I made our way to the dance floor. “Showoff,” I whispered teasingly. “He was a little too interested in you.” “You bought the dress.” “You need bite marks for jewelry.” He growled into my neck. I giggled. “Don’t you dare, Julian,” I said as I pushed him away. He smiled and kissed me some more. “I don’t see the officers anywhere.” “Anjelia, look at the vampire junkie at the bar.” I looked over his shoulder. The vampire junkie was watching us. When he noticed me he winked and gave me a peace symbol with his fingers. “Is that…” “Officer Oser. Undercover.” “Damn. That’s good.” Julian and I danced and then strolled around the bar, listening to conversations. We sat for a while with Lily and Nicki, since Anna was bartending tonight. Then we sat at the bar. Nothing happened. Ever. All night. The only thing that made it bearable was being with Julian. We finally were able to corner Oser, still seated in the same spot. “Anything?” Julian asked him. “Not a thing. But that’s not unusual. It may be slow like this for quite a few nights.” 104

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I groaned. I hoped we didn’t have to do this over and over. While I wasn’t a bar-hopper, it did have one benefit. Any humans at Bang’s that I came in contact with didn’t look at me in disgust for being coffin-bait. As they were starting to at the grocery store and coffee shops around town.

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Chapter Ten I went next door to the gym and relieved Gigi at the front desk. Her duties were tied between Bang’s and my gym. “Hi, Gigi. I’m here if you want to take off.” “Um, that’s all right. I’ll hang out here, if it’s okay?” “Sure.” I assumed she was going to work out but I wondered if she just avoided going to the bar. She seemed to want to spend a lot of time at the gym. My train of thought was interrupted by a call from Leo. “You are really getting the hang of this phone thing,” I teased. “That’s me. A modern kind of guy. Dinner tonight?” I looked at the clock. It was nearly dinnertime. “Now?” “Sure.” “Okay. Shall I meet you at the usual spot?” We had taken to meeting at the Subground. “Are you sure I can’t pick you up?” “Not necessary.” That made it seem too much like a date and I was back to dating Julian. I liked my friendship with Leo although I’d missed the Lamborghini since my newfound independence at simply meeting him. Thankfully he’d also stopped talking about queens. “Are you leaving now, then?” “Yup. I’m as good as gone.” We hung up and I called out to Gigi. “I’m going to dinner. Do you want to lock up when you’re done? I’ll be back in an hour.” “I’m not busy. I’ll stay and watch the phones ’til you’re back.” I nodded and went to change clothes. I had to go over to Bang’s where a cocktail dress of mine was kept in Julian’s office. I changed in his office, left my gym clothes and drove to the restaurant. Leo and I enjoyed dinner together. Other than I took my meat very well done and he took his rare and we avoided looking at each other’s plates, the conversation was good. We were finishing up when my cell phone rang. I looked at Leo. He nodded at me to answer it. Which is amazing, considering it was probably from Julian. I was right. “Hello, Julian.” “My sweet, I heard from Gigi that you are enjoying dinner with our friend the wolf?” He tried to be casual but I heard the slight tone in his voice.

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“Yes, I’m here with Leo.” “I did not want you to forget you are coming to the club tonight. The officers will be there.” “I remember. I’m becoming a regular party girl, aren’t I?” “Good thing you can now exist on less sleep, hmm?” “Yes, it’s a good thing.” “I love you, my sweet.” There was nothing I could do but say it back. “I love you too, Julian.” We disconnected and I looked at Leo. “He calls at the most inopportune times, doesn’t he?” “I think he thought it a most opportune time.” Leo laughed. “You could be right, Anjelia. You could be right.” At least I didn’t have to dress for Bang’s. The dress I was wearing for dinner would suffice. As I entered the vamp at the door leaned toward me to speak quietly. “The boss reserved a table for you.” Nodding, I let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Julian was on stage introducing a hypnotist. “And so, Merrick believes he can hypnotize anyone to do anything. Shall we put him to the test?” The audience cheered and clapped. “Who shall we have to prove him wrong? Is there a skeptic in the audience?” Several heads turned about. I was looking around also, looking for the officers. “How about my other half?” The audience clapped and my attention snapped to the stage. I looked at him warily. “Anjelia, come join me onstage,” he said into the microphone. I could not believe he was doing this. “Come, my sweet. Don’t be shy.” He held out a hand to help me onstage. I glared at him. He leaned forward to brush his lips against my cheek as I walked up. “Did you enjoy your dinner with someone other than myself?” he whispered. I didn’t dignify that comment. “Merrick, what hypnosis will you do for Anjelia?” Merrick looked at me, silent for a bit. He was staring and it was creepy. He seemed to be unemotionally looking inside me, inside my head or through my body. “Do you sing?” he asked in a flat monotonous voice. I am tone deaf. I have never been able to sing. I also have a naturally quiet voice, even in yelling mode. For that reason, I never made it to the cheerleading squad in high school. Somehow Merrick sensed this. “No, I can’t sing.” “Why not?” 107

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“I’m tone deaf.” “For this night you will be a temptress with a voice of an angel.” The crowd clapped. I hoped I wasn’t looking too bored. The lights onstage dimmed. A spotlight shone on me. The hypnotist was still cast in darkness. I didn’t know where Julian, the traitor, was. “You can sense me, Anjelia. But you cannot see me. My voice commands you. It reaches out to you. Makes you do things, do things you cannot normally do.” His voice was thick, rolling, sultry. Little shivers of pleasure danced over my skin. I heard him distantly. Maybe now I was getting bored. I was waiting for the part where he told me to relax and go into a deep trance or sleep or whatever when the next thing I knew, I was standing on stage, by myself now. He was gone and I was singing. I don’t know which language it was in but it wasn’t English and I don’t know where the words came from. Then, the voice of the hypnotist commanded me to switch languages. I did so immediately and continued my song in French. After a minute or two, he commanded to switch again. Now I was in Italian. I sang through several more languages, ending with Japanese. I sang until he commanded me to stop and the stage lights suddenly turned on. I blinked rapidly at the lights, aware of the audience clapping. Julian reached me onstage, his hand out to mine. He hugged me to him and said to the hypnotist that was now present, “A remarkable performance, Merrick. You have astounded even me.” Merrick bowed and Julian escorted me off the stage, handing the microphone to someone else. We walked to our private table enclosed with curtains and Julian whispered in my ear. “Are you all right?” He seemed shaken, for once his mask forgotten. “What the hell just happened?” “He really did it. A real hypnotism, like one I’ve never seen before. You sang in seven different languages, Anjelia.” He motioned with his hand and two men appeared. One was the undercover Oser, no longer a junkie and the other I had not met. “Was that real or set up?” The new officer demanded. “Do you speak seven languages, Anjelia? You sang in French, Italian, Japanese, Hawaiian, Spanish, Arabic and German,” Julian asked me while looking at the officer. “I don’t speak anything but English.” “There has to be a reasonable explanation,” the new officer said. “How the hell is this possible?” Oser asked. “I don’t know,” Julian said, “but imagine the possibilities. Can he command a vampire to drain humans dry, killing them, without them even being aware of it? We heard him verbally command Anjelia to remember. What if others don’t remember what acts they commit?” We all looked at each other. “Is he an employee of yours?” Thomas asked. 108

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“No, this was his interview performance. He arrived in my territory a couple of weeks ago.” “Okay, let’s keep him close. Can you hire him tonight? Get his address, personal information, stuff like that?” Julian nodded. “I’ll go talk to him.” He turned toward me. “Anjelia, stay here with the officers. I want you around him as little as possible.” I sat with Oser and Mitchell, tapping my fingers on the table. “So, um, what were those songs you were singing?” Oser asked. “I have no idea.” “How’d you end up with vampires, anyway?” I smiled at Oser’s attempt to make polite conversation. Because it just wasn’t coming out that way. “Just lucky, I guess.” “Lucky?” “Um-hmm. You know what they say about a guy with big feet? It’s true as far as vampires go. Except they don’t have the big feet.” I leaned back in my chair. “Very funny,” he snapped. I laughed. “Then loosen up.” I watched a smile crack on his face. And then he muttered, “Next time I dress up like a junkie, I’m buying shoes two sizes larger.” An alarm beeped. He glanced at his partner and said, “We gotta run.” He walked me over to Anna, Lily and Nicki and I sat with them. I was exhausted from the hypnotism and watched the dancing around me in a daze. It wasn’t long before the bar closed and still the four of us sat. There was a small side effect from being hypnotized by Merrick. It was late and I was yawning. I was still sitting with the girls while I waited for Julian. I closed my eyes for just a second. I heard Nicki tell Lily that she forgets I’m human until they absolutely exhaust me by keeping me up all night. I heard Anna joke back, saying that she’d be willing to reenergize me. “I heard that,” I growled at her. “Keep your fangs to yourself.” There was silence. I opened my eyes to find them staring at me. “What?” Anna spoke slowly and succinctly. As if I were a slow-wit. “Answer me back, Leah. I enjoyed our kiss. Did you? Would you like to try again?” I wondered if I should speak just as slowly. Oh and yuck. “It was fine. I’m glad there was no tongue. I wouldn’t count on it.” 109

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“Wow. I think she’s too tired to notice,” Lily said. I looked at Nicki. She would explain things. “Leah, you’re speaking French. We were conversing quietly in French. You understood. And answered.” “Oh. Crap.” “Do you know the other languages he hypnotized you for?” Lily asked. “I think so.” Nicki stood up. “I’d better get Julian.” Before I knew it, he had arrived. He sat next to me and held my face between his hands. “Je t’aime, ma bonbon.” I love you, my sweet. His hands were cool on my cheeks. I turned my head slightly to rub my cheek in his palm. “Je t’aime, aussi.” I love you too. “Ainsi vous parlez français. Que diriez-vous de l’Italien?” So you do speak French. How about Italian? I tried switching to Italian. It worked. “Penso che li parli tutti. Lo spaventa. Che cosa sta accadendo?” I think I speak them all. It scares me. What is happening? “Non so, il mio dolce. Raddrizzeremo questo fuori.” I do not know, my sweet. We will straighten this out. Merrick arrived soon. He sat across the table from us and Julian turned toward him. His voice was not friendly. “What is wrong with my Anjelia? She can now speak the languages you hypnotized her to speak.” Merrick’s already pale face turned even whiter. “I don’t know. I’ve never had this happen,” he looked at me, puzzled. “She is human, right?” Julian nodded. I nodded. “Do you practice witchcraft?” “No.” “Do you mind if I do a couple of tests?” Actually I did mind. But it was Julian’s call. I turned toward him. He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “Harmless?” he asked. “Of course.” Julian nodded. “I’ll be watching.” It was slightly threatening. Merrick leaned toward me. “Close your eyes.” I closed them and hoped I wouldn’t fall asleep. “What do you see?” 110

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“Colors, swirls of colors.” “Keep your eyes closed but let your vision wander upward. You are now looking out your third eye. Which colors do you see?” “There’s red and pink and a little purple. Some yellows, a little green.” There was some silence, I think. In any case, I forgot about Merrick and began to daydream. I felt a hand grab my face. The hand turned my head toward Julian quickly, sharply. My eyes opened, then closed on their own. It wasn’t Julian’s face I saw but a vision. I looked beyond the beautiful face and saw Julian standing. “What do you see? Beyond the colors.” “The colors are clearing.” Was that my voice? “They clear and leave a fog. I see a man. I see— It’s Julian.” I felt lips pressing to my fingers. It was reassuring. I felt strong enough to go on. “Julian is…desperate? He wants something. I don’t know what.” “Look around. Where is Julian?” “He’s standing on my front porch. He’s looking into my house.” “What is he looking at?” “I can’t see.” “Enter his mind, Anjelia. Look through his eyes.” I was sucked into Julian. I watched as he looked into my house. “I see my living room sofa. I’m lying on it. I am…naked. I’m bloody and bruised…and I vomit the blackness. Julian can’t help me… He can’t get in. I will die.” “What are you dying from, my sweet?” Julian’s voice cut in. “I am weak. I trust no one. I want the release of sleep. I love Julian, Julian doesn’t really love me.” “Of course I love you, Anjelia! I will always love you.” “No, Julian. I am human, you are not. You cannot. But…” I paused, considering. “Should I be human? I don’t understand. I should be more than human, stronger. Able to heal myself. The moon, the full moon welcomes me. Why is that?” There was silence. “Have you changed my life, Julian?” “Yes, Anjelia. I changed your life. You are mine, you will always be mine. You were never meant to be wolf.” There was no apology in his voice. “I am more than human now but not wolf. What am I?” Merrick answered. “You’re a psychic, I think.” His voice was wondering. “Why is it that you didn’t know? Why is it that your power is untapped? Why is it that you’ve…” His voice dropped to a whisper, “forgotten?” It was too much for my brain. I snapped out of my relaxed state with a jerk that left pain behind my eyes. I turned my frightened eyes to Julian but couldn’t see him. There

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were blind spots in my vision. I threw myself into his lap and he held me, stroking my hair. “I am sorry. I would not have hypnotized her if I’d known she was psychic. Those gates should not have been opened.” “You could not have known. Anjelia did not even know. What will the side effects be to hypnotizing a psychic?” “I don’t know. I’ve never been able to. There have been rumors, long ago, of hypnotizing supernaturals. They go insane if they don’t just die. My powers have become twisted since becoming a vampire. But I’d perfected my technique over the centuries to where I could practice on humans. It should not have worked on her.” “So we don’t know if the languages are permanent? If the psychic abilities will grow or disappear?” Merrick shrugged. “I have no idea.” I closed my eyes. “There’s more,” I said. “I can’t see.” I felt Merrick wave his hand over my eyes and in moments I was asleep. I wanted the sleep, I wanted to shut my mind down. The thoughts, the confusion, I wanted it to go away. I was seeing things, ghosts of things not really there, colors around objects. I saw the air, the very air that we breathe and thought to myself, how does one see air? I was aware of a distant voice. “Anjelia, my sweet, awaken.” I felt lips on my forehead as Julian commanded me. I was still on his lap, my head tucked into the curve between his shoulder and neck. I looked around, my vision was better but still not completely normal. Merrick was gone. “Are you awake?” “Um-hmm.” “I’m taking you to bed. I will stay with you.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m glad.” There was a pause before he wrapped his own arms about my waist. I wondered what that meant. True to his word, Julian stayed the night with me. We didn’t go to my house, though. He carried me downstairs, down to the coffin chamber. He set me inside it, slowly. Giving me a chance to protest. I didn’t. The warmth of his homeland soil comforted me. I definitely needed the comfort. Julian was removing his clothing outside his coffin, quickly, lest his coffin be singled out by a passer-by. I sat up and undressed also. We folded our clothes and Julian placed them in a locking drawer underneath. He got in next to me and we had to wrap our arms around each other in the close quarters. “Do you think anyone will notice if I got a double-sized coffin?” Julian asked.

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I laughed, knowing everything would be fine. And wondered how I had forgotten about being psychic. Why else would I get the strange “feelings” that I do? The vacuum induced watchings?

***** I was getting dressed for my luncheon with Leo, although we were just meeting at the hospital since he was on duty. I had that vacuum feeling again, where the air becomes still. Where someone watches me. I thought about it briefly before dismissing it. It’s happened for so many years that I just don’t care anymore. I got dressed slowly, thinking that whoever was watching must be a voyeur. Grabbing my car keys, I quickly left after paging Leo on the way to let him know I’d arrived. He’d meet me on my way down the elevator as usual. “Anjelia.” I looked up to see him, a smile lighting his face. I marveled at how handsome he was, how he could have been a Greek statue brought to life. Plus he had a brain, a surgeon no less. Rich. Powerful. He wanted me for his queen. How did I end up with vampires, I thought ruefully. Leo kissed my cheek. He placed his hand in the small of my back, massaging my brand. I watched his face as he did it, it was an unconscious caress. “What are you having?” he asked. “Hospital food is getting tastier. There are so many choices.” He laughed. “Or else you’re getting used to it.” We reached an empty table and sat down. Still laughing at Leo, I watched the expression on his face harden. Before I had time to turn around, another person was standing at our table. The doctor was unfamiliar until I looked at his eyes. His eyes were familiar and I tried to figure out who he was. He stared back, hostility in his piercing gaze. I sensed that he wasn’t human. He was a werewolf and seemed to know Leo well. I wondered if he was with Leo’s pack, then hoped so. That would make Leo his king. “She’s still human.” Leo shrugged. “It’s her choice.” “No one will follow a human queen.” His voice was rising. “Lower your voice. This is not your concern,” Leo snapped. Our attention was diverted to the others sitting around the cafeteria tables, watching curiously. “She should be full werewolf and our queen by now, not smelling…” the disgusting man sniffed me, “reeking of the undead.” “Perhaps you are spending too much time with your brother, Doctor. Is he telling you tales?” There was a threat to Leo’s voice, one that I didn’t understand. The other doctor paled. “This isn’t over yet.” He walked away before Leo could respond further.

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“Who was he?” I asked. “You don’t know him. You did meet his brother, though.” “The skinny werewolf?” Leo nodded. “The one that ripped the clothing from your back to show us your mark.” “What do they want with me?” “His brother Val has always been a rebel. A troublemaker. He’s been spoiled by Dr. Grossler. It was decided that he would attend a college, make a place in the world and stop with his wild, teenage antics. Val refused to attend. He started to spend more and more time in wolf form without anyone in the pack knowing. Dr. Grossler covered for him, claiming later that he didn’t know Val was in wolf form all the time. Thought he just needed some alone time to sort through his teenage rebellious stage. When we finally saw Val he had features unable to revert back to human. He can no longer attend a college or be among humans. He got his way but members of the pack are so upset with his rebellion that they wanted him put to death, for his looks threaten to expose us all. His brother, Dr. Grossler, bargained for his life, promising to keep him hidden.” “And they want you to turn me?” He nodded. “Why?” “You were marked for my queen, Anjelia.” Leo’s voice was gentle and his hand covered mine. “It’s a matter of pride. Wolves have a lot of pride.” His thumb began to rub on my hand. “We’re also loyal. And we mate for life.” “I’m already committed for an eternity, Leo.” He sighed. “I know. You chose the life of the undead.” I turned my hand in his and clasped his gently. We held hands for a minute before I spoke. “I’m sorry, Leo. But I’m happy.” “I know. It’s the only reason I haven’t forced you to be my queen. And it’s the only reason why we haven’t slaughtered the vampires now that I’ve found you again.” He pulled his hand away and resumed eating, unaware of the chill that ran up my spine as I realized the full violence that the werewolves contained. I returned to the gym. I know, I wasn’t supposed to go out back by myself. But Gigi was inside the gym, training a client. I was doing the nightly chores, closing my books, dumping out the garbage. I opened the back door to the gym and looked out. There was no one around and the back parking lot was well lit. It would take a minute, even less. I’d be back before Gigi even realized I stepped out. I grabbed the plastic trash bag. My feet were quiet as I walked quickly to the dumpster. I swung the bag up and over the edge and began walking back. It was easy.

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I was nearly back to the gym when there was suddenly someone in front of me. I knew it was a vampire, yet I never saw her come. Danielle. She stood before me. Her fangs were distended, her eyes glowed red. “Oh, goody. It’s our favorite little human. What is that cute little nickname they call you? Leah?” “What do you want, Danielle?” “Want? Just to talk. You’re utmost on our protection list, aren’t you? You should feel safe.” “We’re in an empty lot. And I certainly don’t feel safe with you.” “Are you safe with any vampire, Anjelia? You’re sleeping with one but do you trust him?” “I wouldn’t be sleeping with Julian if I didn’t trust him or love him. But it’s none of your business.” “It’s my business that you’re outside alone. Tasty. You’re trusting Julian so much. Did he give you a line of bullshit? Did he tell you that by being his human servant he has to feed from you or die? That he can no longer sustain himself with just any old human blood?” I refused to answer and she slithered closer to me. Her cheek was pressed to mine as she whispered in my ear. “He actually needs more blood now. Binding yourself to a human weakens you, even a tough, old, master vamp like our Julian. So has he told you that he’s a lot hungrier?” “Where are you going with this?” She was so close that my breath blew in her hair. “What do you know of vampires, Anjelia? For all you know, Julian is draining women dry. He’s a vampire, an evil creature. We are all evil creatures. You knew that before. You never would give him the time of day. Only after you were mesmerized were you with him.” She was right. I knew nothing of vampires. I was once careful to keep my distance from them and I’d forgotten that distance. She had one long, pointed fingernail in her mouth and was sucking it thoughtfully. Quick as lightning, before I even realized it, that fingernail sliced a gash along my neck. She brought the finger back to her mouth, tasting my blood. “You’re so sweet, Anjelia,” she whispered. “No wonder you attract everyone. Perhaps I should drain you dry? You’d like to share that sweetness with me, wouldn’t you?” “Go to hell.”

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She reached her hand out and grabbed me by the throat. “I’m going to give you a little information, sweetie. You think you have Julian all to yourself? He wanted your sweet blood all right. But only after you were destined to become the wolf queen.” I couldn’t help it. I wanted her to go on. I wanted to know more. “We all know you were marked by the wolves to become Leo’s queen. You were being sold by your husband and would have been if not for his death.” She leaned in to lick my cheek. “Who do you think killed him, Anjelia? Julian killed him just to take something from Leo. Your blood being so sweet was just a lucky bonus. Do you want to know how he was killed? Did you even know that we knew you back then? We did. Julian kissed you at your husband’s funeral, made you forget our existence and the fight between the two species. You thought you met him when we opened Bang’s next door to you, didn’t you? We opened Bang’s to keep an eye on you. Surprise, sweetie.” Her hand tightened around my throat. She was choking me and black dots swam before my eyes. “Julian will kill you, you know.” My voice was flat. I knew that any second she’d snap my neck like a chicken bone. “I don’t think so. He’ll be angry but when you’re out of the scene he’ll forget you. And I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.” I’ve had enough of a connection with Julian to sense when he’s nearby, just as he can sense me and right then I felt him. If my blood didn’t know it was Julian, I wouldn’t have guessed. For some reason, I felt danger in the air and it wasn’t all emanating from Danielle. I tilted my head, puzzled as to its source. Her hand lessened its grip on my neck. My mind reached out and tried to get a feeling for what was out there. She watched me with narrowed eyes. Then I watched panic settle into those emerald green eyes. I watched her face stiffen, morphing into something else. Her skin drew taut over her eyes and cheekbones. She seemed centuries older than normal. Reaching a hand out slowly, I noticed that her hands were longer fingered, the fingernails stretching out like claws. “No, Master, please…I was just talking to her,” she called out in desperation. Morbidly fascinated, I watched her skin color change. Her creamy, pale complexion looked hideous. It was spotted, with a color crossed between brown and gray. The moisture had also sucked out of her skin, leaving it looking as though it may peel off. Her hair was dry and brittle, seeming to crackle, the deep red color fading enough to resemble hay. “Please,” she called out still. I looked around, no one in sight. Her breath caught in her throat and I could tell that she was choking. She dropped her clawlike hand from around my neck and seemed to have a little relief. She fell to her knees and then Julian appeared, standing before her as she bowed to him. There were several vampires surrounding him, including Johnny.

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I’ve never seen Julian look so dangerous. It gave me a glimpse of the vampire that I sometimes forgot he was. The dark color of his eyes seemed to shimmer slightly with a red hue. The glow of a vampire’s eyes. “What were you ladies discussing, Danielle?” He didn’t look at me and I didn’t mind. He was frightening in this mode and I was still frightened from what I’d learned. “I apologize, Master. I didn’t hurt her,” she begged. Julian raised his arm and struck her without ever coming in contact. Her head whipped around and blood appeared on her wrinkled cheek. “Then why is she bleeding, Danielle?” I reached up to my neck where she had grabbed me. My fingers came away sticky. “You stupid vampire. You can’t just leave well enough alone, can you? You know she has my mark of protection. You know she is my human servant in every way. You dare to touch her, to threaten her?” He was screaming at this point and I felt my stomach clench in a horror I’ve never felt with Julian. “I thought it was a pretense, like at first. And you can’t blame me for being jealous, I was your favorite for a quarter of a century.” “And that was a century ago. I could not care less if you ceased to exist.” “Please, Julian. I apologize. I apologize to Anjelia. Please don’t kill me.” “It’s not a matter of killing you, Danielle. It’s a matter of not sustaining your existence. If I punished you, would I allow your full strength to return by feeding you my blood? Or shall I leave you weak and feed you as you deserve? The blood of a pig.” There was silence. Julian motioned to his other vampires. “Take her as she is. Lock her in the coffin. Do not allow her to feed.” Danielle was taken away, her piteous sobs rendering the night air. How horrible could her punishment be? Then Julian turned to face me. I was still scared. His eyes still glowed red. I have never been more aware that he wasn’t human. He reached out a hand to touch my face and I took a step backward, my heart racing. “Don’t be frightened, Anjelia. What has she told you?” He reached out a hand and took my arm. I panicked and put a hand on his chest. Johnny was suddenly there and took my other arm. I was trapped between the two of them. “Relax, my sweet. She’s poisoned you, that’s all. I need to take the poison from you. That’s all you’re feeling,” he crooned. Yet his eyes were still red. I remembered her fingernail slicing my neck and then was aware of my breathing. My lungs clenched and my breath was coming in short, shallow gasps. Was it fear or was it the poison? “Tell me what she told you, my sweet.”

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I shook my head, gasping now. I was fighting to draw air into my tortured lungs, they seemed too small for my body. Feeling like I was wheezing, I fought not to panic. Julian leaned toward the slice in my neck and sucked out my poisoned blood. I stood stock-still, letting him. Truth be known, I couldn’t have protested much anyway. He sucked and spat and sucked and spat. When he was finally done, he leaned forward to kiss my lips. Moments or minutes later, I don’t know which, for I sort of spaced out a little bit, he pulled away. “Are you feeling better?” “Yes.” My voice was calm. And I was. My breathing had slowed, my chest no longer seized. There was a little something niggling at the back of my mind but I didn’t quite care. I just felt better. I felt like I was in a dream. I knew something scary had just happened but I couldn’t recall the details. I knew I’d had a confrontation with Danielle but could no longer remember our exact words. The harder I tried to remember, the more I felt it slip away. Utterly confused, I pressed myself to Julian’s chest and he held me. Suddenly it no longer mattered. I don’t know why.

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Chapter Eleven Danielle was in the coffin for three months. A lot had changed in that time. The weather outside was cold, we were in the middle of winter. The days were shorter which meant the vamps were out more in the evening hours as it now darkened by five p.m. Because of this, I was spending more time with Julian and less with Leo. Johnny had been gone for two months visiting friends in England. The hypnotist hadn’t officially started, he was still wrapping up loose ends from wherever he was from. I found it curious that he was gone and no murders had occurred. Furthering Danielle’s punishment, since this was her second, Julian did not allow her to feed from his own blood like he did the last time. She remained an ugly old woman although she looked much better than when she first entered her punishment. She seemed to be repentant and avoided me as commanded. Of course, without her vamp powers and strength, I could take her. I wondered how long Julian would leave her without his blood. I wasn’t going to ask however. I certainly didn’t mind her being old, ugly and weak. Johnny returned from England and Merrick arrived to start work. Things were nearly back to normal when another murder occurred. It was a vicious attack and happened in the back alleyway behind Bang’s. The victim was female and a frequent visitor of the bar. As usual, her blood was drained and a business card of Julian’s was left in a pocket of her clothing. The only difference with this murder was Merrick was the primary suspect. Officer Gearman called to tell us that he was being interrogated and we needed to come quickly. Julian and I arrived at police headquarters and walked up to the front desk where Officer Oser was waiting. He led us directly to the interview room where Merrick was being questioned about his hypnotic abilities. I saw why he was leading us quickly. Other officers in the police station looked curiously at us. Some already had antagonistic looks upon their faces. Others looked at me in disgust, the same look I’d come to expect from public places where the population was primarily human. Oser kept his eyes lowered as he walked us through the offices and cubicles to a larger conference area. It had two doors and we entered one to find we were on the other side of the large room, with one wall a huge window. We watched Merrick being questioned through the one-way glass. “I am not a murderer. I have nothing to do with those humans,” he spat out.

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“Those humans have names. Do you think because humans have shorter life spans than you they are unimportant?” The detective questioning him angrily threw the photographs on the table. Images of death stared at us. It was a common police practice but it didn’t work for vampires. Show them a dehydrated body instead and they’d crack. “We know that someone extremely strong, supernatural and vampire is the murderer. The punctures match fangs, they’re not just look-alikes. You are the best suspect.” “Why would I be the best suspect?” “Because of your ability to hypnotize. You hypnotized others to do your dirty work while you remained innocent in full public view at work.” Merrick said nothing. Julian turned and looked at Detective Oser. “He couldn’t have done it.” “What?” “Merrick is not a master vampire. He is not strong enough. That psychic ability alone should be strength enough to make him a master. Something does not make sense.” The answer came to the both of us but Julian spoke first. “He can only mesmerize humans!” I finished. “And humans aren’t strong enough to do the murders, plus they lack the fangs. It was definitely a vamp. So that rules him out.” Officer Oser thought about this. “Let’s take you in to ask him. All the vamp stuff confuses me.” We entered the room and both the questioning officer and Merrick looked at us. “Officer, I’d like to ask my employee a question pertinent to this case.” He nodded. “Merrick, do your hypnotic capabilities work on everyone? Humans and vampires alike?” There was a pause, like the answer was a dirty secret. “No. I am only able to hypnotize humans,” he admitted with his head low. Merrick was released into our custody. We were back to square one. In the darkened limo, my cell phone rang on the ride home. It was Mayor Flagstaff. “Leah, I thought I should warn you. We’re taking lots of calls just as Grove predicted. Worded exactly as Grove pointed out, actually. We’ve released a statement to the press about how your private life is just that, private.” I sighed. “So it won’t be long before they’re hounding me, also.” “Afraid not.” “Thanks for letting me know.”

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“Good luck.” I disconnected and we rode to the bar in silence. After a while, Merrick broke it. “Thank you for bailing me out with those ignorant creatures.” Julian’s voice was cool. “You pay for fealty.” I was slightly distracted. “I’m one of those ignorant creatures,” I reminded him. He flushed. “I’m sorry. I forget. You don’t seem like one, you see.” “Yet I am.” “Once again, I am sorry. I merely wished to thank the two of you for coming to my aid when it would have been so easy for me to take the blame.” “But you didn’t do it,” I said, confused. “Why would you take the blame?” “The killer may have stopped or moved on if there was someone else available to blame. And I am the reasonable choice, the newest vampire added to the group.” “Merrick, I could never let someone take the blame for something they didn’t do. Just as I could never sit and watch another being treated unfairly,” I said, appalled that he would think that. Julian was silent through our conversation and Merrick continued, his curiosity piqued. “Why is that?” “Because I’ve been in a position of being treated unfairly. I would never sit back and watch something without taking action.” My cell rang again. I sighed. “Romere.” “Councilmember. I asked you to attend one of our meetings to save your soul. You ignored me. Now you’re damned.” A female voice told me. “Who is this? How did you get my number?” She hung up on me. “Who was that?” Julian asked. “I think it was a woman I met at a coffee shop ages ago. She gave me her card. She was with Human Hierarchy and asked me to attend one of their religious meetings.” “Human Hierarchy? You never told me about that.” I shrugged. “Mustn’t have seemed important at the time. Who are they?” “Just that. Religious fanatics who think the human race is the only one that shall enter heaven. Remember how you could tell a skinhead by their shaved heads? Human Hierarchy members are all excessively tanned, showing off their ability to utilize sunlight. Distinguishing them from the pale vampires. Some are vegetarians also, because they know werewolves exist.” I remembered the woman in the coffee shop. She was darker than a coconut, her skin dry and leathery. Her bleached blonde hair brittle from overexposure.

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I smiled. “So I just need to avoid people who are tanned. And vegans. Oh and bald.” The list was growing.

***** I was helping Julian with the lights on stage when Johnny called out that I had a phone call. Julian and I both looked up at his voice. Johnny then yelled that it was a guy. “Leo.” Julian grumbled. “Who else would call me at Bang’s?” I laughed at his disgruntled face and kissed his nose. I walked over to the bar and knowing Johnny intended to eavesdrop, stuck my tongue out at him. “Hello?” “Anjelia? It’s Leo.” Thankfully, he’d stopped the habit of yelling into the phone. “Hi, Leo. Are you getting ready for your wolf-howl?” Connie and I laughingly referred to Leo’s human gathering before the wolf change at the full moon as a wolf-howl. He thought it shockingly indecent. We referred to it as a wolf-howl because of one of the traditions of mating. You couldn’t see a whole lot, as it happened after they changed but it was still uncomfortable. Hell, the wolves were thrusting, after all. Connie and I jokingly referred to it as the howling of the wolves, as we’d snickered between ourselves, because they howled at completion. It changed to the wolf-howl. I hadn’t been to a wolf-howl since Julian saved me from the first one. And I certainly didn’t get to see a mating ritual then. So technically, I haven’t been to one although I was invited to Connie’s when she and Ajay mated. I refused the invitation to attend even though Leo promised I’d be safe. “Actually, I got called out of town. There’s an emergency surgery scheduled in California and the doctor there will be facing his full moon. He has to call in sick. Unfortunately, there’s no one else qualified to perform this type of surgery.” “How can you keep from changing?” “I’m a wolf king. I have more strength than the normal wolf, much like your master vampire has certain abilities beyond his normal vamps. But I will pay for it. My change will be harsher next month and I’ll certainly be changing in a couple of days when I return for our own moon.” There was arrogance in his tone and that alone reminded me that he was indeed pack leader. “Well, I’ll miss you.” “And that brings me to the point of my phone call. You know I let all of my staff off for the monthly meeting, right? It included my chauffeur. I don’t suppose you’d take me to the airport?”

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I laughed. “Of course I’ll take you. Do I get to drive the Lamborghini? Are you ready now?” “I’m finishing up with my packing. I should be done by the time you get here. And I told you, when you become my queen.” I asked for that one. “Okay, I’m on my way. Don’t leave me stuck at those big old gates.” “You need your own password. I’ll leave the gates open for you and we’ll make you one on the way out.” “See you soon.” I hung up the phone and whispered to Johnny. He was across the bar but I knew that super-vamp hearing was eavesdropping. “Since you are obviously listening in, it’s your punishment to tell Julian where I went.” I laughed when his head snapped up, proving my point. Johnny watched me walk to the front door, not believing I was leaving him to tell Julian. I turned back at the door and blew Julian a kiss before leaving. Then I smirked and blew one to Johnny too. True to his word, Leo left the massive front gates open. I pulled along the huge driveway that curled alongside well-manicured lawns and parked. I walked up the steps and stuck my head in the front door. “Leo?” I called. “Upstairs.” I had to walk up more stairs. His house certainly would keep one fit. I finally found him in his bedroom zipping up a suitcase. I collapsed on the bed. It was huge and comfy. Expensive bedding and pillows. My head sank gratefully onto a pillow. “You need a smaller house.” Leo barely glanced up from his suitcase. “Can you imagine the smells once a month at the meetings in a smaller place? Sweaty wolves on the verge of a change all mashed into one room together? Trust me, you’d be grateful for this big house if you had to attend one of those meetings.” I grinned at the thought, hugging one of the pillows to me. “I guess this house has a couple of benefits.” “Out of my bed, woman. I’m going to smell you for a week.” “What, the great wolf king, can’t sleep with the smell of the undead reeking through his bedroom?” I teased. “I can sleep with the undead smell. Your sweet womanly scent is going to leave me hard for a week.” I jumped out of the bed. “Meet you downstairs.” I heard his laughter as I made my way down. 123

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We set a password for me at the metal gates at the front of his property. While Leo was doing it, I asked him if he needed a ride back from the airport. “You don’t need to pick me up. I appreciate you just getting me there.” “I don’t mind. You have all of my numbers. Home, cell, the gym and Bang’s. Maybe you need Julian’s cell?” He grinned. “How did he like me calling his bar for you?” I rolled my eyes. “The two of you are driving me insane.” “Serves you right. I’m insane sometimes because of you.” “Speaking of which, you’re actually not bad right now.” “You know, I noticed that also. I think just spending time with you is relieving it. Or maybe since my mark on your back no longer has vampire mesmerization.” I dropped him off at the airport and told him to call me if he changed his mind about the ride. Back at Bang’s, I was helping Julian polish the bar glasses for Johnny when the phone rang. “Bang’s.” “Anjelia?” “Leo.” I chuckled. We always started off our phone conversations the same way. “I think I would like you to pick me up at the airport, Wednesday morning.” I rolled my eyes at the imperious tone. Trust Leo not to consider asking. “Okay. Same airport?” “Yes, here’s my gate and flight number.” I scribbled both down and he continued talking. “I was thinking about my sanity not being so bad lately and I was wondering if you’d help me test a theory?” “Must be the doctor in you. Always working,” I murmured. “It is my sanity we’re talking about.” “I know,” I soothed. “What’s your theory?” “How about being with me through a full moon?” “With you?” “Yes. My pack will be changing Wednesday night at my place. If you feel awkward with all of them, although none would dare to harm or touch you in any way, we can have them all change outside and you and I can use the ritual room downstairs. I can change with you present and you can go upstairs and do whatever you’d like while I hunt. You can spend the night so you don’t have to drive back to Julian’s in the dark or he can pick you up.”

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I looked at Julian. He was nodding but I had no idea what that meant. Probably eager for an excuse to spy on the wolves, one that I would shut down in private. I felt like the peacekeeper between those two. “Leo, would you be uncomfortable if Julian was with me?” “I’m not but I have a whole pack of wolves that would just be itching for a fight this time of the month. He can stay upstairs, we’ll stay down. I’ll promise his safety. You can join him afterward.” “Okay. Sounds like a plan. See you on Wednesday morning.” “Bye.” I returned to polishing the bar glasses. The phone rang again and Julian answered. He handed the phone to me. I put the receiver to my ear and heard a woman’s voice on the other end. “Hello, I’m calling for Dr. Leo Freedman. I understand you’re picking him up Wednesday morning?” “Yes.” “His flight was canceled. He still wants to arrive that morning so we’ve booked him another flight on a different airline. It arrives at ten a.m. also but at Stapleton Airport instead of Amsterdam.” It wasn’t too much further, just a different direction. “Okay, what’s his airline and flight number?” I asked his travel agent. I scribbled them down once more and hung up the phone. “Now what?” “Leo’s travel agent. He has to come in tomorrow morning but his flight was cancelled so he’s taking another one.” “Why didn’t he call right back? You were just talking to him.” “I don’t know. Maybe he got busy.”

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Chapter Twelve I waited at Stapleton Airport for an hour. Leo wasn’t there, he wasn’t even on that flight. I wondered if I’d gotten the message wrong. Well, all I could do now was head back to my car and hope Leo called me. I walked back out to the parking lot and was unlocking my car when a damp cloth was pinned across my mouth. I held my breath. Adrenaline rushed through my body, making my heart thump loudly. I kicked behind me, hearing a grunt as my foot connected with a knee. My hair was jerked backward, the pain ripping through my scalp. I was running out of air and would be forced to breathe soon. My lungs were aching, gasping, jerking in my chest as I struggled. I inhaled. It was a sickly sweet smell and then there was nothing. I awoke in a dark, cold room. Someplace that dark must be underground. Slowly my eyes adjusted to the dark and I realized I was in a cage. Like an animal. While I was unconscious, someone had changed my clothing. It was a thin, rough, sheath-like dress and was wrinkled and dirty from lying on the cold ground, just like the rest of me. My hands were bound. I wondered how long I’d slept. There was no one around. I could hear water dripping somewhere. Clink, clink, clink and I realized that I had to pee. It was an odd thing to think about while you’re locked in a cage, barely dressed. I shivered in the dark. Time passed but I don’t know how much. I wondered who my captors were and why I was left alone. I don’t know if I should have been grateful for that, maybe they meant to torture me. But I was freezing, I couldn’t move much, now I was hungry and I still had to pee. I dozed on and off. It felt like hours, yet I had no sense of time. It’s amazing how your internal clock relies on simple things like sunrises and sunsets. Finally I slept. And was poked awake with a stick. I jumped and the man poking me laughed. I heard a low growl and saw a wolf outside the cage snarling. Drool pooled from its mouth. Its lips pulled back from its teeth and they gleamed in the dim light. He was ferocious, his eyes snapping when his teeth weren’t. The man poked me again. Hard. I pressed backward in the cage away from him but then the wolf moved stealthily to the other side of the cage and I had to stay away from the bars. I looked back toward the man. He had a knife out and was whittling the end of the stick, making a sharp point. He looked dirty but other than that he was nondescript. Brown and gray hair, sallow skin. Thin lips. He poked me again, this time drawing blood with a long scratch down my arm.

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The wolf growled hungrily. My heart raced. The next time the stick came into the cage, I tried to distract the man. “Why are you doing this?” He never answered. He just made a game of poking me with the stick, drawing blood. When I stepped too far back from his stick, the wolf threw itself against the back of the cage, angrily trying to get at me. We played this game for a long time, hours I’m sure. My only break was when the man paused to sharpen the stick with his knife. I was exhausted. When I finally decided to just give up and let the wolf eat me quickly and be done with it, the man seemed to get bored. He left me alone and sat on his chair just outside my cage. I still couldn’t relax, expecting him to poke me at any time. After a long while, there was a rumbling noise from above. He took the dim lantern with him and disappeared, leaving me with the wolf. My bladder was ready to burst. I had to relieve myself but the wolf wouldn’t let me near the edges of the cage. I had to squat and pee in front of the animal but not quite in the middle of the cage, for that was where I had to lie. I lay bruised and bleeding while the wolf bared his teeth and growled at me. I realized with some surprise that I was no longer frightened. I was way past that point. With that thought in my head, I slipped into a shocked sleep. I awoke later to find some bread and a bowl of water near the edge of the cage. I wondered if it was a trick to get me to the edge. With sleep came some renewed strength and I knew there was no way in hell I was getting near the edge of that cage. My stomach rumbled loudly and my tongue felt like sandpaper. The same man was sitting in the chair watching me. He pushed the bowl of water and the bread toward the center of the cage with his sharpened stick. I watched him warily. They could be poisoned but would it be as bad as sitting alone and cold and hurt in a cage? Eventually hunger and thirst overcame me. I gave up and ate the bread. It was hard now and tasteless. The water was awful, lukewarm with a dirty metallic taste but it slid down my throat. I felt a tiny bit better. I wanted Julian. I slept and dreamed of his bare skin against mine. His arms were wrapped around me, while I pressed my head to his chest. His left arm was bloody with what looked like a wolf bite. I awoke thinking of him. I wondered how long it had been since I’d been imprisoned and wondered how long he could go without my blood. I dozed in and out of reality for a while. The cold made me shiver and then sweat poured profusely from my body. My hair clung to my shoulders in damp tendrils and a small part of my brain realized I had a fever. I wondered if I had an infection from my wounds. Or maybe I was just sick. The next time I awoke, Leo was dragged into my cage. I ran toward him. He was unconscious, his face bloody and arms bound in iron chains. I held his head in my lap. It took a long time for him to awaken. I kept his head in my lap until I heard him moan. “Are you all right?” I asked. 127

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“Anjelia? You’re really here?” “Yes, I’m here. How did they get you?” “I let them capture me. To see you.” His statement didn’t make sense to me. “What? You can’t let them capture you, Leo. You’re the wolf king. Can’t you change and break out?” “No,” he murmured, gesturing with his head at his chained hands. His hands were bound behind his back instead of in front, he must be considered more dangerous than me. “Sterling silver. Weakens me. Can’t even smell anything.” The horror of the implication sunk in. “Ohmigod, they could kill you in this state, couldn’t they? Why would you put yourself in danger this way?” “I had to see you, be sure you were all right. It was worth it to risk my life to tell you I love you.” “Oh, Leo.” I closed my eyes wearily. “I’m so worried about you.” “No more worried than I am about you.” “Why did they want you?” “They want my help escaping from the vampires. They realized they have a war on their hands from stealing you and want to change their tactics. As far as they know I just wanted to see you one last time in case you didn’t survive.” He seemed to be telling me something. His eyes looked beyond me and at the walls. I wondered if we were being listened to. “Do you know who they are?” “No. Not a clue. How about you?” “Nothing.” I was casually stroking him. His skin was warm and familiar beneath my touch. Steel muscles with skin stretched taut over them. Muscles rendered useless by the silver. “Did the human bring you here?” I asked him. “I don’t know. I was knocked out from the first…” We were making small talk. I wondered why. It didn’t take long to figure it out though, as he continued. “Okay, we’re alone. I’m here because of an ancient ritual, back in the good old days. Werewolves used to protect vampires during the day as they slept. We were the original hounds of hell. Nowadays, it’s no longer necessary, of course. Vampires can protect each other and no werewolf is going to swear allegiance to a vampire. We stand on our own now. Because you wear my wolf brand and carry the human servant mark of a vampire, Julian and I have decided to go ahead and ritualize the three of us. He and I have already bound. I’m now his wolf to call.” “But you’re a wolf king, Leo. Is that wise?”

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“Wise or not, what’s done is done. I need to add you to our binding, to strengthen us. We’re stronger together than apart.” “How?” “We’ll be able to sense you, feel out this location where you’re being held once I’m released. Julian would be able to fetch you since I’ll more than likely still be bound in silver and unable to help you.” “No, I mean how, as in how do you and I bind?” Leo actually winced. “I knew you’d ask that. In the old days, I’d change and take a small bite of your flesh. I’m sure we’ll find another way.” I turned green. “How did you and Julian bind?” “We bit each other.” Even in the dim lighting, I could see the brief satisfaction in his face as he recalled biting his sworn enemy. “Soon Julian and I will be able to sense each other, maybe we can even communicate telepathically.” “But I’m human. I have no enhanced abilities. Is it even possible for me to join?” “I don’t know. This hasn’t been done in centuries. I don’t know if humans were ever involved in the ritual. I don’t even know if it’s possible for the three of us to bind at all.” “Great. So we’re starting something new? I might even grow furry?” “There’s that possibility. Especially now that you’re not mesmerized and no longer can be. The mesmerization and vampire marking offered you some protection against turning wolf but things have changed.” “We don’t really have a choice. I either take the risk of turning furry or die in this cage.” “Turning furry could be deadly for you. Although, we might have one other choice.” Leo spoke slowly, as though the thought had just occurred to him at that moment. “What?” “How about if you bite me? Instead of me biting you?” “Bite you? And draw blood?” “Oh, Anjelia, you’ve been spending too much time with the vampires. You’ll need to draw flesh, like we do.” “Yuck!” “Come now. I was willing to do it to you.” “I didn’t know you were taking a chunk out of me.” “It makes more sense this way. And remember, we have a higher pain tolerance. I’ve taken more than one bite during a fight. I’ll be fine. Just do it.” I looked down the length of his body. His arms were chained in the silver and with the size of those biceps, I couldn’t take a chunk there if I tried.

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I began to unbutton the front of his shirt, suddenly thankful that my hands were bound in front of me. He raised an eyebrow. “Our captors won’t notice it here, maybe.” I took a deep breath as I looked at his chest. He was absolutely gorgeous, smooth bronze skin stretched taut over the bulge of tight muscles. I was going to mar all that beauty. “Do you need help?” “I’m trying to decide where I’ll be scarring you.” “We heal easily. Do you know how many fights I’ve been in? Don’t you think I’d be more scarred?” That was reassuring. “Okay, then here goes.” “Right here, okay?” Leo used his chin to point out the area over his heart. My gaze flew up to his, wondering at the symbolic meaning this might have for him. Then I decided if he could sacrifice himself by binding with a vampire and risking his life to see me, I could do whatever he asked of me. I leaned over the area and kissed it first, as a distraction. Before I could stop and think about it, I bit. Images and scenes flashed before my eyes. I didn’t know what was happening except Leo was groaning as he squirmed beneath me and it didn’t sound like pain. His skin was so hard, his muscles so tight and…he had a gigantic erection. There was a weird yellow glow around the cage. I reached down and cupped his massive cock and rolled my eyes up to see him looking down at me. His eyes were sultry and full of sex. And we were transported to a meadow. We were both as nude as the day we were born and there was another naked body there. Julian. I was so turned on, it felt like a fever raced through my body. I rubbed myself against Leo’s nakedness It was wondrous underneath me. I spread my legs wide, his bulge was hearty and heavy against my swollen sex. Wet flesh against eager flesh. Julian stretched out behind me. With my legs spread open, he inserted his fingers deep into my hot sheath, stretching me, filling me. I found Leo’s mouth with my own as I ground my pussy against his cock, mashing my clitoris against the hard yet silky flesh. Julian kept plunging his fingers into me, over and over, around and around until my breath was coming in pants. He was kissing my spine while I was kissing Leo and then I felt his fingers spread my juices over my lips. Tentatively, his wet fingers worked between mine and Leo’s bodies to caress a hard cock with my honey.

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Leo groaned and bucked wildly. Semen began to spurt in hot eruptions against my belly and over Julian’s hand. I felt Julian’s cock slide into me and that was all it took for my overly excited body to slide into my own convulsions. The cock embedded tightly within me quivered as it spurted too and the three of us lay panting and wet and slick with each other.

***** I bit as hard as I could and tried to rip a small bit of flesh with my teeth. It was harder than I thought and had to yank my head forcefully, tearing a bit with me. Leo never uttered a sound but as I realized the small chunk was in my mouth, I gagged. “Spit it out. Don’t ingest it,” he commanded. It must have been a dream. I spat. And spat. And then I closed my eyes and began to button his shirt over the wound. It was oozing slowly so I used my hands to tear a piece of my tattered dress and make a small bandage. Hopefully it wouldn’t bleed through his shirt and alert our captors. He struggled to sit up. I helped pull him upright by placing my bound wrists over his head and pulling his body toward me. We heard footsteps descending down the stairs. I stared at Leo and felt my breathing quicken in terror at the thought of the man returning. He lowered his gaze to my lips. “You’re bloody,” he growled. I stared at him, uncomprehendingly. He leaned toward me and licked the side of my mouth, his tongue warm and wet. Strangely sensual. The door opened. The man was there, unlocking the cage. I still had my bound wrists around Leo’s neck and he growled at the intrusion. “Get up,” the man said. “I’m too weak. Unchain me.” Leo taunted, his voice strong again. “I have a better idea,” the man said. He pulled out his knife and placed the blade at my throat. “The slut gets it if she doesn’t get her arms off you.” I looked into Leo’s eyes. Keeping eye contact with him made me brave. I smiled at him and my face felt flushed. I raised my arms slowly, reaching over his head and placing them in my lap. Leo didn’t move any further from me even though I’d released him. “You’re a disgrace to humans, Councilwoman Romere. First the vampires and now the weres,” he spat out, more emotion than I’d ever seen in him. The emotion in his voice made me want to spite him. After all, I am considered contrary. Now, with his blade pressed against my throat, I leaned forward slightly and kissed Leo’s lips.

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I was yanked back by my hair, the blade cutting against my neck. I felt a burn and then moisture trickling down. Leo’s eyes scorched with emotion as he glanced down at the knife. An unholy growl erupted from his throat. “Stop.” A voice commanded from the doorway. Another human, obviously more in charge since the knife left my throat and I was flung backward by my hair to land on my side with my head striking the concrete. The other man entered to help and I saw the two of them struggle to lift Leo up and out of the cage. He fought with his hands chained and in the end it took two more men to wrestle him out. I watched from my position on the floor and Leo’s eyes found mine as he was dragged to the stairs and out of sight. So there were at least four humans here, I thought. It was more information than I’d gathered so far about the damn place. And they knew I was a city council member. I settled down to think about that.

***** Leo had been gone a long time when I was dimly aware of crying. A woman, crying softly. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the light. There were other empty cages around me and a woman was in one, sobbing piteously. “Who are you?” I asked her. “Don’t get too friendly,” The man from the wooden chair said. “She’s scheduled to be drained soon. I wouldn’t want you to get too lonely after becoming accustomed to her.” Drained? Were these the murderers who were draining women dry? Were they leaving the bodies at the bar or doing the actual murders there? Perhaps I could get away if we were moved to Bang’s. I looked at the crying woman. She looked an awful lot like me, although her hair was fresher, cleaner. And she was wearing my clothes. The clothes I had been wearing when I was supposed to pick up Leo from the airport. The man was sitting on the wooden chair and looking at her hair also. He gave the wolf a look and together they encircled her cage. The woman gasped and shrieked as the wolf threw itself against one side. She backed too far away and the man waiting behind her grabbed her and yanked her back toward him. She screamed and screamed. He calmly took his switchblade and hacked off a chunk of hair. He threw her back into the cage where she huddled, sobbing with loud, gut-wrenching sobs. “Don’t get those clothes dirty,” he snarled at her and then turned toward me with the knife. I was wiser with the wolf games and I stood directly in the center of the cage, unmoving. He unlocked the cage and stepped inside. The wolf came to the doorway, blocking my escape. 132

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Now, I was aware that I could fight but I was weak. He would overpower me easily. Or the wolf would. So I stood still and let him take a chunk of my hair. As he left the cage and locked it behind him, he held the two chunks together. They were very similar. He stared at the hair, obviously thinking about something. “Hold out your arms.” I held them out, wearily. My arms were a mass of scratches, some scabbed, some fresh. There were deep bruises and where my wrists were bound, rope burns. Before I could even think, he sliced my forearm. I yanked my arms back instinctively, although it was no more painful than the rest of my cuts. “Hold out your arms,” he commanded again. Silence reigned as I contemplated this. Even the sobbing woman was quiet and curious. I held them out. He trailed one of the chunks of hair in the blood of my arm. The bottom half of the hair, so that the color was still distinguishable as mine but anyone smelling the blood would also be able to tell it was mine. The hair soaked up the blood like a sponge. He pulled out a little box and put the bloody parcel into it. My arm was dripping and the box was white, so I think he thought it was be more dramatic to have more drops of red blood marring the white surface. He held out the box and I allowed my arm to drip into it. It dripped and dripped until it finally clotted. There was an awful lot of blood. The man threw the other woman’s hair onto the ground and took the little white box containing my hair and blood and left. It was peaceful while he was gone. The other woman and I slept. When we awoke, we talked and we kept each other company. Her name was Miranda and I’d asked her if she knew why they’d captured her. “No. I met a woman at a bar… My friends and I hang out at vamp bars. We went out back so she could have a little blood and I woke up here,” Miranda told me. There was silence as we both chewed on the chunks of food that were left in our cages. Food appeared sometimes as we slept, sometimes we were woken up and sometimes we awoke on our own to cold meat, chunks of cheese or hard, stale bread. “What vamp bar do you go to?” I asked her. “Bang’s.” I looked at her. “Well, we have that in common then. I wonder if the woman you were with made it out?” “I don’t know. I think someone came at me from behind. And I don’t know why they dyed my hair. It was brown before.” “They dyed it to look like mine. He was comparing the colors while you were crying in your cage.” “Oh, I know who you are! You’re the girlfriend of the owner. They’ve been looking for you for a couple weeks.”

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“Two weeks? I’ve been here for two weeks?” “Yes.” Two weeks. What had I been doing for all that time? My best guess is sleeping. That was the only way it could have passed without me realizing it. We continued to keep each other company. She talked about herself, the farm where she grew up. I heard a door open upstairs and the man returned with the wolf. Miranda and I stayed still as if he wouldn’t notice us. They walked to her cage and she began moaning as they unlocked the door. Her moans turned to shrieks. She was dragged away and I never saw her again. I was alone but more tormented this time. Losing Miranda did something to me, something that couldn’t be repaired. Don’t pity me. I wasn’t as sad to lose Miranda as I was guilty. I was relieved and disgusted with myself over it. It was Miranda being dragged to her death instead of me and my heart pounded gratefully. My arms and legs tingled with adrenaline as I realized I would live another day. Then the shame washed over me and I huddled in the middle of the cage. I cried and then I slept. There was nothing else to do. Suddenly I was poked awake. The man did nothing else. I grew weary again and felt my head bobbing down to my chest. I was roughly poked again. “I get it. I understand. You don’t want me to sleep.” There was no answer. My head bobbed. I yelped as I was poked once more. What did I do to annoy him? Blink? This new game went on for hours. I was exhausted. Finally, he tired and left. However, the wolf remained and picked up where the man left off. I would start to fall asleep and the creature would snarl and howl to wake me up. I was slowly going insane. Lack of sleep was making me crazy and I was beginning to hallucinate. Aware of the delusions, I wondered how long it would be before I wouldn’t realize I was hallucinating and began to believe the craziness in my mind. My ex-husband arrived. Didn’t I attend his funeral? I tried to shake my head to clear the vision. Trevor was still there. I hung my head in shame as I realized I was skinny again. The muscles I’d earned over the last few years had wasted away to nothing. I was no longer physically fit and therefore no longer able to defend myself. As I was looking down at myself, he hit me across the face. I flew across the cage, hitting my head against the bars. “You should be one of those right now,” he said, motioning toward the watching wolf. “If you were, I wouldn’t be dead. You can’t do anything right, can you? I told you, I told you. You were theirs.” I whimpered as he kicked me in the thigh. The wolf looked on eagerly, trying to stick his head into the bars to lick at my blood. “You’re dead. You’re not here,” I muttered. “Does it feel like I’m dead?” he hit me again, pain exploded behind my eyes. 134

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Then there was nothing. The lights went out as I slipped into nothingness. “Oh, I don’t think so.” Suddenly, I was cut across the thigh with a knife. Had any real time passed? The man was back and my ex was gone. “No, no, no,” he tutted. “We can’t have any sleeping, can we? Maybe I should let the wolf take a good bite out of you. We’ll see if you can still turn into a wolf queen with all that vampire magic in you. Maybe you’ll mutate into some new creature? What do you think?” I didn’t answer but shrieked as he poked me with the stick into the cut he’d just made. I backed away from him and got too close to the back bars of the cage. I whirled when the wolf snapped his teeth, nearly taking a chunk from me. At the last possible fraction of a second, the creature pulled away from my skin, missing me entirely. Its eyes looked up at me, oddly human. There was a realization deep inside them and a look of fear. The first look of fear I’d seen in the animal. The man laughed, missing the wolf’s reaction and poked me again. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from yelping. But I was so tired and I just didn’t care anymore. I didn’t care about the wolf’s strange eyes or about being tortured. I slowly began to rock, my consciousness disappearing into my ravaged mind. I rocked and hummed, a little tuneless song that just materialized out of my head. The rocking became faster and I concentrated on the rhythm as it comforted me. I don’t know what happened to the man or the wolf. They disappeared and I wasn’t aware that they’d left. I also wasn’t aware of how much time I’d spent hiding in my mind, rocking myself protectively. Now, maybe finally, I could sleep. It was all I wanted, all I needed. Did I dare? I heard crashing in the walls. It was probably another game starting. I squeezed my knees to my chest. I didn’t know if I could take it. I was sick of the dark, sick of being hungry, sick of peeing in a cage. Sick of being taunted and poked and hurt and I couldn’t take it anymore. Not anymore. I rocked myself again, hugging my knees. Not anymore. I wanted to sleep. No more. No more taunting, no more growling. I want to sleep. I rocked. Rocked. I want sleep. I heard voices. It’s been so long since I’ve heard voices. I know it’s a trick but it sounds like Julian. Faintly and so far inside the walls. Is it inside the walls of the dungeon, or inside the walls of my skull? And Anna. Nicki. Lily. Johnny. I began chanting their names as I rocked. I wouldn’t be afraid anymore. “Julian. Anna. Nicki. Lily. Johnny. Julian. Anna. Nicki…” “Leah! It’s Johnny. It’s us. We’re here.” “She can’t hear us. She’s in some kind of trance.” “Look at her. How can she still be alive? She’s so frail.” “How much weight do you think she’s lost?” “She’s got open wounds, some of which are infected.” 135

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“We have to take her to a hospital.” “We can seal her cuts.” “There’s no time. Dawn is approaching. We have to drop her off at a hospital before it hits.” “She looks bad.” “Get Julian.” “He’s rounding up everyone upstairs before they can escape.” I heard creaking and then crashing. The door to the cage was open. No, it’s another trick. I began to shriek. “Don’t touch me!” No one touched me. So I rocked. And rocked, my head on my knees. I was humming a little tune about sunshine when I felt someone, crawling along their belly to lick my leg. I stopped rocking. The lick actually felt good, a little warm. Tingly. Healing Someone else licked me. It was on another cut. It too, felt good. I didn’t protest and soon there were licks everywhere. Quick, little tingly licks, over the cuts. The exposed back of my neck, my arms, my legs, my feet. “It’s getting smoky. We need to get her out of here.” I was grabbed and held against a big, muscular chest. I screamed and kicked. “We have to mesmerize her.” “She can’t. She’s a human servant.” “Damn. I forgot. Where is Julian?” It didn’t matter because colors were beginning to fade. Then my entire vision swirled around, like I was in a tunnel. The center of the tunnel was dark and comforting and I relaxed into it.

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Chapter Thirteen I awoke in a hospital, the antiseptic smell a dead giveaway. I was lying on my side, away from the light that shone in a bathroom. But I was facing a window and I saw sunshine on the other side. My eyes felt swollen in my stiff face. Machines blipped, a constant white noise. I wondered how I slept at all. In the midst of all my musings, a nurse watched. She was matronly, a little on the heavy side, the white of her uniform making her naturally dark skin look even darker than it was. She smiled and the white of her eyes and teeth glowed against that dark skin. Her curly black hair was streaked with white. “Oh, sweetie. I’m Nurse Houston. You’re finally awake. You been asleep so long and your friends are so worried about you.” “Friends?” I croaked. “Yes. You know, your friends who come later in the day? When the sun goes down?” she added conspiratorially. “But I’ll tell you what. I’d donate some blood myself to be that close to those hunks. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Not everyone is as openminded as me though, honey. Good for you that I’m your nurse.” “How long will I be here?” “Let me go fetch Dr. Killian to explain things.” She left the room and I looked at the sunlight filtering through the mini blinds. Dr. Killian was short and bald, with one entire eyebrow that went across his forehead like a fringe. Wire framed glasses perched on his nose and he twitched about on his spindly legs. Sticking a thermometer in my mouth, he grabbed my wrist, looking for a pulse. Good thing I had one. “Good news is, not too many broken bones. Just your left collarbone and one rib and your right arm. Strangely, you didn’t need many stitches on your arms or legs. Just on your back. We can’t figure that one out.” I might have explained, but I couldn’t speak around the thermometer. “Black eye. Swollen face. It’s not real pretty but you’re alive. A lot of those women kidnapped by vampires weren’t as fortunate. You’re also dehydrated and half starved. We have you on an IV drip. Oh and as soon as you feel up to it, there are a couple of police officers outside who have some questions.” He laid his hand on my arm to give me comfort. “You’re safe now. They’ve been posted in the hallway.” I nodded. Silly man. Policemen wouldn’t keep vampires or werewolves away if they were truly after me. It was Officer Gearman and his partner Oser who were waiting outside my room.

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“Ouch,” Oser said sympathetically. “How you feeling?” “Like hell.” “We found the burned-out house you were being held in. There’s not much left that survived the fire. I was wondering if you could give us a description of your kidnapper,” Oser grimaced. “Not much left of him to identify.” “He was mid-forties, dark hair, slightly graying. Had a pet wolf. No distinguishing scars, seemed to like torture. The only other person I really saw was another victim held in the cage next to me. Miranda.” “Did he feed from you?” Gearman asked. I looked at Officer Gearman, puzzled. “Feed? He wasn’t a vampire, he was human.” Both men looked at me intently. “Are you sure?” Gearman asked. “Yes.” Oser turned to his partner. “Maybe it’s a copycat? We know that the actual murderers were vampire, not human.” “Makes sense. With the way that body was flung about, it must have been a human and much weaker than whatever ripped him apart.” They were talking amongst themselves, seeming to forget about me. I couldn’t keep up with the conversation as I dozed on and off. When the officers left, I realized I’d never asked about Miranda. I slept and through my haze I sensed my favorite vampire at my back. In turn, he sensed when I awoke. I was facing toward the darkened window with the bathroom light at my back. “My sweet,” his voice murmured. I turned over. I tried to smile but my lips were cracked. “They said it was bad but I had no idea.” His hand came up to my face, gently touching my cheek with one finger. I turned my face to kiss that finger. “Julian, you need to feed.” “You’re so weak.” “I’ll feel better when you do.” Nurse Houston walked into the room. “Actually, she’s right. Being a servant, she’ll heal faster with a little less blood. And humans can manufacture it quickly enough, should you take too much.” “You know about vampires?” Nurse Houston nodded. “I know. I knew the morning they brought her in with her wounds sealed on her arms and legs Only baffled the fool doctors, though. Go ahead and do it before the doctor comes. Oh and try not to bite her neck where everyone will see. I don’t wanna have to explain that one happening on my watch.”

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Nurse Houston left the room and Julian took blood from my groin. I silently prayed that I’d been sponge bathed while unconscious. I knew it was necessary for him to feed where he did. A bite mark on my breast would be seen while checking my heart. I waited until he was finished before talking. Since his mouth was occupied. “I forgot about Leo.” “It was a trap. When you didn’t arrive at the original airport to pick him up, he had someone awaken me. I told him about your second phone call changing the flight plans and we realized that it was a setup. Unfortunately, it was too late. You were gone. Leo, of course, blames himself.” “I have to call him. His mind can’t take that much pressure.” Julian nodded. It was odd, him being so understanding where Leo was concerned. “He knows you’re safe, my sweet. And he at least got to see you while you were in captivity.” “That was real?” I asked, surprised. “I thought I dreamed it.” “No, it was real.” “Then the binding? It works?” “Yes. Leo and I are bound but we’re not sure how or if affects you. There’s definitely no wolf-change in you, I’d smell it.” “So they really let Leo free? The captors?” He nodded. “We know there was a vampire involved although we didn’t find any. Just a handful of humans that I was taking care of upstairs while Johnny was rescuing you. And the trio, of course. They wouldn’t stay behind.” “Where’d you and Leo bite each other?” I wondered. Julian pushed up a sleeve, showing me an angry red scar on the inside of his right forearm. Just like the one I’d dreamed about. “I thought vamps healed quickly?” I asked while staring at it. “Surprisingly, this mark isn’t healing. Neither is Leo’s. He has fang marks in his forearm, same spot.” “And my bite?” I thought Julian’s face stiffened a bit. “Leo has a tiny little heart-shaped scar on his chest.” “Tiny?” “No bigger than your lips, my sweet. Don’t worry about it.” We were quiet for a moment, staring at each other. Each wondering what the other was thinking. Then he continued. “We’ve decided to remove you from the hospital. Whomever was in charge of the kidnapping had vampires, wolves and humans involved in some sort of conspiracy. We don’t know if any of those humans could be a danger to you here in the hospital.”

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I listened as he dialed Leo. I noticed that the number was now programmed into his cell. I would have raised an eyebrow if my face hadn’t been so sore. “Leo. Yes, it’s me. She’s awake. Do you want to get down here? Of course. If you don’t have to work. I’m worried about her during the day… I don’t want her to stay here without protection… The human protection is nothing, I know. Okay, see you then.” He disconnected the phone and sat back down, taking my hand. “You and Leo have gotten close.” “We’re like brothers.” Sarcasm. “A vampire and a werewolf?” “We have you in common,” he said as he leaned down to kiss my cheek. While we waited for Leo, Lily stopped by. She brought me a bright, cheerful blanket. I guess she couldn’t stand seeing the hospital drab. She visited for a while until my eyelids began to droop and made her way out. The next time I opened my eyes, Julian was gone and Leo was sitting in the chair next to me, his head in his hands. “Hi, sweetie,” I said to him, my mood suddenly uplifted. His head shot up. “How are you feeling?” “I think I’m feeling better than you,” I said, studying his dejected posture, his haggard face. “I feel terrible. Obviously someone knew you were picking me up and since we discussed you picking me up at my gates when we made your password, I’m thinking it might be someone I know or an employee…one of mine involved too” “Do you have any wolves missing?” “Remember Val Grossler? No one can seem to find him, although technically he’s not one of my pack.” “I think he was in the fire that night.” There was silence for a moment while we contemplated that. So I spoke next. “Leo, don’t blame yourself. It’s just by chance that they picked that day to kidnap me. You wouldn’t be feeling guilty if they’d taken me from Bang’s parking lot, would you?” “I wouldn’t feel guilty but I’d still feel the way I’m feeling right now, Anjelia. Unfortunately, neither you nor Julian would want to know what I’m feeling.” The despair in his voice saddened me. “Leo, I’m so sorry.” “Don’t be sad. Just be with me. Continue being my friend, relieving my insanity.” “We never did get to test your theory, did we?” “Once again, you had too much going on in your own life to think about my poor pathetic bachelor life,” he teased.

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“Don’t you make me laugh, Leo Freedman. You see all these cracks in my lips. I’ll get you back, I swear. And furthermore, if anything like this ever happens again, don’t you put yourself at risk like you have. I can’t even imagine what you were thinking, a wolf king letting himself be captured.” Julian walked into the room. “You’re awake.” “Yes, I’m up. And while I’m at it, what were you thinking? Letting Leo get himself captured.” Julian raised an eyebrow. “We had a plan, really. It just wasn’t a very good one. We thought it was a renegade vampire with human lackeys. We had no idea there was any wolf sabotage.” “And I’m fine, aren’t I?” Leo cut in. “Hardly any worse for wear.” “That’s not the point. You could have been hurt.” “No. They wouldn’t have dared. Werewolves have inbred loyalty. Even one turning on me would have had to defend me against humans or vampires. He would have put his own life on the line to save his wolf king.” I stared into Leo’s eyes, trying to see if he was telling me the truth. Those gentle, golden eyes. I felt a tremendous relief that he was okay and was grateful that he did care enough about me to risk himself. We stared at each other for a couple of seconds. There was something I was missing about this whole situation. Julian and Leo have never been friendly, something was wrong. I stopped thinking about it when Julian spoke. “Leo, I wanted to talk to you about the protection for Anjelia. You can’t get out of work and I’m just not comfortable with your wolves watching over her during the day.” “Julian,” I interrupted. “That’s not fair.” Ah but we were back to normal now, weren’t we? “Fair or not, it’s how I feel.” “It’s okay, Anjelia. I would feel the same way in his shoes,” Leo said. “It’s really weird to have you two speaking to each other and actually agreeing with each other. I’m not sure if I like this.” “You’ll get used to it. At least we’re no longer driving you insane, as you once called it,” Leo responded and then turned to Julian. “So, what do you suggest?” “What pull do you have in getting her discharged from this hospital?” “She needs medical attention.” “I can take care of her. There are other ways besides human attention,” Leo seemed to know what Julian was talking about. Me, I was just lost. “I have no authority whatsoever in this hospital. I can tell you what to say to get her out of here, however, which strings to pull. Will that help?” “Perfect.” 141

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I yawned as they went on talking about manipulating the human doctors. Julian and Leo not fighting was actually boring. I might just close my eyes for a moment. Or two. I woke up and Leo was still watching me. Julian was gone. It must be daylight outside, I thought wonderingly. “Good morning,” he said, reaching for my wrist. He checked my pulse while watching the clock against the wall. Then he rose and got my chart from the foot of the bed. “We can’t let you stay here, Anjelia. It’s not safe,” he carefully retrieved a syringe from his coat, drawing a little bottle of medicine out also. “What is that?” “It’s just something that will make you appear healthier. Temporarily. It doesn’t come without a price however, when it wears off, you’ll be worse than you are now. You’ll tend to do too much and will wear out your exhausted body.” “Why am I appearing healthier?” “Because your doctor will be checking on you in about an hour. That gives this plenty of time to work. I can’t be seen here, however. So when that door opens, I’ll be scooting into the lavatory.” He pressed the needle against the IV in my arm and shot the medicine into the rubber tubing. “Do you feel comfortable with me checking your stitches? Please remember I’ve already checked you while you slept.” “You did? Has everyone seen me naked?” “Just about,” he teased. He helped me up at the waist and untied the hospital gown at the back. I felt him loosening the bandages behind me and checking things out. Then there was a cold stethoscope pressed against my skin. “Breathe deeply.” I took a deep breath, holding it. I released it and took another. The stethoscope was dropped as Leo retied my gown and lowered me gently back down. “You’re not going to check the front of me, are you?” “No,” he smiled gently. “But remember, when the doctor comes in to check you, keep your hand over your groin like you’re being modest. We don’t want him to notice Julian’s marks.” “Okay.” Crap. It dawned on me that Leo must have seen the bite to know about it. He sat back down after checking me thoroughly and I was exhausted from that little bit of exertion. “You’ll feel better soon,” he promised. Something niggled at my brain. “Why haven’t you asked me any details about what happened when you left?” He looked me squarely in the eye. “I didn’t need to. I experienced it.”

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“What do you mean?” “We have a connection. You have my mark. I accessed your memories while you slept. I saw and felt everything that your own brain did.” I stared at him for long moments. I wasn’t sure how I felt, at first. Those were private memories. He’d accessed them without permission. Yet he did it to help me. Still, I couldn’t help but feel mind-raped. Humiliated that he knew what I’d done, what I’d gone through. That I’d peed in the cage and…the relief I was horrified to know I felt when Miranda was dragged away instead of me. My cheeks flushed. Leo’s gaze softened and he kissed my forehead. “Please, please don’t be worried,” he said softly. “I’ll do whatever you want to make you feel comfortable with this. I’ll let you access one of my memories. Then we can blackmail each other into silence.” The room was quiet for a minute before I laughed. Leo made a joke? “It had better be a good one,” I warned. “Let me think. Okay, I know of one. Are you ready?” I nodded. I had been joking but now I was kind of curious to know what was in his head. “You have to sit up. I need to access your mark again.” He sat next to me on the bed and I leaned my head onto his shoulder. With one hand behind me, I felt him rub the small of my back. He massaged me gently until I relaxed. Soon after, his fingers trailed to my brand. He traced it slowly and I held my breath. It warmed, as I knew it would. That warming felt good, as if it were an area of my body that I’d neglected for far too long. I felt my breathing change, it grew deeper, more fulfilling. “You’ll have to do this a little differently than I do it, Anjelia. You need to kiss me.” I looked up at him slowly, in a daze. I didn’t think, I just nibbled at the bottom of his lip. He opened his mouth and mine fit perfectly onto his. I knew then. We were destined to be together. I thought about how handsome Leo was. His blondish-brown hair, his matching golden-brown eyes. How masculine his face was, especially with that darker stubble shadowing his jaw in that sexy way. How magnificent the strength was under that warm skin, the bulging muscles in the warmth of his body. The vision hit instantly. Scenes flashed in front of my eyes, like a moving video. Then, it wasn’t like watching a video but feeling like I was there. Sights, sounds, sensations all hit at once. I felt anger rushing up my spine as I stared at a frail female lying unconscious before me. Her back was to me and I felt protectiveness for her. She was shapely but thin and delicate looking. Her long hair trailed down her back in slight curls. It was a couple of shades darker than mine yet she looked familiar to me. She wore a white, loose-fitting top and short white pants. The white of the material accentuated the raw, 143

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blistered skin exposed on the small of her back. A brand, with my face in it. I mean Leo’s face, of course. I felt the anger tighten even more as I thought of the stupid human who’d branded her. I already loved this woman and the thought of the callous treatment of her made pure animal fury want to elongate my jaw and extend my teeth. I felt the urge to hunt and kill. Yet, she was already branded. She’d already gone through the pain, so I also felt acceptance in keeping her. It was selfish, I knew. She knew nothing of my world, didn’t even know she’d been thrust into it. I extended my hands to that blistered flesh, tracing it gently, lovingly. I felt my fingertips tingle as my life force flowed through them and poured into her brand, numbing her skin. I accessed her memory of burning pain and helplessness as she was tied and gagged and the red-hot instrument seared her skin. I saw how much she suffered before her mind shut down and allowed her to slip into unconsciousness. I smelled the burning of flesh and the animal in me flared to life. My eyes saw details differently and I knew they’d changed to animal form. I realized that as soon as I had the woman as my own, I’d kill the one responsible for this. I would tear his limbs off and listen with satisfaction as he begged for mercy. There was no mercy within me. I felt pure hatred deep inside my soul, red-hot and ready to explode. I poured my own magic into her mark, not that I had to, but to obliterate her pain. My power would heal her and I would be helpless, but would be whole again when we mated. Then I turned her over gently onto her back. The pressure of lying on her mark would make it heal now. I looked lovingly at the swell of her breast and my gaze followed upward, to her face as it slept before me. My consciousness separated from Leo’s as I gasped in surprise. The face lying on the pillow was my own. “Oops. Sorry about that,” Leo apologized when I opened my eyes. “Wrong memory came up and I couldn’t stop it.” “That was me?” “Yes.” He looked away from my face. “But, my hair was darker.” “Your hair was darker. At Julian’s first mark, your hair lightened. It’s not unusual. You became more attractive to their species in order for one of them to claim you.” A less confident woman could take that as an insult, I imagine. “So that first night at your mansion, when I met you, you already knew me.” “I knew you but I have a different personality now. I’d been away from you for so long and was nearly insane. I couldn’t be sure it was you and I’d only seen you from a distance or in the dark previously. Of course, I was sure when I saw your brand. I couldn’t feel it as well because of the vampire tampering.”

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I thought briefly of the humiliation Leo promised me in his memory. I didn’t feel any satisfaction in it, however, as I realized his humiliation was having me realize that he loved me. He loved me but he watched as I loved Julian. We heard noises in the hall and Leo walked quickly to the restroom. As the door to my hospital room opened, I knew I felt much better. Dr. Johnson entered, grabbing my chart from the foot of the bed and looked distracted. “Hi, Anjelia. I know Dr. Killian is your doctor but he’s tied up right now. Do you mind if I check you out?” “Not at all.” “I understand you’re feeling much better?” “Yes, I am.” My voice was strong and sure. He looked up for a moment. “And I guess you would know. Let me just check you over really quickly.” He whipped out his stethoscope. He looked into my ears and my eyes. He made polite conversation but I knew his heart wasn’t really in it. “Well, you definitely look good. I’ll let your doctor know how well you’re doing. I’d recommend releasing you.” Leo waited a few minutes after the doctor left to leave the restroom. “I forgot to ask how you got away.” “They couldn’t keep me. A wolf was involved, even though I didn’t know whom and I was owed loyalty. They had to let me go. The sole purpose of me being there was to pick up any clues as to your whereabouts but as you can see, that didn’t work out so well. So I sold them the idea of your pretend death and trying to prove it was definitely you by sending Julian your blood. They were going to try to escape while he was distracted. I had planned the whole thing but at the time I thought it was just vampires involved. I knew Julian could track you once your blood strengthened him.” “So it was vampires and werewolves behind it all? With a few human lackeys?” “It appears that way.” “What do the humans get out of it?” “I don’t know. Maybe they’re junkies, just out for their reward.” “I don’t think so. The human who was with me a lot of the time, he seemed to despise me for being with the vamps. And when you came, he was disgusted.” I couldn’t be sure but I thought Leo’s eyes seemed shuttered. “Maybe he was just disgusted with himself for needing blood. He despised you for being with supernaturals willingly, when he feels forced by the addiction.” His theory was more feasible than mine but still, something wasn’t right. “In any case, I have to get out of here. I’ll call Julian from outside and see how close he is. And you’re safe in here. He’s got someone outside your door.” 145

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I nodded. Leo bent and kissed my cheek. I stroked my thumb over his jawline, feeling the unshaven skin beneath. Not five minutes after he left, I heard loud voices in the hall. The door opened and Julian walked in along with Dr. Killian. A few vampires followed. There was Johnny and a couple other bouncers I’d seen at the bar. One was the Asian bouncer and I knew he’d had his eye on Gigi. In fact, that same eye followed her around relentlessly when he thought she didn’t notice. I even remembered his name, Chen. It stood out because there just weren’t many Asian vampires. “She can’t possibly be healthy enough to be released this soon. I don’t care what Dr. Johnson reported,” Killian protested. “Then look at her for yourself,” Julian snapped. Dr. Killian’s mouth dropped. I smiled. “I’d like to go home, please.” Dr. Killian didn’t answer me. Julian continued speaking. “So all that is required now for her to heal is time? Time and much needed rest? She’s no longer dehydrated?” “Well, no but she should stay here where we can monitor her.” “You don’t have security that’s good enough for me. And unless you want vampires hanging out constantly at your hospital to guard her, perhaps you should discharge her into my care?” Yep, still illegal to discriminate. And I could tell the good old doc was swaying. “Disconnect her from all those needles and wires,” Julian continued. The doctor sighed and pulled the IV from my arm. I didn’t look at Julian as he did it. If he licked his lips, I’d have to hurt him. The monitors taped to me went next and Julian scooped me into his arms. “Wait! There are papers to sign and she must leave the premises in a wheelchair. It’s standard procedure.” “Doctor, I am an admitted vampire. I don’t abide by human rules. Johnny, sign the paperwork. Meet me at Anjelia’s when you are finished.” I saw Johnny nod once before Julian strode from the room with me in his arms. Both bouncers followed us. I had Lily’s blanket tucked around me for warmth although I was plenty warm just being held.

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Chapter Fourteen We arrived at my house to find the front door open. Before I could think too much about it, Lily, Anna and Nicki tumbled out. Julian carried me to my bedroom and tucked me into my own bed. “There’s going to be someone with you always, Anjelia. So you can rest easy,” he said, smoothing my hair from my forehead. I nodded sleepily. Leo’s medicine was wearing off and it had taken a lot out of me. I awoke slowly. Taking a deep breath, I was aware of how much better it felt just to be at home. Anna was in the bedroom with me, lying across the foot of my bed. “Hi,” I told her. “Hi, yourself. Feeling better? That deep breath was scary, like you were waking from the dead.” “Much better. Nearly human,” I smiled at my own joke, ’cause she was the pot calling the kettle black. “Or I would be if I could get clean. How long have I been out?” “Do you want me to help you into a bath? And, two days.” Her eyes were guarded. “Or, you can wait for Lily’s shift and she can help you.” “I don’t want to wait. Two days? At least I was out for it. I haven’t had a real bath in forever. Did you—don’t you…want to help me?” “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. You know how I long to see you naked.” The gleam of mischief was back in her eye. I sighed. “You just couldn’t leave it alone, could you?” She grinned and then rose to start my bath. The water was still running when she came back to the bedroom and helped me up, using my good arm. “Let’s see, I have to watch your rib…” We walked slowly to the bathroom. “We have to put you in this way, so your cast can rest along this edge…” We were now in the bathroom and she was looking around. “We got towels, there’s soap, shampoo…” As she spoke she was putting one of my legs into the tub. “Anna.” “What? Oh, crap, you still got that ugly hospital gown on.” “I have to pee too.” “Ugh. Humans. That is one disgusting trait you all have. I suppose I’ll take you to the toilet,” she grumbled. She helped me sit. “I don’t suppose you can wipe yourself?” she asked hopefully. “I do have a good hand left,” I mentioned dryly. 147

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“Good. Go ahead then.” She waited for the sound. “It won’t come if you’re watching. Turn around.” Geez. She turned around and I tinkled quickly. I wiped myself and flushed, still sitting there. She reached around me and untied the hospital gown, so that it dropped. Now I was sitting there naked. “Nursing is not the career for you, Oh Gentle One.” “No one likes a wise-ass human, Anjelia,” she lifted me up from underneath my armpits and we made our hunched way back to the tub. “Okay, now, one leg in, good, shit, I can’t get the other leg in. You might slip and fall. Oh, hold on.” She kicked off her sandals and stepped in the tub too. She lowered me gently and then stepped out. “Oops, I forgot the bubbles.” “Very convenient,” I mentioned. My breasts were very visible. “Don’t flatter yourself. You have good form but the color’s all wrong.” I was several different colors, in fact. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The warm water felt good against all that sore flesh. “Can you sink down and get your hair wet? I’ll wash it for you.” I sank and tilted my head back. She helped get the top wet. While I came back up, she reached for the shampoo and squirted some into her hand. “I always wondered why you smelled so flowery.” She slathered it onto my scalp and made a rich lather. I let her massage my head and I closed my eyes. “You should have seen Julian when the last murder occurred and she was wearing your clothes. She smelled like you, Leah.” My eyes flew open. “Miranda? They killed her?” I knew the answer but still needed it verified. Anna didn’t bother. She watched me. “You knew her?” “They’d put her in the cage next to me. They’d dyed her hair to match mine.” “They sent us a lock of your hair and the box was swimming in your blood. He was a crafty human, letting us know he had you like that. And yet stupid as a stump, sending some of your blood. I don’t care if the wolf suggested it. By Julian ingesting it, his full strength returned and he was able to sense where you were.” The wolf? All these years and she referred to Leo as the wolf? “He drank my blood that was in the box?” She nodded. “It gave him his strength and then he had Johnny feed from him so that he would still appear pale and weak. And when the sun went down, we struck.”

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She was done washing my hair and was soaping my unbroken arm, gently lathering my hand. “That night before we struck, though, we heard police sirens. The two officers who come undercover into the club? They called Julian and asked what you were wearing when you disappeared. When he told them, there was dead silence,” she paused. “I’ve never seen him look like that. We went out to see the body and you-she—was lying facedown. Her hair was spread out and her arms and hands were dead white. You could tell she was drained.” She moved down the foot of the tub and was washing my feet. She never looked at my face as she continued her tale. “I thought Julian would go crazy. He contaminated the crime scene. We were just supposed to look at the body but Julian lifted it, turned her over and—it wasn’t you. We couldn’t tell, not at first. Our brains wouldn’t let us believe it. It was your clothes, your hair. She even smelled like you. We believed it was you. But the face, it wasn’t yours. Sit up. Silly, isn’t it? I’m sure he would have sensed if you were dead, especially since your death is connected to his but he was just too distraught to think clearly,” she continued, washing my back. “Smart of the human, actually. Draining all her blood meant that we couldn’t smell that the blood wasn’t yours. Yet we knew he had you by the lock of hair and your actual blood that he sent.” I lay back in the tub. “Do you think she suffered? Miranda?” Anna was sitting with one hand trailing in the water. “No. She was truly drained. By a real vamp. That means she was either mesmerized while the vamp fed or enjoyed her death, not even realizing she was being drained. Which was fortunate for her. Unfortunately, for us, it means that the real killer is still out there. The real killer is a vamp.” “But the human with the wolf…” “The human was a lackey. Doing the vamp’s dirty work. The wolf died also in the fire. We’ll never know if it was a Were or not. Death of a Were is not like in the movies. They don’t change back to human form. That’s why there are so many missing persons. If they die in wolf form, they stay in wolf form.” “Anna. I’ll take over.” We both turned to see Julian. She nodded as she rose and left the bathroom. Julian leaned toward me and kissed my forehead. “I have something for you. Something to heal you.” “Medicine?” “Sort of. More like a magic potion.” “What’s in it?” “It doesn’t matter. I guarantee that, once drinking it, you’ll be fully restored in a day, two at the most.” “Fully restored? My broken bones too?”

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“Your broken bones too.” “Where did you get it?” “It’s old vampire magic. It’s not for all humans, though. Only human servants can benefit from it.” I nodded. It certainly sounded tempting. Julian helped me rise and he dried me off gently. He slipped a clean nightgown over my head but my cast was trapped inside. He swore. “You sound like Anna.” “There’s more to this than meets the eye. Do you feel like just sleeping naked?” The gown came back over my head and he carried me to my bed. The sheets had been changed and I wondered if Anna did it before she left or if Julian had done it while she and I were in the bathroom. He propped me up on the pillows. He tucked the sheet around my breasts, trapping it underneath my arms. “Just in case you get visitors,” he winked. “I don’t want everyone checking out my property.” He produced a covered coffee mug. I sniffed it. I would have taken the top off but I couldn’t manage with just one hand. “Drink up. All of it,” Julian said cheerfully. “Is it hot?” “Nope. Just kind of…room temperature. Don’t taste it, just guzzle it down.” I guzzled. It was unlike anything I’d ever tasted and I couldn’t place it. There was a warmth that spread down my throat and into every cell, every pore of my being. It had a faintly salty, maybe a sweet tang but that could have been the mug. At the same time, it was rich and thick. I tried to peer into the empty mug through the tiny sip hole but he took it away quickly. He laid his body back on the bed, putting his arm underneath my head and cradling me to him. “How do you feel?” “Strong,” I said, after thinking about it. “The soreness is still there but I feel like I can move a house.” “It’ll come together. You’re healing rapidly.” He pushed my head back down to his chest. “I love you, Anjelia.” “I love you too, Julian.” I was getting sleepy. Again. I closed my eyes for a minute. At predawn Julian gently awoke me. “My sweet, wake up. It’s nearly dawn. Would you like me to return to my coffin?” I shook my hair out of my eyes. It was wet when I went to bed and had dried curly.

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“No.” I put my healthy arm around his neck and drew his head down to my throat. I wanted him to feed before dawn forced him to sleep. He nuzzled my neck before biting. I moaned and squirmed my way underneath him while he sucked. He pulled away long enough to whisper in my ear, “You’re putting me in the mood. Hold still. I don’t want to hurt you.” I didn’t hurt, I realized. Whatever the potion was, it was good stuff. “But I’m already in the mood,” I whispered as I wiggled my hips underneath him. “You’re hurt,” he protested. “I’ll just give you an orgasm while I feed.” “Nuh-uh. It’s been forever,” I countered. “I want you inside me. I want you to come too. Deep inside me where it’s warm and wet and ready for you.” I trailed my fingers down his chest and over the side of his hip while I spoke. “If you don’t make love to me, I’ll be forced to ride you. To take my own action. I could be hurt,” I teased. “I can’t believe you’re ready for this. I’ll take it slow and easy.” “Ugh. I’m in the mood for hard and fast.” “Not on your life. In a couple of days when you’re completely healed, I’ll ride you like you’ve never been ridden. Until then, you just relax and enjoy.” He bent his head down and licked my nipple, over and over, pressing and releasing. He was careful to stay on one side only, avoiding the side with a broken rib. He teased the tip of my breast with his teeth and then wetly lapped it. He swirled his tongue around it until I thought I’d die from the sheer pleasure. He slowly pressed kisses down my navel and beyond, reaching up to tweak my still wet nipple. When he got to where he wanted to be, he slid both hands under my hips and threw both thighs over his shoulders. “Delicious,” he muttered as he delved into my wet folds. God, he was telling me. His lips and tongue were pure heaven. “Don’t think,” I gasped, “that you’ll still get away with not fucking me properly.” He lifted his face up enough to curve his lips at me. “Why, my sweet, I’m thinking you desperately want a cock to fill you.” “You got it, love.” He pointed his tongue and pressed at my clitoris. “Geez, Julian,” I whispered on a sigh. He lapped at it some more and I was so close to the edge of pleasure that I just wanted to squeeze my thighs around his head. “That’s enough,” I muttered hoarsely. “Come fuck me.”

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He rose up carefully and stretched along my body. I spread my legs on either side of him. He had slept nude also so it didn’t take much for him to slip inside me. He tried to move gently until I bucked wildly. It was then that he finally realized what I needed and began to give me long, hard strokes. I loved to watch his hips as they thrust in and out of me. I definitely needed a ceiling mirror. “Harder,” I begged. He gave it to me, each time he pulled his cock from my wet lips and slammed back in we made a slurping sound. I watched his face and knew he was about to orgasm. I stretched my neck out in temptation and he groaned before sinking into it. My orgasm hit with a force that took my breath away. It curled my toes as it exploded throughout my body. Julian collapsed onto his forearms, his face buried in my neck. Soon he rolled off me and to the side of the bed. I knew he didn’t want to trap me when he would be dead weight in a few minutes. I curled myself around his still-warm body and fell back asleep. When I awoke hours later, it was ten. Julian’s body had rapidly cooled. I watched him and tried to pretend he was sleeping but deep down I knew he wasn’t. There was no chest movement, no pulse, no breathing. So I forced myself out of bed, holding onto the thought that he would wake again soon. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I was amazed at the difference in my aches and pains. I had felt good enough at dawn but a few hours later was amazing. I showered, wrapping a bag around my cast and figuring if it got wet I’d get rid of it anyway. I blow-dried my hair straight and tied it into a loose knot on top of my head. I didn’t bother with makeup. While my black eye and swollen face were nearly back to normal, my skin was still in the slightly yellow bruise stage and I knew that makeup would make me look garish. I walked through my house. Every curtain, the drapes and the mini blinds were pulled taut. Soon I saw why. Anna was on the sofa, dead to the world. She looked softer in sleep and was actually quite beautiful, something you just didn’t notice when her mouth was running. I brushed a lock of hair from her forehead, tucking it behind her ear. Grabbing a sofa throw, I tucked it around her, then felt silly because she couldn’t feel anyway. I made my way to the office where a little trundle bed was kept. Nicki was dead there and in the spare bedroom, Lily and Johnny were curled together. Pale statues, with arms and legs entwined. I went into the kitchen and made myself some soup. The doorbell rang and I looked through the peephole before answering. It was Officers Gearman and Oser. I opened the front door and invited them in. Oser’s mouth hung open in shock. “Holy shit, how can you possibly heal that fast?” I shrugged. “Vampire remedy. Tastes really weird but I have to say it was worth it.”

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“No kidding. You could make a fortune with that stuff.” I laughed at his train of thought. “Already been there. It doesn’t work with all humans, just those with a certain connection to a vampire. The human servant thing.” Officer Gearman was headed toward the couch. “Is that a dead body on your sofa?” “Um, yeah. It’s Anna.” They both looked at me. “How’d she die?” Gearman asked suspiciously. “Well, I didn’t kill her! She’s a vampire. She’ll rise tonight. They normally sleep in coffins, to keep them safe. But they haven’t been leaving me alone.” “If all your vampire bodyguards are dead, I’d say you’re alone.” “Not really.” We all whirled around at Julian’s voice. “I have the ability to rise earlier.” I went to him for a kiss. He touched my lips with his, lingering a little. I knew he remembered our last lovemaking just a few hours earlier. “Do you suppose you can move Anna to our bed so we can sit down and talk?” I asked him. Julian lifted her with hardly any effort. That amazing vampire strength. However, her body was stiff and looked unnatural. Gearman still looked suspicious, like he thought maybe we’d been caught hiding a dead body. I gestured to the sofa for them to sit and they both eyed it, afraid they were contaminating evidence. So I sat on the sofa and let them take the chairs. Julian returned and sat with me, taking my cast. “Does your arm still feel broken?” Julian asked. I knew what he meant. “Close your eyes. Concentrate on the bone. You’ll be able to feel the break or the mend,” he continued. I closed my eyes as I tried to concentrate on the bone only. It was nearly healed, along with my rib. “No, it’s okay.” Surprisingly, my voice sounded far away. “Do you want me to work on the cast?” “Yes.” I watched as Julian’s index fingernail grew out to a slicing length and he sliced alongside my cast. He was gentle and had to do it a couple times to get completely through. He pulled the cast apart and I slipped my arm out. As I did, I noticed the officers’ faces. I realized what they were thinking. That I was no longer as human as they were. Officer Gearman cleared his throat. “The police department has closed the serial murders case. The man in the house was identified by his dental records as being a Mr. Doug Riva and the best we can come up with is that he was trying to frame Julian for the murders.”

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“Why?” “It was suggested that he has a prejudice against vampires and figured the best way to get at them was by taking out the city’s master vampire. Perhaps he thought he could run them all out of town.” “So he doesn’t know Julian personally?” “Not as far as we know,” Oser looked at Julian. “Do you recall meeting him?” Julian shook his head. “Never.” “So I guess it’s case closed. Over with.” Officer Gearman stood impatiently and Oser followed. I opened my mouth to protest and Julian winked at me. So I closed it. We walked them to the front door and they left. I turned toward Julian. “What is going on? How did they miss the vamp involved? We all knew it was a vamp doing the murders. How did they miss that?” “It was “suggested” by Merrick that it was all the human’s doing. That no vamp was actually involved. We need to find the vampire and punish him accordingly. Human laws won’t punish him justly so we really need to handle this ourselves. Therefore, you will not be left alone, ever.” I nodded. Fine by me. Weeks alone in a cage was plenty of alone-time for me. Never being alone didn’t keep me from my nightmares, though. I dreamed frequently of being locked in the cage. One night I dreamed of Danielle. I was in my usual cage, rocking and moaning, hoping to hear Johnny’s voice as I had in real life. Instead, I looked up to see Danielle watching me. She then did something I never would have expected from the real Danielle. She unlocked my cage and stood back, watching me. I watched right back. I refused to go near the door and after a couple of moments, she left. I wondered if it was a trick. She never reappeared and the door was too tempting, so I rose and pushed it open. It creaked on its hinges. There was no other sound in the room. I stepped through the door and then ran. I ran from the room and down a hallway, never seeing her. I felt blood dripping down my body as I ran and then suddenly I was in the coffin room at Bang’s. The coffin room. That’s what I needed to help me, to hide in Julian’s coffin. I sought it out and hesitated in raising the lid. Would he be inside? Would she, waiting to jump out at me? It was empty. So I crawled in and slept. Then I woke from my dream. But when I awoke, I had that watched feeling. It watched me for a while before fading out and I had the creepy feeling that it watched while I slept. I hadn’t had the feeling in a long time. I’d started to wonder if they were done watching. I guessed not.

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***** It had been a week since my healing. I was never left alone and spent most of my time at the gym or at Bang’s. I was on Anna’s watch one day when she asked me if I’d like to take a nap. I raised an eyebrow. She just looked at me, no emotion whatsoever on her face. I trusted Anna. Even while I was suspicious, as she stood there looking innocent. I nodded. One tiny corner of her lips lifted and she walked me down to the coffin room. I hadn’t had a nap in two days. I was perfectly healed but what the hell? If she thought a little soil would help me, who was I to argue? Usually, Anna would take me to the coffin room and leave as I got into Julian’s. She would then return and wait for me to awaken, usually less than an hour. I would thump the lid and she would leave while I left it. By doing it this way, the coffins wouldn’t have to be rearranged. We arrived at the coffin room and it wasn’t silent. There was a meeting going on but it became instantly hushed when I walked into the room. Not before I’d caught the last sentence, though. “My sweet, what are you doing here?” Julian asked, a little too quickly. “I was thinking of taking a nap.” Suddenly, Anna’s behavior made sense and I sought to protect her. “No wonder Anna tried to discourage it. There seems to be a private meeting going on.” I glared at her accusingly, as if she really tried to discourage it. She lowered her eyes. “We were just having an informal meeting.” “Very informal. And yes, I caught that last sentence.” There was silence among the vamps. Julian’s beautiful face stiffened slightly. “Anjelia, I know you are friends with the wolf king. But there are renegade wolves in his pack who are about to attack us. We have to disarm them quickly, while the wolves are weak. I won’t let harm come to the king.” Oh, like that was a big favor to me? “The wolves wouldn’t attack without Leo’s permission. They are too loyal,” I said calmly. “Then perhaps they have his permission,” he said gently. “Julian, I need a moment in private.” He made a hand motion and the rest of the vampires, including Anna, left the room. “My sweet,” he started.

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“Bull,” I exploded. “How dare you attack when he’s weak? He’s weak because he allowed you to bind with him to save me. Isn’t that why he’s weak? Because you can see into his head and see his secrets? And this binding was supposed to be a secret between the three of us.” “It is, still. I have told no one of it.” Thanks heavens for that. If the wolves knew of Leo’s binding to Julian they would mutiny. “His wolves are restless,” he continued. “They will attack with or without your doctor.” “No, they won’t. And you’re not going to attack them with the promise of saving Leo like he’ll be my pet. Don’t forget, he may have had a renegade wolf who helped with my kidnapping but obviously there was a vampire involved also. That makes us even with Leo, not one up.” “What will you do to stop us, my sweet?” he said gently. I smiled. “I will practice that little mind meld that you and Leo have. I’ll warn him of the attack and you’ll lose countless vampires.” “Could you do that? Several of those vampires are now your friends. Could you willingly cause their deaths?” “How would you like to cause mine? If this conversation continues further, I will take myself off to live in the mansion. Where several of the wolves are now my friends. If you attack it, you’ll get me in the process.” In a heartbeat, Julian was in front of me. I hated when vamps use that super warp speed. I held my ground. “Dammit, Anjelia,” he growled before grabbing me to him. “Dammit, Julian,” I growled back before his head lowered to mine. My arms wound around his neck of their own accord. Julian had the same vampires who were going to attack the mansion patrol the shopping center instead. We would catch any murderers dumping bodies and remove them before the cops were called. However, there were no bodies. The murders seemed to have stopped while the other side regrouped. The tension was thick, the wait long. Waiting to see if another murder would occur or if it was over. We didn’t need to wait long. It wasn’t quite as we expected, though. Because that was when Julian, love of my life, disappeared.

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Chapter Fifteen Julian had called me after dropping me off at home. “Anjelia, it’s a slow night tonight. Johnny can handle things here.” “What are you saying, Julian?” “Would you like company tonight?” There was a pause of silence while he waited for my answer. He was trying hard to bring things back to normal after our coffin room confrontation. “Are you kidding? How long will it take you to fly to me?” He laughed. I have to say I was grateful for that one night. We made long, sweet love and it was close to dawn when he arose. “Are you leaving?” He leaned over to kiss me. “Yes, my sweet. I have lots to do today. I’ll take you to dinner tonight? A late one?” He meant for me, since I was on daytime hours. “Mmm. What time?” I yawned. “Eight?” “Okay. I’ll be waiting. I love you.” “No more than I love you.” And with that, he was gone. He’d never called me. At eight thirty I called the bar. Johnny answered. “Johnny, where’s Julian?” “Anjelia? I thought he was with you.” “No, he was supposed to meet me a half hour ago.” “Leah, he didn’t come in today. We assumed he was spending the day with you.” “He left before dawn this morning. I haven’t talked to him today.” “Okay, let me check around.” “I’m coming over.” I locked up the gym and was next door in a flash. Johnny shook his head at me. “No one has seen or heard from him today.” I looked around the bar. They were getting ready for the night. Lily came over, looking worried. She grabbed my hand. “Leah, are you okay?” We hugged and it made Lily cry.

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“I just don’t know—it can’t be happening. What could have happened to our master?” Worried as I was about Julian, I realized that a vampire without his master was a horrible thing. I held her and she cried harder. I looked at Johnny helplessly. He finally took charge, something that he never did with Lily. His crush on her caused him to act differently around her. He was terrified to have her push him away. “Lily, come to me,” Johnny commanded. He never gave her a chance to respond, just took her from my arms and held her against him. He walked her from the room and toward the back stairs. I was left alone and noticed Danielle behind the bar. I wasn’t afraid of her, there were others bustling around. She was still old and ugly but her hands were bandaged. I stared at her and she ignored me. Before I knew it, Anna and Nicki were with me. “What happened to Danielle’s hands?” I asked. Anna shrugged. “She burned them in the kitchen, I believe. They are taking a little long to heal, though. She probably just wants attention.” Hours later, we still didn’t find him. I was getting discouraged and panic was following. Anna, Nicki and I wandered to Julian’s office, where Johnny was comforting a hiccupping Lily. We sat around them in silence. Once in a while, Nicki would reach out and stroke Lily’s hair. “I can call Leo, see if he’s heard anything,” I said, desperate for something to happen. “I think we should keep it quiet. We can run the business for a while and you can keep him alive if he is imprisoned somewhere,” Johnny said. “How can I keep him alive?” “You’re his human servant, Anjelia. Just as extra human food strengthens both of you, if Julian is not able to feed you can do it for him.” “Are we talking about blood, Johnny?” He nodded slowly. “Will that be a problem?” “I don’t know. It’s pretty gross. I’m not a vampire.” “We’ll help you. It’s the only way to sustain his life.” Johnny’s voice was no nonsense. I nodded. The thought of blood gagged me but it was Julian’s life we were talking about. “How do we know I’m not drinking blood for nothing?” “Chances are, if he were dead you would be also. Therefore, he must be imprisoned somewhere. And if imprisoned, I don’t know if he is being fed. Also, you need to have one of us with you at all times. Whoever abducted him will get to you to ensure his death.”

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“He’s been missing for what fifteen, twenty hours? When will he need to feed?” “You should probably feed for him now. We don’t know if he’s been injured or not.” I took a deep breath. “Who and how do I do it?” There was silence. “I guess we can slice one of us with a knife and you can drink.” All three girls looked green. “I’m not getting sliced,” muttered Anna. “How about if one of us bites another and then Anjelia can suck the blood?” Lily asked. “Yes, that’s better,” said Nicki, “more natural.” I raised an eyebrow at that but she continued on. “It’s your idea, Lily and it was Johnny’s to slice so one of you can be the blood donor and one can be the biter?” “Since I’ll be the blood-sucker, I think I should choose whose blood it is,” I began. “Please, Leah. We all know, my little lesbian, that you’ll be picking Johnny’s blood.” Anna grinned. Lily rose and walked behind Johnny who still sat. She watched me as she lowered her mouth to Johnny’s neck. I watched her fangs drop and saw the puncture of his skin. Lily pulled away reluctantly, only allowing herself to lick her fangs. Two red wounds were on his neck and threatened to overflow. “Come on, Leah. Don’t waste any,” Lily encouraged. I stood in her position and didn’t bother to meet their eyes. I watched the wells of blood as I leaned over his neck. I latched onto his neck and licked delicately. I tasted the slightly salty, coppery taste of his blood and desperately tried not to gag. I took a deep breath and clamped my mouth over the bite. I could do this, I told myself. I bit Leo, didn’t I? Of course, I didn’t swallow… At the first suck, I felt the warmth enter my mouth, trickling down my throat and into my soul. It was more than just the temperature of his blood. And somehow, I felt Julian. I felt his desperation and his hunger. I couldn’t communicate with him but I felt that incredible hunger and it terrified me. I sucked harder, wanting as much sustenance as I could get for Julian, hoping he could feel comfort in the feeding of familiar blood. I was vaguely aware of Johnny but Julian was more important. In a small part of my subconscious, I actually heard Johnny’s heartbeat. It was faint at first, distant. Then it began beating faster and louder and I knew that Johnny was excited. Still I sucked harder and I heard a moan. Johnny jerked and I gave one last suck before looking up. All three girls were watching with wide eyes. “Damn, girl,” Anna said. I looked at her questioningly. Lily coughed. Nicki stared at Johnny’s crotch. I glanced down and noticed the wet stain across the front of his pants. “Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say.

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Johnny chuckled. “Thanks, Luscious Leah. I think I’ll go change.” He rose and kissed my lips briefly. Then he left me with the three girls. “So, um, does that always happen?” “Nope. You’re just good.” “Well, it always happens like that with me and Julian.” “That’s different,” Nicki said. “You’re his human servant. You have a sexual relationship. His drawing of your blood will be sexually excellent.” “So if Julian fed one of you, would it be sexual or not?” “Yes, because he’s our master vampire. He has all the power. If I fed Julian, it would probably just be a feeding, though. If he fed from a human, of course the human would have an orgasm, because they always do. Julian wouldn’t, unless it was his human servant, then he could have one too.” I shook my head but it didn’t clear it. This whole thing was confusing. “But vampires can’t obtain nutrition from each other, right? It’s just for pleasure?” “Unless it’s your master… Julian’s blood will sustain any one of us.” “If Julian fed from Johnny? Would he have one?” “No, they’re both vamps. Unless they were both horny to begin with or inexperienced at feeding like you are. Maybe someday you’ll be able to feed without causing one to your donor. Although, if you think about it, why else would someone donate their blood? Now, Johnny will have to go feed on a human to replenish his. You won’t be able to feed from a human, because you are human. You can only feed from us.” “And yet, every time I feed I’ll cause someone the Big O?” “’Til you learn how to control it. Problem is, I can’t explain it to you. It’s like trying to describe colors to a blind person.” Anna cut in. “So who will you feed from tomorrow?” I just narrowed my eyes at her. Opportunist. I awoke early the next day and knew none of them would have risen yet. So I went to the gym, waited a while and finally arrived next door at eleven, knowing Johnny would be up then. He was older than the girls, although once in a while they were up early too. I looked at him, the inquiry in my face. He shook his head and I closed my eyes to keep them from spilling over. Johnny reached me and comforted me as he had Lily the day before. “Leah, we’ll find him. And he’s fine for a while.” “How long? How long can I feed him this way?” “Maybe a few weeks. I don’t know, your relationship is pretty new but Julian is strong.” 160

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“We’re helpless, Johnny.” “I know. Which is actually very curious. No one has contacted us. There have been no ransom demands and he hasn’t been killed. All we can do is go about our days as usual and wait for the other side to make their move. It does make me suspect, though. Someone wants him dead and is not able to kill him directly. So humans aren’t the culprits, because they could kill him. I don’t want to assume too much too soon but I’m guessing it’s a vampire. Maybe the one who was involved in your kidnapping.” “Danielle?” I asked. “She’d be the logical choice but I don’t think so. She’s old and weak still. Obviously Julian never fed her. There’s no way she could have overpowered him and kept him. And she definitely wouldn’t be sticking around. We’ll keep our eyes and ears open and keep feeding him in the meantime. Unless…” he paused, “maybe the wolves…” “Leo? I can’t believe that. He helped to find me, after all.” “Yes, because it was you. But he and Julian have warred for ages. Can we be certain that he’s not involved?” Gigi walked up to us and Johnny nodded at her. “Gigi will walk you over to the gym. Remember, one of us at all times.” I nodded. Johnny’s eyes softened. “I’ll be over shortly.” He didn’t need to say it. I knew why. Gigi and I headed next door. We sat at the front desk, both of us solemn. It was several days of waiting, several days of doing nothing, when the front door opened. I was hoping it was Johnny, I was already getting hungry. Lily, Nicki and Anna walked in. As usual, Nicki spoke. “Can we talk to you?” “Let’s go to the back. Gigi, will you watch the gym?” I smiled apologetically as she nodded. “What’s up?” “Leah, Johnny’s busy. He has so much to do, trying to handle Bang’s and cover up Julian’s disappearance. Also, because of the murders, humans are getting hard to find for him to sustain himself on.” “He has humans from before, right?” “He didn’t need to use them as often. He’s feeding you and you’re getting hungrier. Girl, you need some variety in your diet.” “Oh, wait a minute. Who’s volunteering?” No one spoke but Anna draped an arm over my shoulders. I shrugged her off. “Forget it.” Nicki sighed. “It’s your girlfriends or another male vamp from the bar. A stranger.”

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I thought about that. All the other male vamps were still virtually strangers, as Julian only let Johnny escort me when he was unavailable. Damn, I needed new friends. “Well?” Anna demanded. “I’m thinking.” “I can’t believe you’d prefer a stranger to us. Especially with your little problem,” she sneered. She was right. I remembered my embarrassment regarding Johnny’s first stain and thought of that same thing happening with a total stranger. Johnny and I had become pretty intimate now, we took our feedings in a private room and lots of times he was nude with a towel for cleanup. It made me extremely uncomfortable but he couldn’t keep bringing extra pants to work. Especially now since I needed to feed even more. I looked at the trio. “Feeding is too much like sex. I can’t feed from women.” “No, Leah. It’s not sex,” Anna argued. “You have orgasms!” “Just a little reward,” she countered. “Besides, you had one, once. From me.” I narrowed my eyes at her and agreed. I was starting to feed more and Johnny was busy. That and I was ganged up on, three to one. “Okay, whom shall I start with?” Anna smiled. “Who do you think?” I took a deep breath and muttered. “What are the chances that this is the one time I learn to control it?” “What? And deny me my reward for donating?” Nicki punctured her. I leaned forward and started to suck. Anna hugged me to her. Johnny never did that. Lesson One—stand behind Anna next time. Before she gets the idea to start fondling me. But her blood tasted different from Johnny’s. I wondered if this was the difference between male and female vamp blood. I fed until I heard her climactic moan and figured this was my clue to end before I gagged. But her blood was so sweet, I gave it one last slurp. I pulled away, licking my lips instead of wiping them. I didn’t want to waste any. I was definitely getting hungrier. “Mmm. Yummy,” I said to no one in particular. “You’re telling me.” Before I could respond, Anna kissed my lips and left. “Dammit. She got me again.” Lily snickered behind her hand. Nicki glared at her. “Just ignore her, Leah. She does it to get a rise out of you.” Nicki turned toward Lily. “You wouldn’t be laughing if it was Johnny Anna was bugging.” Lily sobered.

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***** Feeding later from Nicki and then Lily, was the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life. Johnny had become easier, being male. Even with my little problem. Anna was surprisingly easy because I knew what to expect with her. Her teasing and innuendos were actually easing the way for me. But Nicki, whom I respected so, just made knots in my stomach. And gentle little Lily, my good friend, I didn’t think I could ever get used to it. So I did lean toward Anna. She was more than willing to take one for the team. We continued the search for Julian. Johnny still didn’t want me asking Leo, not until it was absolutely necessary. I wondered if it was just years of constant battling making him paranoid. We had no clues to go on, no ransom request. So I took matters into my own hands, sick of doing what seemed like nothing. I went to my favorite little coffee shop. The one that was owned and operated by werewolves. It was one in the afternoon, not a usual time for coffee but a perfect time for my purposes. The coffee shop was empty. I smiled at the usual werewolf who was behind the counter. He was tall and lanky, dark skin and exotic eyes tilted slightly up at the corners. Green eyes, an olive green, set in the lighter olive tone of his skin. His hair was dreadlocks, a dark blond. At least, his hair looked dark blond by the edges of the dreads. His lip was pierced, calling attention to the perfect fullness of that lip. He was actually rather attractive. His dreadlocks were the pretty, well-kept kind. Not the kind started by neglect but the type that you wanted as an actual hairstyle. I peered at his name tag. “Rhett? Is your name really Rhett?” Oddly romantic name for a violent wolf. He nodded carefully. I realized that I was truly one of those snobbish humans whom I despised. The man had been making my coffee for ages and I didn’t even know his name. Even after I realized he was werewolf. “Rhett, I’m Anjelia Romere.” “I know who you are.” I nearly winced. A little more of the proof of my snobbishness. He continued on. “I’m a member of the pack in this city.” “Being a member of a pack is a little like union organization, right? You have a choice?” He nodded. “We’re stronger in numbers.” “Is there only one pack in the city?” He looked at me, surprised. Damn, it was something I should have known. “Yes, Leo’s my king,” he said. I looked around to make sure the shop was still empty. I leaned in toward the counter. “I’m looking for Julian.”

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He was still and just watched me with his eyes. “I know the master vampire is missing. I don’t know where he is,” he admitted. He was telling the truth. I’m not sure how I could tell but I could. I’d have to ask Leo if this was a result of our binding, the one between him and I. How awful for him, if Julian has the same ability to see truth in the wolves since their binding. It definitely screws up any negotiations with them and the vampires. “Remember the woman who gave me her card in here a while ago? The born-again whatever? Do you know who she is?” “Human Hierarchy. They are not involved.” “How do you know?” “They learned their lesson. They were involved in your kidnapping. Our king has slaughtered two-thirds of their numbers in retribution. A lesson to others who think to harm you.” Leo never told me that. If he was keeping something from me, what other secrets was he hiding? Perhaps I should visit. “Thank you for telling me the truth,” I said. “There are some who think you will still be our queen. It’s in my best interests not to lie.” Not exactly the truth. I continued watching him. “It’s the truth,” he defended. “The part I left out, the part that you sensed, is that not every wolf is thrilled with that.” Ahh, a politician. I grinned. I was familiar with politicians and could appreciate that. After a moment, he slowly grinned back. It lit his entire face, pulling the corners of his tilted eyes and making him even more exotic. I left the coffee shop knowing I had to visit Leo but not knowing how I would do it with the vamps on my back. It was hard enough to just get coffee. Then I began to get sick. I was feeding more and more often from the gang and feeding from the girls no longer bothered me. I was starting to get a little frantic. They could sense it and Anna didn’t even tease me anymore about not being able to control my orgasm-inducing sucking. I knew my health was related to Julian’s. I knew that our connection was fading, soon I wouldn’t be able to sustain him with the blood feedings. I knew he was dying. It was simply a matter of time, now. I was vaguely aware of being guarded by the vampires next door. Even little Gigi wouldn’t leave me by myself. Constant bodyguards. I could hardly work out any more, my body ached so badly. Moving sluggishly, I found myself massaging my back unconsciously.

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Then it dawned on me. I wasn’t massaging my back, I was massaging my brand. It was painful, my vampire mark was no longer protecting me. I had to talk to Leo but it was a full moon. I called Johnny and told him of my plan. “It’s time, Johnny. I’m losing him. I’m going to talk to the wolf king.” “Do you want me to come with you?” “No, he won’t harm me.” But he would definitely harm Johnny, especially if he was in an insane rage. “If he does, I don’t think Julian and I are going to make it another night anyway.” “You’re certain, Leah? You can feel it?” “Yes,” I whispered. “I’ve felt it but I didn’t want the girls to know. Distract them for me while I get down there, okay?” “Okay. Be safe, Anjelia.” “Thanks, Johnny.” I drove to Leo’s mansion. It was a full moon. A bad one, obviously, since I hadn’t been around Leo for a while. I knocked on his door and he answered. He looked disheveled. He was barefoot, his shirt buttoned incorrectly. He avoided looking at me as he ran his fingers through his hair. “You shouldn’t be here, Anjelia.” “I don’t have a choice, Leo. I have to talk to you.” “I’ll be changing soon.” “I know.” “You’re willing to risk my Mr. Hyde personality?” “I’m dying, Leo.” He looked closely at me and stepped aside for me to enter. He walked me into his library. “I expected you sooner.” “You know?” He nodded. “I feel it, through the binding.” “Are you going to help us?” “I don’t know. The binding, it’s permanent. Forever. This is one way out of it.” “Through Julian’s death, Leo? And consequently, mine.” He sighed. “You always know what to say, don’t you? It’s easy to wish for Julian’s death. We’ve been enemies for decades. You, however…Dammit!” he howled at the top of his lungs. The scream echoed in the mansion, bouncing off the walls to startle me and I jumped.

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“The sneaky bastard stole you from me and even now, I’m stuck in a binding with him that only his death will break. And yet, his death will cause yours. I’m in a Catch22, losing my power either way.” “How do you know you’ll lose your power upon my death? Perhaps you’ll get it back. Maybe you don’t need the extra power with Julian’s death. There will be no vampires to war with, once their leader is gone.” “And I have no purpose for life when you are gone. You were my mate. I’ll never have another.” I looked at Leo warily. Was he sane or not? How much could I get out of him before the insanity struck? “What do you know of Human Hierarchy?” I asked. He was still. “A bunch of quacks. But any organized group can be dangerous when it grows enough.” “They became dangerous enough to kidnap me.” He nodded. “But not on their own. The Coalition actually kidnapped you. The Coalition is disbanded and Human Hierarchy punished. You do know about the Coalition of Human Hierarchy, Anjelia?” “Human Hierarchy is all I know of. I was given a business card of someone who belongs. She wanted me to attend one of their meetings. She was some sort of religious fanatic.” “They’re an organization of humans who want to keep it that way. They’d like to wipe out all supernatural beings but of course that’s impossible to do since humans are low man on the totem pole.” “Then the Coalition is different?” “The Coalition is two groups brought together for the same purpose. You know what HH is—there is a secret society of vampires that agrees with them. They fight together, one team. Ironic, isn’t it? Humans against vampires, with vampires on their side.” He held his sides as he laughed. “The rest of us get a huge kick out of it.” He then straightened, serious. “Until Val Grossler helped them out. He was the wolf who had to get me out of there, the renegade who owed me fealty. His own brother would have slaughtered him afterward, had he not died in the fire.” “Leo, where is Julian?” “Julian, Julian, Julian. That’s all I ever hear,” he growled from deep in his throat. The growl sent a shiver down my back. His hands grew, the fingers shaping into claws. Hair sprouted along the flesh. He swiped at a table with them, all the objects went crashing to the floor. He howled and slashed at the curtains to expose the moon. Those claws ripped the curtains to shreds. I couldn’t let him change fully, not without telling me. I was scared but what did I have to lose? I walked over to him and cupped his face in my hands, trying to force him to concentrate.

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“Leo, help me.” I kissed his cheek. He went still for a minute as he came to his senses Then he growled and nuzzled my neck, those huge claws wrapping gently around my waist. His breath was hot and sweet and blew warm against me. I tilted my head back, the length of my neck exposed to his temper. It was all about trust. And loyalty. That was what a wolf king valued most. My unprotected throat exposed to him in the middle of a change, he valued. His jaws were longer, his eyes now wolf. Sweat had broken out on his forehead. He was minutes from a change. He lowered that strange-looking mouth to mine and kissed me deeply. I didn’t pull away. In fact, I let my tongue dance with his. Leo pulled away first. He went down on all fours and gasped in pain, his body ready for the change. “Your touch, Anjelia. Your touch keeps me sane.” His voice was desperate. I sank to the marble floor with him. It was cooler there and I kept my hand on the back of his head. I could feel the heat rising from his scalp and I leaned my face toward him. I kissed him this time, lightly and pulled away. It worked, his eyes were less crazed and he spoke again. “What else can hold a vampire but a coffin? That supernatural strength, the ability to fly? You can’t find him because he is right under your nose. His own coffin. One among you is the one who tricked him into it for she could not overpower the master vampire.” “Danielle.” “She is draining the humans. It replenishes her strength, to have so much blood at once. It’s an old witch’s spell. Although her beauty can only be restored with her master’s blood.” “So she’s at full strength and hiding it from us?” He nodded and then threw his head back and howled. “How do you know?” I didn’t want to think that Leo was involved. “It takes one not involved to see it.” He panted. “Wolves are human most of the month. We notice things like when was the Coalition first formed? During the time after her punishment. How did the humans know to capture you to get to Julian? A vamp’s confession. And it was daytime when I talked to them when you were locked up. Sold them the idea of faking your death and sending blood to Julian. Danielle couldn’t get a signal to them that Julian would ingest it and find you. Or perhaps she wanted them to take the fall…you know the rest, we found you then—” His voice cracked. The change was immediate, ripping through his body with an uncontrollable force. It looked painful, bones cracking, joints popping, hair sprouting, flesh splitting. Clothes ripped alongside his body and fell in tattered remains. My hand was still on his neck throughout the process and I smoothed it over his naked back to comfort him. His skin broke out in a thin sheen of sweat and I felt

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movement underneath his skin. Giant rolling waves, like a beast running throughout his body and taking control. Hair doesn’t just sprout through skin, I realized. The skin rips, erupting a gooey body fluid and it doesn’t just look painful. It is. When it was over, huge dark wolf eyes looked at me. I didn’t know if they were hungry or not. I didn’t know if it was a conscious Leo or just an animal. I raised my hand from his body to stroke his soft fur and stopped. My hand was wet with his blood and body fluids. Whining softly, he licked my hand until it was clean and then he turned tail and was gone I ran back out to my car and sped to Bang’s.

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Chapter Sixteen As I drove, a light bulb switched on in my head. The dream. In which I dreamed of Julian’s coffin. Could Danielle have tapped into it somehow? Johnny was the bouncer that night. I was striding up to the door when I heard a gasp. I looked around and saw people staring behind me. It was Leo in his wolf form. Great, a sick-looking woman with her pet wolf. That had to look good. Still, I was surprised. I wasn’t aware of the speeds that supernatural beings obviously ran at. When I was near Johnny, I kneeled down to speak to Leo. “You have to stay. You can’t go inside.” He whined and nuzzled me. I stood and whispered to Johnny. “It’s Danielle.” “Are you okay? You don’t look so good.” “Barely hanging on. We don’t have much time.” I knew I looked like hell, thin with circles under my eyes. My skin was pale and sallow, my lips had a bluish cast. I was dying and losing the urge to care. I started to walk inside and the wolf followed me. Looking apologetically at Johnny, I said, “I guess Leo’s going to protect me.” Leo licked my hand. Johnny closed the double doors and locked them. As I walked through the darkness of Bang’s, my eyes quickly became accustomed to the dark. Anna, Nicki and Lily ran up to me. “Leah, you have to feed! Now!” The look in Lily’s eyes was panicked. “It’s no use anymore. It’s not going to help me.” Anna stepped in front of me. “That’s crap, Leah. Drink.” “Anna,” I said as calmly as I could. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears. “Sssh. It’s not going to help. I’ve fed within the last hour.” “Please.” One tear rolled down her cheek. If I’d have been feeling better, I might have realized it was a manipulative fake one. Leo whined and licked my hand. Since when did Leo side with Anna? “Okay but see to it that Danielle doesn’t disappear.” Nicki and Lily nodded and left quickly to find her. Anna and I were near the dance floor. It was a slow song and couples were dancing. It wouldn’t look odd if we were close. I wrapped one arm around her neck and the other around her waist. I hoped it looked like we were dancing. After all, lots of women

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danced together nowadays. Wouldn’t city council be pleased if they had proof of biting on the premises? They’d finally have fuel to shut down Bang’s. Anna’s previous fang punctures hadn’t had time to heal. I sucked hard and they reopened. I had no gross factor left. I fed but it certainly didn’t help much. About all the feeding accomplished was weakening Anna. I grimaced at the irony. I had effectively weakened all four of my bodyguards. I licked her neck and then my lips. I pulled away. “Let’s go find Danielle.” My eyes widened. “I forgot to tell Nicki and Lily she’s at full strength.” Dammit. And they were not. We raced to the back stairs where Johnny met us. In the stairway that led to Julian’s office, Lily and Nicki were knocked out cold. “She has to be in here somewhere,” Johnny said. “I have guards on the doors. No one is allowed in or out.” “There are humans in the bar. We can’t keep this under wraps.” “With all the vamps in here, we should be able to do a mass hypnosis to make them forget whatever happened. We’ll worry about it later. If we find Julian, he has the power to do it on his own.” “Julian—he’s downstairs locked in his own coffin.” We raced downstairs, leaving the unconscious Nicki and Lily. We entered the basement and found the coffin room. Danielle was levitating before Julian’s coffin which was chained heavily with silver crosses. The air was thick and a fog rose from the ground. She was still damned old and ugly, though. Leo growled and leapt at her. In his wolf state, he wasn’t thinking. As a human he would have realized that magic was involved and he couldn’t touch her. As a wolf and a wolf who had a harsh change since I hadn’t been around him to balance his insanity, he was acting on pure animalistic urges. The urge to attack and protect. An unseen force field knocked him away, resulting in an explosion. His wolf form collapsed as still as death. I ran to his side, Johnny and Anna following me. I felt his body, trying to discern if he still breathed. I inhaled deeply. Something inside me was being triggered. Relieved, I felt the rise and fall of his chest. “Leah,” Johnny whispered, eyes large. “What’s happening to you?” I took a minute to check myself out. I was warmer than I had been in weeks and there was a circular gust of wind that seemed to be blowing around me and only me. I stood slowly. My hair was whipped up and floating about. My eyes did not seem as though they were mine, I could see beyond our reality and into another. Two worlds seemed to be merged, I could see past solid lines and beyond. Much like the aftereffects of the hypnosis.

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“Your eyes are one solid color,” Anna whispered. I don’t know how but I was aware of what was happening. It’s a known fact that humans only use ten percent of their brains. If it were possible to use our full brains, we would realize that there is something beyond our own safe, gray, world. A handful of people have the ability to use more of their brains to see the supernatural realm. Wizards, witches. Psychics can tap into more of their brains to see but it is a learned experience. Some cultures call it the Third Eye. Others call it the Sixth Sense. In the supernatural realm, you can see magic. You can see evil, you can see what used to be, what will be, what is now, all at the same time. I saw around me with eyes that were suddenly clearer. I felt as though my entire life had been spent wrapped in cotton, dulling my senses, muffling my sight and my hearing. Now it was all stripped away and I was lighter, faster, clearer and stronger. I also knew that this wasn’t my first trip viewing the supernatural realm. I wasn’t aware of how I’d previously been here, though. Some parts of my memory weren’t accessible to me. I didn’t know how I’d gotten to this state now and I didn’t have time to dwell on it. Danielle used her vamp speed to reach me instantly. Except, this time, I could see her coming. I knew she was in her warp speed but she moved in normal motion in my enhanced vision. Anna, with her own vamp speed, saw her coming and gave her a solid punch to the solar plexus. Danielle gasped and fell backward but then she was up again. Johnny took her other side and between Anna and Johnny, they forced her down. She was down on her knees, on the floor, the fog still rising. Until she started laughing. She laughed with tears streaming down her wrinkled face. She lowered her face slowly to the ground and when she looked up again, she was normal looking. Youthful. The wrinkles had vanished from her skin, her pale complexion glowed again with that vamp beauty and her hair color was at once that deep, dark red. Anna and Johnny gaped at the regaining of her beauty. The regaining done without her master’s blood. How was it possible? “Know what the fog is that’s coming from the ground?” she asked. She continued without any response. “It’s from the witch, Tanya. It’s magic. She’s on my side. She kept the bindings on his coffin hidden until now, that’s how powerful she is.” Silver chains appeared, binding Anna and Johnny together. They were frozen, unmoving from the neck down. I heard a chant and a woman appeared, at first just a fog and then slowly materializing. Tanya. The resident witch Julian had introduced me to. “Yes, it’s me who’s replacing the master vampire of the City. I inspired the Coalition to kidnap you. Actually, they were supposed to kill you. So instead I’m going to take you down, sweet little human. Then I don’t have to worry about what’s in that coffin. I just needed to perform the ritual to restore my beauty before his death,” Danielle continued as she pointed to Julian’s bound coffin and then raised a hand to

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grasp me about the throat. She reached for my neck but her hand couldn’t connect. That swirly little air of protection around me was keeping her from touching me. My own personal force field. “What the hell?” she muttered, looking at the witch. Tanya shrugged, looking just as confused. “I think that may be from me.” We all whirled to the sound of Merrick’s voice. “Or, it may be her own. Who knows?” he shrugged. Tanya gasped as she saw him. She stopped chanting and the fog started to dissipate. “Do you know him?” Danielle asked her. “Yes, Merrick and I go way back. He was a witch before a vampire got a hold of him.” “So you also know that since becoming a vampire I can’t access my powers anymore. But it seems I have found a conduit,” he told Tanya. The three of them looked at me. “What’s a conduit?” Danielle asked. “Not what. Who. Someone who has access to the powers I once had.” “Why would you give her your powers?” “Why? I didn’t choose to, it must have been accidentally done when I hypnotized her. They’re certainly not doing me any good being in limbo now. And Anjelia and Julian did bail me out of trouble when your murders pointed at me. You would have left me hanging.” “You’re choosing the wrong side, Merrick. Tanya, she may have access to his lost powers but she has no idea how to use them. Bind his useless magic.” Tanya began to chant again and the air grew thick and musty at once. Merrick struggled but it was hopeless. He sank to the ground, his body as paralyzed as Johnny and Anna. Danielle turned to me. “I’m going to remind you of something, Anjelia. Think back. Think of your husband’s funeral. Connect your mind to Julian’s. Remember…” Her voice lulled me and Tanya’s chanting was mesmerizing. I couldn’t keep it from happening. I flashed back to the funeral and saw myself standing in the sun looking down at the coffin. How could I be watching myself? I was somehow in the shade of a tree, watching me—but from a distance. I was looking down at the coffin being buried. I wasn’t crying. It looked a little odd, the widow not shedding tears. I looked—empty. I was aware of feelings, feelings of protection and feelings of…deceit. It was Julian’s memories I was accessing. As Julian, I saw me turn and look toward the trees, a puzzled look on my face. I walked slowly to them.

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“Why are you here?” “To help you forget. Come to me.” “But I don’t want to forget, Julian,” I was murmuring. My eyes were looking into his when he lowered his mouth to mine. He kissed me until I sagged against him unconscious. He lowered me gently to the ground and left before I awoke. “Leah, it’s a trick! Snap out of it!” I heard Johnny yell. A trick? Suddenly I remembered the last punishment Danielle went through. She’d told me things about Julian, ugly things. Julian had murdered my ex-husband I hadn’t met Julian after Trevor’s death but knew him earlier. I was being sold to Leo. I’d forgotten this. Had Julian erased my memories? Left holes in my brain like Swiss cheese? I hated the confusion of not knowing one way or the other. I slowly pulled out of my fog to see Danielle in the same mesmerized mode. I was quicker though and also noticed Merrick and Tanya. They were hitting each other with physical blows. She may have bound his magic but he simply rose from the ground and attacked her when she was distracted with me. Tanya jumped onto Merrick and was physically strangling him. He was stronger than she was and hurled her away from him only to have a torch hit him in the head, knocking him out. The torch was from Danielle. I’d forgotten about her and turned to her as Tanya slowly stood up. It was two against one. Unless you counted two weakened vamps, one unconscious one and an equally unconscious wolf. I didn’t move. I simply stood motionless as Danielle and Tanya tied the unconscious Merrick. I didn’t move because my power was growing inside me. I think it was because he was out for the count physically and giving me the rest of his. I barely breathed, afraid to upset the delicate balance. It raged like an inferno inside me, sometimes hot with fury, sometimes leaving me dizzy and sick. If I held very still it would level. While Tanya was finishing tying Merrick to Anna and Johnny, Danielle finally turned to me. I was still standing in the same position, afraid to move. The power inside me still grew and I was afraid to lose it and become my sickened, human self. Danielle was right. I didn’t understand how to use this power. She was standing before me in one instant, her clawed hand reaching for me. Don’t move, said a voice in my head. She can’t really touch you. Be still and don’t worry. Just concentrate on letting the power fill you. Her hand didn’t connect and she howled with frustration. Tanya began chanting more making the air too thick to breathe. I was gagging on the thickness so I swung my arm out and hit Danielle square in the face. Someone gasped. Before she could stand, I kicked her, hitting her in the throat. Tanya grabbed for me and my last thread of 173

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concentration broke. I realized that a part of my mind was controlling the little swirl of air that had been protecting me. Tanya had her hands about my throat and was squeezing and she began to chant, calling her magic to help her. I was damn sick of that chanting. Fury burned within me, thick and welcome. I looked at her—not with my eyes but with that other sight. The other sight could see the other realities. It could see her aura. It could see her magic. I felt myself grow hot, overheated. And then the voice whispered again. Concentrate. Just feel the burn. I realized whose voice it was. It was the unconscious Merrick. Tanya felt the heat too and for a moment her hands couldn’t squeeze my throat. They were still wrapped around my neck but without pressure. I felt something whip from my throat from the point of contact where her hands were. It snapped from me and lashed out to her, engulfing her instantaneously and she threw her head back to howl in pain. The scream never surfaced. There was an explosion, a flash of light. The air cleared and Tanya lay a few feet beyond me. Her body was a pile of ash, a perfectly formed statue. It was amazing. It had all of her features, down to each eyelash clearly defined. There was a look of terror on her frozen face and I blew gently at that face. The ash lifted and flew, her head crumbling down into her neck. I realized slowly that in using this “sight” my emotions were remote and detached. I felt nothing for the pile of ash before me. I did feel some relief that I didn’t have to hear that damned constant chanting and that the musty fog was clearing from the room. Good, said the voice. Now raise your arms to give thanks for the magics of the earth. I raised my arms and closed my eyes. I could see all around me even without turning my head or opening my eyes. I “saw” Danielle sneaking behind me in her vamp speed, ready to attack. “Do you really want to die?” I whispered without turning. Inside, I knew it to be so. I could kill her too, in just a microsecond. Just like Tanya. She stopped and I turned completely around. I held my hand out to the silver chains that bound Anna, Johnny and Merrick and in that instant the chains appeared around my hand. I threw them at Danielle and she was immediately wrapped in them. There was silence for a minute while we all contemplated the binding of Danielle. I was still in a fog, my swirly air of protection still around me. “Anjelia,” Merrick whispered, now awake. “You need to turn to the east and thank the wind for the provided protection also.” I knew he was right without realizing how. I turned slightly, raising my hands again. Not a second too soon because I collapsed. The threat had ended and the magic left me and I was my sick, trembly, human self.

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Johnny was there holding my head. I turned over and vomited a spew of black blood onto the floor. And then I realized it wasn’t vomit or blood at all. It was the magic leaving my body. I wondered briefly where it would go. Back to Merrick? I couldn’t tell, though, as it just dispersed into the air. “Leah, are you all right? Do we need to feed you?” “No,” I pushed myself up slowly. “I have to find Julian. I need…need his touch…need him to feed. It’s him dying and killing me.” I coughed out. Julian’s coffin was there, along with all the others. I knew which one was his—we all did by the crucifixes binding it. No wonder he couldn’t get out and no wonder Danielle’s hands had been burned. Coffin lids are heavy. No doubt about that. But Johnny and Merrick lifted it and I wasn’t even scared about what might be inside. I was sure it was Julian. But what was in there should have scared me. He was weak. His eyes could open when the lid lifted but that was it. He just watched me, helplessly. I stepped into the coffin and straddled him. His skin was paper thin, you could see faint veins beneath it. It looked brittle like onion-paper and might crumble to dust at a touch. That was my fear, my biggest fear. That he would crumble to dust. I leaned over him and exposed my neck. He simply looked at me but I could see the bloodlust in his eyes. He did nothing else. “Have a drink, Julian.” “No.” One word, barely whispered out. I understood. He was too hungry and afraid to hurt me. Maybe even afraid to turn me. “Oh, yes.” I looked into his eyes and pressed the barest of kisses to his lips. “Eat me.” Neither of us could survive otherwise. I bared my neck to his lips again. It was too much for him in his weakened state. I felt the puncture and the warmth flowing from me to him. It felt a lot like the first time when I’d accepted the protection mark. I felt his strength returning. His sucking strengthened, becoming more rhythmic. It was a sweet feeling, nurturing, knowing that he could not live without me. My own breathing started to slow. I was vaguely aware of being weakened and drained but didn’t care. Didn’t want to care. Julian pulled away and my head floated down to his chest. He stroked my back and held me gently while I shivered. I was cold now, damned cold. All that beauty was gone. Julian was crooning softly, making soothing noises against my forehead. My shivering worsened, until my whole body trembled. It grew worse and worse until my arms and legs jerked in spasms like a seizure. Julian was strong again. He lifted us out of the coffin and carried me upstairs, all while I jerked and twitched in his arms. We were through the bar and headed up the back of the stairs. I was dimly aware of the other vamps, Johnny and several of the

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others all speaking at once. Lily was there and stroked her fingers down my trembling cheek. “She’ll be all right,” Julian assured her but he didn’t sound as if he believed it. “I’ll just get her warm.” He took the stairs, two at a time, to his office. Johnny was right behind him. “Get blankets out of that closet, spread one on the floor.” Julian commanded. While Johnny spread the blanket, Julian stripped my clothes off. I was naked but I doubted my blue extremities were attractive to anyone. Julian stripped too and held our naked bodies together. Johnny covered us with another blanket. Soon I heard Julian say, “It’s not enough. She’s still cold. Johnny, strip.” I felt another warmth enveloping me, Julian on one side, Johnny on the other. And darkness fell. I came awake slowly. We were no longer in the higher temperature office but in a bed. Julian’s bed. Anna was there, leaning over the side of the bed holding a cup of steaming hot something. She was clothed. I was enveloped between Johnny and Julian and wasn’t wearing anything at all. But I wasn’t trembling anymore. I held a hand out automatically as Anna lowered the cup toward me. My hand was surrounded with colors which left a trail following. I blinked. I thought I saw a trail of colors on Anna’s cheek and reached out to touch it. There was nothing there. I shook my head, trying to clear it. “What is wrong, my sweet?” “I’m not vampire?” It was the only explanation I had for the funny swirls of colors I was seeing. “No. Just bound to me as always, my human servant.” “Yesterday?” He nodded. “You’ve been out for a whole day. Leo too. I think maybe the binding did connect—yours to his. We have him in Johnny’s quarters.” I turned toward Julian and Johnny slipped out of the blanket. I felt distrust clouding my soul, darkening my vision. I didn’t feel normal at all. I was slipping from the normal human world, to the realm of supernatural vision, back and forth way too easily. “I’m tired, Julian. I want to go home.” I was desperate and squeezed my eyes shut. I wanted to be home where things were normal. Because my vision sure wasn’t. “Then we shall take you home.” He rose and dressed. Johnny dressed also and I lay watching them listlessly, my eyes tired, my body worn out. Julian lifted me, blanket and all. Blackness swirled before my eyes. When I awoke next, Julian was laying me gently on my own living room sofa. Johnny and the trio were still there, watching me with worried eyes. “Anjelia, you’re not healing as quickly as you should be. You need to drink my blood.” 176

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I stared at Julian, my head spinning. It was going to take me a long time to heal, I could feel it. But I could be safe for a little while with my thoughts and my memories. Julian smiled at me before pressing his lips to my forehead. “Remember the magic potion? That’s what it was made from…my blood.” He pulled away and went to slice his neck. Would the drinking of his blood when I was so drained turn me vampire? I reached out and took the finger that was going to slice him. I brought it to my lips, kissing it gently. Knowing this would be the last time I kissed him. “I revoke my invitations for all five of you.” It was a whisper, all the strength I had left. My living room door had been open, it stayed open still after the wind blew them all out to the front porch. Julian was still in the open doorway, his hands clutching at the invisible field. The other four were looking at me with panicked faces through my bay window. The blanket that had been enveloping me had slipped to the floor. I didn’t have the energy to retrieve it even though I shivered with cold. I curled my body into a fetal position and closed my eyes to the sight of what had been my friends, watching me but unable to get in. “Anjelia, don’t do this. Please. You’re not yourself.” I heard Julian beg from the porch. My mind crisscrossed with his. That damned vision that I’d been having problems with since the fight with Danielle. I was suddenly looking through his eyes, seeing me curled on the couch. I had a feeling of déjà vu and realized I’d witnessed this scene before. This is what I’d seen while in a trance by Merrick. It would take me a long time to heal and I could have my memories, my own thoughts, during that time. The first time I stepped outside that doorway though, I’m sure someone will be waiting with that deathly kiss to erase my memories again, along with my will. I wondered if things would go back to the way they were before. Where does it end now? I thought. I don’t know what will become of Danielle. I’d never asked, actually, I may not want to know. You don’t betray your master. I know that much. Especially for the humans. Leo is still Leo. I’ll try not to have much to do with him but I do feel as though I owe him one. That could be a problem. Especially since I would have been his wolf queen by now. I also know that he still is in possession of my tattered clothing so his mental clarity is still not quite in check. It was too much to think about. I closed my eyes and wondered. Was I dying?

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Chapter Seventeen I came awake groggily. I was in a bed but not my safe little house. It was an enormous room with a canopied bed. Then a cold stethoscope was pressed to my chest. I looked up dazedly at Leo in doctor mode. His hair was tied back in the usual ponytail, darker stubble accented the strength of his jaw. He smiled at me. “What have you done to yourself, Anjelia?” “I don’t want to forget my memories, Leo. I think they’ll erase my memories,” I paused. “How did I get here?” “Julian came to me that night, a week ago. He had requested that I enter your home when he was revoked. I brought you here to nurse you.” “But they’ll get to me at your place. As soon as you take me outside.” I was agitated and I grabbed his arm. Leo calmly took my hand from his arm. He put it down gently and reached for a hypodermic needle. “You’re fine at my house, Anjelia. I have a whole pack of wolves watching over it and over you. Julian is not going to harm you as I would never harm you. We both love you. He would rather send you with me than watch you die. You’ve been here a week and you’ve been safe all that time now.” I held still as he slid the needle gently under my skin and gave me the shot. “This is just to relax you.” “Please don’t leave me, Leo.” “I won’t,” he whispered. I looked into his eyes. I saw trust reflected in his eyes and I knew that I could trust him as well. Damn, it was that sight, that sixth sense, uncontrollably asserting itself again. I couldn’t control the damn thing now and I just wanted it to go away. “While you sleep, Julian will be coming to feed. You’ll be out for it and won’t have to deal with him, okay?” My eyelids were heavy. “Okay.” I saw Leo lean forward and kiss my forehead. Then I slept. When I awoke next, Leo was entering the room with a tray. Setting it on the night table, he adjusted my pillows and helped me to sit up. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead. Eat first to build your strength. Then I am thrown into nurse status, bathing you. Your first in a week.” “You?”

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“I don’t trust anyone else, Anjelia,” he said seriously. “One of my kind might be tempted to turn you. They still want you for our queen. And we don’t know what the consequences will be with vampire blood running through your veins.” “But you’ll see me naked.” “I’m a doctor.” He sounded quite surprised. “And I’ve seen you naked. Who do you think gave you sponge baths this week? All that schooling and I’m reduced to your nurse. You owe me big time, woman.” I giggled at his teasing. I was so comfortable and happy around him. He set the tray on my lap. “Did you cook too?” “Thankfully not. I did choose the menu, though. Does that impress you?” “Very much.” To my surprise, Leo sat on the bed next to me, picking up a spoon and feeding me spoonfuls of soup. We kept up an idle chitchat until I started to grow weary. I saw his eyes watching carefully. “Okay, just a couple more bites. I’ll get the bath started. It’ll take a while to fill up.” Leo disappeared into the adjoining bathroom and I heard the water run. “You like it soapy? Lots of bubbles?” “Yup.” I must be losing my modesty. It didn’t upset me too much that Leo was about to bathe me. Of course, I’ve been bathed before—by Anna and Julian. He returned to the bedroom and I was surprised to see he was stark naked. Completely. “Holy cow. I don’t think you have to be naked to bathe someone, Leo.” He grinned. “I’m getting in with you. It’s easier. Being nude doesn’t embarrass a wolf, Anjelia.” “Well, it kind of embarrasses a human,” I grumbled. He ignored me. I tried very hard not to notice the bulk of his muscles, the smooth, tan skin, the spattering of masculine hair. The hair that trailed in a downward spiral… I barely remembered to avert my eyes. He set aside my tray and opened the bedclothes. He leaned me forward and I inhaled his scent while he untied my hospital gown from the back of me. He slid it down my shoulders, leaving me nude also. He picked me up matter-of-factly and carried me into the bathroom. The tub was huge and sunken. Filled with bubbles. It had actual steps to walk into it and Leo did just that. He settled to the bottom of the tub with me curled onto his lap. The water was hot and very relaxing. “I used lavender bubbles.” “Darn. I’m partial to jasmine.”

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“I’m a professional doctor in the human world. I can’t go around with jasmine scented skin,” he teased. I smiled and turned slightly. I was lying directly on Leo, my back pressed to his chest His arms were wrapped around me, comfortable and strong. I made sure my breasts were covered by the bubbles and not bobbing about. I was so safe and secure. Especially since there was nothing poking me in the back. “Thank you for taking care of me,” I said, watching as a toe poked a bubble on the surface of the water. “You’re welcome.” “This isn’t going to cause a problem with the vampires, is it?” “No. They came to get me when you revoked them from your house. Julian loves you, much as I hate to admit it since I’d rather have you. He’d like to come and see you to start over. Whenever you’re ready.” “How do you feel about it?” “If I could make you love me instead of him, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But you love Julian and I want you to be happy.” “And you’re stuck being insane every full moon?” “Actually, it’s getting better. Being around you is relieving the symptoms. I’m getting back to normal. I’d still like to spend a full moon with you to see what happens. I’d never hurt you, you know.” There was something he wasn’t telling me. That answer was too easy but it was something I’d have to delve into later. “I know you’d never hurt me,” I whispered. I stayed at Leo’s mansion for another week. He allowed none of his staff upstairs and I felt safer not having to see anyone but him. I became healthier. We talked a lot as we sunbathed and swam. Leo thought nothing of nudity and after a few days it didn’t bother me as much. Sure he was handsome with that sun streaked hair and golden brown eyes, especially with the stubble that so often covered his face. He was extremely muscular, very broadshouldered with impressive thighs like massive columns of muscle. But when he was nude, he never tried to grope me or fondle me or even stared at me unnecessarily if I took my top off to sunbathe. He would even walk in on me while dressing and strangely, it just didn’t bother me. Perhaps it was because he was my doctor, perhaps it was because he was my friend or perhaps it was because it was his house. I wished that time could stand still. I didn’t want to have to think about the vamps, or work, or even why Leo wasn’t at work. It was daylight outside and I was out on the balcony sunbathing. Leo had gone downstairs to fix our lunch when I started to think about Julian. What would happen if a human grabbed me off the balcony? I panicked and thought about screaming for Leo. 180

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I was quite surprised when he answered. In my head. Anjelia? What is it? Leo. You can hear me? Yes. I see you’ve acquired some new powers. It was exciting but a headache had started so I blocked out any further communication. I don’t know how I did it but blocking out felt like stuffing cotton into my head. My senses felt dulled, my hearing dulled, my vision impaired. Nevertheless, the headache didn’t dull. Leo appeared with the tray of food, still dressed in the surfer shorts he’d left with. His chest was bare and I watched the play of muscles as he balanced the tray. “That was a new one.” “Umm.” I muttered, rubbing my temple with one fingertip. “Here, let me.” He set the tray down and sat next to me as he shared my lounge chair. He massaged my temple and I closed my eyes. “Was the headache caused by the communication?” he asked. “Yes.” “Did you get a headache after our shared dream?” My eyes flew open. “Wh-what?” I stammered. He looked me squarely in the eye. “Our dream? In which we made love. Did you get a headache from that connection also?” “You were in my dream? I can’t believe this is happening.” “Yes, I was in that dream. You sucked me into it and I wasn’t about to protest.” “You never mentioned it.” “I had a feeling this is how you would react.” “Of course this is how I would react! It’s not proper to have wet dreams about your friend.” Leo smiled at me. A masculine smile full of secrets that said he’d dreamed previously about me. A smile that left me wondering about that.

***** Leo and I had worked out in the weight room. Or rather, Leo had. I’d stopped a while earlier and spotted him as necessary. Truth be known, I was happier to just watch. I enjoyed watching the glide of his muscles across his chest. The slight sheen that glimmered across his skin as he worked up a sweat. It was so tempting to run my fingertips along his slick biceps. “Shall we shower and get to bed?” he asked. “I guess it is late. I don’t really keep track of time here.” “No need to. Just relax and enjoy it.” 181

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We walked to the nearest shower which was in Leo’s room. He surprised me by taking a hold of my hand as we walked. It felt nice. “I can shower in my own room.” I offered. “Why?” Leo asked, looking into my eyes. “It just seems more natural. Friends don’t go around naked all the time and showering with each other.” “It is natural for me, Anjelia. I’m a wolf, born not bitten. Do I make you uncomfortable?” “No.” To prove it, I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower, followed by Leo. We showered in silence in the double headed shower and I turned my spray off first, stepping out to dry on the fluffy white mat. He lingered a few minutes and when he switched his own spray off, I handed him a dry towel. My own was tucked around my body. He toweled himself off while I combed out my hair and blow-dried it. I was ready to head to my room when Leo turned down his covers, reached for my hand and pulled me to him. “Join me, Anjelia.” I was sitting on his lap. I raised my eyebrows and he smiled gently. “We don’t have to do that unless you’d like to.” I slowly shook my head. “Then just sleep with me.” “I have to get a nightgown.” “Does it really matter?” Did it? “I guess not.” He took the towel from around me and threw it in the vicinity of the bathroom. He tucked me into his bed before crawling in next to me. I was stiff at first. A little worried that he would be like any other man and start fondling me. I guess I needn’t have worried. I had his trust and he wouldn’t do anything to violate it. He slept before I did. I heard it in his breathing, felt the relaxation coming from his body as he reached that resting crest. It wasn’t long before I slept too. During the night I awoke several times to find myself curled around him, my legs entwined with his or my body pressed tightly against him, his hands possessively on my bare buttocks. I slept in my own bed the next night but I missed Leo next to me. So during the night I got up and snuck into his room. He never said a word although I knew he was awake. He just let me cuddle him. I spooned my body behind him. When he did finally fall asleep, I kissed his bare shoulder. Once I was sure he was asleep. I kissed it and breathed in his scent. It was

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Leo, all Leo. Handsome and muscular, strong and brave. I forced myself to stop kissing it. Because his skin tasted as I knew it would, knew it did from my dreams. The next day I woke up sluggish. It was a cloudy day outside and at first I thought that was the cause of my sluggishness. Toward the end of the day, I realized it was not. It was time for another feeding. Leo and I were eating dinner when he noticed me picking at my food. “Julian needs to feed,” he observed. “Yes.” “Are you ready to see him?” I lifted tired eyes to Leo. “Not really. I’d rather do it like last time with me out for the count. That’s not very adult of me, is it?” “Doesn’t matter. I can put you out and call him. Of course, he’ll be expecting the call. You can be awake for a feeding when you’re ready to deal with it.” After dinner we went upstairs. I’d slept in his bed the night before so Leo changed my sheets. “Why are you changing the sheets? They’re clean.” “I don’t want to torment him. The less they carry my scent, the better. Perhaps you should shower? And I’ll try to refrain from touching you.” I showered and came out of the bathroom in my pajama shirt and shorts. I crawled into the bed and watched Leo prepare my shot. “Did you call him already?” “Yes. He’ll be here soon.” He injected me with the shot and sat while I became drowsy. Before I fell asleep, however, I sat up and flung off my t-shirt. Leo raised his eyebrows. I lay back down, tucking the sheet modestly under my arms. “He’ll want as much skin contact as possible. He’ll probably take off his shirt as well,” I explained. I awoke the next morning feeling like myself again. Energized, happy and ready to start the day. I went into my bathroom and looked in the mirror. No bites on my neck, no reminders of Julian. He was considerate in sealing them shut. But as I brushed my teeth, I realized that it was time to face the music. The next time Julian needed to feed, I had to see him. I couldn’t take the coward’s way out forever. I went to Leo’s room. He was in his bathroom shaving. I sat on the toilet to watch. “Good morning.” “Morning, Leo.” He wiped the rest of the shaving cream off with a towel. His jawline was smooth and he leaned down to kiss my cheek.

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I turned my face and kissed his lips instead. Then I turned and kissed that smooth, cleanly shaven cheek. It smelled of shaving cream, a clean, crisp, masculine scent. I breathed deeply, wishing I could save that scent deep within me for when I was living back on my own. “Are you all right, Anjelia?” “I’m fine.” I forced a smile. “What’s on the agenda for today?” “Let’s have breakfast on the terrace.” “Okay,” I agreed. “But first, your checkup.” I sighed and went to lie on the bed. Leo retrieved his little black bag and followed me. He did the usual, the blood pressure check, the heartbeat check, nothing unusual at all. And that’s when it occurred to me. How did I heal? “Leo, why am I not crazy? Like before when I was willing to die?” I saw his hand pause and then it resumed its movement, loosening the cuff. He reached for a rubber band to tie around my arm to draw blood. “Leo?” I reminded softly. “You carry a werewolf virus in your genetic makeup. You need to be around me now much as I need to be around you.” “What? How is that? I didn’t carry it before?” “You became crazy from a combination of factors, Anjelia. You still retained some poison in your system, you were nearly drained dry by Julian, I was unconscious and your wolf mark wasn’t protecting you, the holes in your memory were breaking through slowly thanks to Danielle and the witch.” “So how do I carry a werewolf gene?” “I gave it to you. You were dying, it’s not as if turning werewolf would have killed you. It was your destiny to become werewolf anyway.” “Will I change now?” “No. Not with being a vampire servant. I think it’s just a matter of checks and balances. My wolf virus, the vampire servant. One keeps the other from dominating.” “How does the vampire servant benefit keep me from turning wolf?” “The virus isn’t able to reproduce enough in your bloodstream to turn you. Julian’s constant feeding on your blood keeps that from happening. And since you were nearly drained to the point of death, chances are you would have risen vampire. But Julian was unwilling to risk that since we had no guarantees. Especially because you may have become an insane vampire. Or you may have just died a human death, unable to rise again. So we kept you from death.” What was I? And did I still have the remnants of the black magic in me from Merrick? Should we add that to the eclectic pot which I had become?

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“What’s wrong?” Leo asked me when I remained silent. “How do you know something’s wrong?” “I know you.” “How do you know me? I don’t even know myself. I don’t know what I am. Not anymore.” “Do you remember that I had a human woman marked to be my mate? You are that woman. My mate. You should have been my mate. Yet now you can’t be because you’re tied to a vampire but I will always feel that you are mine.” I knew this. “How did I get marked as yours?” Leo sighed. “I don’t think we should go into it, Anjelia. I just told you what you already knew or suspected. I don’t want to tell you what’s been erased. What other damage could that do?” “Who knows what else has been erased?” Leo hugged me to him. “What else is bothering you?” “I still love Julian.” “I know. It’s not a bad thing. Love can’t be bad it just has to be worked through.” This statement made so much sense to me. It was clear as a bell and it made me realize something else about myself, something important. “I love you too, Leo. I don’t know when or how it happened. And I don’t know what to do about it.” He was stunned. He didn’t have anything to say and another woman might have taken that wrongly. I reached my hand out and slid it around his neck. I drew his face to mine and everso slowly, he inched his way to me. Our lips met and pressed together for a few moments before we simultaneously opened our mouths for a greedy meeting of tongue. After long moments of simply kissing me back, he pulled away and whispered. “I’d give anything for you to be mine. But I’m wolf king. I can’t marry you like a human and my wolves would always want me to find a wolf queen.” “I know. But we have a few days.” “Do you want a few days to have a relationship with me?” I stepped away. “To have a relationship with you, I’d have to choose between you and Julian. I haven’t even faced him for a feeding yet.” “You’re ready to face him then.” His reserved voice was absolute. “I’m ready to face him. That’s it. I can’t choose but I can face him and at least talk to him.” “I’ll call him.” That evening I was sitting in Leo’s formal sitting room when Julian was escorted in. It had been awhile since I’d seen him. His dark hair gleamed and was a little longer. His skin was still as pale as usual. Looking at that face always caught my breath, made me 185

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want more. It made me want the passion that I knew simmered just underneath. His eyes were dark and glowed with sensuality. He dropped to his knees in front of me, placing his head in my lap. I reached out and touched his hair, then caressed his head. I can’t stop from touching Julian. I’ll never be able to stop. “Are you hungry?” I asked. “I can wait.” There was silence again while I stroked him, my fingers remembering the feel of his skin. “Are you happy here, my sweet?” I thought about the question. The answer surprised me. “I am. I really am happy here with Leo.” “You smell like him.” “I’m not sleeping with him.” Technically. “But we do most things together.” “Do you love him?” “Yes, I think so. In my own way, I guess I do. But my life is complicated enough without adding one more complication to it.” Julian took a deep breath. “Do you still love me?” “I will always love you, Julian. But I don’t trust you. Vampires and humans think differently.” “I only loved you. That’s all I ever wanted.” “You also scared the crap out of me. You’ve erased memories that I’m afraid to deal with. I don’t know if I should have those memories or not. You can’t decide that my life should be happier a certain way and mold it into whatever you want.” “I spared you heartache.” “Heartache is what makes me human. You frightened me. You can’t erase my memories to protect me from pain. I need those memories to protect me from future pain. Worse pain.” “I’m sorry. I love you so much, losing you terrifies me.” Julian rose and sat on the sofa next to me. He placed his hand on my cheek and leaned in to kiss my lips softly. “Kissing you is like kissing Leo. I smell wolf everywhere.” “This is what I should have smelled like. It was my destiny,” I reminded him gently. “I know. Are you upset about it?” “Not really. What’s done is done. Which reminds me of something. I haven’t had my feeling of something watching me since I’ve been at Leo’s.” I tried to keep my voice neutral so that it wouldn’t seem accusatory. But I had a feeling that it was the vamps doing the watching.

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There was a long pause before Julian answered. “Tanya was our resident witch, which is a witch protected by vampires in return for her services. I’ve had her watching you for years, recording bits of your life into her crystal ball that I could review later.” “So that’s why there was no intervening when Trevor beat me?” “I didn’t see the beating until later, after the fact. It was at that point that I had Tanya stop recording and watch you in real time but not without consequences. With your psychic abilities, you were more apt to sense the watching at that point. You were also able to remember the earlier recordings.” “Did you kill Trevor, Julian?” “Yes.” He was matter-of-fact and once again it pointed to the differences between vampires and humans. There was no remorse in him. I didn’t know what to feel. The man who I had been sleeping with killed my husband. I should have been horrified but somehow I just wasn’t. I understood violence and right now I understood relief. “They tapped into my dream to find your coffin. Danielle and Tanya,” I said. “I watched it while you were here recuperating. I found Tanya’s crystal and replayed your dream. I’d wondered how they figured out which was mine.” We were silent for a minute, each lost in our own thoughts. Then he spoke first. “I’d like to start over. See you again. Be with you again. Date you, like a human.” “I think I’d like that. But I’m not hurting Leo, not when he’s done so much for me.” “We all need to get together and resolve our issues.” “You know I hate this. Someone will get hurt if I have to choose.” “Maybe not,” he said slowly. “I owe Leo a great deal, Anjelia. I caused his sickness, I stole his life, his mate. I talked him into binding with me, knowing he had no choice but to save you. Asking for his help when you nearly died taught me a great deal. He’s so happy with you and I’m sure you’re aware that his insanity is more easily controlled?” I nodded and he continued, “I don’t want you to choose one of us, Anjelia. I’m too afraid of losing in that choice. I’ve been possessive and it’s flung you into the arms of my enemy. I need to talk to Leo about this but now I wonder if his insanity is linked to your sanity now that you carry his wolf gene. It hurts like hell but I’d rather share than be cut out.” I was stunned. A vampire, talking about sharing? Vampires were possessive by nature. “I could have lost you forever. Or I can have you even though it means sharing. It saves you from making the decision of choosing and me from possibly losing” I threw my arms around him and kissed him. Kissed him like I used to, without reservations. He smiled against my lips. “I knew it was the right decision. Shall I call Leo in here?”

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I shook my head. “I have a trick. Watch this.” I closed my eyes and called Leo mentally. We heard footsteps walking toward the sitting room. Leo entered the room and with our minds so connected with the full moon near, I could feel his dread at our calling. I knew what he was thinking that I was ready to leave him. “You called for me?” he smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. I looked at Julian. “I think the three of us have things to discuss,” Julian said. Leo nodded with a wary face. “I was telling Anjelia how you are so much healthier when she is here. I don’t want to make her choose between us. You go insane when she is not around, I will die and cause her death without her around me.” “Then it makes more sense for her to be with you. My insanity is not lifethreatening.” “Not that we know of. Of course, it was worsening, wasn’t it?” Leo nodded slowly. “So we don’t know how bad it will get, it may be life-threatening for you over time.” “Perhaps. But my death would not cause Anjelia’s while yours would.” “You’re not telling Anjelia that once you are insane, it is very possible that she will follow you.” “Leo,” I said. “Is that true? What have you been keeping from me?” He sighed and glared slightly at Julian. “We don’t know for sure, Anjelia. I think so. There’s been one other case of two werewolf mates going insane when separated, the male first. But that was when they were actually mated.” Julian spoke again. “I think she should stay here for two weeks every month. The other two weeks she can stay with me. And we’ll try to time them so that during the full moon she is with you.” There was silence as Leo and I pondered this. “What about my house?” I asked. “Would you like to live alone for some of the time?” I thought about my solitary existence. “No, I guess it doesn’t really matter. I can sell my house.” “You don’t need it, Anjelia,” Leo said. “What’s mine is yours. You’re welcome to anything of mine. You’re my wolf-mate whether you’re my species or not.” It was such a sweet thing to say. I smiled at him and then looked at his lips. I leaned forward and kissed Leo gently. And then I remembered Julian. I turned toward him, apologetic. “Are you okay, Julian?”

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“Surprisingly, yes. Watching is not as difficult as it once would have been. However, I don’t want to push my luck. I’ll be back for you in about a week?” I nodded. “Will you call me, sometime? If Leo’s all right with it?” Leo was nodding. “I’ll be returning to work soon. Anjelia will be doing whatever she wants during the day. And during her weeks with you, she will also call me, right?” Julian nodded. We were slowly working this out. However, I was dreading the problems we were sure to run into in the future. Julian stood to leave and we walked him to the front door. He shook Leo’s hand and he kissed me. I watched him walk into the night, concern for him tightening my chest. Leo wrapped his arm around my waist. “It’s hard, isn’t it?” I nodded. “It’ll take some getting used to.” “Do you want to go after him?” “If I do, he’ll just send me back when I start to worry about you.” I shivered with the chill in the air, feeling suddenly lost. Leo kissed my temple and then I was all right again, for I loved him.

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Chapter Eighteen Leo walked me back inside and we sat on a loveseat. “Tonight is our monthly meeting. Will you attend or do you want to stay upstairs?” “What would you like?” “I’d like you to be there by my side. I’d also like you by my side when I change. Can you stand it?” “I’ve watched you change, remember? Of course I’ll be there for you.” “I want to introduce you to my wolves as my wolf-mate. They’ll want to see the ritual performed. I’d like to mate with you tonight. The actual ritual—I don’t want anything else to interfere this time.” “What exactly is the ritual?” “Normally, we would change to our wolf form and mate in front of the other wolves.” “But since I can’t change…” “Right. I’ll remain in my human form also.” Call me slow but it finally dawned. I stared at him in horror. “And…mate?” Ohmigod. A Wolf-howl. My own. “Yes. I’ll cover you since you’ll be in human form. We’ll be quick. It’s more a ritual than anything else.” Leo was nonchalant, ignorant of my rising hysteria. “I’m supposed to have sex with you? In front of people? We haven’t even had it alone yet.” My voice squeaked. Leo raised an eyebrow. “We have. In your dream. It’s almost the same in real life.” “Oh, one more shock to the system. I keep forgetting you were there,” I said, horrified. “Of course I was there. Surely you realized… You didn’t realize, did you?” he asked gently. “I’ve been around wolves so long, I forget to be human sometimes.” He drew me to him and I buried my flushed face in his neck. “Anjelia, my love. If you prefer, we won’t perform yet. But the wolves are asking. They know you’ve been here. I need to give them a date.” I took a deep breath. Did I dare put it off only to have the upcoming date cloud my happiness? “No, we’ll take care of it. I can’t stand to have it looming over me.” He tilted my head and kissed me gently. Then his lips nibbled on the corner of my lower lip.

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“I’m a lucky guy to have you. Not many human females would do it. What can I do to make it easier for you?” “Just keep me covered. And I never thought I’d say this but make it quick. I’ll skip any foreplay.” I smiled. “Are you really sure about this?” “‘Course I’m sure, sweetie. You’re a lucky guy all right.” I teased. “Feel like getting luckier?” “What do you mean?” I looked into those golden brown eyes and took his hand. I drew it up inside my blouse so he could cup my breast. “You’ve waited patiently for a long time, haven’t you?” I whispered. I watched as his golden eyes darkened. The hand caressing my breast was hot, his body temperature so much warmer than Julian’s. His fingers settled on my nipple and pulled it gently, rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger. Spirals of heated pleasure coursed through my body. “It’s too close to the full moon. I don’t trust myself. Not yet. I think we should wait until after it for our first time,” he said. “Okay,” I agreed, drawing my blouse down. “I’ll go shower and change.” He raised his eyebrow. “I don’t see why we should suddenly stop showering together. I’ll come with you.” We walked up the stairs together, hands entwined. We arrived at my suite and Leo started the shower. He turned toward me and undressed me slowly. He pressed me against him, his hands roaming over my naked buttocks. I heard him growl deep in his throat. “I wish I could have you, Anjelia.” “I don’t suppose you have handcuffs?” “Why?” “I’ll handcuff you. And then relieve you.” “You would do that for me?” “Oh, I’m sure I’ll find a little pleasure in it. Trust me, it won’t be a hardship on my part. And you’ve relieved me, in the dream.” “Come with me.” Leo turned the shower off and we walked to another part of the house. We were still naked and I shivered with my lower body temperature. We arrived at a room and Leo produced handcuffs. Two sets. I didn’t ask. Back in our bedroom, I cuffed his hands together around the bedpost of the bed and rubbed my breasts against his chest before I moved further down his body. One leg I stretched out and handcuffed to the bottom post. A leather belt of mine buckled around his remaining ankle was tied to the other post.

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His body was tanned perfection. His temperature was hotter than mine and I wanted nothing more than to rub myself against all that feverish skin. I traced my fingers over the muscles in his chest and over his abdomen. I kissed his thighs, those columns of muscle that hold up the rest of his body. I kissed down the inside of his leg, exploring every inch of him. His muscle quivered beneath my touch. His calves fascinated me. I’ve never seen such a perfect work of art. His feet were beautiful, even his ankles. I licked delicately around the handcuff that enclosed his ankle. I felt the tender skin there and the cold, hard metal. His breathing deepened, steady and regular. I made my way back up and traced the crease in his hip that separated leg from torso. His hipbones fascinated me. There’s nothing sexier than a pair of low-cut jeans, riding so low that the cut of a man’s hips are exposed. I licked inward from his hipbone and then I followed the spiral trail of hair in the middle of his body until I found his throbbing flesh, so full it looked ready to explode. His testicles were larger than most men’s and I cupped them gently. He groaned. I leaned toward his penis, letting my hair brush against it. Just like my dreams, it actually seemed to throb and pulse with a life of its own. “I can’t take any foreplay, Anjelia. Too close to the moon,” he panted as he strained against the handcuffs. So I took him into my mouth. His head fell back on the bed and I didn’t bother licking. I sucked. I sucked the head of his erection, listening to him moan. The sounds made me smile with satisfaction. Then I took the entire thing in my mouth, letting my head rock back and forth. I felt his orgasm when it hit. His testicles hardened beneath my hand and throbbing began from inside the sac. He began to grow and I heard a strange voice that wasn’t quite Leo’s. Deeper, rumbling, fascinating. “Anjelia, pull away. Now.” I pulled my mouth from his penis and was astonished by the way it grew. It doubled in size as he came. I wrapped my breasts around it and when he climaxed, the force of his liquid splashed hot and wet between my breasts. It felt like molten lava. His orgasm lasted for several minutes as he gasped. I continued massaging him, both of us slick, until he finally quieted. “Wow,” I said, rising up to press my cum-slickened breasts against his chest. “You can come a long time.” He smiled weakly. “Wolf benefit. Orgasms last several minutes. Unfortunately, if we mate the usual way, I can’t pull out of you for a while. Or I’ll hurt you.” “Mate?” I teased. “Sorry. I meant love. If I make love to you the usual way.” “It sounds like fun.” 192

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“Never had any complaints. Untie me. I’ll love you now.” “No,” I said, glancing at the clock. “We’ll barely have time to get ready before your wolves arrive. Later will be fine.” I reached for the key, unlocking him and he immediately wrapped his arms around me. “I’m sorry you’re unfulfilled.” “It’s okay. I’ll need to be really in the mood for tonight’s ceremony, anyway. Otherwise I’ll have a really hard time.” Who was I kidding? I was going to have a hard time anyway. He nodded. “I know. Thank you.” We showered together again, like usual. I dressed in a dress that Leo picked for me, a white Grecian-style dress. Gold, high heeled sandals matched wonderfully. I wore no hose. I was slipping on a pair of panties when he spoke. “It might be easier if you skipped those.” “I’d be afraid your wolves would be sniffing me.” “They will be sniffing you, my love.” He kissed my nose. “Well, I just can’t go panty-less. But guess what?” I held up the panties for him to look at. They also were virginal white but crotchless. He gulped. “Wear panties if you insist.” I slipped them on. After I did my hair, we paused in the doorway of my suite. I could hear the commotion downstairs. “Are you ready?” Leo offered me his arm. I took a deep breath and gripped it tightly. We descended the stairs together and silence ensued as his pack became aware of our presence. One of the wolves came up to the bottom of the stairs, breathing deeply. “She smells like you now. Is she your mate?” “She is. My wolf-mate.” “But she’s not wolf.” Someone called out. Voices began talking at once. “How can you mate if she isn’t wolf?” “She’s still vampire. She smells of them.” Leo held up his hand. “We have an alignment with the vampires. They offer their protection, we offer ours. Anjelia is vampire for two weeks of the month and wolf the other two. Her species is still human and that it will remain.” “How will you mate in tonight’s ceremony?” “I will only partially change to wolfman status. We will mate then.”

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“I think it’s a wonderful mating, Wolf King.” A female voice rang out. We looked toward the voice. It was Connie standing with Ajay. “It’s an alignment that got us out of a war with the vampires and into a partnership with the humans. Bravo, sir.” Clapping started as more and more wolves began to see the light of our situation. I noticed Rhett, my coffee-friend, was one of the clappers. Unfortunately, a few were still sullen. “I’ll believe the mating when I see the ritual.” One voice rang. “Then, my wolves,” said Leo. “Eat, drink and be merry. Before midnight we will perform the ritual in human form and then we will change and hunt.” He kissed me tenderly with his pack watching. I wrapped my arm around his waist. Connie and Ajay joined us, Connie bringing me a glass of wine. It was a full glass. “Ajay poured.” Connie said, as I eyed the amount of liquid. “Since you’re mating tonight, I figured you’d need the courage,” Ajay said. I downed it, because I did. “You’re probably the only one here who remembers what it’s like to be human, Ajay.” “Not all of us have ever been human, Anjelia,” Leo reminded me. “Well, humans don’t usually have sex in front of a pack.” “We’re mating, not having sex.” “Is there a difference?” “Well, kind of.” Connie and I both turned toward Leo. Ajay laughed and spoke for him. “Sex is a lot more detailed, more enjoyable. You get to do what you want, when you want, no pressure. Mating is just a perfunctory ritual, you don’t even need to finish, Anjelia. As long as Leo does, it will be enough.” “Although, it would do a lot to earn the wolves trust if you did finish,” Connie spoke softly. “They will feel like it’s something you want, not something you’re forced into to align the werewolves and the vamps. And they need to know that you care enough for our wolf king to lose your inhibitions with him. Otherwise, they will always feel like you need to be wolf too.” “Anjelia, I can feel your nerves. Why wait and torture yourself? Let’s get it over with.” I nodded at Leo. My face was too tense to smile. He turned toward Connie. “Gather everyone to the ritual room.” We walked down a winding staircase, down below the surface of the mansion. The ritual room was a walk-out basement but one whole wall was a garage door and right now it was open. I could see the trees beyond us. This room was where the wolves changed and roamed freely afterward.

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“Come to me, Anjelia,” Leo whispered. There was soft grass under a tree to our right and I walked toward him. He removed his clothing and helped me with my dress. “Do you want to leave your panties on?” “Silly, isn’t it? Not to want to be completely naked, even though everything’s showing.” “Nothing’s silly as far as you’re concerned. But if you do take them off now,” he kissed me, “then you can wear them to bed later,” he kissed me again, “and you can keep them on when I join you in the morning.” He kissed me deeply then and that’s all it took. I flung the little white panties off and Leo began pressing his body gently against the center of mine. I felt a deep tingle begin, as excitement coursed through my body. I remembered the look of his penis, so close to my mouth earlier. How it looked when it doubled in size, how that would feel inside me. I heard when the wolves began to gather around us. Leo was still grinding his pelvis against mine, while his tongue stroked my mouth. “Would you like me to start?” he whispered. I knew what he was thinking, that I couldn’t enjoy this, not with so many strangers watching. It was better to just complete the act and move on, rather than rouse me. I wrapped my arms around him. “You’ll have to change first, won’t you?” He nodded. “Would you rather I completed this in human form?” While touched that he’d be willing, I knew his wolves wouldn’t stand for it. Yet he was willing to go against his pack to save me from squeamishness. “Leo, I love you. Change for me and I’ll take that form into my body.” He looked into my eyes, relief on his face. I watched as he closed his eyes, pain racking his features. He didn’t change a lot. His jaw lengthened slightly, his eyes darkened. His hands grew, fingers lengthening. But his form was all human. He was still Leo. When he was done, I reached down and touched his penis. I held it and led it to my body and a groan erupted from his throat. He entered me and I moaned myself. The wolves howled in the background. His movements became frenzied, his thrusting harried and his need fed my own. Leo’s orgasm hit and I threw my head back. Leo howled as he climaxed and his cock doubled in size. He filled me completely, the sensations triggered my own release. I moaned through mine, as he licked my exposed throat. The wolves howled and I turned to watch them. They were in various stages of change and the complete transformation seemed to hit them all at once. Leo held me close as we watched his pack alter forms He whispered in my ear. “I can’t pull out yet.” I kissed him. “It’s okay. Stay with me a while.”

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The wolves had finished and were starting to wander off. “Will they hunt without you?” “Yes. I’ll take you back to the mansion where you’ll be safe. I’ll need to shift fully tonight and then join you in the morning.” “Okay.” We lay quietly for a while, our breathing slowing. Finally, he pulled his body from mine and I watched as he finished his change completely. I gathered up our clothes, not bothering to put mine on. I turned toward him and he licked my hand I scratched his head and he nuzzled my neck. We walked back to the house, when a funny thought suddenly struck me. “It’s a good thing this is a secluded mansion,” I said aloud. “I’d hate to be caught walking naked with a wolf.” I almost swore Leo grinned. I opened the front door. “Have fun. I’ll be in your bed when you get home in the morning.” I hugged him and he licked my cheek. I turned to walk into the house and I felt him lick my rump. I turned to him and knew for a fact that my wolf was grinning. I shook a finger at him and went inside. I took a long, hot shower. Having sex in the grass might sound romantic but I’m sure my butt was a happy shade of green. I crawled into his bed. He’d return at dawn. I smiled, happy for the first time in a long time. But I didn’t sleep, at first. I tested the connection between us, that little gateway in my brain that allowed me to call to him at will. I tried to merge the gateways and found myself in Leo’s head, watching through his eyes. I was too inexperienced and snapped back into myself, exhausted. Only then, did I sleep.

***** I sensed when he returned. He slipped into bed also and curled himself to me. I snuggled into his naked warmth and held him close to me. I inhaled deeply. He felt so good, my other mate. The other man meant completely for me. Slowly, his large hand began to caress my hip. The strokes were warm and sensual. In turn, I began to massage his back. His skin was smooth and sleek. “Kiss me, my love,” he whispered and I raised my lips to his. “I can’t believe I have you,” I confessed. “I’ve wanted you for so very long, Anjelia. I want to make love to you for hours.” His mouth descended gently. I wrapped a leg around his hips and he ran his fingertips down the outside of my thigh and up the inside. When he got to my mound, he cupped me fully. I began to move into the heat of his hand.

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One of his fingers found its way into my slick passage. “You’re wet,” he said, his voice husky. “Mmm. I want you,” I confessed. He smeared some of the slickness from my sheath onto my clit, rubbing the sensitive little bud harshly. “Geez, are you trying to make me come hard?” It felt so good I was about to. He grinned. “I’d like you to lose control.” “All you had to do was say so,” I smiled back and thrust my hips wildly. “You feel so good rubbing me there but I need your cock in my mouth again.” “Then I get your pussy at the same time,” he said as he flipped me over and on top of him for a sixty-nine. I stared at his jutting cock as I felt his fingers spread my swollen lips so his tongue could delve inside. Ahh, sweet bliss washed over me and I paused to enjoy it for a brief moment before I bent and sucked the head of his cock eagerly. He groaned around my entrance, the vibration feeling good against my sensitive skin. I licked him, wetting him thoroughly and cupped his tight balls with my hand. Then I deep throated him. His massive cock filled my mouth and quivered beneath my touch. “Oh, baby,” he groaned. “That’s it, exactly.” And then he tortured me with his hot wet tongue lapping up the juices in my slit. It delved into my entrance, pointed and sucking and driving me wild. I began to jerk away from his mouth, I was so close to losing control. He grabbed a hold of my hips and held me to him. “Leo, I’m coming,” I said. He sucked harder at the sensitive flesh and I exploded, my hips slowly rotating onto his face. “Geez,” I moaned. He had to physically lift and deposit me onto the mattress next to him, I was as limp as a rag doll. He grinned as he looked down at me and I smiled weakly at him. He spread my legs and wrapped them around his hips and placed the head of his cock against my labia. “Yum,” I said as I felt the pressure. “Slip inside me.” “You sure you want this?” he teased. I bucked my hips up and swallowed his cock the barest inch with my sheath. We both groaned at the sensation. “I was going to tease you,” he said. “But I can’t hold out.” He slammed his full length into me. “Oh, God,” I muttered. “Fuck me now.”

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“With pleasure,” he said hoarsely and began to thrust. “Oh, you feel so good,” I said. His chest rubbed against my fully erect nipples as he ground his cock into me. “Leo,” I gasped. “I want it from behind. Like a wolf.” His eyes glowed with pleasure. He quickly pulled out of my warmth and rose to his knees. I turned over and rose to all fours, my ass aimed in the air. He reached out with a finger and caressed my slit, rubbing my moisture up and down my sensitive skin. He slowly plunged in. I collapsed, my cheek on the cool sheet beneath me. He was so deep and felt so very wondrous as he filled me up and then pulled out. My body began to tingle deep inside. “Harder, baby. Faster.” He picked up the rhythm, moving faster and twisting when he was deep inside until I thought I would explode with pleasure. Soon his balls were slapping against my ass and my body seized, clenching his cock as I screamed his name. “Oh, God,” he groaned as his cock grew and spurted deep within me. He collapsed onto my back and breathed into my neck as our bodies calmed. “I love you, my queen,” he whispered into my ear. “I love you back.” We slept late the next morning. We rose and showered, together. We went downstairs and ate breakfast, together. After breakfast, Leo wanted to show me where he’d roamed the night before. We took a walk over his property, hand in hand. He pointed out spots where he ran, areas where he rested. An area where Connie and Ajay had mated. I’d certainly use that info to tease with. We stopped under a tree and sat for a while. “Tomorrow I’ll need to return to work, Anjelia.” “I know. But you’ll be back.” “I’ll be back,” he agreed. “But you’ll have free time during the day. Free time to do whatever you want.” “I should return to work, also.” “I’ll leave you a car or you can have my chauffeur take you if that’s what you’d like to do. But work is fine. Julian has employees running the gym.” “It seems unfair to be so close to Julian when it’s still your two weeks.” “I’m just happy that I get two weeks. I’m not going to be selfish and count out the hours too Besides, I know you’ll be returning to me.” “Always. I love you. Don’t forget it while I’m gone.”

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In the end, I didn’t go to work. Not for Leo’s first day. I stayed at the mansion and I had the chauffeur take me to the hospital around lunchtime. I paged him so we could grab a quick bite. We met up in the elevator on the way to the cafeteria. He was pleased to see me. He gave a growl and kissed me, long and hard. “I only have fifteen minutes to grab something,” he apologized. “I know you’re busy. I just wanted you to have a good first day back.” He hugged me quickly before the elevator doors opened. “It’s now a good day back.” We walked to the cafeteria like friends. Leo didn’t want to be affectionate with me in public since the world already knew of my fling with Julian. He was thinking of me. My reputation would be shot if humans knew I was actually seeing two men at the same time. We would let them think Leo and I remained friends. Although those same humans would accept the situation if I were man seeing two women simultaneously. Truth be known, I didn’t want Leo’s reputation tarnished by me. He was a professional doctor to my coffin-bait. Of course, for no rumors to be started, Julian and Leo and I would have to dine together once in a while. Friends to the end. I’m not looking forward to that, since their camaraderie only seems to extend to when I’m injured, missing, or sick. I returned home—to Leo’s mansion—and called Julian’s cell. “Hello, my sweet.” “Hi, Julian.” “Are you enjoying yourself?” “I was. Leo returned to work today.” Oh, that was bad. Did it sound like I only called Julian because I was bored? I moved on hurriedly. “I didn’t think to thank you for keeping employees at the gym for me.” “You don’t need to thank me. I never thanked you for saving my life, for drinking blood. I will do whatever I can to make you happy and I hope that you do the same for me.” “I do. About returning to Bang’s…” Julian was silent. “Danielle?” “She’s gone, Anjelia.” “Permanently gone? Or locked in a coffin for a few months?” “She’ll never return.” “Oh. Okay then.” “Shall I send a car for you next Tuesday?” “Um, sure. What time?”

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“How about two p.m.?” “Okay. Bye, Julian.” I disconnected the call, eager to end the awkward conversation. Later I realized I never said I love you. I wanted to call him back but I didn’t want to worsen the stilted conversation.

***** Six days later I was having breakfast when Leo arrived downstairs. “Have a good day at work, sweetie.” “You’ll be gone when I return, won’t you?” I nodded. “Julian’s sending a car for me about two. I’ll miss you.” He hugged me close. “Have fun. I’ll see you in two weeks, okay? I love you.” I waved as he drove away and then went inside to grab a suitcase. I wondered if it would be easier to just keep separate clothes at Julian’s. That way I wouldn’t have to worry about smelling like wolf while at Bang’s, or like vampires in the mansion. I sighed. This way of life would definitely take some getting used to. I hauled the suitcase downstairs and the chauffeur put it into Julian’s car for me. I half expected one of the gang to be waiting in the darkened car but there was no one there. I was alone for the trip. I nearly giggled at the irony of this. I was battling to be alone with my memories and here I had it. The car pulled up at Bang’s. It still used the canopied entrance in the back of the bar, although I didn’t need the shade to emerge. Opening the door, I looked at the bar from the parking lot. I felt a familiar tugging in my heart. I’d missed Bang’s. I’d be seeing Johnny and the gang for the first time in a month. And hopefully I’d still have my memories intact when I returned to Leo. I raised my head higher. If I returned to Leo. Did I trust the vampires to allow me free will? The answer hit me as suddenly as a truck slamming into me. Of course, they would. I would go insane without Leo and I would die without Julian. Neither man had a choice. I didn’t have a choice. I walked to the door and pushed it open. Julian was watching me through the darkened windows. My heart stopped at the sight of him. Lord, I’d missed him. Tall and lean, dressed in black leather pants and a silky black t-shirt that emphasized strong biceps and masculine forearms. I had that usual urge to reach out and touch his skin, that smooth, cool skin that needed mine to warm it. I wanted those ruby lips to part for me as I kissed them over and over. “I thought you’d change your mind.” He sounded unsure, scared even. “Nope,” I said gently.

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He remained standing where he was. I understood. He was as awkward as Leo. Wondering if I still wanted him instead of Leo. Just like Leo wondered if I’d want him after Julian. Taking the initiative, I walked to him and kissed him. He kissed me back gratefully. The kiss deepened. “Leah! You’re back.” I was pulled away from Julian long enough for Johnny to swing me in his arms. And suddenly there was Anna and Nicki and Lily there, all babbling at once. I laughed at Johnny as he asked me if I needed to feed while he pulled his collar from his neck. Telling me he’d willingly sacrifice his precious blood for one human only and that was me. Anna rolled her eyes at him and draped her arm around my shoulders. She told Johnny that I much preferred women. “I have to say that I much prefer eating food. I’m glad I don’t have to drink blood anymore,” I reminded them. “I seem to remember you calling it yummy when slurping from my neck,” Anna said. “I don’t slurp. I sip daintily.” Anna snorted. “That dainty sipping caused Johnny to have a massive orgasm.” “Anna!” Nicki admonished as I clasped my hand across Anna’s mouth, only to yelp and yank it away when she licked my palm. “Maybe Anjelia didn’t want Julian to know that.” We all glanced at Julian who was watching us with a wry expression on his face. “I didn’t mean to, Julian,” I giggled. “Yeah, me neither,” Johnny said. “I was aware of what was happening the whole time.” Julian told us. “We had a mind connection because of Anjelia’s psychic tendencies. So essentially, I was Anjelia the whole time she was sucking your neck, Johnny. Oh and thanks for that little kiss on my cheek afterward.” Johnny looked horrified. Julian winked at me and held out his hand as we went upstairs to feed. I took it gladly and pulled his head to mine for another kiss first. Things were going to work out after all. Because I really did love Julian, just as I did Leo. I barely remembered the walk up the stairs to his office. He’d hardly closed the door before we were ripping clothes from one another. It was supposed to just be a feeding, which is why we’d gone to his closer office rather than his quarters downstairs. But at first, it was just that comforting skin contact. I pressed my flushed, bare skin to his and his strong arms held me tightly. I turned and lowered my head to kiss smooth, sleekly muscled biceps. We both sighed, reveling in the sensation. I rubbed my cheek against his before I kissed the line of his jaw. 201

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His skin was hard and smooth. I kissed a shoulder and then buried my face in his neck. “I need you,” he whispered. “How?” “You know how,” he said before taking my breast into the warmth of his mouth. I inhaled deeply as I stretched my spine, letting the sensations of his sucking mouth spiral throughout my body. I burned for him and my fingers wound in his hair. I impaled myself on him. I let him fill me and clenched myself around him, hoping never to let go. Grinding my hips against his, I let him suck at my breast for a minute, before I gently pulled his head back from me. “Bite.” He didn’t need to be asked twice. He bit, just a snack over my sensitive nipple and the deep warmth started where his body connected with mine. I thrust my hips at him helplessly, pulling him deeper inside me as I lost myself in sensations. He drank lightly, pulling his mouth away when he climaxed so he wouldn’t take too much blood. I knew why. He wanted to feed again, in the privacy of our quarters downstairs. Fine with me, since he could bring me at the touch of a finger. We relaxed as we caught our breath, my head down on his shoulders, his body still embedded in mine. Slowly, languidly, he sealed the bite at my breast. “I guess we should have just gone downstairs, my sweet.” “Since we’ll have to go downstairs anyway.” I grinned. He reached for my hand, pulled me to my feet and we began to dress before we made our way downstairs to shower. I was surprised to see an additional closet in Julian’s quarters. A closet filled with clothes. For me. He watched, his expression unreadable as I searched in delight, holding my outfits up against me. I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my lips to his elegant throat where the pulse hammered beneath my mouth. My blood ran through his veins, nourishing him and giving his cheeks a faint rosy glow that only the freshly fed have. “Thank you. For the closet, the clothes.” “Anything for you, my sweet.” It was still daytime so I dressed in workout clothes and headed to the gym. I rounded up Gigi and we had some visiting time while we worked out. “Thank you for running the gym in my absence.” “It was fun. I enjoyed myself.”

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“Why would you find working in a gym full of women enjoyable? You should be at Bang’s, enjoying the nightlife.” “Not everyone at Bang’s is enjoyable. Here at your gym I am away from certain individuals.” “Like Danielle?” “She was one.” I blinked and before us stood Chen. Tall and tough and no hint of smile on that hard face. My heart raced at the sudden intrusion. “Knock!” I snapped. “I’m human.” He’d come in through the back door where door chimes weren’t installed. He inclined his head in acknowledgement and then turned to Gigi. “You fed last night.” She raised a slim eyebrow, her face a haughty mask. “I did enjoy my dinner last night, yes.” The tension became thick as they stared each other down. “I brought your dinner to you. You didn’t accept.” “I’m capable of finding my own prey. Just as I have for decades.” He leaned toward her, his face inches away. “I’m here now. I’ve followed you to this country and I will care for you.” He stormed out, leaving silence in his wake. “What was wrong with the dinner he brought you last night?” I asked tentatively. “A blonde. I preferred brunette,” she shrugged carelessly. “And, he brought a female. He knew I wanted male.” I grinned, knowing she just wanted to be contrary. That I could understand. “Go after him. Give him your menu preferences for your next dinner.” “Why would I do that?” “It’d confuse the hell out of him.” Her face lit into a smile and she rose to follow him out back. I had just finished my workout. I grabbed a towel and wiped the back of my neck, then threw it over a shoulder. The door chimes signaled a new arrival and I looked to the front. A short, nervous man stood there, holding an envelope. This couldn’t be good. I walked over to him without saying a word and he handed me the envelope. He left as I ripped it open. My eyes scanned the official looking document, anger growing as I read more. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I read it once more, feeling as though I had tunnel vision. I concentrated solely on the document. “Anjelia? My sweet?” I was dimly aware of the voice. It was in front of me.

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“Julian,” I said, startled by how I’d been totally unaware of his presence. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Leo called me a few minutes ago. He felt something in you, intense emotions.” I must have accidentally mind-connected with Leo. I was so upset with the letter, I wasn’t even aware of it. “They’ve terminated my position with city council I have a ninety-day notice. They don’t give a reason but we know why.” I’d been too cozy with the vampires of the world. “How can they do that?” “By terminating the appointment and returning it to an elected position.” “So you have only to run for election?” I thought about it. It made sense. “Yes. I only have to run for election.” I smiled, albeit a bit grimly. “Anjelia, phone’s for you.” Gigi called from the back of the gym. “Leo,” I said, while I looked at Julian. I walked to the desk and picked up the phone. “Hello.” “Anjelia? Are you okay?” “Yes, I’m sorry about the mind meld. I didn’t mean to. I was upset.” “Over what?” I sighed. “I’ve been kicked off the city council.” Leo was as outraged as Julian. “They can’t do that. You’re the best council member there. You’re the only one who doesn’t roll over and play dead.” “Actually, playing dead is what had them terminate me. Or playing with the undead, maybe.” Julian had sat in my chair as I stood and was nibbling the skin at my exposed belly. His tongue lightly traced circles around my bellybutton ring and then he rose to begin nuzzling my neck. “I can hardly wait to see you,” Leo said. “I know. It won’t be long, then you’ll have me for two weeks.” “But it doesn’t change that I miss you. I miss you in my bed, in my room when I get home late at night.” “I love you, Leo.” There was silence. He was probably choked up that I’d said it first and in front of Julian. And then, “I love you, my queen. Two more weeks, then?” “Yes, sweetie. Dream of me.” “Always, my love.” We disconnected and I wrapped my arms around Julian’s neck. He lowered his lips to my throat and I welcomed the sharp, familiar pain as he bit. 204

Forgotten Kisses

I don’t know how I ended up with two men in my life. Especially when you consider that I didn’t want any, not after the death of my husband. I wanted to stand on my own two feet, which is ironic now that I can’t live without either Julian or Leo. I guess I’m actually lucky. Most girls in a monogamous relationship get tired of one man. Eventually. Before I get tired, I’m off to the next guy’s house. So far it’s working well. And it’s kept war from brewing. War that would have wiped out hundreds, maybe even thousands of innocent humans. The spiteful, hateful little creatures that I still care so much about.

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About the Author During my daytime job, I explore people of all types. At night, I love to read. Why did I start writing? My favorite authors were all between books and I twiddled my thumbs until deciding, “Hey, I can do this for someone else out there who’s waiting for a new release too!” My favorite authors in no particular order include: Kim Harrison, Laurell K Hamilton, Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris and Kelley Armstrong. So obviously, I cling to urban fantasy type work with one difference—I’m a romance author at heart. I must have my happy ending with Prince Charming. And no, it doesn’t matter if he has fangs. Or fur. As long as he’s naked, we’ll be just fine! Therefore, Ellora’s Cave seems a perfect fit for my work. Join me for a few hours and get lost in my worlds! For now at night, I love to write! Rena welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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Also by Rena Marks Born Again

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