Sin'stouch

SIN’S TOUCH An Ellora’s Cave Publication, January 2005 Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc. 1337 Commerce Drive, #13 Stow, OH 44224 ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-4199-0133-8 Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned): Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML SIN’S TOUCH © 2005 RACHEL CARRINGTON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously. Edited by Briana St. James. Cover art by Syneca.

Warning: The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. Sin’s Touch has been rated E–rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers. Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (Erotic), and X (X-treme). S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination. E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature. X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

SIN’S TOUCH

Rachel Carrington

Rachel Carrington

Chapter One “Please don’t grieve for me. I’ve led a long life.” “I won’t let you die, Dad,” she whispered fiercely against the gray of his hair. He patted her hand in that same paternal fashion she’d always remember. “There are some things that are out of even your control, my sweet.” Like hell, she thought, though she spared her father the bravest of smiles. “You rest now and…” she broke off as her father’s eyes closed. He pulled in a deep, laborious breath and then his chest didn’t rise again. The mantel clock ticked away the minutes while silence descended upon the house. A cold chill swept over the bedroom where her father lay and she lifted her eyes to stare out the window. Rain fell. How appropros.

Madison shot straight up in bed, one hand pressed against her racing heart. Always the same damned dream. Her father’s death. The rain. The morose stares of the members of her law firm. It hadn’t happened and yet, she almost wished it had. At least then she would have had closure. She’d know where her father was and she’d have more to base it on than just the supposition that her employers had killed him. Bastards. The entire lot of them. Madison’s father, Isaiah Harper, who’d taken a job as a security guard at the law firm of Biggerstaff and Klepp shortly after he’d retired from the police force, had never known fear and when something just didn’t seem quite right at the office, he started his own investigation. His disappearance a few weeks later had nearly killed Madison. She swung shaky legs over the edge of the bed and pushed herself to her feet.

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Her joints ached more than an eighty-year-old woman’s. She made her way to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and searched the rows of prescription bottles until she found the pain medication laced with enough narcotic to send her into a deep sleep. She wouldn’t dream, wouldn’t remember. All she had now were the memories and they plagued her enough when she was awake. Her hands shook and the pills scattered across the marble countertop. Cursing, she switched on the overhead light. She gathered the caplets and carried them to her mouth, but her hand froze halfway. She caught a glimpse of her reflection and grimaced. Haggard and gray, her face looked as old as she felt. Her hair hung in limp strands, soaked from the sweat of the fierce dream. The tears clogged the back of her throat and she resisted the urge to fling the pills against the glass. Pain hammered at her forehead and she stumbled her way out of the bathroom. Each step was agony as she moved and with the two pills clutched in her palm, she imagined herself falling headfirst on the smooth hardwood floors. She could only imagine how long she’d lie there before someone finally found her. A tear trickled down her cheek in spite of her resistance and she cursed the loneliness haunting her soul. With the disappearance of her father, she was all alone in the world, having lost her mother at the young age of ten. She had no siblings. Neither had her parents. They’d formed a family unit only briefly until Madison’s mother had been cruelly taken away by a tragic accident. The bed seemed so far away and Madison’s legs wobbled at the prospect of continuing the interminable journey. But determination made her square her shoulders and propel herself forward regardless of the protesting joints. A glass of water helped the pills go down and as she lay on her back in the darkness, she heard her father’s words, the words he only spoke in her dreams. You will always be in my heart.

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A sob tore at her chest and she buried her face in her pillow. Always in his heart, but would she ever see him again? Possibly, if death took her to greet him. That was assuming her father was actually dead. She had her own suppositions, which was exactly why she was sick now. The attorneys she worked with didn’t like suppositions. They liked nosy associates even less. Even now, they held weekly vigils waiting for the day when Madison’s life would end. She cursed them in the black night, raising one clenched fist toward the ceiling with the last of her strength for the day. She wouldn’t give her employers the pleasure of dying without a fight and to give up now, to die alone, would be their greatest pleasure of all. “I won’t give up, Dad. They will not take me too.”

***** She saw him coming with his smug smile and Dolce Gabana suit. He walked with the casual air of man used to money and doing whatever it took to make more. She hated him. His polished wingtips squeaked against the tiled floor of the hallway and when he finally reached her, he leaned one shoulder against the doorframe separating the foyer from the main lobby. With his smoothly coiffed hair and bronzed face, Marvin Biggerstaff could be considered mildly attractive. He never seemed to want for female companionship, although, Madison could never figure that one out. His personality alone was enough to make her want to run for cover. She watched his eyes rake over her in a condescending manner before he adjusted the knot on his silk tie. He swept a glance around the office and Madison saw a smile curve the corners of his mouth. The offices of Biggerstaff and Klepp, attorneys-at-law, screamed opulence from the ornately carved banister with custom-designed etchings to the hand-painted portraits of 6

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each senior member of the staff. The paneled walls muted sound from the adjoining offices and Madison didn’t have to remind herself the rich surroundings hid a wealth of evil and greed. Marvin epitomized both traits. “Madison, how good to see you.” Biggerstaff, the lead partner and the man at the top of Madison’s shit list, greeted her with his usual cold eyes and smile which appeared more of an effort than it was worth. “You still look extremely pale. Have the doctors still not been able to find out what’s wrong with you?” The sweetness of his tone made her teeth ache. She coughed into her handkerchief and heaped silent curses upon the man’s wellcoiffed head. “You know damn well they haven’t, Marvin.” Some of the congeniality faded from Marvin’s face. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you sound bitter. One would think you would be saving all of your energy to focus on your health rather than waste it on frivolous plots for vengeance.” Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t recall mentioning vengeance.” He cleared his throat and Madison noticed she’d made him uncomfortable. She didn’t bother to squelch the small measure of triumph she felt. Any strikes she could take against Marvin she would. “Perhaps you should go home, conserve your energy, if you will.” “If it was up to you, I’d spend my time convalescing in bed while you delegated my cases to junior members of the firm.” She allowed the wall to help keep her in an upright position. “That would certainly make your job easier, wouldn’t it?” His groomed eyebrows lowered over glacier eyes. “You really do have a chip on your shoulder, don’t you?” She didn’t want to talk to Marvin, had nothing to say to him. He belonged to the club of bastards who wanted her dead. She hoped he’d walk away, but no such luck. He stood there, one hand playing with the creamy yellow tie he wore.

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“Is there something in particular you wanted to talk to me about, Marvin?” She took another step toward her office, but the senior partner quickly barred her path. She coughed again and, not for the first time, prayed she was contagious. Marvin’s nose wrinkled and he took an almost imperceptible step backwards as if he could avoid the germs by distance. “You know we’re in the process of hiring another associate.” Her breath hissed out of her lungs. “You mean someone to replace me.” Broad shoulders lifted in an almost helpless shrug, at least that’s how Marvin wanted to appear, as if the decision was out of his hands. Madison knew better. “Perhaps you would have time to meet with the new recruit and bring them up to speed.” Incredible. The son of a bitch actually wanted her to train her replacement. She considered her options. She could very politely tell him to fuck off or she could follow her father’s advice and “take the high road”. She’d never been fond of heights. She took a step closer to Marvin and invaded his personal space. Though a hint of awareness flashed in the depths of his chilly eyes, he didn’t acknowledge her movement in any other way. “I know your intention is to scare me away, make me leave before my body gives out. After all, it certainly wouldn’t be good for business if I keeled over on your freshly shampooed carpet, now, would it?” She tapped his tie with her index finger and saw Marvin’s jaw clench. “But if you think I’m going to lower my head and walk away, after what you did to my father, you are sadly mistaken.” Her hand twisted around the base of the silk and she tugged his face closer. “I’d rather hang around here until the cleaning lady finds my cold, dead body and then you can explain how yet another fine employee of Biggerstaff and Klepp died from mysterious causes…just like my father.” Marvin cleared his throat and snatched his tie free. “Really, Madison. I do think you are taking too much of your medication. Perhaps you should try cutting the dosage in

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half. I believe the police report indicated that your father was missing, but not presumed dead at this time.” “He’s fifty-eight years old. Where do you think he is, Marvin?” She held up one hand. “Don’t bother to answer that. You already know where he is, don’t you? After all, you’re the reason he’s missing.” “My dear, as I’ve assured you in the past, I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I am beginning to resent your insinuations.” Madison stared at him while the heartless asshole squirmed like a bug under a microscope. For some reason, the elder Biggerstaff never liked confrontations, which Madison considered ludicrous given his chosen profession as a trial lawyer. “They aren’t insinuations, merely points of fact. I know you had something to do with my father’s disappearance.” He turned his gold cufflinks. “You’re starting to hallucinate.” She gave a brittle laugh. “Oh, I wish I was hallucinating, Marvin. Then I would have the hope that all of this would go away when I came out of the drug-induced fog. But we know that’s not going to happen, don’t we? I’m dying and you wouldn’t have it any other way.” And when she obliged him, he would dance on her grave. She shook off the thought and squeezed her hands into fists, but she’d be damned if she’d go down without a fight. And perhaps, if the Fates smiled on her, she could take a few of them down with her. She certainly wouldn’t mind.

***** From the corner of her eye, she spotted Anthony Klepp, son of Chad Klepp. Chad was the only partner at this law firm she cared one iota about, the one man who’d showed more than a mere pittance of concern when her father disappeared.

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Anthony had inherited none of his father’s congeniality or charm. He spent his days pinching the asses of young interns and basically making a nuisance of himself. Even now, he leaned indolently against the watercooler which didn’t surprise her. Anthony always hung out at the watercooler in an attempt to attract the legal assistants and secretaries. Personally, she’d never found him even remotely handsome and unfortunately for Anthony, neither did most of the support staff. With a protruding lower lip and a bulbous nose, Anthony had the misfortune of taking after his mother, even to the point of acquiring her hips. At the young age of twenty-eight, his hair was already beginning to thin and in an attempt to compensate, he grew a meager moustache. The effect was less than appealing. He lifted a hand in his condescending way. “Hey, Madison. Surprised to see you here.” She gritted her teeth. What Anthony meant was, he was surprised she wasn’t dead yet. Though she hated to admit it, she was surprised to be here. It had been a greater effort to get out of bed this morning than the morning before and one look in the mirror told her the days of her lifespan were drawing short. Taking simple steps sapped her strength and she had to force herself not to lean against the wall for a momentary break. She wouldn’t give the bastards the pleasure of seeing her weakness. She stumbled as she walked past Anthony and heard a snicker behind her. Sweat broke out on her forehead and she began to shake. She forced herself to take another step, then another, until she could make it to her office. She felt the tears piercing the backs of her eyelids and knew any moment she would collapse. Only the threat of humiliation carried her the rest of the way. She slammed the door shut and leaned her cheek against the coolness of the wood. Her heart raced and her blood pumped sluggishly through her veins. She wished her father were here. She needed him to hold her hand as he had when she was a little girl after her mother had passed away. He’d been all she’d had left in the world and they’d

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joined forces, a united front against the traumas of the world. Except for this last trauma, the one which took him from her. Sinking down into plush leather, she dropped her head to her desk, unmindful of the stack of files scattered atop it. She couldn’t think. With each day, she lost most more of her strength, more of her fighting spirit. Her father had warned her to leave the law firm but she couldn’t, not until she found out why nonessential personnel kept disappearing. She had to do it for him. And then she had to live long enough to see the bastards responsible for her father’s death brought to justice or sent to hell. She wasn’t particular. As a child, she’d always been fond of mysteries. This one had been no different. The disappearing mailroom employees and errand runners captured her attention the second week she’d been employed at Biggerstaff and Klepp. She’d mentioned the problem to her father and he’d started poking around, but his nosiness hadn’t lasted long. She’d found his cufflink by the copier and one of his black loafers at the top of the stairs. The partners knew she wouldn’t quit until she’d found out what had happened to her father and she’d trusted the wrong person, apparently. Now, her own death knell had sounded. It could be a matter of weeks, days, hours. Madison wasn’t sure. She only knew death loomed around the corner and she sensed the Grim Reaper following her every step. She wanted to pick up speed to try to outrun him, but he couldn’t be escaped. She just hoped he was prepared for a battle. Madison relaxed against the leather and closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds. A light tap on the door made her lift her head. Even the slightest movement caused the back of her neck to ache. She recognized her secretary’s timid voice beyond the wood. Shy and sweet, Amy had never belonged at Biggerstaff and Klepp. She never made waves and Madison was concerned that the poor girl would get eaten by the sharks once Madison wasn’t around to protect her. “Yes, Amy?”

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The door cracked open and Amy shot in like she was escaping a runaway train. “I’m not supposed to be telling you this, but I know how sick you are.” The words came out in a breathless rush. “I’m sure everyone knows how sick I am,” Madison responded in a dull voice. Amy scurried to the edge of the desk and held out a folded piece of paper. “I know someone who can help you.” Madison’s heart thundered in her chest and desperation shoved rational though thought out of the way. “Help me what?” “Live.” Amy scrambled out of the office before Madison could say anything further or ask any questions. Madison held the piece of paper between her fingers long after the door to her office slammed shut behind Amy’s retreating figure. She touched the smooth edges and brought the note to her nose to sniff its essence. She didn’t recognize the scent, a sweet, almost hypnotic fragrance. Drawing a deep breath, she finally unfolded the paper and read it aloud. “Gray Devereaux. 1002 State Street. So who are you, Mr. Devereaux? Maybe you’re the miracle I’ve been hoping for.” She gave a bitter laugh, stood and stuffed the note into the pocket of her suit jacket. She shifted some files on her desk, but another wave of dizziness crept over her, stealing her equilibrium. She clutched the handle of the drawer next to her right leg and drew in several deep breaths. The effort made little difference in how she felt. Her head began to pound and sweat trickled between her breasts. The Grim Reaper had moved in closer. She picked up her purse and staggered toward the door of her office. She didn’t know what she’d been thinking. She shouldn’t have come in, but sitting at home wasn’t an option, either. All that waited her there were long, empty silences while she waited to follow in her father’s footsteps. She yanked open the door and stuck her head out into the hallway. She could have sworn she’d heard a voice outside her office, just as she had the day her father had 12

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disappeared. Two months ago now. The local police had done their job, issued a missing persons report, but Madison knew they’d never find him. Neither would she. Her wobbly legs carried her back down the hallway and toward the foyer while her fingers flicked the note in her pocket. Who was this Devereaux guy and why was it that Amy thought he could help her? As the coolness of the parking garage settled over her heated skin, she crossed the short distance to her assigned space. A walk which should have only taken thirty seconds took her ten minutes and she was exhausted by the time she crept inside her luxury car. The blast of the cold air revived her slightly and she put the car in reverse and almost ran over Marvin Biggerstaff. She jammed on her brakes and slid her window down. “Marvin, I didn’t see you there.” She imagined that was how he snuck up on all of his victims. She wished she’d had the courage to keep going instead of stopping. A tire track across his face would only improve Biggerstaff’s looks. Marvin smiled at her, making sure he showed his gold tooth. “Going home, Madison?” He rested one hand on the window and his gold cluster ring winked up at her. The malevolent gleam in his beady eyes caused Madison to shudder and her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. She wanted him to go away. Madison’s eyes began to blur. She found it difficult to focus on what Marvin was saying. His image became distorted, fading in and out. She held up one hand to silence him. “Marvin, I really need to go home. I’m not feeling so well.” She tried to hear his next words, but the blood rushed to her ears. From the corner of her eye, she saw the appropriately sympathetic look Marvin gave her before he stepped out of the way. She didn’t look over her shoulder as she stomped on the gas and accelerated out of the parking garage and onto the busiest street in downtown Charleston. In a matter of seconds, she’d made it home and she staggered up the steps to her front door, her breathing labored. She tried to get the key to go into the lock, but her

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hand wobbled too much. She thumped her forehead against the wood and tried to fight back the tears. She’d never considered herself weak, but dammit, who could fight this type of exhaustion, this drain on her energy? She shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist. The paper in the pocket of her jacket crinkled and she dropped her hand to fish it out, laughing at herself as she did so. Who was she kidding? No one could help her live and any effort on her part to find such a nebulous Good Samaritan would only be wasting what little time she had left. She looked at the note again anyway. Gray Devereaux. The name leapt out at her. Calling out to her. Beckoning her. Offering hope. Possibly even salvation. But she needed to know more first. She couldn’t just walk into a trap, possibly the same trap that took away her father. She’d make a few calls. She still had some friends left in this beastly city. And then she’d know if Gray Devereaux really was her hope or yet another curse.

***** A vampire. She laughed out loud. A fucking vampire. Her able-bodied assistant had given her the name of an undead. Madison’s hands shook as she threaded the piece of paper between her fingers. Her friend at the FBI had been sure of it, though. Devereaux had once been a promising attorney in the Charleston area until suddenly, a few years ago, he’d dropped out of sight. Most people had assumed he was dead. They were wrong. Madison leaned her head back against the leather seat and closed her eyes. She wasn’t stupid. She’d known for years that vampires really did exist, as horrific as the thought was. She’d studied all the old books in college, pouring through ancient newspapers which spoke of people whose blood had been drained from their bodies. 14

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Her friends had always thought her crazy for believing in vampires, but there was no other explanation for the twin pricks in the victims’ necks or the lack of blood in their bodies. And for a time, she’d been fascinated with meeting one. Until her father had corrected her stupidity. “The last thing you want to meet, Maddie,” he’d cautioned, “is one of them bloodsucking bastards. They ain’t got a heart or a soul. And they’d just as soon take your life as look at you.” That had ended Madison’s interest. But now, things were different. Her doctors had all thrown their hands up in the air, helpless to save her life. They assumed she’d been poisoned, but were at a loss to pinpoint the exact kind…or the antidote necessary to heal her. She snagged her fingers in her hair while the hot sun baked her through the windshield. Poison compliments of Marvin Biggerstaff, no doubt. He didn’t like that Madison had started asking questions about her father’s disappearance. He liked it even less when she began her own investigation into the business practices of the law firm. But people were disappearing. Oh, not the long-term staff members who would be missed. No, these were interns or runners who had no families and lived alone. Madison had checked into the background of every single one of the missing persons. And they all had a common theme. They had no one who would miss them. Except for her father. Marvin had made a mistake when he’d eliminated her father from the picture. Madison wouldn’t stop until she could prove that Marvin Biggerstaff was behind her father’s disappearance…and possible death. With a sudden burst of determination, she tossed common sense out the window and lurched back toward her car with the paper held between two fingers.

The wheels rolled beneath her car and the closer Madison came to State Street, the more she wondered what in the hell she was thinking? She couldn’t just show up at 15

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someone’s door and ask if they had a miracle in their pocket, especially not men. Never mind the fact that this particular man was a vampire, she’d never been good with men. Her father always told her it was the way she held herself. Aloof, almost cold to the uninformed observer. A car behind her honked its horn and Madison waved a hand to acknowledge the green light. She moved through the intersection and promptly pulled over to the side of the road, narrowly missing the back end of a bread truck. Her lower lip wobbled and as the weakness squeezed the last remaining dregs of strength from her body, she slid the car into park. With the air conditioner going full blast in an attempt to combat the sweltering heat, Madison ducked her head and gave the tears free rein. “Dad, I sure wish you were here now.”

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Chapter Two Gray woke from a deep sleep and wondered what in the hell he was doing awake in the middle of the afternoon. He rubbed the drowsiness from his eyes and swung his feet over the side of the bed. Sunlight still glowed in through the windows and he was careful to keep away from the burning rays. “Gray.” The sultry sound beckoned him, much like a cry on the wind. He heard his name as clearly as if he’d spoken it himself. He froze, one hand on the doorknob to his bedroom. “Who’s there?” No one responded, but he didn’t dismiss what he’d heard. He would swear he’d recognized the voice, but that was impossible. When the vision had come to him twenty years ago, an image of a woman with shapely hips and strong, smooth thighs, he’d allowed himself the luxury of believing she might be looking for him, waiting for him. But twenty years was a long time to believe in something. He yanked open the bedroom door just as the voice called to him again. “Dammit!” He smacked the wall just outside his room and the paneling shuddered. “Whoever you are, I’m not interested in hearing from you.” The lie mocked him. He strode down the hallway, determination in every step. With the sound of his name, all exhaustion had disappeared, giving way to the rise of feelings. He refused to acknowledge those feelings. He wasn’t an ordinary, average Joe looking for a date. He was a vampire, for Christ’s sake and vampires didn’t live happily ever after. The past few centuries had taught him that. A scent wafted past his nose and his blood heated. What the hell…? He spun around, fists clenched. How many days, nights, years, had he dreamed the vision would come to him and wake him from his misery? Long, punishing nights of 17

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endless hours prowling the streets of his city, looking for his own type of salvation, but Gray had long ago resigned himself to being alone. All vampires existed alone…at least the ones he knew. Cursing again, he walked to the window in the living room and yanked off the black tarpaper, exposing his bare chest to the sunlight. The rays scorched his skin and he gave a howl of fury and fettered passion before dropping the curtain. “Well, if you’re coming, then where in the hell are you?” he roared into space. “Get your ass here!” He stormed from room to room, raging and ranting like a madman. In a lot of ways, that was an accurate description. “Gray.” The whisper came again and Gray felt the first surge of hope. She really was on her way. His hope. His salvation. Since he’d been sired centuries ago, he’d been forced to live his life in darkness, hiding in the shadows, but now… He shook his head savagely, refusing to hope, to need. He would survive as he always had, without anyone, alone, and if the woman in his dreams showed up… His cock jumped against his jeans. She seemed so real. He could reach out and touch her, though her image only existed in his mind. How long had it been since he’d had the last dream? Long enough to make him think the visions had been given to him to add to the torturous life he’d been given. His temper banking, he leaned one shoulder against the back door next to the refrigerator. “Come to me,” he commanded. “You are my destiny.” “And I am yours.”

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Madison shook her head to quell the voice in her head. She didn’t recognize it, but the deep, masculine sound reached into her soul. She shifted on the smooth leather and lifted her eyes to the sun streaming in through her windshield. Great, now she was hearing voices. That would be the only impetus Marvin Biggerstaff needed to hasten her departure. The reminder made Madison grit her teeth. Determination squared her spine. She wouldn’t give the fucker the pleasure of conveniently letting her go. And she certainly wasn’t going to make his life easier by dying politely. She wanted—no, she needed—to hang around longer. As long as it took to discover the truth about her father…even if the knowledge killed her. Her eyes dropped to the unfolded note on the passenger seat. She leaned in closer to check the address. She had to be crazy to even consider going to a vampire’s house. That’s how women made the late-night news. She gave a short bark of laughter at the thought. She was already dying. She certainly wouldn’t fear a quicker trip…or would she? Her hand icy cold, she shifted the gearshift into drive once more and merged out into the flow of traffic. “Whoever you are, Gray Devereaux, I hope you really can help me. I’m running out of time for wild goose chases.”

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Chapter Three Her scent reached him long before she did, an intoxicating blend of pure woman and subdued femininity. Every sense in Gray’s body went on high alert. Her pain cried out to him and he knew before she would knock that her body was racked with illness. His ears heard the tap, tap, tap of her high heels as they climbed the winding staircase leading to his door. From his window, by the light of the sun, he saw her and for a brief moment, he wished he could breathe again. Just so he could inhale deeply, draw her essence into her lungs. But his sire had seen to it that he would never breathe again. He couldn’t fathom the existence of such a treasure of beauty and perfection. Even the images his mind had showed him didn’t do her justice. His skin tingled at the sway of the silk skirt against calves as toned as a wrestler’s body. The prim suit coat couldn’t hide the fullness of her breasts or her tiny waist. He whipped open the door before his visitor could knock and as he stared into violet eyes much like the color of the early morning sun reflecting off the clouds, he swallowed. “May I help you?” He found his voice before the wispy blonde could extend her hand in a token gesture of greeting. “I’m Madison Harper. Gray swept his eyes up and down the long, pleasurable length of her body. Curved in all the right places, the woman created a sense of longing within his soul. He knew her well. He leaned one shoulder against his doorframe. “Do I know you?” Though every instinct urged him to invite her in, self-preservation made him seek out her business, to convince himself she was really here. Madison shook her head and tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear. She chewed on her lower lip and Gray’s sex screamed for release. “No. You don’t.” 20

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He straightened, stretched and pushed the door back. “Then why are you here?” “I was told you could help me.” Though her voice sounded hesitant, her eyes held that determined look of a woman who wasn’t leaving until she got what she came for. Gray wondered if he could get what he wanted in the process. He walked away from her, leaving the choice to enter up to her. He heard her high heels cross the hardwood floor. “Close the door.” He barked the order and looked over her shoulder. She didn’t jump or flinch. Good. He’d never cared for tentative women. “What do you want from me, Madison Harper?” “You have the ability to heal people.” She made the announcement with all the selfassurance of a woman who wasn’t about to take no for an answer. Gray sauntered to the black leather sofa and sat down, sprawling his legs out in front of him. “You listen to rumors, too, I see.” Madison’s chin jutted at a haughty angle and he watched her come around the glass-topped coffee table and stare down at him with a mixture of annoyance and desperation in those haunting eyes. “Don’t play games with me, Mr. Devareaux. I was given your name for a reason. I don’t care what you are or how you heal. I just want to be healed.” “And what makes you so sure I can heal you? Because you read it in some gossip rag?” She sank down on the sofa beside him and Gray smelled her fragrance like a condemned man would a Porterhouse steak. She folded her hands in her lap and kept her back so stiff Gray wondered if she would snap in two if he touched her. And he wanted to touch her. And touch her. And touch her. His fantasies took over, drawing him into a web of sultry visions. The real world faded into a sexier reality.

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Unable to resist, he flicked a strand of soft hair and sifted it between his fingers. Though her eyes widened, Madison didn’t back away. “And if I am able to heal you, Madison, what do I get out of the deal?” Knowledge flared in her eyes and she stood up. She tossed her coat to one side and as she released the top button on her blouse, she took a step back, giving him a clear view of the delights she revealed with each tantalizing movement of her fingers. She stripped down to a lacy camisole, a heady combination of thin straps and black, peekaboo silk. “In answer to your question, Mr. Devereaux, I’ll give you anything you want. I’m not here to negotiate. I just want my life back.” She released the catch at the back of her skirt and it slipped down over her thighs like a wet tongue. The rasp sounded painfully loud to Gray’s ears. His cock strained against his jeans and when the tempting seductress stood before him in a scanty thong and demi-cup bra, he reached for his zipper, needing to free the painful pressure between his legs. He saw her eyes widen as they feasted on the length of his sex. She dropped to her knees in front of him, her hair falling around her shoulders like sifted wheat. Gray closed his eyes and lay back against the cushions. At the first touch of her lips to his cock, the heart which had stopped beating inside his chest centuries ago, burst to life. As painful as it was exquisite, her tongue swirled around the tip of his cock while the muscles in his abdomen jerked. He thrust his hands in her hair and urged her head forward, silently begging her to continue. “God, yes,” he whispered. She kneaded his balls, her nails scratching him lightly. His eyes crossed and he opened his legs wider, giving her full access to his painfully hard dick. She placed her lips directly over the knob of his cock and suckled with just enough pressure to make his thighs jump. Ever nerve ending in his body screamed to life and as the pressure mounted, he arched his back off the sofa, shoving his dick further into her mouth. He let out a sound of pure pleasure and…

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“Mr. Devereaux?” The smooth, cultured voice yanked him out of the sensual daydream and Gray blinked once, twice and quickly scooted to a proper sitting position while the doe-eyed vixen stared at him. “Is something wrong?” She took two steps back towards the door. Gray couldn’t blame her for putting more distance between the two of them. The raging erection between his legs couldn’t be hidden, thanks to the snug-fitting jeans. He crossed one leg over his knee and cleared his throat. “You were saying?” She didn’t take her eyes off of him when she continued, “Are you all right?” “Fine. Perfectly fine.” His balls hurt like hell, but otherwise, he was in tiptop shape. Madison slid the strap of her purse off of her shoulder and snapped open the clasp. “I have five thousand dollars.” She extended a rolled-up wad of currency toward him. “Please take it.” Gray scoffed at the money. “What in the hell am I supposed to do with it?” He wanted more from her than just money. Much more. “Whatever you want. It’s your payment for saving my life.” “Why don’t you sit down and start from the beginning?” He’d much prefer her sitting than standing. He wouldn’t be able to see all of her attributes. Madison waved a hand, a frustrated gesture. A small frown marred her porcelain features and she began to pace the small confines of his living room. Gray didn’t own a lot by way of worldly goods and he preferred it that way. Let the fine citizens of Charleston believe he was merely a pauper who wanted to spend his life in solitude. They left him alone and presented less temptation to him. “I don’t have time to explain everything,” Madison said, drawing him back to the conversation once more. “All I can tell you is I’m dying and you’re the only one who can save my life.” She twisted her hands and Gray caught the wink of a diamond on her right hand. He couldn’t take his eyes off the rock. “Did a doctor tell you that you were dying?”

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Madison whirled around and dragged her hands through her hair. The diamond disappeared from his view. “I don’t need a doctor to tell me. I know what I feel inside. Each day, my life is slipping away. And I’m not ready to die yet.” Her hands shook before she clenched them into fists. “My father is missing. I don’t know…I think he’s dead, but I can’t die until I know for sure. I won’t die.” She sniffed and looked away, but Gray still saw the tear trickling down her cheek. She was either one hell of an actress or telling the truth. Gray launched himself to his feet, grateful his sex had gone dormant again. “Why do you think your father is dead?” “Call it intuition.” “Do you think something killed him, then?” She pulled in a deep breath, the action lifting the firm swells of her breasts. “Not what, Mr. Devereaux. Who. Who killed my father.” He raised one eyebrow and scratched his cheek. “Okay, I’ll play along. Who killed your father?” She shook her head and walked toward him, stopping when her breasts brushed his chest. His cock woke up. “That’s not important, at least not to you. Will you help me?” He tucked a strand of her silky blonde hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes. “What’s killing you? Disease?” “Poison,” she responded in a subdued tone. She remained level-eyed. No hysterics. No fainting spells. Though impressed with her calm demeanor, Gray almost groaned out loud at her words. “There’s only one way for me to rid you of poison, Ms. Harper.” He didn’t know if his cock could take the tantalizing feel of her breasts so close to his chest. He could already imagine the nipples puckered and straining against her silk blouse. He had to curl his fingers into his palms to keep from touching them.

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She flung her hair over her shoulder and tipped her head to one side. “Do you think I didn’t do my homework? I know what you are. Do whatever it takes to save me, Mr. Devereaux and I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.” Need clawed at his intestines. The scent of her blood called to him, begging him to take its taste within his mouth, to allow the fresh, rich warmth to glide over his tongue. He looked deep into those pale violet eyes and knew in an instant he would help her. Desire gave him no other choice. One arm dragged her against him and though she caught her breath on a surprised gasp, she didn’t struggle. Instead, she relaxed against him and the scent of her perfume and the heady aroma of her sex nearly snapped his self-control. “Will it hurt?” she whispered as her breath hitched in her throat. He ran one hand over her silky throat, feeling the pulse pump against two fingers. He leaned forward and licked once, twice. She moaned and gave a breathless sigh. He pressed his lips against her jugular and stilled. “You haven’t answered my question,” she reminded him, a faint note of fear in her voice. “Only for a second,” he promised. He lowered his head once more and her pale skin beckoned him. His fangs ached and before he could stop himself with a final moment of sanity, he sank his teeth into her vein. Madison cried out, but remained still. As her blood burst into his mouth, Gray’s hunger intensified. He held her tightly against his chest and drank greedily while his own blood danced with the joy of feeling alive again. He’d lived for centuries without the feel of a woman in his arms, the taste of human blood on his tongue and now, it had been freely offered, willingly given and he couldn’t pull away. As his cock pressed against her soft curves, he ached to take her, to drive so deep into her that she could feel him in every inch of her body. He wanted to feel her warm wetness closing around him like a heated glove, caressing him. He knew her pussy would be wet, deep and hot. As he drank from her neck, he cupped her breast, kneading the soft fullness until she squirmed against him. 25

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Passion slammed into him, bringing the beast to the forefront. He tore at her blouse to feel her nipple against his palm. He couldn’t stop himself from touching her, feeling the silky heat of her tits, her stomach. He yanked her blouse free from her skirt before his fingers dove beneath the waistband. He knew she wouldn’t stop him. She’d fallen beneath his spell, held captive by the magic of his fingers and the strength of his fangs. His hand slipped easily beneath the tiny scrap of lace covering her pussy before sinking deep with the folds. Madison gasped. Gray didn’t stop. He plunged his fingers into her again and again while she cried out. His thumb worried her clit and his cock jumped painfully against his jeans. He had to have her, needed her. Craved her. She came on a long, throaty scream and Gray tasted the difference in her blood. Her passion poured into him and he sucked faster. Harder. She moaned his name, but the haze had overtaken him. He couldn’t stop. He slipped his fingers out of her mons and eased her down to the sofa just as she went limp in his arms. He pulled in one last, glorious sip of her rejuvenating blood and then he released her. Panting, every muscle in his body straining, he lifted his head. Then the sickness overtook him. She lay pale and unmoving, her chest still. The knowledge of what he’d done became a knot in the pit of his stomach. Dear God. He’d killed her.

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Chapter Four Madison’s eyes popped open and she immediately sat up to survey her surroundings. Same leather sofa, bookshelf with the classics, an antique table with clawfooted legs and an old portrait of downtown Charleston. She touched two fingers to her neck and felt the indentation where Gray Devereaux had feasted on her flesh. The knowledge made her shudder but she refused to listen to that common sense side of her inner voice. She had no time for recriminations now. She swung her feet to the floor and she stretched her arms high over her head. She grinned and punched the air with her fists. She felt invigorated. Alive. She leaped to her feet and twirled around. Her plan had worked. The vampire had saved her. She touched the spot on her neck again where he’d drunk from her vein. He’d worked quickly, but she still remembered the feel of his teeth pulling the blood from her body. But she remembered much more than that. His fingers deep inside her pussy. She closed her eyes and luxuriated in recalling the feel. God, his fingers had been thick and strong, stretching her. The muscles in her thighs clenched at the memory and she could only imagine the length and width of his sex. The orgasm had swept over her and even now, as she dipped a hand down to caress the damp hairs of her sex, she was wet. She inched her index finger closer to the edge of her panties and edged them aside. She found her clit easily, closing her eyes to remember Gray’s arms around her, his lips pressing against her throat as he drank her blood. Why did the memory bring such a powerful surge or desire? She could picture his face, the hard line of his jaw and smell that dark scent which clung to his skin, not the scent of ordinary male, but dangerous, powerful. Her fingertip slid over of the glistening head of her clit and she threw her head back, whispering his name inside her head. She imagined Gray throwing her down on

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the couch and spreading her legs wide. He’d push his cock inside her hard, fast and furious. A scream would bubble inside her throat, but then the strokes would reach her, and any protests would segue to pleading moans. She quickened the pace of her finger, her muscles beginning to clench as she neared her climax. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d masturbated. With her busy schedule and her father’s recent disappearance, she simply hadn’t made it a priority. Now, every nerve cell in her body tingled, demanded release and she realized what she’d been missing. Gray had reminded her. She braced her back against the arm of the sofa and crammed three fingers of her free hand deep into her pussy. Her muscles clenched and tightened and cream poured over her hand. Soft whispers filled the air and she thrust her head back, arching her spine. She couldn’t stop the pleasurable noises coming from her throat as her finger moved swiftly and effortlessly. She spread her legs wider and began to work her hand, pushing it deeper into her channel. One more flick of her finger and she came with a low moan she quickly stifled. Her body jerked. Her knees buckled and turning, she leaned her arms against the sofa. Suddenly, she felt incredibly alive. Marvelously sexy and confident. She removed her hand and smiled at her own wickedness. Before Gray, she would have been too embarrassed to pleasure herself so unabashedly, especially in someone else’s home. He could have walked in at any moment. Her smile broadened. Perhaps that had been the beauty of the orgasm. She owed much more than just her life to Gray Devereaux. He’d given her back her sexuality. She knew she should be angry with him for touching her in such a bold fashion while she’d been so helpless but…she smiled to herself. Anger was the last emotion she felt. With a shout of joy, she danced around the room, her arms wrapped around her waist. She spun so fast, she almost collided with a grandfather clock. Strong arms captured her and set her right. She looked up into eyes darker than midnight and for a 28

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brief moment, she wondered how long he’d been standing inside the room. Had he watched her self-exploration, heard her moans of release? Her face heated before she reached up one hand and touched his cheek. Could he smell the scent of her sex clinging to her palm? She quickly banished the wicked thought. How could she not have noticed the man when she’d stood a mere few feet in front of him? His face held the promise of perfection and the shining length of his hair made her want to run her hands through it. She’d never felt such instant attraction to a man, let alone a vampire. And she’d never allowed a man to touch her so soon after meeting him. “How long have you been standing here?” she whispered. She saw a spark deep in the depths of those onyx eyes and she knew he wouldn’t answer her, but he’d seen her. She reluctantly brought herself back to the reason she touched him. “I should thank you. I meant to do that when I first saw you again, but…” There went that flash again. She wondered if he’d grown hard watching her. He didn’t smile. “Madison, there’s something I need to tell you.” “Will I die now?” She didn’t think she’d bring up the havoc his fingers had wrought just yet. Besides, she didn’t know whether to thank him or kiss him for the powerful release he’d given her. She wanted to do both. He caught hold of her hair and sifted it through his fingers. She didn’t mind. He could touch her anywhere he wanted to at present. Anywhere. Just as he had when he’d saved her life. For some unknown reason, her body craved his touch now. She found herself leaning closer to his strength and her damp pussy quivered at the nearness of his sex. She couldn’t explain the magnetism. “Madison?” Her name sounded sinful on his lips, like rich, heavy cream with imported berries. She blinked up at him, moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue. “I’m sorry. I drifted there for a moment. Did you ever answer my question?” “I tried.” Did she imagine the regret she heard in his voice? 29

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She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and trailed one finger down his arm. “Oh. Well, could you answer it again then? Did you take care of the poison? Will I die now?” “No,” he finally responded. “Then that’s all I need to know.” She twirled out of his arms. “Have you seen my purse? I have so much to do now that my days aren’t numbered, but first—” she patted her hair, “—I need to use your restroom. I probably look half-dead.” Gray made a strangled noise before whispering, “Or all dead.” Madison, too caught up in the joy of her new life, laughed at his wit. Nothing could upset her now. She felt so alive. So free. So incredibly female. She wondered if he’d noticed her nipples had peaked while she’d stood so close to him. Had the mere scent of his skin caused such a reaction? “Could you point me in the direction of the bathroom?” “Two doors down on your left.” She gave him an impish smile. “Do you have a mirror in there?” She reached out to touch him. Her palm connected with the smooth muscles of his upper arm and she practically sighed her pleasure. Could any human be as perfect as this immortal? As she tried to move away, Gray’s hand snaked out and caught hold of her wrist. “What’s wrong?” He closed his eyes and when he opened them, Madison knew that whatever he intended to say wasn’t going to be good. “I haven’t drunk human blood in over a century.” “I’m sorry to have to put you through that. If five thousand isn’t enough, I can get more.” He flung her arm away from him. “It isn’t about the money, Madison.” She pressed the palm of her and to his chest, feeling infinitely close to him. “Then what is it?” She clamped one hand to her mouth and stared at him. “Oh my God. You haven’t drunk human blood in almost a century and now that you have, you’ll start again. You’re scared the citizens won’t be safe from you.” Her eyes filled with tears.

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She’d done this to him. “Gray, I’m so sorry.” She’d been so wrapped up in her own thoughts, the memories of the pleasure he’d given her, she’d forgotten his potential pain. “What can I do?” He cursed again and with the hazy light of the lamp reflecting off his blue-black hair, he looked like a pirate Madison had seen on the movie screen. All sexy male and hard biceps. She could only imagine what she could do with those… “I turned you.” The words fell like a chisel on stone. Her mouth rounded to an O. “What do you…what do you mean you turned me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sickness settled in the pit of her stomach and she knew she didn’t want him to continue speaking. He did anyway. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, Madison. You’re only alive in spirit. When I drank your blood, I took too much. I killed you.”

Gray watched her face go from pale to ashen as his words sank in. “Madison, I…” She held up one hand. “You’re crazy! I’m not a vampire.” She touched her mouth, felt her teeth. “I don’t have fangs. I feel alive. Do you feel alive?” Hysteria crowded her words and Gray reached out for her, but she backed away from him, stumbling toward the door. “Madison, where are you going? You shouldn’t go out so soon. The sun’s just now going down.” He cursed himself with each step he took. He wanted to break it to her softly, but the words just spilled out of him, propelled, no doubt, by his guilt. She clamped her hands over her ears. “No! I don’t believe you! You’re just telling me that so I’ll stay here with you. I saw the way you were looking at me when I first came here. You want me.” He didn’t deny her words. He couldn’t. “I’m not lying to you. Check the mirror yourself. Or better yet,” he pointed toward the door. “Go out into the sun. Feel the heat singeing your skin and then you’ll know the truth.” He didn’t regret the harshness of

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his words. She needed the truth, no matter how bitter they may be to swallow. “And wanting you would never make me turn you.” “How can you expect me to believe you? This is insane!” “Insanity is my life.” He wanted to shake her, to force her to accept the veracity of his words, but she shook her head vehemently. She tore open the heavy wooden door. “I don’t care what you’re saying. I’m alive. Can you see this?” She stuck her hand out into the sun. “I’m not burning. I’m alive!” She raced out onto the steps and took off before Gray could stop her. “Bloody hell!” he shouted and sprinted after her.

Madison didn’t know how she got to the end of the street so fast or how long she’d run. She only knew she’d escaped the vampire’s house seconds before she became sick to her stomach. Now, with her hair plastered to her face from the rain, she leaned against a telephone pole and let the tears mix with the rivulets of water running down her face. Gray Devereaux had to be wrong. She’d run in the sun before the rain had started. How could she do that if she were truly a vampire? “I had forgotten that it takes new converts a few days to become allergic to the sun,” came the deep voice from behind her. Deep and reassuring. Madison didn’t turn around, even when the leather coat fell across her shoulders. She simply stood there, shoulders hunched, the acrid taste of fear stinging her tongue. “How could you have let this happen?” she asked. She wanted to lash out at him, to rake her nails across his face. She wanted him to feel as much pain as she did at this moment, but she doubted it would make a difference. He’d had years to adjust to this way of life, possibly centuries. She didn’t know how old he was. The inane thought brought a bubble of hysterical laughter close to the surface. Gray came around to stand in front of her, but she wouldn’t look at him. She couldn’t look at him. He’d taken away the rest of her life. “It wasn’t intentional, Madison.” 32

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Her eyes flashed when she lifted them and she caught the expression of sympathy on his face. “And that’s supposed to make it better? Your feeling sorry for me is supposed to help ease me into this new way of life.” He opened his mouth to speak, but she lifted one finger and waved it. “Don’t.” The words came out on a harsh snap. “I don’t want your pity. What I want is for you to fix this.” He crammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I can’t.” “You did it. You can fix it.” Was it her imagination or did she sound hysterical? No, it wasn’t her imagination. Every nerve in her body jangled with tension and thoughts crammed themselves into her brain, each vying for supremacy. Instinct told her to run, to get as far away from the vampire as she could, but the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told her there was nowhere for her to, nowhere to hide. “Madison, look at me. Look me in the eyes. I’m telling you the truth. I cannot fix this. What I can do is show you how to live with it.” She’d been right. It was hysteria she was feeling. Another tear wound its way down her cheek. “I don’t want to live with it. You make it sound like I can continue my life as if nothing has changed, like this is no more than an irritating case of acne. You have no idea what you’ve done to me. I’m an attorney. Did you know that?” She didn’t allow him to respond. “How can I walk into a courtroom if I’m this…this creature now? Won’t I want to drink their blood? Won’t they be able to know what I am?” She hiccupped and swiped the back of her hand over her cheeks to remove the tears and the rain. “How am I supposed to live with this? Tell me what I’m going to do now that you’ve created me.” The images pouring in front of her eyes horrified her. She saw herself sweeping into the courtroom dressed in black with her hair flowing down her back. She began her opening statement while the hum of the judge’s blood beckoned her. The defense attorney turned his head and his jugular vein bulged. She felt her teeth growing longer and as she stood to address the court once more, a hush fell over the crowd. She

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hypnotized them with her voice and with just the merest inclination of her head, she called the judge down from behind the bench. She clapped her hands over her ears and shook her head to drown out the sounds of her own pleasurable suckling. She tasted the blood, though she’d never before allowed the warm liquid to cascade over her tongue. Somehow, now, she knew the taste. The knowledge sickened her. Gray took hold of her elbow and it didn’t occur to Madison to shake him off. “Listen to me. Look at me. Stop doing this to yourself. I know what’s happening to you right now. I went through it myself. If you allow yourself to live the images, you will become what you fear. Now, I’m going to take you back to my house and we’ll talk. I’ll tell you everything I know, everything you need to know.” Madison sniffed and started walking. “How do you do it?” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Do what?” “You said you hadn’t drunk human blood in almost a century. How can you go without drinking it?” Even now, her stomach rumbled. Hunger was setting in, but the nausea wouldn’t allow her to take what she needed to sustain herself. Would she be the first vampire to starve? “That’s one of the things I’ll teach you.” Madison came to a dead stop in the middle of the road. The darkness settled around them, shrouding them from the prying eyes of the neighbors. The one-way street showcased little traffic and with only the streetlights to offer illumination, they moved in the shadows. Just as Madison suspected a vampire would. She shuddered at the thought. “Vampires can kill, Gray.” She didn’t know why she felt comfortable using his first name. Perhaps it was because she was one of his kind now. Gray nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving her face. “Yes. We can, but it’s important to fight that urge, Madison. You can’t indiscriminately kill simply because of what you’ve become.” 34

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She tipped her head back to better see his face and though she fought it, a coldness began to sweep over her. She didn’t know what was happening to her body, but a surge of power filtered through her veins. In the air, she caught the scent of fear and knew it was no longer her own. She didn’t know who it belonged to, but it didn’t matter. She recognized it and in the recognition phase knew what she would do next. “You know, I don’t think I’m going back to your house after all.” She heard the change in her voice, the rich, sultry tones. Had her death and resurrection taken away all traces of the Madison she knew? His arm tightened around her. “What are you thinking?” She pulled out of his embrace, feeling strong, invincible. “I’m thinking the law office of Biggerstaff and Klepp should have chosen another target.” She shot a glance toward the sky and smiled, but she felt no humor inside. She didn’t know when she’d smile again, if ever. But, if Marvin Biggerstaff paid for his crimes, then she wouldn’t complain about the new path of her life. Gray tried to snatch hold of her again, but she backed away. “Madison, I won’t let you do this.” “You’ve already done it and I can’t thank you enough.” She took off running, amazed at her own speed and ability. As the wind whipped through her hair, she drank in the smell of the air, the scent of the night. She felt more alive now than she had before the poison had taken control of her system. And she couldn’t wait to see the look on Marvin Biggerstaff’s face when they met once again.

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Chapter Five Each time his foot hit the soaked street, Gray cursed. He’d taken off running after Madison immediately after she’d found her speed. She’d quickly learned how to duck and dodge through the alleys of downtown Charleston to escape the lights of the city. Every street corner held groups of people waiting to take their place inside the bars and while he knew they couldn’t see him, he cloaked his presence anyway, allowing only the slightest shift in the atmosphere as he passed them. “Gray.” The wind whispered his name and he slowed to a jog, catching the scent of her sex. “Madison, we have to talk,” he responded. “Perhaps I don’t want to talk.” He heard the sultry tones in her voice and knew the darkness reached for her. She was scant inches away from accepting its embrace. Sweat popped out onto his forehead. “You’ve been dealt a blow you can’t possibly understand.” “Look up,” Madison purred. He lifted his gaze and found her, straddling the neon sign of a popular seafood restaurant. He took a running leap and landed beside her on the tin roof. “You’re taking a chance by being up here. You could be seen.” She patted the empty spot beside her. “I’ve come to a decision.” He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it. “What’s that?” “You made me. The least you could do is come with me. I could show you what you’ve created.” Fuck. Gray’s rump hit the rickety tin. “I won’t allow you to do this.”

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She gave him an innocent look she’d managed to perfect in an extremely short amount of time, he thought. “Allow me? I believe you’ve given me the ability to do whatever in the hell I please.” She slid him a glance which heated him from head to toe. “Or whomever I please.” Gray leaped to his feet and held out his hand. “You’re feeling the effects of the change, Madison. You’ll regret making hasty decisions in the morning.” She slipped her hand in his and followed his lead. Pressing her full breasts against his chest, she squirmed in his arms. “Why do I feel so alive?” He rubbed his hands down her hair. “It’s the excitement of the unknown. Very little can stop you now. You’re far more powerful than the ordinary human.” He cupped her face. “But with your new abilities comes the responsibility of…” Madison pressed her index finger against his lips. “I didn’t know conscientious vampires existed. Why don’t you stop talking and let me finish that daydream you were having about me? Oh, don’t look so surprised, Gray. Of course I knew what you were thinking. You can’t exactly hide the evidence. Can you?” Gray stared at her and snagged one hand in her hair to capture her attention. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t draw away from him. “Listen to me. I know you’re angry and hurt. You’re in a constant state of turmoil right now and because you can’t think clearly, you need to let me do it for you.” “Ever the helpful vampire, aren’t you?” He shook her slightly. “I’m serious, Madison. I’ll take care of you.” His hands gentled. At the challenging gleam in her eyes, he continued, “And the only thing you can do for me right now is to let me help you.” “I’d rather do something else for you,” she purred suggestively, dropping one hand down between their bodies. The beast roared to life within him and Gray tried to fight it back, but Madison began a tease neither man nor creature could resist. As she ripped the choice from his

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hands, Gray fell silent, closing his eyes as need gnawed at his insides like a dangerous animal. Madison’s hands covered every inch of his body, ripping his clothes away with desperate heat. She kissed his stomach, his thighs, all the while, teasing his cock with the barest hint of her lips. Gray groaned and tried to reach for her, but Madison dropped lower. “When was the last time a woman sucked your cock?” she whispered. His breath slammed out of his lungs and all the blood rushed down to his engorged member. He knew he should stop her, that she’d probably regret her actions when the fog cleared, but for now, as the creature struggled for supremacy within her shapely body, he couldn’t battle his own inner demons. He tensed and his muscles bunched in preparation for the explosion. At the first touch of Madison’s wine-colored lips to the head of his cock, he felt his lungs expand, like he’d just started breathing again. Oh, God, the feel of those soft, wet lips against his skin, the sounds of approval she made as she licked and suckled him. Her fingers tickled the underside of his sex and slid up and down the engorged vein. Gray’s knees began to buckle and Madison reached around and grasped hold of his ass, yanking him closer, pushing his cock deeper into her mouth. She took the entire length of him, murmuring her pleasure as her tongue swirled and moved with tantalizing speed. Gray snagged handfuls of her hair and jammed his hips forward, past the point of reason, of caring. He didn’t know how this woman had seeped into his soul, but now she belonged. She was as much a part of him as he was of her. “Sweet Jesus,” he muttered, his stomach muscles clenching. His hands tightened around the soft strands between his fingers and as she drew one last, long suckle, he came, exploding into her mouth with a hot, wet stream that Madison swallowed. She continued licking him for the longest moment while his muscles jerked. When she finally pulled away, his hands hung limply at his sides. 38

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She didn’t speak as she rose to her feet and righted her clothes. “Now let’s see what other fun I can have tonight.” She inched toward the edge of the roof and Gray tugged his jeans up over his hips before he followed her. His gaze followed the path hers had taken. Raucous music blasted from the bar across the street and a crowd of young partygoers shouted jubilantly as they careened down the street. They waved their arms in the air and hooted with the joy of being alive. Horns blared and the traffic lights flashed from green to yellow. Gray heard the screech of brakes and looked to his right, where Madison should have been. In a flash of black, she leaped over the side of the roof with a joyous shout. With another curse, Gray hurriedly yanked his zipper up before he jumped after her, his booted feet catching the pavement with a jolt to his nervous system. “Madison, dammit, you need to stay put and…Madison?” Now where in the hell had she gone? “Let go of him!” A female voice screamed and Gray spun around, his eyes taking in Madison’s arm pressed against the windpipe of an innocent teen. His jaw clenched. One taste of blood would be all Madison would need to go over the edge. She would delve into the darkness, revel in the powers afforded her by the loss of her life. “Let him go,” Gray instructed. Madison’s eyes frosted and she bared her teeth. One young girl fainted. Madison toed the fallen body with a measure of disgust. “Even in my weakest moment, I never allowed my fear to overtake me.” Gray didn’t take his eyes off of her face and he watched her skin fade from pale to almost translucent. In a matter of minutes, she would lose consciousness and he’d take her. He’d hold her captive if he had to, but he would not let her harm an innocent human being. Terrified, the boy squeaked out a plea. “Don’t hurt me, please. I ain’t done nothing to you.”

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Madison squeezed tighter. “Such good grammar. Your momma would be so proud.” “Just stay still, boy,” Gray instructed. “She won’t hurt you.” “I wouldn’t be so sure of that if I were you,” Madison warned. “Sure feels like she’s going to,” the teen whimpered. Gray spared the terrified boy a long look which served its purpose. “Trust me.” The teen’s shoulders relaxed. Madison gave a gurgle of laughter and leaned down to whisper in the teen’s ear. “Yes, do that, but while you’re busy trusting, you might want to know what you’re placing your trust in…a vampire. Yes, a true, honest-to-God vampire. Now, do you really want to place your life in his hands?” The boy swallowed and Gray saw the Adam’s apple bob up and down frantically. “Is she telling the truth, Mister? Are you a vampire?” Gray fixed the boy with a calm gaze. “Do vampires really exist?” A large boy, with a wealth of red hair, leaped in between his friend and Gray. Brandishing a piece of board, he tossed frantic glances back and forth. “Ain’t nobody gonna hurt my friend. I’ll take all of y’all apart.” Gray ignored the threat and focused his attention on Madison. He saw the slight slump of her shoulders and in a move which defeated the laws of speed, he caught her in his arms before she could hit the pavement. He didn’t acknowledge the teenagers again. He simply enfolded Madison in his arms and carried her down the street, his steps even and more relaxed now than they’d been since he’d revealed his burden to Madison. There had to be a way to make this right. Madison wasn’t cut out to be a vampire. Hell, he hadn’t been either, but he’d had five centuries to adjust. Five long, brutal centuries…without a woman…until now.

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The fire snapped and crackled in the brick hearth and Madison kicked the heavy comforter from around her legs. The air stifled her and she pushed the sweat-drenched bangs away from her face. Her eyes cracked open to search her surroundings. She didn’t recognize them. Confusion clouded her mind until the pieces of the puzzle settled into place. She was in Gray’s bedroom. She took in the layout of the bedroom and wondered if she was locked inside now. She couldn’t remember everything about her first jaunt as a vampire, and she didn’t take that as a good sign. She didn’t even recall how she’d gotten back to the vampire’s house. Undoubtedly, Gray had something to do with it. Her eyes slid over the masculine furniture in dark woods and even darker accents, the rich, burgundy carpet and heavy drapes to keep out the sun. Everywhere she looked she saw the touch of the man. Gray. She smelled him. She brought her arm to her nose and sniffed. His scent clung to her skin. She shivered and climbed out of the bed just as the bedroom door bumped against the wall. Gray strode into the room carrying a tray laden with a pot of tea and some biscuits. “You shouldn’t be up.” He placed the bamboo tray on the bedside table and helped her back into the bed. Because her knees wobbled, Madison didn’t protest. “Why am I so weak?” He pressed a palm against her forehead. “Too much activity your first day out.” “I’m a vampire. I shouldn’t lose energy.” She wanted to add a snide comment, but figured she didn’t have the energy to argue, either. “You’re a vampire who needs to eat. Besides—” he sat down on the edge of the bed, “—you’re not a true vampire until you have your first taste of human blood.” Madison shuddered and her stomach protested at the thought. I’ll never drink it. Even as she made the vow to herself, she saw Gray lift one eyebrow. She ignored the obvious challenge. “So I can still eat normal food then?” He smiled at her and Madison saw the traces of concern lingering in those hypnotizing eyes. “A little at a time. In between, you’ll survive on animal blood.” 41

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Her stomach lurched dangerously and she slapped one hand against her mouth. Gray lowered her hand carefully. “It’s an acquired taste.” Waves of nausea poured over her and she began to shake. “I think I’m going to be sick.” He pointed toward a single door next to the cherry wood armoire. “Bathroom is in there.” She glared at him, leaped to her feet and dashed across the hardwood floors. She slammed the door shut and leaned her forehead against the paneling. Damn him. He’d done this to her and now he could sit there smirking at her? From the corner of her eye, she saw the lavatory with the gold faucets and porcelain base. She inched closer to the counter. Just as she reached the mirror, she closed her eyes. She slid her hand up and her palm connected with the smooth glass. She laughed almost hysterically. How ironic that a vampire would have a mirror. For some reason, the thought hadn’t bothered her before. Of course, before, she hadn’t known he’d changed her life so drastically. She curled her fingers against its coolness and clenched her eyes tighter. She didn’t really want to know the answer to the question burning inside of her, but she knew she’d have to find out sooner or later. Had Gray been lying to her all along? Perhaps he’d simply done something to her to make her weak. Maybe he wanted to keep her with him and he used her own fears to achieve his goal. Hope surged within her and she counted to ten. Twenty. Thirty before she finally allowed her eyes to tell her what her heart already knew. She had no reflection. She crumpled to the floor and began to cry.

Gray stood outside the door, his palm pressed against the wood. He heard the heart-wrenching sobs but he didn’t intervene. She needed this time. She had to come to terms with her new way of life, deal with the agony and move on. It would be the only way she would survive.

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Agonizing moments passed while Gray waited. Every sound of her tears stabbed his heart and the guilt battered him. He hadn’t intended this. Hadn’t wanted this…or did he? The door swung open and Madison almost collided with his chest. He caught hold of her arms. “Are you all right?” She pushed him away. “I’m a vampire. Do you really think I’m all right?” “Madison, I’m…” She held up one hand. “Don’t. Don’t you dare apologize to me. You knew exactly what you were doing when you took too much of my blood. You wanted a playmate, someone who would be willing to stay with you for all eternity and romp around in the bed with you. Well, I hate to disillusion you, but I’m not going to live my life this way.” He folded his arms. “You don’t have a choice.” “Like hell I don’t,” she snapped in return. She waved a finger in his face like his old governess used to do when she was particularly exasperated with his shenanigans. “I’m going back out into that city.” She pointed toward the door. “And I’m going to make sure everyone knows what I am. With any luck, in a matter of minutes, I’ll be history.” Vampire suicide? He’d never heard of it. Most vampires fought to survive with what little life they had left. Gray watched Madison bustle around the room. She tucked her shirt back into her slim-fitting jeans, brushed her tangled hair back over her shoulder and moved with quick, impatient steps which quickly segued into stumbling ones. Her hand clasped the doorknob and she gave him an almost pitiful look over her shoulder. Gray approached her. “You cannot leave. It’s almost daylight.” “Perfect. Then the sun will kill me.” He pressed one hand against the door to prevent her from opening it. “You have two options. Get back in the bed willingly or get back into it another way. Trust me when I tell you that you’ll want to take option A.” “Great. Now you’re threatening me?”

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He leaned in close to her, pressing his lips next to her ear. “Don’t make me put you back into that bed, Madison. Your strength is no match for mine right now. It probably never will be.” “I won’t stay here.” With her last burst of strength, she tried to wrench open the door. Gray growled low in his throat and hoisted her up into his arms. He carried her back to the bed and tossed her unceremoniously down atop the rumpled comforter. “You will stay where I tell you to stay and do what I tell you to do. This is not a game. To stay alive, you will follow my rules.” She struggled to sit up but Gray knew by the gray tint to her skin she wouldn’t have much more energy left to fight. “You can’t control my life, Gray.” He grasped her chin and stared into her upturned face. “You don’t understand, Madison. When I took your life, I became your Master. So you are incorrect in assuming I can’t control you. Sleep well.”

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Chapter Six Madison tossed and turned as vivid, horrifying dreams stair-stepped through her mind. In her dreams, she still sat behind her desk at Biggerstaff and Klepp. She went home to her luxurious apartment every night…at first. Then, she satisfied the voracious appetite of a vengeful vampire and her life changed. He sank his teeth into her jugular and ripped the tender flesh from her neck, twisting his head to and fro with violent jerks. Pain exploded in the base of her brain and Madison screamed in her sleep. Drenched in sweat, she couldn’t awake from the terrifying feel of those teeth tearing into her or the gluttonous sounds the monster made while sucking every drop of her blood from her veins. She tried to sit up, to mentally pull herself out of the hideous image, but the creature held fast to her until finally, she fell limp in his arms. She watched her soul slip from her body and ascend toward the sky and with a final, helpless look down, it floated beyond the clouds and out of Madison’s sight. “Wake, my love,” the vampire instructed. “Wake and taste the beauty of your new existence. I have given you life.” Madison pushed against his shoulders. “You’ve killed me. Damn you! You’ve killed me!” “No! I’ve given you life.” “I had a life!” “You were dying.” The vampire’s reminder pierced her soul and Madison dropped her hands away from the shoulders of her Master. She tried to close her eyes, but the monster secured her chin, forcing her to look deeply into his eyes.

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The creature vanished and Gray took its place. As his gaze held hers, blood-red tears leaked from his eyes. “You killed me,” she said again. “How could you do this to me?”

Gray stood just inside the open bedroom door and as Madison shouted the words for what must have been the tenth time, he took the blows. He could not change what he was and the tempting feel of her neck beneath his teeth and the soft, luscious curves rubbing against his body had been too much too bear. Torment had broken free and he’d given into the creature inside. He remembered well the last time it had happened, but he thought he’d had a hold on the monster. Until he’d seen Madison. His life had shifted and he’d been powerless to move away from her once she’d walked willingly into his arms. He walked further into the bedroom and tossed her clothes from the foot of the bed. Madison would have a lot to learn in her new life and he would have to teach her. He couldn’t turn her loose on an unsuspecting world no matter how much the monster inside of her demanded it. He’d spent a lifetime training himself to control the inner demon and now, he’d have to pass along the information to her, and hope he could do it right. Madison’s eyes popped open and for a moment, Gray saw confusion in the swirling depths of those violet orbs, but in a matter of seconds, reality returned. She sat up, pushing her hair out of her face. Her hands shook with just this simple gesture. She needed to eat. Gray held out his hand. “Come with me.” She stared at him, shrinking back against the pillows. “Why?” Gray caught hold of his temper. “Because you need to eat.” “I’m not hungry.”

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He yanked the blankets out of her grasp and hauled her to her feet. When they were face to face, he spoke in determined tones. “I wasn’t giving you a choice. You need to eat. This is all new to you. You cannot possibly expect to recognize hunger. I know what you are and the requirements your body needs.” She shook her head and the heady scent of her hair washed over him. For a moment, his determination wavered, at least his determination to make her eat. He wanted to throw her against the mattress and taste every inch of her from head to toe, lingering on those warm, musky parts which made her a woman. His cock betrayed him again and Gray saw Madison’s eyebrows lift. He quickly put her away from him. “Food is ready in the kitchen.” “What? No tray this time?” He had to get out of this bedroom. Now. His own need had become a hammer between his legs. He walked stiffly to the door. “I’ll expect you in five minutes.” “Gray,” she whispered his name. He didn’t turn around but, by his hesitation, he acknowledged her desire to continue. “When can I go home?” “Home doesn’t exist for you anymore, Madison.”

Madison sat down on the edge of the bed, attempting to absorb his words. She knew he had no intention of allowing her to leave. He didn’t trust her. She didn’t blame him. She didn’t trust herself. She inspected her fingernails, surprised to see her own nails had disappeared. In their place were pink nails with just enough length to be dangerous. She held them up for a better view. How could something dead grow nails? She shivered at her own question.

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The dream came back to haunt her and as much as she tried to shut out the distorted sounds and visions, she failed. The monster followed her everywhere, his fetid breath lingering in the air and just when she thought she couldn’t live this life, the creature disappeared, morphing into Gray’s body. Was that what Gray was on the inside, a vile, hideous creature with a voracious appetite? She shuddered at the thought. She couldn’t picture Gray with his teeth sinking deep into the jugular of an unsuspecting victim. And the image of blood dripping from his fangs disturbed her, and not simply because he was a vampire. She got to her feet and began a slow walk around the room. Everywhere she looked, she felt Gray. She didn’t understand the connection she felt to him. He’d killed her, for God’s sake. So what was it about the undead which made her feel so carnal? She stalked to the window and swept the curtain aside. Night had fallen again. When had that happened? She’d slept the remainder of the day away. Is this what she to get used to? Long nights of playing checkers and knitting while she waited for daylight so she could sleep? With a sound of disgust, she marched to the door and flung it open, colliding with Gray’s massive chest. She put out her hands to break the impact, but he’d already caught her around the shoulders and when she looked up, his eyes smoldered. She licked her lips. “There’s no need to lecture me. I was on my way.” Her hands still measured the breadth of his chest. She imagined he would be a formidable enemy. His eyes feasted on her lips and Madison knew the exact moment when all thoughts of dinner or whatever meal it was supposed to be, evaporated from Gray’s mind. Her hands curled into fists. She wouldn’t admit to herself she had the same thoughts, but knew he saw the reaction in her eyes. How could she deny the overwhelming attraction she felt for him? Even worse, how could she hide it? “I know what you’re thinking,” she whispered. He pushed her back into the bedroom and kicked the door shut. “Good. Then I won’t have to waste time explaining it to you.” He didn’t let go of her as he danced her 48

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toward the bed. He pressed his hips against hers and the massive bulge nestled in the apex of her thighs. Madison wondered why she didn’t struggle. She two-stepped right along with him. “We don’t know one another.” She gave a token protest even while her blood began to hum. He fisted his hands in her hair. “We know each other better than most people. I sired you. Now I’ll take you.” He pushed her down onto the mattress with a low growl. Her hands fisted in the comforter beneath her. “This won’t change anything.” He gave her a long, assessing look. “You want to feel alive, don’t you?” When she didn’t respond, he continued, “I’ll show you life, my love. You’ll live more in this one moment than you’ve lived in a lifetime.” That she didn’t doubt. She hadn’t spent much time experimenting with sex before. Though not a virgin, she’d usually avoided men like Gray Devereaux, those dark and powerful males with sexy eyes and sinful lips. Oh, yes, he could make her feel alive, maybe even make her forget she wasn’t. Madison watched with rounded eyes as he ripped the clothing from his body. Muscles rippled and his lean abs clenched when he lowered his body toward hers. Anticipation clawed at her and she wanted to reach out to him, drag him down onto the bed and feast on every inch of skin. She anticipated the salty taste and pictured her tongue smoothing the rough texture. She squirmed as dampness bathed her thighs. Could he feel how much she wanted him? Could he smell the anticipation of her sex? She watched his eyes flick over her face, linger on neck before he gave a low, throaty growl which seized her insides. Gray tore off her skirt and snapped her panties with a flick of his wrist and she knew then that anticipation was nothing compared to reality. His fingers delved into her hot wetness and dragged her over the edge before she had time to lift her hips off the mattress. His thumb began a steady rhythm against her clit and while Madison squirmed restlessly atop the bed, she hooked one leg behind his hip and forced him 49

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closer. He stretched her sheath by widening the gap between his fingers and when she bucked beneath him, he changed the pressure, pressing the pad of his thumb into her clit with unyielding intensity. Madison’s throat spasmed on a scream and a plea escaped her lips, but she didn’t really know what she begged him for. “Not yet,” he responded in a breathless voice. “Not yet?” She wiggled her hips. “What in the hell are you waiting for?” He grabbed her ass and brought her pussy up to his face. “This.” He dove headfirst into her pussy, his tongue a relentless combination of pressure and slick heat. Madison had never experienced the heady combination of pleasure and emotion in one delicious package. She felt connected to Gray in the most elemental of ways. She stroked the top of his head while he laved the inner lips of her cunt. Sensation after sensation cascaded down over her as her muscles began to quiver. Gray lifted his head. “Let go. Just let go.” The sensual command proved to be her undoing. Trapped, with her shoulders pushed into the pillow, Madison could only tear at the comforter and scream his name as she came time and again. Though the cream bathed his face, Gray didn’t stop. Her entire body quivered. Her clit jerked and still he tortured her, nibbling, licking and suckling until her world collapsed around her and another orgasm ripped through her. “You like that?” he whispered hoarsely. His name came out on a ragged sound. He climbed up the length of her body and pushed her legs wider apart to accommodate the width of his muscular thighs and hips. His cock touching the lips of her sheath, he looked down into her flushed face. He didn’t move. For the longest time, he stared at her.

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Madison reached up and curled her fingers around his cock, applying a slight amount of pressure. He closed his eyes and dug his fingernails into her hips. “I want you to taste me again,” he said on a groan. “I want to see your lips around my cock, feel your tongue on my balls.” He flipped to his back and brought her with him. “Taste me, Madison. Take all of me.” She needed no further instruction to lean over him and swirl her tongue over the head of his cock. The smooth, glistening tip quivered with her touch and feeling a womanly sense of power, she took him into her moist mouth, drawing her tongue over the underside. He jumped and gave a vivid curse. Madison tipped her head up to look at him. “So now you want to fuck me?” Bold and brazen, she cupped his sac and tickled it lightly with her fingernails. Gray twisted beneath her ministrations and moved his legs against the silk sheets. “I don’t just want to fuck you. I’m going to fuck you,” he promised. She pulled away from his flesh and wrapped her hand around his shaft. Straddling his hips, she began a slow up and down motion, pausing often to lick the palm of her hand. His abdomen tensed and his balls grew tight. “I love the way you feel, soft and yet so hard.” She grabbed his hand and brought it to her dripping pussy. “Do you like how I feel?” She didn’t give him time to answer before she hitched her hips up and mounted him. As his thick cock stretched the folds of her cleft, she arched her hips and let out a long, pleasurable moan. But she didn’t have time to revel in the feel of his hard shaft deep within her. Gray snatched hold of her hips again and furiously pumped, gritting his teeth. Moist noises littered the air and slick flesh bumped against slick flesh. Madison held onto his thighs behind her and followed his lead, bumping up and down with each thrust. The friction against her g-spot created a buzzing within her brain and her nails dug into his skin. Gray didn’t notice. He dragged himself up, wrapped his arms around her waist and pounded her with unyielding drive. Madison tried to fight the overwhelming hunger 51

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clawing at her insides but the scent of his skin and the proximity of his neck made such an effort fruitless. She snagged her fingers in his hair and yanked his head back. Her diamond scraped his cheek and as his cock impaled her, she sank her teeth into his neck. Hot blood spurted into her mouth, both vile and passionate. She didn’t want to like the acrid taste, but as her mouth welcomed the warm essence, she found herself craving more. Her teeth dug deeper and she felt the jolt to her system, like she’d just drank a double shot of espresso. Power filled her, rolling down to her fingertips. Her nipples peaked and she began to ride him fast and furiously, bumping her ass against his thighs. “Jesus,” Gray muttered. He dropped his hand down between their bodies and found her clit again. “Come for me, baby. I need you to come again.” She moved her hips in time with his fingers and cock and with the metallic taste of his blood coating her tongue, she came, burying her head in his shoulder and releasing a long, keening wail. Gray grunted and a few more thrusts later, he poured his seed into her, his eyes glazing, his muscles bunched. He collapsed back against the bed, his shoulders shaking. Madison lifted her head and as much as she wanted to hate him, she couldn’t. But hate wouldn’t necessarily decide her next action. She needed to be free of him and after this, she knew the connection would be too strong to break. One of them must die. She reached behind her, delving into her suit jacket for the pocket knife she always carried in the inside front pocket. While Gray still basked in the afterglow, his eyes closed in partial slumber, she brought the knife high and plunged it just shy of his heart. Killing him wasn’t her intent. Delaying him was. If he wouldn’t let her leave one way, she’d go another. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want…” She broke off. She couldn’t explain and he wouldn’t understand anyway. Desperation and fear guided her actions and now, as she climbed off the bed and stared into Gray’s surprised eyes, regret became yet another emotion. She could have loved him, but loving him wasn’t an option, at least not now. 52

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She grabbed her clothes and walked to the door of the bedroom, hesitating with her hand on the doorknob. Gray made no sounds and he didn’t move. She lowered her head for a second, whispered again, “I’m sorry,” and disappeared into the hallway.

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Chapter Seven She didn’t like the night much, but being as she could only travel by the light of the moon, she figured she’d adjust. Her legs shook with each step she took and remorse curdled her insides. She hadn’t wanted to kill Gray, but he wouldn’t have let her leave. And after a few more nights of sex, she wouldn’t have minded. But she had to return home. She had a score to settle and lounging in Gray’s bed like a sex slave would accomplish nothing. She wished things could have been different, but Gray had changed her. Now, she had to accept those changes and live the best life she could with what she had to work with. She’d managed to wrestle the recriminations to the back of her mind, but now, Gray’s face came into view and she stopped walking for a moment to shake her head. “I can’t think about you now,” she whispered. She wondered if the dead could hear. The security guard still stood at the front door of the three-story glass building which housed the law offices of Biggerstaff and Klepp. He recognized her instantly. “Miss Harper, it’s good to see you again. They told me you wouldn’t be coming back.” Madison gave him a bright smile, momentarily taken aback at the scent of his blood. She shook her head. This man had done her no wrong. She wouldn’t take his blood or his life tonight. “They weren’t expecting me to, Carl, but I found a miracle.” Her shoulder brushed his as she walked past him, her hands clenched to keep from reaching out for him. What is the matter with me? Will I always lust after the taste of blood now? Is that what it means to be a vampire? She didn’t know enough about the nocturnal creatures. After she took care of Marvin Biggerstaff, a trip to the library would be in order.

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She sailed past the first receptionist who only had a few more minutes left in her long shift and made her way toward the oval elevators which would take her up to the third floor. At just after seven in the evening, Marvin Biggerstaff would still be working. He always worked late and never failed to lecture those who didn’t. She noticed the light from beneath his office door first and anticipation humming through her veins, she tapped lightly on the smoothly polished wood. She heard the creak of the chair and cursed the dampness of her palms. She needed to remain calm, collected. Marvin wouldn’t expect that and the only way she could catch him off-guard was to give him what he didn’t expect. Madison opened her mouth, ready to speak, but suddenly, a hand covered her mouth and strong arms lifted her off her feet. She struggled, surprised she couldn’t free herself from her captor. Vampires had extraordinary strength, didn’t they? So where in the hell had hers gone? “Easy, Miss Harper. I thought my nose was deceiving me when you first walked past and then I realized, you didn’t find a miracle, you found immortality.” She recognized the voice of the security guard and the knowledge stilled her movements. “Carl?” “Yeah, that’s me.” She bit his hand and managed to speak. “What are you doing?” He dragged her away from the door and down the hallway. “You mean you really don’t know? This city is full of vampires. All of us looking to be top dog. I’m afraid I can’t let you come back to work here. It might upset the balance.” “If you’re a vampire, why haven’t you killed the others?” He lifted his shoulders. “What can I say? I’m a light eater.” He kept dragging her. Madison heard the heavy clunk of the emergency exit door and the echo of their words bounced off the metal walls. She refused to panic. She’d cheated death once and she wasn’t ready to give up this time, either.

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“Where are you taking me, Carl?” She tried to remain calm, to keep her voice steady. He leaned to her ear and from the corner of her eye, she caught the sparkle of his white fangs. “Now that’d be telling, wouldn’t it?” “I should’ve killed you when I first walked in the door.” She had to remember that vampires didn’t have consciences. They killed indiscriminately and yet, she’d chosen to allow Carl to live when she thought him human. Why was she different? He chuckled and their feet thumped on the stairs as he reversed their positions and propelled her forward, keeping one arm around her neck. They made it to the outer door and Madison’s brain raced ahead frantically, searching for an out, a way to escape. Carl pushed the door open and shoved her out into the night. Now in the alley behind Biggerstaff and Klepp, Madison knew they were hidden from the view of any passersby. She tried again. “Carl, what makes you so sure you’ll be able to kill me? Maybe I’ll take your life instead.” He laughed out loud. “I smell the stench of your newness, Miss Harper.” Even in preparation to kill her, he maintained the polite façade he’d always directed toward her. “You might try to end my life, but you would fail.” “Bet I wouldn’t,” came a darkly familiar voice from behind Carl’s left shoulder. Madison’s body sagged with relief. Gray. She hadn’t killed him, after all. Apparently, Carl had a point. She squirmed to catch a look at Gray over her shoulder. He looked a little pale, but no worse for wear from his ordeal. He gave her a bland look and tapped the area over his chest. “The next time you want to kill a vampire, honey, make sure you know where the heart is.” “I wasn’t trying to kill you. I just wanted to delay you,” she replied. Dammit. Perhaps her research had been lacking, but she was sure she’d read that a knife wound would, at the very least, halt the vampire. He’d need time to recover and heal. Apparently, being a vampire wasn’t the only thing she sucked at.

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Gray’s eyes told her he’d deal with her later. “I’m sure we can have this conversation later. In the meantime—” he pointed a finger at Carl’s chest. “You need to let go of her because it’s going to make it difficult for me to kill you while you’re holding onto my woman.” His woman? She almost groaned aloud at the word. Were all vampires this arrogant? “I don’t really think that’s the best way to handle this, Gray.” He held up one hand to silence her. “When you know the proper way to kill an enemy, then you can tell me how to ‘handle’ things.” She glared at him. Pompous ass. She made a mental note to study up on how to properly wound a vampire. She’d do it right next time. Carl’s arm tightened around her neck. “I’m not letting go of her. I tell you what. I’ll kill her and then I’ll kill you. How about that?” Gray shook his head slowly. “You’re making a mistake, fella. I’ve been living this life for well over five hundred years. How do you think I’ve managed to stay alive this long?” He took a step forward and Madison saw the tense set of his shoulders, the coldness in his eyes. Even from the distance separating him, she felt the connection of his soul to hers. The knowledge was a cold splash of water in the face. She didn’t want to feel connected to him, to need him. Gray’s jaw clenched and she knew he’d somehow interpreted her thoughts. How did he do that? She wanted to ask him aloud, but Gray directed his focus to Carl. “I’m not going to ask you again to release her. You’re not a new vampire. You know the chances of your survival against me are slim. Don’t you know who I am?” Carl’s sweaty palm grabbed hold of Madison’s wrist and squeezed. “I know who you are, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to lay down and let you take my life.” “Your life ended a long time ago,” Gray reminded him. “How long has it been now? Thirty-five? Forty years? You still remember the feel of his teeth sinking into your neck, don’t you?”

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Carl’s arm pushed against Madison’s neck. “I mean it, Mr. Devereaux. I’ll kill her if you take another step.” She gave a squeak and tried to kick back at Carl’s shin. Failing that, she glared at Gray. “I thought you said vampires have extraordinary strength. Because I have to tell you, right now, I’m not seeing anything extraordinary about mine.” “I don’t recall saying that, although it is true. You’re just weak right now because you’re new.” “Well, if I had my choice, I wouldn’t even be a vampire,” she shot back. Gray returned her icy stare. “Is this really the time to talk about this?” “Look!” Carl shouted, his frustration level climbing. “I’m calling the shots here. You—” he stabbed a finger toward Gray, “—back off.” He fisted his hand in Madison’s hair and tipped her neck sideways. “Let’s just see how she tastes first.” Madison heard the noise and at first, she couldn’t understand what it was, but then, as Gray’s feet flew through the air, she realized it was him. That long, horrible growling noise came from him. Her rump hit concrete the instant Gray pushed her out of the way and she had the brief opportunity to see the flash of red in his eyes before he tore into Carl. Under ordinary circumstances, Madison would have felt sorry for the security guard, but since Gray had taken the poison from her body and left her with immortal life, ordinary had ceased to exist. Fangs clashed as the battle intensified and Madison momentarily considered intervening, but one look at Gray’s furious face told her he’d read her intentions. She clamped her hands on her hips and contemplated her next move. She could run away. Once this war of sorts ended, she’d have Gray to contend with if she stayed. And she had no doubt it wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation. She started inching away from the fight, taking several small steps, but before she could make good on her escape, Gray’s hand shot out and captured her wrist.

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“Just where in the hell do you think you’re going?” Madison stared over his shoulder at Carl’s prone form. “Is he dead?” “What do you think? “Did you have to kill him?” “Not if you had stayed put,” he ground out. She poked his chest with her index finger. “Don’t you dare blame this on me.” He caught hold of her digit and brought it to his mouth. Heat pelted them. “How can I not?” She curled her fingers around his. “I’m not going back with you.” “Do you really think I’ll leave you alone to roam the city?” “I’m still an adult, Gray.” He slid his palm along her cheek and cupped the back of her neck. “My sweet, you are much more than an adult. You are a baby vampire and all babies need to be trained.” Before Madison could respond, her stomach rumbled. “I’m hungry,” she muttered inanely. “You won’t find anything to eat here.” He indicated the building behind them with a jerk of his head. Madison played the hand she’d been dealt when she reached down and cupped his crotch. With a lifted eyebrow, she purred, “Nothing?” Gray caught hold of her wrist. “We’re in public, Madison, and if you think taking my mind off what you’ve done is going to help matters any, you’re sadly mistaken.” Madison opened her mouth to speak when she heard the voice. The unmistakable, unforgettable voice of her former employer. Marvin Biggerstaff. Her eyes narrowed and she turned slightly to search the alley. Her lips curved into a smile the second she spotted the familiar sports car Marvin drove. She hadn’t known Marvin liked to park in the alley. How fortuitous for her. 59

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Gray snapped his fingers in her face. “What are you looking at?” Madison tugged her arm free and started walking, slowly, with a predator’s stroll. “Dinner,” she threw over her shoulder.

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Chapter Eight The awareness hit Gray, almost rocking him back on his heels. The evil scent washed the air and without thought to his own safety, he dashed forward, catching Madison around the waist. “Madison, wait! You can’t.” At the sound of their voices, Marvin Biggerstaff pivoted slowly, key fob in his hand. “Well, if it isn’t Ms. Harper. How pleasant to see you again.” Though Gray doubted Madison heard it, Marvin’s voice held the surreptitious hiss of an aged vampire. Death gleamed in the old man’s eyes as he faced them. Madison struggled against the restraint of Gray’s arms. “Put me down, Gray. I’ve been waiting for this moment since the day my father went missing.” Expensive loafers smacked against the cracked concrete as Marvin approached them. “What moment would that be?” He stopped when he was only inches away from Madison’s squirming form, but Gray felt the creature’s eyes on him. Here was a vampire who gave into his carnal lusts. Marvin Biggerstaff had created a following in Charleston, and even worse, he had a habit of eliminating those who chose not to follow. “This is the son of a bitch who took my father from me,” Madison exploded. Gray shoved her behind him and pushed her back with his own body. He couldn’t say he was surprised by Madison’s outburst. “I never thought we’d actually meet again, Marvin.” The vampire brushed a speck of lint off his impeccable suit before fixing Gray with malevolent green eyes. “You were always wise enough not to seek me out.” Madison ceased all movement. “You two know each other?”

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Gray reached back for her hand. “It’s not what you think. We’d better take our leave now.” “What are you talking about? I’m nowhere near done with him, I…” Madison stopped talking the second Gray squeezed her fingers. Marvin smiled with a slight tilting to his thin lips, swept out his hand and bowed low. “As you wish. I’m sure you realize it’s only a matter of time before we meet again. On my terms.” He turned with the manner of a gentleman and walked to his car, shoulders squared, never one time looking back. Gray watched the vampire move with the confidence of his years without fear. “Madison, do you have any idea who that is?” “I thought we’d gone over that already. I worked for his company. He’s the man who poisoned me and the reason my father is gone.” Gray brought her around to face him. Settling his hands on her shoulders, he gave her a gentle shake. “He’s the vampire who’s converted half of Charleston.” Madison’s jaw went slack. “What are you saying? Do you mean…are you saying he’s a…oh my God,” she clapped one hand against her mouth. “He’s one of us? How could I not have known? I mean, I know he’s evil, but a vampire? He doesn’t, I mean, he isn’t…” she broke off. Gray shook his head, cringing. “Marvin Biggerstaff is nothing like us. He’s a very old, extremely powerful vampire with no conscience and insatiable thirst for human blood.” “Is that why you wanted to run from him?” Gray felt his temper climbing. What was it about this woman that could push every button he had? “We were not prepared to enter into a battle with Marvin Biggerstaff, Madison. Our time will come and then, we will defeat him.” She folded her arms. “We? This is my fight.”

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He slid his thumb over her lower lip. “Not anymore, it’s not. You can’t fight Biggerstaff on your own.” “So what makes it your fight?” “This is all a game to him. Now that you know who your employer is, do you really think it’s a coincidence you found me?” “He set this up.” Gray watched the realization dawn on her face, but he wouldn’t give her time to dwell on her own duplicity. Instead, he took her by the hand and took off running. “Where are we going?” Madison shouted over the rush of the wind. “Just hang on. You’ll see soon enough.” Gray couldn’t make her any promises when they met Biggerstaff next. The vampire had been alive for three times as long as Gray had, but the one thing Gray could give Madison would be tonight. A night she would remember, even if Biggerstaff completed the task of killing him.

The stately building overlooked Meeting Street and even at this late hour, endless rows of cars stretched end-to-end, waiting for the traffic light to give them their freedom. Standing on the rooftop, Madison peered down into the winking lights of the city. An updraft brought the smell of the ocean to her and she wished she could draw the scent deep into her lungs. Something else she had Gray to thank for. Vampires didn’t breathe. She didn’t want to dwell on what she couldn’t do tonight. She had plenty of time to do that tomorrow and the day after that. In fact, she had the rest of eternity. A long, endless stream of eternity. “Why did you bring me here, Gray?” She heard the rustle of his jeans as he walked up behind her and caught his scent on the wind. Her skin began to tingle. “I wanted to show you the city in a different way. The beauty of the night can be compelling, especially when it slows to a crawl.” He

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wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against her chest. “Hear the crickets? They’re right behind us and look—” he lifted a finger to point toward a corner of the rooftop, “—over there is a nest of pigeons.” He brought her to the ledge and urged her to sit down with him. “In just a few minutes, the bars will close for the night and the streets will be filled with people again.” He hugged her close. She rested her head on his shoulder, surprised at her own ability to shut out the past twenty-four hours. She should still hate him. For her own sanity, she needed to hate him, but when he touched her, hate dissipated. “What does all this mean?” “As much as you’d like to think you’re dead, you’re not. You’re very much alive.” His words brought her head up. She looked away from him and out over the vast expanse of land. “Gray, I’m a vampire.” He turned his head and brought his lips to her cheek. “So am I, but tell me you don’t feel more alive now than you ever have. Can you tell me the beat of your heart means more to you than the feel of my arms wrapped around you?” He cupped one breast gently. “Your nipples still peak and if I were to dip my fingers in your sheath, you’d be wet. Does that sound dead to you?” Madison yielded to the compelling argument and brought his hand down to the vee between her legs while she propped her body up with her hands behind her. She didn’t need to breathe for the anticipation to sweep over her, though had she been able, her lungs wouldn’t have functioned anyway. Her eyelids dropped low over her eyes as Gray’s scent drew closer. “Look at me,” he commanded and Madison’s eyes popped open obediently. “I want to see your face when I make you come.” He dipped beneath her skirt and found bare skin. “My God,” he whispered. The instant his finger came in contact with her clit, Madison gave a low moan of pure satisfaction. “Tell me how this makes you feel.” He placed his lips next to her ear. “Don’t just moan. Tell me, Madison.” “It makes me feel. Oh, God,” she replied. “My clit is so swollen and when you move your finger across it, I jump inside. I want to come,” she said on a short, staccato 64

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sound. She pictured his dark head drifting down between her thighs, remembering well the feel of his tongue caressing her, suckling her. She spread her legs wide, silently inviting further exploration. “And you will. You’ll come many times before tonight is over and I’ll come inside you. I want you to feel my heat as I explode inside your cleft.” His fingers increased the pressure against her clit and Madison squirmed, whispering his name over and over in a silent plea for release. The top of her head began to tingle and delicious pressure mounted within her lower abdomen. Drawing close to orgasm, she hitched her hips higher and whispered his name, pushing him to drive her over the edge. Gray slid one finger, then two inside her moist sheath and withdrew his hand to bring his dripping fingers to his mouth. He sucked the creamy liquid off and went back inside for another sample, but this time, he brought his hand to Madison’s lips. She shook her head, but Gray pressed his fingertips against the outer edges and she allowed her mouth to open. She licked the cream from his fingertips, tasting her own essence and watching the heat pour from Gray’s eyes. The erotic images played in front of her eyes as Gray tasted her again and again with just the tips of his fingers. He trailed the dampness up over her tuft, bathing the hair. Her pussy ached and clenched. She gritted her teeth as Gray teased her with the pad of his thumb. “Fuck me,” she instructed in a husky voice unlike her own. Gray didn’t take the time to undress. He released his zipper and his cock jutted out. He dragged her onto his lap. “Take me inside you.” The slick tip of his shaft enticed her and she rubbed her thumb across the ridges. His juice bathed her finger and she brought the taste to her lips, watching Gray’s eyes narrow. “I will, but first, I want to taste you,” she whispered. Gray’s hands bunched against the roof. Madison slid off his lap, peeling out of her blouse to give him a tantalizing view of her peaked nipples. She stretched her body atop the shingles, the concrete rasping 65

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against her sensitized breasts. She wrapped her hands around the base of his cock and rubbed her cheek alongside the silky skin. Gray groaned. She tipped her head back to see his face. “Do you like that?” “What’s not to like?” he whispered. She swirled her tongue over the tip and felt him squirm. She cupped his balls and kneaded the soft skin. “Ah, yes. I love that. Keep doing that,” he intoned. She drew him into her mouth, applying light pressure with her tongue. She stroked him with expert finesse, laving the skin with liquid strokes until Gray squirmed beneath her. “Madison.” “Mmmm?” She didn’t stop to answer. He fisted his hands in her hair. “I don’t want to come in your mouth.” She purred low in her throat and drew back, continuing to lick his cock with fervor. “I love the way you taste,” she whispered. He jerked and tugged her head up. “Madison, for God’s sake. I want to fuck you.” She sank lower between his legs and lapped at his balls, swirling her tongue over the nest of hair while Gray lifted his hips with moaning supplication. She knew just where to touch him, how to taste him, to torture him. She drew his sac into her mouth and felt him draw tight. He was close. Taking pity on him, she backed away, watching the muscles of his abdomen quiver and twitch. “So fuck me then.” He reached for her, but she pushed him away, leaping to her feet. “Just not here,” she told him in a no-nonsense tone of voice. “Come with me.” Gray got to his feet, following her without question. There, in the solid blackness afforded by the vent atop the old building where the law was upheld daily, he pushed her back against the solid brick wall. His fingers tested her wetness before pushing deep

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into her pussy. Madison’s eyes closed on a moan. “You like that, huh?” When she didn’t respond, he shoved deeper. “I can’t hear you, Madison.” She focused on his face and the glitter in his eyes. “You know damned well I like it, Gray, but I like your cock better.” “I sure do like a lady who knows what she wants.” He gripped her thighs and lifted her. The tip of his thickness brushed against her clit and heat swelled within Madison’s stomach. Need outweighed her ability to think. She didn’t know what it was about the man, the vampire that made her crave him like she did. But he was rapidly becoming an obsession, a deep, clawing desire in the pit of her stomach. Gray began to push into her and her thoughts swirled out of control. His hot length penetrated her to the core, brushing every inch of her pussy, stretching her, filling her until a scream bubbled up in Madison’s throat. Madison’s hips began to shake and she wrapped her legs around Gray’s naked waist. He gave a grunt of satisfaction and thrust deeper. She clamped her muscles around his cock and lifted her breast up to his lips. “Taste me,” she demanded, lost in the heady thrill of wild, riotous sex. Gray drew her nipple into his mouth and Madison’s vision glazed. Her brow grew damp. Gray tore his lips away from her breast and began to whisper with urgency. “I’m close. God, I’m close.” And then he gave a shout a triumph and sagged against her. The clench of her own orgasm swept over her and Madison dug her nails into his shoulder. Muscles taut, sweat dripping between her breasts, she realized then that this might not be such a bad life, after all. She’d certainly never found this kind of sex in the mortal world. Her last lover had been so forgettable that after four months, they’d gone their separate ways and she barely remembered his first name let alone his last. She knew Gray was different. She’d remember him forever. He pushed away from her and cupped her face. “You must eat.”

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The sudden change in his mood surprised her. “You’re constantly thinking about food, aren’t you?” Exhausted yet invigorated, she dropped her shoulders and stretched her arms back behind her. Gray tipped his head to one side and thumped his fingers against his jugular vein. “Here.” She stared at him, horror rising in the pit of her stomach. He couldn’t possibly be thinking what she thought he was thinking, was he? Surely, he didn’t think she could suck blood from his neck as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do…did he? “Here what?” He didn’t raise his head. “You need to eat, Madison. I have plenty to spare. I had to fill up after you stabbed me.” He straightened for a moment and pinned her with an accusing look. “Which reminds me. You haven’t explained why you did that. I think I would understand it better if it didn’t come on the heels of the best sex I’ve had in over a century.” Grateful for the reprieve, Madison set her clothes to rights. “It was a moment of temporary insanity. I knew you wouldn’t let me leave.” “You were right.” Her temper flared. “You’re not my keeper, Gray.” “We’ve been over this already.” “And what did we decide? Because, for the life of me, I don’t remember getting a vote,” she returned in a voice sharper than the Swiss Army knife she’d stuffed back into the pocket of her jeans. Gray gave her one more long, studying look before he pointed back to his neck. “Take my blood, Madison. We can discuss this later.” The night broke open with the sounds of intoxicated laughter and the scent of basted wings. Madison stilled. The aroma used to be mouthwatering to her. She’d always loved wings, but now, her stomach rumbled for a different manner of

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sustenance. The thought of the greasy food made her nauseous. She turned her head slightly and saw Gray watching her. “You get used to it,” he said in such a soft voice she had to strain to hear him. “Like hell,” she responded, stepping forward to sink her teeth into his neck without warning. Gray didn’t flinch or push her away. He stood in the center of the shadow, his head tilted, one arm curved around her waist and allowed her to drink her fill. And she did so almost violently, pushing against his vein with more force than necessary. She intended to punish him, to make him cry out with the pain, but instead, he held her as if she were a fragile piece of glass. When she finally pulled away, she slashed her hand across the back of her mouth and stumbled across the roof. The scent of his blood lingered in her nostrils and the taste coated her tongue. “I hate this. I hate being like this. I don’t want this, Gray.” “What do you want?” The wind carried his words to her. “I want to be normal.” “You are normal. The life you will live will be normal for a vampire.” She gave a short laugh. “Do you have any idea how bizarre that sounds?” “I know that it’s difficult to hear.” Though his voice reached out to caress her, he didn’t move toward her. “What would you have me to do?” She dragged a hand through her hair and tossed a look over her shoulder. She caught the look of desperation on his face and froze. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t want you to leave.” His reply stunned her. “Where would I go?” “If I could take back what I did, Madison…” He stopped speaking. “Go on,” she urged. He lowered his head before lifting it and pinning her with eyes so dark they reminded her of the oil spills she’d seen in Texas years ago. “I wouldn’t.”

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She allowed the strength of his words to flow through her and for the first time in a very long time, she didn’t feel alone. The hate she wanted to feel wouldn’t return. She couldn’t change what had happened, and though she didn’t want this lifestyle, she couldn’t fault the company. She tipped her head back to see his face. “You’re very brave for someone who was just stabbed.” “You missed the important parts,” he reminded. “I might have better aim next time.” He laughed and held out his hand. “Or you might not want to try.” He knew her too well already. As the memories of her father faded into the background, the pain eased and she found herself laughing right along with Gray.

The night winds carried the sounds of their laughter to his ears and with narrowed eyes, Marvin Biggerstaff lifted his face to the sky. “Laugh now, my sweet, for soon, you will find nothing amusing.” He lifted the glass of B+ blood and toasted the empty room. “My love awaits you. As does my world.”

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Chapter Nine Gray held her hand as they walked along the beach. They’d left the Four Corners of Law about an hour ago and had raced down to the shoreline. Now, they felt the water caressing their bare feet and the wind rushing through their hair. Gray wondered if Madison felt as alive as he did at that moment. He wanted to ask her to stay with him, but she wouldn’t. He had no choice but to keep her with him. His jaw clenched. He wouldn’t let her go. She could end up in Marvin Biggerstaff’s hands and when he thought of the vampire’s plans for Madison, every muscle in his body knotted. He wouldn’t allow it to happen. He couldn’t. Madison bumped his shoulder with hers. “What are you thinking?” “That I didn’t do you any favors by killing you.” She winced. “I was dying anyway.” “Maybe not.” She squeezed his fingers. “What are you talking about? I already told you Marvin had poisoned me just as I believe he did my father.

I have no other reason to think

differently.” Gray stopped walking and turned to face her. “Madison, think about it. Why would a vampire, especially one as powerful as Biggerstaff, waste time with poison? He has the ability to kill at his disposal the same as you and I do.” A strand of blonde hair whipped around her face and she brushed it aside impatiently. “I think I would know if my father had been killed by a vampire. I mean, wouldn’t he have changed? Wouldn’t he have come back by now?” She shivered. “I don’t even want to think about this.” “And perhaps that is what Biggerstaff is counting on.”

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For a brief moment, only the roar of the ocean could be heard. “Do you smell something?” Madison finally asked. Gray’s stomach tensed. “Biggerstaff is here.” “I can smell him,” she whispered. “You can smell all vampires,” he informed her, twisting his head to get a better look over his shoulder. “You’re just now getting used to your abilities.” For now, Biggerstaff still walked in the darkness. He couldn’t be seen. Gray pointed toward a sagging, wooden pier. “Get under there and don’t come out until I tell you to.” “I’m not leaving you to fight him alone.” Gray didn’t have time for her attempt at heroics. He snatched hold of her arm and stared into the eyes he wanted to see for the rest of what he hoped would be an extremely long life. “Before you get any ideas about helping, remember your attempt to kill me.” With a huff, she yanked her arm free. “Fine. I’ll wait over here, but,” she paused and added, “I don’t want you to die.” He winked. “That makes two of us.” As if heralding the arrival of a potent evil, the moon ran red and the waves ceased to roll. The stars overhead dimmed and the lights, which moments before had shown in the windows of the beach homes, flickered and died out. Gray counted his enemies. Biggerstaff arrived with four extra vampires. Not exactly fair odds but he knew at least two of the undead were relatively new converts. He could take them out easily enough, which was exactly what Biggerstaff wanted. He counted on Gray occupying his time with the minions and the ancient vampire would close in on Madison. “Greetings, Mr. Devereaux,” Biggerstaff announced himself in a congenial tone of voice. He still wore the same suit he’d worn to the office and Gray noticed the vampires

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behind him were attired similarly. Apparently, the aged vampire believed in decorum at all costs. Gray didn’t return the greeting. Instead, he folded his arms and stared back at the vampire. He saw the slight trace of blood lingering at the corners of Biggerstaff’s lips and knew the ancient one had left it there for a reason. He wanted Gray to know he’d already dined for the evening. He wasn’t here to kill. He was here to capture. If Gray’s stance bothered Marvin, he didn’t let it show. “I came to make a request.” “You have nothing to say that I want to hear.” “How unfortunate for you then because I came to take Madison back with me.” He waved a hand behind him and a fifth vampire brought up the rear. Gray didn’t have time to wonder why he hadn’t been able to scent him. The vampire had his hands clamped around the neck of a horrified young woman. With her shaking legs and redrimmed eyes, her terror was palpable. “Is this supposed to be an offering?” Gray bit out. Marvin’s eyes lit up. “If, indeed, that will make the transition go smoothly, of course. Otherwise, this young woman—” he pointed at the captive, “—will be Madison’s dinner for the evening.” He smiled, but the mirth didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m sure she has not had the opportunity to drink her fill of a human.” His teeth glittered pink beneath the red glow of the moon. “However, that is something easily rectified. We can’t have a new vampire walking around without enjoying the full benefits of our existence, now, can we?” Gray’s stomach rolled. “Madison isn’t interested in killing a human. Now, a vampire, on the other hand, well, that holds some interest for her.” “She will drink the blood of this girl and she will become mine,” Biggerstaff announced importantly, inspecting the front of his suit coat with a degree of boredom. Gray’s teeth snapped as his muscles tensed. The air snapped and sizzled with tension as vampire locked gaze with vampire. “I will not allow it.”

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“Then I will remove you.” Gray bared his fangs. “I’m not the young vampire you sired years ago.” He kept his voice low. He didn’t want Madison to learn the truth like this. He wasn’t so sure she’d understand why he hadn’t told her from the beginning. Marvin’s brows contorted. “I made you, then? Well, damned if I can remember, but then—” he lifted his shoulders in an elegant shrug, “—you weren’t the first and you won’t be the last. Oh, and by the way, thank you for making sure Madison joined our leagues. She would have been a bit difficult had we not resorted to other means to convince her she required your assistance.” He buffed his fingernails against his snowy, white shirt. “Anthony suggested killing her outright, but I knew she would be a great benefit to me…to my cause.” “I’m not going back with you, Marvin,” Madison shouted as she came running up the sandy beach. Her long hair flew out behind her and she looked wild, untamed. Gray cursed below his breath. Could the woman not listen to him just once? When she drew even with him, he noticed the pointed stick in her hand and he resisted the urge to snatch it away. He saw then he had a lot of teaching to do. “You always did have a flair for the dramatic,” Marvin laughed and his cronies joined in though Gray doubted they knew why they were laughing. In their eyes, he saw the immense fear their sire had instilled in them. Madison lowered the stick to her side and greeted her boss with a mocking curtsey. “You haven’t seen anything yet. What have you done with my father?” “She’s always been a blunt woman or have you noticed that yet?” Marvin directed his question to Gray. Then, with a shrug, he peeled his lips back in a grin and motioned for the struggling woman to be brought forward. “I really don’t have all evening, Madison, so if we could just get things moving along, I would greatly appreciate it. This is—” he frowned. “I don’t believe we got this young lady’s name. Oh, well, no matter. I’m sure the proper authorities will manage to identify her body somehow.”

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Muffled squeals escaped the narrow space between the woman’s mouth and the vampire’s hand. She renewed her struggles and began to kick the shins of the vampire holding her. Her captor grunted and squeezed tighter, but the girl only screamed louder. Biggerstaff made a disapproving noise, capturing the vampire’s eye, and silence descended immediately. “Now then. Where were we? Oh, yes. You were about to drink your dinner and then you will join me as a guest in my home.” He waved a hand, an instruction to the vampires standing behind him. Slowly, they moved into place behind Gray, their unified hisses slicing the air. “And, if you will follow my orders without defiance, your boyfriend will live to see another nightfall. I’m sure you don’t want me to carry the conversation any further. I’ve always thought vocal threats such a waste of time.” Madison touched Gray’s hand briefly. “I’m sorry.” He tried to reach her, but she managed to move out of his range. “Madison, don’t!” The vampires closed in on him, each securing him with a tight clamp on his arms. He watched her, horrified, as she crossed the sand. His mind reached out to hers, but she hadn’t yet mastered the ability of telepathy. He cursed inwardly and spoke to her anyway, using every ounce of his energy to scream warning after warning. Still, Madison walked toward the girl who, by now, began to put up an all-out fight. She kicked and struggled while her huge eyes were glued to Madison’s face. “Give her to me,” Madison instructed. At Marvin’s nod, the vampire followed her orders. Madison leaned in, lowered her head and while Biggerstaff watched on with approval, the young girl slumped in Madison’s arms. Sucking noises filtered into the air and Madison’s eyes gleamed when she raised her head. Biggerstaff clapped. “Excellent. Excellent.” He peered at Madison’s face to get a better look at her eyes. “How do you feel?”

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Blood dripped from the corner of Madison’s mouth. She directed her gaze across the beach and met Gray’s eyes. “Like I could kill.” Her former employer crowed with delight. “Marvelous. I have just the place to take you. Now, if we shall all adjourn to my home, there will be plenty of food for us all and I’ll explain my plans to you.” Chortling, he hooked his arm through Madison’s and began leading the procession across the shoreline.

Eight vampires traipsed down Calhoun Street, past the Charleston County Library, with Biggerstaff leading the way. They took a right on East Bay Street and continued their trek toward Mr. Biggerstaff’s opulent home. Madison had been there once, for a Christmas party. She hadn’t known he was a vampire then. She would have thought it ludicrous had anyone suggested it to her. Now, she realized all the signs had been there. Biggerstaff had only poured his wine from a special decanter on the bar and he’d used a frosted burgundy glass which shielded the contents from his guests’ view. And when the meal had been served, he merely picked at his food, choosing to regale the partygoers with amusing anecdotes from the company’s history. If only she’d known then what he was. She’d had ample opportunity to end his life and somehow, she would have found her courage. Madison kept step beside him, her mind whirling. She wondered if she could keep up the charade, if she could convince her former boss that she’d fully joined with him, but most of all, she wondered if the young woman would be okay when she woke up. Madison tried not to shiver at the memory of her teeth sinking into the girl’s neck or the taste of her blood. She’d seen the look of fear in those crystal blue eyes before she’d whispered words of reassurances in the woman’s ear. Having no choice, the young woman had placed her trust in Madison. And while Madision drank only the faintest sips of blood, she tasted the woman’s fear.

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“I’m looking forward to showing you a different side of our city, Madison. I’m sure you’ll find it delectable.” Biggerstaff pressed his lips to his fingertips and blew a kiss into the air. Madison glued a smile to her face. “I’m sure I will, Marvin. It’s a pity my father isn’t alive to see it.” Biggerstaff feigned regret. “Yes, my dear. I totally agree.” He hooked his arm through hers. “Unfortunately, your father was not as understanding as he should have been.” Madison gritted her teeth. “You mean he found out about you.” “Oh, he did more than find out about me. He discovered the secret behind the entire law firm and of course, what was really happening to the delivery guys.” He chuckled at his own wit. Gray fell into step beside her and took hold of her hand. “You don’t have to do this, Madison.” She linked her fingers through his. “Don’t be silly, Gray. We’re vampires. Don’t you think it’s time to walk on the other side? You’ve been sequestered up in that apartment of yours long enough.” As she talked, she pressed his fingers, once, twice, a measure of reassurance she hoped he read. Gray squeezed back the same amount of times and her shoulders relaxed. He trusted her. She didn’t know why, but he did. The knowledge gave her confidence. “Madison has a good point, Mr. Devereaux,” Biggerstaff said in the same suave tone which had always worn on Madison’s nerves. “Since we’re all together now, Marvin, do you mind if I asked you a question?” Madison used her very best polite voice. He chuckled and released her arm to stuff his hands into his pockets. “By all means.”

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She hated the way he spoke to her in such a fatherly tone, as if he could replace the man whose life he’d cut short, the father she’d loved for thirty years. She managed to keep a hold on her temper and laughed lightly. “Why would you poison me when you had vampires at your disposal? Why not just have me eliminated or better yet, force me to join your ranks sooner?” The vampires behind them began murmuring amongst themselves until Biggerstaff silenced them with a look over his shoulder. “Darling, what makes you think I poisoned you?” “Because I’ve been asking about my father. As my father had been asking about the other people who have disappeared from our offices.” The shadows prevented Madison from seeing Biggerstaff’s face, but she saw a flash of his teeth, stark white against the backdrop of the inky night. “As much as it pains me to say it, your father was quite delusional.” “I don’t know, Biggerstaff. Any man who didn’t trust you couldn’t be all bad,” Gray chimed in. Biggerstaff chuckled, but anyone who knew him well would know he wasn’t amused. “I can see we’re going to have to make some adjustments in your attitude, Mr. Devereaux. You’ve never fully accepted who and what you are. You have restrained yourself from enjoying your full capabilities. Perhaps we can arrange a private meal for you this evening, something to bring you around to my way of thinking.” Madison heard the audible snap of Gray’s teeth and she rushed forward with the conversation. No one could make a move yet. She had a plan. Granted, it might not be the very best laid plan, but given the short amount of time, it would have to work. “Are you telling me you didn’t kill my father?” A quick burst of laughter left Biggerstaff’s lips. “Of course I killed him, Madison, but I didn’t kill him by poison. That would be a waste of my resources. I haven’t time for such nonsense. We should focus on what lies ahead now instead of looking to the past.” 78

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Madison gritted her teeth but forced herself to agree with him. “I know my father could be difficult at times.” “Ah, yes. The former cop turned security guard. He never missed the opportunity to search out a good story. He thought he’d found one at Biggerstaff and Klepp.” “Speaking of Klepp,” Madison continued in a conversational tone. “Does he know?” The vampires chortled loudly. “Chad turned me almost sixteen hundred years ago, Madison,” Biggerstaff informed her in a voice laced with amusement. Madison’s brain began to whirl. Chad? The man who’d treated her like a daughter, who’d comforted her when her father had disappeared and given her every reason to trust him? It couldn’t be. Now, Anthony, she could see, but not the fatherly figure with white hair and drooping moustache. Biggerstaff continued. “I know he certainly doesn’t act like a vampire, which—” he shuddered, “—in my opinion, is in poor taste, but he has his own ways. He prefers to be discreet.” She’d been in the company of vampires for the past two years and yet, the one who’d converted her walked by her side, his hand holding hers. None of it made sense. Nausea welled up in the pit of her stomach and she quickly controlled the urge to retch. She had to play the game to the end. She would not let Biggerstaff win this fight.

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Chapter Ten Gray’s patience dwindled with each step they took. He’d known by the way the young girl fell that Madison hadn’t killed her. Instead, she’d taken enough blood to make the woman faint. Relief settled into his bones. Madison hadn’t given herself to the dark side of the nature now battling for supremacy within her. But he didn’t know what plan she had in mind or if joining Biggerstaff at his home was such a good idea. Never join an enemy on his home turf. His father had drilled that into his young son centuries ago when the elder Devereaux had fought in the Anglo-Scottish War in 1513. “Are you still with us, Mr. Devereaux?” Biggerstaff’s mocking voice raked nails down Gray’s spine. He lived for the day when he could drive the stake into the ancient vampire’s heart. Gray bared his teeth in a semblance of a smile. “Just considering the wisdom of walking into the lion’s den.” Biggerstaff laughed the same false laugh he’d perfected over the years. “Don’t be a fool. You are among friends. At least, we could become friends if only you’d allow yourself to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh.” His eyes fell to Madison’s low-cut top. “As I’m sure you’ve enjoyed the pleasures of Madison’s flesh already.” Gray’s blood heated. Before the night ended, he would kill the vampire. He didn’t care if Biggerstaff’s minions took him down as well, as long as the aged vampire disintegrated tonight. Madison laughed gaily and pressed the pad of her thumb against Gray’s palm in a gesture of reassurance. “I can assure you, Marvin. Gray is perfectly harmless. He just doesn’t like change.”

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“Funny. You seem to know so much about him when you’ve just met him,” Biggerstaff contemplated. “Yes. It was my good fortune to meet him when I did.” “Oh? And why is that?” “Would I not have died as you wanted me to?” Biggerstaff sucked his teeth. “You really do have much to learn, Miss Harper. You are an excellent attorney, though a gullible woman. Your secretary sent you to Mr. Devereaux, did she not?” Gray already knew the ending to the tale and while he wanted to interrupt and protect Madison from hearing the rest of the story, he knew she’d want to know. She’d need to know. Somehow, Madison managed another laugh. Gray admired her for that. “I see. I should have known things had fallen into place too easily.” Biggerstaff’s chest puffed up. “Yes, well. I have been a lawyer for many centuries, but a vampire for even longer. When I want something, I get it.” “Could you not have just changed me yourself?” He grimaced as if the thought was distasteful to him. “I prefer not to get involved in the conversions of my staff. Then I have to deal with the whole matter of resentment and anger and nine times out of ten, I end up killing them.” He shook his head sadly. “Unfortunately, that’s what happened to—” he snapped his fingers, “—oh, what was his name? The little guy who interned at our firm a year and a half ago.” “Drake Jiminez. His name was Drake Jiminez,” Madison responded in a quiet voice. Biggerstaff bobbed his head. “Yes, of course. Jiminez. He discovered our secret, too.” He laughed lightly. “The little bastard wanted to become one of us and the minute I took him at his word, he turned into a lunatic, blaming me the way his life had changed. He couldn’t go to the beach with his friends any longer. In fact—” he lifted his

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shoulders in a half shrug, “—he’d turned most of his friends into meals. The guy just couldn’t control his passions. That’s a crying shame. Wouldn’t you say, Mr. Devereaux?” Gray couldn’t wait to kill him. Madison cleared her throat. “I remember Drake.” She directed her words to Gray. “He was always eager to learn and desperately wanted to earn a spot on the staff roster for the upcoming year. He worked with me on a couple of cases. Barely more than a kid himself. He couldn’t know what he really wanted.” Her eyes flashed and Gray sensed she was trying to convey a message. He watched her closely, never daring to take his gaze off her face. “We really should pick up the pace. We wouldn’t want to waste much more of our time when we could be celebrating.” Biggerstaff began to walk faster. “Oh, and Madison, I do have one more surprise for you.” Gray sensed the change in the atmosphere. Evil drenched every inch of the street, but this was something more. Something he wasn’t so sure Madison would be able to handle. Urgently, he whispered, “Don’t let him see your pain, Madison. He thrives on it.” She gave a short nod, and Gray saw it then, the message in her eyes. “Don’t even think about it,” he commanded. She lifted one eyebrow. “Why not? Isn’t it what you’re thinking about?” “You can’t kill him, Madison.” “He deserves to die.” Gray didn’t contradict her. “And I’ll be the one to do it.” He gripped her arm almost ferociously. “If you make a move against him, he’ll kill you.” Biggerstaff paused long enough to look over his shoulder. “Don’t you want to know what my surprise is, Madison?” “Mr. Biggerstaff loves surprises,” came a voice from the rear.

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“Shut up, Clyde,” Biggerstaff commanded. “I’ll leave it up to you, my dear. If you want to know, you have only to ask.” Madison let go of Gray’s hand and embraced her role. “I love surprises, too, Marvin. So go ahead. Tell me what you have up your sleeve.” She winked at him. Biggerstaff coughed and adjusted his tie. “Well, since you asked so nicely.” He swept a look over the small group of vampires before directing his attention back to Madison’s upturned face. He touched the tip of her nose and every nerve in Gray’s body went on high alert. “Your father didn’t die.”

Marvin Biggerstaff’s words swam inside her head long after they’d climbed the steps to his three-story home. The foyer, an elegant blend of polished teakwood and gold fixtures, greeted the visitors with the first picture of wealth. Biggerstaff made a production out of the brief tour, giving them more information than they needed on the history of an ancient vase adorning the mantel over the marble-plated fireplace. He led them up the curving staircase and down the hallway to a spacious bedroom overlooking the Battery. Madison barely acknowledged his running commentary on the rice bed which occupied the center of the room. “Tonight, you will be my guests.” He bowed low and backed toward the door. “Please take a moment to freshen up and then you will both join me in my study for a nightcap.” He licked his lips and took hold of the doorknob. “Don’t take too long. We wouldn’t want to keep our other guests waiting.” The second the door snapped shut, Madison sank into Gray’s arms. “What am I doing? I shouldn’t have brought you into this.” Gray fisted his hands in her hair. “You didn’t have a choice. I would have come any way. I’m glad I did, especially now that I know what your plan is.” “You could get killed.”

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“I’ve lived a long time, my sweet. Death doesn’t scare me.” She buried her face in his neck. “My father is alive.” Gray caressed the back of her neck with gentle fingertips. “Madison.” She moved her head slightly. “I know. Marvin sired him, didn’t he?” “More than likely.” A tear leaked down her cheek and dashed against Gray’s skin. “He’s a vampire. Where has he been?” “Probably in hiding. He might not have wanted to take the risk of converting you.” She shook her head and pushed away from him. “It doesn’t make sense.” She plopped down on the edge of the bed and sank into the downy softness. “I assumed all this time that my father was dead. I had dreams of him dying in my arms.” She wiped a tear away from her cheek. Gray knelt down in front of her, placing his hands on her thighs. “Remember what I told you about illusion. With his abilities, Marvin could easily invade your dreams, force you to create an image of death, something to reassure you. He didn’t want you to start looking for your father until he was ready for you to see him again.” She touched his knuckles with her fingertips. “I couldn’t kill the girl.” Her voice sounded small even to her own ears. He chuckled and rubbed her legs. “You shouldn’t say that like it’s a bad thing. It’s good that you left the woman alive. It means you’re still in control.” “Marvin manipulated both of us.” She shuddered. “And I’m not so sure I am still in control. I have this grandiose thought of killing him, but absolutely no idea how to go about it. I doubt my Swiss Army knife will do the trick.” Gray tucked her hair behind her ears before returning his hands to her denimcovered thighs. He massaged her through the thick material. “That’s not important right now. What is important is getting out of here alive. Marvin’s death can come later. I just want to make sure I get you home safely.”

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She closed her eyes and covered his hands. “And how do we do that? Now that I’ve gotten us into this, what do we do?” “We’ll act like civilized people…in a moment.” Her eyes popped open. “In a moment?” She saw Gray standing over her. “What are you doing?” “You need to relax,” he whispered. He unsnapped the top button on her jeans. “Gray! Marvin is waiting.” The token protest sounded feeble and she didn’t bat his hands away. He tugged the zipper down. “He can wait a little longer. Besides, this won’t take long. Just lay back.” “What are you going to do?” she asked, though she fell back against the mattress as instructed. He might actually be surprised at how long it would take. She could spend the rest of the evening in his arms. “Do you know of a better way to relax?” He didn’t wait for the answer to his question before he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her bikini panties and dragged them down to her knees. For a long moment, he simply stared at her mound. “You are so beautiful.” The words came out on a croak. Madison squirmed against the bed and her ass slid over the silk comforter. She felt the dampness trickle out of her cleft. “Kiss me,” she urged. He touched one finger to her slit. “You mean here?” She closed her eyes and her voice segued into a purr of seduction. “Yes. There.” He pressed a light kiss against her velvety lips. “Like that?” She arched her hips off the bed. “No, with your tongue, dammit.” She enjoyed his torture almost as much as she enjoyed the pleasure he gave her. He stabbed his tongue into her crease like the strike of a snake. Madison dug her heels into the floor and pushed the lower half of her body closer to his face. “Eat me,” she commanded, her voice breaking. 85

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He stroked her leisurely, teasingly. Madison grabbed his hair and pushed his face against her cleft. “Make me come, Gray. Tongue me. I need to feel your tongue inside me.” “Your wish is my command, my lady.” He lowered his face closer to her mound and parted her lips with his thumbs. Madison quivered and waited for the direct pressure on her clit. He circled it, teased its edges before finally succumbing to her demands. He captured the tiny nub in his mouth and suckled, raking the tip of his tongue back and forth over the smooth head. Madison bucked and twisted his hair around her fists. “Oh, God, yes. Like that. Just like that.” Soft suckling sounds filled the air while Madison bucked against the mattress. Gray slid one finger into the milky sheath then joined it with a second one. Gently, he stretched her, opening his fingers in a vee-formation while his tongue drew lazy circles around her clit. He surprised her by grabbing hold of her thighs and tugging her closer to the edge of the bed. Madison made a startled sound, but didn’t complain. His damp fingers caressed her ass, her cleft and then dropped to the small, round opening further below. She moaned and thrashed, opening her legs even wider, if that was possible. His tongue followed the path of his fingers and tickled the sensitive skin just below her pussy before softly rubbing the tight opening. While he kissed her in that most wicked place, his fingers continued to plunge in and out of her cleft, his thumb pressing lightly against her clit, moving in time with the fucking of his fingers. Madison came with a low, guttural moan, her legs jerking and quivering as they pushed the lower half of her body closer to Gray’s face. He continued to lick and suckle her, never breaking concentration until orgasm battered her again. And again. Weak and exhausted, she flopped back against the mattress, her arms spread wide. “Oh my God,” she whispered over and over.

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Gray eased himself down on top of her. Her eyes widened. “And what are you going to do with that?” She gently touched the rigid bulge between his thighs. He closed his eyes. “Just give it a minute. It’ll calm down.” Madison grinned. “I have a better idea.” He opened his eyes and sought hers. “We’re keeping Marvin waiting.” “Fuck him.” “I’d rather fuck you,” he responded with a wicked grin. “That’s just what I had in mind. Although, I did have another suggestion.” She dragged his head down to her lips and whispered her idea in a low, naughty voice. Gray’s cocked jumped against his jeans. “Oh God, Madison. You’re going to kill me.” She shook her head slowly. “Actually, I like you better alive.” She reached for the top button on his jeans. “First, you’d better make sure the door is locked.” Gray leaped from the bed in a flash and secured the button on the doorknob. He strolled back toward the bed. “Now, where were we?” Madison tore her clothes away and lay spread-eagled on the bed, offering herself to him like manna from the gods. She saw his pupils dilate and heard the low, guttural noises he made as his knee depressed the mattress. The crotch of his jeans strained to contain his thick erection and when she reached up to touch him there, Gray jerked. She patted the spot beside her. “Why don’t you lay back and rest for a while?” His eyelids drooped low. “Is that what I’m really going to be doing? Resting?” Tongue-in-cheek, Madison unzipped his jeans. “Orgasms are very relaxing.” He muttered a curse and yanked the denim material down over his hips. His cock sprang up hard and heavy, its head glistening with moisture. Madison captured the thickness with her hands and scooted low on the bed. For a long moment, long enough to create a knot in the pit of his stomach, she simply stared at his cock while making pleasurable noises. 87

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“For the love of God, Madison.” He finally broke the silence with a ragged plea. She peeked up at him and he saw the naughtiness in her gaze. “What did you want me to do, Gray?” She rubbed her cheek alongside the sensitive skin and the muscles in his abdomen jumped. Death by torture. He didn’t doubt Madison could make it happen. Even now, with her hands clenched around his cock and her big, blue eyes staring up at him, she looked the picture of innocence, but he’d tasted her wickedness and his body craved that magic yet again. “Taste me,” he instructed, snatching a handful of her silky, blonde hair. She touched her tongue to the head experimentally before withdrawing it. “You mean like that?” He shifted on the mattress. His balls ached and his chest grew tighter with each agonizing moment that passed. “Madison, if you don’t…” She licked him again and Gray’s control snapped. He reached low and yanked her up by her arms, tossing her onto the mattress with a growl that was part fury and part anticipation. He heard her laugh and she rolled to her stomach, kicking her legs out behind her. He slid off the bed and came to stand between her splayed thighs. “Is that how you want to play it then?” She peered at him over her shoulder. “I wasn’t aware I was playing.” He snagged hold of her calves and gave her a strong tug. She skated closer to him, close enough for her pussy to bump his rigid cock. He gave another curse and leaning forward, crammed his fingers into her cleft. She squirmed and moaned, arching against the digits. He wanted to fuck her, to drive into her until all thought, all reason subsided, but more importantly than that, he wanted to touch her soul, to fuse the connection growing between the two of them. He needed her to remain in his life and after the final showdown with Marvin, he wasn’t so sure Madison would choose to do that.

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He palmed her mound and allowed the heat of his palm to soothe her. He kissed his way from her neck to the slight indentation at the base of her spine. The taste of her skin enchanted him. In all his centuries of life, he couldn’t remember such exquisite flesh. She smelled of wildflowers and spicy, erotic oils made to ensnare a man’s mind. Madison’s feet moved restlessly on the floor and she pushed her hips back against his. “Gray.” The way she said his name, in that husky, broken voice, sent a spark of desire cascading straight to his cock. He wrapped his hand around the base and caressed her ass cheeks with the head. He left a gleaming trail of juices across her scented skin before he gently nudged the firm globes open. Madison moaned and buried her face in the comforter. Gray allowed his fingers the luxury of seeking out her hot sweetness once more and brought the taste of her liquid to his mouth. “I love the way you taste,” he whispered. He suckled her fingers noisily and Madison’s moans grew in intensity. “Do you want me to fuck you now?” he asked in a throaty growl as he leaned over her, his cock bumping against her ass. “Yes,” she whispered. He ran one finger down her crack, easing the tip of just inside her small, tight opening. “Do you want me to fuck you here?” Madison spread her legs wider. “Yes. Yes. Fuck me now, Gray. Now. I want to feel you inside me.” He began to work his fingers inside the unfamiliar hole, first one, then two while Madison thrashed and pleaded. She bucked against the invasion, fucking his fingers with wild abandon. “Yes. God, yes.” She bunched the comforter in her hands and brought the thick material to her lips. She crammed it against her mouth to stifle the rising sounds she made.

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Gray moved the head of his cock to the opening and allowed it to rest there for a long moment while he coated his thick member with her nectar. “Are you ready, baby?” “I’ve been ready,” she whispered. He withdrew his fingers slowly, replacing them with his cock. He eased into her gently, stretching the tight folds of her body with careful movements. Madison stiffened and gave a small cry of pain. Gray grew still at once. “Do you want me to stop?” “No!” She practically screamed the denial. He didn’t want to hurt her, but instinct took over. As he slid further inside the moist cavern, the combined pleasure of untried muscles and softness snapped his control. The creature inside of him took hold of the reins and he began to pump into her, furiously, pounding so fast skin slapped against skin, creating moist noises. The tightness of her channel and the soft moans she made as she pushed back against his cock inflamed him. His fingers dug into her hips and the intensity spiraled out of control. He came loud and long before collapsing against her spine with a muffled curse. Madison squirmed beneath him, but he wouldn’t let her move. “Not yet,” he whispered in her ear. “I want you to come again.” “I don’t think I can.” He chuckled in her ear. “Let me be the judge of that.” He turned her over and the musky scent of her sex called to him. Would he ever get enough of her? Would he ever want to? He picked up her hair and sifted through the silky strands. Madison murmured a protest and buried her face in his neck. She captured his wrist and brought his hand down to the juncture of her thighs. Gray slipped his fingers in between her damp crease. He found her clit easily and Madison’s thighs jumped in response.

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“Easy,” he instructed, his lips pressed to her earlobe. He brushed her hair away from her neck and saw the tight stretch of skin where her pulse should have been. His mouth watered and unable to resist, he dipped his head. His tongue licked her salty essence. His fangs ached. “I want to taste you.” Madison arched her neck and he took the opening as an acceptance to his request. His teeth sank into her vein and she cried out as her blood flowed across his tongue. He began to stroke her clit furiously, driving her over the edge and into an orgasm which bowed her back off the bed and made her scream his name. As Gray withdrew both his hand and his teeth, he found Madison’s eyes locked on his face. He stroked the frown from her face. “What’s wrong?” “I’ve just never…” She broke off. “Never mind. We should get downstairs.” She pulled away from him and began righting her clothes. He caught hold of her arm. “Madison, I asked you a question.” She shook her head almost violently. “I can’t talk to you now.” “Why?” He rubbed her back, intending to soothe her, but she stiffened beneath the caress. He dropped his hand and scooted to a sitting position beside her. “Were you remembering the night I converted you?” She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her bare breasts. “We can’t talk about this now.” She turned her face toward his and kissed his lips. “I guess I’ll always have the memories, won’t I?” He threaded his fingers through her hair. “I’m sorry.” “And that’s what’s bothering me.” He stood up and pulled her to her feet. “I’m not following you.” “I should have regrets. I should still feel bitter about the change my life has taken, but—” she lifted her shoulders in a shrug, “—I can’t.”

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Realization finally sunk in and Gray pulled her into his arms, nestling her against his chest. “You’re now learning how to live life a different way, Madison.” She slid her palm alongside his face and broke free of his arms. “We need to go.” “Madison,” he called her attention back and waited until she turned to look over her shoulder before he continued, “there’s nothing wrong with loving.” He saw a flash of tears in her eyes before she quickly looked away. “Whatever happens tonight, please be careful.” She was worried about him. Gray couldn’t stop smiling in spite of the danger that lay ahead.

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Chapter Eleven “Where in the hell are they?” Marvin stormed. He checked his watch again and glowered up at the top of the stairs. “They’ve been up there over an hour.” His chest began to heave with his anger. He didn’t need to be told Gray was behind the wait. He’d take great pleasure in executing that vampire before dawn. One of the vampires shuffled his feet and bravely made a suggestion. “I could go knock, Sir.” Marvin glared at him, his eyes as cold as the blood in his veins. “And say what? Sorry to interrupt your fucking, but my Master really would like to kill you now? You’re an idiot. Get out of my sight.” He brushed his hand down the front of his immaculate suit, effectively dismissing the lower-class minion. The vampire slunk out of the study, his head low. Marvin swigged down the last taste of B+ blood he had in the house, his favorite, and tossed the glass toward the fireplace. The remaining drops of the blood caused the flames to hiss and spit while the glass shattered against the marble. His own blood heated as his anger climbed. The last thread of his patience snapped and he clenched his hands into fists. He wouldn’t wait much longer before he charged the door himself. He tapped the crystal face of his gold watch. “We’ll give them ten more minutes. That’s all. After all—” he adjusted his tie, “—this will be their final opportunity to—” he managed to summon up a reassuring grin, “—well, you know.” His visitor smiled back at him with knowing eyes, eyes reminiscent of the woman upstairs.

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Gray sat up straighter on the bed, his eyes boring a hole in the door. “Marvin isn’t alone downstairs.” His hands stilled in the process of zipping his jeans. Madison’s hands stilled on his hard thighs. “That’s because there are other vampires with him.” He removed her hands gently and rolled to his feet. “That’s not what I’m talking about. There’s another one. He just came inside.” Madison scrambled to her feet. “Why are you worried about this one? He’s probably just another one of Marvin’s minions.” Gray whirled around and captured her face in his hands. As he stared into those eyes the color of wildflowers in a field, he smiled. “One day, you’ll be able to distinguish between the different types of vampires. You’ll learn their scent and know when you’re facing friend or foe. Marvin is timing us right now because he has someone he wants us to meet, desperately wants us to meet.” He pressed a kiss against her nose. “Let’s humor him.” Madison clutched at his arms. “Do you know who is with Marvin?” Gray had his suspicions, but he wouldn’t speak them aloud, not until he had facts to back them up. “No. I don’t, but Madison.” When he knew he had her full attention, he continued, “You have to remain strong.” Her soft hair brushed over his hands and he forced himself to focus on what was happening below them. She slid her hands down to the wall of his chest. “You do know who it is, don’t you?” He didn’t respond. Madison dropped her hands and began shoving her fingers through her hair, trying to repair the damage from Gray’s hands. “I’ll be fine, but thanks for the heads-up.” His hands captured her shoulders and he pulled her back against his chest. He kissed her neck. He wanted to kiss much more than that. “I’ll be with you all the way.” “Unless they kill you.”

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Gray turned her in his arms. “Don’t. I don’t want you to go down there thinking this is the end. We will survive this.” “How can you be so sure?” He gave her a hard, swift kiss on the lips. “We were brought together for a reason and I don’t believe for one second that it was all Marvin’s doing. He’s powerful, but not that powerful.” He winked at her with much more confidence than what he was feeling. She squeezed his forearm. “Don’t you dare die on me, Gray Devereaux.” He held her tightly, so tight he felt the outline of her nipples against his bare chest. He closed his eyes and reached out for that control he kept deep inside of him, the same control which had enabled him to live over a century without the blood of a human…until Madison. She moved his lips over his pectorals. “You’d better get dressed. We wouldn’t want to keep Marvin’s surprise visitor waiting.” As Gray clothed himself, he kept a watch on Madison. He knew, by the pale color of her skin, the night had taken its toll on her. He wondered how much more she could stand, especially if Marvin had invited the one man Madison thought she’d never see again.

Footsteps on the stairs alerted Marvin to the arrival of his guests. He jumped to his feet and rubbed his hands together in a gesture of supreme satisfaction. “Excellent. Excellent. The moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived.” Marvin’s visitor rose and stretched leisurely. A gray-haired man with a distinguished air, he moved with the grace of a man half his years. He carried a snifter with him and as he reached Marvin’s side, he spared the man a cold glance. “This had better not be a joke, Marvin. I don’t have time for games. I got much bigger fish to fry.”

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Marvin smiled and slapped the man on the shoulder congenially. “I’m sure you do, my friend. But you’re not the only one who doesn’t have time for games. Have you ever known me to joke?” Blue eyes skated over Marvin’s immaculately dressed form. “I have you to thank for my new life, but don’t make the mistake of thinking I am still the helpless human you converted.” He clamped his hand on Marvin’s shoulder and Biggerstaff actually winced at the pressure. “I’ve spent the last few months in the presence of some extremely powerful vampires, vampires who could teach you a thing or two about life. I’m grateful they found me after I left Charleston. I was a complete wreck, scared to be around my daughter and hearing the blood of every human I came in contact with. I was determined I wouldn’t become a monster.” He tapped his finger against his chin. “But these vampires, they were different, not your ordinary run-of-the-mill bloodsuckers.” He laughed at his own attempt at humor. “They’ve taught me more than I ever learned as a mere mortal.” He lifted a snifter of brandy to his nose and sniffed. “Things like class and panache. Those items were sadly lacking from my human knowledge. But I find they are extremely important. Don’t you agree?” Marvin didn’t bat an eyelash. He wouldn’t reveal the nerves tightening his stomach as he sailed toward the door separating the den from the circular staircase. He knew the vampires who’d trained his visitor. Knew them well enough to know he had every reason to be concerned. “You worry far too much. I think I liked you better when you were more innocent.” The man laughed, a deep, guttural sound which made Marvin’s hair stand on end. “Of course, you did. That’s how you managed to change me.” The eyes glittered. “But this time, I’ll be the one making changes.”

Madison froze on the last step of the staircase, her skin growing cold. “That voice,” she whispered. “I know that voice.” She tried to believe she was imagining things, but instincts corrected her. She remembered every nuance of that voice, from the inflections

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to the deep intonations. She knew it well. The only difference was this voice sounded more cultured, the words enunciated better. Gray took hold of her hand. “I’m sorry.” She squeezed her eyes shut. He knew. She wasn’t surprised. Nothing seemed to catch Gray off-guard. “Dear God. That’s my father.” She wouldn’t even pretend to hope he would be the same man who’d disappeared. “Marvin has brought my father here.” The door to the study flew open and banged against the far wall causing the vampire on guard to leap to his feet. Marvin didn’t spare him a second glance before sailing across the foyer floor, his arms outstretched. “Madison, my dear, come and greet my visitor.” Madison didn’t take his hand. The charade had passed. She couldn’t pretend kindness to the one man she loathed more than all others. She fisted her hands at her sides. “You bastard.” Silver eyebrows rose over the cold eyes as Marvin studied her. “Have you forgotten where you are? Inside my home, I make the rules, my dear. Whomever I choose to invite is my decision.” He continued to hold out his hand. “You will greet him as a civilized person.” Gray pushed forward, effectively bumping Marvin out of the way. “Madison and I will walk together and how she chooses to meet your visitor is her business, none of yours.” He inclined his head sharply. “You’d be wise to stay out of it.” Marvin’s teeth came together with an audible snap. “I look forward to the time when you and I will meet together…alone.” “You’ve had centuries to challenge me, Marvin,” Gray reminded him as he led Madison toward the study. “Your attempts to frighten me away are sadly lacking and you’re not the only one looking forward to a one-on-one meeting.” Marvin gurgled a response, but Gray had already brushed past him, his hand cupping Madison’s elbow.

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A shadow darkened the doorway and Madison came to a dead stop. A cold chill raced down her spine and she knew any moment she’d lose consciousness. How could she face the man who’d tucked her in at night knowing he wasn’t the same? There was no doubt in her mind that he’d fully accepted his new lifestyle. He’d taken the blood of a human and now, she must face him and see him for what he now represented. She shook her head and a tear began to trickle down her cheek. “I can’t do this,” she whispered. Gray urged her forward. “You have to, Madison. This is where it will all end.” He stepped closer to her and Madison welcomed the touch of his strength. The warmth of his body bathed her right side and she allowed it to seep into her skin. She turned slightly, her shoulder bumping his. “Thank you.” He kissed the top of her hair. “You’re welcome.” The shadow lengthened into the figure of Isaiah Harper, or at least a version of him. Madison knew by the iciness in the dark blue eyes facing her that her father no longer existed. A vampire had taken his place. The knowledge that her earlier assumption had been correct nearly crippled her. “Madison. You’re looking as beautiful as ever,” Isaiah said calmly. He walked forward and brushed her cheeks with lips as cold as his soul. “Marvin mentioned you would be joining us.” He placed his hands on her shoulder and slid his icy gaze up and down her body. “Still a bit on the thin side.” He tossed a look over his shoulder. “Never could get this girl to eat.” Tension coated the air. Madison’s shoulders stiffened and she deliberately pulled her hands away. “You’re a vampire,” she noted almost dully. He gave a laugh rife with disdain. “That obvious, huh?” He gave her a wink before inspecting his fingernails. “Of course I’m a vampire. Don’t act so surprised. I was under the impression you were here because you’d been converted, too. Was I wrong?” Madison’s vision grayed and she felt sick to her stomach. She couldn’t believe the creature standing in front of her was once her father, the man she knew and loved for 98

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over thirty years. She checked her tears and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, but the pain ran deep and strong. Isaiah peered closely at her, his eyes narrowed. “Please tell me you’re not about to faint. Never could tolerate an unstable woman. Your mother was always like that, fainting at the first sign of trouble.” Madison wanted to strike him. “Don’t you dare talk about my mother.” She wanted to punish him, though knowing his conversion was through no choice of his own. Had he fought? Had he tried to ward off Marvin’s attack or had he succumbed, knowing he couldn’t win this victory? “Hey, she was my wife. I got every right to talk about her if I want to.” She felt Gray’s hand at the small of her back, but she couldn’t acknowledge him. She had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide and “her father” still stared at her in that same condescending manner. “He’s not the same man you knew,” Gray reminded her as if reading her thoughts. She battled back the nausea and tossed her head in the air, fixing her father with identical blue eyes. “You seem to have adapted well to your new life.” Isaiah smiled, revealing a set of snowy white fangs. “There are certain situations you must accept, Sweetness. This is one of them.” The childhood nickname almost made her retch. That the monster inhabiting her father’s body would use it now sickened her. Gray stepped in close behind her, offering his silent support. “There is always another option. Isn’t that what you taught me, Dad?” She spat out the words, horror and anger uniting to form a bitter mix. Isaiah clasped his hands together in front of him and rolled his shoulders as if to alleviate the tension. “Madison, Madison, Madison. Sometimes, fighting the inevitable only brings unneeded pain. Acceptance can be easier.”

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“If you’re a quitter,” she returned, her temper climbing. The only thing she recognized about the shell standing in front of her was his face. He still looked like her father, but this wasn’t her father. His eyes flashed and he took a step forward, but Marvin’s cough stopped him in his tracks. Isaiah shot Marvin an irritated look before his face relaxed. He even summoned up a smile. “Whatever you wish to think about me is, you can, but I haven’t been the one wallowing in misery for the past few months.” He paused for effect. “Have you?” Madison stared at him long and hard while memories leapfrogged over themselves in her mind. The piggyback rides, the bedtime stories and the many games of chess that her father always let her win until she became old enough to realize he was giving in. Tears swam in her eyes and she struggled to regain control which was rapidly slipping out of her grasp. She wanted to run, to hide, but most of all, she wanted to go to sleep and pretend this was all a nightmare. She turned away from Isaiah’s serene expression and collided with Gray’s chest. “I want to leave.” He was the only part of the horror show she didn’t want to lose. Marvin walked across the carpeted floors of the study and closed the door, effectively shutting them in. “Unfortunately, I cannot allow that, Madison. You see, just as I know you didn’t really kill that poor young woman on the beach, a fact which I remedied while you and your lover shared an hour or so of quality time, I also know that you have no intention of coming to me willingly.” He traded glances with Isaiah and Madison caught the depth of evil in her father’s blue orbs. There would be no salvation for Isaiah Harper. “What do you want from me?” she asked in a hushed voice, though she already knew. Marvin had made his intentions clear a long time ago when he’d propositioned her at the firm’s Christmas party. When she’d rebuffed him, he’d warned her she would come to regret her hasty decision. Apparently, her former boss held a grudge. He held his hands aloft, palms face up. “A mistress comes to mind.”

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Gray growled and Madison touched her fingers to his arm, reassuring him she didn’t take offense. She knew whatever was said tonight came from an evil she couldn’t fight with words. Marvin chuckled. “But a wife would serve my purpose even better.” “You could do much worse, Madison,” Isaiah inserted in a fatherly tone of voice. He swept a hand out to encompass the glittering array of rich furnishings. “You would have the world at your fingertips.” Madison ignored him. “Marriage is out of the question, Marvin, because, quite frankly, you repulse me and the last thing I want from you, Isaiah, is advice. You gave up that right when you willingly accepted what Marvin forced upon you.” She waved one hand to clear the air. “But that doesn’t matter because before the night is over, Marvin, you’ll be dead and—” she faced her father then, “—so will you.” Isaiah’s eyebrows lifted. “You would kill your own father?” “You’re not her father,” Gray offered. “We all know that.” A hush fell over the foursome while the grandfather clock ticked ominously in the background. Madison stood close enough to Gray to feel the tension emanating from his muscular form. He wanted to pounce, to strike out, as much as she did. But Gray wouldn’t be the one to silence her father’s coldness forever. Though the thought filled Madison with dread, she knew she’d spoken the truth earlier. Tonight, the battle would end and Isaiah would die. Isaiah’s eyes fixed on Gray’s face and studied him for a long, tense moment. “You must be the one I’ve heard so much about. Marvin doesn’t like you very much.” He continued his perusal in an insulting manner. Gray stuck one hand into the pockets of his jeans. “Yeah, that’s always bothered me.” Isaiah’s lips thinned. “Sarcasm will get you killed. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about.”

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Gray removed his hand slowly, snagging Madison by the arm. “Actually, my sarcasm just might save our lives.” He flicked the lighter in his hand and blew the tiny flame. It exploded into the air, engulfing the room in a gust of rust-colored fire. “Let’s get out of here.” He practically dragged Madison toward the front door, kicking vampires as he went. “You didn’t tell me you had a plan,” she called out over the roar of the flames. She ran along beside him, unsure of whether to be grateful for his intervention or regret the postponement of the inevitable. “That’s because I didn’t. I just remembered I had the lighter in my pocket.” “You smoke?” Madison ran out into the empty street. The night enveloped them and her muscles began to sing with the joy of freedom. Gray’s grip tightened on her arm. “Could we discuss this later? Marvin and his guests are following us.” She came to an abrupt halt, her eyes swinging to the mausoleum Marvin called home. Through the hungry orange flames, she saw two figures moving, racing against the inferno to escape into the night. “We’re going to run from them?” “No. You’re going to run from them. I’m going to stay and end this.” Madison glared at him. “I’m not running away.” The thought was unpalatable. He gripped her arm and gave her a slight shake. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can take on either one of those vampires. You’re not ready.” She shook his hand off. “According to you, I’ll never be ready. And you can’t fight two vampires yourself.” Marvin and Isaiah were closing in. Gray didn’t have time to argue. “Actually, I can, but since you’re not going to listen to me, just do me one favor.” “What’s that?” He kissed her briefly. “Don’t die on me.” Madison gave him a tremulous smile. “Ditto.”

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Isaiah slowed to a walk. The fire had singed his coat and a few hairs off of his face, but otherwise, he appeared none the worse for wear. He glowered at the couple standing in front of him. “Nice trick, Mr. Devereaux.” “I used to work for the circus,” Gray responded with a bite in his voice. “You should have stayed with them,” Marvin inserted as he came to a stop beside Isaiah. He hadn’t faired as well in the blaze. His expensive wool suit adhered to his tall frame and angry skin replaced the left side of his face. His eyebrows had taken the brunt of the brutal fire, detracting even further from his already craggy appearance. Gray shook his head. “Nah. I didn’t like the benefits. By the way, I’d give up smoking if I were you. It doesn’t do a thing for you.” Though Madison heard the teasing words, underneath, she read the tension. Gray waited for either vampire to make the next move. He would wait for them, but with tensed muscles, he was ready. She’d seen him fight Carl and knew he was more than capable of holding his own, but would this time be different? Carl had been a relatively new convert. Marvin wasn’t. She hoped she could distract her father long enough to make the fight a fair one. “We should talk, Dad.” She cringed even as she addressed him. Marvin and Isaiah exchanged glances. Madison didn’t have to be a mind reader to know they didn’t want to kill her, not if they could still use her. She shuddered inwardly and pointed toward a dark alley. “Why don’t we go in there?” She heard Gray’s gnash of teeth. “I don’t think so, Madison. Stay where I can see you.” She began walking anyway, giving her father the opportunity to follow her. She heard Gray’s curse behind her, but she’d have to explain her reasons later, if they both survived what was to come.

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She cast a glance over her shoulder and saw Isaiah strolling after her, his hands in the pockets of his dress slacks. He looked relaxed, casual, and almost the father she remembered. Don’t. Gray’s voice made her stumble and she whipped her head around, surprised to find him still standing face-to-face with Marvin. He’d spoken to her in his mind. And she’d heard him. Madison, focus. You cannot think of him as your father. He isn’t redeemable. Madison concentrated on his words and her own response. I know. Now, you need to pay attention. So do you and don’t think I’m going to let you get away with disobeying me. How he could tease at such a moment was beyond her, but as she stepped inside the alley and felt her father’s presence behind her, she knew the time for introspection had passed. Tonight, she had a job to do and no matter how unpalatable, she would see it through to the end.

Marvin grinned and flexed his hands. “It would appear our alone time has arrived, Mr. Devereaux.” Gray cursed Madison’s choice. He needed full concentration, but how could he concentrate when he knew she was alone with a vampire who clearly did not have a conscience? “You’re worried about Madison. How touching,” Marvin commented in a bored tone. He made a show out of inspecting his nails as if to add credence to his lack of interest. Gray’s head whipped around. “Actually, I was thinking Isaiah doesn’t stand a chance.” He knew how to catch the vampire off-guard. Marvin believed in his ability to

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choose his converts. He only picked strong men with stronger egos. That Isaiah might not be the man Marvin thought he was wouldn’t set well with the aged vampire. Uncertainty flickered in Marvin’s eyes for a brief moment before he quickly schooled his features. “How considerate of you, but I believe Isaiah can hold his own. After all, he has been in training these past few months. Waiting for a moment such as this. Although I never thought his first major battle would be against his own flesh and blood. Pity.” Gray shut out the attempt to destroy his own confidence. “Where are your servants?” “This is one fight Isaiah and I can handle. You do understand that this is nothing personal, right? To me, it is merely a business decision. Having a wife would give me a better standing in the community. People would talk less about my comings and goings. As it is now, I do not attend social functions as the desire to feast is too strong. I believe having Madison as my wife would help me to control some of those desires as she would be fulfilling another empty role in my life.” Gray ignored the jab. Marvin spent his life trying to manipulate people, by words or by deed. Gray wouldn’t succumb to the creature’s taunts, not now, not when Madison’s life was at stake. He wanted to search for her, to touch her mind with his, but he needed to focus. He hoped she would remember to do the same. He changed the subject, hoping to distract Marvin from whatever plan was brewing deep inside the monster’s insidious eyes. “You haven’t mentioned the purpose in turning her father.” Marvin clasped his hands in front of him, but Gray didn’t allow himself to believe for one moment that the vampire was relaxed. “Oh, well, that was simply an accident. I hadn’t intended sparing his life, but then I saw the wisdom behind keeping her father alive. Pure brilliance, if you don’t mind my saying so.” Gray’s eyes narrowed. He knew he couldn’t play to the vampire’s conscience because it was clear Marvin had none. He’d given himself to the darkness claiming his 105

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soul and had never looked back. Gray opted for another track. “I’ll make a deal with you.” Marvin’s face flashed with interest. He was, after all, a businessman. “I’m listening.” “You agree to leave Madison alone from here on and I won’t destroy you and everything you own.” Gray flashed a patently false smile and assumed a relaxed posture. Marvin’s nostrils flared. “How amusing. Unfortunately, I don’t make deals with infants.” He waggled his fingers. “Come. I am eager to sample my first taste of the lovely Madison.”

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Chapter Twelve Madison faced her father, a cold knot in the pit of her stomach. How was it that she still had her feelings, her sense of right and wrong, but clearly, Isaiah Harper did not? “You can’t give into this, Dad.” Isaiah strolled deeper into the alley. “Give into what, Madison? Don’t you see this isn’t a choice? We don’t get to decide.” She went after him. “You haven’t killed anyone, have you?” She had her answer the second she turned around. She saw his eyes and inside the swirling, blue depths, she read the truth. Isaiah had not only taken a life, he’d enjoyed every minute of it. “How you could accept this? How could you take an innocent life when you spent your entire mortal life fighting to protect people?” Isaiah walked toward her, his arms outstretched. “Madison, I thought I taught you the ways of the world better than this. Some things are too strong to fight.” She backed away from him. Her spine connected with the brick wall and still he kept coming. “You never believed that when you were a cop. You said as long as you had breath in your body you would continue to fight.” Isaiah cleared his throat. “Well, you’ve answered your own question. I no longer have breath in my body, my heart.” His hands gripped her arms. “Do you have any idea what power you will have if you simply accept what this new world has to offer? You will be invincible.” “I’d rather be human,” she spat back. He shook her slightly, his eyes flashing. “Take off the rose-colored glasses, Sweetness, and see the world for what it really is. It’s a hard, cold place and only the strong survive. When I was a cop, I didn’t realize that I was one of the weak. Just like

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you are right now. You’re much too weak to make it on your own. That’s why Marvin wants to help you. Come with us. Join with us.” Madison, stay strong! She heard the desperation in Gray’s voice and sought to reassure him. I’ll be okay. Pay attention to Marvin! Don’t leave me. The whisper of Gray’s words washed over her, strengthening her, empowering her. Though no match for her father’s abilities, she knew she would survive. Somehow. Someway. I won’t leave you. She wouldn’t tell him she loved him now. She didn’t want to spoil the words in the dark misery. She knew the exact moment when Gray released her from his thoughts and she could once again concentrate on Isaiah. She tried to break free of her father’s hold, but his nails dug into the flesh of her upper arms. “No! I don’t want this life. I will never accept it. You feast on the blood of innocent humans!” “And how do you think to survive yourself if you don’t? Do you really believe you can eke out an existence by drinking an animal’s blood?” His face began to glow. His nostrils flared and Madison knew the power was surging with him. She saw his fangs lengthen and his lips parted to give her a better view of the sharp points. “If you will not join us, Sweetness, I’m afraid you give me no other choice.” He lifted one hand and stroked the hair away from her face. “I’m sure Marvin will regret that I was forced to do this.” “Dad, don’t do this,” she begged. She read no flicker of remorse before he began to lower his head. “I will make it quick for you. I would never want my daughter to suffer needlessly.” She smelled the stench of his breath, saw the blood-red pupils and knew without doubt then that her father no longer existed. Madison closed her eyes and brought the knife up swiftly, burying it to the hilt in the center of her father’s chest. He groaned loud and long and staggered back, his lips 108

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opening and closing in surprise. He opened his eyes and stared at her and for a brief moment, she saw the man he used to be, the father she would never have again. Then he began to fade, his arms outstretched, with a plea on his lips. She turned away quickly, hiding her face against the wall. She couldn’t watch his final disappearance. The hunt had ended. She’d found her father. And she’d killed him. She’d killed her own father. The knowledge brought her to her knees.

Gray latched onto Marvin’s neck and they performed a grim parody of a dance, moving in tandem across the concrete which would absorb the heat of the sun in a matter of hours. They hadn’t much time to conclude their war. Gray felt Madison’s pain, but he couldn’t reach out for her. Marvin’s fingers clawed at Gray’s arms, but Gray held fast, drawing the vampire lower and lower until the pavement loomed closer. Marvin grunted and tried to sweep Gray off of his back, but Gray knew the vampire’s next move. He maintained his hold, twisting and squeezing without mercy. He knew the exact moment Madison returned, but he didn’t look at her. He remained focused. “Your lover has returned,” Marvin growled. Gray flung him away, needing to protect Madison. Marvin landed on his feet like an agile cat. He spun around and held out both hands. “Let’s not make this any more difficult, Mr. Devereaux. We both know I shall win in the end. You want to give yourself to me. You want me to make things easier for you. You’re tired of fighting.” Gray laughed. “Resorting to mind tricks, Biggerstaff? That’s disappointing. I thought you would have more in your arsenal than that, but then perhaps I was wrong. You are, after all, a millennia. I can imagine, with age, comes a certain amount of weariness even for a vampire.”

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Marvin spat and a long stream of blood sizzled on the sidewalk next to Gray’s feet. “Don’t antagonize me, boy. I’m losing patience.” He reached behind his back. “Gray, he has a stake!” Madison’s shout set Gray’s senses on high alert. Marvin frowned and Gray imagined if the vampire still had eyebrows, they would have been drawn low long about now. “I had such high hopes for you, my love. Incidentally, where’s your father?” Madison replied in an icy tone. “That was not my father and he’s dead.” Marvin shrugged. “Pity. He would have made a good partner now that Chad is looking for other opportunities. I don’t believe I mentioned that, did I?” His voice turned conversational, but Gray didn’t buy it. “Chad has decided he wants to go to Bora Bora or some place like that. Why, I don’t know. It’s not like he can enjoy the sun.” He chuckled at his own joke. Gray took a step toward him, his blood pumping. Marvin Biggerstaff was a master at distraction. He wanted Gray to lose focus, to direct his attention toward Madison, but Gray refused to give in. He wouldn’t walk away from this fight and he damned sure wouldn’t allow Marvin to win, especially not when so much was at stake. Marvin tensed. “Time to resume fighting, I take it?” He dusted his hands together and shot a look at Madison over his shoulder. “It’s been nice talking to you again, Madison. I do hope you’ll be able to forgive me for killing your lover. Some tragedies just can’t be avoided.” Gray leaped into the air, spiraled like an Olympic gymnast and came down behind Marvin. He launched himself feet first and pushed the aged vampire forward. Marvin hit the concrete with a loud grunt, rolled, and was back on his feet within seconds. He took time to dust off his designer suit before fixing Gray with a disapproving look. “I can see you’re bringing out the big guns.” Gray didn’t answer. He just watched the vampire, his mind focused on every move Marvin made. He didn’t know why he expected more, but something told him Marvin hadn’t laid all his cards on the table yet. 110

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Marvin shrugged. “Very well. As you wish.” He spun around and in a matter of seconds, transformed himself. The face of the distinguished gentleman gave way to a hideous persona with a contortion of bulges and wrinkles, dripping fangs and curled talons. The suit had been replaced by a thorny hide of black leather and chrome and his feet were now thick-veined creations with long, pointed nails. “Now, we fight.” The voice, guttural and harsh, scraped the air with evil. Madison gasped in horror. “Oh my God.” Marvin turned ever so slightly. “Actually, it’s Azar, and I am much more than a vampire, my dear, as your boyfriend will soon see. Be prepared for me.” He thumped his chest and twisted back around. “Surrender now, Devereaux, and your demise will be swift.” A long, horned tail flicked against the concrete and he waggled his claws in open invitation. “Gray, what is that thing?” “Azar is the strongest of all vampires, Madison. Stay back. He feeds off other vampires.” Azar began to laugh, a raspy sound much like rusted hinges. “Your boyfriend knows me well, Miss Harper.” Madison flicked her gaze from the creature’s face to Gray’s. “How are you going to fight that?” Gray took a few steps back. “Not sure about that just yet. I’m thinking.” As he watched Azar’s eyes began to glow, his mind drifted back to the ancient tales he’d read when he’d first been sired. He’d scoured the libraries looking for anything and everything he could read about vampires. How they lived. How they could survive without taking innocent lives. His studies had taken him to thick, dusty scrolls bearing the legends of Azar, a truly hideous vampire who’d existed for centuries on end. The onionskin pages provided more information than Gray had ever wanted to read and yet, he’d felt strangely compelled to devour each and every word. 111

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Now, he was glad he had. Realization sank in slowly and he fixed his eyes on Madison’s face. “Stay back, Madison.” “You’ve said that already. What are you going to do?” “Summon Hamlet,” he whispered. Madison’s face scrunched. “Who in the hell is Hamlet?” Azar began to cackle while his tail thumped the earth. “Hamlet. Do you really think that self-righteous pathetic excuse for a vampire hunter is going to help those which he only seeks to destroy? Hamlet hates vampires, Mr. Devereax.” Gray knew that already, but he had to take a chance. Now, if he could just remember the words he’d read so long ago. He closed his eyes. Almost immediately, he felt a strange sense of power surging through him and as his skin began to shift, he sensed a difference, a change inside of him. He rose into the air, his body taking on an unearthly glow. His hair lengthened, his muscles increased and from his eyes shot twin beams of blue light. He tried to shake off the warmth, but the feeling enveloped him, suffusing his insides and creating a golden tint to the taut biceps. Madison clamped one hand over her mouth. “Gray, what’s happening to you?” Azar glided up into the air. “Hamlet. I really didn’t expect you would come. You’re sinking to new levels to take the body of one you despise.” Those twin laser beams focused on Madison’s upturned face. “Leave us now,” came the deep, almost unrecognizable voice. Madison didn’t move. “I’m not going anywhere. In fact, I…” She began to scoot toward the alley. “What’s going on?” She turned her head and saw Gray’s pointed finger shifting her out of the way. Powerless to fight against this strength, she had no choice but to obey. She stopped struggling. The second he’d propelled her safely inside the alley, Hamlet sealed it shut. “Sometimes extreme measures are necessary to defeat evil. I had hoped you had learned your lesson the last time we met, Azar.”

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Azar grinned mockingly. “We met before I had attained my full strength.” “Do you really believe the dark forces have given you all of the power you need to defeat me?” Hamlet whirled around, lighting up the sky with the sparks from his fingertips. “I have existed for centuries, have destroyed more evil in a decade than you will ever destroy good.” Azar smirked. “We have been brought together for a reason. Perhaps the forces believe we should end this once and for all.” Hamlet bowed low at the waist. “Then I shall oblige them with your death.” From the scabbard hooked over his left shoulder, he withdrew a polished, golden sword. Then he shook his head and returned it to its leather holster. “No. I will take great pleasure in ending your life without the use of weapons.” Azar shifted in the sky, his tail flicking almost nervously. “You may find you’re in for quite the surprise. I have learned a few more tricks since last we met.” “I have always enjoyed a surprise or two and I will not need tricks to defeat you.” Azar hissed and began to circle in the air, holding his talons aloft. Muttering ancient words of vile curses, he approached and retreated. Hamlet saw the intention on the creature’s face and waited for the moment when the demon would make his move. It came swiftly. Azar kicked the air and shot forward, arms extended. His fingers clawed at Hamlet’s neck and a thin trickle of blood ran down the golden skin. Azar crowed with delight and backed off. Hamlet didn’t touch the blood. “A scratch will not kill me, Azar. Show me some of the strength you’ve been given, if indeed, you remember how to use it.” Spluttering and furious, Azar advanced, whipping through the night sky like a discharged bullet. Hamlet swept to one side, caught hold of Azar’s spiny tail and spun him around in a whirlwind. Then, he released his prey with a powerful swing of his arm and Azar sailed through the air, disoriented and shaken.

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By the time Azar righted himself, Hamlet had found him again and even the creature had to know there would be no turning back this time. The end of this life span had arrived. Hamlet grasped hold of Azar’s neck and squeezed relentlessly. The creature coughed and gagged, fading in and out until Marvin’s body resurfaced and Azar dissipated. Hamlet brought the limp body to the street below them and extricated the stake from Marvin’s clenched fist. Calmly, he drove the pointed piece of wood directly into the center of Biggerstaff’s heart. A lone howl echoed through the air. Azar had lost another receptacle. As Marvin disintegrated, Hamlet gave way to Gray’s body once more. Exhausted, Gray rested his palms on his thighs while his mind spun out of control. Strength returned in small increments until ten minutes later, he was able to stand straight. Another few minutes and he could walk toward the alley where Madison had been safely tucked away. The wall evaporated with the touch of Gray’s hand and Madison flung herself into his arms. “You’re alive!” she practically screamed the words. He held her tightly, not quite sure what had just taken place. “Who is Hamlet? And Azar? Why didn’t you tell me about either of those guys a long time ago? I mean, I think this classifies as important information and…” She drew back, searching his body with her hands and her eyes. “Are you hurt? You don’t seem to be bleeding.” She wrapped herself around him once more. “Thank God you’re alive. That was amazing. I couldn’t see anything, of course—” she spared him a look of censure before dropping her head back down to his chest, “—but what I could hear was absolutely phenomenal.” Gray rested his chin on top of her head. “You didn’t doubt I’d come back to you, did you?” He squeezed her tightly, worshipping the feel of her soft, womanly curves in his arm. Had the battle really ended or had he just forestalled a greater evil? Gray didn’t 114

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have time to wonder where the thought came from for Madison was already talking again, demanding answers he didn’t have. She pulled back again. “Did you really summon that, that, whatever it was you became?” Gray sighed and Madison brought her hand to the slight trace of blood on his neck. “The creature scratched you,” she accused. Gray touched her cheek. “Yes, he did. It doesn’t hurt.” “So that all powerful vampire. Think he’s been inside Marvin all along?” “That’s not how Azar works. He comes when he recognizes true evil. He’s very selective in the vampires he chooses to absorb.” She shivered. “I don’t think I want to hear anymore.” She stood on tiptoe to look into his eyes. “This is you, isn’t it? There’s not still some trace of that golden god or whatever in the hell he was inside of you, is there?” Gray took hold of both of her hands and linked their fingers. “He is more than a god, Madison. Hamlet has been defying evil for as long as vampires have existed. He’s is extremely powerful and has never been defeated.” He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them. “I’ve never felt that much power in all of my life.” “Why do you think he came to you?” “I don’t know. He’s never come to a vampire before.” Madison held him tighter. “Maybe he knows you’re different.” Then, as if a thought suddenly occurred to her, she raised her eyes to his. “Maybe that’s where you get the ability to heal people.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “Maybe. Let’s talk about this later.” “What do we do now?” “We go home.” “Your home?” “Our home,” he corrected. 115

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She liked the sound of that. As they walked out of the alley, Gray’s arm around her waist, they missed the pair of golden eyes staring down at them from the sky. The vampire had made him proud. Hamlet retreated to his kingdom to await the next insurrection. And it would come again. He hadn’t killed Azar, had merely crippled him for the time being. That’s how he knew the vile vampire would return. Hamlet would be ready for him…especially now that he’d found the proper champion. Gray Devereaux would serve him well.

***** Madison lay with her head on Gray’s shoulder, listening to the sound of the rain beat on the roof of his apartment. They’d spent the rest of their evening talking and now, at just after dawn, their bodies demanded sleep. She didn’t want to relinquish her hold on him. She rubbed his arm and held him even tighter, fearing if she let him go, he’d disappear. “Do you think we’ll have to go after Chad now?” she finally whispered, lifting up to see Gray’s face by the early light. He looked more relaxed than she’d ever seen him and thought exhaustion lingered in the depths of his eyes, he seemed content. Gray gently lowered her head back to his chest. “Maybe, but we can deal with that later. For now, let’s not look for anymore trouble than we’ve already found.” She rubbed her hand over his bare abdomen, feeling the muscles tense beneath her palm. She yawned and pressed a kiss next to his collarbone. “What happens once we wake up?” She liked the feel of the crinkled hair against her palm so she investigated lower. Gray threaded his fingers through her hair. “I’m not following you.” “I mean, I know I’ve been a vampire for a few days, but I still have a lot to learn.”

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He chuckled. “If you think I’m letting you go now, Madison Harper, you couldn’t be more wrong.” “After all this, you still want to be a part of my life?” He tipped her chin up so he could see her face. “I guess the real question is after everything that’s happened, do you still want to be a part of mine?” Madison gave him an impish smile. “Oh, yeah. I’m not about to give up a good thing.” Her hand dipped even further beneath the sheet and curled around his rising cock. “And this is a very good thing.” He closed his eyes. “So you just want me for sex, then?” She shimmied down the bed, her breasts brushing over his hair-roughed legs before she finally settled herself between them. She lightly rubbed one hand up and down the smooth skin covering his cock. “You haven’t answered my question,” he reminded her. She suckled his balls, using her tongue as a weapon, stroking and licking until Gray began to squirm beneath her. “Um, Madison,” he whispered. She licked up his length, bathing the stiffness with her warm wetness. “Aw, hell, forget it,” he muttered. She took him into her mouth and knew the exact moment he’d lost the ability to think, to reason. She lifted her head. “I’m sorry. Did you ask something?” Gray muttered something she was sure she didn’t want to hear and snatched a handful of her hair. “You can talk later. For now, eat.” She gave him a supremely feminine smile and lowered her head. One hand curved around the base of his shaft, the other destroying his equilibrium with feathery light touches against his family jewels. His quiet sounds encouraged her and she swirled her tongue over the head before sipping at his juices.

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Gray’s thighs began to convulse and she palmed his sac as it tightened. “God, that feels nice,” he moaned. She looked up, pretending to pout. “Only nice?” “Scratch that. Phenomenal. Outstanding. Absolutely perfect.” She ran her hands up his thighs. “That’s better.” She took his cock into her mouth, pressing the tip almost to the back of her throat. She licked and swiped until Gray’s hands tangled deeper into her hair and his hips began to buck. She came to her knees and held onto his cock again, twisting and turning while teasing nerve endings already set ablaze by her wicked tongue. She intensified her assault until Gray gave a hoarse cry and his hot seed spurted into the back of her throat. She swallowed the cream and withdrew slowly, licking her way to the head while Gray jerked and groaned. Then propping her head in her hands, she peeked up at him. “What were you saying about my only wanting you for sex again?”

Hours later, once the sun dipped low in the sky, signaling the beginning of a new day for the lovers. Night approached and with it would come a new world, this one, without the evil Madison had so long feared…at least for now. She lay with her head on his chest, her fingers lightly stroking his abdomen. She loved the feel of the crisp hair against her skin and the hardness of his body pressed to hers. She couldn’t think of one place she’d rather be. “Gray?” The sheets rustled as he shifted atop the mattress. “Yeah?” She gathered up her courage, considered the perfect way to say what she wanted to say and in the end, she blurted, “I’ve never been in love before.” He stretched back to see her face. His eyes held hers for a long moment. “Never?” “I mean, not until now.” She cleared her throat softly and looked away, but Gray nudged her. She looked up to find him grinning down at her.

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“What’s so funny? I’ve been busy. It’s not like I didn’t work for a group of vicious vampires. Not to mention, I almost died myself, ended up joining this illustrious group and then…” She broke off abruptly. Now was not the time to remember her father’s fate. She would mourn for him later when she could forgive them both their failure…him for giving in and herself for not helping him in time. “Hey.” Gray captured her attention by tugging on her arm. When she looked up again, she blinked away tears. “Sorry. I drifted there for a moment.” She summoned up a strong smile. “So you were about to tell me why you were grinning at me.” “If you’ve never been in love then there aren’t any angry boyfriends I’m going to have to contend with later down the road.” She shook her head and laid her breast on his arm. “Not that you couldn’t take care of one, but no. I think you’ve seen all the skeletons in my closet.” “That’s a good thing.” He gave her a wolfish look. “But then, so are we.” He kissed the tip of her nose. And for another long moment, silence fell while Gray stroked her back, soothing her, comforting her and reading her thoughts. “You couldn’t have saved him, you know.” She shuddered. “He was my father. I should have tried.” “You would have only risked your own life.” “Some things are worth the risk.” “Are we?” She slipped her head back to his chest. “Are you telling me there are more risks ahead?” He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “There might be. Didn’t someone once say the course of true love never did run smooth?” “I vaguely recall that line, yes, but does it have to apply to us?” She craned her neck to see his face. “I think we’ve endured enough hardship to last us for quite some time.”

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Gray cupped her face and ran his thumbs over her lower lip. “I wish I could promise you the road ahead is clear.” She climbed up his body, shaking her head. “I don’t want promises, Gray.” She glided her hands over his chest, creating circles in the mat of hair. “So what do you want?” “You.” She gave him the answer he sought earlier. His grin broadened. “Done.” He tugged her down for a searing kiss. It all seemed too incredible to Madison. Her life had undergone a drastic change and where she’d never been able to find love as an ordinary human, she’d found it through immortality. She was home.

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