"Duncan, I believe you need to get out more." Aaron sat in one of the new kitchen chairs that had been delivered just yesterday morning. "Yes, I do, even if she doesn't think she does. She'll need to eat well. She's much too thin as it is. Have you had any luck getting any help for the house? While I know that you are more than capable of getting everything done, with guests in the house, we don't want to give them the worry of thinking you won't be able to care for them."

"No, sir, I have not. It would seem that the previous master was quite the monster, if you do not mind my saying so. No one will trust that you will not extract a payment of some sort to work here, as he did. And that you will not be as harsh or cruel as he."

Duncan was correct, he knew. It did not make the situation any better. That was why he had gone to see the Carlovettis. The young couple was well respected in both the human and the vampire world. He had gone to seek their help in bringing people around and convincing them to get to knowing him better.

"I feared as much," Aaron said sadly. "Hopefully, I'll be able to convince them that while I expect them to follow the rules set forth, I won't skin anyone alive who doesn't comply. I also plan to pay for the services rendered with a good wage."

Aaron had been doing a little research on the people he now commanded. They really were terrified of the leadership, and with good reason. In the month since he had become master, he'd only met with a handful of them and they had been nearly overwhelmed with terror.

"I had heard that a 'skinning' was his minimum punishment for disobedience and to do so while they lived..." Duncan shivered. "So it's true then, sire? You will have much to overcome, I fear." He said it as if he had fully expected him to accomplish it without any problems.

"I'm afraid so. And that was the minimum punishment. Once the little warrior wakes up, let me know immediately. She and I have a lot to talk about." He started to leave the room when Duncan stopped him by clearing his throat.

"My lord...about the other guests, what should I do with them?" He suddenly looked nervous.

"They'll be here until we get this settled with Miss Temple. I don't want her to wake in a strange house with strange people." He could not resist a little teasing. "Are they proving too much for you, old man?"

Duncan huffed and walked away from him. Aaron laughed out loud. He could not wait for her to wake, he thought as he returned to his study. She was a distraction. A beautiful and stubborn distraction, one he wanted to kiss on the delicious mouth again.

Just before sunset two days later, Sara woke up. Despite the great deal of pain from the bullet wound and soreness in a mult.i.tude of other places, she moved about enough to get herself going.

While sitting on the floor, she felt beyond the room, checking for others in the house, discovering the immensity of the building. She felt the presence of the Carlovettis and the vamp, plus one other person one floor below her-Duncan. She traced the faint signal of the others to the lower regions of the mansion and realized they were both still at rest.

Moving slowly to the bathroom to clean up, she found her clothes, clean and neatly folded on the large sink. Her backpack sat on the counter too, allowing her to brush her teeth first. This took a great deal of energy. As she sat down on the toilet, a knock sounded at the bathroom door.

"Yes?"

Duncan was standing just outside the open door to where she was. She didn't have much energy left so she tilted her head slightly to look at him.

Duncan was not tall, but his slender stature made him appear taller. His skin tone was fair, his hair red and very curly, even as short as it was. Her first thought was Irish. It was his eyes that startled her the most. They were the deepest shade of green that she had ever seen. His smile at her made her realize that he had been talking to her all the while she had been studying him.

"Miss? It is I, Duncan. May I inquire if you need anything? I have been instructed to aide you in any way that you require."

Sara watched as he fussed with the stack of towels in his arms.

"I was about to get into the shower. I'm pretty sure I can do that on my own, thanks. Unless you were told to help me with that too."

Sara had only planned to wash off and then sit down again. She suddenly felt...like something left uncovered in the fridge for too long.

For a full minute, he didn't say a word. His face, however, said it all. Shock, terror, and confusion flitted across his features as his face deepened in color, in embarra.s.sment. She felt horrible about teasing him, and decided to help him out and revise her statement.

"No, Mr. Duncan, I'm going to get into the shower. Alone. I'll be okay by myself. But thanks anyway."

"Very well, miss," he said with obvious relief in his voice. "Just pick up the phone and dial four if you need anything. Oh, and it's just Duncan, not Mr."

"All right, Duncan then. I'll be sure to let you know if I can think of anything. Thank you." He turned and looked at the bed. It was still made. She knew that he was wondering about it, but she didn't have the energy to explain she had not slept in a real bed for so long. The hard floor was much more to her liking anyway.

Forty-five minutes later, Sara walked into the kitchen, startling Duncan. Also, there sat the man who had lied to her-the man from the hangar. He was extremely handsome, this new master, she thought again. Arrogant as well, if the way he was looking at her was any indication of his personality. This morning, he was dressed in much the same manner as he had been during their initial meeting at the hangar-black jeans, dark blue rather than black tee today, and tennis shoes, also black. Why did they always dress like they were going to a funeral? she mused, somewhat surprised that she had even noticed.

"Miss Temple, how are you this fine morning?" The humor he wasn't trying to hide in his voice made him sound almost human.

"Fine enough to wanna smack that smirk right off your face," she told him. "And alive and kicking, no thanks to you either. You lied to me, bloodsucker." She looked around the brightly lit kitchen with its bright new appliances. Sunlight streamed through the open windows, letting sounds of the early birds and smell of fresh cut lawn in. "Shouldn't you be in your coffin somewhere, or something? The sun is shining; I would think you'd be a crispy critter by now. I could help you along if you'd like. We could move outside to where the sun would make a more direct hit."

Sara was being snarky, she knew it. She couldn't seem to help herself. She heard Duncan's sharp intake of breath. To be honest, she had forgotten that he was there. When Aaron threw back his head and roared with laughter, she turned to stare at him. Christ, she thought. His laugh went through her whole body, making her very aware of him as a man.

"Thank you, but no. Here is fine for now. As for the sunlight, I'm actually quite old. Therefore, I can stand the sunlight a little more than a younger vampire. As for you being alive, Miss Temple, I never said I'd take your life, only that I would end the one you were currently living. And I plan on doing just that, just as soon as you are able to get about."

Sara felt his look and it was as if he had caressed her. It both excited and made her angry. Anger she could handle. She wouldn't allow herself to think about the other right now.

"I won't become your blood du jour, bloodsucker," she snarled at him. Yes, she thought, I do much better with anger.

"Miss Temple!" Duncan barked at her. She felt herself flush with embarra.s.sment.

"It's all right, Duncan. She's angry with me, as I am with her. So, we can get this over with now, Little Warrior. If you please, we can finish this in the dining room. Duncan has made you a wonderful breakfast, and you will need your strength back very soon." She backed up as he stood. His size did not frighten her. It was the man; he scared her in ways that she did not understand.

"No." She had to get away from him, away from all of them. Now, she thought, she needed to leave now.

"No? No, what, pray tell?" He took a step toward her. She was sure it was not to intimidate her, but it had. Slightly.

She looked at the door just behind Duncan. I can make it, she thought. "I want to be able to leave, please? I appreciate that you've seen to my wound, since you are the cause of it anyway. I have a job, and my own place to stay, and...I'd like to go. I need to go." She could hear the panic in her voice, and hated it. She moved toward the door. She was not afraid of him, but rather of what he was making her feel.

"I caused your wound? However did you arrive at that conclusion?" He asked her as he wrapped his arms around his impressive chest.

Sara felt rather than saw him move. He had moved himself between her and the door, blocking her way. d.a.m.n it.

"You brought those men into the Carlovettis', didn't you? They were there because they wanted you dead." She was only half paying attention to what she was saying now.

The room had suddenly become an a.s.sault on her senses. His scent, deep earth and warmth, permeated the air. Then the smells coming from the kitchen itself. Bacon, G.o.d, when was the last time she had had bacon, eggs, toast, and sausage? Her stomach rumbled then. Hunger liked she had never had hit her. She lifted her eyes to his, wondering if he heard it too. But the look on his face made her forget all about the rumbling in her belly and centered completely on the man in front of her.

"You know why they were there? How did you get that information? Is this another one of your hidden talents? You seem to be just br.i.m.m.i.n.g with powers no one knew about, Little Warrior." He took another step toward her, and then stopped when she retreated. She felt trapped.

"Of course. I'm surprised a big bad vamp like you didn't catch that. They were there to kill you and then blame it on the Carlovettis-an attempted murder gone wrong. Well, it did go wrong, but not like they'd planned, I guess. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to be able to leave." This time, she tried to brush by him, but his voice stopped her cold.

"But I do mind, Sara Temple. You have a lot to answer for, and I plan on having you as a guest until I'm satisfied. Now, if you wouldn't mind going into the dining room, while you break your fast, I will have a few of those answers now."

Compulsion-she had heard that vamps had this ability; she had used it herself when needed. With her blood loss and hunger, she could not fight him hard enough to break free. Little by little, she felt her resistance drain away until she was being lead to the dining room. This time, he had won, but the next time, and she was suddenly sure that there would be lots more time spent with him, she would be the stronger of the two.

*CHAPTER FOUR*.

Two hours later, Aaron was no closer to getting any answers from her than he had been when she had first come downstairs. She was by and far the most stubborn, frustrating woman he had ever encountered. It wasn't the fact that she didn't answer his questions that frustrated him; it was that she totally and completely ignored him. She shut him out as tightly as if he was not even in the room. Even threats didn't work, which should not have surprised him, seeing as to how she had asked him to end her life just a few days ago. He finally had to retire to the sublevels of his home. It wasn't that he was admitting defeat; rather, he could not take the highest point of the sun. But he warned her that he was not finished yet. And d.a.m.n it all to h.e.l.l, he had never gotten one whiff of her scent again.

At near sunset, Aaron went in search of Sara. He was going to get some answers from her or else...well, he would think about the "or else" later. He looked in the kitchen first, and encountered Duncan, who seemed to be enjoying himself watching a cooking show on the small television on the counter.

"What are you doing?" He heard himself snarl at Duncan and felt horrible about it. Just as Aaron was about to apologize to him, Duncan answered.

"I thought if Miss Sara was going to be staying with us for a while, I'd learn to cook. It seems easy enough. What do you think she would like for dinner tonight? There are so many shows to watch from which I can learn different dishes."

Duncan was excited. Excited about cooking? For a human? Aaron decided that he would enroll him in cooking cla.s.ses at the next opportunity. Then Aaron realized that his manservant had thrown him off track of his goal-finding Sara.

"I could care less. Where is she? I would have thought she'd be up and about by now. Terrorizing the world as we know it." Okay, he thought to himself, now I'm being an a.s.s.

"I believe she is still abed, master. Oh, and Master Colin is here. He is below levels, I believe."

He only called him master when he was trying to make a point. But he was not in the mood to stay and figure out what it could be this time. d.a.m.n it, he was hungry and angry, not a good combination in most vamps. He wanted to find her. He turned on his heel and left the room. He was nearly up the stairs when he heard a small whimper.

Aaron flashed to the bedroom door where she was staying and found the door shut, but not locked. He walked in and found the bed empty, as was the room, but the sheets were covered in blood. Suddenly afraid, he strode to the bathroom door and knocked once. The whimper sounded again.

"Miss Temple-Sara, are you all right? Open the door this instant." He rattled the k.n.o.b and knocked again.

"Go away." Her voice sounded weak. He tired to open a connection to her mentally. Physically, he could smell her blood. He was not sure, however, if it was from the bed or the bathroom. A sudden thought occurred to him. Would she cut her own wrists?

"Are you hurt? Well of course you're hurt, you've been shot. Do you need my a.s.sistance? Let me in to see to you. I'm telling you right now, young lady, you'd better not be bleeding to death in there. I'm going to be very p.i.s.sed at you if you are."

He twisted the k.n.o.b to no avail. He could unlock it on his own, but preferred to wait and see how she would respond and what that reveled of her capabilities, since that would reveal exactly what she was. Her powers were beyond what one would expect from a mere human being. "Open the d.a.m.ned door, Sara."

"What part of 'go away' did you not understand? Don't you people believe in privacy?" Even though she lowered her voice, he could still hear her mumble, "Stupid man. If I bleed to death, why should I care if he's p.i.s.sed off or not?"

"I'm not going anywhere, d.a.m.n it. If you don't tell me what's wrong with you, I'm going to break it down." He did not believe in all his life he had been more frustrated with someone.

Just when he thought she was not going to answer, she said, "Isn't there some rule where you have to be invited in or something? I like that rule. It's a very smart rule when dealing with fruitcakes like you."

"It's my house, so it doesn't apply." He did not know whether to laugh or scream at her. "Are you going to answer me, or do I break the door down? I'll tell you now, Sara, it'll go better for you all around if you open the door. I'm not going to be very happy with you if I have to resort to busting my door down."

"First of all, why should I care if you bust in your own flippin' door? You'd have to pay for it, dumb a.s.s. Secondly, I hurt. Why can't you just leave me alone? I just need to sit here for a little while to rest. d.a.m.n it, you are the most aggravating man I've ever...Go away!"

He smiled. d.a.m.n, but she had a smart mouth. Tasty too, he remembered.

"Hurt how, Sara? Let me in, I need to see you."

He heard a pleading tone in his voice because he realized he really did need to see her. He wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to strangle her or kiss her senseless. Either way, he needed the door open. He was getting the barest whiff of her now, the calla lilies and honey that seemed to be her smell to him. He drew in a deeper breath, opening his mouth so as to get the taste of her on his tongue. And despite his not wanting a mate, all he could think was, mine.

Aaron was nearly at the door-breaking point when he felt a presence behind him. He turned and saw April, and she had Duncan with her. Neither looked very happy.

"My lord, what's the matter?" April asked him. There was a tone there. He could hear it, but could not for the life of him understand it.

"Sara said she hurts. She won't open the door. d.a.m.n stubborn girl. She'd rather stay in there and hurt instead of letting someone help her. Are all women like this?" He turned toward the door again and hit it hard with his fist. "I won't have it, you hear me, Sara? I won't have it!"

"The whole house can hear you, you arrogant a.s.s. I swear to..." She sobbed and he felt it all the way into his soul. "Will you f.u.c.king go away? I just wanna sit here. Why are you doing this to me?"

Maybe, he thought, if I p.i.s.s her off enough, she will come out to me.

"Me? I'm not doing anything. Yet, anyway. But as soon as I can, I'm gonna paddle your a.s.s but good. Now, open this door."

He stepped back slightly and started to press his strength against the frame when April pecked him on the shoulder. He moved over to allow her to try. But paddling Sara's b.u.t.t was sounding better and better all the time.

"Sara, honey, it's April. Will you open the door, please? You've worried us all quite enough."

"What's going on?" Demetrius asked as he, too, made his way in the room.

Just great, he thought, Now all they needed was- "h.e.l.lo, everyone. Are we having a party up here then?" Colin Larimore, Aaron's best friend since the late nineteen hundreds, crowded into the room.

Aaron, still standing close to the door, heard her say, "For the love of St. Peter, is there, oh, I don't know, maybe a gardener or two who isn't in here we can bring in? I'm pretty sure that there are quite a few more people you can cram in this room to witness my ongoing humiliation. Why did I even get out of the stupid plane?"

Aaron laughed. He had not laughed this much in years. "No, everyone is here, love. Now, will you please open the door for us?"

Aaron could hear her moving around. Hopefully, she was coming to the door, because he was not going to be able to stay still for much longer. He stepped back just as he heard the lock disengage.

"I didn't bring my clothes in, so all I have is a towel. I don't want any comments from you," he felt her whisper through his mind.

Every time she did that, he was surprised. The only time two people of his kind could communicate through mental communication was when they had exchanged blood or had s.e.x. They had done neither, yet.

"I'll keep quiet, I promise. Now, open the door and come out here before I come in there and get you."

He hoped that it was a very large towel. He wasn't sure he could handle anything less than a thick comforter. The thought of what she may or may not have under the towel was making him hard. He did not want her to see him like this, especially with a room full of people. No, a small towel, or better yet, no towel, was better left to when they were alone.

When the door pulled open, there she stood. His breath caught and he stilled. The towel was not big enough, he decided as soon as he saw all that creamy skin. She was beautiful, simply... What the f.u.c.k? he thought as he looked at her reflection in the mirror behind her, and stepped closer to her. It was not the sight of her wrapped in one of his towels, G.o.d knew that alone was enough, but she had been beaten, and badly. Her back was covered in bruises from neck to what he could see of her legs. When she turned and looked over her shoulder, their eyes caught in the mirror. He knew in that moment she realized he could see what she had been trying to hide. When she took one, then a second step back, he snapped.

"No. Don't move back. Turn around, Sara. Turn around and let me see." Anger made his voice hard, and he knew he was frightening her, but right now he could not help it.

"It's all right, really. That isn't what hurts. Not now, anyway. I'm fine, Aaron. I'll...I need to get dressed. If you would all just step..." She tried to step back and close the door in his face.

"Turn around, Sara. Now." He took another step toward her and felt his fangs drop in anger. His anger was turning him, his dark side was showing, and his beast was rising.

Aaron needed to make her understand it was not her he was angry at, but at the person who had done this to her. Mine, his mind screamed at him, and he wanted to hurt whoever was responsible.

Aaron growled to Duncan to get them out, all of them out. He too had caught the horrific details in the mirror, Aaron saw. As Duncan turned to usher the group away, he noticed April pale and Demetrius' own anger pulse through the room. It seemed everyone now knew the extent of her injuries.

"I'll not leave just yet, Duncan, old man. Something is going on and I want to hang out for a bit. You understand?" Aaron heard Colin say to Duncan.

"Colin, go with Duncan please. I'll deal with this. I'll explain when I come down shortly." Aaron did not take his eyes off Sara. She had backed all the way into the bathroom. Now she was standing against the far wall.

Aaron knew that Colin would not go far. The two had become fast friends during the seventeenth century when a still human Colin had taken a beating for a young woman who had stolen bread for her small child. It had touched something human in the vampire's soul. Colin near death, Aaron had offered him eternal life in exchange for him helping to serve and protect the then Master of the Realm, a respectable vampire by the name of Vald deMora.s.s.

Aaron was beyond caring what anyone said or did now; all he could think about was this badly beaten person in front of him. And how much he needed to heal her, to touch her, and Christ, he needed to taste her.

"Duncan, I want you to call Thomas Reilly, and have him get over here right now."

"Yes, my lord. I'll call him immediately. Sire? Is there...I mean..." Poor Duncan, he thought. He was as lost as Aaron was.

"No, Duncan, I'll take care of her. Just call Thomas for me please. Tell him to hurry." The door clicking closed resounded through the room.

"No, please, don't do this. I'm used to this. It's fine, really. I'm okay, much better in fact. It's not what you think, honestly. I want to go. You can't make me stay. I need to go. I can't let him find me here. There's too much at stake. Just, I'm begging you to give me my clothes and I'll go away. He'll kill you. Please?"

Aaron watched as tears streamed down her face. His first instinct was to let her go, anything to stop her crying. But he could not.

"I think someone has beaten you, love, that's what I think." He moved closer as he spoke until she cringed against the wall. "Sara, honey, turn around and let me see the extent of your injuries. I won't touch you, but I need to look at them."