"I thought you would be on your way to New Mexico?" Seraphim asked.

Hannah felt a bit taken aback by his strange expression. "I wouldn't go without seeing you."

"Then when is your flight?"

Hannah forced a smiled. "Dying to get rid of me?"

When he didn't reply, she felt a combination of sadness and embarra.s.sment that quickly turned to irritation. What the h.e.l.l was wrong with him? Why would he bother helping her if he didn't want her? Why had he visited her in the dream?

"Are you always this enthusiastic around a woman you love?" the Baroness asked. By the look in Seraphim's eyes, he was as shocked by her observation as Hannah. "Do you always interfere in people's relationships?" he asked.

The Baroness smiled too sweetly, not at all upset by his comment. "Only when I see something blatantly stupid going on."

"I thought you had an appointment with Jules?"

"Of course." The Baroness slipped past them, then glanced over her shoulder at Hannah. "Did you still want me to ask Jules if he'll give you the test?"

"Yes," Hannah stated, ignoring Seraphim's questioning look. One way or the other, she wanted a shot at becoming a vampire. Their race owed her that much.

"What test?" he demanded, though she saw by his expression he already knew.

"The compatibility test."

"I never said I'd change you."

"No. You didn't."

For the first time he dropped his aloof att.i.tude. His pale eyes held hers, and she felt him dipping into her thoughts.

"I told you not to do that!" she snapped. "You had no complaints the other night."

"How dare you expect to pry into my mind whenever you feel like it? Have a little respect for my privacy, even if I am a lowly mortal!"

"Why didn't you go home with your family?" he made his way toward the elevator.

"Because I thought you'd want to see me, too." Tears threatened, both from sorrow and humiliation. "But I guess I was wrong. Maybe you were just another John after all."

"That's not true." He paused, reaching for her face. She stepped away, glaring. "Hannah, right now is a bad time, that's all. I have business -"

"What business? What exactly do you do, Seraphim? You never told me."

"I can't talk about it."

She stared at him. "That almost makes me afraid to know."

"Perhaps it should."

"I've been honest with you, Seraphim-not that I've had much of a choice. You can read my mind. But the least you can do is give me the same courtesy. Or maybe I'm just being thick headed." She backed away. "You're making it obvious you don't want anything to do with me. It might have been nice if you'd given some kind of clue, though. But I suppose, why should you when you've had a dumb mortal to screw in your dreams. Was it funny? Did you have a nice laugh. It was nice of you to help out me and my family in the meantime. It was a better tip than Sir Edward's other clients gave me, that's for sure."

Seraphim raised his eyes to the ceiling. "How can I expect maturity from a child? Don't tell me you believe all that, Hannah."

"What am I supposed to believe? I've gotten warmer welcomes from snakes!" He reached her in two strides and pulled her into his arms.

"Don't!" she snapped, trying to push away, but he wouldn't allow it. Her only choice was to accept his embrace.

"Hannah, right now I can't have anyone in my life. Don't ask me to explain."

She nodded, her cheek resting against his chest. It would be the last time. She understood that now. Her arms tightened around him. "I won't. Thank you for what you did. Bye."

She stood on tiptoe and brushed his mouth with a chaste kiss before slipping from his arms and heading for the door through which the Baroness had disappeared.

"What are you doing?" he called. "Going for my test." "But I said..."

She paused, staring up at him. "You're not the only vampire in the world. I don't want to be human anymore. If I can have some of what you do, I'm taking it. No more s.h.i.t from men like Sir Edward for me, Seraphim. Next time, I won't need anyone's help." She used her thumb to wipe traces of her lipstick from his mouth before stepping through the door.

Taking a seat in the waiting room, Hannah stared at the door, her heart pounding. Part of her prayed for him to step inside and tell her nothing had changed between them. He didn't.

Hannah picked up a magazine and flipped through without really seeing any of the words or photos. Weeks ago, she wanted nothing more than to see her family safe. If she had that, nothing else mattered. Though she was relieved they were all free, something else did matter. She felt as if part of her life was gone with Seraphim, and she didn't understand. Why did he have sudden change in feelings towards her? Had she been completely stupid not to have noticed? Impossible because there was nothing to notice. He'd been warm and loving to her when they'd last met. What had happened between then and now?

"Hannah?" A small, slender, suit-clad man stepped through the waiting room door, the Baroness behind him.

"Dr. Kane?" Hannah asked, standing and extending her hand.

He shook it gently and motioned for her to follow him to an examination room.

"What happened?" the Baroness asked when Jules left them alone for a moment.

"Seraphim's gone. He won't change me."

"The fool," her friend muttered under her breath.

"No, I think I was the fool. He's hiding something. Maybe. Or saying he can't discuss his job might just be another lie. I don't know."

"It's the truth," the Baroness said.

Hannah glanced at her sharply. "How do you know?"

"I can't go into detail, but he's in a very dangerous line of work and he usually can't talk about it."

"Is it illegal?" Hannah shook her head. "That was stupid. What laws apply to vampires?"

"There are laws. True, usually mortal authorities have little guidance over us, but we have our own laws and those who enforce it. Suffice to say, Seraphim is part of the law."

Hannah's eyes widened. "What is he? Some kid of spy? A vampire spy. Weird." "I can't go into detail." The Baroness smiled.

Jules stepped inside and approached Hannah. "This won't be very painful. I just need to take some blood. You're lucky. Dr. Matthew Winter himself will be reading your tests."

"Dr. Winter?" Hannah glanced at Katrina. "Isn't he the one you said invented the test?"

"That's him." The Baroness leaned a shoulder against the wall, crossed her feet at the ankles, and folded her arms beneath her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "He's a good kid."

"Kid?"

"Hasn't even seen his first century, but what a brilliant mind. I look forward to seeing how he develops over the next few hundred years."

Hannah glanced at her arm as Jules prepared to draw blood. For a moment, her brain felt like it was overloading. A year ago, she never imagined vampires existed, let alone being tested for her ability to become one. One thing she'd learned, moment to moment, day to day, nothing was predictable.

While they awaited the test results, Hannah and the Baroness ate lunch at a nearby restaurant. In spite of the delicious food presented, Hannah didn't feel hungry-not when she thought about Seraphim. The man had completely messed with her mind. He'd said she was irreplaceable to him. She'd been stupid enough to believe him. She, of all people, should have known men would say anything to keep a woman providing b.l.o.w. .j.o.bs and supplying blood.

"Hannah!"

"Sorry, did you say something?" Hannah glanced at the Baroness. "You've been in a stupor since we got here. It's Seraphim, isn't it?" "I can't believe I let him get to me. I should have known better."

"Look, don't jump to conclusions about him."

"He basically told me it's over between us. As if it had ever begun." Hannah shook her head, lowering her gaze to her lap. She knew it had been too perfect with Seraphim. There was no such thing as love at first sight.

The Baroness sighed, rubbing her fingertips to her forehead. "d.a.m.n. I know I shouldn't tell you what I'm about to, but I can't stand a lot of stupidity."

"Tell me what?"

"Seraphim's in love with you. I know it."

"How?"

"While he was away, he wasn't with Vikenti for the reason you think. They had business and -"

"Wait, Vikenti's a spy, too?" Hannah interrupted. It was bad enough the world seemed littered with vampires, but now half of them were spies, doctors, pimps, and G.o.d knew what else!

"As I said, Seraphim's job is dangerous. He was injured." "Injured?" Hannah's brow furrowed. "He looked fine. He -"

"Jules and Matthew took care of him. He needed surgery twice in two days. Immaculates heal really quickly, but believe me when I tell you, he nearly died."

Hannah's stomach twisted, though she tried not to feel for a man who obviously didn't want her. "I'm sorry to hear that. I wouldn't wish anything bad on him. Ever."

"When he woke up, the first word he spoke was your name."

"It was?" Hannah met her eyes, feeling both sick at Seraphim's brush with death and elated that he did care for her after all.

"If that's not some kind of love, I don't know what is."

"It still doesn't mean he wants to be with me. He made that clear enough."

"People don't always say what they mean. Hannah -" The Baroness' was interrupted by her cell phone ringing. She held it to her ear. "h.e.l.lo? Jules!...No kidding? That's great!...Once Hannah and I talk, we'll make an appointment...Good. Thank Matthew for me. Bye now."

"Well?" Hannah's heartbeat quickened as she waited for the Baroness to give her the details about her conversation with Jules.

"We're compatible. I can try changing you." "Excellent. Will you still do it?"

"I said I would." Katrina leaned forward, her fingertips creating a steeple as her eyes fixed on Hannah's. "We'll get you a hotel room. You can relax for a day or so and think long and hard about what you really want to do."

"I already know."

"Just make sure." The Baroness reached across the table and squeezed Hannah's hand. "This is a major change in lifestyle we're talking about."

"I know, and I'm more than ready for it."

Hannah wasn't sure about much anymore, but she knew becoming a vampire was exactly what she wanted.

Chapter Twelve.

Trixie dropped Hannah at her hotel, then drove to her own. On the way she considered the events of the past day. She'd left for the city shortly after Mercedes and Hannah, not wanting to travel with them since she was sure Sir Edward would send someone to spy on her, just as he must have had someone trail Vincent the previous night.

What she hadn't expected was for Rafe to be the one tailing her-and so blatantly.

"Going for a drive?" he'd asked, slipping his arm around her waist as she opened her car door.

She turned, glaring into his eyes. "Get your hand off me, unless you'd like it dangling out of your ear."

Rafe grinned, revealing the tips of his fangs as he slowly dropped his hand to his side. "So you're really a Baroness now?"

"Rafe, as much as I'd love to stay and chat with you," she mocked, "I have to meet my husband."

"Yes. Something about an anniversary? Does he know about you?"

Trixie stepped into her car, shut the door in Rafe's face, and sped away from the mansion, her claws biting into the steering wheel, her teeth grinding. G.o.d, she hated him! She would have tried to kill him right there at the mansion if it wouldn't have called attention to her.

She was halfway out of the desert when she noticed another car following her in the distance. She didn't need to be psychic to know who was driving. Looks like she might have to kill the SOB after all.

Her stomach churned. f.u.c.k! Why did he affect her like that, even after so many years? She pulled the car over so suddenly she nearly skidded off the road. Moments later, Rafe pulled behind her and stepped out.

"Couldn't keep away from me, girl?" he grinned, stepping out of the car to meet her. "What do you want, Rafe?" As if he was going to tell her.

"Just to see how you are." His lie cried out to her. She smelled it on him, and she smelled his contempt mixed with l.u.s.t. So familiar. So horribly familiar. "So how are you really, Caroline?"

"That's not my name anymore."

"It's the name you were born with. No matter how old any of us get, that first name belongs to us in a way no other can. Does your husband know?"

"Know what?"

"That you're not really fit to be a Baroness. Rumor is Vikenti is rich old blood. And you, well..."