aOh, no, my lord,a she exclaimed.

aSee that you do not,a he warned with mock fierceness. aI am no puny mortal who grows weary after one encounter. Or two. Or three.a aI remember,a she said, grinning. aShall we try for four?a aAs you wish, my sweet wife. As you wish.a Elena awoke with a smile, and a fervent hope that the night past hadnat been a dream. But no, for Drake was there, asleep beside her. He loved her. He had vowed never to be parted from her again.

Last night had been so wonderful, she wished they could make love again, now. But he was resting and she really needed a shower.

She was about to get out of bed when his fingers curled around her wrist.

aWhere are you going, wife?a aWell, itas morning, and Iam hungrya"a aAs am I.a aI donat think weare hungry for the same things,a Elena remarked dryly.

aNo. Were you not just l.u.s.ting after my body?a aI wouldnat say l.u.s.ting, exactly,a she replied, choking back a laugh.

aWishing for?a aPerhaps. A little.a aIf you want me, woman, you had better take me now, before the sun climbs any higher in the sky.a aTake you?a she asked with a grin.

aEvery way you can,a he said, his grin matching hers as he pulled her under the covers. aAs long as I can reciprocate.a It was midafternoon when Elena slipped out of bed. Humming softly, she grabbed her robe and went downstairs.

To her amazement, most of the furniture that had cluttered the main room was gone. The old sofas and couches and tables had been replaced with the new ones. Only the scarred trestle table remained. Did it have some special significance for Drake, that he had kept it? And where was all the old furniture?

Going down to the kitchen, she could only stare in wonder. The old oven was gone and a shiny new one stood in its place. There was also a small refrigerator. The old sink with the pump had been replaced by a stainless steel basin and a new counter. An apartment-sized washer and dryer just barely fit at the end of the counter.

Elena shook her head. It was amazing. How had Drake accomplished it in such a short time?

The ringing of the bell at the front door drew her back upstairs.

aMorning, miss,a the electrician said cheerfully. aWeall be needing to work inside today.a aOf course.a Elena stepped back to allow the man and his crew into the castle.

aYou might want to consider getting rid of that bell pull and installing a real doorbell,a he said.

She nodded. aThatas a wonderful suggestion. Thank you.a While the men were at work, she went upstairs and discovered where the rest of the furniture had gone. Apparently, while she slept, Drake, Andrei, and Stefan had carried the bedroom furniture upstairs. All the bedrooms had beds now, as well as chairs, nightstands, and throw rugs. And dressers, Elena noted. Dressers with mirrors. She would have to ask Drake about the whole reflectionin-the-mirror thing.

She spent an hour making all the beds, then went downstairs to see how the electrician was doing.

aJust about finished in this room,a he said. aYouall need a cable hookup for the TV, but the stereo and DVD player will work just fine.a aThank you.a aTomorrow, weall begin wiring the kitchen.a Elena nodded. Then, realizing it was late afternoon and she had skipped breakfast and lunch, she went downstairs to the kitchen for something to eat, thinking how wonderful it would be when the electricity was hooked up in all the rooms. She could hardly wait to fill the new refrigerator with meat and cheese and eggs and milk. And ice cream.

She was sitting at the table, finishing a peanut b.u.t.ter and jelly sandwich, when the big gray cat hopped on the chair beside hers.

aSmoke!a she exclaimed. aWhere have you been?a The cat yawned, then curled up on the chair.

aYou are a most peculiar creature,a Elena murmured. aDrake said youare not his, yet when heas not here, neither are you. . . .a She frowned, remembering the night she had asked Drake about the cat, and he had replied that he didnat own one. Yet Drake had returned only last night. And this afternoon the cat was back. Was it possible? No, the very thought was absurd.

Still puzzling over the odd comings and goings of the remarkable cat, Elena went up the stairs to the main hall. After slipping a DVD into the player, she stretched out on one of the new sofas. Moments later, Smoke joined her there. He rubbed up against her arm, licked her cheek, then curled up beside her and closed his eyes. What a life he led, Elena thought. All the creature did was sleep.

It was near sundown when the cat jumped off the sofa and padded out of the room.

Sitting up, Elena rubbed her eyes, and then she smiled. Drake would soon be here. A thrill of excitement bubbled up inside her, and then he was there, striding toward her, tall and dark and handsome. Wordlessly, he pulled her up into his arms, one hand cupping her b.u.t.tocks to draw her tight against him while he kissed her. And kissed her again, until she clung to him, breathless.

aSo, wife of my heart,a he said, adid you miss me while we were apart?a aYou know I did.a aWhat do you think of the new furniture?a he asked, glancing around. aDo you like it? If not, I will send it all back.a aI love it. But why did you decide to furnish all the rooms upstairs when thereas just the two of us?a aAndrei and Katiya will be staying with us for a while.a He stroked her hair, his gaze moving over her face. aDo you mind?a aOf course not. What about Stefan? Will he be staying here, too?a aNo.a He settled on the sofa, drawing her down beside him. aHe has gone back to the Fortress. But I thought he should have a room, should he return.a aHow did you persuade Rodin to let you leave?a aKatiya and I convinced him that we had decided to make the best of things.a aAnd he believed you?a aYes, but only after Katiya conceived.a Elena stared at him, shock rolling through her like an icy wave. aSheas pregnant?a He nodded. aIt was the only way.a She shook her head, unwilling to believe that Drake had slept with the vampire.

aElena. Wife. The child is not mine.a aNo?a aNo. Andrei is the father.a aAndrei? How did that happen?a she asked. But the answer was obvious. aYou had this all planned out, didnat you?a Drake smiled smugly. aKatiya is quite a good actress. We spent the first month of our marriage pretending to dislike each other,a he said with a laugh. aAlthough it didnat take much pretending, at least in the beginning. Gradually, we let people think we were growing fond of each other. Katiya told her mother that she was falling in love with me. Her mother naturally told mine. We were quite convincing.a aAnd when you had convinced everyone, Andrei returned to the Fortress.a aHe had returned every night since the wedding. He slept in my bed. I slept in his. No one knew. I think she must have conceived the first night. A clever plan, do you not agree?a aI guess so, but what will happen if Rodin finds out?a aThat, I cannot predict.a aNothing good, I bet,a Elena muttered.

aOf that you can be sure,a Drake agreed. aBut let us not worry about that now. We are together. Let us make the most of it.a aYour cat came back.a aHave you forgotten what I told you?a he asked with a laugh. aI do not have a cat.a aItas you, isnat it?a she asked, stabbing him in the chest with a forefinger. aYouare the cat.a He grinned at her. aFinally figured that out, did you? It took you long enough.a aHow is that possible?a aThose of us born to Liliana are able to shape-shift. It is a rare ability, but useful, when you have a stranger in the house.a aYou could have told me!a aIt was more fun this way. And it allowed me to watch over you during the day.a She blew out a sigh, wondering if she would ever learn all there was to know about this extraordinary man. But there was no time to ask now, because he was kissing her again, leading her up the stairs, pressing her down on the bed, his body covering hers. And there was no more need for thought.

Later, lying in his arms, Elena ran her fingers down the crooked scar along his neck. aHow did you get that?a aDoes it matter? It is an old wound.a aI thought vampire wounds healed without a scar.a aMost do, but not ones inflicted with silver.a aOh. Iad still like to know how you got it.a He looked past her, as if traveling backward in time. aMany years ago a band of gypsies camped down by the lake. I heard their music one night, and because I was lonely, I went down to watch them dance. Luiza was one of the dancers. She was young, no more than fifteen or sixteen, and very beautiful, with clear olive skin and long red hair. I went back to their camp every night for several weeks, drawn by the music and the dancing. They were a happy people, filled with the kind of joy that was lacking in my own life, in my own kind.

aOne night, Luiza followed me home. She declared she was in love with me. I told her there was no future for us, that her band would be leaving in a few days and that I could not go with them. She begged me to make love to her.a He shook his head. aShe was too young. For all her flirtatious ways, she was innocent in the ways of men and women.a aWhat happened?a Elena asked.

aI sent her away. Late that night, she came to the castle. I was on the ramparts, watching the gypsies pack, when she burst into the room. She told me she did not want to live without me. She pulled a dagger out of her sleeve and dragged the blade over her wrist. I do not think she meant to cut so deeply, but she was young and foolish and the dagger was very sharp. I am afraid the scent of her blood brought out the vampire in me.

aLuiza stared at me, her eyes wide. I imagine my own eyes had gone red by then. She backed away from me. I tried to tell her not to be afraid, that I would not hurt her. I knew I had to get to her soon, to stop the bleeding. When I reached for her, she flailed wildly with the knife. When I reached for her again, she stumbled and fell on the blade. It pierced her heart.a aThatas so sad,a Elena murmured. aBut it wasnat your fault.a He grunted softly. He had carried the guilt for Luizaas death for centuries. It was one of the reasons he had stayed away from people, never letting himself get too close, never letting himself care, until Elena wandered into Wolfram Castle and turned his life and his world upside down.

Chapter 22.

Tavian Dinescu stared up at Wolfram Castle. He had seen the delivery trucks wending their way up the long path to the old place, seen the utility vans of other vendors coming and going. Had Lord Drake sold the place? That seemed the only logical explanation for the sudden flurry of renovations and repairs that had been going on the last few days.

He rubbed a hand over his jaw. Were there also people working in the old garden behind the kitchen?

Perhaps it was time he paid an official visit to the castleas residents. After all, as chief of police, it was his duty to know what was going on in his jurisdiction.

Elena poured herself a cup of coffee, her gaze moving around the kitchen. Funny how a few modern appliances and some new furniture had changed a drafty old castle into a comfortable home. She could hardly wait until the electricians had completed wiring the castle.

Andrei and Katiya had disappeared into one of the bedrooms soon after they arrived, and as far as Elena knew, they hadnat come out since.

As soon as she finished her coffee, she was going to drive into the city for a few things. It would have been much faster and closer to shop in town, but she didnat want to risk running into her uncle.

The thought had no sooner crossed her mind when the new doorbell rang. She was smiling when she opened the door, thinking it was one of the workmen, only to come face-to-face with the devil himself.

A bolt of fear raced through Elena when she saw her uncle standing there. She told herself there was nothing to fear. Drake had warned her uncle to leave her alone, yet here he was, at her door.

aElena!a Dinescu said jovially. aHow well you look, my dear. May I come in?a aNo!a She tried to slam the door, but he blocked it with his foot.

aNow, now,a he said, barely suppressed anger in his voice. aIs that any way to treat the man who took you in and raised you as his own daughter? Who fed you and clothed you and cared for you all those years after your parents died? Surely I deserve a little hospitality in return.a Elbowing past her, Dinescu strode into the room. He glanced around, noting the costly wall-mounted TV, the fancy entertainment center, the expensive new furniture.

aYouave done very well for yourself, havenat you?a he remarked, his eyes narrowing. aHow did you manage to snag such a catch, I wonder? Were you sleeping around behind my back like that s.l.u.tty cousin of yours?a aI . . . no . . . how dare you!a she sputtered. aGet out of here!a aYou were to be mine.a Grabbing Elena by the hair, he forced her head back. aMine!a aI would rather die,a she said, gasping for air. aLet me go!a He laughed, a harsh, ugly sound, and she knew in that moment that he intended to kill her or worse.

Spurred by fear, Elena stomped down on her uncleas instep as hard as she could, then kicked him in the shin. He grunted with pain, loosening his hold on her hair. She twisted her head to the side, jerking her hair free of his grasp, although it felt as though she left a handful behind.

Freed of his hold, she ran for the door, but he was right behind her.

aOh, no, you donat!a he roared.

Her hand was on the latch when he caught her. Face distorted with l.u.s.t and rage, he grabbed her T-shirt and ripped it down the front, exposing her bra and the bare expanse of her belly. aI will have you,a he repeated with a leer. aRight here. Right now. And then Iall take you to visit Jenica.a Elena opened her mouth to scream. She knew the vampires were resting and likely wouldnat hear her, but she prayed one of the workmen would come to her aid. Before she could make a sound, Dinescu slapped one ham-sized hand over her mouth, trapping the cry in her throat.

He had her bent backward over his arm when the cat came barreling down the stairs. Snarling, Smoke launched himself at Dinescu, his claws raking both sides of the manas face, slicing his cheeks open to the bone.

With a shriek of pain, Dinescu released Elena and bolted out the front door.

Elena sank to the floor, her arms wrapped around her waist. She stared at the cat, wishing for sunset. She needed Drake to hold her, needed to tell him what her uncle had said.

Smoke padded quietly toward her, bright yellow eyes staring up at her. aThat was a brave thing you did,a she said, stroking the catas head. aThank you.a At her touch, there was a ripple in the air and Drake knelt beside her, stark naked.

Elena blinked at him, then burst out laughing, but her laughter quickly turned to tears. aDid you hear what he said?a With a nod, Drake gathered her into his arms. A glance closed and locked the door, and then he carried Elena up the stairs, tucked her into bed, and slid under the covers beside her. aAre you all right?a aHe killed her, didnat he?a aThere is little doubt of that now.a aBut can we prove it?a she asked anxiously. aIf he killed Jenica, he has to pay for what heas done.a aHe will,a Drake said, his voice filled with quiet menace. aNever doubt it for a minute.a The town lay dark and quiet under a bright yellow moon when Drake knocked on Tavian Dinescuas front door.

Standing on the porch, Drake watched the lights go on inside the house, heard the manas heavy footsteps as Dinescu shuffled toward the foyer.

Drake caught the faint scent of metal and gun oil, heard the rapid beat of Dinescuas heart just before the door swung open.

Dinescuas bulk filled the doorway. He would have made a comical figure, clad in a white T-shirt and a pair of loose-fitting pajama bottoms, save for the large pistol held in one meaty fist.

aYou!a Dinescu hissed. aWhat the devil do you want?a aDo not ever threaten my wife again,a Drake said.

aYour wife,a Dinescu said, sneering. aYour widow, you mean.a aAre you threatening me now?a aNo threat,a Dinescu said, bringing up the gun. aIall just shoot you where you stand, then drag your body inside and claim self-defense.a aWhat makes you think you will get away with it?a aThereas just you and me. And youall be dead. Besides, whoas going to doubt the word of the chief of police?a Dinescu asked smugly, and pulled the trigger.

Drake absorbed the impact without flinching, then plucked the smoking pistol from the astonished manas hand.

Dinescu stared up at him, a fine sheen of sweat dotting his brow. aWhat are you?a aListen to me,a Drake said, exerting his preternatural power over the manas mind. aYou are going to turn yourself in for murdering your daughter. And you will confess to any other crimes you may have committed. You will write your confession out, in detail, and deliver it in the morning.a Dinescu nodded. aIn detail.a aIf anyone asks why you have decided to come forward, you will tell them you cannot live with your guilt any longer. And if, for some reason, they do not find you guilty, you will come to me, and I will mete out the justice you deserve. Do you understand?a aUnderstand. Yes.a aSee that you do as I have instructed. My justice will not be as swift or as merciful as that of the court.a

Chapter 23.

The confession of the chief of police was the lead story in the local paper and on the nightly news. According to reporters, he had confessed to killing his daughter, Jenica Dinescu, as well as Emil Bramwell, the bankeras son.

The police arrived at Wolfram Castle early that morning with a warrant to search the grounds for the body. Drake had warned Elena to feign ignorance of the location of the corpse, saying it would only complicate matters if she told the police where to look, and might cause problems in the future when the police wondered why she hadnat come forward to report finding the body.

When questioned, she told the officers what she had once thought of as the trutha"her cousin had run away from home with one of the boys from town.

aItas what my uncle told me the morning Jenica went missing,a Elena said. aI had no reason to believe otherwise.a There was no pretense in her tears when they exhumed her cousinas body, placed it in an ugly black bag, and carried it away. They found Emil Bramwell, too, buried in a far corner of the garden, as well as another, unidentified body.

It fell to Elena to arrange for Jenicaas funeral, which was held two days later. Nearly everyone in town attended. They offered Elena their sympathy, murmuring words of kindness, of disbelief, that a man like Tavian Dinescu could have done such a terrible thing.

The following day, Emil Bramwell was laid to rest. Again, the townspeople turned out to pay their respects and offer their condolences to the family.

Elena felt duty-bound to attend Emilas funeral. She stood at the grave site, feeling lost and alone, and wishing that Drake could be at her side. He had been a great comfort in the past few days. She missed him now, missed his arm around her, giving her strength, his calm a.s.surance that everything would be all right.

Standing there, she had an inkling of how he must feel when he was among mortals. He looked human, but he didnat really belong. And it occurred to her that as long as she lived with him, there would always be a gulf between her and her own kind.

She stayed at the funeral only as long as necessary, and then hurried up to the castle on the hill where a big gray cat waited to greet her.

aI am sorry I could not be there for you,a Drake said later that night. They were sitting on one of the new sofas in front of the fire, his arm draped around her shoulders, her head resting against his arm.

aI know. Theyare both at peace now,a Elena said, and hoped it was true. aThey still havenat identified the third body. Itas been there much longer than . . . than the others. I overheard one of the townspeople say he thought the body belonged to a young woman who had stayed at the inn eight or nine years ago. She went missing, though she had left all her belongings behind.a She took a deep breath, wishing this was all behind her, but there was still her uncleas trial to get through. aDo you ever think about death? About dying?a aNot often.a aStefan said your father is over a thousand years old.a Drake nodded.

aI canat imagine living that long. Does he ever get bored, do you think?a aWith twenty wives and dozens of children? I doubt it.a aSo, you have other siblings besides those on the Council?a aYes.a He lifted a strand of her hair and let it slide through his fingers.

aWhy did he choose those twelve?a aThey are his favorites. Many of the others live elsewhere, as do his other wives whenever Liliana stays at the Fortress.a She grinned. aThatas what Stefan said.a aShe is very jealous. I always found that odd, since she claims to have no love for her husband.a aDo you believe that?a aNot entirely. I believe she cares for him as much as she is able. As much as he will allow.a aWeall never have children, will we?a aIt is doubtful. As far as I know, no mortal woman has ever given birth to a child sired by one of us.a His hand stroked her nape. aDoes that bother you?a aA little. Doesnat it bother you?a aNo. You are all I need.a His hand cupped her cheek and then he was pressing his lips to hers, his tongue slowly teasing hers, until her stomach quivered with excitement. His hands caressed her, gently, tenderly, and then with greater and greater urgency, until she lay beneath him, her legs wrapped around his waist. She had no idea where her clothes had gone, didnat care about anything but the urgent need that grew inside her.

He whispered love words to her in a language she didnat understand, but there was no mistaking their meaning, or the desire behind them.

She moaned when his tongue slid along the side of her neck, closed her eyes when she felt his fangs lightly sc.r.a.pe her skin.

aElena?a She heard the question in his voice, the need, and had no thought to refuse him. Murmuring, aYes,a she clung to him, caught up in a sensual whirlwind that carried her away to a place where she had never been, a mystical place where there were no doubts, no fears for the future, only the incredible pleasure of his bite and the magic of two souls blending, bonding, to become one.

Chapter 24.

Katiya lay wrapped in Andreias arms, her head resting on his shoulder. Since their arrival at the castle, they had not left this room except to hunt. She would have been happy to stay there the rest of her life, to spend her days sleeping at Andreias side, and her nights in his arms.

Yet always, in the back of her mind, was the fear that her happiness would be short-lived. With the pa.s.sing of each day, she worried that Rodin and her father would arrive at the castle and drag them all back to the Fortress. If that happened, Andreias life would be forfeited. Perhaps hers and Drakeas, as well.

She trailed her fingertips over Andreias chest, felt his lips move in her hair.

aDo you think they will come after us?a she whispered.

aIs that what you are worrying about?a aI cannot help it. I know we agreed not to let it ruin our time together, but . . .a She blinked back her tears. aI am so afraid of what will happen if they find out we have deceived them.a She could lie to her father. She could lie to Rodin. But Rodin had only to read Elenaas mind to ferret out the truth.

Andrei stroked her hair. He was a realist. Whether he liked it or not he knew that, before long, Drake and Katiya would have to return to the Fortress to continue their charade as a happily married couple. Of course, there was always the possibility that Rodin would send someone to check up on them before that or, worse yet, decide to come for a visit himself. The most they could hope for was another few months together. Katiya would have to return to the Fortress to give birth. As Drakeas wife, it would be expected.

Andrei placed his hand over Katiyaas womb. His child rested there. Whatever happened in the future, nothing could change that. If the truth came to light, retribution would surely follow. Rodin could choose to punish Andrei or destroy him. He might torture Drake for his deception, but Katiya would be exempt from any punishment, at least until their child was grown.

Beside him, Katiya wept. There had to be a way for them to stay together, Andrei thought desperately, a place where no one would find them, where they could raise their child in peace. Where they could live together in love. He shook his head. It was only a pipe dream, he thought ruefully.

aKatiya, beloved,a he murmured, wiping away her tears. aPlease do not cry. Even if the worst happens, I will never regret the time we have spent together.a

Chapter 25.

Tavian Dinescuas trial was the talk of the town. He had been charged with murder, attempted murder, and attempted rape.

People who knew him were shocked to discover he had killed his own daughter, as well as the bankeras oldest son. Of course, there were those who said they had known all along that there was something wrong with Tavian, that they had never believed his story about Jenica running off with Emil.