Squatting on his heels, he recalled reading in the local paper that there had been speculation that Jenica Dinescu had eloped with one of the neighbor boys. He remembered Jenica as being a quiet, frightened child, too timid to run away from home. Odd that Elena had never mentioned that her cousin had eloped. Drake grunted thoughtfully. Was the boy also buried here?

Rising, Drake brushed the dirt from his hands as he debated what to do with the body. There werenat a lot of options. He could rebury it here, wrap it in a blanket and take it to Dinescu to gauge his reaction, or drop it off at the local undertaker.

Drake shook his head. As callous as it sounded, it mattered little to him who had killed the girl. Except for Elenaas well-being, he rarely took any interest in what went on in human affairs. At the moment, he had far more important things on his minda"like how he was going to explain to his sire why he had violated one of the Covenas most basic laws.

One thing was for certain, he couldnat leave Jenicaas body lying out in the open while he made up his mind. Using his preternatural strength, he quickly dug a hole six feet deep, wrapped the corpse in a length of burlap he found in the shed, and reburied the body. He would let Elena decide what to do with the grisly find after they returned from the Fortress.

Elena looked up when Drake entered the room. aWas it . . . ?a aI am afraid so.a aWhy would anyone want to hurt Jenica?a Elena dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

He shrugged. aWho can say why people do what they do?a Elena stared at him, ashamed of what she was thinking. He lived in the castle. He was a vampire. Vampires drank human blood. . . .

aYou think I did this?a aI . . .a A guilty flush stained her cheeks.

aI did not kill her.a aIam sorry for thinking that youa"a He brushed her apology aside with a wave of his hand. aConsidering what you know about me, I cannot blame you.a aWe need to find whoever did this! He could live in our town. We have to stop him before he kills someone else.a aWe will. But not now.a aNot now?a She stared at him in disbelief. aIf not now, when?a aI have something I must attend to, something that cannot be postponed any longer.a aI donat believe what Iam hearing! What can be more important than finding out who murdered my cousin?a aExplaining to my sire why I disobeyed the law of the Coven and married a mortal.a

Chapter 12.

aCoven?a Elena stared at Drake. aI donat understand.a aMy sire wants to see me. I cannot refuse.a aWhat does that have to do with your marrying me?a aIt is forbidden for us to marry mortals.a aWhy?a aRelatively speaking, we are small in number. Only the oldest males can father children, and then only for a short time. Thus, my father has arranged a marriage for me.a Elena stared at him in disbelief. aYou married me when you were engaged to someone else?a aYes, in a manner of speaking.a aWho is she?a aI do not know.a He sat beside her, one arm stretched along the back of the sofa. aAll I know is that her name is Katiya and she is fertile.a aHe expects you to marry someone youave never met?a Drake nodded.

aThen why did you agree to marry me?a aBecause you asked me.a Elena shook her head. aWhatas the real reason?a aBecause you are beautiful.a He stroked her cheek. aAnd because I have no wish to wed and bed a woman of my fatheras choosing. I am hoping that the woman he has chosen for me will be offended when she learns I have wed a mortal and that her parents will dissolve the betrothal.a aCanat you just refuse to marry her?a aNo.a His gaze moved over her face. aI have a favor to ask of you.a aWhat kind of favor?a she asked suspiciously.

aI promised you I would not consummate our marriage against your will, but if my father finds out that our marriage is only a charade, he will insist that we end it.a aAnd if I refuse to . . . consummate?a aI will take you back to your uncle before I leave,a he said calmly. It was an empty threat. He would cut off his right arm before he sent her back to Dinescu.

aThatas blackmail!a aIndeed, it is. But we need be intimate only once.a He winked at her. aUnless you wish otherwise.a She glared at him. Did he truly expect her to sleep with him when he was engaged to another woman? She had thought he was being kind when head agreed to marry her. She should have known better. Should have known he had his own selfish reasons. It was her own fault. Secretly, she had hoped he cared for her a little. What a fool she had been.

aIf you will do this for me, I will find out who killed your cousin when we return. And if you no longer wish to be my wife, I will give you this castle and the means to support yourself for the rest of your life.a Elena gazed into his eyes. If she refused, would he take her by force? She bit down on her lower lip. He was a vampire. As attractive as he was, as much as she yearned for his touch, how could she agree to let him make love to her?

He had shared her bed, slept at her side. But now he was asking for more than that. Much more. How could she give herself to a man who didnat love her? A man who wasnat a man at all?

aElena?a aI canat decide now.a She clasped her hands together, then shook her head. aI need time to . . . to think about it,a she said, her voice little more than a whisper.

Rising, he took her hand and kissed her palm. aThen I will leave you to it, my lady wife.a Elena stared after him. If he gave her all of eternity to make up her mind, she doubted it would be time enough.

A thought took Drake out of the castle. Standing on the steps, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, his mind turning, as always, to his bride. He had thought of little but Elena since that first night when he discovered her asleep on the sofa in front of the hearth. Elena. He had agreed to give her time to make her decision when, in truth, he had already made it for her. Even if Rodin decided to destroy him for breaking the law of the Coven, his sire wouldnat take his anger out on a helpless female. At worst, Rodin would wipe any and all memories of vampires, especially Drake, from Elenaas mind and send her back home.

He c.o.c.ked his head to the side as his preternatural hearing picked up the sounds of Elena climbing the stairs, going into her room, pacing the floor. He considered waiting until she was asleep, then hypnotizing her so that she would give him the answer he wanted. He hoped it wouldnat come to that, but if it did, so be it. He would do whatever was necessary.

He left her alone until she was asleep, and then he materialized inside the bedroom. After undressing, he slid under the covers, slipped his arm around her shoulders, and drew her close, reveling in the warmth of her slender body, the silky feel of her hair trailing over his shoulder.

Murmuring, aGood night, wife,a he kissed her cheek, then ran his tongue along the side of her throat, teasing himself with the taste of her skin, the scent of her blood. A small sip satisfied his thirst and he closed his eyes, thinking how pleasant it was to drift into the dark sleep with the taste of Elena on his tongue.

Elena woke with a sigh. Eyes still closed, she stretched her arms out to her sides. And realized, with a start, that she wasnat alone in bed. A glance to the left showed Drake lying on his back beside her. What was he doing here? On those nights when he had shared her bed, he had always been gone in the morning. Maybe he was dead. Really dead. Was that possible?

Sitting up, she poked his shoulder. aDrake?a aYes, wife?a aNothing. What are you doing here?a aIt is my bed.a aI know, but youave never been here in the morning. I a.s.sumed you spent the day in youraa"she took a deep breatha"ain your coffin.a He wrinkled his nose. aI do not like it there. It is very confining.a She stared at him, thinking this was the most bizarre conversation she had ever had. aSo, why are you here today?a aI need your decision.a aYou said I had time to think it over.a aI am afraid time is up.a aSo soon? You just told me about this last night.a aWe are expected at the Fortress tomorrow night.a He looked up at her. She was staring at him, her eyes wide. aSorry, wife, but I will need your decision this evening.a He sat up, the sheet pooling in his lap. aYou have all day to think it over.a Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her lightly. aI hope you make the right decision.a He kissed her again, longer this time, then slid out of bed.

And disappeared.

Elena stared at the place where he had been standing only a moment before. How had he vanished so quickly? And where on earth had he gone?

And what was she going to do?

She had no appet.i.te for breakfast, no interest in reading. And certainly no interest in working in the garden. Just thinking about it made her shudder. Why would anyone murder Jenica? Her cousin had been a sweet-natured young woman, understandably a little timid and withdrawn. There had been times when Elena had wished Jenica would help out with the housework instead of cowering in her room.

Elena fell back on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling. How had she ever gotten into this mess? To consummate or not, that was the question.

She frowned as the cat jumped onto the bed and curled up on Drakeas pillow.

aI really donat have any choice, do I?a Elena muttered. aI can either let Drake claim his husbandly rights, or I can . . .a She really had no other choice.

Smokeas ears twitched, as if he was thinking it over, and then he answered with a loud ameow.a Elena absently stroked the catas head. Bedding Drake probably wouldnat be so bad. He had been kind to her. He was incredibly handsome and yes, s.e.xy. She had reveled in his kisses. She had yearned for more. In fact, he would be very nearly perfecta"if only he wasnat a vampire! How was she supposed to get past that? If he had been human, the decision would have been so much easier.

Eventually, hunger drove her downstairs to the kitchen. She made a ham and cheese sandwich and ate without really tasting it, her thoughts on what would happen when the sun went down and Drake appeared. Her biggest hope was that he would be gentle with her.

Smoke, who had followed her into the kitchen, hopped up on the table and meowed loudly. To Elena, the sound was oddly rea.s.suring.

She sat at the table, deep in thought, long after she finished eating. Now that she had made the decision to do as Drake wanted, she wished to get it over with as soon as possible. She had once heard a lady comedian doing a monologue about s.e.x. One of the things she advised women to do when having s.e.x was close their eyes and think of something else. Yeah, right. How on earth was she supposed to think about anything else at a time like that? Especially when it was her first time?

Elena returned to the main hall, the cat at her heels. When she curled up on one of the sofas, Smoke stretched out beside her, his paw batting her hand until she gave in and stroked his head. It was relaxing, lying there with the cat purring softly at her side.

She woke with a start when the cat hopped off the sofa and left the room.

A glance at the window showed the sun was setting. And then Drake was striding toward her, and the time for decision making was over.

Elena sat up, her gaze moving over him. He wore black jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt open at the collar, the perfect foil for his long black hair and midnight blue eyes.

aGood evening, wife.a She swallowed hard. aDrake.a aI trust you have made your choice?a aDo I really have one?a she asked with some asperity.

He smiled at her, a wicked gleam in his eyes. aOne always has a choice.a aIad like to get this over with as quickly as possible.a aYou say that like you think it will be distasteful.a aMaybe it will,a she replied flippantly. aIave never made love to a vampire.a aOr anyone else,a he reminded her.

She stuck her tongue out at him. aHow do vampires make love?a aThe same as everyone else,a he said with an amused grin. aWhy not wait until the foul deed is over before you judge me? You might find it enjoyable.a aAnd if I donat?a aThen I will never lay a hand on you again.a aWhy should I believe you? You promised you wouldnat demand your husbandly rights, yet you are about to ravish me.a He laughed again. aFair Elena, I am demanding nothing of you. Only asking. Would you like it better if I begged?a And so saying, he dropped to one knee in front of her. aPlease, my lady wife, I need you to do this for me.a With a sigh, Elena rose from the sofa. Taking his hands in hers, she urged him to his feet. Her heart was pounding like a drum at a rock concert when she led the way up the stairs to her bedchamber. Never had the climb seemed longer, or her bed smaller, than it did as she stepped into the room.

Once there, she came to a halt. The next move was his.

aElena.a He gazed deep into her eyes. aTrust me, wife. I will not hurt you.a She nodded. She had to believe him. It was too late to turn back now.

She shivered when he tugged her T-shirt over her head. His fingers were cool against her skin, his tongue warm as he laved the side of her neck. That quickly, she wanted him, wanted to know the secrets only he could reveal, discover the mysteries and differences between a man and a woman.

She trembled as he removed her jeans, her bra and panties, but couldnat deny the feminine thrill of satisfaction she felt when he looked at her.

aYou are truly beautiful.a His words confirmed the admiration she read in his eyes.

She slid under the covers when he began to undress. Her first instinct was to look away, but that seemed foolish. She had seen his naked backside. . . . She swallowed a rush of panic. But not the front.

Her gaze moved over him from head to foot, quickly the first time, and then more slowly. He was beautiful, with eyes the blue of a midnight sky and long black hair that fell past a pair of broad shoulders. His arms and legs were well muscled, his body lean and firm, his stomach hard and flat. And he had an arousal that would have done a stallion proud.

He smiled at her, his expression one of utter male arrogance as he slid under the covers beside her and drew her close, aligning her body with his so that there was nothing between them.

He aroused her slowly, his hands playing lightly over her quivering body, his tongue delving into her mouth, dueling with hers as he tasted her sweetness. He could have compelled her to respond to him. He could have forced her into submission, but it wasnat necessary. She came alive in his arms, eagerly returning his kisses. He had expected her to be shy, hesitant, but she was young and untouched and curious. He had thought to gentle her to his will as one might gentle a filly who had not yet learned the touch of her masteras hand. But, again, it wasnat necessary. She was willing and eager to learn, to touch and to taste, to explore the hard planes and angles of his body.

They came together like two lost souls who had been searching for each other for years, and perhaps they had. His climax came with hers, and it was unlike anything he had ever known. His only regret was that the moment pa.s.sed so quickly.

Elena lay in Drakeas arms, her head pillowed on his shoulder, and wondered why any woman would find making love a ch.o.r.e. She had heard some of her auntas friends complain about the s.e.xual side of marriage, but Elena could scarcely wait to make love to Drake again. She smiled inwardly. Of course, other women didnat have Drake in their beds. If they did, she was certain they wouldnat be complaining. He had been a tender lover, patient, gentle, willing to give her all the time she needed to feel comfortable with him, letting her explore the length and breadth of him to her heartas content. His body was so wonderfully different from her own. She would have been happy to stay in his arms forever.

Gradually, her heartbeat slowed and her skin cooled, but not her desire. She wanted to touch him and be touched in return, to feel his breath on her face, to taste his kisses.

aHusband?a aYes, wife?a She bit down on her lower lip, then huffed a sigh. They were married. It shouldnat be so difficult to ask for what she wanted. What if he rejected her? What if he didnat? aCan we . . . I mean, would it be all right if we . . . ?a aGo on,a he coaxed.

She cleared her throat. aWell, you promised never to lay a hand on me again if I didnat like it.a He nodded.

aWell, what if I liked it?a she asked boldly. aCan we do it again? Unless youad rather not,a she added quickly.

Drake laughed softly as he rose over her, his dark eyes alight with amus.e.m.e.nt. aMy dear wife, I should be more than happy to indulge your every wish.a

Chapter 13.

In the morning, Elena woke with a song in her heart, a smile on her face, and aches in places that had never ached before, but it was a wonderful kind of pain. A wave of tenderness swept through her when she saw Drake sleeping beside her. He was an amazing lover. She hated to think what she would have missed if she had refused to consummate their marriage. How dreadful it would have been, to go through life never knowing how amazing making love could be. Remembering how disappointed some of her girlfriends had been after having made love to their boyfriends, Elena could only surmise that not every man was as skilled at the art of lovemaking as her husband.

Was it because he was a vampire? She frowned. And then she laughed. If being a vampire enhanced a manas lovemaking, every woman in the world would be clamoring for her man to join the ranks of the Undead!

Rolling onto her side, Elena studied her husbandas face. His brows were nicely shaped, his lashes thick and rather long, his cheekbones high and p.r.o.nounced, his lips . . . ah, those lips. A rush of warmth engulfed her when she remembered the intimate places his mouth had been last night.

A giggle rose in her throat. Would he make love to her like that again tonight? How could she wait until then? If she touched his shoulder, would he awaken and take her in his arms?

Why had it been necessary for them to make love? Not that she was sorry, but it would have been easy enough for her to lie to his sire and claim they had consummated their marriage. Who would know otherwise?

A breath whispered past Drakeas lips and then he smiled. aRodin would know,a he murmured.

aI thought you were asleep!a Elena stared at him. aHow did you know what I was thinking?a aYou were thinking so hard, it was impossible not to hear you.a Even though his eyes were still closed, she made a face at him. Was there anything he couldnat do? He came and went like the wind, he could read her mind. And he was the most amazingly attractive and virile man she had ever met.

aThank you, wife.a aOh!a she exclaimed in exasperation. aAm I to have no secrets from you at all?a A wry smile twisted his lips. aProbably not.a She glared at him. There had to be a way to keep him from reading her mind. She tapped her fingertips on the mattress. There had to be a way. . . . Grinning, she began to mentally recite the recipe for chocolate chip cookies. And then, still thinking about flour and sugar and vanilla, she leaned over and kissed him full on the lips.

He opened his eyes with a start, then burst out laughing. aVery clever, wife.a aThank you,a she said smugly, and then shrieked when he rolled her onto her back and straddled her thighs.

aDo you know what I am thinking?a he asked, a mischievous twinkle in his dark eyes.

aI can see what youare thinking,a she retorted with a quick, downward glance. aBut itas daytime,a she added primly.

aWhat has that to do with anything?a he asked.

aWell . . . the sun is up . . . and . . . and itas daylight. . . .a she stammered. aShouldnat we wait until dark?a aDaytime, nighttime, any time you desire, my darling wife.a It had never occurred to her that people engaged in such intimate relations in the broad light of day. Besides . . . aHow can you be awake when the sun is up?a aHow can I think of sleep with you lying there beneath me?a aSo you can be awake during the day?a aFor short periods of time, as long as I stay out of the sun.a She stored that away for future reference.

Leaning down, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, the corners of her mouth. aShould I stop?a Feeling delightfully wicked, Elena clasped her hands behind his neck and drew him closer. aRead my mind,a she murmured, and pressed her lips to his.

It was late afternoon before Elena slipped on her robe and left the room. Drake was sleeping soundly. Had he been an ordinary man, she would have thought him weary after a morning of lovemaking, but he was a vampire, with the stamina of twenty men. It wasnat exhaustion, but the sleep of his kind, that held him in its grasp.

In the kitchen, she heated water, then filled a small wooden tub. After removing her robe, she stepped into the water and scrubbed herself clean. She should be upset, she thought, frightened that the man she had married was a vampire. Instead, she felt like singing. What was wrong with her? Had a night and a morning of exquisite s.e.x deprived her of her sanity? She felt herself smiling again as she thought of the hours she had spent in Drakeas arms, the sweet love words he had whispered in her ear.

Drying off, she slipped into her robe again, then looked around for something to eat. She settled for a bowl of fruit and a cup of tea.

Sitting at the table, waiting for the tea to cool, she found herself thinking of Drake and wondering how soon they could make love again.

Drake woke with the setting of the sun, unable to dispel a sense of doom as he prepared to return to the Fortress. He had avoided thinking about returning home for centuries. He had always been an outcast, never quite fitting in with the others of his kind. And now there was Elena. He never should have married her, never entangled her in his life, but it was too late now. She was a part of him. The best part.

After dressing, Drake left the castle to feed. Knowing he would need all his strength to face his sire, he fed often and deeply. It would have been quicker, easier, to simply drain one human, but to do so meant the mortalas death. Only thoughts of Elena kept him from taking a life now.

When he returned to the castle, he found his bride in the main room, a vision in a knee-length dress of lavender silk that showed off her feminine curves to perfection. The neckline was square, the sleeves short and puffy. Her smile of welcome warmed his heart.

aGood evening, wife,a he murmured, taking her into his arms. aHow lovely you look.a aThank you.a She gazed up at him, a question in her eyes. aYouare late this evening.a Nodding, he stroked her cheek, thinking it was as soft and silky as the dress she wore.

She tilted her head to the side. aDid you go out?a aYes. I needed to feed before we meet my sire.a The mention of Rodin sent a shiver of unease through her. Try as she might, she couldnat convince herself that Drakeas father would be happy to see her, especially when he learned that his son could no longer marry the woman who had been chosen for him.

aYou didnat tell me how Rodin would know if we had made love or not,a she remarked.

aHe would only have to read your mind.a aCan all vampires do that?a He nodded. aWe can read human minds, but not those of our own kind.a aSo, all the vampires I meet will be able to read my mind?a That was a troubling prospect. It would be most embarra.s.sing, having them all know what she was thinking, especially when all she could think about was making love to Drake and how anxious she was to be in his arms, and in his bed, again.

He smiled at her. aSoon,a he promised. aBut now, we must go.a Hoping to put the moment off, she said, aI havenat packed anything.a aNo need.a He gazed into her eyes. aWhatever happens, there is no reason for you to be afraid. My sire will not harm you. It is not Rodinas way to make war on women.a aWar!a she exclaimed. aAre you going there to fight him?a aNo. At least not in the way you mean.a aHow long will it take us to get there?a aNo time at all.a He wrapped his arms around her. aJust hang on to me. You might experience a little dizziness or nausea, but it will soon pa.s.s.a Elena frowned at him, but she didnat have time to ask the questions forming in her mind. There was a strange sensation of moving rapidly through a thick gray haze, an odd buzzing in her ears, followed by a brief queasiness in the pit of her stomach. When the world righted itself again, she was standing in the middle of a large room like none she had ever seen before.

In front of her, two large chairs, ornately carved from black wood, stood side by side on a raised dais. A glance around the room showed a horseshoe-shaped table behind her. A quick count told her there were thirteen chairs at the table. Twelve of them were occupied by mena"all of whom had long black hair, pale skin, dark eyes, and serious expressions. They looked so much alike, she was certain they must all be related.

She noted that the walls appeared to be white marble veined with gold and black; a thick gold carpet covered the floor; an enormous fireplace, also made of marble, took up one whole wall to the left of the dais. Heavy gold chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings, but it was the glow of hundreds of candles that illumined the room.

But it wasnat the dcor of the room that held Elenaas attention. Rather, it was the man and woman who occupied the chairs on the dais. The woman was quite simply the most beautiful creature Elena had ever seen. She wore a long black velvet dress that displayed a modest amount of cleavage. The dark fabric made her pale skin glow like alabaster. Waist-length, pale blond hair fell over her bare shoulders. Her eyes were a dark, vibrant green. She wore no adornments of any kind save for a bloodred rose in her hair.

The man stood. He, too, was dressed all in black. Tall and broad-shouldered, with inky black hair and deep blue eyes, he looked enough like Drake to be his twin. He did not look happy to see the two of them.

aDrake.a His voice was deep, laced with an air of command. He made a sharp gesture with his hand, a silent order to approach.

Drake squeezed Elenaas hand. aStay here. Whatever happens, do not interfere. And do not lie to him,a he murmured, and strode toward the dais, his head held high.

To her surprise, he knelt on one knee in front of the other man. aSire.a So, she thought, this was Drakeas father. Was the woman his mother?

Rodin made a broad gesture with his hand, and all the men seated at the table rose and left the chamber. The sound of the door closing behind them echoed like a death knell in Elenaas ears.

aDrake. It has been a long time,a Rodin remarked, his tone heavy with censure.

aNot long enough.a aYou know why I have called you here.a Drake nodded curtly. aAnd you know I have no wish to take my place on the Council. Or to wed a woman of your choosing.a aUnfortunately, the decisions are not yours to make.a Rodin lifted his gaze to Elena. aWho is this mortal and why have you brought her here, uninvited?a Taking a deep breath, Drake said, aThis is Elena. My wife.a Outrage flashed in Rodinas eyes.