I nodded.

"We were too late to save her. We were too late to save anyone."

I didn't have any words for Damian. How could you soothe such a festering wound? I hadn't considered how human events and history had affected paranormal beings. And surely there was a whole parakind history filled with amazing experiences that no human had ever known about.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. "I sympathize, Damian. I'm truly sorry for your loss. But how can I help?"

"The others, they debate about you and your special ability. They think about how to use you to further the Consortium goals.

And I-I think the same thing, Eva. About how to use you to serve my purpose."

I tried not to shiver at his intensity or show evidence of my sudden fear. "What do you want from me?"

"Nefert.i.ti."

"Her dance card is getting full," I said, grimacing. The woman sure knew how to make enemies.

"You said she has been hiding in the form of Lucifer," said Damian.

I hadn't quite figured out how Nefert.i.ti could turn into a cat, but I felt sure she was doing so. "My telepathy only works with animals who can take human form, so it's a logical conclusion."

"You are very smart, so I believe your conclusion." He nodded sharply. "I want her captured, Eva. I want her to pay."

I was still reeling from being called smart by someone who was, for all intents and purposes, a more advanced being. Then the words Damian had spoken filtered through my scattered thoughts. "Wait a minute. You want Nefert.i.ti to pay for what?"

"For murdering my sister. Who do you think led the squad that captured her?" He laughed bitterly. "I'll give you one guess who instigated the hunts and who made a deal with the Reich."

"Ron, the esteemed leader of the Wraiths."

He nodded sharply. Another kind of grief was filtering out from his psychic protections. I couldn't argue that he mourned his sister's death, but there was a deeper reason for his need for vengeance.

"Why not let the Roma track and capture her?"

"Nein und abermals nein!"

Surprised at his vehemence, I took a step back. He made a visible effort to control his temper.

"What's your problem with the Roma?"

"In a way, the lycanthropes and the Roma are cousins, if you will. Our legacy is to protect vampires and theirs is to hunt them."

"You mean Durriken and other Roma can turn into werewolves?"

"Only one night each month-on the full moon."

"And you don't mate with them because..." His face went white, not with fury, but with pain. There was a story, I was sure. I was a hair shy of delving into his thoughts to a.s.suage my curiosity, but I didn't.

"We will not mate with Roma. It is a royal decree."

The words sounded as if they'd been pulled out by force. To change the subject, I said, "Everyone is so focused on Nefert.i.ti that they forget about Johnny. He's an innocent. He shouldn't die or be tormented because of his wife."

"Why do you think she bound herself to him?" asked Damian. "For protection. So that those as tenderhearted as you would decry her punishment."

What kind of woman would seduce and bind another to her to protect herself? She had banked on the idea that if caught, she would not be killed because her life was bound to Johnny's.

"I don't know where she is," I said. "And even if I did, I'm not sure I would tell you."

"You still look at the world through the eyes of a human. That will change over time." His gaze was thoughtful. "I underestimated you, Liebling," he said softly. "I shall not do so again."

Too soon dawn arrived. Tamara was sleeping, so I kissed her forehead and whispered, "Good night."

I followed Dr. Merrick to the bas.e.m.e.nt, where she showed me a room with a simple cot, pillow, and blanket.

"Thanks," I said.

"You'll be safe in here," she rea.s.sured me. "Drake and Darrius are watching Tamara. She'll be okay."

We wished each other good night and she pulled the door shut behind her.

As I sat on the bed, I shuddered, just a little, at the rough feel of cotton. The pillow looked too droopy. I wished mightily for my bed, my sheets, and my pillows.

Feeling lonely, I sat down and indulged in a little moping. My body was already feeling heavy. In a few minutes, I would pa.s.s out on the cot, Egyptian cotton or not.

"A stoirin," said Lorcan as he sparkled into sight. He held three big pillows and the top sheet from my bed.

"Lorcan!" I was still getting used to him popping in and out of places. I got up from the bed and we replaced the bedding.

"Thank you so much."

"You are welcome. I must return to my own sleeping quarters," he said regretfully. He studied me, then asked, "You have something on your mind?"

He was astute. Or he was in my mind again. "Damian told me he wants me to find Nefert.i.ti so he can kill her. Doesn't he care about Johnny?"

Lorcan sat on the cot and patted it. "We all care about Johnny. As a Consortium member, he has our protection."

"Did you find him?"

"Not yet." He took my hand and wound his fingers through mine. "You must not think badly of Damian. He has good reason to punish Nefert.i.ti.""I know. Nefert.i.ti captured his sister. She died at a death camp."

"She also killed his pregnant wife."

"That's horrible!" I wondered why Damian hadn't told me. Obviously, he'd erected the psychic barrier to keep me from that information.

"Maria was six months pregnant with twins. When Nefert.i.ti and her squad raided the village, Maria fought fiercely. Nefert.i.ti herself wielded the blade that robbed Maria of her children, then of her life."

I felt sick. "Damian told me that his species was dying out. He also said that the pure lycanthropes weren't allowed to mate with the Roma."

"Maria was a royal Roma, and Damian was a royal lycan. The marriage was one of love, but also promised a new beginning for lycans. The hope was that they would propagate both species of lycans."

"Then he issued the ban?"

"When he discovered his slain wife, he saw that his unborn children were mutated. Had they gone to term, they would not have survived the birth. So he decreed that no pureblood would mate with Roma."

"I feel scared," I admitted. "If anyone could find Nefert.i.ti, I could. Too many people want to get their hands on her for me to feel safe."

"I will see to your and Tamara's protection." He hugged me. "No one will harm you, Eva. I swear it."

I dreamed of the tower. Like the time before, I escaped the growling dangers tracking me in the dark woods. I pressed the golden rose etched on the black stone to get inside and I followed the blue orbs to the top of the stairs.

I knew what awaited me in the four-poster. All the same, I drew back the shimmery curtains.

"Your fate is sealed," the wolf said, baring his sharp fangs. "You cannot escape me."

He leapt toward me, his maw opened toward my throat.

"Stay!" I screamed.

The wolf was flung to the bed and he cowered there, whining as though I had struck him.

"Remember this," I said. "I choose my own fate."

The wolf disappeared in a puff of black smoke. In his place was a single gold rose.

Chapter 13

When I awoke in the hospital bas.e.m.e.nt, I felt bereft. That d.a.m.ned dream! I didn't feel like that snarling creature belonged in my tower. I was glad to vanquish him. I was still searching for the one beautiful thing that would complete me. I thought of the gold rose. The symbolism couldn't be plainer: Gold rose equaled Lorcan.

I rolled off the cot and stretched. Whew. I couldn't wait to take a shower and change clothes. But first I would visit Tamara.

Then I would call Alison for my pint. Oh, wait. No cell phone. I wondered if Lorcan had found my backpack.

I took the stairs to the third floor. As I eased out of the door, I found Charlie standing in the hallway waiting for me.

"Oh, hey," I said. After our last feeding experience together, I was still feeling awkward. "How are you?"

"I wanted to apologize, Eva. I don't know what happened. I would never hurt you or... Please, I'm really sorry." He gaze flicked to the gold rose pinned on my shirt. "I see you have a better one." Blushing, he handed me a white rose, which I accepted. I pushed away my uneasiness and smiled at him. This was Charlie-he was as harmless as a puppy. I was hungry, he was my donor, so what was the issue? I pointed at an empty room. "Is in there okay?"

The grin split his face. He eagerly entered the room and I followed, shutting the door behind us to ensure privacy.

I felt dizzy with hunger and more than ready to sink my fangs into Charlie's artery.

He waited for me on the hospital bed nearest the window. He'd turned on the light above the raised bed, but the rest of the place remained in the dark. I also noticed he'd opened the window.

Charlie was p.r.o.ne to feeling claustrophobic even in a large s.p.a.ce. I wasn't surprised he wanted to feel the slight breeze.

I sat next to him, laying the rose on the bed.

"I'm really sorry about Tamara. She's a nice kid."

"I appreciate your concern, Charlie."

He leaned over and tapped his exposed neck. "I know you're hungry," he said. "If you need to take a little more than usual, that's okay."

"Thanks." The first few moments with a donor were always awkward for me. They knew the score-they were voluntary vampire food. They received excellent compensation for being our sustenance. All the same, it wasn't a profession for everyone.

At least donors had a choice about whether or not to give blood. Vampires had no choice at all-either we drank blood or we starved to death.

I was starving now, so I wasted no time, holding on to his shoulders and sinking my fangs in. I drank deeply and though I had learned when to stop, I took Charlie up on his offer to enjoy a little more. Finally, I drew away, wiping off the blood spots from his neck. Thanks to the anesthetic injected from vampire fangs and the healing properties of vampire saliva, donors rarely felt pain and nearly always healed instantly.

"Thanks, Charlie." I licked my lips as my fangs receded. "Did you try a new diet? You tasted kinda... tangy."

He slid off the bed, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry, Eva."

"You don't have to apologize for what you eat." I smiled. "I don't apologize for what I eat."

Dizziness a.s.sailed me. I rubbed my temples as the world tilted. What the heck?

"Charlie... what's... happening?"

"It's okay," he rea.s.sured me. "Because you're mine. He told me so. You'll be okay, Eva. Then we can be together."He wasn't making sense. My vision grayed as I watched Charlie fade back into the shadows. I fell sideways onto the bed, unable to feel my arms or legs.

The last thing I remembered was two piercing red eyes staring at me from the open window.

"Eva?"

I heard the voice from very, very far away. I struggled toward the sound of my name. It felt as though metal liquid surrounded me, heavy yet buoyant. Weird. I wanted to swim toward the person calling me, but I couldn't lift my eyelids, much less my arms.

Aren't you tired? You deserve a rest.

I stopped struggling and listened to the new voice.

"Evangeline." Lorcan again. Soft and sweet.

I didn't know which way to turn. I couldn't reach the Irish-tinged voice that said my name so tenderly. Oh, I wanted to go to him desperately. Lorcan.

Tsk. Tsk. So many worries, so many cares.

Where should I go? What should I do?