He was patient. He knew how to build the fires, and he was good at it, too. Wow. I'd never felt this way about a man. I had never really felt the tender temptation of l.u.s.t, of such terrible need. But what unfolded inside me, other than l.u.s.t, was the absolute knowledge that Ralph was the one. I didn't care if we could never consummate our relationship, or that he was an immortal vampire. I would give myself to him, heart and soul.

I doubted much in my life. I questioned everything because I had been taught to do so. The establishment said that love built slowly.

That people had to court each other, and withstand rituals and relationship milestones to earn the right to love. They had to marry, have kids, contribute to society.

G.o.d, what a terrifyingly boring way to fall in love.

I was already on the precipice, and I didn't fall off the cliff.

I jumped.

Ralph cupped my s.e.x and caressed the outer lips. He pierced me with one finger, and I sucked in a breath. "Oh."

He kissed me lazily as he moved a second finger inside. Then he stroked in and out in a rhythm that made me ever so happy.

Ralph covered me, sliding his c.o.c.k against my c.l.i.t. I was so wet for him, so ready for him to take me. I moaned, my hips matching his rhythm.

My restless hands fluttered to his shoulders, my nails digging into his skin as he rubbed his shaft faster and faster against me.

My legs trembled and my heart thudded as he brought me closer and closer to ecstasy. I wrapped my legs around his b.u.t.tocks and clawed at his flesh, my moans and movements just as frantic as his.

Our eyes met, and that was it, I flew over the edge into bliss.

Seconds later, I heard Ralph's groan. His c.o.c.k trembled against me as he came, his hot seed spilling onto my stomach.

He lay on top of me and looked into my eyes, smiling. "You have my heart," he whispered.

"And you have mine."

Dragonfire exploded around us. I heard its song, which trilled about love and connection. About two souls joined as one.

"Um, Libby?"

"Yes, Ralph?" I reveled in our flames of l-o-v-e. We were meant for each other. We were literally hot for one another. We were burning for- "Sweetheart," said Ralph, his voice snapping me out my lovey-dovey thoughts. "The bed's on fire."

Chapter 17

I yelped, and Ralph fell off me, his hand pressing against his right pectoral.

Above my right breast, it felt as though a poker had been jabbed into my skin. It was so hot and painful that it brought tears to my eyes.

The fire itself didn't harm us. The bed covers and furniture weren't so lucky. Holy s.h.i.t! I sat up and patted the covers, which only made it worse. My dragonfire kept adding fuel to the flames.

Ralph leapt from the bed and ran out of the bedroom, only to return with a fire extinguisher.

He aimed and white foam exploded.

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it!" I shouted. "I'm so sick of this stuff."

"Sorry, honey," said Ralph. He put down the extinguisher. He was trying really hard not to laugh. "It's not funny." I wiped off my chest. I blinked down at the spot above my right breast. "What's that?"

"I have one, too."

On both of our chests was the same mark: A circle about the size of a quarter with two slanted black lines through its middle.

Ralph looked at me. "What just happened?"

"I . . . I don't know." I looked at my mark, then at his. I was flabbergasted. "Is it a vampire thing?"

"No. When we claim others, we leave our marks on them, but they can only be seen by other vampires. This is like a tattoo."

"Do you think it's dragon-related?"

"Probably," he said. "I wonder what it means."

"I don't want to know."

Ralph walked to the bed and sat down, right in the white fluff. I loved him for that. He wound his fingers through mine. "Hey, now.

Don't look like that. We'll figure it all out."

"Really?"

"Of course." He sat up and drew me with him. "Let's get cleaned up."

We took a shower together. Ralph washed my hair, and I washed his. Then we kissed a lot and, after a while, the water turned cold. But steam still rose from our dragon-heated bodies.

"d.a.m.n. No towels," said Ralph. "I'll go get a couple from the dryer."

"What about clothes?" I asked. "I think mine went up in the bed fire."

"I'll rustle you up something."

He turned around and opened the door. His a.s.s looked so cute, I reached out and pinched one taut cheek. He laughed as he stepped into the hallway. I was behind him, my hands reaching toward his b.u.t.tocks for one more squeeze.

He stopped suddenly and I rammed into him.

"Hey!" I wrapped my arms around his waist and let my hands wander south.

"Libby," he said. There was warning in his tone, but I didn't understand why.

"My G.o.d, Randolph, who is this person?"

The cultured voice was female, her tone designed to freeze the unworthy. I let go of Ralph and backed away. Oh, my G.o.d! Who was that?

"If you don't mind, Maura, I'd like to get dressed."

"We'll meet you in the living room," she said stiffly.

Ralph turned around. "I'll bring you something to wear."

"Okay." I looked at his closed expression. "Who was that?"

"My mother-in-law."

Ralph's mother-in-law sat on the couch, waiting for us like a princ.i.p.al getting ready to dress down the naughty students.

Dressed in a pair of Ralph's sweats and an old T-shirt, I settled into a recliner near the TV. Ralph chose to stand, arms crossed, his gaze narrowed.

The woman's silver hair was coiffed in an updo, her brown eyes as hard and flat as pebbles. She was dressed in a Donna Karan pantsuit and she practically dripped with diamonds. Her mink coat was folded on the arm of the couch.

"This is Maura Brighton," said Ralph. "Therese's mother. Where's Harold? Where are the boys? Are they okay?"

"Everyone's perfectly fine."

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you, Randolph. What are you doing here?"

"I've only been back a day," Ralph lied smoothly. "And it was unexpected. I planned to call you tomorrow."

"Is she your housekeeper?" the woman asked, her gaze bouncing around the room, as if to say, She doesn't do a good job, does she, darling? Yeah, right. She knew I wasn't a housekeeper, especially since I was just naked in the bathroom with him. If she meant to insult me, she didn't come close. I'd been called a lot worse names by a lot better people. After all, I was the daughter of the nation's best-known kooks.

"Her name is Libby Monroe. She's very special to me."

Maura's china-doll features mottled. "You're dating ? My daughter is barely in the grave, and you're already trying to replace her?"

"Therese died two years ago," said Ralph patiently. I'd bet everything in my bank account Ralph hadn't dated, much less been in a serious relationship, since his wife pa.s.sed.

She sniffed as her gaze once again found her surroundings lacking. She looked at me and smiled coldly. "You're not nearly as pretty as she was."

"Probably not," I said easily. "I bet she was beautiful. And I think she was very special."

Maura looked thunderstruck. It was obvious that relations between Ralph and his in-laws were strained enough without adding me into the mix. I'm sure she didn't expect kindness from someone she viewed as her daughter's replacement.

"You didn't answer my question about the boys," said Ralph. "Where are they?" Maura's expression soured. "They're in the car with Harold."

Ralph left the room. When he returned, two blond-haired tykes were squealing in his buff arms. Ralph the Daddy was the s.e.xiest thing I'd ever seen.

He kissed them, tickled them, and hugged them. I'd never seen a man more happy. Ralph needed to be with his sons. They were a family. I couldn't deny I yearned to be part of it.

Another man entered the living room, looking as dour as Maura. He joined his wife on the couch. He was dressed in Armani, folding his coat into a square on his lap. His eyes were also brown, and less warm than his wife's.

"Teddy missed you guys," said Ralph. "You wanna go say hi?"

"Teddy!" shouted the munchkins.

Ralph made airplane noises and tucked one boy under each arm. He flew them into their room. I studied the carpet while Ralph got his sons settled. I bet he wasn't going to let them go. Not ever again.

Minutes later, Ralph returned, and he looked really p.i.s.sed. I didn't blame him.

"You showed up in the middle of the night and snuck into my home. Why?"

"We were hardly sneaking. We have a key. Honestly, Randolph. Why didn't you tell us you'd returned from Saudi Arabia?"

accused Maura, who apparently was the mouthpiece for her and her husband. Her frosty gaze slid over me. Whatever, lady.

Ralph's eyes went red; he stared at Maura and Harold. In his come-hither voice, he said, "Why did you come here?"

"To pack the boys' things," said Maura woodenly.

"And to find evidence of your bad parenting," added Harold, his eyes as dazed as his wife's.

I got a perverse satisfaction out of seeing Ralph go vampire on them.

"Why?" asked Ralph.

Maura tilted her head, her empty gaze swinging to Ralph. "We're challenging you for custody of the twins."

Ralph stilled; a muscle in his jaw worked. I felt outraged on his behalf. I had no doubts that Ralph was a good father. He'd put his sons first, even if it meant sending them away.

"Your in-laws are horrid," I whispered.

"As miserable as they are, they're still my sons' grandparents. But yeah, I'm tempted to throw a fireball at them right now."

"Just one?" Yeah, yeah, bad karma. Well, I'd done plenty tonight to earn my bad karma. What was one thing more?

Amus.e.m.e.nt glimmered in his eyes. "I like your style, Libby."

He focused on them both and said, "You will both get into your car and return to your hotel in Tulsa. You'll sleep restfully, and when you awake you will only remember you took the boys home. You were happy to see them reunited with their father. Do you understand?"

"Yes," they both answered.

They stood and put on their coats. Then they walked robotlike to the front door and let themselves out. We followed them to the porch and watched. Fat snowflakes were drifting from the night sky. The ground was already blanketed in white.

We heard a car start and a sleek red Jaguar slid past the house. Good. The in-laws were leaving and I was glad to see them go.

"If Broken Heart is so protected," I asked, "how did they get in here?"