"William," Sardon's voice was smooth, like oil on water.

"You must not disturb Tempest." He raised his beringed hand, drawing on its innate powers, using it to calm, to control. "We will discuss this outside."

His black-red eyes looked at Tempest. "If you will excuse us, milady," he said with an insidious smile. "We must take your leave."

Tempest stared, unable to speak as her eyelids grew heavy.

A deep, unnatural sleep overtook her.

Sardon was delighted with himself as he led a docile William from the room. Soon, Witchling, he thought, soon your powers shall be mine, then I will destroy L'sira's son for all time. The hatchling's death will be only the beginning of my revenge. Lysira shall pay dearly for her rejection. No one rejects S'rdonne. No one.

William, sword now safely sheathed, obediently followed Sardon across the moat bridge, into the forest. Sardon had kept him under tight control while they saddled their mounts and left the castle.

Sardon told the guard at the gate that he had been called back to Far Reaches to administrate while William remained for the wedding. William was going with him for a short distance to give him some last-minute instructions, he told the man, but would soon return.

He had everything well planned out-leave the castle, kill William, return in William's guise, wed Tempest and take her power on their wedding night. Aye, it would work well, but then again, his plans always worked well.

Mayhap he would keep the witchling as a plaything after he killed the hatchling. It was an interesting thought. He wondered what the offspring of a black dragon and a witch would be like. Most likely they would be stronger than L'sira's hatchling, especially after they had been given his great

knowledge. He smiled in satisfaction, lost to dreams of the return of a powerful family of black dragons ruling over human and dragon alike.

They soon reached a large clearing, and Sardon called a halt. He dismounted and walked to where William sat on his horse, a glazed look in his brown eyes. He reached up and touched William's hand with his ring. William screamed and jerked away. His hand smoked where the ring had touched, and a blister grew, only to burst quickly. Clear liquid drained over his fingers. He raised his head and stared at his enemy.

Sardon smiled at the look of pain and confusion on William's face. "Are you ready?"

"Ready?" Suddenly, understanding dawned on William's face. He had taken this viper into his home, had allowed him to destroy the fragile happiness he had found with Clairesse.

His own weakness and gullibility had aided this monster. And now...now his life would be forfeit if he could not find the strength within himself to defeat this evil creature.

"You said you wanted to kill me." Sardon watched closely as comprehension dawned in William's eyes. "Let us get this over with. I have things to do." Excitement animated his charcoal eyes. He jerked William from his saddle, tossing him to the ground in a powerful swoop.

William fell, but he was a seasoned warrior; he had earned his golden spurs on the battlefield. He rose quickly and drew his long sword, battle ready.

"You think to defeat me with that?" Sardon smirked, pointing derisively at the weapon.

"I will kill you for what you did to Clairesse and our child,"

said William, his eyes smoldering with hate. "You will pay with your life."

Sardon laughed, touched his glowing opal ring and began to change, to grow. His skin turned color, first brown then smoky gray, then deep, shiny obsidian. His eyes glowed red as the power surged through his body. Scales formed, and leathery wings-long and powerful-sprouted from his ma.s.sive shoulders. The metamorphosis complete, he screamed a challenge, his mind no longer human but that of a beast, the

dragon he had become.

William recoiled in horror. But he was a knight; this would be a battle to the death, and he had no choice. This monster had murdered his Clairesse. It would die for what it had done.

He would watch its life's blood drain from its ugly body.

Clairesse would be avenged.

William raised his sword in both hands and charged. Sardon slashed him with huge talons, gashing his face and neck. In the heat of battle, William felt no pain. He knew the pain would come later-if he lived.

The b.l.o.o.d.y claws slashed out again, this time ripping chunks of chain mail and flesh from William's chest. Crimson blood flowed. Pain tore at his innards, but still he battled the great beast. He parried with his sword, slicing at the dragon's belly but doing no harm. The sharp blade could not cleave its thick scales. He hacked at its legs, but again could do no injury to the immense beast. He fell back and retreated toward the trees.

The dragon followed blowing white-hot flames, scorching his clothing, heating his mail, melting it until mail, clothing and skin were one.

William turned to confront the dragon. Sardon di Mercia was no longer man but simply beast. The desperate knight raised his sword, aiming for the beast's throat, and held his ground as his immense foe charged.

But again the sword could not penetrate the thick scales and was torn from his hands when they clashed. His fingers were numb as he reached for his weapon. He could feel nothing.

He could not grasp it. Something wrapped tightly around his chest.

Razor sharp teeth ripped through his chain mail, his tunic, and into his body. Deeper and deeper the teeth sank, grinding, gnawing, rending flesh, crushing bone as they closed. He felt his body grow weaker and struggled to remain conscious, to free himself from that hot acid breath, that blinding pain, but to no avail. Blackness descended.

Clairesse. His mind cried for her, for his love, gone from him forever.

"William." Clairesse's soft voice was sweet and welcoming. "My love."

Sardon dropped the lifeless body. He nudged it with his talon, flipped it over and examined William's face. He wanted to see agony forever stamped upon the features. He wanted to relish this puny human's terror at his violent death. He wanted to savor the fear one more time.

But William's face was peaceful. A smile curved his lips.

His lifeless eyes looked into a place of beauty, a place of peace, a place where S'rdonne, the black dragon, could not enter. The victor raised his glowing red eyes to the heavens and stared, then screamed his frustration.

But there was no response.

The raven-haired woman could not lift her gaze from those blood-red eyes as the dragon's face filled the crystal. She could not speak. As she reached out and took the golden-haired man's hand in hers, her fingers shook, her lips trembled. Her brown doe eyes could not draw away from the pulsating blue crystal.

"Why?" she whispered. "You told me William would not be killed. Can you not control that beast?"

The man stared at the scene of destruction that had evolved before them, at the hate-filled visage of the black dragon. His face was pale as he answered her. "I thought I had complete control over it," he answered quietly. "This was not meant to be."

"You must regain control, dearest," she said in a small voice. "If you do not, all our plans will come to naught."

Silence filled the room as each tried to understand why things had gone so dreadfully awry..

THIRTY.

Alone. Tempest had never felt more lonely as she sat on the narrow window ledge of her sleeping room, looking down into the inner bailey. She missed Miriam. She missed her gentle smile and even wished she could hear Miriam scold her again- just one more time. But it was not to be. Her friend was gone.

Servants hurried to their appointed tasks; guards strolled upon the outer walls; children played amid the garden flowers. And Tempest was alone.

Waiting. William and Sardon had been gone for hours.

Night was falling, and she was worried. She held no love for William Mirabelle, but she did not wish to see him dead. He had been kind to her, and they would wed in just seven days.

There would be no escape from the wedding. Her head hurt just thinking about it. If only there was a way to refuse William's hand, to simply go far away and live forever with Adrian.

Adrian. G.o.ddess, how she loved Adrian. She loved the graceful way his big body moved. She loved his blue eyes that changed color with his quicksilver emotions: cobalt when he was angry, soft, winter-sky blue when he told her of his love.

His eyes were truly the mirror to his soul.

She loved his gentle touch, the way he kissed her, softly at first then deeper, demanding, bruising her lips, making her ache with a need for something indefinable, something too sweet for words.

Heat built in her body, and her face flushed as she grew weak with longing. She missed him dreadfully, missed his sweet smile.

Something brushed her leg. A tiny vibration and a soft

meow attracted her attention. Monster jumped into her lap, his claws kneading her leg as his head b.u.t.ted persistently against her arm, demanding a soft, familiar hand to caress him.

"Monster!" Joy filled her as she clutched the tiny kitten to her chest. Laughing, she held him up with both hands to look into his green eyes. "Oh, how I have missed you! How did you get here? I left you with Adrian."

"Have you missed me also, Tempest?" Adrian's deep, rich voice filled the room and her heart.

"Adrian? How...You should not be here. My father still believes you killed Miriam. He will throw you in the dungeon again. They will kill you. I have not yet had a chance to convince him of your innocence. I...How did you get in here? You could have been caught. If anyone saw you..."

"Tempest," Adrian laid his finger across her lips. "You talk too much." He gently took Monster from her arms and put him on the window ledge beside her. "I have come to take you home," he murmured, pulling her into his arms.

"Adrian, I...How..."

"Do not speak, little witch. I am here, 'tis all that matters."

His head bent to hers. "I need to kiss you now."

Their lips met, and her world spun out of control. Her legs trembled, and her arms circled his neck to keep herself from falling. Tempest did not care how he had gotten into her room.

She only cared that he was here. Holding her, kissing her.

Adrian's arms tightened as the kiss deepened. His tongue touched her closed lips, seeking entrance. She gave him access and shyly met him, joining in the dance of pa.s.sion. An unfamiliar heat coursed through her body, beginning at the tip of her tongue, racing downward, deeper and deeper, settling in her secret woman's place.

She wanted to get even closer, to melt into him, to become part of him. Her hips began to move in a gentle rhythm, wanting, needing.

He groaned and pushed her against the stone wall, grinding his hard body into hers. His hand ripped her surcoat, then tore open her tunic, seeking, then finding, her breast. His callused thumb brushed across her sensitive nipple, and it hardened,

sending jolts of pa.s.sion deep into her maiden's body.

He released her lips, and his head bent to her breast. Taking it into his mouth he suckled, gentle at first, then harder, and she cried out in wonder as her body burned with longing. His hand trailed a blazing path down her belly, coming to rest on her mound. His finger entered her, and she recoiled. Panic took over. Nay, she could not do this. She must remain a maiden.

She cried out, but he persisted, moving his large hands over her body, making her grow weak with desire. Heat built, burning its way deep into her soul. She could not, nay, did not want to stop him.

"Tempest," he groaned. "I want you. Now. I will make you mine."

"Adrian." Her voice was harsh, heavy with need. Her throat was dry. Her lips burned, and she ran her tongue over them before they burst into flames and consumed her.

Adrian ripped the clothes from her, picked her up and carried her to the bed. She watched through eyes blurred with pa.s.sion as he quickly removed his clothes, staring at his magnificent body, hard and ready.

"I love you Tempest," he whispered, his voice hoa.r.s.e with desire. "Always and forever."

She could no longer speak as her throat closed with emotion.

"Say you love me," he demanded, as he put one knee on the bed beside her. "Now."

"I cannot," she whispered. "I must wed William in seven days."

"Then I will take your maidenhood, and you will not be pure for your wedding night." He pushed her legs apart, ready to enter her, beyond all thought of William or anyone or anything else. His mind and body were on fire for her, and he wanted her-now!

"Nay, Adrian." Tempest put her hands on his chest. "I must be a maiden for William else he will put me aside."

"Good. Then you will wed me."

"Adrian," sadness filled her voice, consumed her soul. "I cannot do this."

"You can."

"Nay, I have made a vow. I cannot break it."

"Curses upon your vows! And William, too!" Adrian's blue eyes rapidly turned from ultramarine to cobalt. "You love me.

Say it."

"Nay, Adrian," she lied. "I love you not."

He closed his eyes and bent his head, his shoulders slumped in dejection, his long blond hair falling over his face, brushing her breast with its silky softness.

She reached up to touch it, to brush it from his face but withdrew her hand. She yearned to touch him, to hold him, to tell him she loved him, but could not. She must do what she had promised. She must make him leave, forget her, go on with his life. Without her.

Adrian raised his head and looked at her. His eyes glistened with anger, then dulled. "I know you love me," he said flatly.

"Nay," she whispered, her heart breaking. "I do not."