"Go raibh maith agat," he repeated. "It means 'thank you'." Glancing at Duncan, he asked, "Do ye have Irish?"

Duncan nodded.

"Ye'll teach her the language of her forefathers."

Duncan stiffened at the man's edict and replied in Irish. "If she chooses to learn, then I will teach her."

The Saoi looked at Rose once more, his gaze softening. "Why do ye want to eliminate the ones who are sworn to protect ye?"

"James Connor, known to you as Seamus Flannery, has tried to kidnap me and is still running free in the United States as we speak."

"So you want to eliminate James as a threat to you, but what about Ronan Keegan? Why eliminate the vampire who will protect you from those like James?"

"Ronan kidnapped my mother-" she started to say, when the Saoi cut her off.

"And he's been severely punished for his crimes."

Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. "The wrong man was punished while the guilty Guardian runs free."

Both Rose and the Saoi turned their gazes his way.

Duncan smirked at the look of surprise on the man's face. Don't know everything, do you? he thought.

"How is that possible? The Morrigan assured me-" the Saoi began.

"The Morrigan made a mistake," Duncan cut him off.

The man glared at Duncan. "What are ye saying? Who kidnapped Anna?"

Duncan relayed the information he'd learned of James' betrayal of Anna and Ronan.

Rose stared at him for a long, tense moment before sheer determination crossed her face and she turned back to the Saoi. "Ronan killed my father. He must be eliminated."

Fury swept through Duncan. He unfolded his arms and clenched his hands. "What! Why didn't you tell me?"

Rose glanced at him and replied in a calm tone, "Because I wanted to be the one to avenge my father's death."

Looking back at the Saoi, she implored, "Now that I'm converted, I can probably hold my own with James, but Ronan has The Morrigan's protection. Is there any way to defeat him?"

The Saoi sniffed in disdain. "The cursed Guardians might have been granted immortality, but they aren't invincible."

Leaning closer, he cupped her chin in his hand. "Distraction, misdirection and cunning are key when battling any enemy, Rose. The Guardians can be killed. When the time comes, you'll intuitively know what to do."

Duncan's temper boiled. That was it? "We came all this way to hear what we could've figured out ourselves?"

"Quiet!" the Saoi bit out, glaring at him. "I'll deal with you in a minute."

No matter how hard he tried to continue to voice his anger, Duncan found he was unable to speak. Fury filled him that the Saoi was using his power over him. The man was definitely not pure vampire.

The older man looked at Rose. "Siobhan told me of yer conversion. As a descendant of an Atruan priestess, I know ye use yer psychic powers to feed, but ye're also half of another vampire race that needs blood to survive."

Duncan reeled at the news Rose was a psychic vampire. All those times they'd made love and he'd felt so whipped afterwards...holy shit, she'd sucked the energy right out of him. He had been providing for her all this time. And last night...he realized what she'd done. She'd given back to him with no way to recoup her own energy reserve. He wanted to shake her for her stubbornness. The knowledge swept through him in waves-first shock, then anger, then firm resolution. She would take his blood. Enough was enough.

The Saoi continued as he pushed back his robe's sleeve. "I know ye haven't made your decision yet about this one." He glanced at Duncan then continued, "Ye must feed. I sense the weakness in ye."

"I know," she agreed. Rose didn't even spare Duncan a glance as she clasped the Saoi's wrist and lowered her mouth to his arm.

Fear ripped through Duncan. If she took the Saoi's blood, she'd be mated to the vampire! Blinding rage swept through him. Somehow the roar reverberating inside his head managed to escape, sounding like a battle cry in the dark night. He launched himself at the Saoi, claws extended, primal instincts to protect his own, unfurling within him.

The Saoi didn't even look his way. He lifted his hand and waved it in the air as if flicking away a fly. Duncan went hurling backward from the invisible impact...as if he'd been hit head on by a semi truck.

He tumbled through the air and landed on the balls of his feet, sucking air into his lungs from the impact. His heart raced and his muscles flexed as he tried to launch himself in the air once more. But his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground. His heart stuttered as the smell of blood carried on the wind.

When he heard Rose swallowing, Duncan's knees gave out. He sank to the rocky ground, his stomach clenching in knots. He'd never felt so disillusioned and hurt. Never once had he considered the possibility Rose wouldn't become his mate. Now she was lost to him. Forever.

Once Rose finished feeding, Duncan was surprised to see her falling over to her side. He tried to move and was thankful he'd been released. Duncan rushed to capture her before her body hit the rocks.

After he'd lifted her warm, limp frame in his arms, Duncan stood. His heart ached as he glared his hatred at the Saoi. "What have you done to her, you sonofabitch?"

The man narrowed his gaze on Duncan. "I could kill ye with a mere thought." His gaze softened when it landed on Rose. "I compelled her to sleep. She needs rest. Her body is adjusting to receiving blood again after going so long without it." He finished his last sentence in an accusing tone as he met Duncan's gaze once more. "I have given my heart and soul to serve my people. I am unable to mate. But my blood is rich and will sustain Rose for now."

Relief rushed through Duncan at the news. He still didn't like another man giving Rose sustenance or the fact she took it so willingly, but...she wasn't mated to another. He could deal with the rest.

The Saoi stood. His powerful presence made Duncan take a step back. The man had ties to the Celtic Gods, Duncan would swear it were true.

Standing eye to eye with Duncan, the older man said, "If ye want Rose to accept ye as her mate, ye must stop using yer head. Use yer heart to win her."

Duncan closed his eyes for a brief second, so glad to know he'd have another chance with Rose. When he opened them to speak to the Saoi, the man was gone. Duncan quickly turned to see all the Atruan vampires had disappeared from their posts above the rock wall.

He stared at Rose's face, her beautiful features calm in her sleep. The ocean breeze captured the words he whispered, carrying them out to sea.

Rose awoke feeling energized. Her gaze drifted to the moonlight filtering through the eyelet curtains. Someone had raised the shade for her. She blinked in confusion. How'd she get from Dun Aonghasa back to her room at the pub? How long had she been asleep? She frowned, trying her best to remember getting on the boat to come back. She drew nothing but a blank.

Duncan rolled her over on her back. His gaze was intense as he leaned over her.

"How do you feel?"

Rose stretched and smiled. "Better than I have in a long time."

Duncan grunted and turned. The bed jostled as he climbed out of it. While he shoved his leg into his pants, Rose asked, "What happened? I don't remember the trip back from the fort."

Duncan scowled and yanked his pants up his other leg, then buttoned them. "I hope you at least remember taking another vampire's blood, possibly mating yourself to him. It's not something I'll soon forget, I assure you."

Rose sat up, pulling the covers over her naked breasts. "I knew taking the Saoi's blood wouldn't mate me to him. I asked him."

Duncan narrowed his gaze on her. "I didn't hear you ask."

Rose rolled her eyes. "That's because I asked him mentally and he responded the same way." She shook her head and gave a small laugh. "To be honest I think he's more than an Atruan vampire."

Duncan paused as he started to pull on his shirt. "I agree. I think he's tied to the Celtic Gods somehow. There's a vibe about him...his powers were beyond anything I've ever seen."

Once he shrugged into his shirt, Duncan crossed his muscular arms over his chest, "It's bad enough I had to find out you were a psychic vampire from the Saoi. Then you shared the fact Ronan killed your father with him and not me. But to have to watch you take another man's blood, vampire or not..." His jaw ticced as he trailed off. He turned and walked toward her door, before facing her once more, his expression as hard as granite. "That's not something I care to repeat ever again."

"And what about you keeping the fact James was really the man who kidnapped my mother from me? Allowing me to believe Ronan was the guilty one?"

Duncan shrugged, his expression unapologetic as he opened the door. "I did it to protect you, Rose. Everything I have done has been for your protection."

Her stomach tensed and her heart sank at his comment. Looking away, Rose said with a sigh, "I know."

When she heard the door shut behind Duncan, she breathed out the rest in a whisper, "That's the problem."

Rose stared at the closed door, understanding some of Duncan's anger, but only part of it. She hadn't told him about Ronan. She'd kept that information to herself on purpose. And she'd just learned of her psychic vampire status herself. Okay, so technically she could've told him last night, but she wanted to give back to him what she'd inadvertently taken each time they'd made love. As for taking the Saoi's blood, once she learned she wouldn't be inadvertently mated to the Saoi, sheer hunger took over.

Rose threw the covers back and got out of bed. As she tugged on her clothes Duncan had discarded on a side chair, she glanced at her watch. Eleven in the evening. Sheesh, she'd been out for hours. She brushed her teeth and ran a brush through her windblown hair as she stared at her refection in the bathroom mirror.

The woman who stared back might look the same, but there was an awareness in her blue-green gaze that wasn't there before. The Saoi's blood tasted so smooth going down, like a three-hundred-dollar bottle of wine...aged to perfection. But even though his blood satiated her hunger, it was missing something...something she couldn't put her finger on. She furrowed her brow, trying to decipher exactly what had been missing.

Her gaze darkened when she thought of Duncan and how feeding from him would be an entirely different experience. He'd be hot and demanding, rough and sexy...he'd be...fire.

That's what was missing from the Saoi's blood...fire. Somehow she knew taking Duncan's blood would be an experience she wouldn't be able to put to words, but she had a feeling it would be an elixir she wouldn't get enough of.

She shook her head, turning away from the mirror. It didn't matter what she thought. Duncan held himself in constant check. Would he ever truly let her see his "real" self?

Rose opened her door and locked it behind her before she made her way to the pub. As she entered the main room, traditional Irish music was in full swing. She could feel the upbeat thump of the bodhran drum in her chest while she walked across the room.

Duncan sat on a stool at the bar, drinking a Guinness. Nigel stood next to him talking to Siobhan who was behind the bar pouring a beer for a customer.

Rose waved to Siobhan and heard the woman's voice in her head. Jeysus, child, I'm so glad to see ye up and about. I had to compel Nigel to keep him calm, but I was also worried when I saw Duncan carrying ye. I take it ye got what ye needed from the Saoi?

Rose nodded as she approached her uncle at the bar. Yes, but he was kind of cryptic with his advice. She paused as Nigel enveloped her in a hug before she continued her mental comment to Siobhan. The Saoi's not what he seems to be, is he?

"I'm so glad to see you're up and about. Duncan and Siobhan said all that hiking on Inis Mor must've worn you out," her uncle said.

Rose kissed Nigel's cheek. "I'm fine now that I've had a good nap."

Siobhan handed the beer to the waiting customer and began pouring a Guinness. Her eyes twinkled when she met Rose's. The Saoi is very powerful. He's a hybrid in his own right, I guess ye could say. The Morrigan has bestowed some of her Goddess powers upon him so he could look after his people.

"What did the Atruan leader tell you?" her uncle asked.

Rose took the pint of Guinness Siobhan handed to her and answered. "He told me to trust my instincts. That my powers would help me in the end."

Nigel eyed her, a worried look on his face. "Rosie, the whole situation scares me. According to what you all have told me, these vampires have years of experience and varied powers on you."

Rose glanced at Duncan, who'd been staring at her since she walked in the room. "Don't worry, Unc, I've got my very own bodyguard."

Now that her hunger for blood had been satiated, Rose found the Guinness she sipped went down pretty smoothly. She took another sip, then downed the entire pint. Handing the empty glass to Siobhan, she said, "I'm loving this Guinness. I'll take another."

After Siobhan gave her another pint, Rose said, "I think I'll check out the 'session' going on," before she headed across the room and crossed through a doorway that led to a small, dimly lit corner nook.

A gray-haired old man sat in a chair at small round table, playing a violin. A young dark-haired woman sat beside him playing a wonderful accompaniment with the bodhran, and a middle-aged man with light-brown hair stood holding his Guinness in the air as if in salute as he sang a popular Irish song.

Rose sat down on a side bench and sipped her beer, tapping her foot to the Irish jig being played. She felt Duncan's presence behind her and immediately slid over on the bench to allow him room. For tonight, she didn't want to argue. She just wanted to enjoy their last night in Ireland in the most traditional way...sitting in a pub, enjoying the music and locals.

She felt a gentle brush against the nape of her neck, as if she'd been kissed. But when she glanced at Duncan, his hand was on his glass, his gaze riveted on the people entertaining them.

Her gaze dropped to the movement next to her leg and she couldn't help but smile as she watched Duncan tap his fingers on his thigh. She lifted her gaze to see his other hand tapped the glass too as if he were playing right along with them.

Rose ran a mental hand down the side of Duncan's face. When he glanced at her in surprise, she smiled and lifted her glass in salute. Why don't you join in, Duncan? I'm sure they'd love someone to play the piano for them.

A slow smile spread across his face. He handed her his beer and quickly kissed her on the lips before he took the few steps to slide onto the piano seat.

Without missing a beat, Duncan joined in on the song, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he added a musical layer that truly made the song come to life.

When the song came to an end, Rose jerked her gaze to the crowd that had gathered around the small intimate area they were in. It seemed the entire clientele of the pub had come over to listen in. "Sing us a song, Duncan," Nigel called out as he waved his beer in the air, a proud expression on his face. Siobhan stood beside him, her arm hooked with his. The sight made Rose smile.

Duncan started to shake his head when the crowd called out his name. "Duncan, go on, fella. Let us hear yer voice."

Duncan laughed and looked at Rose as he ran his fingers across the keys, warming up. He stopped playing and leaned back to whisper to the musicians behind him then faced the group once more. "Okay, just for ye."

Rose grinned at the sound of Duncan's Irish accent. She'd noticed it had become more pronounced with each new day in Ireland. When it Rome...

Duncan started playing the most beautiful ballad she'd ever heard. When he began to belt out the lyrics a shiver coursed up her spine. The music reached out and grabbed her in the belly, tightening her chest as she reacted to its heartfelt lyrics. Duncan closed his eyes and poured his heart into the words while his fingers moved in fluid motion across the keyboard.

The emotion filtering across his face as he sang tugged at her heart. She'd never seen anything so heartrendingly beautiful. This was the true Duncan. When he was playing his music, he didn't hide behind the controlled persona he projected to the world around him.

As the last notes died off, the crowd applauded and called for an encore.

Rose spent the next hour thrilled to see this "open" side to Duncan as he took requests, conferred with the musicians and basically had the crowd eating out of his hands. After he played one last song, Duncan turned to thank the musicians behind him and stood.

Nigel rushed forward and clapped him on the shoulder. "Your talent can't be denied. You brought tears to my eyes, son."

Duncan thanked Nigel and walked up to Rose. His amber gaze held hers as he took his glass back. Rose's heart skipped a beat when he reached down and threaded his fingers with hers. His hand tightened on hers and he tugged, silently telling her he wanted her to follow him out of the crowd.

Rose and Duncan set their glasses on the bar then made their way back to the hall off the main pub room. Rose's pulse raced as Duncan pulled her along until they reached her door. She turned and leaned against it. Her breathing grew shallow at the hungry look in Duncan's eyes as he stared down at her.

Grasping her chin, he lowered his mouth close. With the gentlest of brushes, he touched his lips to hers.

Rose's stomach clenched in response to the sexual tension emanating from him. She started to raise her hand to his face, but Duncan shook his head at the same time a warning growl escaped from his throat.

Rose lowered her hand to her side and took a deep breath. His lips barely brushed across hers once more and she opened her mouth, hoping he'd kiss her, needing their connection.

When she touched her tongue to his lips, Duncan's hand thrust through her hair and clasped the nape of her neck, his grip tight.

He touched his forehead to hers and took a deep, ragged breath.

Rose's heart rate jumped at the show of tightly coiled control he held at bay.