The voice belonged to Alec. The tone was one that expected to be obeyed. Mia ignored him.

"Mia, where is he?" Domini asked gently.

This got her attention, and Mia finally turned back to the couple. "Gone," she said, looking at Alec. "You said he was gone."

"But where is he?" Alec asked. "It would help if you told us." "What's he talking about?" Mia asked Domini.

"You're bonded to him," Alec said impatiently.

Domini put a hand on his shoulder. "She really doesn't comprehend what it means yet. You are psychically linked to Colin,"

Domini told her. "You'repsychic."

"No, I'm not." She remembered sharing thoughts with Colin. She knew that kind of communication came from both of them and wasn't just because he was a vampire. "Unless-Is being able to share thoughts with one person psychic?"

"It's a beginning," Domini said. "Your talent must be latent. Mortals tend to put up natural barriers to their own gifts, but one day your full potential will just explode. It'll develop as your relationship with Colin grows."

"But right now we need to find Colin," Alec insisted.

"What relationship? h.e.l.l, if the man wants to go, let him. Leave him alone. And I don't want to be here, either," she reminded the vampire couple.

"You can't be left alone. The matris have declared-"

"I don't answer to yo' mama!"

Alec's mouth hung open in shock for a moment.

Domini put a hand over her mouth, but her eyes sparkled with laughter. "Twenty-first century, my darlin' bondmate," she said when she had her amus.e.m.e.nt under control. "Young people these days, and all that."

Alec shook his head. "Mia, we of the Clans are a civilization with ancient laws and strict codes of conduct. Colin has agreed to the bonding ceremony. For him to go back on his word given to his Clan Matri is punishable by death. Twenty-first century or not, Colin's life is forfeit if he breaks his word."

Mia gasped, and this time she couldn't stop the tears, or from shaking as sobs wracked her.

"What's the matter?" she heard Alec ask. "Ow! What?"

"You just told a woman that a man would rather die than marry her," Domini said.

"I didn't say that! Besides, he can'tnot want to marry her. There must be something else going on."

"Tony's convinced that unconsciously bonding has made Colin unstable."

"Tony is currently unconscious. And when he wakes up, everyone in the Citadel is going to know that Colin's gone. Then Serisa and Mother are going to hit the roof, and the shi-"

"You mean you haven't told anyone else yet?" Domini asked.

"He managed to get out without anyone but me noticing. That's why I need your help, Mia. You, Domini, and I can leave the Citadel to find him."

"Shopping," Domini suggested. "They'll understand Mia wanting a dress for tonight."

"Once away from the Citadel, Mia can lead us to Colin, then we can bring them back here."

"Or we could leave them alone to work through their problems," Domini suggested. "It can't happen that way," Alec answered.

Mia registered Alec's sounding all adamant and stern, and Domini's pragmatism, and she almost laughed. As insane as this situation was, the couple sounded so normal in the way they dealt with each other. Then it registered with her that Alec thought Colin was behaving this way because he was sick. Guilt and concern overrode the tearing pain of abandonment.

"Did I make him sick?" she asked, turning back to them.Or is he just a jerk?

Either way, he was still a vampire. Why did she keep forgetting the intrinsic evil of these people? Probably because she had Colin's blood flowing through her veins.

Abomination.The ugly word swam up from the few things she'd learned from her grandmother. It was the term vampire hunters used for those who consorted with the enemy.

She pulled herself together. She wanted to get away and they were offering her a way out. Once she was away from the Citadel with only these two guarding her, she'd be able to find a way to escape.

"I'll help you find Colin," she told them. "Let's hurry."

Colin stood in the shadow of the low stucco building and waited while the woman crossed the small parking lot. He didn't know where she lived, but he knew where she worked, so this was where he'd come to find her. It wouldn't have been prudent to barge in and grab her, so he stood outside and telepathically called until she came outside.

If he'd had his cellular phone with him this would have been easier, but his fellow clansmen had deprived him of his modern possessions.

The young woman he wanted was slender, long-legged and blond, young and attractive, and wearing a short blue print dress that showed off all her best a.s.sets. She wasn't his favorite person in the world, even though he appreciated looking at her. In fact, he considered her an inconvenience, but it wasn't as if he'd made an effort to get to know her. Right now she was important to him.

He waited until she was at her car before he made his move. He was standing behind her before she could open the car door.

When he touched her shoulder, she jumped and turned, and her eyes went wide in surprise.

"What the h.e.l.l areyou doing here?"

He smiled, c.o.c.king his head to one side. "I came for you."

She frowned at him and started to protest.

But Colin looked into her eyes and slipped past her weak mental barriers with ease.I can explain everything. And you're going to love this.

"What theh.e.l.l does he think he's doing?"

The sudden jab of possessive anger that went through Mia caused as much physical pain as mental pain. Enough to make her screw her eyes shut-which only gave her a disturbingly vivid image of the couple standing next to a red car. She knew the car, and the woman.

"What's he doing with her?"

Mia's head hurt so much she was barely aware of Domini sitting beside her in the backseat. "Colin?" Domini asked.

Alec stopped the car so quickly she was thrown forward against the seatbelt. The jolt broke her concentration, but not so much that she wasn'taware of the connection linking her to- "That cheating son of a-"

"Colin," Alec said.

Mia looked at Domini. "I've felt when he was with other women before, and told myself it was imagination. But I justsaw him."

Domini nodded encouragingly. "The more blood you share, the closer you become."

They were surrounded by heavy traffic on the busy street. Many car horns sounded, and Alec responded by driving slowly on.

"Where is he?" he asked Mia. "Which way do I go?"

Mia put her head back against the seat's plush headrest and closed her eyes once more. The air conditioner hummed, and cool air slid over her skin. Domini's hand was warm on her arm. All these sensations were easy to block out. When she let herself concentrate on it, she became exquisitelyaware of where Colin was.

She'd been fighting the hunger to be with Colin for months. In fact, the struggle not to find him had become a habit, one that had driven her nearly crazy.

It was time for her to give up the fight. The vampires wanted to find Colin. And sheneeded to.

And when she did, all her instincts urged her to whomp his a.s.s for daring to be with another woman.

"Left," she told Alec. "Left at the next street."

"Sweet," Colin said.

He was speaking of the maneuver the black SUV's driver had used to force him to pull the red sports car over to the curb and block it from pulling out again. He might have been concerned if he hadn't recognized the vehicle, or been aware that Mia was one of the pa.s.sengers.

As it was, he acceded to the situation and said to the woman beside him, "This is fun."

While she wasn't completely in his thrall, he exerted enough influence over her to keep her calm. He got out of the car, and the woman followed him. Mia jumped out of the back of the SUV and rushed toward him. He recognized the look in her eyes, having felt the same way when she was with Tony.

"What the h.e.l.l do you think you're doing with my best friend?"

"Hi, Mia," Courtney said, coming up beside him.

Mia lunged.

Colin caught Mia in his arms before she could do any damage to anyone.

"Sweetheart, I know exactly how you feel," he told her.

Then he kissed her, and the usual fire threatened to explode between them. d.a.m.n, he loved kissing her!She resisted for a moment, which only made him more urgent. Then Mia ground her body against his, and Colin forgot everything but the urge to lay her down on the hood of the car. Her nails pressed hard against his shoulders told him she wouldn't mind.

"You're holding up traffic, officer."

Colin heard Alec's comment as though from a great distance, but awareness of the other Prime helped him to reluctantly break the kiss. For a moment he saw only red, and all he could breathe was Mia's scent. They were standing in the street with cars flashing past inches away. He moved onto the sidewalk, where the others joined them.

Then Mia moved away from him, and he was able to get himself fully under control.

She looked from him to her friend. "Courtney, what are you doing with Colin?"

There was still an edge of jealousy in her voice, and Colin couldn't help but smile at this proof that she wanted him. "I felt your need to be with your friend so strongly, I had to do something."

"That was a bit impulsive," Alec said.

Colin concentrated on Mia. "So I was bringing her to you to be a bridesmaid. I wanted to do something nice for you."

"Aw...," Domini said.

He ignored the sarcasm. Mia was all that mattered. She was looking at him not just with confusion, but with a certain amount of cautious hope. She touched his cheek, and the connection was as electric as ever.

"You kidnapped Courtney? For me?" She sounded unwillingly pleased.

Courtney laughed. "He asked nicely." She gave Colin a wry look. "Which I didn't expect from him, but I have to admit, I'm beginning to understand what you see in him."

"Did you hypnotize her?" Mia asked him.

"I used charm," he answered.

"So of course I said I'd come with him," Courtney went on. "Especially after he told me how the two of you had been in intensive couple's counseling for the last week. I was wondering why you weren't answering my calls. I was worried, girl, and I think this quickie wedding idea is a little on the impulsive side, but if that's what you want, you know I'm here for you, like I always am."

Courtney took a deep breath, and added, "Do you even have a dress yet?"

"That's exactly where we were heading when we ran into you," Domini said. Colin was relieved when she stepped in to take charge. "Why don't you two head back to Serisa's," she told him and Alec, "while the three of us head over to Rodeo Drive.

Don't worry," she added to Alec's dubious look. "I'll be sure to have them back in time for the party."

Chapter Fifteen.

"When I was born," Serisa said, "the world was still lit by candles, by fires, and gaslights and oil lamps. And we have always walked by moonlight and starlight, which are the reflections of distant fire. We saw the world by fire, and fire has always burned in us. In this age we live by both sun and candlelight, but the quest to find our bondmates has not changed. Two here have fulfilled that quest. We of the Clans come together to witness the binding of Two Who Burn as One."

Serisa stood on the edge of a wide terrace, her back to a garden fragrant with roses and jasmine. The terrace was lit by hundreds of white candles, and filled with arrangements of red and white flowers in crystal vases. Overhead the moon shone as a silver crescent, and stars were visible despite the lights of the city. Anjelica and Barak stood to the s.h.a.gal Matri's right and left, and a small table was in front of them.All the other vampires were gathered on the terrace, as well. They applauded her words and spoke their approval.

"When two fires join to blend into a greater flame, that is when we know our greatest joy."

There were more murmurs of agreement.

Mia stood on the other side of the terrace in her orchid gown and looked around in shocked wonder at the proceedings. She carried a bouquet of orchids as well, and one was tucked into her short brown curls. She felt beautiful, even though b.u.t.terflies fluttered in her stomach.

She was as nervous as any bride, she supposed.

While a part of her tried to remind her that she was caught up in a monster movie nightmare, she couldn't listen to that part of herself right now. She was touched, genuinely touched and pleased at the beauty and goodwill that surrounded her. They had done this for her. Best of all, Colin had- "Ready to rock?" Courtney whispered.

-brought her friend to be with her. She'd been promised that Courtney would be taken safely home afterward, with only pleasant memories of the event.And no bite marks, Tony had said.I promise.

Mia smiled at Courtney, then at Domini, who was also standing with her.