Melaphia laughed while I took a long sip of my c.o.c.ktail. "You know-" I paused "-speaking of Connie, I've been meaning to ask you about something that happened back at the costume party."

"Lawsy. What didn't happen at the costume party?" Melaphia launched into a soliloquy about the showdown with Reedrek and other goings-on at the shindig. She wasn't meeting my eyes.

"Yeah, I was there," I reminded her. "Are you trying to change the subject? Which was Connie, by the way."

She twirled a dreadlock around her index finger, something she did only when she was nervous, and stared at my shirt. "Why are your clothes damp?"

"Because I can fly...well, sort of. I'll explain later. What about Connie? Why don't you want to talk about her?"

Melaphia sighed and looked at me closely, lips pressed together, thinking, trying to decide what to say.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me. " I was getting worried. Melaphia and I had always been able to talk about anything and everything, ever since she was a little girl. It seemed only yesterday that she'd stopped calling me "Uncle Jack." I drained my drink.

"I seem to remember you and Renee acting kind of weird when you saw Connie at the party. It was like you were awestruck or something."

Melaphia let go of the dread and it spiraled off of her long, slender finger. "I was...It's hard to explain."

"Listen. I know she's different. I mean I know she's not a hundred percent genuine human. I can feel it. And I figure you can feel it, too. Or maybe see it, who knows? But Mel, you've got to tell me if you recognized what she is. I need to know."

She sighed. "It's like this, Jack. I don't know exactly. I'm still working on it."

"What do you mean, working on it?"

"I'm doing research, trying to confirm what I think Connie might be. What her role is, you know, in the wider world. Whatever kind of being Connie is, it's something really big."

I felt a dull pain in my stomach, and it wasn't from the mescal. "How big?"

"Don't push me, Jack."

"Listen here, young lady," I began, falling into the same language I used when she was a girl and misbehaved. "I'm not the boy in the dark anymore, remember? Tell me what you know." William's silence "for my own good" had lasted more than a century, and I wasn't about to take the same treatment from Melaphia.

"Don't try and draw me into your troubles with William. That had nothing to do with me."

"The h.e.l.l it didn't. You were his accomplice. I know for a fact that you lied to me more than once."

"What was I supposed to do, Jack? Defy William? I'm a mortal. I can't go toe-to-toe with him like you can."

If I hadn't been so cranky, I'd have laughed at the idea of William ever laying a fang on Melaphia. "That's a copout and you know it."

"Look. All that is in the past. This thing with Connie is serious. You're not dealing with some silly mortal girl here."

"I guessed that much. Now, out with it. What do you know?" Melaphia held up a slender hand, palm out as if ready to take the Boy Scout oath. "I swear to you. I don't yet know anything for absolutely sure. When I do you'll be the first one I'll tell."

"d.a.m.n it all, tell me what you think you know!"

"Please, Jack-"

"You've got to give me something here."

Mel sighed and looked at the floor. "I think Connie might be a-a-G.o.ddess."

I laughed: I couldn't help it. But it wasn't a funny, ha-ha laugh. It was a G.o.d-help-me kind of laugh. I slapped my hand over my mouth and spoke between my fingers. "What kind of G.o.ddess?"

"A Mayan G.o.ddess. Now that's all I can tell you."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Listen, I know you care about her, probably more than you've cared about a woman in a long time, in my lifetime anyway, but be careful. Now I'm going to ask you a question that you may think is none of my business, but it 's important that you tell me the truth. Have you and Connie consummated your relationship yet?"

I didn't like the direction this was going. Not one little bit. But I knew it was serious business or Mel would never have asked me. "No. It's hard for us to get together since she works the night shift. We go out sometimes when she gets a night off. There's a couple of clubs that she likes, so we have some beers and some laughs, dance a little to the jukebox, that sort of stuff."

Connie worked a lot of overtime and sometimes didn't even take a night off in the course of a week, so we seldom got to meet at her apartment. Still, I could tell that Connie was wondering why I hadn't pressed her to "take our relationship to the next level"

as they describe it nowadays. It's not like I could tell her that just as we'd started getting really close, I'd found out the hard way I had the power to harm nonhuman women. I wasn't sure Connie even knew she wasn't entirely human.

c.r.a.p. I had no idea what to do about the situation. I just knew that I couldn't stand the thought of being without her now that she was on my mind and in my dreams.

"Okay. Good," Mel interrupted my thoughts. "Until I figure this out, it could be downright dangerous for you to make love to this woman."

I heard myself issue a growl of frustration. As usual, my first thought was to rebel, to tell Melaphia to mind her own business and stay out of my life. But in true wise-woman style, she'd only brought up fears that I already had. "To tell you the truth, that's the real reason I haven't tried to-you know-seduce Connie yet. After Shari, I'm afraid I might be poison to a woman who isn't completely human."

Melaphia squeezed my hand over the table hard enough to get my full attention and shook her head, causing her dreadlocks to sway. "No. You don't get it. Jack, if I'm right and Connie is descended from the kind of being I think she is, you would pose no danger to her."

I wasn't sure I'd heard her right. "That's good news, isn't it?"

"No, it's not."

"What do you mean? Connie and I can-we can be together-"

"You're getting ahead of me; now settle down." Mel came to stand beside me and took my face in her hands. "Pay very good attention, Jack, and hear me on this. Do not sleep with Connie. Because if she's what I think she is, and if her powers are what I think they are, it's not you who would be a danger to her. It's a matter of her being a danger-or worse-to you." She paused to let the words sink in. "I have never been as serious with you as I am right now. Promise me you'll break it off with this woman-at least until I know more. No woman likes to be strung along. Break it off for her sake and for yours as well. If I find out something to prove me wrong, you'll be the second one to know."

"But Mel," I protested, "I'm fairly kick-a.s.s invincible now with my new voodoo blood. Even William says so. For cripes sake, I can almost fly. If it's a matter of her being able to hurt me, don't worry about it. I'm not."

Melaphia closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. "None of that matters. I'm telling you the danger is very real."

I stared at her as her warm hands cradled my face. She was serious. Oh yes, she was.

"Promise, Jack."

"I promise," I said reluctantly.

Mel relaxed and patted my cheek before dropping her hands to the sides of her colorful cotton skirt. "When you go to break up with her, tell her to come and see me. Soon. I need to talk to her as well. There are many questions I must ask her. And there are things that I must tell her."

"You're not going to tell her I'm a vampire, are you?"

"Of course not." Melaphia's eyebrows shot upward in surprise. "That won't be necessary." She glanced at the kitchen clock and patted me gently on the shoulder. "You need to go now, Jack. Go home and get some rest. Tomorrow is another night." She turned away and I felt like the bright billboard of my future with Connie had just blown over on my hard head. I was halfway to the door when Melaphia's last words caught up with me. "Oh, and Jack, get the collier back from her."

"The what?" I asked with my hand on the door k.n.o.b.

"The gris-gris charm of William's."

"Well, just c.r.a.p." Could this like get any worse? "Okay, fine. I'll be your basic commitmentphobe Indian giver. All in a night's work." I tried not to slam the door too hard when I left.

William "Let's get cleaned up," I suggested. We'd bloodied the floor, the chairs, and each other in all the important places. Now it was time to rest. I led Eleanor upstairs for a quick shower and a change of clothes before we settled down at dawn. A single reading light shone from the den but otherwise the house was dark; Melaphia and Jack were long gone. We'd just stepped into the hall on the way to the shower when Deylaud appeared in the doorway.

His surprised intake of breath stopped us. It may have been the smell of blood and s.e.x or seeing us nearly naked-Eleanor was wearing my barely recognizable dress shirt-although he'd never been a prude. He rarely stared so intently at one of my guests unless he didn't trust them. I slid a protective arm around Eleanor and Deylaud seemed to shake off his fascination. After all, he'd seen her several times before...when she was human.

"I'm sorry," he said, and lowered his eyes. Then, inexplicably, he sank to his knees. "Benret-my...lady."

Benret-I didn't have to be a translater to know he'd spoken in his own native tongue. His reversion to ancient Egyptian caused me to frown. It was unnerving when my guardians, who'd been with me longer than any others, did something out of character.

Reyha appeared and rested a hand on her brother's shoulder, her gaze fixed on Eleanor as well.

"Get up," I ordered, and without hesitation he did so. "We'll sleep alone today." Reyha betrayed a quick baring of teeth at that part of the announcement. She was used to sleeping with me during the day. I put up with her squirming and with dog hair on my best coats because she loved me above all others, save for Deylaud. In those few seconds, however, all of us seemed to register the change in the air, in the way things would be from now on. Eleanor was here and that made all affairs different. "Good night," I said and nudged Eleanor forward toward the bath, leaving my guardians to lick their respective wounds.

Eleanor stretched mightily as she shrugged out of the shirt. "I feel so amazing. I wish we had time for a long bubble bath."

I drew her into my arms. "You'll not need to wish for more time ever again. We have the rest of eternity to do as we wish." Even as I said the words the true meaning sank in for me as well. Why had I spent all these centuries alone? Why hadn 't I found someone like Eleanor before now? She kissed me sweetly, then bent to turn on the water. As I traced the graceful line of her spine with my fingers, I felt a rush of relief. We would do well together, both of us profiting by the relationship. I needn 't have worried about whether I'd been wrong to take her.

Stretched out in my coffin an hour later, drowsy and, pardon the expression, drained, I waited for Eleanor to join me. She wasn't ready for sleep, although I'd explained she'd be ready soon enough when the sun rose higher. She who must be obeyed was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with power-my power, which she'd gained through our mating-and she wanted to explore my underground home under home. Here she would stay until her own house was rebuilt, and maybe even after that. It was still too soon to decide. I heard the opening and closing of armoire doors, the rustle of paper, the squeak of hinges.

I'd nearly drifted off when I felt her presence. When I opened my eyes she was staring down at me in what I can only describe as a puzzling way. She held something behind her back, a surprise she planned to spring on me.

I was too tired for surprises. "Come, lie down," I said.

She smiled. Then raised her surprise over her head with both hands.

It was a stake. In something less than a second, it was hurtling downward toward my chest. No more lovely slow-motion play as in her human days. I barely managed to fend off the blow and as I knocked the sharpened wood aside it pierced my hand.

Blood welled.

I had forgotten about our game, about my fascination with death. Obviously Eleanor had not. After a moment of stunned silence, I brought the wound to my mouth to stop the bleeding. But Eleanor grabbed my wrist. "Let me," she said, and set about cleaning the area with her tongue. When she was finished she gracefully slid into the coffin next to me and snuggled close. "Just like old times," she murmured before drifting off to sleep.

Jack At seven A.M. I stood outside the door to Connie's place waiting for her to get off work from the eleven-to-seven shift at the police station. Connie was a patrolwoman and I was her favorite perp. She'd given me a fistful of speeding tickets in the last couple of years, so, naturally, romantic sparks flew. I just love a woman in uniform.

The sun would be up in another ten minutes or so, but the hall of the apartment building was still cold. I'd discovered an entrance to Savannah's underground tunnels through the bas.e.m.e.nt of Connie's apartment building a while back. While walking through the maze of pa.s.sageways I'd come to a decision. I was going to make love to Connie. Tonight. Melaphia confirmed that whatever Connie was, she was strong enough that I couldn't hurt her. As for her hurting me, that was nonsense. What could G.o.ddess girl do to a big, bad vampire? Besides, why would she want to do me harm? Connie was crazy about me.

What the h.e.l.l did being a G.o.ddess mean anyway? What were G.o.ddesses supposed to do all day? I pictured Connie sitting on a throne with a golden scepter. In my mind's eye, she beckoned me with one gold-tipped finger. "Come here, slave, and do my bidding." What is it with me and female authority figures?

"My, now, that's a nice smile. Is that for me?" Connie walked up and rose to her tiptoes to press a quick kiss on my lips. "Come on in, dollface." She unlocked the door and led me to the couch, then dumped her gear on the floor, drawing me down with her in the same motion. "This is a special treat. We almost never get to be alone together here. It's enough to give a red-blooded, all-American girl ideas."

"What kind of ideas?"

As an answer, she covered my mouth with hers as she pushed me down into the overstuffed pillows. She was warm, and she warmed my chilled body as I drew her against me and wrapped my arms around her. She twisted her head to kiss me harder and encircled my neck with her arms. Her kiss was so hot she felt as if she were made of sunshine. Her heat never failed to make me feel human again, as if there was warm blood circulating in my veins for the first time in almost a hundred and fifty years.

"I'm happy to see you," she said, removing her arms from around my neck and pulling her top off over her head. Her cleavage nearly spilled over the edge of her lacy white bra. I reached up to ma.s.sage her b.r.e.a.s.t.s through the fabric, teasing her nipples to stiff buds under my thumbs.

I'd dreamed of this moment for so long, dreamed of entering her, having her smooth, satiny heat truly surround me-warm me from my core outward. I had this silly, stupid fantasy that she could make me human again with her body, like in some fairy tale where a princess turns a frog into her perfect prince.

And they lived happily ever after. I was hard as a rock just thinking about it.

"You've been a gentleman for way too long," she said, reaching back to unfasten her bra. In one motion, she had it off and her silky smooth b.r.e.a.s.t.s were naked under my hands.

"You're right about that, darlin'. When it's time, it's time."

She unb.u.t.toned the top two b.u.t.tons of my shirt and planted a kiss on my chest, right over my unbeating heart. I thought for a second that the touch of her lips was going to jolt it back to life, like those defibrilators you see in medical shows. I actually closed my eyes and waited for it. I didn't feel my heart spring to life, but something a little farther south did.

She tugged my shirt off and I fumbled for the b.u.t.ton of her uniform pants. She ran her fingers over the hair on my chest and leaned forward, offering up her rosy b.r.e.a.s.t.s again, this time to my hungry mouth. I took one nipple between my lips greedily, and she moaned with pleasure. By that time I had her fly undone, and she reached down to stroke my hardening shaft through my jeans.

She leaned in to kiss me again, raising her bottom so I could slide her pants down. I slipped my hands inside her panties and let them slide around so I could give her derriere a little squeeze. Her giggle, m.u.f.fled against my mouth, turned into a whimper of pleasure as I reached farther and found the honeyed heart of her womanhood.

She shoved her panties and pants down to her thighs and leaned onto me, freeing herself to kick them the rest of the way off.

The sensation of Connie's naked body full-length against mine made me feel fully alive again. Human, mortal, vulnerable, ecstatic.

I held her tightly to me with one arm and in one quick motion rolled us over so that I was on top, propped on one elbow, exploring her with my other hand. I eased her legs apart with my knee and groaned as she reached down to take me in her hand. I reveled in the sight of her naked and open to me, a sight that had been in my dreams so many times. My tongue blazed a trail from the hollow of her throat across her nipple to her belly to her hip, where I noticed a red, sun-shaped mark just above her right hip bone, barely visible in the dimness.

"What's this?" I asked, drunk on the pleasure of exploring her body and the antic.i.p.ation of what was to come.

"It's just a birthmark," she murmured. "Been there as long as I can remember."

I reached out to trace the rays of the little sun with my index finger. When I touched it, a shock went through me so intense it was as if I'd grabbed on to a live electric wire. My body arced upward involuntarily and I felt like I 'd been stabbed by a hundred hot pokers fresh from the flames of h.e.l.l. I propelled myself backward, hoping to escape whatever force had just burned me to my core.

I hit the wall with a thud. Looking down, I saw that the hand I 'd touched her with was bloodred and swollen to twice its normal size. I hid it behind my back, wincing in pain. "Connie, are you all right?" I asked, not at all sure that I was.

"What the h.e.l.l just happened?" she yelled. She looked physically unhurt.

"I'm-I'm not sure," I stammered, getting to my feet. My head was splitting and not just from smacking the wall. It felt like my brain was short-circuiting. My ears rang with Melaphia's words. She can be a danger-or worse-to you.

I'll be d.a.m.ned. She'd been right.

"Is it me? Did I do something?"

"I don't know. I mean, no. It's not you."

"Then what was that? What did I do to you?"

"It's not you. It's me."

"What are you talking about?"

I got to my feet and paced to the other side of the room, but I saw the crucifix she had hanging there, so I went to the window and looked out to keep from having to meet her eyes. "I'm not like other guys."

"I know that, Jack. That's what I like about you."

"No. I mean, I'm really not like other guys." Suddenly I wanted to tell her all of it; I wanted to make her understand that what just happened had to do with what I was. I couldn't walk beside her in the sun. I couldn't travel with her to meet her family.