Bound By Blood

by Amanda Ashley

  “Shankman,” Zack said, shaking the man’s hand. “I appreciate your meeting me so late.”

  “Not a problem, Mr. Ravenscroft.”

  “Let’s go into the lounge,” Zack suggested. “We’ll be more comfortable there.”

  Zack found a table for two near the back. He ordered a glass of red wine for himself, a scotch and water for Shankman.

  It took less than an hour to fill out the requisite forms. Shankman assured him that the paperwork would be expedited and the check mailed as soon as possible.

  The two men shook hands and Shankman left the lounge.

  Leaning back in his chair, Zack sipped his wine and thought about his upcoming wedding. He had never expected to marry. It wasn’t common among his kind, another major difference between vampires who were made and those who were born. His kind tended to be solitary, concerned for their own survival and little else. They tended to be jealous of their territory and rarely made friends with other vampires. By comparison, those of Kaitlyn’s ilk were far more social.

  Zack’s meeting with his architect, Mike Waters, went quickly and smoothly.

  “Just rebuild it the way it was,” Zack said.

  “No changes?” Waters asked. “I was thinking we should add a covered entry and extend the parking garage. Tahoe’s grown quite a bit since you built the club, you know. Are you sure you don’t want to add a couple of floors and include some rooms?”

  “I’m not interested in running a hotel,” Zack said. “But I like the covered entry idea and the additional parking. How soon can you get started?”

  “First of the month?”

  “Let’s do it.”

  “I’ll draw up a contract tomorrow. Same terms as before?”

  Zack nodded.

  Waters shook his hand. “Nice doing business with you, Mr. Ravenscroft. I’ll be in touch.”

  Alone again, Zack ordered another glass of wine. Closing his eyes, he brought Kaitlyn’s image to mind. Tomorrow night he would find a church where they could be married. Once he made her his, he vowed they would never be parted again.

  Flipping open his cell phone, he punched in her number, felt a sense of peace steal over him when he heard her voice on the other end of the line.

  Three days without Zack and Kaitlyn felt like she was going stir-crazy. Her father had forbidden her and her mother to leave the castle, even when the sun was up, and although Kaitlyn slept a good part of the day—something she had being doing more and more of since dating Zack—it still left her with a lot of time on her hands and not much to do. After all, you could only watch so many movies, read so many books, play so many games of solitaire, before you felt like climbing the walls. And that’s just how she felt.

  Her parents did their best to keep her entertained, and she loved them for it, but she missed Zack, missed him with a hollow ache that nothing else could fill. She felt as if a vital part of her had been torn away, leaving her empty and incomplete. Was he feeling the same? Could he possibly miss her as much as she missed him?

  “Oh, Zack,” she murmured. She needed to see him, to hear his voice, to touch him. And be touched in return. She closed her eyes, recalling the taste of his kisses, the way her whole body came alive at the touch of his hand. She missed the sound of his voice, his smile, his laughter.

  She wandered through the castle, her fingertips sliding over the back of the sofa. Zack had kissed her there. And here, in front of the hearth. And in the kitchen. And in her bedroom. And in his bed. She sighed at the memory. Making love to Zack was . . . She shook her head. There were simply no words to describe the wonder of it, the joy it brought her, the sense of belonging. In a flash of insight, she suddenly understood the shared looks between her parents, the frequent half smile on her mother’s lips.

  She glanced at her watch. It was almost four-thirty P.M. in California. Was Zack still asleep? Was it too early to call? God bless cell phones and the man who had invented them, she thought as she punched in Zack’s number.

  Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice, thick with sleep.

  “Hey, Katy darlin’.”

  “Zack, I miss you so much!”

  “Me, too, you. Everything okay there?”

  “Yes. I just needed to hear your voice.”

  “You sound good, too. Listen, my business is taken care of. I found a church. I bought a tux. Tell your dad to come tomorrow night. I’ve got a suite at Harrah’s. I’ll meet you there at sundown.”

  “Tomorrow! You mean it? I can’t wait!”

  “Me, either.”

  She sighed, remembering how he had called last night and vowed that once they were married, they would never be parted again. “I love you.”

  “I love you more. Listen, Katy . . .”

  “I know. I called you too early. I’m sorry. Go back to sleep.”

  He murmured something unintelligible.

  “Call me when you wake up.”

  “Will do.”

  She was smiling when she broke the connection. He loved her. She would see him tomorrow night.

  Life was good.

  Chapter 40

  Kaitlyn could hardly contain her excitement as she packed a bag. Soon! Soon she would be with Zack again. She felt like dancing, singing, shouting from the rooftops that she was getting married to the most wonderful man on earth!

  Arms flung out at her sides, she pirouetted around the room, then burst out laughing. How would she contain her joy when she saw him again, she wondered, but then, there was no need. She wanted Zack and everyone else in the world to know how happy she was.

  She ran her hand over the garment bag that held her wedding gown and veil. What would Zack think when he saw his bride? Picturing him in a tuxedo brought a warm flush to her cheeks and turned her legs to mush. The man looked drop-dead sexy in jeans and a T-shirt. No doubt he would be lethal in a tux!

  Grabbing her suitcase and her gown, she hurried down the stairs. Her parents were waiting for her.

  “Are you ready?” her father asked.

  “Yes! Let’s go!”

  “Here,” her mother said, reaching for the garment bag, “let me carry that.”

  Her father picked up the suitcase at his feet, Kaitlyn tucked hers against her chest. She stood between her mom and dad, their arms linked together, as her father transported the three of them to Lake Tahoe.

  It was an odd sensation, being swept blindly through time and space. Kaitlyn felt weightless, disoriented, almost as if her mind and body had split into two separate entities. She wondered briefly what would happen if the two halves didn’t reunite. One fanciful thought turned into another and she tried to imagine what it would be like if her mind ended up in her mother’s body. What a conundrum that would be!

  It took Kaitlyn a minute to realize she was standing on solid ground again. When her vision cleared and her head stopped spinning, she glanced around, then looked at her father. “Where are we?”

  “In the rear of Harrah’s parking lot.” Drake stroked Elena’s cheek. “Are you all right?”

  “A little shaky, but fine.” Elena took Kaitlyn’s hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “Well, don’t just stand there, you two. Let’s go find the groom.”

  Zack sensed Kaitlyn’s presence even before she entered the lobby of the hotel. Though it had only been a few days, it seemed much longer. His gaze moved over her, marveling again at how lovely she was. Clad in a fuzzy pink sweater and a pair of white jeans, she looked good enough to eat. Literally. Heedless of the people milling around, he hurried forward.

  Kaitlyn dropped the suitcase she was carrying when she saw Zack. She ran toward him, laughed out loud when he swept her into his arms and twirled her around. “Katy!” He kissed her, long and hard. And then he kissed her again, short and sweet. “I missed you.”

  She grinned up at him when he set her on her feet. “As much as I hated every second that we were apart, I think that welcome was worth it.”

  “Drake, Elena, it’s good to see you.�
� Zack picked up Kaitlyn’s suitcase. “Come on,” he said, taking her by the hand, “I’ll show you all to your room.”

  “We don’t need a room,” Kaitlyn said. “We can stay at my place.”

  “Nadiya knows where you live,” Zack said. “I’m thinking it’s better if you all stay here.”

  “But . . .”

  “I think Zack is right,” her father said. “Nadiya may have someone watching your house. You’d be safe inside, but not coming and going. The anonymity of the hotel is probably a good thing.”

  “Safety in numbers and all that,” Zack remarked with a wry grin.

  “Exactly,” Elena said. “It’ll be cozy.”

  Zack and Drake exchanged pained looks.

  “Cozy,” Zack muttered.

  Kaitlyn’s shoulders slumped in defeat. She had been looking forward to going home, sleeping in her own bed. Being alone with Zack.

  “I asked a couple of my sisters to stay at Wolfram so that anyone sniffing around will think we’re still there,” Drake remarked.

  In the elevator, Zack held Kaitlyn close to his side, basking in her warmth and light. Being close to her again, inhaling her scent, was like being reborn. Until they were miles apart, he hadn’t realized just how much he needed her, or appreciated how the goodness she radiated chased the darkness from his soul.

  He unlocked the door to the suite and ushered them inside. Drake left his suitcase by the door; Kaitlyn dropped hers on the sofa. Elena immediately went into the bedroom to hang up Kaitlyn’s wedding gown.

  “I’m sorry to say, there’s only one bed,” Zack remarked when Elena returned. “Rollaways aren’t allowed in suites.” He glanced at Katy. “I guess you’ll have to sleep on the couch.”

  “What about you?” Elena asked. “If we take your room, where are you going to stay?”

  “Don’t worry about me. I haven’t been sleeping here.”

  Kaitlyn frowned at him. “Why not?”

  “I am guessing he felt too vulnerable to rest comfortably,” Drake said.

  Zack nodded. “Right.”

  “Have you seen any sign of Nadiya?” Drake asked.

  “No.”

  “So, where have you been sleeping?” Kaitlyn asked.

  “In the ground.”

  She couldn’t help it, she grimaced. She knew her people sometimes did that, but she hadn’t known the Others did it, also. She wondered if her father had ever gone to ground, as they called it. She knew it was natural for their kind, but she couldn’t imagine doing it herself. It was just too . . . too morbid.

  “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you,” Elena said. “But I’m going to unpack.”

  “Me, too,” Kaitlyn said.

  Grunting softly, Drake dropped onto the sofa and stretched his legs out in front of him.

  Zack paced the floor for a few minutes, then moved one of the chairs nearer to the fireplace and sat down facing Drake. “Any chance Nadiya will just give up?”

  “You are a gambler. What do you think?”

  “I’d say the odds were about a thousand to one. So, what’s our next move?”

  “I think the next move is up to her.”

  “I was afraid you’d say that.”

  “Nadiya, Nadiya, Nadiya,” Kaitlyn muttered as she reentered the room. “Can’t we talk about something else?”

  “Sure, darlin’,” Zack said. “What would you like to talk about?”

  Sitting on the arm of Zack’s chair, she said, “I’d like to see the church where we’re getting married.”

  “Me, too,” Elena said.

  “It’s all right with me,” Zack said. “I could use some exercise.”

  “Let’s go,” Kaitlyn said.

  The church was about a half mile from the hotel. Arm in arm, Zack and Kaitlyn walked ahead of Drake and Elena.

  “Another night or two and you’ll be all mine,” Zack said, squeezing her hand.

  “I’m already all yours. Did you arrange it so my father can marry us?”

  “About that . . . The priest I talked to said it couldn’t be done.”

  “Then we’ll just have to go somewhere else.”

  “I couldn’t find a minister anywhere who was willing to let a complete stranger, someone who wasn’t even a member of the congregation, perform a wedding. So, since the only guests will be vampires, we’re just going to get married at midnight, when the church is locked up tight.”

  “Of course,” Kaitlyn said. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  “’Cause you’re the pretty one,” Zack said, trying hard not to laugh. “And I’m the smart one. Ouch!”

  “Serves you right,” she said.

  “This is it.” Zack paused in front of a white stone church topped by a tall golden cross. Large stained-glass windows flanked the entrance.

  Holding Kaitlyn’s hand, he transported the two of them inside.

  Drake and Elena followed moments later.

  “Oh, it’s lovely,” Elena said, glancing around.

  Kaitlyn nodded. “It’s even prettier than the one at home.” Rising on her tiptoes, she kissed Zack on the cheek. “This is perfect.”

  Zack glanced at Drake and Elena. “Can your family be here by tomorrow night?”

  “In a hurry, are you?” Drake asked.

  “Probably no more than you were,” Elena said, punching her husband on the arm. “I’m sure they can be here by then.”

  And they were.

  The next night, Liliana and Stefan arrived at Harrah’s just after eleven P.M.

  “I was hoping Andrei would come,” Kaitlyn said, hugging her grandmother and her uncle.

  “They wanted to be here,” Drake said, “but, all things considered, I did not think it wise for them to leave the Fortress. Ciprian and Liam are taking Liliana’s place at the Italian Fortress until she returns. If you want to postpone the wedding . . .”

  “No!” Kaitlyn said emphatically. “I am not waiting any longer.”

  Zack winked at her. “That’s my girl.”

  Elena, ever the peacemaker, said, “All right, then. What do you say we all get dressed and meet at the church at midnight? Zack, can you find a room somewhere else? It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, you know.”

  “Sure, Elena. A friend of mine is staying here, at Harrah’s. I can dress in her room. Liliana, I booked you and Stefan rooms here, too.”

  “Sounds like you’ve taken care of everything,” Elena said. “Let’s go.”

  Kaitlyn stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bathroom while her mother brushed her hair.

  “You look lovely, sweetheart,” Elena said. “I’ve never seen you looking happier.”

  “I’ve never been happier. I love Zack so much. When you fell in love with Dad, did you just know he was the right one?”

  “Yes. My life might have been easier in some ways if I’d fallen in love with a human instead of a vampire. But hearts don’t care about things like that.”

  Setting the brush aside, Elena picked up the veil and set it in place. “You look like an angel.”

  “Thanks, Mom, for everything.”

  “I can’t believe my little girl is getting married.” Elena shook her head. “Where did the years go? Seems like only yesterday I was holding you in my arms, and now look at you. All grown up and about to become a wife.”

  “Mom, don’t cry.”

  “I can’t help it. Besides, they’re happy tears. You’ve everything a mother could ever hope for in her daughter. I’m so proud of you.”

  “Oh, Mom.” Blinking back her own tears, Kaitlyn hugged her mother.

  “Careful, sweetie, you’re crushing your gown.”

  “I don’t care.”

  Elena pulled a hanky from her pocket. “Here, dry your eyes. We don’t want Zack to see you crying.”

  Kaitlyn smiled at the mention of his name, then glanced over her shoulder as her father knocked on the bedroom door and peeked inside.

  “It’s almos
t midnight. Are you . . .” His words trailed off when he saw Kaitlyn.

  “Dad, are you all right?” she asked anxiously.

  “I just realized I am losing my little girl.”

  “Oh, Daddy, I’ll always be your little girl.”

  He held out his arms and she went to him, sighing as his arms wrapped around her. He would always be her first love. He had kissed her hurts, chased away the monster under the bed, taught her to value herself and those around her. “I love you, Daddy.”

  “I know. I love you, too.” Putting his finger under her chin, he lifted her head. “Are you sure he is the one?”

  “Without a doubt.”

  “We’d better go,” Elena said. “We don’t want the groom to think the bride changed her mind at the last minute.”

  Another round of hugs, and they left the hotel.

  There were no lights on in the church. The only illumination came from a pair of candles near the altar.

  Since Kaitlyn’s father was performing the ceremony, she had asked her uncle Stefan to walk her down the aisle.

  Her mother and Liliana sat side by side in the front pew. Her father stood in front of the altar. Zack stood to his right. Zack’s bartender, Scherry, sat in the second pew.

  Kaitlyn’s heart skipped a beat when she saw her future husband. He had been born to wear a tux, she thought. The jacket, obviously hand-tailored just for him, caressed his broad shoulders, the trousers emphasized his long legs. The crisp white shirt was the perfect foil for his long black hair and dark eyes.

  There was no music other than the beating of her heart as she moved toward him. When they reached the altar, Stefan placed her hand in Zack’s, then stepped back to sit next to his mother.

  Drake’s gaze moved over those in attendance. “Liliana Sherrad, Elena Sherrad, Stefan Sherrad, Scherry Lyons, you have been called here tonight to witness the union of Zackary Ravenscroft and Kaitlyn Liliana Sherrad, here present. Zackary, will you have this woman to be your life mate? Will you care for her and protect her so long as you both shall live?”

  Zack squeezed Kaitlyn’s hand as he answered, “I will.”