Tomorrow night, he would free the drones. He doubted if any would choose to stay, but now that the sheep had been freed, there was little need for the drones. Releasing them would be the last step in abandoning a way of life that had existed for over a thousand years. But it was time. The world was changing.
He was about to return to the Fortress when the air around him shimmered. A moment later, his mother stood beside him. He studied her from the corner of his eye. She wore unrelieved black. Her face was paler than usual. Her pale blond hair fell like a mantle down her back and over her shoulders.
They stood together in silence for several minutes before she said, “I was not pleased when you defied your father’s wishes and rescinded his annulment. I knew you did not love Katiya, but I felt she was right for you and hoped that, in time, you would forget Elena and learn to love one of your own kind.” Pausing, she took a deep breath. “I see now that I was wrong. You would never have been happy with anyone else.”
Drake stared at his mother. Stunned by her words, he couldn’t think of anything to say.
“I envy what you and Elena have,” Liliana went on quietly, still not meeting his gaze. “My marriage to your father was arranged, as is the custom among our people.”
She stared into the distance and Drake had the feeling she was no longer speaking to him.
“I loved your father from the first time I saw him. He was handsome, as you are, strong and proud and stubborn. I knew he did not love me. I knew he would take other wives. There were times when he was cruel, and yet I stayed at his side. I wish now that I had told him I loved him, but I lacked the courage to say the words out loud. Perhaps because I knew he would not say them back to me.” She shrugged. “It does not matter now. He is gone, and he will never know how much I cared for him. And now,” she said, speaking so quietly he could scarcely hear her, “before I go, I want you to know that I love you, and that I am proud of you.”
Knowing she was about to leave, Drake laid his hand on her arm. “What are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know damn well what I mean. That little speech sounded a lot like a last good-bye.”
She turned her face away, but said nothing.
“I have lost my sire,” Drake said, his hand still holding her arm. “I will not lose you, as well. You have a granddaughter who will need you, sons and daughters who care for you. I want your promise that you will not destroy yourself.”
“And if I refuse to give it?”
“Then I will lock you in the dungeon until you come to your senses.”
“You are more like your father than I thought,” she retorted, but Drake heard the smile in her tone.
“I will not ask Elena to live in the Fortress,” he said. “There are too many bad memories here for both of us. But I promise you we will come to visit often. And you are welcome to visit Wolfram whenever you wish, for as long as you wish.”
“Drake . . .”
His hand tightened on her arm, his gaze drilling into hers. “I will have your promise before you go,” he insisted.
“You have it,” she whispered.
He nodded, and then he did something he had rarely done. He kissed his mother on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” she replied, her voice thick with unshed tears. “Good night.”
He remained outside for several minutes, remembering the past, thinking of the future, and then he returned to his quarters. He had expected to find Elena asleep, but she was sitting up in bed, nursing their daughter.
It was, he thought, the prettiest sight he had ever seen in his life.
Elena smiled when she saw him in the doorway, and Drake knew he would ask nothing more of his existence than to go on loving her for as long as they lived.
When she held out her hand, he heeled off his boots, shrugged out of his shirt, then sat on the edge of the bed.
“How are you feeling?”
“A little sore, that’s all.”
Drake kissed her, then brushed a feather-light kiss across his daughter’s downy cheek.
Elena felt a tug at her heart as she watched Drake kiss their daughter. “I was missing you.”
“As I miss you,” he murmured, “whenever we are apart.”
“Tell me the truth. Do you think our daughter will be like you?”
“Yes. Vampire blood is strong. Our genes are dominant.”
“So, they’ll completely overshadow her humanity?”
“It’s possible, but doubtful. I think her vampire side will prevail, though I doubt if her need to feed will be as compelling. I am guessing now, but I think that, because of her human half, she will always be able to eat mortal food and walk in the sun.” He smiled as he ran his fingers through a lock of Elena’s hair. “She may be weak in some areas, stronger in others, but I think our daughter will be blessed with the best of both worlds.”
Epilogue
Eighteen years later
Glancing at the clock, Elena ran up the stairs. “Kaitlyn, do you know what time it is? If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late for school!”
“I’m ready, Mom,” Kaitlyn said, smiling.
Elena paused in the doorway, momentarily taken aback as she stared at her daughter. Where had the years gone? It seemed only yesterday Kaitlyn had been a little girl, learning to walk, to talk, going to kindergarten for the first time. How had she grown up so fast? She was breathtakingly beautiful, with thick black hair and her father’s deep blue eyes.
Elena blinked back her tears. They had been truly blessed. None of the things Elena had worried about had happened. Drake had told Kaitlyn early on about her heritage and the Fortress, and when she had expressed a desire to see it, they had gone there one year for vacation. Kaitlyn had loved the castle and the people in it, and had formed an instant bond with Liliana, a bond that continued to this day, Elena thought, but she wasn’t surprised. Everyone who met Kaitlyn loved her.
And now she was about to embark on a journey. Today was her last day of high school. She was graduating tonight; tomorrow she was leaving for college in America. It was a day for celebrating. Andrei and Katiya and their children would be arriving after sundown, along with Liliana and a number of Drake’s brothers. She wondered, not for the first time, what Stefan was doing. They hadn’t heard from him since he’d left the Fortress so many years ago.
Elena walked her daughter down the stairs, other memories crowding her mind—ice-skating in the winter, swimming in the summer, picnics by the lake, horseback riding through the forest, shopping sprees in the city. She had taught Kaitlyn to cook. Drake had taught her to drive. So many happy recollections. Sometimes she wondered what she had done to have been blessed with such a loving husband and daughter. Kaitlyn had brought them nothing but joy. And now, too soon, she was leaving home.
Drake was waiting for them by the front door. Folding Kaitlyn into his arms, he kissed her cheek. “We will see you later.”
“Sure thing,” Kaitlyn said. “See if you can cheer Mom up, will you? She’s crying again.”
“I will take care of her,” Drake promised.
Elena hugged Kaitlyn, then stood in the doorway, watching her daughter slide behind the wheel of Drake’s new Jag. A cheerful wave, the roar of a powerful engine, and she was speeding away.
Her last day of school, Elena thought, and wondered again where the time had gone.
Drake closed the door, then drew Elena into his arms. “We knew this day would come.”
“I know. But I didn’t think it would come so quickly.” She looked up at him, sniffing back her tears. “What will we do without her?” She had wanted more children, would have loved a dozen, but it was not to be.
Drake had no answer for her. He loved his daughter with all his heart, but Elena was the light of his life, the reason for his existence. Though she had wanted more children, he had been relieved when she failed to conceive again. The thought of losing her filled him with quiet despair. Needing her as n
ever before, he kissed her deeply, felt her willing response.
A thought carried them to their room. He undressed her quickly, then shed his own clothes. Lifting her onto the bed, he stretched out beside her, his body yearning for her touch, his heart aching at the thought of losing her.
Elena clung to him, eager, as always, to be in his arms. The fire between them burned as hot and bright as it always had. In his embrace, she forgot everything else. There was only Drake, his mouth working its familiar magic, his strong hands gentle as he caressed her, arousing her; his voice deep and husky with desire as he whispered that he loved her, adored her, couldn’t live without her.
She ran her fingertips over his face, traced the muscles in his arms, rained kisses on his chest. She knew every inch of his body as well as she knew her own. The passing years had had no effect on him. His body was still firm and well muscled. Without an ounce of fat. Soon, too soon, the years between them would begin to show.
Elena pushed the unwelcome thought away, her lips hungrily seeking his. When he whispered her name, she nodded, and then smiled as she felt the graze of his fangs against her throat, the sweet sensual pleasure of his bite that made their joining all the more exciting.
Moaning softly, she closed her eyes while waves of ecstasy rolled through her, carrying her away to paradise.
Later, lying in his arms, she smiled at him. “Thankfully, some things never change.”
He nodded, his expression solemn as he gazed into her eyes. The years had been kind to her. Though she was almost thirty-nine, she looked ten years younger.
“Stay with me, wife,” he said, his voice thick. “One lifetime will never be enough.” His fingers tangled in her hair, as if to hold her close to him forever. “I cannot bear the thought of living without you.”
She knew what he was asking. They had not talked of it since the night he’d told her that it was possible for her to extend her lifespan and then explained how it could be done. All she had to do was drink his blood—every night for the first year, then once a week, then once a month, then once a year. Doing so would slow the aging process, so that she would only age one day for every year.
At the time, with her whole life ahead of her, she had been certain she could never do such a thing. But that had been almost twenty years ago. Mortality weighed more heavily on her now. With each passing year, the thought of leaving him pained her more. Though she would have said it was impossible, her love for Drake had grown stronger, deeper, with every passing day.
“Elena.” His voice was raw with emotion.
“You’re right,” she said, sliding the tips of her fingers back and forth over his lower lip. “One lifetime will never do.”
“You mean it?” He drew back, his gaze searching her face.
She nodded, and then sighed. The decision, once made, seemed right.
“Elena!” His arm tightened around her, his dark eyes alight with happiness.
“Tomorrow night, after Kaitlyn leaves,” Elena said with a smile. “Although I doubt if even an eternity in your arms will be time enough.”
Dear Reader—
I hope you enjoyed Drake and Elena’s story. Be sure to look for Kaitlyn’s story, BOUND BY BLOOD, available now.
A big thank you to all of you who have taken the time to write or e-mail me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks, also, to Maggie Shayne, for giving me a quote. I love her books.
Amanda
www.amandaashley.net
Don’t miss BOUND BY BLOOD, available now!
Chapter 1
Lake Tahoe, CA
Kaitlyn Sherrad rolled down the window of her baby blue Porsche and stared up at the log cabin set alone in the midst of a cluster of tall pines. As usual, her father had outdone himself. Last month, when he had come to the States for her graduation from college, he had asked her what kind of gift she wanted and she had said, facetiously, Oh, nothing much, just a little summer place in the mountains.
After pulling into the driveway and cutting the engine, Kaitlyn grabbed her suitcases from the backseat. Smiling with anticipation, she hurried up the narrow, winding, red brick path that led to the front porch. She quickly skipped up the stairs and unlocked the door.
Knowing her father, she wasn’t the least bit surprised to find the living room already furnished. An off-white sofa with a high, curved back and a matching love seat faced each other in front of a rough-hewn stone fireplace. A deep mauve carpet covered the floor, flowered curtains hung at the windows. The tables were walnut, as was the large bookcase—already filled with books by her favorite authors—that took up most of one wall.
Dropping her suitcases beside the sofa, Kaitlyn explored the rest of the house—two large bedrooms with a connecting bathroom; a den, complete with desk, computer and printer, sofa and big-screen TV; a small kitchen with new appliances and a refrigerator filled with her favorites foods; a service porch equipped with a new washer and dryer.
She shook her head, a sting of tears behind her eyes. Being an only child, she had always been spoiled rotten, but this went far beyond the ballet classes and piano lessons her parents had provided when she was in grade school, the new wardrobe they had given her every year, the Porsche her father had surprised her with for her twenty-first birthday last year.
She had hoped her folks would spend the summer with her, but trouble at the Fortress had drawn them home. It wasn’t always easy, having a father who was the Master of the Carpathian Coven. Sometimes, as now, his duties could not be ignored. Usually, her uncle Andrei handled things at the Fortress, but whatever the emergency had been, it had required her father’s attention, which meant that her mother had gone, as well. To her knowledge, her parents rarely spent more than a few hours apart.
Kaitlyn sighed as she removed her sweater and tossed it over the back of the sofa. Someday, she hoped to find a man who would adore her the way her father adored her mother. A man who would live and die for her. A man she couldn’t live without.
Picking up her suitcases, she carried them into the first bedroom and tossed them on the bed. This room was done in varying shades of green, with billowy white lace curtains. The twin windows looked out over a sparkling blue lake.
Kaitlyn shook her head. How was she ever going to express her gratitude for the love and kindness her parents had showered upon her? She had thanked them on numerous occasions in the past, but words seemed woefully inadequate. She knew they hadn’t been altogether pleased with her decision to remain in California after she graduated from college, but they had accepted it without argument.
Feeling a little homesick, she opened the larger suitcase and began to unpack. Her folks had always treated her like a princess, but then, maybe that was natural, since she had been raised in an old stone castle in the heart of Romania.
She smiled as she hung her clothes in the closet.
All she needed now was a prince.
Chapter 2
Zackary Ravenscroft strolled through the main floor of the casino, stopping now and then to chat with one of the customers, pausing to answer a question here, to address a complaint there. He loved owning a nightclub, loved the excitement that filled the air, the rush of adrenaline that fired the blood of the patrons, the fact that no two nights were ever the same.
Zack had built the casino ten years ago, simply because he was bored and thought it would be a nice distraction. It was one of the best decisions he had made in the last six hundred years. Not only did the casino provide a hefty income, but the constant change in customers assured a steady supply of women. And Zack loved women—all women. Old or young, ugly or pretty, smart or not so smart, black, white, red, brown, yellow—it made no difference. He loved them all. And they loved him in every way imaginable.
Leaving the gaming tables behind, he strolled up and down the aisles of slot machines. He stopped a moment to watch an elderly woman playing one of the old dollar slots. From her shabby appearance, she appeared to be down on her luck and mo
st likely using the last of her money in a desperate hope of hitting it big. He had seen it all before. Usually, he had no sympathy for those who plunked down their last five bucks in hopes of winning a fortune on the turn of a card. Sure, it happened from time to time, but no matter what the game, the odds were always with the house.
The old lady was muttering under her breath.
It took Zack a minute to realize she wasn’t cursing but praying.
He frowned as he listened to the urgency of her words, heard the unshed tears in her voice as she sent a desperate plea toward Heaven.
Zack grunted softly. Her husband was sick. He needed an operation, and medication they could no longer afford. She had lost her job. They couldn’t pay the rent.
She needed a miracle.
Murmuring a breathless, “Amen,” she shoved her remaining three dollars into the machine, then clasped her hands to her breast.
With a bemused shake of his head, Zack concentrated on the wheels of the slot machine.
One gold bar.
Two.
Three.
Smiling, Zack moved on as the machine lit up and bells and whistles went off, signaling that a player had hit the ten-thousand-dollar jackpot. So, he had lost ten grand, he thought, but it wasn’t much to pay for a miracle.
He was still smiling when he stepped outside. It was a beautiful night. Cool and crisp. A few scattered clouds drifted across the face of the full moon.
Feeling suddenly restless, he wandered away from the casino, crossed the parking lot, and headed for the wooded hillside that began just beyond the blacktop.
He moved soundlessly through the underbrush, his keen senses aware of the tiny night creatures that scented a predator and quickly scurried out of his way. He caught the scent of a skunk and farther on, that of a deer.
Nearing one of the cabins, he came across a black bear scavenging through a trash can. The bear reared up on its hind legs and sniffed the wind. Apparently recognizing Zack as a threat, the animal dropped back down on all fours and lumbered into the trees.
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