“I see.”
Cat tensed. “I may not read minds, but I know you think my subconscious with my past life made me write it.”
His look was innocent enough, but Cat wasn’t buying it. “I never suggested it.”
“No, but you thought it.”
He sighed wearily. “Cat, at some point, you need to entertain the thought that there is some truth to what I believe.” There was a heavy pause. “Never mind. I found you after all this time. I can wait a bit longer for you to believe me.”
Her laugh was strained. “You may have to wait forever.”
“I’ll wait,” he replied, his tone firm. “At least come to my home for a visit. We can leave tomorrow morning. We’ll take your car and you can stay with me for a few days.”
“I have to finish my book. My deadline’s next week.”
“I have state of the art technology at home, an office overlooking Manhattan, and privacy. I’ll give you the time to work.”
New York. Cat was tempted. She’d lived in Maine all her life and always wanted to visit the Big Apple. “I don’t know.”
“Think of it as research. New York is filled with so much culture, people from all walks of life, and entertainment—you may find your inspiration for your next book.”
Cat was more than tempted. She’d planned to stay at Mel’s cabin another week to complete her book. Why not complete it in New York? “I might take you up on that offer.”
“It’s done, then. We leave in the morning.”
“I said I might. I didn’t say, yes.”
He rose, taking her hand as he helped her up. “Your heart is already set. I can feel it. Come, let’s go to bed. We’ll wake up at sunrise and leave. Besides, the Grangers will not let up and I need to be around you to protect you.
Her light mood dimmed. “Thanks for reminding me.”
He shot her a concerned look as he led her into the bedroom. “I’m sorry, Cat, but I cannot express enough how dangerous their clan is. They’ll think nothing of killing you while you’re a defenseless mortal.”
She slipped into bed beside him and he gathered her into his arms. Her mind took another turn as she caught a glimpse of the full moon through the sheer drapes. “Your sleep schedule is all shot since you met me. You haven’t slept once during the day.”
There was a glimmer of a smile on his lips. “I’ll fix that when I get home. At least the weather’s been overcast and the sun hasn’t affected me.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“It can be. The rash, the blisters, the peeling…it won’t kill me, but it can scar me for life. In my case, forever. Vampires cannot heal the effects of the sun.”
She felt a rush of concern thinking about the sun disfiguring his beautiful face. “Maybe we should leave at sunset.”
“Your BMW has tinted windows. I’ll be fine.”
Cat knew if he wasn’t concerned, she shouldn’t be. Tobias struck her as the kind of man who didn’t leave any stones unturned, who was in control of his destiny, who didn’t leave anything to chance.
He kissed the top of her head where it lay on his chest. “Sleep now. We have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow.”
She felt the steady rise and fall of his chest and closed her eyes. She was going to New York. To his home.
Cat couldn’t deny the excitement she had at the prospect seeing where and how Tobias lived. The thought left her feeling curiously pleased and slowly she drifted off into sleep.
Chapter Seven
The next morning arrived with a dim sky and more snow. While Cat made her breakfast, Tobias went out into the woods to feed. She buttered her toast, mulling over what he’d told her after they woke up.
There were others like him where he lived and they all lived in a tight knit community where they rose and fell as one. They looked after each other. They protected each other. Vampires, the good ones, had an unwritten code unto themselves. They protected humans. Tobias had also explained how they all kept low profiles and contributed to society with normal jobs—policemen, waitresses, lawyers, doctors, cashiers. No profession was without a vampire in its midst.
Cat had listened with fascination. Had she ever come across a vampire on a cloudy day and not realized it?
She also learned Tobias was very wealthy. Four centuries was quite a long time to acquire a fortune. He spoke six languages, owned a yacht called The Seraphina, and played the piano, violin, and guitar. He painted in his spare time and liked to listen to classical music.
The more she discovered about him, the more she wanted to know.
Could she do it? Could she leave the life she knew behind her and be with her vampire lover, and live forever? If the last couple of days were any indication, she knew boredom was never going to be an issue.
Cat touched her stomach. He’d told her she was pregnant, but she didn’t feel any different. She sighed wearily and wondered if believing him was going to set her up for a huge disappointment.
In the midst of her whirling thoughts, a deafening sound came from the living room, making her jump. She sped to the other room and screamed. The front door was blown off its hinges and she smelled gunfire in the air.
Her heart pounded as she watched two men enter, dragging Tobias over the threshold. They let him drop to the floor and she gasped as she stared at the blood pouring from his shoulder. His face was ashen, his beautiful eyes lackluster as he looked up at her with a mixture of grief and rage.
“Run, Cat,” he said hoarsely. “Get the Hell out of here.”
The younger man pointed a gun at her. “This bitch isn’t going anywhere, animal. I have her right where I want her.”
“Tobias!” She ran to him and dropped at his side, putting her hands up to his cheeks. Her eyes brimmed with tears. One tear slipped and fell. “No,” she whispered brokenly.
The older man swore under his breath. “Kill them. Now!” he yelled at the younger man.
Cat was numb. She knew there was a gun pointed at them, but she didn’t care. Every fiber of her being was focused on Tobias. “What happened?” she asked him with a tremor in her voice.
“He was about to feed,” the younger man spat disgustedly, “smiling like some sick, evil bastard. I shot him before he could bring the fox up to his mouth.”
Cat ignored him, keeping her gaze fastened on Tobias.
“I was thinking about you the whole time,” he said, his deep voice breaking. “I wasn’t paying attention to the sounds around me because I was thinking of you and how happy I was.”
He swallowed convulsively and Cat stifled a heart-wrenching sob. She saw the light dim from his eyes and knew he was dying. Panic made her faint with fear. She had to do something. She couldn’t just watch him die. A strange sounding whimper rose in her throat,
“I’m sorry, Cat,” Tobias said. “I failed you as I failed Seraphina.”
The older man yanked her by the hair, making her scream. Her scalp burned as she sprawled backward on the floor. Tobias bellowed his fury as he struggled to stand, but failed. Her heart wrenched itself from her soul as she realized with despair he was weakening.
“Don’t touch her, you bastard. I’ll kill you,” he roared.
“Tobias!” Cat scrambled to her knees. She knew what she had to do and the thought scared the Hell out of her. She looked up at the two men, her tone pleading. “Please, let me hug him one last time. Please, before…before you kill us.”
“It cannot end like this,” Tobias said, his voice growing faint as he slumped back down to the ground. His expression filled with anguish as he raised his dark gaze to hers. “Run, dammit!”
She gave the younger man another pleading look. She wasn’t going to give up. “Please. Let…let me hug him.”
The young man spat on the floor. “Go ahead, bitch. Have your last embrace.”
“John, are you crazy?” the older man said roughly. “You know what the Elder said. Kill them swiftly and quickly. He wants no mistakes this time.”
T
he young man spat again. “I will kill them swiftly and quickly, and then we’ll haul their bodies onto the lake and let the ice break and their vile corpses will disappear forever.”
“You’ll pay for this,” Tobias ground out. “I swear, you’ll pay for this.”
While this verbal exchange was going, a powerful stab of emotion pierced Cat’s soul. She had to save him, her beautiful, sexy, vampire lover. He’d said he made her pregnant. Was there a baby growing inside her? She placed her faith in him and imagined an innocent, helpless life in her womb. A fire raged through her veins, giving her newfound courage and strength. She clenched her fist so tight, her nails drew blood.
Only one thing mattered, to save Tobias and their child.
First, she had to stay calm.
“Do it, now, bitch. I can’t wait forever,” the young man yelled.
Gritting her teeth, she slid back to Tobias and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She brought her mouth up to his ear and whispered, “Turn me. Now!”
He immediately stiffened. He drew back slowly and looked deep into her unwavering gaze. She sensed his indecision, his shock, his hope. Her resolve strengthened and she pursed her lips, willing him with her eyes to trust her. His eyes flickered and she knew in that moment he saw all the determination and certainty he needed to see. With one swift move, he turned his head into her neck and broke her skin.
The impact shocked her nerve endings, and she stifled the scream that rose in her throat. Pain and pleasure coursed through her veins. His life force bonded with hers and a blissful pain raced through her veins, her limbs, her bones. Her body was on fire. Her breathing quickened, her heart pounded, and power pulsed through every fiber of her being. Tobias slowly withdrew and Cat exhaled the breath she had been holding. It was done.
Courage replaced fear. Strength replaced weakness. Conviction replaced doubt. Her heightened senses made her feel something else as well, something that made her mind reel with mind-blowing awareness.
The baby, the seed of new life growing in her womb—the knowledge staggered her. Choking back a sob, she captured Tobias’s face in both her hands and stared deeply into his eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered huskily, planting a firm kiss on his mouth.
In a flash, Cat sprang to her feet, turned to the men, and leapt in the air. With her newfound strength and speed, she disarmed them and tossed them against the wall. The older man let out a terrified scream while the young man crouched back in fear.
She stood before them, her hands on her waist. “Not so tough now are you?” she asked. “Trying to kill someone is against the law, or doesn’t the law apply to the Grangers?”
“Bitch,” muttered the young man under his breath. “We’ll get you. You’ll go back to Hell where you belong, Seraphina. The Elder won’t rest until you and your demon lover are dead.”
Cat had had enough. She sprang toward him and grabbed him by the collar, raising him a foot off the ground.
“My name is Cat!” She then hurled him across the room and turned to the older man.
“Cat, let them go,” Tobias said. “They’re not worth it. They can’t do anything to us now.”
She heard strength in his voice and spun around. His healthy glow was returning and a quick glance to his wound told her he’d also stopped bleeding. Cat almost sobbed her relief. “Tobias?”
“I’m fine, now. Your blood saved me.”
She motioned to the two men. “What do we do with them?”
“We let them go as we have been doing for centuries. We’re not the killers. We’re not the evil ones. They are.”
Cat nodded and looked at the two men. “You have one minute to get the Hell out of here, but remember one thing…I’m not as forgiving as Tobias, so I hope for your sake we never set eyes on you again.” Her voice grew hard. “I’m pregnant and I wouldn’t think twice about killing you if it means saving my child.”
The men scrambled to their feet and inched their way to the door. Cat balled her hand into a fist and the men nearly fell over themselves as they stumbled through the door.
As soon as they were gone, Cat’s mind raced. They almost died, she was pregnant, and…and she was a vampire. There was an almost surreal quality in the air that made her feel the last five minutes hadn’t quite happened. She turned and watched Tobias rise.
“I thought we were going to die,” she said numbly.
His expression was grave. “We were. You saved us, Cat.”
“I can feel it. The baby.”
“That’s one of the wonderful gifts you’ve acquired turning into a vampire.”
Her head was woozy and her vision started to blur. “Umm…I…I don’t feel so great.”
His mouth tensed. “I know. Immediately after a turning, the fledgling vampire must feed, otherwise they will die.” In two strides, he stood before her.
She collapsed into his arms and gasped for air. “I don’t think I’m ready to drink blood.”
“Cat, you don’t have a choice.”
“Can’t…can’t I drink a V8 or something? A red wine? Does it have to be blood?” Her stomach burned. God, this was excruciatingly painful. “Damnit! I didn’t even have a minute to enjoy I’m pregnant. Now, you’re telling me I have to hunt a squirrel and drink its blood.” A searing spasm in her gut doubled her over. She was having difficulty breathing. “This is what it feels like to live forever? You have to be kidding me. I feel like I’m dying.” She groaned as another spasm speared her.
Tobias lowered himself to the ground, taking her with him. Gently, he placed her on his lap. “You will die in a few minutes if you don’t feed. Take my wrist. My blood will save you.” He brought his wrist close to her mouth. “Please, Cat. Don’t fight this. Drink my blood and save yourself,” he said, his voice breaking.
She knew if she didn’t, she would die and so would her unborn child. Suddenly, a treacherous cold seeped through her veins. She was dying. In the movies, didn’t people say they were cold and two minutes later, they died?
Common sense prevailed and she licked her dry lips, stiffening in surprise as her tongue ran over the tiny incisors in her mouth. She really was a vampire! The cold in her limbs grew and she squeezed her eyes before sinking her newfound, pointy teeth into his wrist. Drinking his blood beat out dying, and she sucked and swallowed, trying hard not to gag.
Stunned, her brows rose to the rafters. His blood tasted amazingly sweet, like warm milk with honey. As she drank, her pains subsided, her breathing returned to normal, and her racing heart calmed down.
“That’s enough, Cat.” Tobias’s voice sounded strained and hoarse.
She moaned. My God, she couldn’t get enough of him.
“Cat. Stop!” He took her by the shoulders and gently pulled her away. “A fledgling vampire’s initial thirst is insatiable, and if I let you, you would drink every last drop in my body.”
She licked her lips and noticed her incisors had retracted. “Sorry. Did…did I hurt you?”
Slowly, he smiled. “No.” He rose and took her hand. “And don’t worry about hunting for animals. We only hunt when absolutely necessary. Back home, my kind keeps a freezer full of blood. All we need is an equivalent of a glass a day to survive and we have doctors who supply us.”
“Vampire doctors?”
“Yes, and vampires who work in hospitals.” He opened his arms. “Come here.”
Willingly she went into his embrace and nestled her face in his chest. “Am I really going to live forever?”
“Yes.”
“Won’t you grow tired of me?” She couldn’t believe she’d just asked him that.
“Never.”
He placed a gentle hand to her chin and raised her face to his. He kissed her tenderly. “We need to leave, Cat.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know.”
She covered her face with her hands. “What have I done?”
“What you had to do. I owe you my life. Our child owes you its life.” Tend
erly, he took her hands and pulled them away from her face. The look he gave her made her limbs melt. “And I love you more because of it. You are a brave woman.”
Her mind raced as he held her in his strong arms. Hearing him say he loved her comforted her.
I love you. Three little words that had so much impact.
Three little words she was beginning to believe she could tell him.
Chapter Eight
Within the hour, Cat cleaned the living room from the debris the Grangers had caused when they blew down the door and Tobias sealed the door-less entrance by nailing the table top from the inside. Repairing the BMW’s cut wire proved more challenging, but he’d managed to repair that as well. Cat knew she had a lot of explaining to do to Mel and she would, the first chance she gathered her courage.
After the car was packed, she snapped her seatbelt in place and settled back in her seat, promising herself she’d call Mel once they arrived in New York. The easy part was telling her about the cabin door, her kitchen table, her Hummer, but how was she going to tell her the rest of it? Her immortality? Her pregnancy? Her vampire lover?
The drive would take the better part of the day, bringing them to Manhattan by nightfall. She leaned back on her headrest and closed her eyes, sighing wearily. Was any of this going to get easier?
Tobias shot her a quick sideways glance, his expression concerned. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “As good as can be expected. I’m just trying to figure out how to tell Mel what happened.” She gave him a quick look and noticed him grip the wheel tighter. “It’s her cabin. I was staying here for a week. She’s my agent and my best friend.”
“Cat, you can tell her the cabin was robbed while you were out, but you can’t tell her any of the rest. Not to anyone.”
She frowned. “She won’t say anything. We can trust her.”
He sighed heavily. “Cat, you don’t understand. You must keep your new life a secret from everyone, for their own safety. The Grangers will assume Mel will eventually turn into one of us and so kill her.”
Cat gasped.
“I’m sorry, but it’s true. The Grangers have murdered humans who’ve befriended vampires in the past.”
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