The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride

by Kristen Painter

  Elenora picked her head up. “I would like that too. You’re a far better match for Hugh than I could have ever chosen.”

  “Thank you. Turns out blondes really aren’t his type after all.”

  Elenora relaxed and a genuine smile lit her face. “Please, call me Elenora. Or Didi, like the boys do.”

  “Thank you, Elenora.” That the woman could refer to her nearly four-hundred-year-old grandsons as boys made Delaney grin. “So you were a duchess, huh? What was that like?”

  “My dear, I am still a duchess. And when you marry Hugh, you’ll become a Lady, although obviously we don’t use those titles anymore. Shame, that. Ah, well.” She lifted her hand as though signaling the start of something and began walking toward the door. “Now, about this wedding…”

  Hugh stood safely within the shadows of the house and stared out the French doors into the garden. The sun had begun to set, painting everything in broad strokes of gold and orange. A subtle melancholy lingered in his bones, but it would pass just as it had centuries ago when he’d said goodbye to the sun the first time.

  Merrow had taken the amulet and the cash to Willa, at first balking at being Hugh’s messenger until Hugh had explained just how much money he was sending her and the significance of the amulet. What was the point of keeping the secret now? The amulet would be destroyed in the creation of Delaney’s ring, and the sheriff certainly wasn’t going to use the knowledge against Julian or Sebastian. Not with his loyalty to the town.

  Elenora’s days of manipulating him were over.

  Hugh smiled, at peace with his decision, despite the magnitude of it. Using the amulet in the production of Delaney’s ring was full circle in a way. The very thing that had forced him into allowing Delaney into his life would be the very thing that might keep her in it.

  He’d know three days after giving her the ring.

  Three days to get the ring, three days to turn her. It was sobering to think he might have less than a week left with the woman he loved.

  The kitchen door opened, and Delaney’s and Stanhill’s voices carried into the living room. Their laughter was infectious. He smiled and went to see what all the hubbub was about. He leaned against the kitchen door jamb. “What have you two been up to?”

  Delaney grinned and threw her arms around him. “Just taking care of some family business.”

  He kissed her. “I have no idea what that means.”

  “She set Didi straight is what she did.” Stanhill preened like a proud hen.

  Hugh cocked a brow. This was all very interesting. “I still have no idea what that means.” He shifted his attention back to Delaney. “What did you do?”

  Stanhill answered before Delaney had a chance to. “She threatened her proper, that’s what she did.”

  “She who? Who got threatened? Delaney, you answer. Stanhill, pipe down.”

  Delaney laughed. “I just explained to your grandmother that things were progressing between us in such a way that…if she ever wanted to see her grandbabies, she’d never use the amulet to force you to do anything again.” She shrugged one shoulder. “That’s all.”

  Hugh let her go and sank into one of the kitchen chairs. Grandbabies. He tried to smile. “You’re an amazing woman. Courageous to take on a granddame like Didi.”

  She frowned at him. “Why does it sound like there’s a but coming?”

  He didn’t want to tell her she’d put herself out there for nothing, but she’d find out about the amulet soon enough. “I love you.” He shook his head. “But the amulet’s gone.”

  “Gone?” She sat across from him and grabbed his hands. “What do you mean?”

  He glanced at Stanhill before answering. “I gave it up for a very good cause.”

  Stanhill came to stand by them. “You went to see Willa?”

  Hugh nodded. “You were right about the cost.”

  Delaney’s face scrunched up in question. “Now I have no idea what we’re talking about.”

  Hugh wanted the ring to be a surprise, so he chose his words carefully. “There is someone in town who has the potential to make turning you safer. We won’t know until we actually do it, but she promises to at least increase the odds of things going in our favor. And a part of her magic required me to sacrifice something valuable to me. I chose to give her the amulet.”

  “No,” Delaney cried. “You need that.”

  “I need you. I can live without the sun. Vampires all over the world manage.” He took her face in his hands and kissed away her frown. “I would do anything for you, Delaney. Especially if it means I’ll have you with me for eternity.”

  “No, Hugh, it’s too much for you to give up. You can’t.”

  “I can and I have. No more argument.”

  She kissed him back, a little teary-eyed. “I don’t like it, but I just got done telling your grandmother to stop forcing her will on you. I can’t very well do that to you myself now, can I?”

  He smiled. “You can always try.”

  She laughed. “Since we’ll be keeping the same hours pretty soon, I’m not even going to bother. Speaking of, how long before we…attempt the turning?”

  “The magic will be available to us in three days. We’ll start the process of turning you that night, which is a three evening process, so three days after that and we’ll know.”

  “Do we have to wait for the magic to start? If we start tonight, then the night we get the magic could be the night. Number three.”

  Her eagerness was endearing, but three days left with her? He swallowed and nodded reluctantly. “Yes, we could also do that.”

  “I’d like that. The sooner we can start our life together, the better. Plus, I have a lot to learn about being a vampire.” She stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d better go check on Captain. Then I’m going to bake something. Or make some truffles. Or something. It’s been too long.”

  “The kitchen is yours,” Stanhill said.

  “Good. I’ll be back down in a few minutes.” She put her hand on Hugh’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Always. And thank you for standing up to Didi. That was brave.”

  She gave him a wink. “It was also a little fun.”

  She left and Stanhill took her chair. “Are you thinking of getting her a wedding present?”

  Hugh nodded. “Of course. I just don’t know what yet.”

  Stanhill glanced toward the upstairs, affection shining in his eyes. “Based on what I heard today, I have a very good idea.”

  Delaney made a simple flourless chocolate cake, a tribute more to the ingredients on hand than anything else. Stanhill had made her promise to save him a slice before he left for an evening out with Corette.

  Hugh was in his lab, working on what, Delaney wasn’t sure. She stared at the cooling cake, her mind going in a thousand different directions. She’d have to stock up on supplies before she was no longer able to leave the house during daylight hours. Or rely on Stanhill, who seemed to be a fairly adept shopper based on what was already in the house.

  Three days. The reality of that ticking clock focused her thoughts. In three days, she’d be a vampire. If things went well.

  If they didn’t, she’d be dead.

  But she had to believe that everything would be fine, because giving in to the fear of what if wasn’t going to help. Hugh had lived with that fear for centuries. It wouldn’t do for her to be the one to suddenly back out after he’d finally come around.

  “You all right?”

  She jumped, her heart thumping. Hugh stood in the basement doorway. “You scared me. You’re so quiet!”

  “Sorry.” He closed the door.

  “Will I be that quiet too?”

  He nodded and came to sit beside her. “Yes. And faster and stronger. Your senses will sharpen unbelievably. The first week or so will be the biggest adjustment, but it will be enjoyable. You’ll feel like you’re experiencing the world for the first time.”

  “Does the sharpening of
senses include the taste buds?”

  He smiled. “Yes. It’s one of the reasons the house is stocked with the best groceries money can buy.”

  “I’ve noticed. I appreciated the Belgian baking chocolate I found in the cupboard. That’s all gone, by the way.”

  He tipped his head toward the cake. “If that’s what you turned it into, it sounds like a fair trade.”

  “The cake needs to cool, and I still need to make whipped cream to top it, so keep your hands to yourself.”

  A serious light filled his eyes. “If you don’t want to start this process tonight, we can wait as long as it takes for you to feel ready.”

  “I’m not stalling.” Not much anyway. “I just needed to bake something. Helps me think. Anyway, I’m committed to this. To you.” She smiled. “To us.”

  He took her hand. “I could just turn you into a rook, you know. You’d have almost all the benefits of being a vampire—”

  “Except there’d be no chance for babies, would there?”

  He hesitated. “How do you know that?”

  “Your grandmother.”

  He sighed. “She’s relentless.”

  “Hugh, I want children. I always have. If you don’t—”

  “It’s not that. It’s just…” He didn’t finish, his words replaced by a look of pain.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Nothing.” He smiled thinly. “With Stanhill out, we have the house to ourselves.” He kissed the inside of her wrist. “We could do anything.”

  “Anything, hmm?”

  His mouth trailed toward her elbow, tickling her with pleasure. “Whatever your heart desires.”

  “If there’s a chance I might die in three days, I—”

  “Don’t say that.” He let go of her hand and pushed to his feet. He paced stiffly toward the other side of the kitchen. “Maybe I can’t do this after all. I can’t lose you, Delaney. I can’t.”

  She got up and went after him. “You’re not going to. I thought you were okay with this. You said you were getting magical help from this woman in town. It’s all going to be fine, you’ll see.”

  He turned and leaned against the counter, his hands on the granite as he faced her. “You don’t understand. Death follows me.” His mouth twisted with pain, and his gaze held a longing that made her heart ache.

  She stood in front of him, hands on his arms. “What are you talking about? Hugh, please tell me. We said no secrets.”

  He was quiet for a few long moments, and she let him be. He dropped his gaze when he finally spoke. “Within the first year we were married, Juliette got pregnant. She miscarried, but got pregnant again rather quickly.” Hugh shook his head at the memory, his words edged with pain. “The second child was stillborn.”

  “I’m so sorry.” No wonder he’d been struggling with this decision so much. He thought death was all he had to offer her. “But what’s past is past.”

  “And I want to leave it there. But…” He raised his head, eyes glazed in darkness. “Death is my legacy. Why should a little fae magic change that?” He broke free of her embrace and walked a few steps away. “I cannot do this.”

  “Hugh, you’re blaming yourself for what happened, but Juliette had as much of a part in it as you did. I’m sorry if it hurts you to hear this, but those deaths could have had everything to do with Juliette and nothing to do with you.”

  He just shook his head. “I helped make those children. And I’m the reason she turned.”

  She grabbed his arm. “Enough. I am not going to let another woman and the chance of what might happen stand between me and an eternity of happiness with you.”

  “Delaney—”

  “No, Hugh. It’s decided. We’re not discussing it anymore. You’re turning me into a vampire, and we’re getting married and living a happy, sun-free life. Do you hear me?”

  His expression went from pained to curious. “You’re not frightened by what I’ve told you? Not scared that you could be the next to succumb to whatever curse is attached to me?”

  “There’s no curse attached to you. But yes, I’m scared. I’m human. I didn’t even know vampires existed until a week ago, and now I’m about to become one. Who wouldn’t be scared? But I’m not going to let that fear make decisions for me.”

  His mouth bent into something close to a smile. “You never fail to amaze me.” He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. “You never fail to make me fall deeper in love with you. You’re right. We cannot let fear dictate how we live.”

  “Exactly.”

  The wicked sparkle she’d come to love danced in his eyes. “In fact, I could bite you right now.”

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the steps. “Sounds like a plan. Right after you take me to bed.”

  Thirty passionate minutes later, Delaney lay curled beside him, a sheen of sweat cooling on her skin. Moonlight spilled through the sheers, setting her aglow. The sated look on her face only made her more gorgeous than ever. Her eyes were heavy-lidded with bliss, and a lazy grin curved her mouth. A mouth he’d kissed thoroughly.

  He could not get enough of her. Already, the desire to have her again curled through him, bringing his body back to life with the pleasurable tightness of need.

  “You’re not falling asleep, are you, my love?” He traced a finger from the hollow of her throat down between her breasts to the dip of her navel.

  “No.” She laughed and swatted at his hand. “Stop that, you’re tickling me.”

  “Really? Ticklish there? I’m making a mental note of that.”

  She reached up to stroke his cheek. “Behave or no cake.”

  He splayed his hand on her stomach. “I’ve earned that cake. Don’t think you’re taking it away from me now.”

  Her thumb brushed the corner of his mouth. “Show me your fangs,” she whispered.

  He obliged her, knowing his eyes reflected the glow of his kind as well.

  “You’re too handsome to be real.” She smiled shyly, a curious thing given what they’d just done. Her voice was soft and dreamy. “I never knew I was the kind of girl who went in for the whole vampire thing until I had one of my very own.”

  He turned his face into her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. “I hope you know I’m going to spoil you senseless. And I don’t want to hear a single complaint. Jewels, clothes, trips, whatever you want.”

  “All I want is you. And maybe a new cat condo for Captain.”

  “We’ll put one in every room.”

  She stared at him then took a long breath. “I’m ready.”

  He knew what she meant, had been waiting for her to say something, but he still didn’t feel prepared.

  “Tell me what’s going to happen?” Her smile brightened. “I’m not scared, I just want to know. And we’ve never really had this talk.”

  For good reason. He’d never thought things would actually get this far. But they had and there was no going back. “After I bite you—”

  “It won’t hurt much, right? It’s okay if it does, I just want to know.”

  “You’ll feel a pinch, maybe. Nothing more.”

  “Okay.” She nodded. “Go on.”

  “After that, I’ll bite my own wrist so that you can have a drop or two of my blood. That’s all that’s necessary. You’ll fall asleep pretty quickly after that. You’ll feel normal after the first bite. After the second, you’ll feel the changes. We’ll repeat the process three nights in a row, and after the third night, you’ll either be turned or…”

  “I’ll be turned. There is no or.”

  “Right. There is no or.” But if there was, it would be the end of both of them. “You can stop at any time before the third night.”

  “I’m not going to change my mind.”

  “My love for you won’t be any different if you do.”

  “Good to know. And as tempted as I am to have cake, I have no desire to leave this bed.” She pulled her hair out of the way and tipped her chin up. “Go ahe
ad. Do it.”

  He bent his head to her collarbone and feathered kisses across the creamy expanse of her body, making his way leisurely up to her throat to nip softly at her earlobe.

  A soft moan pearled on her lips.

  He laced one arm behind her head, cradling her, while the other explored the tempting planes of her body.

  She purred with pleasure, aching to whisper into his ear. “When I said do it, I meant bite me, not—”

  “Shh. Just relax and enjoy.”

  He could feel her smile against his skin.

  “Yes, your lordship.”

  He smirked at her impudence and scraped his fangs over her skin, causing her to suck in a breath. The warmth and scent of her drove him wild, urging him to take her roughly. To mark her as his. He restrained himself, unwilling to hurt her for his own pleasure.

  He clung to the last thread of control and continued worshipping her until the rhythm of her breathing changed and she’d gone boneless with sensation in his arms.

  Then, in an act that both excited him and scared him, he sank his fangs into her neck.

  She cried out, a muted exclamation of pain and pleasure, her hands clutching at him as he drank from her.

  The taste of her seared his soul, erasing all trepidation. But even in that moment, he understood the feeling of omnipotence was temporary. He was intoxicated by her. The feeling would pass and he would once again fear for her life.

  But now? All he wanted to do was drink her in and claim her as his own. Her pulse throbbed in his veins. Their hearts beat in rhythm. They were, for a few unending seconds, one being.

  He released her, closing the two small punctures he’d opened with the press of his tongue. Then he put his fangs to his own wrist and tore the skin, reckless with the abandon of the moment. As red beaded on his skin, he held his wrist to her lips.

  “Drink,” he urged.

  She did as he commanded, her hands coming up weakly to grip his wrist. As soon as she’d had a taste, he shook her hands off. “Now rest, my darling.”

  “Hugh,” she muttered, her eyes fluttering closed.

  “Yes?” The wound on his wrist was halfway closed. He tucked her into the bed covers.