by Ann Lory
The German backed away slowly despite the army at his back. He called to his men, and the regiment retreated. Commands were issued, and then the pull-out commenced. The three of them watched the soldiers leave Jacques’s land until the last one was gone.
“We live in dire times again, n’est-ce pas?”
Dimitri touched his friend’s shoulder. “That it is ...”
Dimitri snapped out of his memories. “You are right.”
“Does Christian remain in the ground, sleeping away his pain?”
“I’m afraid so, but he will awaken soon. I worry that when he does, he won’t stay with us. The way he lost Carrie ...” Those thoughts made Dimitri shudder, and he tried to move the conversation to a lighter subject. “What have you been doing the last sixty years?”
Jacques reclined in his seat. “The usual, naturally: sleep by day, exist by night.” A humorous twinkle shone in his eye. “And you? What have you been up to, Dimitri?”
“For the first time I am in love.” His voice became serious as he spoke. “With everything that happened at the club, first with Craig, then Gabriella, I didn’t have the chance to ask you why you are in the States.”
“I could do no less when my name kept cropping up in your mind. I had already decided to travel here, but the matter was made urgent once I knew Gabriella would also be arriving.”
“How did you know?”
“She contacted me, unhappy about your new lady friend. You know how Gabriella is when she visits those she made, wanting us to fawn on her -- despising us when we do -- and becoming incensed if we refuse to do so.”
“I have to stop her, Jacques.”
“I know.” He paused. “You can’t protect Cassie forever, mon ami.”
Dimitri raked his hand through his hair, completely frustrated by the truth of those words. “The thought pains me, but I should send her away.”
“Gabriella is very angry with you, and she is already aware of your feelings. It is much too late, Dimitri. We have to end it.”
“I have your help?”
“Always.”
“I have tried searching for her lair, but I am invariably one step behind her.”
“It will not be easy to defeat her.”
“Trust me, Jacques. I am well aware of that.
They were silent a moment, then Jacques spoke again. “What is the situation with Kelly?”
Dimitri grinned at this. “Why do you ask?” Jacques shrugged, and Dimitri laughed. “She is Cassie’s friend and has no idea of what is happening.”
“I gathered that much by her reactions --” Cassie’s scream cut off his words.
Both men were up the stairs and at Dimitri’s chamber doors in seconds. The oak panels flew open and Dimitri was instantly at Cassie’s side.
She was pressed against the headboard, pushing the covers away frantically with her feet, all the while desperately scratching at her arms and legs and sifting through her hair, ripping strands from her head.
Dimitri grabbed her shoulders, shaking her as he merged his mind with hers in an attempt to calm her.
Her eyes were stark and unseeing. “Get them off me!”
“Cassie, wake up; it’s Dimitri.”
Her limbs bore claw marks from her nails and her mind was in a wild frenzy. Then he understood her terror. She believed spiders, from the small to the large were all over her body and the bed, crawling on and toward her. Delving deeper into her mind, he could feel the prickly steps of the creatures on his own flesh, scurrying and biting.
He gripped her face and spoke soothingly to her, filling her mind with his warmth and love, pushing out all images and leaving nothing but himself and his reassuring voice.
Cassie blinked, then focused on his face, that dear, wonderful and handsome face. “Dimitri!” She sobbed against his chest, her tears falling freely. “They were everywhere!”
“All is well is well now. I am here.” His voice turned coaxing. “Look, they’re gone.” He kissed the top of her head,
She suddenly noticed Jacques was standing behind him, his black eyes showing nothing but concern. Cassie leaned back and looked at Dimitri.
“Gabriella is going to kill me.” Her voice stumbled briefly but held little emotion as she spoke the words. “She’s going to kill me, and then she’ll leave me to rot in the rising sun.”
Dimitri appeared aghast and clutched her tightly. “No! Why are you talking like this?”
“Because she told me so.”
Dead silence filled the air punctuated by the last of Cassie’s harsh breaths. Her lover fell back against the headboard and looked at Jacques.
“It stops here and now! We will both hunt during the night, and Rowlin will remain with Cassie during the day. Her safety is paramount.”
Jacques agreed. “I will leave now and search, then I will take to the ground until we meet again tomorrow night.” With that, he was gone in the blink of an eye.
Dimitri turned his unblinking gaze back on Cassie, and she returned the stare.
“Why did you not stay in the safety of my home tonight? How could you have chanced going out alone into the night?”
His questions surprised Cassie, as did his flashing eyes and hard features. She felt a momentary embarrassment at her reason, which now seemed so immature. She put her face in her hands and groaned.
“I have no excuse for what I did. I shouldn’t have left, but I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was upset with you for refusing my blood.”
“Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? You opened yourself completely to Gabriella!”
Cassie clasped his hand in hers and held it to her heart, still pounding rapidly from her ordeal. She hated that he was so mad at her, and wanted nothing more than to make things right between them. “I will not leave like that again. Please forgive me. I can’t bear the thought of your anger.”
Dimitri’s hand stole up into her hair, his look softened, and then he leaned forward, lips capturing hers in a tender kiss. “I have not felt such fear in a very long time,” he whispered against her mouth.
She returned his kiss with fervor. “I know.”
He lowered her to the mattress, pushing her nightshirt off, then licked a line along the soft white curve of her jaw, trailing down to her neck. “I love you.”
Cassie hugged him to her. “I love you, too.” She sighed as his caresses worked their magic on her, then closed her eyes and allowed the flames of desire to swell through her. It was one more time to let herself become his in every way -- heart, body and soul.
* * * * *
Kelly drove up the coast toward Dimitri’s house, upset that she hadn’t been able to get Jacques off her mind. All day she’d thought of him and his penetrating black gaze, that thick hair, the color of rich, dark chocolate. In fact, she’d been so distracted that during rehearsal Vincinni had yelled at her several times to focus -- to the obvious delight of her dance partner, Chris, who’d teased her mercilessly. She let out a dreamy sigh. But, oh, was he handsome, and his kiss had completely rocked her.
It was near twilight when she arrived at Dimitri’s. Cassie answered the door, laughing at Rowlin, who cleared his throat at her in obvious disapproval.
“Come in, Kelly.” She entered and immediately checked for any sign of Jacques. “Who are you looking for?” Cassie was smirking at her. Kelly blushed, feeling herself turn a brilliant red, and Cassie chuckled. “Jacques will be here shortly.”
“I wasn’t looking for him,” Kelly snapped, then made a disgusted sound as she walked away from Cassie.
Her friend persisted. “I thought you didn’t like the French.”
“Oh, shut up, or I’ll put you in a headlock,” she snarled, then rushed off.
They entered the study and sat on the floor before the slow-burning fire. Kelly couldn’t stay mad at Cassie for long. She stretched her legs, clad in tights, out in front of her. Her flimsy sheer skirt fanned out around her. She tucked her hands inside her sweat shirt thinking s
he probably should have changed out of her practice clothes before she came over. “Was Craig at work today?”
Cassie shook her head. “No, he called in sick.”
“What was the matter with him? I had no idea he could flip out like that.”
“Me, either. He was truly frightening.”
“He called me last night to say he wanted to talk about you and asked me to go dancing with him. I didn’t think there would be any harm in that; we both know he’s had the hots for you from the get-go. So on the way there, he was bombarding me with questions about you and Dimitri.”
Cassie’s eyes widened. “Like what?”
Kelly leaned back on her elbows. “He kept asking how serious you two were, what was going on, and all that. I told him that you loved Dimitri and he started to get upset.”
“Oh, my God! I had no idea.”
“Me, either. I told him to chill out and have fun. When you called, I didn’t think about not telling you to come to the club. If I had known he was capable of violence, I would have met you some place else and the hell with him.” Kelly looked at Cassie regretfully. “I’m sorry, Cass. I should have read the signs a long time ago.”
Cassie rolled onto her stomach. “How could you have known? I didn’t even see it myself. I sure never saw him so furious and hate to think of what might have happened if Dimitri and Jacques hadn’t been there.” She shivered. “I don’t know how I’m going to face him at work again. Everything has changed now, and I may have to quit and find another job.”
“Are you crazy! He is going to leave, not you; he’s the one that was completely out of line. Don’t run, Cassie!”
“I’m not running. I’m just trying to find a solution.”
“The solution is that you stay here until I say otherwise, Cassandra.”
They both looked toward the door, and Cassie smiled warmly at Dimitri. “I can’t stay locked away in here forever.”
Dimitri acknowledged Kelly, ignoring Cassie’s statement. “Good evening, Kelly.”
She grinned and was about to respond to his greeting when Jacques stepped into view. Suddenly, she found herself stuttering and slipping over her words. Kelly glared at her friend as Cassie covered her mouth to suppress her giggles.
The women came to their feet as the men swept into the room, immediately dominating it with their presence.
Jacques took Kelly’s hand in his and kissed her sensitive flesh. “We meet again, Kelly Matthews. How glad I am for that.”
“Well, I- uh, yes, um ...”
Cassie finally laughed out loud, and Dimitri chuckled. Kelly was mortified, but Jacques smiled at her with a glimmer of amusement in his eye.
“Thank you,” Kelly muttered at last, jerking her hand away from Jacques, peeved with herself that she sounded like a bumbling idiot and probably looked like one.
Dimitri had stopped in front of Cassie, his expression now serious. “Please stay here this evening. Jacques and I will be out most of the night looking for our old friend. I think Kelly should stay, too, and keep you company”
Kelly gave them a quizzical look as Cassie nodded, apparently understanding Dimitri’s words. “Sure, we’ll stay here. Kelly and I will hang out and do girl things.”
There was affection in his smile as he took her friend in his arms and kissed her softly on the forehead. Kelly envied them their obvious closeness. Dimitri released Cassie, then both he and Jacques left.
“What was that all about,” she asked.
Cassie shrugged with a dreamy grin. “Come on, I think Rowlin has ice cream stashed away in the freezer. I’ll get some clothes for you. You’re stuck with me tonight, girlfriend!”
* * * * *
“Well, how do you feel?”
Craig looked down his bare torso and the length of his arms, clenching and unclenching his fists. “Strong.” He was amazed that by simply taking a little of her blood he had gained some of her strength. His new lover had made his form much more powerful.
Gabriella leaned back on the bed, wrapped in the ruby-red satin sheets, smiling seductively. “You are strong. Always remember who gave you your strength.”
Craig walked over to the heavy armoire and picked it up like it weighed nothing at all, then set it back down on the floor. He turned to Gabriella with an impressed grin. “I won’t forget, trust me.”
She slid back on the mattress pushing her breasts up with both hands for his view. “You bring me what I want, and then I’ll give you what you want. Bring her to me during the day; when Dimitri comes for her, I’ll have him, and you can have your precious darling.”
Lust quickly filled Craig as he watched the way her body wiggled enticingly beneath the sheets. He returned to the bed and came down on top of her, yanking her hard against his body. “I want Cassie, and once you turn me the rest of the way, I will change her, too.”
“Of course.” Gabriella purred, her nails gliding down over his chest.
His mouth crushed hers in a brutal kiss, and he dragged her further down into the tangled sheets as he spread her legs wide.
“Cassie will be mine,” he stated firmly, then entered Gabriella swiftly and hard as she moaned in delight.
Chapter Nineteen
“She’s deliberately goading me by leaving me a false trail. She wants to gloat that I keep coming up empty-handed,” Dimitri muttered, kneeling down and picking up a red scarf, Gabriella’s scent still clinging strongly to it. Clutching the material in his hand, he squeezed it as if it were his maker’s throat.
Jacques knelt down beside his friend. “We have been searching for a few nights now, and we are making progress. Do not forget that she is also being forced to constantly change resting places to remain ahead of us. We will find her, my friend.” He paused and looked outside the vacant building. “Come. It will be light in a few hours and we must feed.”
They left the mansion and took to the sky. Dimitri was glad that together, their eyes were able to see everything, their ears could hear the heartbeats and sounds of mortals, and their nostrils could smell the scents of food, cologne, and the not-so-enticing stench of garbage overlying the odor of blood.
I feel your hunger, Dimitri. Come home to me.
Jacques eyes missed nothing about his reactions as the soft sound of Cassandra’s voice made his body clench with want and hunger. She calls to you?
Yes.
Then go to her. I will feed before I return to your home.
Be careful.
Always.
Jacques headed in the direction of the city below and Dimitri toward the sweet beckoning of his beloved. In an unbelievably short time, she had made a home out of marble and brick into one with warmth. Home now meant a soft beauty, a giving smile and love. Cassandra.
He breathed in her scent as he drew nearer. Come to the door. I want to show you something.
Okay, I am on my way. He could hear the excitement in her voice. I’m here. Where are you?
He could see her searching the darkness, and he smiled to himself.
Look up. As he sent his words, Dimitri gave the cry of a hawk. Her gaze swung toward the sky and through her eyes, he could see the dark figure of a huge, black hawk soaring down to the drive. Her felt her mouth and eyes open wide with awe as she watched his flesh form from the hawk’s magnificent feathers. The bird’s beak shrunk to a strong bold nose and the feathers on its head turned to a full mane of long black hair.
“Oh, my gosh!” Cassie’s face was amazed and her eyes sparkled. “How did you do that?”
Dimitri entered and shut the door behind him, grinning down at her. “I remembered you had asked about my shape-shifting, so I thought I would show you. As for the how, I’ve already told you I don’t know.”
“Oh, can you do the wolf now?”
He allowed himself the transformation, and his nose and mouth lengthened into a dark muzzle. His legs and arms began to grow long black fur, and he fell forward on all fours as his feet and hands transformed. In short order, he had fully
become a large black wolf. His tried to form a smile with his lupine mouth and express humor in his eyes as he watched the expressions on her face.
Patches stood on the top step of the staircase and hissed down at him. Dimitri growled and enjoyed watching the cat scurry away. Cassie tsked. “Be nice to her.” Then he felt her hesitate. “Dimitri?”
She took a tentative step toward him and jumped when he stepped toward her, his claws clicking on the marble floor. He whined low in his throat, and she came to her knees in front of him. Reaching out, she gently stroked the side of his neck. He nuzzled her neck with his muzzle. She laughed, and her hands ran down the length of his body, slowly rubbing and caressing.
Suddenly she stopped laughing when he glided his tongue over her throat. Cassie shuddered and sank her hands into his fur. Heat scorched into his neck and a blaze of desire filled him, pooling in the pit of his stomach. Again his tongue stroked her neck, and she cried out. Dimitri reared back and shape-shifted to stand before her, his cock eager to plunge into her.
He swept her up into his arms, and their lips met in a wild mating. He rapidly mounted the stairs and strode to his room, lowering her to the bed and ripping her shirt from her body.
“I’ll buy you a new one,” he said, as he breathed hoarsely against her throat.
“I don’t care,” she responded, pulling just as hungrily at his clothes. Clothes flew in all directions until finally they were flesh to flesh. He lifted her and positioned her on her knees in front of him.. She moaned and rubbed against him, slick as satin; she was more than wet and ready for him. He entered her swiftly, his hands running up over her back and her bottom as he slowly slid in and out, torturing them before his thrusts increased in rhythm and pace.
Cassie rose up, her arms lifting back to surround his neck. Dimitri groaned, never slowing his pace as his fangs sank into her vulnerable neck, her cry music to his ears. His thrusts were urgent, his hands cupping her breasts, squeezing them as he drank.
He felt her orgasm, Cassie’s feminine walls milking him, his whole body exploding as he convulsed. She moaned as he drove into her one last time, stoking the fire between them until it became an inferno and burned them to ashes.
