Deep is the Night: Dark Fire

by Denise A. Agnew

  Gilda’s small laugh made the awkward revelation okay. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  An odd ache filled Erin’s heart. “I’m not sure Lachlan feels the same way.”

  Gilda made an impatient noise and reached for Erin’s hands. She gathered them in her own, her eyes serious and dark with emotions that half-frightened Erin with their intensity.

  “How can you say that? He saved your life that night. And I’ve seen the way he treats you. That man is deeply in love, even if he hasn’t said so yet.”

  Those reassuring words relaxed Erin, and she squeezed her friend’s hands before she released them. “It’s just so amazing; even if he said the words, I’d have trouble believing it right off.”

  “Why?”

  Erin looked at her empty coffee cup and then at the waitress heading their way. “How many women do you know that have a gorgeous, kind, strong, incredible man treating them like a queen? He’s so protective and tender and—God—he makes me feel so amazing, Gilda. I’ve never known anyone like him.”

  She wanted to say more, but the waitress arrived and took their coffee and lunch orders. After the woman left, Erin decided she’d be one hundred percent honest with Gilda.

  “You’re right. I can’t imagine Lachlan being this solicitous with a woman he didn’t care about very much. I’m used to different behavior from the men I’ve known. It’s taking me awhile to get used to it.”

  Gilda’s grin returned, and other than dark circles under her eyes, Erin never would have known that Gilda suffered an attack last night. “Well, start getting used to it now.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Silence settled over their table, and Erin itched to ask Gilda the details of her attack. Not because she suffered morbid curiosity, but because she knew Gilda bottled up feelings inside her. She could sense a tension in Gilda’s tight actions, in her somewhat clipped speech.

  “What happened that night?” Erin asked.

  Gilda remained staring at the table, studying her nails in visible fascination. “I wonder if they’ll grow longer and stronger? I always did want long nails.”

  Confused, Erin let that statement percolate for awhile before she continued. “What does that have to do with last night?”

  Gilda’s earlier calm seemed to erode as her eyes took on a dark, despairing look that sent ripples of alarm through Erin. “That son-of-a-bitch bit me, Erin. The bastard put two holes in my neck.” Gilda jerked her turtleneck collar aside for a second and displayed a small adhesive bandage on the lower right side of her neck. “Just like the other women. But you coming upstairs might have saved me. I’m still walking today.” She gave a small laugh, sarcastic and full of self-derision. “The walking undead.”

  Disturbed by her friend’s bizarre statement, and worried on top of that, Erin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Does it hurt?”

  “Not at all. It only stung a little when he bit me, and not even much then.” She laughed softly and lowered her voice. “A vampire bit me and I didn’t even feel it much. Can you believe that?”

  Again her friend’s continuing line of thought made Erin take pause. “I know you’re upset about what happened. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to offer my ear if you want to talk. Lachlan understands all this, too, Gilda.”

  Gilda glanced around the room, her gaze assessing as if she thought someone might be listening in on the conversation. “This isn’t something a person gets over.”

  Seeing the devastation in Gilda’s eyes made Erin’s heart sink into her stomach. “With time, and maybe counseling—”

  “No.” Gilda’s eyes hardened with assurance, with some horrible knowledge Erin didn’t understand. “I’ve done something awful.”

  Wondering if her friend needed psychological help right this minute, she considered asking Gilda if she’d like an appointment with her doctor. Instead, Erin took a deep breath and decided to start at the beginning. “What happened when you went upstairs?”

  “You know what happened.”

  “Tell me what happened and maybe the event won’t hold so much power over you.”

  “It will remain with me forever because it changed…me.” Sadness etched Gilda’s voice, and she closed her eyes.

  Erin felt tears well up, but she fought them back. “How did it change you?”

  Gilda opened her eyes. “You have to promise never to tell Tom.”

  How can I pledge never to tell him? Swallowing hard, Erin made the decision. “All right.”

  Gilda leaned over the table a little and lowered her voice. “The vampire caught me the moment I went upstairs. I couldn’t move, couldn’t fight. I could see him and yet I couldn’t. He was like this dark shadow and hovered over my body and held me prisoner with his invisible touch. I couldn’t cry out for help.” Gilda’s body shuttered. “I knew something horrible would happen because of how I felt. Like I had no control over my body.”

  Erin wished she knew comforting words to tell Gilda, but all she had was the truth. “It was kind of like that for me, too.”

  “Could you speak?”

  “A little.”

  “Move.”

  “Some.”

  “Maybe you’re stronger than me. I couldn’t speak or move.”

  Erin wanted to give Gilda solace, but the woman seemed intent on punishing herself. Gilda’s solemn eyes matched the regret in her voice. She circled the rim of her water glass with a slow movement, her gaze following. “Something else strange happened. It filled me with such relief that I couldn’t resist it and didn’t want to.”

  A crawling feeling went over Erin’s neck, as if a spider skittered over her skin. Involuntarily she reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. “Go on.”

  Gilda stared out the big window to her right, watching as clouds slid over the area. People’s breaths frosted in the air, and they added quickness to their steps as they rushed around town. “He seduced me, Erin.”

  “What?”

  Gilda stopped touching the rim of her glass. “Seduced me.” A soft, sarcastic laugh issued from her. “He made me feel more excitement than Tom and I have ever had together. More sexual pleasure. And I couldn’t resist it. Everything inside me seemed to respond to him. I could feel his touch on each hot spot in my body.”

  Gilda put her head in her hands for a second, then glanced around again at the small crowd. Erin did the same. No one seemed to pay attention to them, but Erin knew people had heard they’d been attacked and must wonder. Curiosity would soon draw one of them near to offer sympathy to one or both of them.

  “Did he seduce you?” Gilda asked in a broken voice.

  Erin stared at her friend for a half minute before she said the truth. “No.”

  Erin noticed the dark circles under her friend’s eyes had actually gotten darker with the emotional pain. “Well, he seduced me with caresses on my breasts…over my hips…the way he kissed.” Gilda’s voice dropped yet again, until Erin almost couldn’t hear her. “It wasn’t human. I knew so many things in my head while he was touching me.” Her voice broke, and Erin saw pain edging toward the surface in Gilda’s face. Gilda’s lips trembled. A hard swallow started her next sentence, then a blush filled her face. “I knew that he wanted to take me. Right there in the children’s section, for God’s sake. He wanted to make me…climax. The monster wanted to shame me and wanted me to feel desire for him in a way I’d never experienced with another man. Erin, I betrayed Tom.”

  What could she say? What did one woman say to another, a good friend and a person you knew would never intentionally hurt their spouse? “You didn’t have control of your body, Gilda. Whatever happened wasn’t your fault.”

  “I couldn’t stop it. He sank his teeth into my neck, then he stuffed his hands inside my panties. He…I came.”

  Erin rubbed one hand over her face, as if the action would erase the stupefaction she felt coming over her in sickening waves. “Listen to me. You didn’t betray your husband.”

  A little of the te
nsion eased from Gilda’s face. “Telling you helps a little. I can never tell Tom about this. Ever.”

  Erin stayed silent for a long time, mulling through the confusion in her own mind over what to say and do. She tried to remember the last time she’d felt this helpless to assist a friend or to dissolve uncertainty in her psyche.

  Lunch arrived before Erin could think of words of comfort or answers. Gilda ate her Cobb salad in silence, and Erin dug into her Monte Cristo sandwich as if she hadn’t eaten in days.

  The powdered sugar on the sandwich tasted more delicious than anything she could remember, and Erin realized seconds later she wolfed down the meal with uncharacteristic greed. She stopped chewing for a moment and watched Gilda.

  Gilda’s actions mimicked Erin’s; Gilda looked shocked as they stared at each other. “We’re being pigs.” Gilda suddenly smiled. “Never knew getting attacked by a vampire caused such an appetite.”

  Deciding not to be disturbed by their desire to eat fast, Erin put down the sandwich. “I didn’t eat much breakfast this morning either.”

  Gilda laughed. “What? No breakfast in bed?”

  “Not yet,” Erin said wryly.

  They continued the meal, albeit at a much slower pace. Erin savored the flavors, dipping her sandwich into the strawberry jam with relish. Maybe Gilda was right about a vampire attack making the victim hungry. Then again…

  “I wasn’t seduced or bitten,” Erin said.

  “What?”

  “I wasn’t bitten by the vampire.”

  “You’re certain?”

  “Absolutely.” Erin felt momentary relief, then instant remorse. How could she be happy about her good fortune when her good friend suffered? “Lachlan got there before that could happen.”

  “Don’t feel sorry for me.” Gilda stabbed lettuce and olives onto her fork.

  Erin started as if Gilda had poked her with a cattle brand. “Are you reading my mind?”

  Gilda chewed thoughtfully, then answered after she swallowed. “Of course not. What makes you think that?”

  Erin put her sandwich down again and picked up a large steak fry. She toyed with the idea of not telling Gilda about Lachlan’s telepathic abilities, then realized she’d gone too far to retreat. “Because Lachlan can read my mind sometimes.”

  Gilda’s eyebrows tweaked up. “Oh?”

  Erin sighed and contemplated the wisdom of telling more. After a long minute, she decided to go for broke. “Did he tell you about the vampire that attacked him?”

  Gilda sat up straight, her eyes widening and salad perhaps forgotten. “When?”

  Erin cleared her throat and started from the beginning, explaining how the vampire killed Lachlan’s parents. She told Gilda what Lachlan said about the vampire overall. She also told Gilda about Ronan Kieran.

  “Another vampire willing to kill his own kind?” Gilda asked.

  “According to Lachlan, some vampires are good, and some are evil.”

  Gilda sighed. “Just like humans.”

  Gilda absorbed the information. “I should have guessed about Lachlan. Tom and I talked about Lachlan’s uncanny abilities. I mean, he seems extraordinary in many ways. But he’s not blatant enough with it for most people to notice. I suppose if he reads someone’s mind he doesn’t always blurt out what he’s seen.”

  Without waiting for that thought to go any further, Erin said, “Part of me can’t believe all this is happening. I wouldn’t have believed it a week ago and now here I am. It’s incredible.” After taking a sip of her hot tea, Erin continued. “Are you feeling any better about what’s happened?”

  Gilda pushed her almost empty salad bowl aside. “Very little. I think I just need time.”

  More guilt piled onto Erin’s conscience. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t expect you to get over it that fast—”

  “No, no.” Gilda waved one dismissively. “Don’t worry, honey. There’s nothing you can do about it. But you’re the only one I’m telling.”

  “What about Lachlan?”

  Gilda took a deep breath, her gaze filled with new pain. “As long as he won’t tell Tom.”

  Erin nodded. “I’ll only tell Lachlan enough to give him some idea of what happened to you. No details.”

  Gilda’s relief came out as a sigh. “Good.”

  Lachlan returned to the restaurant a few minutes later, and once again women’s gazes followed him across the room. Erin couldn’t be jealous. Women would probably flip over Lachlan even when he reached gray-haired old man status.

  As he settled into the booth next to Erin, a shocking realization came to mind.

  If I’m thinking about being with him as an old man…oh, boy.

  But could she give any more of her heart to him? What if he decided to leave Pine Forest? What then? His gaze snagged hers for a moment, and the reassuring grin he gave Erin made her wonder if he could tell she worried about their future.

  It’s all right, lass. His mind whispered, deep and as soft as his physical voice, and she wished they could be alone so she could show him again how much she cared.

  Gilda’s gaze danced between them, all signs of stress erased in the moment. “What are you two planning for the rest of the day?”

  Lachlan threw Erin a conspiratorial glance. “I’m sure we’ll think of something. My number one priority is keeping Erin safe.”

  Gilda reached over and patted his hand, her small fingers pale and insignificant against his big hand. “There’s some nasty weather coming in. Since we have a few days off it’s a great time for renting movies and eating pizza.”

  Tom appeared at the entrance to the eatery, his face holding apprehension. He seemed almost shell shocked.

  “Tom’s here but he’s not coming in,” Erin said.

  Gilda swiveled around, caught sight of her husband, then started to leave the booth. “I’ll talk to you guys later.”

  With a weak smile and wave, Gilda headed toward her worried husband. Erin felt her own frown growing and wished she could stave off slow-building depression.

  Lachlan slid his arm around her, and the warmth and comfort made a significant difference to her comfort. “You all right?”

  She snuggled closer to him. “I will be when I can stop worrying about Gilda.”

  Erin spied those deep flecks of gold igniting in his eyes, growing until she knew desire mingled with his restraint. She felt him tickling at her mind, his wish to read her thoughts came through strong.

  His palm slid over her shoulder in a soothing, repetitive gesture. “I know it’s difficult, but you must try. It’s the only way you can survive. You’ve got to think of yourself right now.”

  “What about you? What’s this doing to your mental health?” She gave him a frail smile.

  “I’ll probably be bloody insane by the time this is over.”

  Weariness worked in between her strength and determination to keep positive. “What do we do now?”

  His dark hair brushed over his collar, and the dark, soft-looking sheen made her want to hustle him home. She wanted his skin against hers and the connection of his mind with hers.

  Ronan should be here tonight. He’ll meet us at your house.

  I don’t know, Lachlan. Another vampire—

  He’s come to help me protect you, lass. I can do a lot to keep you safe, but Ronan has forgotten more things about killing vampires than I ever knew. His fingers slid over hers in a comforting touch, his gaze locking with hers as he answered mentally. Don’t be afraid.

  She eased into relaxation, the barest nervous sensation stirring inside her. She winked and smiled mischievously. “What do you want to do when we get home?”

  “There’s a few interesting things I learned in Scotland that I’d like to show you.” Lachlan’s wicked, hot breath spilled over her lips as he leaned near.

  She played innocent, even though her heart sped up and she felt a tell-tale prickle of arousal deep in her belly. “Oh?”

  “Oh, yes,” he whispered against her lips.
>
  Chapter 25

  Pounding edged away Erin’s deep, pleasant sleep. She jerked in Lachlan’s arms, awaking with a gasp on her lips.

  Lachlan’s arms released her, and he sat bolt upright. “He’s here.”

  Her hear thumped loudly in her ears as she surveyed the room. In the semi-darkness she couldn’t see much. “The ancient one?”

  Lachlan slipped an arm around her and his palm slipped down her naked ribcage in a reassuring caress. “No. Ronan.”

  Her fear didn’t ease off. “How do you know?”

  “I heard his voice in my head.”

  She sighed. “Of course.” Another pounding came at the front door. “Couldn’t he have called first?”

  “Yes, but he hates telephones. Besides, he can’t even break in. We have to invite him inside, remember?”

  “How could I forget? There are only about fifty different things about vampires to remember.”

  “He’s a little crude at times.”

  “Crude as in rude?”

  “I have to keep telling him to watch his language around the ladies.” Lachlan slid off the bed and reached for his jeans. She heard him rustling around. “After hundreds of years of living he’s often a little impatient. He forgets that humans savor life here and there. Women like his sorry ass, though.”

  She imagined a lady’s man, suave, sophisticated and witty with the rough edge of a barbarian added in for flavor.

  “Witty, maybe,” Lachlan said, his voice filled with amusement. “But that’s not why women like him.”

  “His vampire allure?”

  “No.”

  “His fancy clothes?”

  “I can’t remember the last time I saw the man in a tux.”

  “His big dick?”

  “Sweetheart, how would I know that?”

  She shrugged. “Well, that would be one reason some women might like him.”

  Lachlan laughed again.

  “Okay, are you going to make me guess?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “Spit it out, Tavish, before I come over there and screw it out of you.”

  Lachlan’s bellow of laughter was almost drowned out by Ronan’s door pounding. “Oh, lass, I wish you could, but I don’t think even we have time. If we make him wait he’ll waken the dead.”