Promise Me

by Tara Fox Hall

  “Good,” he said, drawing me close. “I like being with you—”

  I gently pushed him away. We weren’t done. “Why did you try to feed off me? I’d already given you my blood. Wasn’t that enough?”

  He cleared his throat in embarrassment. “I’m sorry for that.”

  “Then why did you do it?”

  “It wasn’t for the energy. I did it because I liked you and I needed to know if you would welcome me into your arms, given the opportunity. My being vampire doesn’t ever go away. I’d hurt you pretty badly taking your blood when I was injured. I thought there might be a good chance you’d tell me to get lost.” He sighed. “If you had, I wouldn’t have come back to see you again.”

  “Not likely,” I murmured, touching his chest. “You were right; I wanted you from the first. I liked the dream of us making love. I couldn’t help thinking about it every time we were together afterward. It’s a big part of the reason why I didn’t stop you that night you first kissed me. Why I said yes that night.” I cracked a grin. “Even if you didn’t set out to seduce me, you still managed to.”

  “But I couldn’t feed from you,” he said, bemused. “I had to go out and feed after I woke. I had to take blood from five women because I really wanted to drain one, and I don’t kill if I can help it. I was that hungry. That’s never happened to me before, not being able to feed from a woman through the dream.” He paused. “In case it’s not obvious, I haven’t and won’t do that again. I know you want me now, and that’s what I wanted to find out. Any dreams you have of me will be your own.”

  I nuzzled his neck and scented that wonderful smell of rich spices. It wasn’t anywhere near as potent as it had been on his shirt, but it was there, just the lightest scent of it on his skin. I wanted an answer about that, too.

  “Why do you smell of nutmeg and cedar? Is it some product you use? If it is, I want the brand name, so I can get some for myself.”

  He laughed. There was pure joy in its rich deep sound. “I’m glad I smell good to you,” he said with relish. “But it’s not a product. I showered with your regular soap and shampoo. What you smell is my scent, how you perceive me to smell.”

  Wow. And yum.

  “Come below with me,” he whispered. “It’s going to be day soon and I don’t want to end this now.”

  He was right, I could see it was lighter outside and the stars had disappeared.

  “Do you have to sleep during the day? I mean, I know you can’t go outside, in daylight, but do you have to actually sleep?” I asked seductively.

  “No,” he grinned. “I don’t have to sleep, at least not the whole day.”

  “I’ll be down shortly, then. Let me get things taken care of up here.”

  He rose to a sitting position with me still on him. With a quick motion, he helped us both stand. I picked up my discarded nightshirt and put it back on, and he gathered his pants.

  “Hurry,” he said and went downstairs.

  I added some more logs to the fire and let the dogs out. The cats came in from outside, and I fed everyone. I thought about eating myself, but I didn’t want to waste the time. It was already seven a.m.

  I ventured downstairs to find Danial waiting. Terian had slept down there, but the mess he’d made of Danial’s papers had been cleaned up. I didn’t want to bring that up, but it was strange being naked where Terian had slept. Had Terian been naked in the bed? He hadn’t had any spare clothes with him.

  I shoved that thought out of my mind, but I’d paused too long in the doorway and Danial noticed. “He spent the night down here, didn’t he?”

  “I told him he had to.” I raised my eyebrows and crossed to the bed. “He wanted to sleep with me, but I said no.”

  “He what!” Danial sat bolt upright in bed. If I’d thought I’d seen him angry before, I’d been mistaken. His eyes had a red tint to them. “Did he try anything—?”

  “Calm down. Nothing happened. He just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t escape.”

  Danial relaxed back onto the bed. “It’s a relief, too, knowing the gun works, even if it didn’t kill him outright. He’s badly injured and Theo’s tracking him. He won’t get far.”

  I nodded. I wasn’t lying; just omitting the truth to save a life, not for kicks or personal gain. That made it okay. At least, I told myself it did.

  Danial interrupted my thoughts. “If you see him or suspect he’s around, notify Theo right away. He’ll take care of it.”

  I had no intention of calling Theo, but I also didn’t plan on seeing Terian again. I nodded and kissed him. He grasped me and pushed me away. I was so shocked, I stared at him, which is what he wanted.

  “I mean it, Sar. You might think he doesn’t care that you shot him. But he’ll remember that night for the rest of his life. That scar I gave him will never go away. Never.”

  I remembered the smoke coming from Terian’s face, how the wound had still been red and angry even after the chest wound had healed over. I shuddered.

  Danial pulled me close and kissed my forehead. “I don’t want to lose you. Watch yourself.”

  “Okay,” I said, a little shaken. “I’ll let you or Theo know if he comes back.”

  He held me for a while. I was drifting off when he said, “Sar?”

  I stretched and yawned. “Yes?”

  “I’d like to ask a favor,” he began nervously.

  I knew he’d want to bite me sooner or later. “Shoot.”

  “Tonight is Halloween, right?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Were you able to get the time off from work?”

  I gave him a big smile, expecting he would be happy. “Yes.”

  “Then come home with me for a few days. I’d planned for us to have been there for a few days by now, but…” He trailed off.

  Something was up. I leaned up on one arm so I could study him. “That sounds fine, but I’d like to bring my dogs, like we talked about.”

  “That would be fine. What about the cats?”

  “No, not for just a few days. They like to go out until it gets too cold. But I’ll need to hire someone to stay here and tend to things—”

  “That isn’t a problem,” he said quickly. Too quickly.

  “Danial,” I said with half a smile. “What’s the catch? You weren’t nervous about me coming before.”

  He looked down at me with an uneasy expression. “I’m throwing a party tonight, on All Hallows Eve. I want you to come with me. I was going to ask you—”

  I smiled at him reassuringly. “That sounds fun. Are we carving pumpkins? Bobbing for apples?”

  He wasn’t smiling. “This is a different kind of party. It’s a costume party.”

  I still didn’t see the problem. “I don’t have a costume, but I suppose I can fix something quick—”

  “I have a costume for you,” he said worriedly. “It’s already made.”

  I got nervous. “Then what’s the problem? Cut to the chase already.”

  “This is not a small party. I throw an annual one every year on All Hallows Eve. There will be over two hundred people there.”

  I’d been to a wedding once with that many people and had been overwhelmed. Moreover, I’d be out in the spotlight this time, not on the sidelines. The parties I usually went to had about five other couples there. But all I’d likely need to do was smile. It would be nice to be at Danial’s side, to meet his friends. What would they be like? Would they be vampire or human?

  “You’ll need to wear the choker. There will be other vampires there besides me.”

  “Surely no one would try anything at your own party.”

  “Yes,” he said bluntly. “There are one or two who might.”

  “What kinds of friends are these?” I asked, appalled.

  “They’re not friends; they’re allies. I have very few real friends, especially in my business. And you already know my best one, Theo.”

  I was wide-awake then, my mind racing for a way to beg off the invitation as
I thought of all the things that could go wrong. I wouldn’t know anyone and I’d be sure to forget everyone’s names. It would be horrible. I might embarrass myself, or worse, Danial. But I knew I was going to say yes before the word left my mouth. If we were going to be together, this was one of the things I’d have to learn how to deal with. It was the price of admission to his life.

  “Sure.” I tried to make my response light, and for the most part, I succeeded.

  “Can you be ready to leave by six this evening?”

  “You’re cutting it close. The sun will be setting.” I said, confused.

  “I can be out in daylight. As long as it’s weak and I’m completely covered, I can tolerate it for a brief time. We don’t have a choice if we’re going to be on time.”

  It was odd to risk his life just to be on time, but Danial was old enough to know his limitations. “I can be ready. But I need to know how many days to pack for. Three? Four?”

  “Four.” He’d wanted to say five, but he wouldn’t push me. Good for him. He was learning more about me all the time.

  “Do I pack casual or formal?”

  He kissed me quickly and smiled. “Just pack some of your comfortable clothes. I already bought you a few things.”

  Immediate joy spread through me. How could I not be excited? I hadn’t gotten anything new in a long time. It surprised me that he’d have had time to arrange all this. If he’d arranged a gala for all those people, he probably had a coordinator or a personal assistant do it for him.

  I checked my watch and saw that it was almost nine. I went to get up, but Danial pulled me back to sprawl next to him. “Where are you running off to?”

  He kissed me, long and slow at first, and then more urgently. I tried to push him away, but he just laughed and kissed me again.

  “Danial!” I said loudly and with more than a little agitation, “I have to go get ready now that I know we’re leaving tonight. I’ve got so much to accomplish before we leave.”

  “Yes, you do.” He laughed, pulling me against him. “And I know where you can start.”

  * * * *

  I’d donned my costume, a blood red ball gown with black lace edging. The top was a bit loose, so I had to remember not to bend over too far when I greeted someone. I’d come into a vast ballroom, expecting everyone to be dressed like me. But everyone was in normal dressy clothes, suits with shirts, and cocktail dresses. No one was in a costume. I looked desperately for Danial but only saw a sea of unfamiliar faces.

  The band started to play, a loud bass beat blaring out of huge speakers. What the hell? I’d expected some violins or something more refined. The lead singer grabbed the mike and screamed, “Let’s get this fucking party started!”

  I stood still in confusion as everyone around me cheered. The first song started. The lyrics were barely decipherable, something about nothing being free:

  Sign upon the dotted line

  I’ll be yours and you’ll be mine

  Nothing’s free

  Danial was suddenly beside me, smiling dangerously, his eyes gleaming. “Dance with me, Sar.” It wasn’t an invitation; it was a command. I felt a shiver of fear.

  I took his hand, and he led me to the dance floor, where other couples already twirled. He moved me expertly me around.

  “Where’s your costume?” I asked. “Why am I the only one in costume?”

  “This is my costume,” he hissed. “And it’s time you see who I really am.” His voice dropped as he spoke, dissolving into a mocking laugh. He opened his mouth, his fangs dripping blood, his dark eyes dissolving into solid red. I screamed and backed away, but everyone around me had red eyes. I couldn’t get away. They just pushed me back at him. Danial drove me to the ground, his teeth in my throat and my blood fountaining up. I tried to close the wound, but my hands slipped in my own blood. I tried to scream again, but I could only gurgle as my vision dimmed.

  Chapter Twelve

  I woke up with a scream, falling out of the chair I’d been napping in onto the floor. A familiar face grinned down at me.

  “Goddamn it, Theo!”

  He gave me an innocent look as he helped me up. “You looked so peaceful in that chair, I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “So you thought you’d play me some of The Last Temptation to help me sleep?”

  “It’s your CD. Aran said he’d never heard Alice Cooper before, so—”

  I missed the end of what he said as I looked past Theo’s shoulder to see Aran reclining on my couch, the two dogs next to him. All three of them looked at me.

  “Some guard dogs you are,” I said, shooting them a dark look. Both dogs wagged their tails. Aran scratched Darkness under her chin, and she grinned for him, her eyes closing in pleasure.

  “Sorry, Sar,” Aran said. He hit the stereo remote and the music stopped.

  Had he been the fox who’d brought me the phone? I didn’t want to ask. What if he’d run and deserted me instead? That would be embarrassing to call him on.

  “We would have had to wake you anyway,” Aran continued. “We’ve got to get on the road. We’ve got fifty miles to cover tonight. We’ll just make it on time if we leave in the next half hour.”

  Theo anticipated my next question. “Yes, we made provisions for your dogs to come. Cia is going to stay with your cats.”

  He pronounced the name “See-ah.” I wondered if it was a nickname, or a real name. Did they all have odd names? Theopolis sounded vaguely Irish, or maybe Greek.

  A short woman walked in from the living room. She was slight, built like a dancer, and dressed as they were in casual clothes. Her eyes were a friendly brown, like melted chocolate and her blond hair was cut in a short bob. She came up to me and shook my hand.

  “We’ve met before,” she said shyly.

  My eyes widened. “It was you, that night, who—”

  “Gave you the phone, yes,” she finished. “I only wish I could have done more.”

  “What you did made all the difference.” I gave her a hug impulsively. She tensed, but recovered quickly, and hugged me back. I let her go before I embarrassed us both, and she stepped back. To cover my feeling of self-consciousness, I said to Aran. “Is there anyone else in the living room or kitchen I can’t see?”

  “No, just us three. Everyone else left with Danial.”

  “Danial’s gone?” I said in surprise and disappointment.

  “Don’t feel bad, Sarelle,” Cia said. “He had to go as soon as he could. There is a lot to prepare. This night is a big deal for him. He needs it to go well.”

  That sounded ominous and full of hidden meaning. I told myself I could think about that on the way. If I had any more pressure about tonight before leaving, I wouldn’t get in the car at all. “Let’s put the bags and dogs in the car, and go.”

  “How many bags do you have?” Theo cracked. “We only have so much room—”

  “I have one bag. Stop wisecracking and let’s go.”

  “We’ll be fine,” Cia said, holding Cavity. “Have a good time.”

  I didn’t hear her; my eyes were focused on my cat. Cia was a werefox, yet the cats seemed to like her. Jess had been twining around her feet and purring this whole time. Both dogs liked Aran, who was also a werefox. Why didn’t my animals like Theo? They were more at ease with him, but they were still standoffish.

  “Sar, we need to go,” Theo said. It was a command, not an effort to coax me along.

  I grabbed my one bag. “Let’s go, guys.”

  Both dogs jumped off the couch. We went out the door after Theo, with Aran following us. A Harley was parked next to the black Expedition, a helmet on its seat. Good to see Aran had some taste.

  Theo opened the back of the Expedition. Both dogs jumped in on command, lying down as instructed. They were anxious and already panting. I shut the door and got into the front seat. Theo got inside, having put my bag in the back seat.

  Aran cranked up the Harley and moved out first. We followed him down the driveway. Turning back
, I saw Cia go inside. My house looked so comforting, I longed to get out of the car and go back inside. I could cuddle up with the dogs and watch a movie. Less than a month ago, that kind of evening had summed up my life. So much had changed for me so fast.

  Had I been happy? No, I’d been hiding, afraid to face life without Brennan, a world where disaster struck seemingly without purpose or despite prevention. Hiding was easier, but it wasn’t living. Tonight was going to be the first of many nights of my new life with Danial.

  Aran zoomed off. Theo gunned the engine and followed. We sped through the night. The scenery was mostly farms, though we passed some moderate-sized towns. I didn’t recognize any of them, but I’d never been this far to the northeast before.

  Theo spun the wheel as Aran swung a hard right. The Expedition hit the curb, the dogs clawing to hold their positions. Theo cursed and swerved back into his lane.

  “What was that about?” I snapped. “Don’t you know the way home?”

  “Did I interrupt your introspective moment?”

  “Yeah. My life has changed so much since I met Danial. I’m glad I met him.”

  He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Good for you.”

  “Have I done something to piss you off in the last few minutes?”

  “Sar, just be quiet.”

  I wanted to snap back at him, but I decided to take his advice and shut up. I was a bundle of nerves. Yelling at him wouldn’t help.

  We rode in silence for a while, finally coming to a small town called Edgefield. It was decorated for Halloween, unlike most of the towns we’d passed. There were children out with parents, dressed as witches, ghosts, princesses, and pirates. I watched them running around, envying them their youth and candy. I would be wearing a costume myself this evening, maybe I’d get some candy, too.

  Theo spoke suddenly. “I’m not pissed at you. I’ve got a lot on my mind. This party is an annual thing for Danial, the one party that everyone he knows is invited to. Security is always a bitch, especially with the sort that show up. Everyone is in costume, which makes it easy to hide weapons. This year I have two extra things to worry about.”