Twilight Desires

by Amanda Ashley

“You want to talk about that now?”

  She nodded. “Did it?”

  “It hurt like hell,” he said, frowning at the memory. “But it doesn’t have to.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It all depends on the vampire who’s turning you,” Ethan explained. “They can take their time and do it gently, like I’m sure Saintcrow did with Kadie. And part of it depends on the one being turned. It’s easier when both parties are willing.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  He raised himself up on one elbow. “Why?”

  “Well, when we start to look the same age, I mean, well . . . I don’t want to look older than you.”

  He cocked one brow. “Are you saying what I think you are?”

  “I’ve always been really close to Micah, and now that you and I are married, I’d like to spend more time with him and Holly. I don’t want to be the odd girl out in the group forever. So, after we’ve been married a while and we’ve adopted a baby or two, I want you to make me what you are.”

  “Sure, Sofie. As long as you’re certain it’s what you want when the time comes.”

  She smiled at him. “But right now, I just want you to make love to me again.”

  “Anytime,” he said, cupping her face in his hands. “All you have to do is ask.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Sofia was duly impressed with what she saw when they returned to Morgan Creek that night. The town looked great, from the refurbished hotel to the remodeled tavern and everything in between.

  Most surprising of all was seeing ordinary people doing ordinary things—strolling down the streets, grocery shopping at the store, buying drinks in the tavern, sitting on the library steps, pumping gas, taking pictures. In the distance, she could hear laughter, something she was sure had been scarce when the vampires lived here.

  She shook her head as they reached the residential area. “Wow, the houses all look great. Which one will be ours?”

  “None of them.” Ethan glanced around to make sure no one was watching them, then transported her to his new lair.

  Sofia’s eyes widened. Blair House had been painted pale yellow, trimmed in white. The old iron bars had been replaced with fancy wrought iron. Only the door remained the same.

  Ethan waved his hand, and the massive door opened on silent hinges. Sofia gasped as Ethan swung her up into his arms.

  “Welcome home, Mrs. Parrish,” he said as he carried her over the threshold.

  The door closed behind them.

  Ethan kissed her, then set her on her feet.

  “This doesn’t look like the same place.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “It’s beautiful,” she remarked, moving into the living room. “Your furniture looks wonderful here.”

  “Anything you don’t like, anything you want to change, just let me know.”

  Sofia shook her head, touched that the rooms reflected the same colors she had used in her apartment.

  Ethan followed her from room to room, pleased with her reaction to the changes he had made. The bedrooms had been painted, the floors carpeted, but he hadn’t furnished any of them, thinking she might prefer to do that. Wondering if the time would come when children would run through the halls.

  Sofie clapped her hands when she saw the kitchen, which was equipped with the latest appliances. A round table and two chairs stood in one corner.

  “Come on.” Taking her hand, Ethan led her down to the basement lair.

  “Oh, Ethan,” she murmured when he opened the door. “This must have cost a fortune.”

  “Only a small one.”

  A king-size bed with a carved cherrywood headboard dominated the room. Matching nightstands stood on either side. A gilt-edged mirror hung over a cherrywood dresser. The walls were pale blue, the carpet a darker shade, both of which were picked up in the quilt and throw pillows on the bed. A wide-screen TV took up a portion of one wall. It was flanked by a pair of bookcases.

  “If you don’t want to sleep down here, we can furnish one of the bedrooms upstairs.”

  “No, this is perfect,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “And so are you.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  She made a gesture, encompassing the room. “Did you do all this yourself?”

  “I had a little help from a designer.”

  Sofia nodded. He had done this for her. She glanced at the bed, then looked up at him. “Is that bed as comfortable as it looks?”

  “Only one way to find out.”

  “Last one under the sheets has to give the loser a back rub. And no fair using your vampire powers either.”

  “You’re on!”

  * * *

  Sofia blew out a sigh of perfect contentment. Never in all her life had she felt this wonderful, this happy. She rolled onto her side, her gaze moving slowly over the man lying naked beside her. Men weren’t supposed to be beautiful, but this one was.

  He opened one eye. “Beautiful?”

  “Yes.”

  “I can live with that.” He grinned when her stomach growled. “I guess I’d better feed you.”

  “I guess you’d better.”

  “The chef at the hotel is supposed to be pretty good. Let’s get cleaned up and I’ll take you to dinner.”

  “And a movie?”

  “If you like.”

  “You’re so good to me,” she said, straddling his hips.

  “You keep wriggling around like that and it’ll be a long time until dinner.”

  She batted his hands away when he reached for her, then scrambled off the bed. “Food first!” she exclaimed, and ran out of the room.

  With a shake of his head, Ethan sat up, then grinned as he heard the shower come on upstairs. Maybe he’d better call Reed and have him install a shower down here. Be a heck of a lot more convenient than having to go upstairs. Funny, he hadn’t thought of it before.

  Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he took the stairs two at a time. Maybe, if he caught Sofia in the shower, he could sweet-talk her into making love one more time before dinner.

  * * *

  Nolan Browning paid in advance for a rental house in Morgan Creek. He arrived on a Friday night as soon after sunset as he could, hoping to blend in with other tourists checking in at the same time.

  To his surprise, he’d had no trouble at all crossing the bridge. He hadn’t been sure the witch’s potion would disguise his true nature, but either it had worked or the town was no longer warded against vampires.

  As he had suspected from his earlier surveillance, Saintcrow was no longer in residence.

  He signed the register with a false name, collected a key, and drove toward the residential area. He was amazed at the changes in the town, and, considering the place had been open such a short time, even more amazed at the number of tourists. He had managed to get the last available house.

  He parked the car in front of the residence that had once belonged to Rosemary. Like all the other houses, it had been repainted. Pulling his suitcase from the backseat, he unlocked the front door. The inside had also been repainted. He hardly recognized the place.

  He had hoped to kidnap the Ravenwood woman and use her to get to Parrish, but no opportunity had presented itself. He couldn’t go after her when the sun was up, and he had never managed to find her alone after dark. But that no longer mattered.

  He smiled inwardly. Once he got rid of Parrish, he would set new wards around the town so no one could leave, and voilà! He’d have an impregnable lair and prey aplenty.

  * * *

  Ethan leaned back, arms crossed, while Sofia attacked the biggest lobster he had ever seen. Watching her eat didn’t spark his appetite—at least not for food. He barely remembered what mortal fare tasted like, though he had once been particularly fond of seafood. Reaching for his glass, he sipped his wine, thinking how lovely his bride looked by candlelight, and how eager he was to make love to her again.

  Looking up, she c
aught him watching her. “It’s really good. Too bad you can’t have a bite.”

  His gaze moved to her throat. “I’ll get a bite later.”

  “It won’t be the same.”

  “It’ll be better,” he said with a wink.

  “I can’t believe you don’t miss eating.” Head tilted to one side, she frowned at him. “You said you don’t really miss it, but I don’t believe you. How could you not miss this?”

  “Being a . . .” He glanced around the hotel dining room. “Being what I am changes how you think about a lot of things. Which is why you need to be really sure before you decide to . . . you know.”

  “I’m sure I’d miss eating.” She took a bite of wild rice and chewed thoughtfully. “I can’t imagine a world without bread or chocolate or pasta or my mom’s homemade cannoli.”

  “Like I said, think it over.”

  One more bite and she pushed her plate aside. “I’m stuffed.”

  “No dessert?”

  “I don’t think . . . oh! Maybe a slice of that decadent chocolate cake,” she remarked when a waitress delivered a piece to the next table. “Could we get it to go?”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  Ethan signed the check, added a generous tip, and gave it to the waitress, who tucked it into the pocket of her apron, then handed Sofia a carry-out box.

  “Do you feel like taking a walk?” she asked as they left the hotel.

  He shrugged. “I can think of a couple of other things I’d rather do.”

  “I’ll just bet you can.”

  The Viper was parked in front of the hotel. Ethan put the cake box on the front seat, then took her hand in his. “Let’s walk.”

  “I’m really impressed with what you’ve done,” Sofia remarked. “Everything looks amazing.”

  “What’s amazing is that we’re making money. The houses are all rented or reserved through next year.”

  “You don’t suppose Saintcrow worked some kind of vampire magic to make people come here, do you?”

  “I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t put it past him. I . . .”

  “What?”

  “Shh.”

  Sofia glanced around, wondering what had him looking so worried. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know. I feel like we’re being watched.” Dropping her hand, Ethan made a slow 360-degree turn. “I could have sworn . . .” He shrugged as he reached for her hand again. “I guess I’m just imagining things.”

  “Do you often do that?”

  “Never.”

  She glanced sharply to the left and then the right. “Now you’ve got me doing it.” Tugging on his arm, she said, “Let’s get the car and go home.”

  * * *

  Browning felt a rush of satisfaction as Ethan and Sofia turned and headed back to the hotel. Next time, he mused, rubbing his hands together. Next time he caught the fledgling out in the open, he would drive a stake into the vampire’s heart; then the girl and the town—which was profitable beyond expectation, according to Parrish—would be his. But for now, it was time to take cover before the witch’s spells wore off. He could already feel them fading. Another few minutes and he would no longer be invisible, his scent no longer masked.

  A thought took him to the safety of Rosemary’s old house.

  * * *

  Ethan experienced that same sense of being watched several times in the next few nights, whether he was chatting with one of the tourists, taking a turn behind the hotel desk, or sitting on a bench in the park with Sofia after sundown, the way he was now. He didn’t mention it to her again, partly because he was beginning to think he was imagining it, but mostly because he didn’t want to worry her needlessly. He might have thought Browning was behind it, but that was impossible. Wasn’t it? Sure, vampires could be invisible, but another vampire could always sense their presence. Was it a witch? Or was he just going quietly insane?

  A witch. Ethan frowned. Was it possible for a witch to concoct a spell that would shield one vampire from another? Damn.

  “Ethan? Hello? Earth to Ethan.”

  “I’m sorry; I was elsewhere.”

  “Are you bored with me already?”

  “No, love, not even close.”

  “Good, because now that the town is up and running and my dad is feeling better, we really should start thinking about wedding number two.”

  Ethan nodded. He didn’t really think a second ceremony was necessary, but if it would make Sofia and her family happy, he was willing to go along with it. “Call your folks and get the ball rolling.”

  “You mean it?”

  Nodding, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, until the sound of childish laughter had him looking over his shoulder.

  A little girl with long blond ringlets and bright blue eyes stared back at him.

  Muttering, “I’ll give you something to stare at,” he willed himself and Sofia into the living room in the house on the hill.

  “Ethan, shame on you! She’s going to go tell her parents she saw us disappear and no one will believe her.”

  “Morgan Creek is known for ghosts. Maybe her folks will think she saw one.”

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “What I am is hot as hell.” Letting her body slide against his, he lowered Sofia to her feet.

  “So I see,” she said, smirking. “I’m sure I can think of a way to cool you off.”

  “I’ve got an idea or two of my own,” he said with a leer.

  “Oh, I’ve no doubt of that.”

  He was undressing her as she spoke.

  They never made it to the bedroom.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Sofia leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms over her head. She had decided to get caught up on the bookkeeping while Ethan was off hunting in some distant town.

  What was it like, stalking human prey? Did he feed on men, too, or just women? Did he always bite them in the neck? When Ethan had drunk from Saintcrow, he’d fed from his wrist. Did it make a difference in the taste? Or did he just prefer to feed from one site over another? Biting someone on the neck seemed far more intimate.

  She glanced around the office, thinking she would like to make some changes. Because this house wasn’t going to be used as a rental in the foreseeable future, she thought she’d like to move her desk and filing cabinet into the living room, which provided a nice view of the mountains, as opposed to the dining room, which looked out on the backyard.

  She frowned when she heard a knock at the door. Ethan wouldn’t knock; neither would any of the town’s employees.

  Curious, she went to the door, let out a gasp when she saw Nolan Browning standing on the porch. She started to slam the door, but a wave of his hand drove her back into the entryway.

  Before she recovered her balance, he was inside the house, with the door closed behind him.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded, forcing as much righteous anger into her voice as possible.

  “I’ve decided to take over the town. Make it like it was before. You know, a smorgasbord for vampires.”

  “Ethan will kill you for this.”

  “I don’t think so.” He moved toward her, his eyes darkening, taking on a faint reddish glow.

  She tried to dart past him, but he caught her easily, one hand grasping her arm, the other curling around her throat.

  He smiled wolfishly, revealing his fangs. “You smell good.”

  Sofia stared at him, her heart pounding with terror as he lowered his head to her neck. She winced as his fangs pierced her skin. Ethan’s bite had never hurt. Nolan Browning’s bite was extremely painful. She tried to call Ethan’s name, tried to send her thoughts to him, but the horror of what was happening was too great. Did Browning intend to drain her dry? Frightening as that thought was, the idea of being a vampire, with him as her sire, was more terrifying than death itself. She remembered Micah telling her that a fledgling was compelled to do whatever his sire demanded.

  She was we
ak with relief when, at last, he released her.

  “You’ll be mine exclusively,” Browning said, dragging his hand across his mouth.

  When he reached for her again, the world went thankfully black.

  * * *

  Ethan lifted his head, the woman in his arms forgotten, as a sense of unease enveloped him. He tried to open the link between himself and Sofia, but there was no response.

  Releasing his prey from his thrall, he willed himself back to Morgan Creek, but it was like trying to penetrate a cinder-block wall. Fighting down a sudden, nameless fear, he materialized on the bridge outside the town, unable to cross.

  What the hell was going on?

  * * *

  Sofia groaned softly. Her head ached. Her neck hurt. When she opened her eyes, it was to darkness.

  Where was she? Why was she on the floor? And why did her neck hurt so much?

  And then she remembered. Nolan Browning had bitten her. Had he turned her into a vampire? Was that why she was in darkness?

  Scrambling to her feet, she moved slowly forward, one hand outstretched. After a few steps, she bumped into a bed. She continued walking, her fingers searching for a light switch. Finally, she found one, but when she flicked it on, nothing happened.

  Fighting down the panic rising inside her, she made her way to the window, drew back the curtains, and lifted the sash. But when she tried to climb out, she couldn’t do it. It was like trying to fight her way through an invisible barrier.

  Moonlight filtered through the window, lighting her way back to the bed. She climbed on the mattress and wrapped her arms around her knees. Ethan would find her.

  Ethan! Her mind screamed his name. When she felt their connection, relief poured through her.

  Sofia! What’s going on?

  Browning is here.

  Where?

  In Morgan Creek. Ethan, he drank from me. It was terrible. Did he turn me?

  Did you drink from him?

  I don’t think so. He said he’s taking over the town. He wants it to be like it was before, when the vampires lived here.

  Ethan swore softly. He had walked through the town every night. How the hell had Browning managed to get inside without anyone being the wiser? How had he gotten past the wards that surrounded the town after sundown?