“Well, this is a surprise,” Mara said, gesturing for them to come inside. She glanced from one to the other, thinking something was definitely wrong.
“Sheree was attacked,” Abbey Marie explained.
“When?” Mara’s gaze ran over her daughter-in-law, but there was no visible sign of injury. Still, there was something—Alric’s distinctive scent. “Sit down, you two.” She glanced over her shoulder when Logan strolled into the room wearing a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt, his hair still damp.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I’m trying to find out,” Mara said impatiently. “Abbey, what happened?”
“We were having a drink in Manhattan when a vampire came up behind us and put a knife to Sheree’s throat. He wanted to know where to find you,” Abbey Marie said, her words tripping over themselves. “He threatened to take Sheree’s head if I didn’t tell him. I’m so sorry, but . . .”
“Don’t worry about it,” Mara said. “I’ll take care of the matter. Sheree, you tell Derek to stay out of this if he knows what’s good for him. We don’t need an angry werewolf running wild in the streets. Alric is mine.”
“I had the same thought,” Sheree said, smiling faintly. “So, you know this vampire, then?”
“Yes. We have some history between us. Do you two want to spend the night?”
Abbey Marie shook her head. “Nick’s coming to get me.”
“And I just want to go home,” Sheree said with a weary sigh. She had contacted Derek through their bond on the way to Mara’s house.
No sooner had she spoken the words than Derek appeared in the room. He went immediately to Sheree’s side. “Are you all right? I’ll kill the bastard who dared lay a hand on you.”
“No, you won’t,” Mara said.
“Like hell!”
Mara stared at her son as her power swept through the room. “I said I’d take care of it.”
“Dammit, she’s my wife!” Derek swayed as pain knifed through him, but he stayed on his feet, his eyes red and glowing with rage.
“Yes, I know. And I’m warning you to stay out of it. All of you. This is between Alric and me.” Her gaze bored into him, and then softened. “Do you understand?”
Hands clenched at his sides, he nodded once, curtly.
Withdrawing her power, Mara said, “Why don’t you take Sheree home? She’s had a bad night.”
“If you don’t destroy him, I will.” Derek’s whole body vibrated with barely subdued rage as he wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders and left the house.
Rising, Abbey Marie said, “Mara, I’m so sorry.”
“What’s done is done. Tell Nick . . .”
“Tell Nick what?” Desanto said, materializing in the room. His gaze moved over Abbey before he took her in his arms. “What the hell’s going on?”
He listened intently as Abbey related the events of the night.
“I told Derek to stay out of it,” Mara said. “And now I’m telling you. This is my fight and I’ll handle it in my own way. Is that clear?”
“Dammit. . . .”
“Are we clear?”
Nick scowled at her. “Fine. You can have first crack at him—then he’s mine.” Taking Abbey’s hand in his, they vanished from the room.
“Well, that was fun,” Logan muttered. “Nothing I like better than being interrupted when taking a bath with my woman.”
Mara took a deep breath as the last of her power faded away. “We can always go back and refill the tub,” she said, absently.”
“What are you going to do about Alric?”
“He hasn’t given me any choice, has he? The fool seems determined to confront me.” She reached for Logan, then stilled. Lifting her head, she closed her eyes.
“What’s going on?”
“I have no sense of him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s either dead or gone to ground again.”
Logan grunted softly. “Forget about him for now. He’s taken up enough of our night.” Swinging Mara into his arms, he carried her into their bedroom, raining kisses on her cheeks, her brow, her lips before he lowered her to the bed.
She lay back on the pillows, her eyes smoky with desire as he removed her robe, then shed his own clothing. Stretching out beside her, he drew her into his embrace.
“I hope I never get on your bad side,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck. “Not that I’ve ever seen one. You look good all over.”
* * *
“Sheree, why didn’t you come to me instead of going to Mara’s? Hell, why didn’t you contact me from the restaurant?” Derek asked when they reached home.
“Alric threatened to kill me if Abbey didn’t tell him where Mara lived. I felt Mara should know what happened right away but Abbey was afraid to face her by herself. We weren’t hurt,” she said, with a reassuring smile. “As for why I didn’t contact you . . .” She caressed his cheek. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to control your temper. As your mother said, we didn’t need an angry werewolf prowling the streets. Besides, I was pretty sure Alric wouldn’t kill me.”
He snorted. “Pretty sure?”
“I knew you’d come if we needed you.”
“You’re damn right. And if Mara doesn’t kill him, I sure as hell will.”
Chapter 34
Giovanni strolled aimlessly down the dark streets. Cassie had gone to bed an hour ago. He had tried reading. He had tried watching TV, but nothing held his interest. In ten days, she would be his wife. And he was plagued by doubts. What if she grew tired of him? What if he disappointed her in bed? What if she laughed at him?
He rarely cursed, but he swore now. He was a vampire, a powerful being, yet he felt as vulnerable as the weakest mortal. He had spent centuries keeping mostly to himself. Marrying Cassie would put an end to that. At the moment, they spent most of their time together, just the two of them, and she seemed content with that. But what if, once the newness wore off, she wanted to go out, make friends, mingle with humanity? He wasn’t sure he was ready for that. He generally avoided crowds of people. The lights, the noise, the ever-constant temptation of all those beating hearts.... He shook his head, determined to put his doubts behind him. Fate had put a wonderful, beautiful woman in his path. Was he going to let his fears of something that might never happen ruin what he had now?
He was about to turn toward home when Mara appeared beside him.
“Good evening, Giovanni.”
“Mara.” He slid a sideways glance at her. Something was wrong. “What’s up?”
“Alric attacked Sheree earlier tonight.”
“What the hell? Is she all right?”
“She’s fine. She was with Abbey Marie at the time. Alric threatened to take Sheree’s head if Abbey refused to reveal my whereabouts.”
Giovanni grunted softly. Anyone who messed with Mara was a fool.
“I thought you should know I’ve been unable to locate any trace of him. I think he’s gone to ground.”
“Why would he do that again so soon?”
“I’m not sure. The only reason I can think of is that he’s been badly hurt.”
“Hurt?” He looked at her sharply. “Did you . . . ?”
She made a sound of disgust low in her throat. “If he’d crossed my path, he wouldn’t be hurt. He’d be dead.”
Giovanni chuckled. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“Keep your guard up,” she warned. “Wounded animals are the most dangerous kind.”
* * *
Troubled by Mara’s words, Giovanni decided to return home and check on Cassie before he went back to his lair. He felt a jolt of fear when he saw there were lights on in the house. Materializing in the living room, he was surprised to find Cassie awake and curled up on the sofa.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “What are you doing up so late? It’s almost morning.”
“I had a nightmare.”
Nodding, he sat beside her and put his arms around her.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She shook her head vigorously.
“That bad, huh?” He barely remembered what it was like to dream. As a vampire, he was awake one minute and unless he fought it, the next he was lost in the Dark Sleep of oblivion until the setting of the sun. “Can I get you something?”
“No.” She looked up at him. “Would you stay here with me tonight?”
“If you like.” Rising, he gathered her into his arms and carried her down the hall to her room, waited until she’d settled into bed.
When he turned to leave, she caught his hand. “Don’t go.”
“That must have been some hellacious nightmare.”
She nodded. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“All right.” Sitting on the end of the bed, he took off his boots and socks, then stretched out on top of the covers beside her.
She nestled against him, her head resting on his shoulder, one arm lying across his waist.
Giovanni took a deep breath. It was the wrong thing to do. The fragrance of her hair and skin tickled his nostrils, the warm, rich scent of her life’s blood teased his hunger. He clenched his hands as he fought for control.
And then she rose up on one elbow and kissed him.
With a low groan, he pulled her into his arms. Her lips were warm and soft and pliable. Heat shot through him when her tongue slid over his lower lip and dipped inside to duel with his. They had kissed and cuddled before, but never like this. Every breath carried her scent, every touch stoked his desire, weakening his resistance. Murmuring his name, she slid her hand under his shirt, her fingers stroking his chest, sliding back and forth over his belly.
Lost in a fog of sensual pleasure, he caressed her in turn, each touch growing bolder when she didn’t protest.
She unbuttoned his shirt, then bent her head and ran her tongue over his bare chest, his neck. “Johnny,” she whispered, her voice thick with need. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”
“Cassie . . .”
She pressed her fingers to his lips to silence him and then kissed him again, longer, deeper, until he was on fire for her, the wall of his resistance shattered by a need that would no longer be denied.
Murmuring, “Heaven, forgive me,” he threw the covers aside. A thought removed his clothing and her nightgown. His gaze caressed her for a long, lingering moment, and then, capturing her lips with his, he sheathed himself deep in the warmth of her love.
* * *
Reality returned slowly. He felt listless, drained, and yet invigorated. For a moment, Giovanni thought he had dreamed the whole thing. But that was impossible. He didn’t dream. And then he realized there was something warm and soft pressed against his back. A musky scent hung heavy in the air.
He rolled over slowly, surprised by the wave of tenderness that swept through him when he saw Cassie sleeping beside him.
He had never shared a bed with a woman. His gaze moved over her, lingering on the pulse throbbing in her throat, sliding down to one bare shoulder peeking from beneath the rumpled blankets, and then to a length of silky thigh.
Giovanni let out a deep, shuddering breath as his desire stirred to life again. He grinned faintly, surprised that he could want her again so soon. That instead of feeling guilty, he was filled with a sense of peace, of acceptance and belonging.
He knew a moment of embarrassment when her eyelids fluttered open and he realized he was naked beneath the covers.
A slow smile spread over Cassie’s lips and then, seeing his expression, she frowned. Was he angry because she had begged him to make love to her? Was he wracked with guilt because she’d seduced him into breaking his vow of chastity? “Say something.”
“I love you.”
“You’re not angry?”
His brows shot up. “Angry? Why would I be angry?”
“Because we . . . because I know you wanted to wait until we were married.”
“Ah, Cassie,” he murmured, drawing her into his arms. “No matter what the future holds, I’ll never be sorry for tonight. You’ve given me a rare gift, one I’ll never forget or regret.”
She sighed with relief at his words.
He cleared his throat. “The sun won’t be up for another hour. Do you want to . . . I mean, could we . . . ?”
She laughed softly. “If you’re asking what I think you are, the answer is yes. Most definitely yes.”
* * *
Cassie woke hours later with a smile on her face. Yawning, she reached for Johnny’s pillow and buried her nose in it, inhaling his scent. For a man who claimed to have no experience, he hadn’t had any trouble finding his way. The first time had been fire and fury. The second time had been filled with tenderness and a sense of wonder.
Slipping out of bed, she walked barefoot into the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. She hoped he would wake up in his lair feeling as happy as she had, but she couldn’t help worrying that, even though he’d denied it earlier, he might feel some sense of regret. He had been so determined that they not make love until they were married.
Well, she thought as she dressed, what was done was done.
In the kitchen, she fried several strips of bacon, scrambled three eggs, popped two slices of bread into the toaster, filled a glass with orange juice, poured a cup of coffee. She grinned when she sat at the table, thinking that a night of great lovemaking had certainly increased her appetite.
Soon, they would be man and wife and she would be able to seduce him wherever and whenever she wanted. And then she laughed. If she was this famished every time they made love, she would soon be as fat as the proverbial pig.
* * *
After breakfast, Cassie headed back to her room and made the bed. She glanced at the bridal shower gifts, still in their boxes on the chair in the corner. Perched on the edge of the mattress, she opened them one by one, felt her cheeks grow warm as she ran her fingers over the white lacy gown Mara had given her. Of them all, it was her favorite. She could hardly wait to wear it, she thought as she folded her gowns and placed them in one of the dresser drawers.
In little more than a week, she would be Johnny’s wife. She would quit her job at the lounge and find a good beauty school. For the first time in her life, she had someone in her corner, someone to encourage her in her endeavors. Someone to share her laughter and her tears, to lift her when she was down. It was a good feeling. And she would be there for him, too, if and when he needed her.
She hadn’t prayed much in her life but now, standing in the middle of her bedroom, she bowed her head and silently thanked Heaven for sending such a wonderful man her way.
And then she had a terrible thought. They were supposed to be wed in nine days. What if he didn’t want to marry her, now that they’d made love? What was that old saying? Why buy the cow when the milk is free? Did he think less of her now? Sure, he’d said he wasn’t sorry they’d made love, but what if he was? He was an honorable man. What if was only marrying her because he’d promised to do so?
* * *
Eager to see Cassie, Giovanni woke while the sun was still low in the sky. He dressed quickly, hoping that she didn’t have to work tonight. He was anxious to hold her in his arms again, even if they didn’t make love. He laughed softly as he ran a comb through his hair, surprised that the guilt he had expected to be waiting for him when he woke up never materialized.
He said a silent prayer, thanking the good Lord for sending her his way. She was the best thing in his life. He admired her spunk, her sense of humor. It hadn’t been easy for her, growing up alone with no one to care for her, making a decent life for herself, but she’d done it. He had never heard her complain or rail at fate because her parents had abandoned her. She had managed to survive on her own, and he respected her for that. She could have been bitter or filled with anger. Instead, she’d kept moving forward. She had filled his life with hope and love and sunshine, and for that, he would be forever grateful.
And soon, soon, she would be his wife, and he w
ould love her and cherish her as long as she lived.
Whistling softly, he transported himself to their home, eager to hold her in his arms again.
* * *
Cassie smiled uncertainly when Johnny materialized in the living room. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He wanted to hold her, yet was oddly reluctant, which was strange, after what they had shared the night before. He wondered if she felt the same, excited and yet sort of shy. Deciding one of them had to make the first move, he sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Are we okay?”
“Are we?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you . . . ?”
“Do I what?”
“Do you still want to marry me?”
“Of course. Why would you think otherwise?” He frowned when she didn’t answer. “Cassie?”
“I was afraid that you might change your mind after last night.”
“I was afraid you’d be sorry.”
“Sorry?” She smiled. “Are you kidding? I’ve been trying to get you into my bed for weeks.”
He grinned at her. “Did I do all right? Were you disappointed?”
She couldn’t help laughing, even though she knew she shouldn’t.
“That bad, huh?”
“No, you fool! It was wonderful. You were wonderful.”
“You’re not just saying that to soothe my masculine ego, are you?”
“No, Johnny. Are you sure you’ve never done it before?”
“I think that’s something I’d remember,” he said dryly. “But I’d sure like to do it again.”
Rising, she tugged on his hand. “Well, come on, then,” she said, her grin spreading from ear to ear. “I don’t want you to forget how.”
* * *
Later, lying amid tangled sheets, the air thick with the scent of their lovemaking, Giovanni was overcome with a sense of wonder. Rolling onto his side, he lifted a lock of Cassie’s hair and twined it around his finger. “Is it this way for everyone?”
“How could it be? All those other poor women only have regular guys in their beds. I’ve got the Italian stallion in mine.”
At her reference to Rocky Balboa, he groaned out loud.
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