"Until tonight, you were only a nuisance," Dominic remarked. "Now, you are a threat."
"No. No, I'm not. I won't… won't tell… anyone. I swear."
Dominic laughed softly. "I have never known a mortal who could be trusted."
"Stop it!"
Bryan's eyes widened at the sound of Kitana's voice.
"Shame on you, Dominic. There is no need to frighten the boy. In another moment, he will wet himself."
"In another moment, he would have been a midnight snack."
Again, her voice moved through the room. "He is mine. Have you forgotten that?"
"I have forgotten nothing."
"Then release him and send him out to me."
It was then, with one vampire staring at him like he was nice, juicy steak and another waiting outside to slake her hellish thirst, that Bryan disgraced himself.
Dominic grimaced as the scent of urine filled the air. "Take him and welcome," he muttered, and with a wave of his hand, he released his hold on the boy. "Go," he said. "She is waiting for you."
Bryan shook his head. "No. If I'm…" He swallowed hard. "If someone's gonna kill me, then I'd rather it was you."
Dominic lifted one brow. "Indeed? And why is that?"
Bryan's cheeks turned a brighter shade of red. "I don't want to die at the hands of a woman."
Kitana's laughter echoed off the walls. "Fear not, young man, I am not going to kill you."
"There are worse things than death!" Bryan shouted. "Go away and leave me alone, you ghoul!"
Dominic snorted softly. "Make up your mind, young man. Do you want to die, or not?" Dominic lowered his voice. "But before you decide, you might think on this. Kitana is a lover without equal."
"Lover?" Bryan exclaimed. "She's not looking for a lover. She's looking for a meal."
"You can be both," Dominic said. "Now, go."
Bryan stared at him, his expression one of resignation. "Wait. What did you do to Tracy? Is she… ?"
"She is well."
"But I saw you…"
"She is not your concern."
Bryan glanced at the doorway, and at the vampire standing in front of him, as still as… death. Taking a deep breath, Bryan summoned what courage he could, squared his shoulders, and walked past Dominic and up the passageway to meet his destiny.
With a shake of his head, Dominic glanced around the room. He would either have to find a new place to spend the day, or wipe the memory of this place from the boy's mind. The latter would be the easiest, but probably not the safest. What the boy knew, Kitana now knew, and while she could not cross his threshold without being invited, that would not stop her from sending others to destroy him when he was at his weakest should she take the notion into her head. When he had told Bryan that, save for Tracy, there was no one alive who knew where he rested, he had spoken the truth.
But he would worry about that later. For now, he needed to look in on Tracy.
He willed himself outside, surprised to find that Kitana and Bryan were still there. The boy's eyes were slightly unfocused, evidence that he was under Kitana's spell.
Dominic lifted one brow. "Did you want to see me?"
"Yes." Her gaze moved over him, as tangible as a touch, and then she made a soft sound that could have been compassion. "I am sorry for what happened with Petrina and the others."
"You know what this means. On whose side will you stand?"
A faint smile flirted with the corners of her mouth. "What do you think?"
He shook his head. "If I knew, I would not ask."
"Ah, Dominic, if I intended to destroy you, you would be dust by now. As always, I stand with you." She raked her fingernails lightly over his cheek. "There is none other like you, mi amor. Of all those I have brought across through the years, there has been no one like you." She glanced up at the house. "If you had not been so determined to pursue that pretty little mortal through the ages, we might have spent the last few centuries together, you and I."
He nodded. "I would have liked that," he replied, "if it were not for her."
"Keep a close watch on her. Petrina is determined to destroy you. She knows of your affection for your little pet. The mortal woman is the chink in your armor now. Take your own advice, and be careful after dark."
She kissed him then, a quick brush of her cool lips across his own and then, with a wave of her hand, she vanished from his sight, taking the boy with her.
He stared at the spot where she had stood, wondering if he dared trust her. Still, she had spoken the truth. If she had wanted him dead, he would indeed be dust by now. He didn't doubt for a minute that she had the power to destroy him.
Dominic wandered through the backyard for a few moments, enjoying the weight of the night around him, breathing in the myriad scents that drifted through the air. There were many vampires who mourned the loss of the sun and grieved for the daylight they had forever lost. He had never been one of them. He had taken to the Dark Gift like a hound to the hunt and never once looked back. He reveled in his preternatural powers and if, in the beginning, he had been foolish and arrogant, he had soon outgrown it. He made no apologies for what he was. As a vampire, he had killed mortals to preserve his own life when necessary. He had done the same when he was human and he made no distinction between one lifestyle and the other. He wondered briefly if Kitana would bring the boy across, or merely amuse herself with him for a time and then let him go. Ordinarily, Dominic would have had no interest in Bryan's fate. Whether the boy lived or not was of little importance to him save for the fact that Tracy was fond of him.
Dominic drew in a lung full of air. It would be winter soon. He loved the cold months, when the nights were longer and the sun less bright.
The sound of Tracy's sigh was borne to him on the breeze. Hearing it, he put all other thoughts from his mind. She was waking, and he wanted to be at her side.
Tracy opened her eyes slowly, stretched and yawned. A glance at the clock showed that it was still early. She didn't remember falling asleep on the sofa, didn't seem to remember anything… and then it all came rushing back.
"Dominic? Dominic, are you here?"
He materialized out of the shadows to kneel in front of her. "Forgive me?"
"For what?"
He stroked the side of her neck with his finger-tips. "I might have killed you."
"But you didn't." She smiled at him. "You look much better. Did Bryan call? I'm worried about him."
"He was here."
"He was? Why didn't you wake me?"
"He found his way into my resting place."
Her eyes widened. "Oh, no. You didn't…"
"No."
"Where is he now? Dominic? Tell me."
"He is with Kitana."
"You let her take him? How could you?"
"He is hers, by right of blood."
Throwing off the blanket, she surged to her feet and began to pace the floor "How could you let her have him? You know what she'll do to him!"
Dominic watched her for a moment. How like a warrior woman of old she was! Her eyes sparkled with anger. "Calm yourself, querida. She will not hurt him."
She rounded on him like a mother bear defending her cub. "You don't know that!"
Dominic rose to tower over her. "She is not cruel. She will play with him a while and when she loses interest, she will find another."
"What if she makes him a vampire? Can you guarantee me that she won't turn him?"
He shook his head. "No. Should she decide to bring him across, there is nothing I can do to prevent it, querida. I am sorry."
"I couldn't bear it if anything happened to him."
"I know." He blew out a sigh that came from the depths of his soul. "I am sorry, my best beloved one. It is my fault this has happened."
"No…"
"Had I stayed out of your life, his would not now be in danger."
"It's not your fault. You're not responsible for Kitana, or Petrina."
He held out his arms a
nd she went to him, resting her cheek against his chest.
His lips moved over the back of her neck. His tongue laved the sensitive place behind her ear. "Sweet," he murmured. "So very, very sweet."
She lifted her face for his kiss.
His arms tightened around her, his dark eyes burning into her own. "Tracy, do you know what you do to me? Do you know how much I want you? How often I have dreamed of possessing you?"
She stared up at him, certain she would melt from the heat in his eyes.
"Marry me."
Her eyes widened. "You want us to get married?"
"Yes. Now. Tonight. Say yes."
"But… marriage." She thought of what it would mean to be married to him. She would never see him during the day. Never have a normal life. Never have children. And yet, how could she deny him again? He had loved her, waited for her, for centuries.
Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against hers. "I cannot go on without you. The future means nothing to me if you are not there to share it with me. I want to hold you in my arms when the sun goes down, and make love to you until it comes up again."
"We don't have to get married…"
Lifting his head, he opened his eyes and gazed down at her. "I am an honorable man." A wry grin touched his lips. "Or I was, when I was alive. I will not make you mine unless we are wed."
She smiled up at him, touched by his words.
"Say yes."
He looked down at her, a silent entreaty in his eyes. How could she deny him again?
"Yes, Dominic, I'll marry you."
He stared at her for several moments, then crushed her in his arms, his lips moving in her hair.
Tracy closed her eyes, a sense of peace enveloping her.
After a moment, he drew away. "Do you want to change your clothes?"
"You really mean for us to get married tonight? But how? We need a marriage license." She paused. "Blood tests."
He waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. "I will take care of all that."
Tracy glanced down at her jeans and T-shirt. "I always wanted to get married in a long white gown…"
Dominic took her hand. There was a rushing sound in her ears, a sense of disorientation, and when she opened her eyes again, she was in a bridal shop in the city.
"I wish you'd give me some warning before you do that," she said.
"Time is of the essence."
Tracy looked through the gowns, choosing three she liked. Carrying them into the dressing room, she tried them on. The first was sleeveless with a square neck and a straight skirt. It looked very modern and fit beautifully, but it didn't feel like a wedding dress. The second had short puffy sleeves, a high neck, and a poofy skirt. She looked at her reflection in the mirror… and shook her head.
The third dress was perfect. It had a round neck, long sleeves, a full skirt with a short train, and it fit as though it had been made for her. She picked out a shoulder-length veil to go with it.
When a saleslady came to check on her, Tracy said she would take the dress and the veil.
They made several other stops.
Dominic bought a tuxedo.
They both bought new shoes.
Tracy bought new underwear.
Standing outside the last store, her arms full of packages, she looked up at Dominic and grinned. "Well, all we need now is someone to marry us."
With a nod, Dominic took her hand again; when she opened her eyes, they were standing in front of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas.
Hand in hand, they went inside. Tracy glanced around while Dominic spoke to the woman behind the desk. A few moments later, she was being escorted to a dressing room by a rather buxom woman with dyed blond hair.
"Need any help, honey?" the woman asked.
"No, thank you."
The woman laughed, a deep, throaty laugh. "No doubt that man of yours will give you all the help you need."
"No doubt," Tracy replied, and shut the door.
She changed out of her clothes and into her gown, unable to believe they were actually in Vegas, about to be married.
She studied herself in the mirror for a moment. Maybe it was the dress, maybe there was something magical about wedding gowns that made all brides beautiful, but that was how she felt. Beautiful.
She shoved her jeans, T-shirt, and old underwear into one of the other sacks, ran a hand over her hair, took a deep breath, and left the dressing room.
Dominic was waiting for her. He was a man born to wear a tuxedo. His white shirt and black coat were the perfect complement to his dark hair and gray eyes. James Bond, eat your heart out, she thought, biting back a grin.
The buxom blonde entered the room. "This way," she said.
Dominic slipped his arm around Tracy's waist and they followed the blonde into a large chapel. The pews were of dark oak—a white runner covered the middle aisle. There were bouquets of white silk roses on the altar; white candles burned in gold sconces on the walls.
The blonde smiled up at Dominic. "Good luck, honey," she purred, and sashayed out of the chapel.
A tall man with a shock of thick white hair passed the blonde on his way into the room, followed by two witnesses.
He glanced down at a paper in his hand. "Dominic St. John? Tracy Ann Warner?"
"Yes," Dominic said.
Nodding, the minister took his place at the altar. "Join hands, please."
Dominic took Tracy's hand in his. His gaze never left her face as she said the words that made her his wife "until death do you part."
"And now, you may kiss the bride."
Dominic lifted her veil and then, gazing deep into her eyes, he whispered, "I will love and protect you so long as you draw breath."
And then he kissed her.
Chapter 29
"Where would you like to spend your honeymoon?"
Tracy looked up at her new husband. They were standing outside the chapel, shopping bags in hand. "Anywhere you want, so long as they have a great big bed."
Dominic hailed a cab and after a wild ride though traffic worse than anything she had ever encountered on the freeways of California, they arrived at Caesar's Palace. With a name like that, it wasn't surprising that the motif was Roman. There was a large pool outside, with fountains and statues everywhere.
She wasn't sure what magic Dominic worked at the desk. Probably the same sort of enchantment he had worked at the wedding chapel, she decided. Whatever spell he used, it worked and the next thing she knew, they were being led to a suite in the Palace Towers and Dominic was carrying her across the threshold.
He kicked the door closed with his heel; then, letting her body slide down the front of his, he set her on her feet, his dark eyes glowing. Whispering, "Mine at last," he captured her lips with his.
It was a kiss like no other she had ever known. Tender yet possessive, gentle yet ardent, it went through her like wildfire, making her heart pound and her blood run hot.
His hands moved over her, his nimble fingers unfastening her gown, lifting it over her head. Her shoes and stockings followed, leaving her clad in only her bra and panties.
She shivered as he stroked her bared flesh, all her senses coming vibrantly alive.
Murmuring "My turn," she slipped his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms and tossed it aside. His white silk shirt quickly followed. She noted, in passing, that he didn't wear a T-shirt.
Her fingers were trembling as she removed his belt, unzipped his trousers to reveal a pair of black bikini briefs. She removed his shoes and socks and he stepped out of his trousers.
Pausing, she drew back to look at him. He was beautifully made, from his broad shoulders and trim waist to his long legs. She had expected his body to be pale, though she wasn't sure why. Instead, his body and legs were the same warm, golden shade of brown as his face and arms.
She felt her cheeks grow hot under his regard.
"You are lovely," he murmured. "More lovely than I have ever seen you."
His fing
ertips traced the curve of her breast, slid down her belly, sending shivers in their wake.
His gaze met hers. "Mine," he said, his voice husky. "Mine, at last."
And sweeping her into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom, placed her on the bed, and stretched out beside her.
Tracy ran her hands over his shoulders. "Tell me."
"I love you, my best beloved one," he said, his voice thick, "as I have always loved you. As I will always love you."
Warmth filled her heart. "I love you, too. So much."
He drew her close, raining kisses over her face, her breasts. Her bra and panties and his briefs seemed to disappear as if by magic and she reveled in the sensory pleasure of bare skin against bare skin. His was cool beneath her palms. She tested the strength of his arms, measured the with of his shoulders, ran her fingertips over his muscular chest and hard, flat belly. He gasped as her exploration continued downward, and then he was rising over her, his dark gray eyes glowing with desire as he claimed the prize he had won time and again throughout the centuries; a prize that had never been sweeter than it was now, when she knew the truth of their past lives together, when she knew everything there was to know about him, and loved him anyway.
She cried out in mingled pain and pleasure as their bodies came together. It was everything she had ever dreamed of, more than she had ever imagined. Surely no mortal man could have lifted her to such lofty heights, brought her such soul-shattering delight.
She stilled as she felt his teeth at her throat.
Dominic drew back, his body trembling with a need that went beyond hunger, beyond pain.
She read the question in his eyes and after a moment of indecision, she nodded.
He kissed her deeply and then she felt his teeth at her throat again. There was no discomfort, no fear, only a rush of sensual pleasure that built and built until she was mindless, breathless. She clutched him to her, reaching for something that was just out of reach.
His voice whispered in her ear, urging her on, crying her name, until the world shattered around her, left her floating in a pool of such exquisite pleasure she was certain she had passed beyond the veil of mortality. And there, locked in his arms, she felt his tortured soul brush hers as he found peace and acceptance in her arms.
A Whisper of Eternity Page 22
