“No, you wouldn’t have. I wouldn’t let any of them near you and Jess when you were younger—but he was around. We grew up together. His father was Viscount Ellington. He owned the property adjacent to the Winslow estate, which was much larger at the time.”
“How did he die? Michael, that is. I mean, I know a chupacabra killed him, but not the circumstances.”
Erik’s eyes took on a faraway look. “He thought the idea of staying young forever sounded good, so he decided to become a prime as well.”
“What?” Kacie couldn’t believe anyone would voluntarily do that.
“Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?” he agreed. “Sedrick and Michael were like that. They had a zest for living and the idea of living forever was too good for them to pass up, so they went out every night, hoping to run into the chupacabra that killed me. It didn’t take long before they got lucky. Ty, their younger brother, was with them that night and died as well. He was seventeen.”
Kacie thought of the poor boy who would be trapped forever in his teenage body. “Did you know what they were going to do?”
He gave her a sharp look. “Of course not. If I’d known, I would have tried to stop them. By the time I figured out what was going on, it was too late.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, not sure what she was apologizing for exactly. “I guess I’m done here,” she said, throwing away the soiled cotton balls she’d used and placing the antibiotic back in the box.
“What are you doing?” he asked her.
She gave him a curious look. “Putting the supplies away?”
He stood up and moved close enough to slide the first aid box toward him. “There’s still your neck to see to.”
She raised her hand to touch her neck, but he gently pushed it aside. She’d done her best to pretend the attack had never happened. She’d hoped to make it back to her room before having to look at the damage—and face her fears.
“It’s over,” Erik said as if he’d read her mind. “Let me clean off the dried blood, all right?”
She nodded and stood still while he moistened a cotton ball and stroked it over her skin, slowly loosening and wiping off the blood. The long rhythmic strokes of the soothing cool cotton over her heated skin lulled her into a dreamy state until she could no longer keep her eyes open and let her lids close. She felt the weight of his hand resting against the base of her neck right before his fingers sifted through the length of her hair, lifting it away from her neck; away from the wound. She caught herself just before she rubbed her head against his palm.
She could just imagine how shocked he’d be if she’d done that. It was a reaction to the trauma of being attacked, but still wrong on so many levels.
Opening her eyes, she saw him regarding her intently. “Thank you for everything,” she said formally, stepping away. “I’m glad you got there when you did.”
He gave her an odd look, but nodded. “Me, too.”
Suddenly exhausted, she headed for the door that would take her to the rest of the castle.
“Hold it; where do you think you’re going?”
Surprised, she turned back to face him. “My room. My neck hurts, my arm hurts, and I’ve been up all night. I just want to take a shower and go to bed.”
“No.”
Surprised, she cocked her eyebrows and stared at him. “I’m sorry?”
His expression was grim. “I need you to sleep down here tonight.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” she assured him smartly. She wasn’t sure if he was suggesting she sleep with him or just in his apartment, but both ideas sent her pulse racing—and she was afraid it might be for the wrong reason.
He gave her a dour look. “Those vampires who attacked you were members of Michael’s lair. He’s not going to stop coming after you just because it’s daylight.”
She struggled to find her former bravado. “I’d like to see Michael try to attack me during the day—the sun would turn him to stone before he got too far.”
“Michael won’t come for you himself. He’ll hire human help.”
“Well—”
He held up his hand. “No more arguments. You killed his brother. Trust me—he will find a way to hunt you down.”
You killed his brother. Erik’s words echoed in her head—as did his words from the night before. He was my friend. Was this an attempt to keep her close so he could exact his own revenge?
“I can take care of myself.”
He eyed her. “Like you did tonight?”
It was a low blow that hit its mark. She glared at him with raw anger. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll stake you while you sleep?”
That she’d struck a nerve was evident in the way his eyes took on a bright red glow. “You want to stake me?” He growled. “Be my guest—you’d be doing me a favor. I’ve already lived longer than any man should.” He stormed up to her, stopping just centimeters away. “Hell, I’ll make it easy.” He reached behind his back and pulled out his sword. Grabbing her wrist, he slapped the hilt of it into her palm, making sure her fingers curled around it. Then he placed the tip of the blade against his chest, over his heart. “I’ll even stand still. All you have to do is push.”
She stared at him defiantly. “You should know better than to challenge me.”
“Come on, love,” he goaded. “Don’t make me do all the work. I know you can do it; you’ve done it before.”
Angered beyond words, she pressed the blade into his chest until blood welled beneath the tip.
Erik never made a sound, but she felt his eyes boring into her. Tears of anger filled her eyes and she watched, horrified, as a thin stream of blood traveled down his chest, seeping into the scratches she’d worked so diligently to clean. All she had to do was push and Erik would be dead. Permanently dead.
She couldn’t do it. Didn’t want to do it. She blinked, sending a single tear slipping down her cheek. In that moment, he knocked the sword from her hand, snaked a powerful arm around her waist and hauled her against him.
Then his lips captured hers in a searing kiss.
Chapter 6
For a second, Kacie was too stunned to respond. Then white-hot need shot through her and she returned his kiss with unabashed passion, everything else forgotten.
“Kacie,” Erik breathed against her mouth, freeing her lips only long enough for them both to catch their breath. Then he was kissing her again, as demanding as he was masterful, and she gave herself over to him willingly.
Everything in her world narrowed to what Erik was making her feel and she couldn’t get enough of it. Running her hands up his arms and along his broad shoulders, she savored the hard muscled strength of him.
The arm around her waist dropped and he grabbed her butt with both hands. He pulled her to him, thrusting his own hips forward, leaving no question in her mind that he was as aroused as she was. He held her there while one hand caressed a path up along her waist, then farther, skimming the side of her breast once, then again.
Unashamedly, she leaned away from him, giving him better access. She caught her breath when he took the invitation. She nearly moaned aloud as he massaged her through the fabric of her shirt and she gripped his shoulder tighter.
In a distant part of her mind, she knew she should be embarrassed, but it felt so good. He felt so good.
He snaked a hand beneath her shirt and found the clasp of her bra, which he undid. When she felt the rough texture of his palm against her bare breast, she moaned out loud. Encouraged, he flicked her nipple with his thumb until it was hard and distended. Her breasts swelled under the stimulation and the pressure deep inside her started to build.
Peering into his eyes, she saw they were glowing; hot coals of desire. She knew a brief moment of fear, wondering if she had allowed things to go too far, and then Erik grabbed the front of her shirt and ripped it down the center. Before she could react, he lowered his head to lave her nipple with his tongue before pulling it into his mouth with a gentle suction.
She held
his head there, little whimpering noises escaping her throat. The sweet spot between her legs tingled, making her squirm and rub against him in an effort to ease the ache building inside of her. She needed him to address that ache, but he wasn’t through teasing her.
Sliding her hand between their bodies, she cupped him, letting his fullness overflow her hand. She squeezed and heard his muttered “sweet Jesus,” as he lifted his head to trail kisses along the side of her neck, sending delicious chills down her spine.
Needing to feel his flesh against hers, she reached for his waistband and fumbled with the buttons.
“No, Kacie,” his voice rasped in her ear as he caught her hand in his. “We have to stop.”
“No,” she whispered back insistently.
He rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily, She waited. When she finally got the courage to look into his eyes, he was watching her with such an expression of regret, she felt that a vise was squeezing the life from her heart.
He opened his mouth and she knew if he apologized, she’d lose her composure. “Please don’t say anything,” she said, stepping away from him, clutching the front of her shirt closed. A sick, horrifying feeling was starting to settle in the pit of her stomach, making her sick. “It was . . .” Great. Fantastic. A mistake. “Adrenaline.” What else could it be? “It didn’t mean anything.”
“You should stay in the guest bedroom tonight.”
“What?” It was the last thing she expected him to say.
“It’s not safe for you to stay upstairs during the day when I can’t protect you.”
“All right,” she agreed, too tired and sick to argue. “Let me just run up and get my things.”
“It would be better if you didn’t.” He moved toward the door and she tried not to notice the way his pants continued to bulge in front.
“But—”
“The thing is,” he interrupted, “I don’t want you wandering around the castle by yourself and since the sun came up about ten minutes ago, I can’t go upstairs with you. The light’s not good for my . . . complexion.”
Surprised, Kacie glanced at her watch, then at Erik in shock. “You’re still alive.” She felt her face heat with embarrassment. “What I mean is—shouldn’t you be in some sort of death-like coma, or something?”
He actually smiled. “Contrary to popular belief, we don’t fall into a near-dead stupor as soon as the sun comes up. Like the chupacabras, my metabolism slows down dramatically and I get very tired, but after four hundred years, I’ve learned how to handle the fatigue. Just because I’m awake doesn’t mean I’d be much good if someone was to attack right now, though, and considering that Michael is one of the most cunning bastards I know, it’s better if we don’t risk it.”
“All right.” Another layer of illness settled in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t known vampires could stay awake during the day and shuddered at the thought of how badly her trip to the cemetery could have turned out if she’d actually found the lair.
Fortunately, Erik was unaware of her thoughts and he gestured for her to follow him to the guest room. “I’ll get you a T-shirt to sleep in,” Erik offered. “I’m afraid I don’t have any extra women’s clothing.”
“The T-shirt will be fine,” she assured him as he walked off. She waited in the guest room, finding it oddly comforting. The antique four-poster bed of dark walnut was the central focus of the room and bore a faded moss green and white bed cover that Kacie found soothing to the senses. The dresser and mirror matched the bed. The only other door in the room was to the closet. It was a small but comfortable room.
Erik came back carrying a folded shirt which he held out to her. When she reached for it, however, he didn’t let go. Curious, her gaze snapped up to his and she found him watching her intently. “If there’s anything you need . . .” His voice sounded husky and he didn’t bother to finish the sentence.
An awkward silence settled between them and it was everything she could do not to look away, embarrassed. With iron determination, she looked him in the eyes and found her voice. “Thank you. I’ll be fine.”
“In that case, I’ll say good night.” He walked to the door and stopped. “At some point, we’ll have to talk about what happened.”
“Not tonight, Erik. Please.” She didn’t think she could do it.
He nodded solemnly and then walked out, closing the door after him.
When she could finally move again, it was to sink onto the bed. She was sick and confused. Stripping out of her clothes, she pulled his shirt over her head and crawled under the covers of the bed. As she lay there, she tried to ignore the tingling that persisted between her legs and the ache in her breasts that matched the ache in her heart. The way he’d held her; the way he looked at her. It left her excited, breathless, and a little frightened because she’d never felt that way with any man. Not even Ben. And Erik wasn’t even a man.
Inside his room, Erik was in pain and it had nothing to do with the scratches across his chest. He shifted his erection, trying to find some small measure of comfort from pants that were too tight.
He’d kissed her. He’d held Kacie in his arms and kissed her.
Even now, he remembered the feel of her slender waist beneath his hands, the crush of full breasts against his chest. He could still taste her on his lips. Still smell her powdery scent every time he inhaled. He shifted again.
What the hell was he thinking?
He’d made a promise to Vince to protect her—not ravage her. And what about Sedrick? How could he have forgotten that she’d killed his friend? Then there was the little problem of her hating vampires. He didn’t believe for one second that he was exempt. Hadn’t he, for years, believed she’d stake him if given half a chance?
Well, she’d had her chance tonight. He didn’t know if he was more surprised that she’d drawn blood or that she’d stopped.
A small voice in his head pointed out that she had stopped. And the single tear she shed—had it been because she regretted her actions? Or because she regretted her lack of courage?
It bothered him that he didn’t know the answer. He just knew in that moment, he’d looked into her confused face and known that he’d wanted her. It had been a mistake. He knew that now. He should never have crossed that line with her. It changed the dynamics of their relationship in ways he couldn’t even anticipate. He had no doubt that she would hate him more than ever now, which shouldn’t be anything new, except now he found that he cared. A lot.
Reaching for the deadbolt, he slid the lock noiselessly into place. A precaution, he told himself, because while death didn’t bother him, he wanted a chance to face it head on, not have it sneak up and stab him in the chest while he slept.
Letting fatigue catch up to him, he stripped out of his clothes. About to climb into bed nude, he thought better of it and put on a clean pair of boxers. When he finally lay down, he was so tired, it took only seconds before he fell asleep.
It seemed only moments later that he was jerked awake by the sound of Kacie’s screams.
In one fluid movement, Erik threw back the covers and leaped out of bed. He grabbed his sword and raced out of his room. When he reached her door, he threw it open and did a quick scan of the room’s interior, searching for the threat.
He saw no intruders. Stepping inside, his gaze was drawn immediately to the bed where Kacie thrashed about under the covers, whimpering. She screamed again and he realized the demons she fought were in her dreams.
Going to her side, he leaned his sword against the wall as he sat beside her and brushed an errant strand of hair from her damp forehead.
“Kacie, it’s okay. It’s just a dream.” The moment he touched her, she shrank away. “Kacie!” he said more forcefully, trying to waken her.
Her eyes shot open. “Erik? What are you doing in here?” Some of the panic faded from her expression as she focused on his face.
“I heard you scream.”
She took a bracing breath and reached
for the bedside lamp. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
He turned the lamp on for her and light flooded the room, chasing away the shadows. “Want to tell me about the nightmare?” When she looked at him in surprise, he shrugged. “Sometimes it helps.”
She looked doubtful, so he was surprised when she spoke again. “It’s always the same. I can’t see anything, but I know something’s out there. A monster. It’s coming after me and I try to run, but my legs won’t work. I try to put my hands up, but I can’t seem to raise them.” He could tell she was getting upset, but he didn’t want to stop her. “Then the monster grabs me and all I can feel is pain. I know I’m going to die. That’s when I usually wake up.”
Erik felt her fear as a physical pain and it was all he could do not to gather her into his arms and hold her. Instead, he brushed the hair back from her face. “It’s my fault,” he said. “I should have gotten there sooner. Maybe if I had . . .”
“What are you talking about?”
He studied her face. “How much do you remember of the attack twenty years ago?”
Her eyes took on a distant light. “Not much. I ran outside with everyone else to see what was happening. The vampires had my brother.” She paused, taking a breath. “I saw them kill him.” She swallowed and made a helpless gesture with her hand. “I don’t remember anything after that.”
He took a deep breath. “Your conscious mind doesn’t remember the rest of it, but obviously your subconscious mind does. That night, you almost died. By the time I got there, one of the vampires had you pinned to the ground, had his fangs in your neck.” He clenched his fist as he remembered the rage that had filled him when he’d gotten there and seen the massacre, seen the vampire as he fed off Kacie. She’d fought him just as she’d fought the vampire earlier that night, kicking and thrashing without even realizing she was doing it.
“Wh-what happened?” Her voice was quiet, barely intruding on his thoughts.
“I went berserk,” he admitted, recalling his actions. He’d shoved his hand into the vampire’s back with such force that he’d been able to grab the heart and pull it free, but that wasn’t something he wanted to share with her. “It doesn’t matter how I killed him; he was dead before he hit the ground. By then, the other vampires had run off. Gerard was beside himself with grief. He’d lost his wife, your parents, and young Robbie. On top of that, Jess was as traumatized as you were. Gerard did everything he could, but he couldn’t do it all alone.”
Lord of the Night Page 10
