When they finally broke apart, it was only to stare dazedly at each other. “What is it between us?” Summer said. “It’s crazy. It’s like you’re my human version of catnip.”
His smile took away what was left of her breath. “I’m your catnip; you’re my sunshine. I think we make an excellent pair.”
“But I don’t even know you. You’re practically a stranger.”
Colin took her hand, threading his cool fingers through her warm ones. “Can you say we’re strangers when we’re touching?”
Summer looked down at their linked hands. His was so pale and large and strong, and hers was tan from working in her sister’s flower beds. They seemed direct opposites. He was the opposite of everything she’d believed she wanted for so many years. Yet he was right; when they touched, something was there, and it was something that hadn’t been there with any man before him.
“Colin, we have to slow down. I have to think about—”
The buzzer that signaled the opening of the front door of the gallery made both of them jump. Colin threw a dark look over his shoulder. “I’ll get rid of them and close the gallery; then we can talk.” Like an amazing old-time gentleman, he kissed her hand before he started out of the room, but he stopped in the doorway, glancing back at her. “You were right, Summer. You don’t really know me, and I don’t know you. But what I do know is there is something special between us. I’ve walked this earth longer than you—a couple hundred and some odd years longer.” She gaped at him. Was everyone a zillion years older than her? Colin’s smile was sad and his eyes haunted with loneliness as he continued. “I can promise you that in all the long years of my life I haven’t ever felt what I do when I so much as breathe in the scent of your skin. If you feel even a fraction of what I feel, how can you not give us a chance?”
“What if this is all just because of my messed-up magic?” she asked.
“What if it isn’t?” Colin said.
Then he turned and left the room.
Summer’s knees felt wobbly, and she dropped down into the closest gilded chair. What was going on with them? One thing was sure; the attraction between them was still there, in spades! She wiped a shaky hand over her brow. He was right. She’d never felt anything like what Colin made her feel just with the touch of his hand on her face, let alone his lips against hers. What would happen if their naked bodies pressed together? A thrill of anticipation sang through her. Could she handle such passion, and if she couldn’t, what happened then? Was it worth taking a chance on? What was it the ancient Greek playwright, Euripides, said about too much passion . . . something about a lion loose in a cattle pen?
Plus, she really didn’t want to be in love with a vampire. Besides the whole vegetarian/carnivore issue there was the day/night issue. She loved daylight and sunshine and all that went with it. Wouldn’t she have to give that up to be with Colin?
Her head was starting to ache when the voices that had been drifting to her from the outer gallery began to register.
“Yeah, man, we didn’t mean for nothin’ bad to happen,” said one male voice.
“For real. We were gonna come by today and say sorry, even if Ms. Sullivan hadn’t made us,” added another.
Summer snorted a little laugh. That had to be Purdom and one of his partners in crime. Jenny had been right. There was more power behind that spell than one kid could have conjured.
“That Ms. Sullivan is one mean woman,” said the first voice.
Summer smiled. Yep, Jenny had definitely known it.
“Yeah, but she’s so fiiine,” said the second, she now recognized as her student and Purdom’s bud, Blake McArter.
She heard Colin’s deep voice answering them but couldn’t quite make out what he was saying. She attempted to sit still for a minute more, then curiosity killed discretion, and she walked quietly to the doorway of the office.
“We thought we’d make up a little thang for ya,” said Purdom.
“Like, to make up for what we did,” said McArter. “Okay with you if we bust out with it?”
“Sounds fine with me,” Colin said.
This time she could hear Colin’s voice more clearly, and the good humor in his tone made her smile. Her feet seemed to move of their own accord as she continued walking soundlessly down the hall. After all, she’d been a victim of Purdom’s magical stunt. He should apologize to her, too. Well, again, that is. Naturally, Jenny had made him grovel appropriately at school earlier that day. But still, more groveling never hurt, plus the other kid was here, too, this time. She crept slowly into the gallery until she came to the room that held the Romeo and Juliet painting, aka the scene of the crime. The two boys were standing in front of the painting with their backs to her. Colin was facing them, so he could have spotted her, but his attention was focused, with an amused lift of one of his dark brows, on the boys as they started making the ridiculous rap noises that always reminded Summer of a mixture of farts and messed-up engine sounds. As McArter did the sound effects, Purdon rapped their song.
We come to apologize ’bout the other day.
See, we didn’t know you and Miss S. would go away.
We was just tryin’ to get in some play.
We sorry you had ta dress all gay.
And then Miss S. and you almost went all the way.
Those brats! They did know Colin and I had been in the painting! At that point there was a “musical” interlude in the rap, and both boys mouth farted and popped around looking silly and semicharming at the same time. Summer had just decided she’d been entertained enough and had started forward again when her eyes went to Colin, and she froze in place. He was watching the boys and laughing with the youthful joy of a man filled with light and promise. And Summer once again saw the happy, open man who had shared the painting, and his passion, with her.
He was completely and utterly captivating.
It was then that the question of whether she should risk getting entangled in a life of passion and darkness became moot. She was entangled with him already. Somehow within this dark, brooding vampire there lay the man she’d fantasized about and longed for all these years. It wasn’t a question of fitting him into her future. Colin was her future.
Summer must have made an involuntary sound, because Colin’s gaze instantly went from the boys to her. The smile didn’t leave his face; on the contrary, when their eyes met, his joy seemed to blaze from him to her.
“So we be here to make yestaday okay,” rapped Purdom.
“Yea, we got to give you somethin’ ’cause Sullivan says we got to pay,” intoned McArter.
“And she’s scary—even though I’d like to tap that play.”
The fart noises came to a crescendo, then Purdom went into the closing lines of the rap.
“We thought ’bout what we could do that would stay.
And come up with a magic spell to melt our dissin’ ya away.”
Magic spell? Those words broke through the smoldering look she was sharing with Colin at the same time she noticed that the little shivers going up and down her spine weren’t just because she was hot for the vampire. The rap was really a spell the boys were casting! Then four things happened simultaneously.
Summer opened her mouth to scream at the kids to stop.
Colin moved toward her with an inhuman speed that blurred his body.
Purdom finished the rap/spell with the line, “Dude, we give you a future bright as the sun’s ray!”
And as the vampire’s body slammed into Summer, she realized the magic catastrophe was unavoidable, so she closed her eyes and braced herself, sending out one concentrated desire: This will not mess up Colin and me. Then the area around her exploded with light.
Nine
When Summer opened her eyes, she was in a strange bed in a room she didn’t recognize. It was nice—she noticed that right away. Actually, it was freakishly like her dream room: huge, antique iron bed piled with rich linens in soft blues and yellows. The furniture was simply carved oak, w
ell made and expensive but not fussy. The floor was glossy pine wood, dotted here and there with thick butter-colored area rugs. The walls told her she was in a log cabin—a damn big one at that. There was a fireplace along one wall. The others held several incredible original watercolor paintings of landscapes that all had one thing in common: they were bright and beautiful and painted in the full flush of summer days.
Then her eyes caught something on top of the long, low dresser. Was that her jewelry box? She climbed down from the mountain of a bed and realized two things: One, she was wearing her favorite style of pajamas: men’s boxer shorts and a little matching tank top. Two, it was, indeed, her jewelry box sitting on top of the dresser. Actually, as she looked around the room more carefully, she saw that the jewelry box was just one of several items that belonged to her. Over the ornate beveled mirror hung one of her favorite scarves. The Kresley Cole book she’d been reading was on the nightstand beside the bed, as was her favorite honeydew-scented candle. Feeling surreal and very Twilight Zone–ish she opened the top drawer of the nearest dresser and, sure enough, inside was a neat row of her bras and panties.
“What the hell is going on?” She cried, and then, wondering how she could have been stupid enough to forget, memory flashed back to her, and she recalled the two boys and their rap that had become a spell and the terrible light that exploded just as Colin had grabbed her.
Light? Colin?
Light! Colin! The two definitely didn’t mix. Where was she, and where was Colin? Summer hurried to the window and peeked out. The sun was setting into the mountains, painting the lovely landscape around the cabin in hues of evening. She was definitely in a cabin, out in the woods. But it wasn’t her sister’s cabin. She tried to calm her freaked-out mind. Think—I have to think! The kids’ spell finished with something about Colin having a bright future. Goddess! Did that mean he was trapped in the dark somewhere? And if so, why was she here in this pretty cabin? It didn’t make one bit of sense.
“Okay. Okay. You’re a college graduate. You can figure this out,” she told herself. “This room looks like it could belong to you, so . . .” With sudden inspiration, Summer went back to the bedside table and, sure enough, plugged into the charger, just as it was in the bedroom in her sister’s cabin, was Summer’s cell phone. She grabbed it and dialed the first number that came to mind.
“Summer! Where are you? Are you okay?” Jenny’s voice was uncharacteristically frantic.
“I’m fine, I think, and I don’t know where the hell I am. Where’s Colin? Is he okay?”
“Other than having lost his damn mind worrying about you, your vamp’s fine. And what do you mean you don’t know where you are?”
“What do you mean he’s lost his mind?” Summer and Jenny spoke their questions together.
“I can’t tell—” Summer began.
“He’s freaked completely—” Jenny said.
Both women paused. “You start,” Jenny said. “Why don’t you know where you are?”
“’Cause I’ve never been here before. I’m at a gorgeous cabin and, weirdly enough, it’s not just decorated exactly how I would have decorated it, but a bunch of my stuff’s here. Now tell me what’s up with Colin.”
There was some unintelligible noise in the background and then Jenny said, “I’ll do better than that. I’ll let Colin tell you himself.”
Summer could hear her passing off the phone, and then Colin’s deep voice was in her ear. “Summer? Are you hurt? Where are you?”
“Colin! Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m fine; don’t worry about me. Are you okay?” he said.
“Other than not understanding what happened, I’m fine. Especially now that I know you’re okay.”
“I am okay, sunshine.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “Now that I’m not scared into my second death. Don’t ever disappear like that on me again.”
“Disappear? Is that what happened? All I remember is a bright light. Are you sure you’re okay? I know the whole light thing isn’t good for you.”
“I didn’t see a light. The kid finished the spell just as I grabbed you, and then an instant later my arms were empty, and you were nowhere.” His voice lowered. “I don’t like my arms being empty of you.”
His words made warm, fluttering things happen in the pit of her stomach. “Yeah, I know,” she said.
“Where are you? The sun’s setting. I’ll come to you.”
“I wish you could. I don’t have any idea where I am. I woke up in this beautiful iron bed in an amazing room that, weirdly, has a bunch of my stuff in it.” Summer walked to the bedroom door while she kept talking. “I peeked out the window, and I’m somewhere in the mountains—great view, by the by—in a big cabin. You should see this place. Your brother would definitely appreciate the quality of the watercolors on the walls, and they’re all of summer landscapes. I haven’t gone out into the rest of the house yet, though.”
“Does the bedroom have a large, wood burning fireplace in it?”
Summer nodded. “Yeah, it does.”
“Go out into the rest of the cabin, and tell me what you see.” His voice had a strangely excited tone to it.
“What’s going on, Colin?”
“I have a hunch. Just leave the bedroom, and I’ll know if I’m right.”
She took a deep breath and opened the door. “Okay, this is definitely my dream home,” Summer said.
“Describe it to me, Sunshine,” Colin said.
“I’m on a landing looking down at an incredible living room. The furniture is all leather, but it’s not too testosteroney because it’s mixed with antique end tables and thick, furry rugs. Oh, Goddess! I hope it’s fake fur.”
Colin’s deep laugh was in her ear. “I’ll bet it is now.”
“Now? What do you mean?”
“First, go down the stairs and into the living room and describe to me the painting over the fireplace.”
“Okay, it’s kinda freaking me out that you know this place.”
“Don’t be scared, Sunshine. Trust me. All will be well.”
She loved the tone of happy excitement that filled his voice and hurried down the stairs. Sure enough, there was a huge painting over the fireplace, and when Summer realized what it was, she laughed aloud. “It’s the Romeo and Juliet! Goddess, it looks like it’s the original.”
“It is, sweet Sunshine. Stay right where you are; I will come to you.”
“You know where I am?”
“I do, indeed. You’re home, Summer.”
“You’re home, Summer” was all that Colin would say before he hung up. What did that mean? But she didn’t have time to worry and wonder, because all of a sudden a dark mist began to spill into the room. Wordlessly, Summer watched it surround her and thicken and then change, elongate, and solidify until Colin was standing in front of her.
He looked around them, and his handsome face blazed with a triumphant smile. “I knew it! Makes me really glad I didn’t eviscerate those boys.”
“Colin, would you please explain to me what’s happened?”
“We’ve happened,” he said, still smiling. “This”—he swept his arm around them in a smooth motion—“is my home. Only it’s been changed. A woman’s touch has been added. You’ve been added to my home, Summer.”
Summer stared around her in amazement. “This is your home?”
“It is.”
“How did this happen?”
“The boy said that he was giving me a bright future. His spell, mixed with your magic, has gifted me with you.” Colin closed the space between them and took her in his arms, inhaling her scent and touch. “Let me show you how much we belong together.”
“Colin.” She spoke his name like a prayer and reached up to touch his face. The instant her hand met his cheek, the vampire gasped and jerked as if she’d zapped him with a jolt of electricity. Summer pulled back, afraid she’d hurt him, but what was reflected in his dark eyes wasn’t pain, but wonder.
“Touch me again, Summer.”
Before she could respond, Colin took her hand and pressed it back against his cheek, and this time Summer saw the glow of light that came from her hand and felt what was happening beneath her palm. The vampire’s cool flesh shivered and then flushed and warmed.
“What’s happened?” she whispered.
“You’re bringing light to me again, my darling. Only this time your magic is calling alive my flesh.” He turned his face so that his lips pressed against the palm of her hand. She felt a tingle of heat pass through her hand, and then his lips were on hers. They were warm and insistent and very much alive. Speaking only her name, Colin lifted her into his arms and strode from the living room up the stairs, kicking open the bedroom door and gently placing her on the bed.
When he bent to kiss her again, she pressed him gently away from her. “Wait, I have to see . . . I have to touch you and know . . .” she murmured.
Slowly, carefully, she unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it apart so his muscular chest was bared to her. Then she lifted her hands and, pressing her palms against his skin, began at his shoulders, sliding her hands down his chest in a slow, thorough caress that spread light down his body. Against her glowing skin his flesh warmed, and she watched in awe as his carved marble skin and muscles shivered and then, as long as she touched him, flushed with health and life. When her hand reached the place over his heart, Colin moaned—a sound part pain, part pleasure—and he pressed his hand over hers, stilling her caress.
“Ah, Goddess!” Colin said. “My heart beats again!”
“I can feel it. Oh, Colin! I can feel it beating.”
“Don’t stop touching me, Summer. Don’t ever stop touching me.”
Light-headed with the swirling emotions of passion and awe and desire, Summer looked into Colin’s dark eyes and saw love and life and her future there. And then she closed her eyes and bowed her head, breathing deeply while she tried to calm her turbulent emotions. I will not lose control and cause this to end! I will not!