After Sundown

Chapter Twenty-six

  Marisa was waiting up for Grigori when he returned home. He paused in the doorway, letting his gaze move over her. She was sitting on the sofa, her legs curled beneath her, a book open on her lap. She looked incredibly young, incredibly desirable.

  "What's the matter?" he asked, stepping into the room. "Couldn't you sleep?"

  "I was worried. "

  "Were you?"

  "Is everything all right?" She closed the book and put it on the coffee table. Rising, she put her arms around him, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him.

  It didn't occur to him to lie to her. "There is a new hunter in town. "

  Fear flickered in her eyes.

  He smiled down at her. "Nothing for you to worry about, cara. "

  "Worry?" She forced a smile. "Who, me?"

  "He is a friend of Ramsey's, which makes it all the more interesting. "

  Her eyes widened. "You met him?"

  Taking her by the hand, he led her to the sofa and sat down. Drawing her down beside him, he put his arm around her shoulders. "Yes. Tonight. "

  She clutched his arm, her gaze searching his. "You're in danger, aren't you?"

  "Cara . . . "

  "You are! I can feel it. "

  "Calm down, cara mia. "

  "Calm down? Have you forgotten Alexi?" She twisted out of his embrace and began to pace the floor, and then turned to face him. "Let's just move. Now. Tonight. "

  He would have laughed if she hadn't looked so serious. "Marisa. . . "

  "I'm so afraid of losing you. "

  Rising, he drew her into his arms once more. For a moment, she stood there, and then she drew back a little so she could see his face.

  "You said he was a friend of Edward's. Does he know about Edward?"

  "No. "

  "But he knows about you?"

  "Oh, yes, he knows. "

  "How long do you think it'll take before he finds out about Edward? And what do you think he'll do?"

  "If the situation were reversed, Ramsey would know already. " The hunters had lost their best man when he brought Ramsey across, Grigori thought. Ramsey'd had an instinct that could not be taught, an instinct for detecting vampires that Tom Duncan obviously lacked. "As for what Duncan will do. . . " He shrugged. "Who can say?"

  "He'll come after you, won't he?" It wasn't really a question.

  "I'm more worried about the threat posed by Khira. "

  "Khira? Why? I thought she was your friend, that the two of you were. . . you know, more than just friends. "

  "Khira is not swayed by feelings of friendship or loyalty. She is, first and foremost, a predator. Jealous of her territory. "

  "Her territory! You were here first. "

  "That makes little difference. Though there is no royalty among vampires, Khira has always considered herself the queen. And none of us, save perhaps Kristov, had the guts or the power to change her mind. "

  "She's another reason why we should just move," Marisa muttered. "Why are you being so stubborn?"

  "If you really want to move, we will. "

  "You mean it?"

  He nodded. "I mean it. But for now. . . " He swung her into his arms and headed for the stairs, "I mean to move you in another way. "

  Ramsey undressed in the darkness, slid under the sheets, and drew Kelly into his arms. Would she still be glad for the doings of this night when she rose tomorrow? Or would she hate him?

  He thought about all that had happened since Grigori gave him the Dark Gift. As much as he had fought against it, it hadn't been all bad. He enjoyed the power, his heightened senses, the added physical strength.

  He regarded Kelly thoughtfully. She was a beautiful young woman, more beautiful than any woman he had ever known. He couldn't help wondering if she would have looked at him twice if he had been plain old Edward Ramsey, vampire hunter, instead of Edward Ramsey, vampire. There was an allure, a glamour, that all vampires possessed, making them seem more beautiful, more handsome, more attractive than mere mortals.

  It had worked its magic on him. He could already see the subtle changes his vampire blood had made in Kelly, too. Her skin seemed to glow. Her hair was thicker, more lustrous than before. He had often wondered if it was the vampire allure that had attracted Marisa to Chiavari - a thought that, at one time, had left him feeling both angry and envious. But no more.

  He brushed a kiss across Kelly's cheek.

  She stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. "Eddie?"

  "Yes, love?"

  "Did you really do it?"

  He went suddenly still. "Yes. "

  She turned to face him, her arms sliding around his waist to hold him tight. "Now we'll be together forever, won't we?"

  "Forever," he whispered.

  Unless Duncan discovered his secret.

  Unless Khira decided there were too many vampires in the city.