“You just finding that out?” he asked, drawing her into his arms.
“I always knew you were wonderful,” she said. “But you still manage to surprise me.”
“Really?” He smiled down at her. “There’s a big, oval bed in the other room,” he said. “If you’re game, I have a few other surprises I can show you.”
“Will I like them?”
He dropped butterfly kisses on the tip of her nose, her lips, the curve of her throat. “I can guarantee it.”
Wrapping her arm around his neck, she murmured, “Then I’m definitely game.”
In the blink of an eye, she was lying on her back on the big round bed. Her clothes—and his—had magically disappeared and she was wrapped in his arms.
“You are still going to make an honest woman of me, aren’t you?” she asked, and then, as his hands caressed her and his mouth covered hers, she forgot the question, forgot she needed an answer, forgot everything but the fire that swept through her as his kisses worked their sweet magic, carrying her away to a place where there was no need for words or promises, only the joining of his body with hers, her heart with his.
* * *
“I’m so nervous!” Tessa stood in front of the hotel closet, frowning. “Should I wear this? Or this? Or . . .”
Andrei shook his head. “Tessa, they’re your parents. They don’t care what you wear. Just pick something. If you can’t relax, they’ll know something’s wrong without your saying a word.”
She whirled around, a blue dress in one hand, a lavender print in another. “Relax!” she exclaimed. “Relax! How can I? This isn’t like bringing home a prom date. I’m a vampire. You’re a vampire!”
“It’s not like a scarlet letter,” he said, his voice laced with patience and amusement. “It doesn’t show.”
“Oh! How can you make jokes?”
Taking the dresses from her hands, he tossed them on the bed and drew her into his arms. “Tessa, it’ll be fine. Forget that you’re a vampire. You’re just a young woman going home for Christmas. We’ll visit for a while and see how it goes. If you can’t handle it, I’ll know, and I’ll make some excuse for why we have to leave. All right?”
She took a deep breath. He was right. She looked pretty much the same as always. There was no way her parents would jump to the conclusion that she was a vampire.
Murmuring “Thank you,” she picked up the blue dress.
* * *
Thirty minutes later, Andrei knocked on her parents’ front door.
It opened almost immediately. “Tessa!” Beaming, her mother threw her arms around her. “Come in, you two. Did you have a nice flight?” Alice Blackburn asked, ushering them into the living room.
“Tess.” Smiling, her father wrapped her in a bear hug. “Welcome home, sweetie.”
She hugged him back, trying not to notice the beating of his heart, the scent of his blood. This was her father, not prey.
“Mom, Dad, this is Andrei. Andrei, my parents, Alice and Henry.”
Andrei shook her father’s hand. “Pleased to meet you, sir.”
Henry nodded. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“All good, I hope.” Andrei bowed over her mother’s hand. “Mrs. Blackburn.”
“Let’s sit down, shall we?” Alice suggested. “Have you had lunch?”
Andrei glanced at Tessa, then said, “We ate on the plane.”
Alice nodded. “Well, I hope you saved room for dinner. I made Tessa’s favorite homemade lasagna and garlic bread.”
“Thanks, Mom.” She sat on the love seat and Andrei sat beside her, while her parents sat on the sofa. “The house looks good, Mom. I like the new carpet and drapes.”
Alice smiled. “We redid the upstairs, too. Except for your room, of course. I didn’t want to do anything without asking you first.”
“Mom, it’s your house.”
“But it’s your room. I want you to know you always have a place here.”
“So, Dinescu, tell us about yourself,” Henry said. “Tessa mentioned you’re in the antiques business.”
“Yes, sir. I’m doing pretty well.”
“You should see his house,” Tessa said. “He has some beautiful pieces. And the house itself is amazing.”
Her father nodded.
“Are you planning a long engagement?” her mother asked.
Tessa glanced at Andrei. “We haven’t decided.”
“I suppose you’ll want to get married in Cutter’s Corner.”
“I don’t know, Mom. We’ve only been engaged a short time.”
“You girls can talk about all that wedding stuff later,” Mr. Blackburn said. “Right now, I’ll bet Andrei would like a piece of that apple pie you’ve got in the kitchen.”
“Of course,” Alice said. “Would you like coffee with that, Mr. Dinescu?”
“Andrei, please. And coffee would be fine. Black, no sugar.”
* * *
Tessa fell back on her bed, arms outstretched.
Andrei sat on the edge of the mattress, his fingers threading through her hair. “I think it went well,” he said. “Don’t you?”
“I guess so. I don’t think they suspected anything. Do you?”
“Not a thing. I almost forgot you were a vampire.”
Lifting her head, she stuck her tongue out at him. “Tomorrow’s Christmas! I’ve got to go shopping! I don’t have a single present for my folks. Or for you . . .”
Stretching out beside her, he drew her into his embrace. “I don’t need anything, dragostea mea,” he said, kissing her lightly. “I’ve already got everything I want.”
* * *
Tessa’s parents were very understanding when she said she and Andrei needed to go Christmas shopping. Before she left, she took her dad aside to ask if he knew of anything her mother wanted, then took her mother aside to ask about her dad.
Her father generously offered to lend them the car.
“So, did you get any ideas?” Andrei asked as they pulled out of the driveway and headed for Omaha, because Tessa said there were a lot more places to shop there than in Ashland.
“Not really. Parents are so hard to buy for. I mean, by the time their kids are old enough to actually buy them nice gifts, they already have everything they want or need.”
Andrei laughed. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.”
Tessa glanced out the window. Ashland was a small town with a rural charm she had loved while growing up. It had been fun, knowing almost everyone in town, feeling safe and secure. When she graduated college, she headed for the Big Apple, thinking she’d had enough of being a small-town girl. To her chagrin, she didn’t like living in a big city. Not wanting to go back home, she had settled in Cutter’s Corner.
She slid a glance at Andrei. Had she stayed in New York, or gone back home, she never would have met him.
“Pretty country out here,” Andrei remarked.
“Yes.” She turned on the radio and lowered the volume.
“Have your parents always lived in Nebraska?”
“Yes, and their parents, too.” She glanced at a road sign, announcing Omaha just ahead. “Did you know that the TV dinner was invented by a man from Omaha?” she asked, then laughed. “I don’t suppose you’ve ever eaten one.”
“You’d suppose right. But I’ve seen them on the tube.”
“Cake mix was invented there too. And the ski lift.”
They reached Omaha some thirty minutes later. The weather was gray and cold. Although vampires didn’t feel the cold, Tessa had worn boots and a heavy jacket because her parents expected it, and insisted Andrei do the same.
Andrei had never been much for shopping but he loved Tessa, so he let her drag him from store to store while she tried to decide what to buy her parents.
She finally settled on a chess set for her father and a nightgown and matching robe for her mother.
While waiting for the clerk to wrap her mother’s gift, Andrei leaned over to whisper, “Now can we go somewh
ere and make love?”
* * *
Christmas morning dawned clear and bright and cold. Since there weren’t any kids in the house, no one was in a hurry to get up, for which Tessa was grateful, since no one would think it strange if she slept late.
She missed resting with Andrei but, because she knew her parents wouldn’t approve, she had spent the night in her old room. Andrei slept in the guest room down the hall.
Turning onto her side, she listened to the sounds emanating from downstairs—the drip of the coffeemaker, the quiet hum of her parents’ conversation, the steady beat of their hearts . . .
It bothered her that the scent of their blood called to her. They were her parents, for goodness’ sake! She shouldn’t want to bite them, but the urge to drink from them was strong. Why? Because they were family? She would have to ask Andrei when she saw him.
Andrei.
Yes, love?
I miss you.
Come and get me.
A thought took her to his side. Being a vampire definitely had its perks, she thought, as he wrapped her in his arms, then slid his hand under her gown to stroke her thigh.
“Did you come for a quickie?” he asked, eyes twinkling with mischief.
“I wish.”
“I can be very quiet,” he said. “I don’t know about you.”
She made a face at him, thinking she had never been happier in her whole life. The things she had given up paled in comparison to the joy she felt in his arms, the love she read in his eyes.
“I smell breakfast,” he said. “No doubt your mother will be coming to wake you up . . . Yep, I hear her footsteps on the stairs. Better scoot back to your own room if you don’t want to shock her.”
Stealing a quick kiss, Tessa willed herself back to her room. The sooner they went back home, the better!
* * *
Her mother served Belgian waffles, bacon, and eggs for breakfast. It had once been Tessa’s favorite breakfast, but looking at it now, she knew there was no way she could eat it. She sent a helpless glance at Andrei, who nodded almost imperceptibly. Just follow my lead.
He helped himself to a waffle and a generous serving of bacon and eggs, complimenting her mother’s culinary skills all the while.
Following his lead, Tessa filled her plate.
Her father said grace and her parents ate as if nothing unusual was happening, even though Andrei and Tessa never touched a bite.
When the meal was over, Tessa insisted on clearing the table, unable to believe that Andrei’s mind tricks had somehow fooled her mom and dad.
With the dishes done, they gathered in the living room to open their presents.
Her father was pleased with the chess set; her mother said the robe and nightgown were exactly what she needed. Tessa’s gifts from her parents were a Coach handbag, a pair of boots, and a bottle of her favorite perfume. They had even bought presents for Andrei—a box of monogrammed handkerchiefs and a black leather wallet.
The rest of the day passed in lazy fashion. They watched The Greatest Story Ever Told on TV; later, they played cards. Still later, her mother brought out the family album.
Tessa groaned as her mother proudly showed Andrei photos of Tessa growing up—from plump, rosy-cheeked baby to gangly teenager and all the embarrassing years in between.
“She’s always been a lovely girl,” her mother said, putting the album aside. “Never gave us a moment’s trouble.”
Andrei nodded.
“There’s something about her now,” her mother remarked, studying Tessa’s face. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but she’s radiant in away I’ve never seen her.”
Tessa sent a worried look at Andrei. They know!
He shook his head, the movement almost imperceptible . No way.
“It must be love,” Henry said, grinning.
“Of course.” Alice beamed at Andrei. “That must be it!”
* * *
“I do wish the two of you could stay longer,” Alice said, squeezing Tessa’s hand as they walked out to the porch.
“I know, Mom, me too. But I have to go back to work on Monday.”
Alice sighed. “It was wonderful to meet you, Andrei. Take good care of my little girl.”
“You can count on it,” Andrei said. He stood back as Tessa’s parents hugged her, obviously reluctant to see their only child leaving home yet again.
Tears sparkled in Alice’s eyes as she hugged Tessa one last time. “Have a safe trip. Call us when you get home.”
“I will, Mom. Thanks for everything.”
Andrei noticed tears shining in Tessa’s eyes as well, as they climbed into the cab that was, as far as her parents knew, taking them to the airport. In reality, it was only taking them a few blocks away.
“I’m glad you talked me into coming,” she said, sniffling.
He nodded. “You’re lucky to have parents who love you.”
“Didn’t yours love you?”
“I suppose they did, in their way. But my father was more concerned with running the estate. My mother spent her days looking after castle affairs and keeping my father happy. My brothers and I were raised by nursemaids and tutors.”
“Andrei, why was I so tempted to drink from my parents? The urge was so strong, stronger than anything I’ve felt with anyone else. Is that normal?”
“I don’t know. My parents were dead by the time Katerina turned me. But if I had to make a guess, I’d say it’s because their blood is still a part of you.”
Tessa considered that while Andrei told the cabbie to pull over. After gathering their suitcases and handing Tessa their gifts, he tipped the driver and when the cab was out of sight, he put his arm around Tessa and willed the two of them back to his lair.
Only it wasn’t there.
Chapter Forty-Five
Andrei dropped their suitcases on the ground. “What the hell!”
Tessa stared at the burned-out wreckage of what had been Andrei’s home. The front door hung askew, wisps of smoke curled through the broken windows, the luxurious velvet drapes were little more than blackened cloth.
She shook her head. His beautiful house, all those wonderful antiques, gone. “How could this have happened?”
He swore a vile oath. “Katerina happened. Damn her black soul to hell!”
“She did this? How can you be so sure?”
“Even the acrid smell of the fire can’t cover her foul stench.”
Frowning, Tessa opened her vampire senses. And then she smelled it too. The unmistakable scent that was Katerina. “But, why would she do this?”
“Because she’s an evil, vindictive, selfish . . .” Clenching his fists, Andrei took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh. “It doesn’t matter why,” he said flatly. “It’s done.” He glanced at the sky. It would be dark soon. Picking up their luggage, he clasped Tessa’s hand. “Looks like we’ll be spending the night at your place.”
* * *
Her condo seemed empty without Bailey there, waiting to welcome them home. Putting their Christmas gifts on the coffee table, Tessa walked through the house, turning on the lamps. She could see perfectly fine in the dark, but it just seemed more like home with the lights on.
Someone—Bailey, she guessed—had cleaned out the refrigerator and the cupboards, disposing of all the perishable food items. The bed in Bailey’s room was neatly made, the drawers empty of the clothing Tessa had bought her.
With a sigh, Tessa sat on the edge of the bed. How quickly her life had changed.
“You okay, love?”
She looked up to see Andrei standing in the doorway, arms crossed, his shoulder resting against the jamb. “I’m fine.”
“You look like you’re about to cry.”
“Maybe I am. I guess it just hit me. Bailey’s gone. Jilly’s married. I’m a vampire. My life will never be the same again.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Regrets?”
“What? Oh, no. It’s just that it all happened so
fast. I guess I need to call Mr. Ambrose and let him know I won’t be coming back to work.”
“Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know. I love my job, but . . . it just doesn’t fit anymore.”
“Well, I know how to fill your days and nights.” Moving to the bed, he sat down beside her. “We need to find a place to live. So, do you want to stay in Cutter’s Corner?”
“If we can. Jilly’s here.”
He nodded. “Then the next question is, shall we rebuild or buy something new?”
“I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
“Rebuild. It’s hard to find a new home with a big basement and we need a secure place for a lair. Something defensible,” he said. “And fireproof.”
Smiling, Tessa rested her head against his shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. There’s just one more thing we need to decide.”
“What’s that?”
“When we’re getting married.”
She looked up at him, eyes wide. “Seriously?”
“Damn straight. We’re through living in sin, woman. It’s time to make it legal.”
“The question now is where?” She grimaced, remembering what had happened to the justice of the peace.
“Here,” Andrei said. “In the living room. That way we don’t have to worry about any unwelcome visitors.”
“Then I guess the next question is when?”
“I’ll leave that up to you. Just make it as quick as you can.”
Tessa nodded. “I’d like to invite my parents, but they’d expect us to get married in a church, and probably the one they attend in Ashland.”
“Whatever you decide is fine with me.”
“I’m not willing to take the risk of having it in a public place. I originally planned to say we eloped and I think I’ll just stick with that and tell them that we’ll come visit them again in the spring.”
* * *
Sunday afternoon, Tessa called Jilly to let her know they were back in town and staying at her place.