“Why don’t you sit down? You must have questions.”
Ethan sank down on the edge of the bed. “Where am I? How come I can see you so clearly when there’s no light in here?”
“You were attacked last night. Do you remember that?”
Ethan frowned as he searched his memory. “Some big guy attacked me.” He lifted his hand to his throat. “He bit me!”
Saintcrow nodded. “I found you in an alley. You were unconscious, near death.”
“So what am I doing here? Why didn’t you take me to a hospital?”
“You were too far gone for that.”
Ethan stared at the stranger, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t understand.”
“Do you believe in vampires?”
Ethan nodded. As a kid, he’d carried a couple of wooden stakes and a bottle of holy water in his backpack. He wished he had one of those stakes now. “Who are you?”
“Rylan Saintcrow.” He let his eyes go red. “Master vampire.”
“Why didn’t you kill me?”
“You’re Holly’s kin.”
“Holly!” Ethan swore. “Where is she? Is she all right?”
“She’s on her honeymoon.”
Ethan started to rise, then doubled over as pain splintered through him. “What’s wrong with me?”
“You need to feed.”
Arms wrapped around his stomach, Ethan stared at him, his eyes widening as comprehension dawned. “You turned me.”
Saintcrow rested one shoulder against the doorjamb. “Like I said, you need to feed. The longer you wait, the more it’ll hurt.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You’ll be miserable for a long time.”
“What if I don’t want to be a bloodsucker?”
“I think you know the answer to that.”
“Go out and meet the sunrise, you mean.”
“That’ll do it. Or I can rip your heart out. Either way, all your problems will be solved. So, what’ll it be? Life or death?”
“I’m already dead,” Ethan said bitterly. “You killed me last night.”
“I’d rather think of it as saving your life, but . . .” He shrugged. “If you want to live, I’ll show you how to embrace your new life. If not . . .” He shrugged again.
“Why would you help me? Your conscience bothering you?”
“Not a bit. But I know what it’s like to be turned and abandoned, and I swore I’d never do that to anybody. Not even a jerk like you.”
Ethan scrubbed his hands over his face. Did he want to live as a bloodsucking vampire? He gasped as pain knifed through his gut, more excruciating than before. He couldn’t make any kind of rational decision now, he thought, not when all he could think of was the pain, the way his veins felt as if they were shrinking, melting.
Rising on shaky legs, he said, “What do I have to do?”
* * *
Minutes later, his head spinning, Ethan found himself standing on a street corner. “Where are we?” It was no place he’d ever been before.
“A little town in southern Wyoming. First lesson, it’s not a good idea to feed where you live.”
Feed. Ethan grimaced. The word had once meant meat and potatoes. Now it meant blood.
“Pay attention. You see that woman coming out of the drugstore?”
Ethan nodded.
“Call her to you.”
“How the hell do I do that? I don’t even know her name.”
“Call her with your mind. Plant the thought in her head that she wants to meet you. Once you feel a connection, your thoughts will overpower hers. You can do it. It’s easy.”
Ethan stared at the woman walking toward them. She was short and plump, probably in her mid-twenties, with shocking red hair. Without being sure of what he was doing, he did as Saintcrow had instructed.
And the woman walked right up to him, her expression blank.
Ethan glanced at Saintcrow. “Now what?”
“Take what you want. But gently,” he warned. “You’re a lot stronger now than you were before.”
“Are you going to watch me?”
“This time, yeah. Bite her here,” Saintcrow said, tapping the side of the woman’s neck with his forefinger. “Not too deep. You don’t want to kill her.”
“Now? Here?”
“There’s no one else around. It doesn’t take long.”
Feeling more self-conscious than he’d ever been in his life, Ethan pulled the woman into his arms. He expected to feel revulsion for what he was about to do; instead, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to sink his fangs—where the hell had they come from?—into the soft skin of her throat and drink.
There was no way to describe it. At the first taste, the pain vanished. Power flowed through him, flooding his senses. He felt it in every cell and fiber of his being.
“That’s enough.”
Enough? Not until he had it all.
“I said that’s enough!”
Ethan bared his fangs at the other vampire. “She’s mine!”
“No, she’s not.” Saintcrow grabbed Ethan’s shoulder, his fingers digging deep into his flesh. “Let her go.”
Ethan blinked at Saintcrow as if coming out of a trance, then looked at the woman. Her eyes were blank, her face pale.
“Rule number two. You don’t kill your prey. Rule number three. You don’t wait until the pain is excruciating before you feed.” Saintcrow trapped Ethan’s gaze with his own. “Rule number four. If I find out you’ve killed anyone, I’ll destroy you. Got it?”
Ethan nodded. He didn’t doubt that the man—his sire—meant every word.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Holly woke to butterfly kisses. She smiled as she rolled onto her side and opened her eyes.
Micah smiled back at her. “Good evening, wife.”
“Good evening, husband.”
“What would you like to do tonight?” he asked.
“Go to a Broadway show. Have a glass of wine in a posh nightclub. Kiss a handsome man in the moonlight.”
“Well, I’m not sure we can get tickets for your first choice, but I think I can fulfill the last two.”
“Two out of three ain’t bad,” Holly said. “But first, I need a shower.”
She should have known where that would lead. She had no sooner adjusted the water to just the right temperature than Micah stepped into the stall, took the soap from her hand, and gave her the most amazing experience she’d ever had while standing up covered in bubbles.
By the time he finished, she was clinging to him, laughing and breathless and more in love than ever.
* * *
The nightclub they chose was Webster Hall. It was like nothing Holly had ever seen before. Located in a building dating back to 1886, it occupied three floors and a basement, with different types of music on each level, and at least two bars on each floor.
After an hour, she was ready to leave.
By then, it was too late to see a show, at least from the beginning. But, using a little vampire compulsion, they managed to catch the second half of Les Miserables, which had Holly in tears.
“Maybe we can catch the beginning tomorrow night,” Micah suggested as they left the theater.
“Maybe.”
“Is something wrong?”
“I was just thinking about my cousin.”
“Ah.”
“Do you think Ethan’s all right?”
Micah shrugged. “He’s in good hands. Whether he’s all right or not depends on how he reacts, whether he’s willing to listen to Saintcrow.”
Holly laughed as she pictured her cousin and Saintcrow in the same room. “I’m sure they’re butting heads.”
* * *
Hands fisted on his hips, Ethan watched the woman walk away. “So, that’s all there is to it,” he muttered. “Hypnotize some poor woman, steal her blood, erase the memory from her mind, and send her merrily on her way. And you’ve been doing this for how long?”
“A lot
longer than you will with that attitude.”
Ethan snorted. “You don’t like my attitude? You know what you can do about it.” He let out a startled cry as, in a move too quick for him to follow, Saintcrow curled one hand around his throat and shoved him against the side of a building.
“I can end it for you right now,” Saintcrow hissed. “Won’t bother me at all.”
“Shit, what you doing?”
“I made a mistake bringing you across. Some people are born to be vampires. You’re not one of them. You’re gonna be miserable, and that doesn’t bode well for the people you feed on. Better to end it now.”
“No! Wait!”
“I can read your mind, fledgling. Letting you live might put Holly’s life in danger. Micah’s, too. They’re important to me. You’re not.”
“Wait, dammit! I won’t hurt anybody. I swear it on my mother’s life.”
“I’ll know if you do.”
Ethan swallowed hard. “Was it that easy for you to just turn your back on being human?”
“My sire turned me and deserted me. I did a lot of things I’m ashamed of, things that still haunt me. My life was a living hell for a long time until I learned how to be a vampire. I had to learn everything the hard way. I don’t recommend it.”
Ethan tugged uselessly on the hand at his throat. “You told me you’d never abandon anyone you turned.”
“Right. But I didn’t say I wouldn’t kill you instead.”
* * *
Later, back in Morgan Creek, Ethan sat on a boulder, his chin propped on his fist. He was a vampire. What did that mean for his future? He had a good job. Friends. Family. He frowned. Did Holly know what happened to him? Would she keep his secret?
He rubbed his throat. He could still feel the iron grip of Saintcrow’s hand. He had no doubt his sire would have killed him without a qualm, knew Saintcrow wouldn’t hesitate to destroy him if he hurt anyone.
He inhaled sharply and blew it out in a heavy sigh. He would probably have to move when he got back home. His neighbors would start to wonder why he stopped mowing his yard on Saturday morning. His buddies would question why he didn’t show up for Sunday morning football sessions at the park. He might be able to make plausible excuses to his friends and neighbors, but what about his boss? The old man expected him to be at his desk at 9 AM sharp. There was no way around that.
Ethan stared into the distance. It wasn’t just food and drink he had to give up, he thought ruefully. It was his whole way of life.
How long did Saintcrow intend to keep him here?
* * *
Kadie put the book she’d been reading aside when Rylan materialized in the room. “So, how did it go?”
“Let’s just say his first night as a vampire was almost his last.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Yeah. Some people adjust better than others. He’s not one of them.”
“Like you said, it’s only been a day.”
“Yeah. The kid may not like what he is, but he took to hunting like a duck to water.”
“Then there’s hope.” Kadie snuggled against him. “I wonder how Holly likes New York.”
* * *
New York was a great town, but after five days, Holly was ready to go home. The noise, the crowds, the constant temptation of so many beating hearts, it was all just too much.
“I’m sorry,” she told Micah. “Maybe, if I wasn’t a new vampire it wouldn’t bother me, but . . .”
“Hey, you don’t need to apologize.”
She smiled up at him. “I love you.”
“I know. Pack your bags, Mrs. Ravenwood, and let’s go find a place to live.”
* * *
Because she needed to know what had happened to Ethan, they went back to Morgan Creek. After dropping off their luggage at Shirley’s house, they went to see Saintcrow and Kadie.
“Welcome home!” Kadie said. “Come on in and sit down. Did you have a good time?”
Holly nodded as she followed Kadie into the living room. “It was wonderful, but after a few days . . . it just got to be too much.”
“I know what you mean. It takes awhile to adjust.”
“You’re looking well.” Saintcrow gave her a hug, then clapped Micah on the shoulder. “Marriage seems to agree with the two of you. So what now?”
“We need to find a place to live,” Micah said. “And Holly was wondering what happened to her cousin.”
“He’s staying in Rosemary’s house for now,” Saintcrow said.
“He’s here?” Holly exclaimed.
“Yeah, I’ve been teaching him the ropes.”
“Sounds like a boatload of fun,” Micah muttered. “Sorry I missed it.”
“How is he?” Holly asked.
“Aside from his lousy attitude? I think he’ll be okay.”
“I can’t imagine Ethan as a vampire,” Holly said. “He never liked the sight of blood or horror movies. I remember one day when I was five or six, I fell down a hill and cut my knee on a piece of glass. I swear, he turned three shades of green when he saw the blood.” She shook her head. “He was always afraid of vampires. Never used to leave home without a wooden stake or a bottle of holy water.”
“Seriously?” Kadie asked.
Holly nodded. “I’d like to see him.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Saintcrow said. “He’s still pretty angry and not really in control.”
“I’m not worried. You know what they say? Blood is thicker than water.”
“I’m going with you,” Micah said. “I’ll wait outside, if you want, but you’re not going down there alone.”
* * *
Holly stood on the front porch of Rosemary’s house. Now that she was here, she was having second thoughts. She had welcomed becoming a vampire, so her transition had been relatively easy. But waking up as a vampire had to be a shock. Saintcrow had said Ethan was angry and out of control. What if his first instinct was to attack her?
With a sigh of exasperation, she reminded herself that Micah was nearby and knocked on the door.
Ethan’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw Holly standing outside. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I live here. I mean here, in Morgan Creek,” she clarified “Not in this house. Can I come in?”
“Sure.”
Holly followed him into the living room.
He gestured at the sofa. “Make yourself at home.”
Holly sat on the edge of the couch. He took the chair opposite her.
“How are you?” she asked.
“How the hell do you think? One day I’m just a normal guy, the next I’m a bloodsucking fiend being held by some master vampire with a God complex.”
“Ethan, I’m so sorry for what happened.”
“It’s not your fault.” He scrubbed his hands up and down his thighs, then shook his head. “I guess I’m just having a hard time accepting it. You know I’ve never liked blood or killing, or . . .” Eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring, he stared at her. “What the hell! You’re a vampire!”
Holly nodded.
“How did it happen? Do your parents know? Good Lord, does Micah know?”
“Micah turned me,” she said. “It was what I wanted.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “You wanted this?”
“It was the only way we could stay together. And it’s not so bad, really, if you don’t fight it. Don’t focus on what you can’t do, but what you can. The pros make up for the cons, believe me. Once you get used to it . . .”
“I don’t want to get used to it! I feel like a monster. All I can think about is the blood.”
“That will pass. You’ll be able to control the hunger, in time. After all, you were turned by the most powerful vampire in the world.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Remember how the two of us shared secrets in school? Well, now we have another one. A big one!”
He laughed and she laughed with him.
“Who know
s,” Holly said. “Maybe you’ll find the love of your life and she’ll be a vampire, too.”
“Maybe,” he said glumly. “I sure haven’t found a human female who’ll put up with me.”
“I think I know one,” Holly said, smiling. “I promised to introduce her to you at the reception. Her name’s Sofia, and she loves vampires.”
* * *
Holly was still smiling when she left Ethan. Life was funny, she mused. She hadn’t seen Ethan in years. Now they were both vampires.
“Everything okay?” Micah asked, falling into step beside her.
“Couldn’t be better.”
“So, Mrs. Ravenwood, what do you say we get back to our honeymoon?”
“I’d like that, Mr. Ravenwood. Race you home!” she cried, and sprinted down the street, disrobing as she neared Shirley’s house.
With a shake of his head, Micah lit out after her, shedding his own clothing as he went.
He caught her inside the front door, scooped her into his arms, and carried her into the bedroom, where he tossed her on the bed.
“Good thing I’m a vampire,” she said, giggling as he landed none too gently on top of her.
“Did I hurt you?”
“Of course not, silly.” Pulling his head down, she kissed him, her hands eagerly stroking his back as she wriggled her hips in invitation.
“What do you want, you hussy?”
“I don’t know,” she teased. “What have you got?”
He reared back in mock horror. “Have you forgotten already?”
Batting her eyelashes at him, she said, “Well, I guess you’ll have to show me all over again.”
“Tonight and every night,” he growled. Scooping her into his arms again, he claimed her lips in a long hungry kiss, his tongue plundering her mouth, his hands delving into her hair.
Holly wrapped her arms around his neck, purring with satisfaction as his body merged with hers. Was there anything more wonderful than being in his arms, hearing his voice whispering that he loved her, would always love her?
His gaze searched hers. “No regrets?”
Holly shook her head. Regrets? Hardly! How could she have regrets when she was in love with the most incredibly sweet, handsome man—human or vampire—she had ever known?
Hours later, she yawned, a familiar sense of lassitude stealing over her as the rising sun chased the moon from the sky.