Dominic's head jerked up, his eyes narrowing asTracy 's voice echoed in his mind.
Dominic, help me! Please, come to me now.
For a small moment of time, he thought of ignoring her. He had spent the last few days pondering his past, reliving every lifetime he had spent withTracy . He was tired, so tired of pursuing her.Tired of existing. Tomorrow, he had planned to end his existence. What would it be like to see the sun after so many years? Would his body go up in flames at the first touch of the sun on his flesh? Would it be over quickly? He was not afraid of death, but to burn... it was something he had feared since burning his hand when he was a young boy. He had never forgotten the excruciating pain.
"Dominic!"
The fear in her voice coiled around his heart and soul.
A moment later, he was streaking through the night, all thought of ending his existence forgotten.
Outside the doorway of The Catacombs, he dissolved into a fine mist before slipping inside.
Anger welled within him at what he saw. All the vampires in the room save for Marcus were gathered aroundTracy like wolves closing in on a wounded doe. Eyes glowing, fangs extended, the vampires formed a loose circle around her. From time to time, one of them reached out to touch her, stroking her hair, dragging a fingernail over her cheek, down the length of her arm.
She stood tall and straight in their midst, her expression defiant. For all her outward show of bravado, he could smell her fear; it was a palpable presence in the room, exciting the vampires still more. She shuddered as one of the males licked the side of her neck.
Dominic sent his senses through the room. The boy's scent was strong, yet he was nowhere to be seen. Had they killed him? The boy meant nothing to him, but if they had killed the boy, then they had openly defied the law. Not only the law of the land, but the lawthat Dominic had set forth decreeing that there would be no blood shed within the boundaries of the village. To defy his law was to defy him.
Zarabethbegan to circleTracy , taunting her with tales of mortals she had killed.Tracy 's face paled but she glared at Zarabeth , her expression filled with disdain.
Zarabethran her fingernail downTracy 's arm. "Have you nothing to say? We might spare you if you ask us nicely."
Zarabethput her arms aroundTracy , holding her immobile. She put her face close toTracy 's neck and took a deep breath, her eyes closing in rapture.
"Enough!"
Taking on his shape, Dominic strode across the room.
The vampires immediately drew back, leavingTracy standing alone in the center of the floor.
Going to her side, Dominic slipped his arm around her waist and drew her up against him. "Are you all right?"
She nodded. "Bryan..."
Dominic glanced around the room. "Where is the boy?"
It was Marcus who answered. " Petrinatook him."
Dominic's gaze settled on Zarabeth . "Is he dead?"
"I don't know."
"Would she take him home?"
"I don't know."
Dominic looked atTracy , then back at the vampires. "To harm what is mine is to harm me." His voice was mild, butTracy heard the steel beneath. To defy my law is to defy me, and the penalty is death."
Zarabethshook her head. "No!"
" Petrinahas openly defied me."
"Vampire does not kill vampire."
"Be still else I destroy you, as well."
A low murmur of consternation ran through the room.
Dominic silenced them with a look. "This is my chosen territory and my law prevails.When I allowed you to share this place with me, you agreed, one and all, to abide by my law. We have peace here because we do not feed on the villagers. We give them no reason to suspect our presence. The boy Petrina has taken has family. He has a job. He will be missed."
Dominic looked down atTracy , his expression softening. "Come, I will take you home."
"What aboutBryan ?"
"I will find him," he said, and with that, he swept her into his arms.
A moment later, they were in her bedroom at Nightingale House.
Slowly, he lowered her to her feet.
"The lights," she said. "Put on the lights."
He waved his hand and the lamps beside her bed sprang to life, chasing the darkness from the room.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Fine," she said, and dissolved into tears.
"Tracy!" He pulled her into his arms, raining kisses on her brow, the crown of her head. "Do notweep, my best beloved one."
"FindBryan ," she said. "Please."
"I do not want to leave you alone."
"I'll... I'll be... all right. Please... hurry!"
"As you wish," he said, and vanished from her sight.
Tracycrawled into bed, fully dressed, and drew the covers up to her chin. Never in all her life had she been so frightened. Trembling uncontrollably, she closed her eyes. Into her mind came images of the vampires as they had closed in around her, their eyes glowing with a lust for blood.Her blood. If Dominic had not arrived when he did...
She opened her eyes and the images vanished. She was never going to be able to go to sleep, doubted she would ever feel comfortable alone in the dark again.
And what aboutBryan ?Would Dominic find him in time, or was it already too late? How would she ever live with herself if anything happened toBryan ? Oh, Lord, he could be dead, or worse. What if Petrina had turned him into a vampire?
He had done nothing to deserve such a horrible fate. Nothing butbe her friend.
With a low groan, she doubledover, her arms wrapped around her middle, and rocked back and forth.
"I'm sorry,Bryan ," she sobbed."So sorry."
Reality returned slowly. He was aware of being cold.And thirsty. Opening his eyes,Bryan was grateful to see that he was no longer in the dark. A single candle burned on the table beside the bed. There was a bowl of fruit, a hunk of cheese,a pitcher of orange juice.
Sitting up, he ate ravenously, drained the pitcher of juice and wished for more.
Rising, he began to pace the floor. Where was she?
He tried the door again even though he was certain it would be locked. To his surprise, it swung open. He stood there a moment, wondering if it was some kind of trick.
Heart pounding, he took a step forward, his whole body tensed for an attack that did not come.
As far as he could tell, he was in an abandoned warehouse. A faint gleam of moonlight offered the only illumination and he moved toward it. He had gone about a dozen steps when he saw a door.
He was hurrying toward it when Dominic St. John suddenly materialized in front of him.
With a startled cry,Bryan skidded to a stop.
For a long moment, he stared at Dominic, who stared at him in return.
"You,"Bryan gasped. "You're one of them."
Dominic lifted one brow. "Indeed." His nostrils flared. "And you are not.Yet."
"What do you mean, yet?"
"You are her creature now. It is only a matter of time until she brings you across."
"What are you talking about?"
"She has taken your blood, has she not?"
Bryannodded, his expression filled with revulsion.
"And she has given you hers in return."
Bryanshook his head. "No, I didn't... I wouldn't... it was just a nightmare... wasn't it?"
"I am sorry. She has marked you now and there is no way for you to escape her so long as she exists."
Bryanstared at Dominic. "What are you saying?"
"You need not worry. She has defied me and for that, she must be destroyed. When she is no more, you will be free of her."
"I don't believe any of this,"Bryan said, his voice rising. "It can't be true."
"Come," Dominic said. "I will take you home."
"Where'sTracy ? Is she all right?"
"She is no concern of yours."
"I asked her to marry me tonight. I think that makes her my concern."
Hands clenched at his sides to keep from reaching for the boy's throat, Dominic stared atBryan . "What was her answer?"
"She said no, but I'm hoping she'll change her mind."
"I could destroy you with a thought," Dominic remarked. "And it would please me to do so."
"Just tell me if she's all right."
"She is home," Dominic said.
"You haven't done to her what that woman did to me, have you?"
"No. Give me your hand."
Bryantook a step backward."No way."
The words had barely left his lips when Dominic was beside him, grasping his forearm. A moment later, feeling slightly dizzy,Bryan opened his eyes and found himself standing outside his apartment. "How did you do that? How do you know where I live?"
"It does not matter. If you are wise, you will not leave your house after sunset. If Petrina comes here, do not invite her in."
"It wasn't Petrina ."
"What?"
"It wasn't Petrina who... who took my blood."
"Who was it?"
"I don't know. I never saw her before."
"What did she look like?"
"She was beautiful, with dark red hair and the coldest, greenest eyes I've ever seen..."
" Kitana."Of course.It was Kitana he had seen in the alley. She was the only immortal strong enough to cloak her presence.
"You know her?"
Dominic nodded. "She is the oldest of our kind."
"It's true, then? You're a vampire, aren't you? And so is she?"
Dominic nodded. "She has taken your blood and given you hers in return. She will be able to speak to your mind. She will hear your thoughts and if she wishes it, you will hear hers."
"Are you going to kill her?"
"That was my intent when I thought it was Petrina who had taken you."
"And now?"
"I do not know if Kitana can be destroyed. Go inside now," Dominic said. "You will not be safe after dark so long as she survives."
With a hand that shook,Bryan unlocked the door and quickly stepped across the threshold. "You can't come in, but thank you," he said, and slammed the door.
With a wry grin, Dominic willed himself back to Nightingale House, andTracy 's side.
He found her asleep in her bed, the covers drawn up to her chin. She looked young and vulnerable lying there, and more beautiful than any other woman he had ever known.
He had hoped to show her the wonders of vampire life, to make her see that even though there was much to give up when one accepted the Dark Gift, there was also much to gain. Though he could not walk in the sunlight, he had walked through centuries of time. The only thing he truly lamented was his inability to father a child. The undead could not create life. Was it selfish of him to wantTracy to join him in his unnatural life, to ask her to give up the joys of motherhood to spend eternity at his side?
Turning away from the bed, he went to stare out into the night. Selfish or not, it no longer mattered. He would destroy Petrina and Kitana and if he survived, he would greet the dawn andTracy would be forever free of him. He wondered fleetingly what, if anything, awaited him on the other side. There were those who believed that vampires had no soul. If that was true, then only oblivion awaited him. And if he still had a soul, would he burn in hell for all eternity?
"Dominic?"
He turned at the sound of her voice.
"Did you find him?"
"Yes."
"Is he... ?"
"He is alive."
"Thank goodness you found him in time!"
"He is alive, but he is still in danger."
She sat up, clutching the covers to her breasts. "What do you mean?"
"A vampire has taken his blood and given him her blood in return. He is her creature now."
"But he's not a vampire?"
"Not yet."
"This isall my fault!"
Crossing the room, he sat down on the edge of the bed and drew her into his arms. Ah, the wonder of holding her again. For a moment, he closed his eyes and drank in her nearness, the warmth of her, the sweet smell of her hair and skin, the sheer pleasure of holding her in his arms.
"It is not your fault," he said, stroking her hair. "Do not worry about the boy. I will not let her bring him across."
"Thank you for helping us. I wasn't sure you would."
"I will always answer your call," he replied quietly."If I am able."
She drew back a little so she could see his face. "What do you mean, if you're able?"
"The boy proposed to you tonight."
"How do you know that?"
"He told me." Dominic took a deep breath. "Do you care for him?"
"Yes."
"Do you love him?"
"I turned him down."
"That is not what I asked. Do you love him?"
"No."
"Perhaps you should."
Tracystared at him. "Do you want me to marry him?"
"I want to know you have someone to look after you when..."
"When what?"
"Nothing."Rising, he went to stand at the window again. It would be dawn soon.
"Dominic, what are talking about?"
"I am going away, and I do not want you to be alone."
"Where are you going?"
"It does not matter."
"It matters to me."
"Does it?" He turned away from the window to face her. "You told me you wanted me out of your life. I am only doing what you asked."
"What did you mean when you said there would be no next time? Dominic? Answer me."
"Only that I would not pursue you any longer, in this life or any other."
"That's all you meant?"
"What did you think I meant?"
"I thought maybe you were thinking of doing something like... you know."
"I am not thinking of destroying myself." It was not a lie, he thought, not exactly. He was no longer thinking of it. The decision had been made. Of course, Kitana might end his existence for him.
Moving toward the bed, he sat besideTracy once more. "Sleep now, my best beloved one." He smoothed the hair from her brow, ran his knuckles over her cheek,leaned forward to kiss her gently. "I will stay by your side until dawn. There is nothing for you to fear."
Soothed by the sound of his voice, she slid under the covers and closed her eyes. "I wish things were different," she murmured drowsily. "I do love you, you know."
"And I love you more than my life, my best beloved one," he replied, but she was already asleep.
