Chapter Eighteen
Heeding Saintcrow’s advice, Ethan transported Sofia to the master vampire’s house. Made of weathered gray stone, it had turrets at all four corners, which made her think of an ancient English castle, though she had never seen one with thick iron bars covering the front door and all the windows. She couldn’t help thinking the place looked like something out of an old, scary movie.
Muttering, “Home sweet home,” Ethan opened the door for her.
Sofia shivered as she stepped into the lion’s den. She didn’t know what she had expected—tapestries and antique furniture, perhaps—but the interior was lovely. Dropping her handbag on a small table in the foyer, she turned in a slow circle. The sofa and love seat were modern and obviously expensive. Only the fireplace seemed to be as old as the house. Large enough to hold a horse and rider, it dominated the room. But it was the suit of armor in the corner that captured her attention. Saintcrow was ancient. Had that armor been his? Had he worn it in the Crusades? The thought that it was possible was mind-boggling.
“This is quite a place,” she remarked.
“Yeah.” Ethan had known Saintcrow was rich, but seeing this made it real. He had seen that sofa in a magazine. It hadn’t been cheap. It made him wonder just how much money his sire had, and how he’d acquired it. “Do you feel like exploring?”
“Haven’t you been here before?”
“No.” Taking her hand, he said, “Come on. Let’s go upstairs and find you a room for the night.”
Sofia got a quick look at the kitchen as they passed by. She was somewhat surprised to find it outfitted with modern appliances, including a microwave and a toaster. “Do you think Saintcrow bought all this stuff for Kadie before he turned her?”
“It’s the only explanation that makes sense,” Ethan said, although that wasn’t necessarily true. Some vampires stored bagged blood in refrigerators and warmed it in microwaves, but he doubted Saintcrow was one of them.
With some trepidation, Sofia followed Ethan up the wide stairway to the second floor.
She opened the first door on the left at the top of the stairs. It was a nice-enough room, she thought. The walls were off-white, the rug a deep forest green. Matching drapes hung at the single barred window. The four-poster bed looked like an antique.
Curious, she walked down the hallway, peeking into each room. All were decorated much the same as the first one. Only the colors were different.
“Did he keep a harem?” she wondered aloud.
“Beats me.”
“I’ll take the first room,” Sofia decided. “Where are you going to sleep?”
“I’ll take the one next to yours.”
A narrow stairway led to the third floor. “The turret rooms must be up there,” Sofia said. “Come on; I’ve always wanted to see one.”
Ethan followed her up the winding stone staircase.
She felt a twinge of disappointment as she looked in the first room. It was round and empty, as was the second one. Apparently, Kadie hadn’t been interested in remodeling up here. The third room contained a narrow cot and an old wooden chair that looked like it would break if anyone sat on it.
Sofia paused to stare at the black iron cross on the wall across from the bed. Had Saintcrow once been a religious man? Or was it merely a decoration that held no meaning?
The last room held a bed, a table, and another rickety chair. A floor-to-ceiling tapestry that looked hundreds of years old covered the far wall. The colors were faded, the edges frayed.
“It’s still beautiful, isn’t it?” she murmured.
“Yeah.” Ethan took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. The tapestry depicted a knight in chain mail mounted on a rearing black stallion. He held a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. “Am I imagining things or is that Saintcrow?”
Sofia moved up beside him. “I think it is.” Reaching out, she ran her fingers over the red cross emblazoned on the knight’s surcoat, took a quick step back when a peculiar grinding noise came from behind the tapestry. “What was that?”
“I don’t know.” Moving to the edge of the drapery, Ethan pulled it away from the wall.
Sofia’s eyes widened when she saw a narrow doorway. “Where do you think it goes?”
Ethan shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”
She held her breath as Ethan opened the door. In the dim light from the window, she saw a long, winding staircase.
“What is it?” Sofia asked. “Where does it go?”
“I think Saintcrow’s lair is down there.”
She backed away as visions of the vampire asleep in his coffin filled her mind. Turning on her heel, she hurried down the stairs to the living room.
Ethan closed the door, then followed her.
He found Sofia sitting on the sofa, face pale, her arms folded over her breasts. “Every time I think I’ve got a handle on the whole vampire thing, something new comes along and spooks me. I never thought of myself as a coward, but then, I never knew vampires were real.”
“And now that you know, everything’s changed?”
She nodded. “I guess once you’ve seen the wizard behind the curtain, you can’t pretend he isn’t there.” Reaching for Ethan’s hand, she pulled him down beside her. “In spite of everything, I’m glad Holly brought us together.”
Ethan nodded, then kissed her lightly, hoping she would always feel that way.
* * *
“Browning can’t walk in the daylight, can he?” Sofia glanced at the bed, thinking she should have brought a nightgown with her. But then, spending the night had been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
“I don’t know,” he said, “but I don’t think so. I’m sure Saintcrow would have mentioned it.”
Sofia looked around the room. She told herself there was nothing to fear. No one could get into the house.
“Are you all right?”
“I don’t want to sleep in here alone.”
Ethan nodded slowly. “Okay.”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“I don’t, but you might.”
“Why?” Comprehension dawned as she watched him search for an answer. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “Are you gross during the day?”
“Nothing like cutting right to the chase,” he muttered. “But to answer your question, I don’t know. The subject never came up. And I’ve never seen a vampire at rest.”
“Oh.” She worried her lower lip with her teeth. What if he looked really dead, all pale and shriveled? Did he stop breathing?
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. Then, shoving his hands in his pants’ pockets, he sent a mental question to Saintcrow. What do vampires look like at rest?
He immediately heard his sire’s amused laughter echo in his mind. Don’t worry, you won’t look like a corpse. Your skin will look a little paler, your breathing stops, but other than that, you just look like you’re asleep. Nothing will wake you, unless you’re in danger.
Sending Saintcrow his thanks—and hoping he could believe him—Ethan said, “Mostly, I’ll look like I’m asleep.”
Sofia smiled, obviously relieved. “Then you’ll stay?”
He nodded. Dawn was hours away, but she was ready for bed now. How was he going to lie beside her and not take her in his arms? “I’ll wait downstairs. Call me when you’re ready to turn in.”
She closed the door after him, then went into the bathroom. There was no shower, only a tub. But what a tub. It was round and blue and deep. She found a bottle of bubble bath in the cupboard. Minutes later, she was submerged in bubbles. Resting her head on the back of the tub, she closed her eyes. Life had certainly taken an unexpected turn. Who’d have thought, when she’d agreed to go out with Holly’s cousin, that she would find herself falling in love with him? Or staying in the home of an ancient vampire?
When the water cooled, she stepped out of the tub, dried herself with a thick terry towel, and got dressed, wishing again that she’d brought a nightgown. But then, maybe it was just as well that she hadn’t, since Ethan would be resting beside her. The thought sent a little thrill of excitement down her spine.
Although it was quite late, she was suddenly wide awake. Barefooted, she tiptoed down the stairs, then thought how foolish it was. Ethan would know she was coming long before she got there.
She found him stretched out on the sofa, his arms folded behind his head. He had taken off his boots, laid a fire in the enormous hearth. “Cozy,” she murmured.
Sitting up, he patted the place beside him.
Sofia bit down on her lower lip. She had been alone with him before, but this was different somehow. She had nowhere to run, no one to call for help if he suddenly lost control.
He lifted one brow, as though amused by her sudden trepidation.
And her fears dissolved. This was Ethan. He would never hurt her. She sank down on the sofa, a little frisson of heat spiraling through her when her thigh brushed his. “I’ve never seen a fireplace that big.”
“Me either.” He slid his arm around her shoulders. “You smell good,” he murmured. “Like roses.”
“Oh. I thought . . . it’s the bubble bath.”
Laughter rumbled in his throat. “You thought I meant your blood, didn’t you?”
She nodded as a flush warmed her cheeks. “Sorry.”
“That smells good, too,” he said, nuzzling the side of her neck.
“Have you fed lately?”
“Earlier tonight. Why? Are you worried?”
“Maybe. A little.”
His laugh turned wicked. “Beautiful young maiden, pure and untouched, all alone in the wicked vampire’s lair.”
She jammed her elbow into his side. “Stop that!”
“Okay. Geez, I was just kidding.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a little too close to the truth, don’t you think?”
“Especially the beautiful part.”
“I didn’t mean that.”
“I know. But you are beautiful, Sofia. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. And the sweetest . . . make that the nicest, so you don’t mistake my meaning again,” he said with a wry grin.
She stared up at him, pleased by his words. Her heart skipped a beat when he captured her lips with his. Leaning back, he turned slightly as he drew her into his arms, his mouth moving slowly over hers in a long, lazy kiss that warmed every fiber of her being. His fingers played in her hair. She moaned low in her throat when his tongue swept over her lips.
She didn’t remember moving, but somehow, they were lying side by side on the floor in front of the fire. She closed her eyes as Ethan rained kisses on her cheeks, her forehead, lingering on her lips, the pulse beating rapidly in her throat.
Caught up in the heat of the moment, she slid her hands under his shirt, reveling in the touch of his bare skin. When he rose over her, his eyes burning hotter than the flames, she realized, too late, that she had inadvertently sent him the wrong signal.
“Ethan . . .” She shook her head. It was too soon. She wasn’t ready to take their relationship to the next level.
He drew back, a groan erupting from his throat.
“I’m sorry . . . I . . . I can’t. Not yet.”
Eyes closed, he rested his forehead against hers. “I thought . . .” He sucked in a deep breath. “It’s all right.”
He sounded like he was in pain. “Are you . . . okay?”
His answer was a wordless grunt. And then he rolled onto his side, carrying her with him, his arm draped over her waist.
“Are you mad?”
He opened one eye. “No. Just . . . no.” With a shake of his head, he sat up. He didn’t know which was worse—his hunger for her blood or his need to bury himself deep within her. He kissed the tip of her nose, then rose to his feet in a single fluid movement. “I need some fresh air,” he said, his voice thick. “Good night.”
“’Night.” She stared after him as he left the room, wishing she had the nerve to follow her heart, but she couldn’t ignore the little voice in the back of her mind warning that once she surrendered her virginity, there was no way to get it back.
* * *
Kadie curled up against Saintcrow, her hand resting on his chest, her head on his shoulder. A cozy fire burned low in the living room hearth of their New Orleans place. It was the only light in the room. “What do you think Browning really wants? I mean, why did he come back after all this time?”
“I don’t know. But that story about running afoul of a master vampire is a load of crap.”
“Do you think he went there just to find you?”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t make much sense.”
“Maybe he thought he’d defeat you and take over the town.”
“I’d like to see him try it.”
“My hero.”
He brushed a kiss across the top of her head. “I can see why he’d want to go back. They had it pretty easy there back then.” He let out a mock groan when she punched him in the arm. “Yeah, yeah, I know, my bad. But, morality aside, life was good for the vampires.” He caught her hand before she could hit him again. “And I met you there, Kadie Andrews Saintcrow, love of my life.”
“And such a long life.”
“It didn’t really start until I met you.”
“Rylan.” She melted against him, her heart swelling with love.
“No regrets?” It was a question he asked from time to time.
“Not one.” Looking up, she met his gaze. “I have a bad feeling about his being there.”
“Not to worry, Kadie, my sweet.”
She nodded. He was the oldest vampire in the world. Powerful. Virtually indestructible. So why was she still so apprehensive?