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Chapter One Shannah had followed him every night for the last four months. At first, she hadn’t been sure why, other than the fact that she was dying and out of a job and had nothing better to do. She remembered the first time she had seen him. She had been sitting by the back window in the Pot Pourri Café across the street from the town’s only movie theater. She had been sipping a cup of hot chocolate when she saw him emerge from the theater. It had been late October, near Halloween, and the theater had been running classic vampire movies all month, showing a different film each night of the week. The old Bela Lugosi version of Dracula had been playing that night. The stranger had been wearing a long black duster over snug black jeans and a black T-shirt. With his long black hair, her first thought was that he could have been a vampire himself except that his skin was a dusky brown instead of deathly pale. A wannabe vampire, obviously. She knew there was a whole cult of them in the ci
Chapter One
Chapter Two Ronan didn’t have to glance over his shoulder to know that the slender girl with the long black hair and big blue eyes was following him again. She had drifted in his wake like a pale shadow for the last five months or so. She followed him to the park. She followed him to the movies, to the local pub, to the mall, to his post office box when he picked up his mail. She followed him home. Sometimes she spent the night in the wooded area across from his house. He wondered when she slept. He wondered why her complexion was so ashen. He wondered who she was. He wondered why in blue blazes she was following him. One thing was certain. He didn’t like her trailing after him one damn bit. He could have lost her easily enough. He could have destroyed her. He could have hypnotized her and made her forget he existed. So, why hadn’t he? It was a question he had asked himself every night for the last five months. It was a question for which he had no answer, and that annoyed the living h
Chapter Two
Chapter Three Shannah woke slowly. Her eyelids felt heavy and it was an effort to open her eyes. For a moment, she stared blankly at her surroundings. The walls were painted taupe with white trim. The ceiling was white. A fire burned in the hearth across from the canopied bed on which she lay. A thick white carpet covered the floor. Heavy draperies the same color as the walls covered the room’s single window. The dresser against the far wall looked like an antique, as did the high-backed oak rocking chair in the corner. Large, expensive-looking paintings hung on the walls—one was of a stately park where people in eighteenth-century clothing strolled along tree-lined lanes; one was of a Paris cathedral; the third depicted a quiet lake beneath a full moon. The fourth painting was of a dark castle set upon a windswept hill. Where was she? Where was he? Her head ached and when she touched her fingertips to her forehead, she made two discoveries—her fever was gone and there was a rather lar
Chapter Three
Chapter Four Shannah woke feeling better than she had in months. Flinging the covers aside, she practically flew out of bed. She didn’t feel lethargic, as she usually did upon waking. She wasn’t cold. She didn’t have a headache. She was surprised when her stomach growled. She hadn’t been truly hungry in months. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was almost six o’clock. Good grief, she had been asleep almost twenty-four hours. No wonder she was hungry! Going to the window, she drew back the curtains and stared out at the lowering clouds. Gathering the robe she still wore closer around her, she padded barefoot down the stairs, wondering where her mysterious host was. She found him in the den, seated in front of the computer. He looked up at her when she crossed the threshold. “Good evening, Shannah.” She smiled faintly, still feeling foolish for thinking he was a vampire. “Hi.” “How are you feeling?” he asked, though there was no need. The shadows were gone from her eyes, the hollows
Chapter Four
Chapter Five Ronan stalked the ever-changing shadows of the night, a predator in search of prey, a hunter on the prowl. He loved the night, the taste of the wind on his tongue, the anticipation of the hunt. There had been times, in the beginning, when he had despised what he was, loathed what he had to do to survive, but those feelings hadn’t lasted long. He had once been human, prey to what he had become. Now he was the predator; preying on mortals was natural to his kind. The memory of mortality and its inherent weaknesses were dim, overshadowed by the passing of time. The revulsion he had expected to feel the first time he satisfied his unnatural thirst had never materialized. One taste of the rich red elixir of life had driven all thought of repugnance from his mind. Nothing had ever tasted sweeter. Nothing had ever satisfied him more. Now, he moved through the darkness with ease, his preternatural senses testing the evening breeze. Sounds and smells assailed him on every side as h
Chapter Five
Chapter Six Ronan listened to the sound of Shannah’s footsteps as she paced the floor overhead. Her scent filled the house. He knew she was doubting her decision to stay here, knew she didn’t trust him. Her agitation increased her heartbeat. He could smell the blood flowing through her veins. It called to his hunger, even as her fear aroused his instinctive urge to hunt. He heard the faint creak of bedsprings as she got into bed, his mind instantly swarming with images of her lying there, her hair spread out on the pillow, her body relaxed as she waited for sleep. Not trusting himself to stay under the same roof with her in his current condition, he fled the house. Plagued by his unholy thirst, he stalked the dark streets until he found a woman leaving a café, unescorted. He followed her to her car and slid into the passenger seat. She stared at him in alarm. “What do you think you’re doing? Get out of…” The words died in her throat when she looked into his eyes. “No, please…” He didn’
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven In the morning, after a quick breakfast of toast, juice and coffee, Shannah drove to her doctor’s office. She had a standing weekly appointment, and she had missed the last three. She wasn’t sure why she had decided to keep this appointment. What could the doctor tell her that she didn’t already know? “I’ve been worried about you,” Doctor Harper said as he wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm. “I thought…well, no matter. You’re looking quite well today.” “I feel wonderful.” Nodding, he watched the gauge, then removed the cuff from her arm. “How is it?” she asked. “Normal.” He made a note on her chart. “I see you’ve even gained a little weight.” “Really?” “Yes. How’s your appetite been?” “Better than usual. And I’ve been keeping everything down!” “Indeed? Any headaches? Dizziness? Nausea?” “No, no, and no.” He made more notes on her chart, listened to her heart and lungs, jotted more notes on her chart. “I want you to go down to the lab so they can take some bloo
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight In the morning, Shannah was surprised at how strong she felt, and how long she had slept. A glance at the clock showed it was almost two. She shrugged it off. Considering how she had felt last night, sleeping late didn’t seem so strange. She blew out a sigh. Last night, she had been certain she was again at death’s door. This morning, she felt like she could run the Boston Marathon and win. It was most confusing. But it was too beautiful a day to fret about a future she couldn’t change. She felt too wonderful to lay about any longer. Bounding out of bed, she took a shower and brushed her teeth. Famished, she ate a big breakfast, then went out the front door to fetch the morning paper. After refilling her coffee cup, she headed out the back door, intending to sit outside, enjoy a second cup of coffee and get caught up on the latest news. She frowned when she stepped into the sunlight. Squinting against the brightness, she went back into the house for her sunglasses. Funny,
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine Shannah hadn’t expected to be afraid of flying. After all, people did it every day. They had gotten through security all right, although she had thought taking off her shoes was a bit much. At any rate, they had made it safely through security and boarded the plane. She was surprised to find that Ronan had purchased a row of first-class seats for the two of them. He indicated she should sit by the window. She hadn’t been the least bit nervous during boarding but now that she was actually on the plane, in her seat, she was suddenly very, very scared. Planes crashed all the time. And then there was the ever-constant threat of hijackers and terrorists. She knew she would never forget the sight of those two airplanes flying into the Twin Towers, or the nightmare images that had followed. She had been in bed, asleep, when her father called that morning. She had listened in stunned disbelief while he told her what was happening. Relieved that her parents were all right, she had
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten It was late afternoon when Shannah woke. She stayed in bed for several minutes, enjoying the luxury of having nothing to do. Luxury. It was something that had been sorely missing from her life until she met Ronan. Now it seemed as if her every wish had been granted. Her health was good. She had more clothes, and better clothes, than she had ever had before. She was in a posh room in a swanky hotel. She had cash in her wallet, given to her by a handsome man, and a whole day to do just as she pleased. It reminded her of the movie Pretty Woman. Ronan was Richard Gere and she was Julia Roberts. Rising, she called room service and ordered breakfast. She took a long shower, washed her hair, then wrapped up in one of the fluffy hotel robes. She ate quickly, dressed, and called for a cab. It was waiting for her when she went downstairs. Slipping on her sunglasses, she left the hotel. She spent the day doing her best Julia Roberts impersonation. She went to an exclusive Beverly Hill
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven Jim Hewitt stood at the end of the bar alone, one hand fisted around a glass of Irish whiskey. Maybe his luck was changing at last! He had gotten a tip from another hunter that Ronan was in a little town in Northern California. He had flown to North Canyon Creek as soon as he had finished his last job. He had spent a week and a half tracking the vampire, getting to know his habits and his hangouts. Hewitt had followed the woman a couple of times, but he hadn’t been able to find out much about her. The car she drove was registered to Scott Davis in Middletown, New York. The mail in her mailbox was addressed to Shannah Davis. Further investigation revealed that she was twenty-four years old and that she had lived in North Canyon Creek a little over a year. When he’d followed her and the vampire into the bookstore the night before, he’d had no idea she was a published author and concluded that Eva Black was a pseudonym. After leaving the bookstore, he’d done a little sleuth
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve Shannah was a little less nervous as they boarded the plane for New York, but not much. This was a much longer flight than the last one. Once again, Ronan had managed to secure an entire row for their use, which meant they could really stretch out. She gripped the arms of her seat as the plane took off and told herself there was nothing to be afraid of. Thousands of people flew across the country, across the world, every day. She closed her eyes and thought about how nice it would be to see her parents again, how surprised they would be to hear from her, how much fun it would be to see New York City again. She breathed a little easier when they were airborne. Moments later, a flight attendant came by offering them food and drink. Shannah asked for a 7-Up, then sat back in her seat, watching the lights below gradually fade away into the distance. “You all right?” Ronan asked. She nodded. “What’s our itinerary in New York?” “You’ve got a book signing tomorrow night and a r
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen There was no mention of the dead man in the newspaper in the morning. Shannah looked on every page of every section. There was talk of the never-ending war in the Middle East, the latest sex scandal in Hollywood, a strike by the Teamsters, the suicide of a high profile lawyer, but not one word about the man in the alley. Shannah thought it odd, but then, this was New York City, not the small town where she had been raised. Maybe the death of a mugger in an alley was so commonplace these days that it didn’t rate a story. For all she knew, the man’s name could be among those listed in the obituaries. A glance at the clock told her there was no time to ponder the matter. She had to wash and dry her hair, dress, and be at the radio station in an hour. “How did the interview go?” Ronan asked later that night while she was changing her shoes. “Fine, I guess. They said they would send me a copy of the tape so you could hear it.” He nodded. “Were you able to answer everythin
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen Shannah stood on the sidewalk in front of her parents’ house, an overnight bag in one hand. She hadn’t been home in over a year and she was blown away by the changes her folks had made. The house, once a rather insipid shade of beige, was now a cheerful country blue with bright white trim and a red door. Shannah smiled as she walked up the red brick path to the porch. For as long as she could remember, her mother had been trying to convince her father to paint the house blue. After thirty-three years, her mother had finally prevailed. “Shannah!” Verna Davis came through the doorway as if she had been shot out of a cannon. “You’re here!” “Hi, Mom.” Verna engulfed her daughter in a hug and held on tight. “Mom. Mom, please don’t cry.” “I can’t help it,” Verna said, sniffing. “I never thought I’d see you again.” “I’m doing fine, Mom.” Shannah removed her sunglasses. Squinting against the sun, she dropped them into her pocket. “Really.” Verna stood back, her gaze moving ove
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen Ronan walked the dark streets of Middletown. Tall trees lined the sidewalks like dark sentinels. A full moon hung low in the midnight sky. It was still hours until dawn and he was reluctant to seek his rest so early. Noting the deserted streets and dark houses, it was obvious that few residents of the town shared his love of the night. Sad, he thought, for there was a beauty and a serenity in the night that few took the time to notice. Leaving the residential area, he found a singles bar on the edge of town. The place was doing a brisk business and he ducked inside and found an empty booth in the back. His senses were quickly overcome with the myriad scents and sounds that filled the air. A waitress appeared at his table and he asked for a glass of red wine, then sat back and watched the mortals at play. But he had little interest in their comings and goings. It made no difference in his existence if they found what were looking for, whether it was forgetfulness in a bo
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen Ronan cradled Shannah to his chest, speaking softly to her mind while pandemonium erupted all around him. Cries of alarm and screams of panic were underscored by a tremulous voice murmuring the Lord’s Prayer. Feeling an unexpected sense of regret that he couldn’t save them all, Ronan summoned his preternatural powers and transported himself and Shannah out of the plane and onto the ground, well away from the airplane’s trajectory. Standing there in the dark, holding Shannah in his arms, he watched the nose of the plane hit the ground. It balanced there for a moment and then, as if it was moving in slow motion, the aircraft flipped over and broke in half. Even before it burst into flames, he knew there would be no survivors. He glanced at Shannah, still spellbound in his arms, and wondered how he would explain the fact that they had survived the crash when no one else had. And then he shrugged. There were countless stories of people who had made miraculous escapes from a
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen After five hundred and thirteen years as a vampire, it didn’t take Ronan long to find that which he sought, that which he needed. He fed quickly, neatly, and went on his way. Five hundred and thirteen years. It didn’t seem possible that so many centuries had passed, or that he had changed in so many ways and yet remained ever the same. He had been born in the summer of 1459 in a small town off the English coast, a town that no longer existed. He had grown up on a farm, the youngest child in a family of four girls and five boys. His brothers and sisters had all married and left home by the time he was seventeen and he alone had remained to help his father work the farm. At the age of twenty-four, he had married the girl on the neighboring farm. It hadn’t been a love match, though Verity had been a sweet girl, biddable and kind-hearted. Though he had married her to please his parents, he hadn’t been completely unhappy with his bride. She had been a pretty thing, with ex
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen Shannah woke at dusk to find Ronan standing in front of her bedroom window, looking out. Sitting up, she admired the width of his shoulders, his tight buns, the snug fit of his jeans, the long line of his legs. He really was a perfect specimen, the kind of man that graced the covers of magazines like GQ and appeared on posters in clothing stores. His soft chuckle filled the silence. “Do you like what you see?” “How did you know I was looking?” “I can feel your gaze on my back.” He turned to face her, his arms crossed over his chest. “And other places.” “Oh.” She knew she was blushing but she couldn’t help it. Drat the man, she had blushed more since she met him than she had in her whole life. “So,” he said, “now that you’re officially moved in, what would you think about keeping the same hours I do?” “I don’t suppose you could write during the day?” “No. I’m afraid I’m too old and set in my ways to change now.” She could understand that, she supposed. After all, he was
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen Shannah woke to the sound of someone leaning on the doorbell. Rolling over, she stared blearily at the clock on the bedside table. It was a little after ten a.m. Who could possibly be coming to call at this hour? Or any hour? She didn’t have any friends in North Canyon Creek, and as far as she knew, Ronan never had visitors. Deciding it was probably a solicitor of some kind, she closed her eyes and pulled the covers over her head. Whoever it was, they could come back later. The doorbell rang again, louder and more insistent. Shannah pounded on her pillow. Why didn’t they go away? Grabbing her robe, she pulled it on as she padded down the stairs to the front door. “Who is it?” she called irritably. “Jim Hewitt.” Suddenly wide awake, Shannah stared at the door as if it was a snake that might bite her. Hewitt! What on earth was he doing here? “What do you want?” “I need to talk to you, Miss Black.” “So talk.” “It’s important, Eva. It’s about Ronan.” Shannah felt her heart
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty When she woke, she was in bed and Ronan was standing beside her. She looked up at him. He didn’t look like a vampire. Maybe she had dreamed the whole thing. “No,” he said, “it wasn’t a dream.” She blinked at him, startled. “How do you know what I was thinking?” “I can read your thoughts.” She shook her head. “That’s impossible!” “Is it?” “What am I thinking now?” “You’re wondering what I’m going to do with you.” She swallowed. It was exactly what she had been thinking. “What are you going to do?” She flinched when he sat on the edge of the bed. “Shannah, why are you suddenly afraid of me? Have I ever done anything to hurt you?” “No.” “You came to me looking for a vampire,” he reminded her again. “I can give you what you came looking for, if that’s what you truly want.” She looked at him, speechless, the fear inside of her growing even as she told herself that no matter what he said, vampires didn’t exist. It was impossible. A myth. And yet the signs had been there all th
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One “So,” Overstreet said, “what do we do now?” Hewitt shrugged. “Wait, I guess.” “What do you think she’ll do?” “I’m not sure. I guess she’ll either pack up and head for the hills or she’ll confront him with what we told her.” “That could be dangerous,” Overstreet remarked. “What if he decides to dispose of her to shut her up?” “It’s a possibility, but it was a chance we had to take.” “Yeah, well, I’d hate for anything to happen to the girl,” Overstreet said, “but I’m more worried about my own neck right now.” Hewitt nodded. “At least we know that he’s in the house, or somewhere nearby. If she won’t tell us where he sleeps, we’ll just have to go in and have a look around.” “How do you plan to do that?” “I’m working on it.” “Well, work faster. My next column is due soon.” Hewitt nodded. “I need to get a few things together before we go hunting.” Overstreet laughed. “Gonna hit the local Vampires R Us store?” “Something like that,” Hewitt said, grinning. “And then we’ll pa
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two Shannah woke late the next morning feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Sitting up, she stretched her arms over her head and smiled. Slipping out of bed, she pulled on her robe and went downstairs, noting, as she did so, that she felt strong again. Odd, how one day she felt as if she was at death’s door and the next she felt like she could run a marathon. She paused on the steps as a sudden recollection of the bizarre conversation she’d had with Ronan the night before jumped to the forefront of her mind. He was a five hundred year old vampire. She frowned as she continued on down the stairs. There was something else, something he had told her that she couldn’t quite recall. It suddenly seemed important that she remember what it was. Going into the kitchen, she turned on the coffeemaker, then sat down at the table, her chin cradled in her palm. What was it that she couldn’t remember? She closed her eyes, her fingertips drumming on the tabletop. They had been talking
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three “I have an idea,” Ronan remarked thoughtfully. Shannah glanced at him. “What kind of an idea?” They were sitting in the living room in front of the fireplace. Shannah had finished her dinner and Ronan had just returned from the hunt. Neither had mentioned where he had been or what they had discussed the night before. “I want to introduce you to some others of my kind.” “What? Why?” Her expression made it clear she wasn’t at all keen on the idea of meeting other vampires. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. “Because even I can’t keep you alive forever.” “Ronan…” “I want you to get a taste of what it’s like to live as a vampire, to see that, except for the obvious differences, they live like everyone else.” “I can see that just by living here, with you.” “No. In the last seventy years or so, I’ve lived like a hermit, staying in this house most of the time, content to concentrate on my books and my writing. It wasn’t until you came along that I realized how
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four Jim Hewitt paced the floor of his hotel room. “Dammit, where the devil are they?” With a shrug, Carl Overstreet sat back in the room’s only chair. “Beats the heck out of me. Maybe he left town and took her with him. Maybe he killed her.” Hewitt swore. They had staked out the vampire’s lair day and night. For the last week, there had been no visible sign of activity in the house. Alarmed, Hewitt had gone to the house and knocked on the door and when there was no answer, he had tried looking in the windows. Yesterday morning, he had broken a back window and gone inside, afraid of what he might find. But the house was empty. There was no sign of foul play. No sign of the vampire at all. He had found a small suitcase containing women’s clothes, and an overnight bag in the living room. He had found more clothing in the bedroom closet, which had him hoping that she was still alive and would be returning to the house sooner or later. On the other hand, he had known vampire
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five During the next several nights, Ronan introduced Shannah to a number of vampires, both male and female. Xavier and Tonio worked at the Aladdin, Michal worked at the Bellagio. Francine, who was tall and willowy with long blond hair and incredible green eyes, was a dancer in one of the night clubs on the Strip; Cleo was a standup comedienne, Domini was a cocktail waitress at the Diamondback. Shannah found them all to be rather charming, especially Pete Sandoval. She hadn’t expected to like Ronan’s friends, and she hadn’t expected them to like her, either. After all, they were vampires, predators, and she was prey. It was all so strange. Looking at them, she never would have guessed they were vampires. Of course, Ronan didn’t look like one of the Undead, either, most of the time. Except for Pete Sandoval, all the vampires Ronan had introduced her to were young in the life. Of course, vampires considered anyone under two hundred years old to be young. She watched them a
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six She dreamed of dying. Floating above her body, she watched the doctors who were gathered around her, trying in vain to revive her. She heard the hum and whine of the life support system, the voices of the doctors, sharp with urgency, and then a resigned voice saying, “It’s over, we’ve lost her.” She heard her mother’s hoarse cry of denial when the doctor called to deliver the sad news, saw the grief on the faces of her mother and father as they laid her to rest. Sealed inside a white coffin, she heard the dirt clods falling on the lid. She screamed in fear when she was unable to lift the lid. Sobbing, she begged them to let her out before it was too late, before she really was dead. She screamed until her throat ached, pounded on the lid of the casket until her hands bled, broke her fingernails in a vain effort to claw her way out. Heard her own scream of terror as she realized she was going to suffocate… “Shannah! Shannah, wake up!” “No! No! Let me out!” She lashed
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven “Shannah, why are you resisting this?” Ronan blew out a breath of exasperation. “I’m offering you what you came looking for.” “I know, but I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. Ronan, I don’t want to be a vampire. I can’t drink blood, or sleep in a…a…where you sleep. I just can’t!” “Shannah, love, you’re already a blood drinker. Trust me, being a vampire isn’t as bad as you think. Come out with me now, tonight. Let me show you what it’s really like.” “You mean, go with you when you…?” “Hunt,” he supplied. She shuddered at the images that single word brought to mind. Images of wolves stalking buffalo calves, lions attacking young gazelles, tigers dragging their prey into the treetops. She shook her head. “I don’t think I can do that.” “Of course you can.” He held out his hand. “Trust me, Shannah, just one more time.” After a moment’s hesitation, she laced her fingers with his and let him lead her out into the shadows of the night. She clung to Ronan’s hand as he wa
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight “Hewitt!” Overstreet called, a hint of panic in his voice. “Hewitt, come here!” “What’s wrong?” Jim Hewitt turned away from the kitchen table where he had been methodically sharpening several stout wooden stakes. “Come here and take a look at the girl.” “Why? What’s wrong with her?” “I don’t know. She looks…” Overstreet shook his head. “I think she’s…dead.” “What?” Knocking his chair over in his haste, Hewitt ran into the living room. He dropped down on one knee in front of the sofa and grabbed Shannah’s hand. Turning it over, he pressed his fingertips to her wrist, feeling for her pulse. “Dammit! What did you do to her?” “I didn’t do anything! One minute she was sitting there on the sofa, glaring at me like I was the devil incarnate, and the next she just sort of keeled over.” Hewitt swore again. “Is she dead?” “Not yet,” Hewitt said, gaining his feet. “She’s unconscious, though. Dammit!” Rising, Overstreet reached for his coat. “What are you doing?” “We’ve got to
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine Ronan woke an hour or so before the sun began to set. Rising, he immediately went to Shannah’s side. His Shannah, now cursed with the Dark Trick because he had been too weak, too selfish, to let her go. Never had she looked more beautiful. Her skin was radiant, her hair more lustrous than ever. He knew it would be another couple of hours before she woke. Fledglings required a great deal of rest. Only after a hundred years or so did they grow strong enough to rise before the setting of the sun. Needing to touch her, he brushed a kiss across her brow, laid his hand against her cheek, then drew back. The thought of facing her filled him with renewed terror. Would she accept what she had become? Would she refuse to accept it and walk out into the sunlight and end her new existence before it had truly begun? Or would she hate him for a thousand years and more? Too agitated to remain still, he went upstairs where he paced the halls, his senses focused on the woman sleepin
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty Ronan’s house was empty, as he had promised, when Shannah arrived later that night. She stood in the middle of the living room, her mind filling with memories of Ronan. His scent was here, so strong in her nostrils that she glanced over her shoulder to see if he had suddenly appeared in the room. She looked around, somehow expecting to find the house to be as changed as she was. Had it only been two nights ago that her entire life had turned upside down? It seemed an eternity had passed since then. When she had first come here, she had been deathly ill, weak, and afraid. Now, only a few short months later, she was healthy and whole, with the strength of ten mortal women, but she was still afraid. Afraid of what she had become, afraid of the future. How was she to survive? Where would she live? Eternity stretched before her, filled with eons of loneliness and separation from the rest of mankind. Why would anyone want such an existence? Knowing she couldn’t stay here, she
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One Shannah called her parents the next evening to tell them the good news. “Married?” her mother said, sounding somewhat hesitant. “Is that wise? I mean, well, you know, your health…” “I’m much better, Mom. The doctors were wrong about everything. I’m fine now.” “That’s all they had to say? They were wrong? All that worry and…” “Mom, I don’t want to talk about it. It’s over, and I’m getting married next month.” “Next month! Don’t you think you’re rushing into this a little hastily? I mean, you hardly know this man, not that it won’t be wonderful to have a celebrity in the family, but…” “I know all I need to know about him, Mom,” Shannah said. “We’re planning to get married at home, so you’d better start looking for a dress. And tell Dad to rent a tux.” “How soon will you be here?” “Not for a couple of weeks. Ronan and I have some things to take care of here first, business, you know. Will you see about the church? We’d like to have an evening ceremony.” “Evening?” Shann
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two Jim Hewitt sat in a rental car outside the Davis home. It had been sheer luck that he had seen the vampire and the woman leave the vampire’s house the night before. But then, sometimes luck was the best thing a man could hope for. He had called Overstreet, hoping for a little backup, but Carl had adamantly refused to get involved. “I don’t believe in pressing my luck,” the newspaperman had said. “And you’re a damn fool if you go after that bloodsucker again. He’s a mean one.” Hewitt had acknowledged that Overstreet was right, but it hadn’t kept him from following the vampire and the woman to the airport. He had managed to get a seat in coach on the same flight they were taking to New York. He had even managed to follow them to their hotel without being seen, obtained a room on the same floor, and made himself at home. Being a vampire hunter made it easy to keep vampire hours. He slept during the day and rose a couple of hours before sunset. He showered and ate, then
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three Shannah looked over at Ronan and smiled as he pulled onto the highway. “You were right.” “About what?” “My parents. They didn’t suspect a thing.” “I’m always right,” he said with a wink. “Always?” He nodded, then swore under his breath when he glanced in the rear-view mirror. “What’s the matter?” Shannah asked, glancing over her shoulder. “That damn fool’s following us again.” “Who?” she asked, then shook her head. “You don’t mean Hewitt?” “He’s behind us.” “He is?” She turned in her seat this time, her gaze scanning the traffic behind them. “I don’t see him.” “He’s in a black Taurus about six cars back.” With a sigh, she settled in her seat again. “Why doesn’t he just go away and leave us alone? We aren’t hurting anyone. Oh! You don’t think he’ll show up at the wedding, do you?” “I don’t know. I sure as hell hope not.” “Maybe we should have eloped, after all.” “I doubt it would have made any difference. The man’s as tenacious as a bull dog.” “What if he…” “Shannah
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four “That was cruel,” Shannah said. “To bring him across and then leave him without telling him what to do, what to expect.” They were sitting in the living room in front of a roaring fire. Earlier, they had carried their luggage and the useless wedding presents inside. The gifts were now housed in one of the upstairs bedrooms. “Cruel?” Ronan muttered. “I could have killed him. I should have killed him. But he’s one of us now.” “Born under a dark moon,” Shannah murmured. “Just like me. How will he get by, with no one to help him?” “The man’s been hunting vampires for years. He, more than most mortals, should know what to do.” “I guess so,” Shannah murmured somewhat dubiously. Then, with a sigh, she snuggled closer to his side. “I hope he’ll be as happy as I am, but I don’t know how he could be, since he doesn’t have you.” Ronan lifted one brow, and then he laughed. “Ah, Shannah, whatever did I do without you in my life?” “I don’t know,” she replied seriously. “But you’l
Chapter Thirty-Four
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