She lifted her chin defiantly. "I'm afraid so."
Mike swore softly. "Regan, how serious are you about this bloodsucker? You're not… you wouldn't…"
"There's nothing going on between us, Mike. He's a vampire, remember?"
"See that you remember that."
"Not to worry," she said, forcing a smile. "I haven't seen him in weeks."
"Regan, you know how I feel about you. Nothing's changed that." He took a deep breath. "Is there any chance for us?"
She laid her hand over his. "I'm sorry, Mike. I just don't love you the way you deserve."
Mike nodded, then gained his feet and headed for the door. "Be careful, Regan," he said, "I'm afraid humanity isn't as safe from the monsters as we thought we were."
Regan stared after him, wondering what he would say if he knew she was now one of the monsters.
Chapter 30
Zina stood at the window of Vasile's house, smiling as she stared out into the night. He had left for the States only moments ago.
No longer would she have to endure his physical and verbal abuse. She had wanted only one thing from Vasile and now she had it. She placed her hand over her womb, her heart swelling with love for the child she carried. Never again would she submit to Vasile's cruelty. If he ever laid a hand on her again, she would kill him. Though she had come to accept being a werewolf, she had never forgiven him for biting her. She had been a teenager when he attacked her. Before Vasile, she had dreamed of becoming a model or an actress, but Vasile had changed all that. He had bitten her and brought her here. She had been too afraid and too ashamed of what she had become to leave. But now…
"I could be free," she murmured, and wondered why she hadn't thought of it years ago. All she had to do was kill him and the curse would be broken. Her child would be born free of the curse. Killing Vasile… the thought gave her pause. It was against pack law for one werewolf to kill another, but she had a child to think of now. With Vasile dead, she could take her baby away from this place and live a normal life.
The more she thought about it, the more she warmed to the idea. She would be better off without him. The pack would be better off without him. Vasile ruled out of fear. In the past, the pack had been content to follow her in his absence. They would not miss him if he was gone a week, a month, or forever.
A familiar tingle told her that the moon was rising. Shedding her shoes and her clothing, Zina stepped out into the gathering darkness. Soon, the rest of the pack joined her. As soon as they all shifted, they gathered around her, rubbing their bodies against hers. They knew at once that she was with child.
With joyful yips and barks, the members of the pack bounded into the night, their humanity and all its cares left behind. There would soon be a new member of the pack. It was cause for rejoicing.
Feeling fulfilled for the first time in her life, Zina threw back her head and howled her happiness at the moon.
Chapter 31
Leaning back in her chair, Regan stretched her arms and legs. Of all the jobs she had considered, teaching hadn't been one of them, but here she was, teaching a six-week class at the Academy on how to recognize and destroy vampires. She had been surprised when the chief of police called to offer her the job, surprised and pleased. At last, she was working again, feeling productive again, and earning credits again. The number of her students would vary from class to class, depending on the number of Academy recruits, but her pay remained the same whether she had ten students or a hundred.
It was a dream job. According to her schedule, she would teach for six weeks, have four weeks off, then start a new class. Best of all, the classes were held during the day, sparing her the necessity of having to worry about coming up with reasons to stay home when the moon was full.
Sitting up again, she opened the file in front of her. It held the results of the test she had given her class earlier that day. Her students wouldn't be graded on this test. It was merely to determine the scope of their paranormal knowledge and discover where their strengths and weaknesses were. If they already knew basic vampire lore, so much the better.
She picked up the first test.
Circle all answers that apply:
Vampires
a. have hairy palms
b. can turn into mist
c. are repelled by crosses and garlic
d. cast no reflection in a mirror
e. can control the weather
f. have bad breath
g. can change shape
h. can shield their presence
i. will be burned by holy water and/or silver
j. can be destroyed by burning or beheading
k. can't cross running water…
Regan found herself mentally answering the questions as they applied to Santiago while she graded the paper. Santiago didn't have hairy palms. Quite the contrary, his hands were smooth and gentle when they caressed her. He had told her he could turn into mist. She didn't know if he was repelled by crosses, but she had it from his own lips that a vampire's aversion to garlic was just a myth. He could see himself in a mirror, but she didn't know if he could control the weather. He most definitely didn't have bad breath. She had seen him change into a wolf, and quite a handsome wolf, at that… odd, that Vasile looked ugly and misshapen in wolf form while Santiago simply looked like a wolf. She knew he could shield his presence when he wished. She didn't know what the effects of holy water or silver would be on him, but she assumed both would burn him, just as beheading or fire would destroy him. She was pretty sure the running water thing was a myth. After all, he had crossed oceans…
Santiago, Santiago, no matter where she was, he was constantly in her thoughts. Though she disliked being a werewolf, it assured her of seeing him two nights of every month.
It wasn't enough. What if she never found Vasile? Not that she was looking, but only because she had no idea where to look. She didn't know if he had left the city or left the country. Santiago was certain that the werewolf would return soon, but werewolves, like vampires, didn't view the passage of time the same way mortals did. Soon could be a month from now, or a year, or a century.
To live so long, she thought, and realized for the first time that she, too, could expect to live a very, very long time. What if Vasile eluded her for five years? Ten? Fifty? Did she want to remain alone all that time? As long as she was a werewolf, she couldn't enjoy a normal relationship with a human male. When viewed through the lens of a hundred years or more, did it really make sense to refuse Santiago? She might tire of him in a century or so. He might grow weary of her. But until then, why was she denying herself the joy she found in his company? He was the only one who truly understood her. And he loved her, loved her enough to respect her wishes, to run at her side when the moon was full. And she loved him. They could have a good life together…