His Dark Embrace

She dried off, dressed in a pair of silky black pants and an ice-blue sweater, ran a comb through her hair, and hurried down the stairs, wondering, in the back of her mind, what Sam would think if he knew Kaiden was a vampire. She would have to tell her brother the truth sooner or later. Or maybe she would let Kaiden do it.

Sky came to an abrupt halt when she saw Sam standing in the kitchen doorway, a look of astonishment frozen on his face. Soda leaked from a can on the floor, pooling around his feet.

“Sam, what’s wrong?”

When he didn’t move, didn’t answer, she started toward him, felt her own eyes widen in shock when Girard Desmarais stepped into view.

“You!” Sky exclaimed. “What are you doing here? How did you ... ?”

But the answer was obvious. Sam had unwittingly invited a monster into their home.

Kaiden glanced out the window, judging the time. It was still early. Sky and Sam were probably having dinner, which would give him time to satisfy his own hunger before he went to see Skylynn.

He thought briefly of driving across town in search of prey but then, eager to see Skylynn, he decided it would be faster to simply think himself where he wanted to go.

Moments later, he materialized in an alley between the Vista Verde bank and the post office. He didn’t have to wait long. The streets were always crowded on a Friday night. He took the first single female who crossed his path. He mesmerized her with a look, grateful that she was young and clean and smelled good. Closing his eyes, he bent his head to her neck, wishing, all the while, that it was Skylynn in his arms, her blood satisfying his thirst.

Ah, Skylynn. Was there ever a creature more lovely, more desirable? He had known many beautiful women in the course of his existence, made love to more than his share, and yet none of them had managed to capture his heart. He had never been one to believe in fate or give credence to the ridiculous theory of love at first sight. Nor had he ever believed in soul mates. Until now. He couldn’t deny that it seemed as if Skylynn McNamara had been created heart and soul for him and for no one else. The fact that she knew what he was and loved him in spite of it was nothing short of a miracle as far as he was concerned. He had done nothing to deserve such a rare and wondrous gift. Her love humbled him, made him long more than ever to be worthy of her trust.

If he could find the missing ingredient in Paddy’s formula, if he could make and keep a ready supply of the potion on hand, he could give Skylynn the kind of life she deserved. They could travel around the world together. With the potion, he could again walk in the daylight, visit places he had seen only at night. He longed to show Skylynn all the wonders of the world, to watch her eyes widen in awe as they explored distant parts of the globe that were as yet unknown to most of the civilized population. She would have nothing to fear with him. But, more than that, he longed to share the simple things of life with her—mundane things that mortals took for granted, like enjoying a good meal, strolling through the park on a bright summer morning, watching the beauty of a sunrise, listening to the rain on a quiet afternoon.

Thorne glanced at the woman in his arms. She looked up at him, her eyes blank. He shook his head. Caught up in wishing for an ordinary life, he had momentarily forgotten all about her.

A soft-spoken word released her from his spell and he sent her on her way, none the wiser.

Thorne stared after her. Why was he wasting his time yearning for a life he could never have? Skylynn was here, now. Best to spend as much time with her as he could, because time had become his enemy. Sooner or later, it would steal her away from him.

But for now, she was here and she was his. And with that thought in mind, he willed himself to Skylynn’s home, eager to take her in his arms.

He paused a moment on the sidewalk. Lights burned in the front window, as if to welcome him.

He frowned when he noticed the front door was ajar. Even before he reached the porch, he caught the unwelcome scent of Girard Desmarais.

Chapter 34

Skylynn had never known fear such as this before. Sure, she had been scared when her parents died, but Granda and Grams had been there to take care of her, and Sam had been there to comfort her. She had been afraid when Sam went missing. And learning that Kaiden was a vampire had been frightening at first. But even that didn’t compare to the soul-deep fear that now held her in its grasp. She didn’t know what magic Desmarais had worked on her and Sam, didn’t know what kind of preternatural power held them spellbound, but neither of them was able to move or speak. Nor did she know where they were.

She tried to remember what had happened after she’d come downstairs and found Desmarais in the living room, but fear for her life and that of her brother made it hard to think clearly. The only thing she really remembered was trying to revoke Sam’s invitation, but before she could say the words, Desmarais had worked some kind of vampire magic that left her incapable of speech. She didn’t remember leaving the house.

She glanced at her surroundings. The room was small and rectangular and sparsely appointed. She sat beside Sam on a narrow cot. The only other furniture was a straight-backed wooden chair and a square wooden table. A large crucifix hung on the stone wall behind the cot. Were they in a monastery? She seemed to recall that Desmarais was, or had been, a monk.

The vampire paced the floor in front of the cot. Watching him, she realized he was quite mad. She could see it in the fanatic glow in his eyes. What did he want with her and Sam? It couldn’t be the missing ingredient in the formula. He already knew she didn’t have it. So, what was he after?

Her whole body went suddenly numb as she realized what he wanted.

It wasn’t the missing ingredient.

It was revenge for his wife’s death.

She tried to speak, to beg him to spare her brother’s life. Sam had no part in this. He didn’t deserve to die. He had already been through hell. But, try as she might, she could not force the words past her throat.

Fear twisted inside her belly when Desmarais stopped pacing to stand in front of her. His eyes were cold, unblinking, like those of a snake.

His hand was like ice against her cheek when he touched her. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to kill you. Yet. But I am terribly thirsty. It’s part of being a new vampire, you know, the constant yearning for blood.” He smiled, revealing his fangs. “But, all things considered, quite enjoyable.”

Had she been able, she would have tried to fight him off but, rendered helpless by his preternatural power, she could only sit there while he grasped her shoulders in his bony hands. She winced as his fingers dug into her flesh.