Night's Touch (Children of The Night 2)

“Your curiosity about what?”

He ran his fingertips up and down her neck, traced the outline of her ear and her cheek. “How you’d taste.”

“Doesn’t everyone taste the same?” She couldn’t believe they were standing on her front porch having this conversation.

“No.”

“I didn’t know blood came in flavors,” she muttered.

“I’ve never tasted anything as sweet as you, darlin’.” Resting his forehead against hers, he inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent of her hair, her skin, her life’s essence. “You’ve spoiled me for everyone else.”

She was flattered, and then wondered why. It wasn’t as if he was complimenting her on a new hairstyle or a new dress or the color of her eyes. He was saying he liked the taste of her blood!

“Guess I shouldn’t have said that,” Vince drawled.

Cara lifted one shoulder and let it fall. “No one’s ever complimented me on my blood before,” she said, laugher evident in her tone. “I’m not sure what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything, except that you still love me.” He canted his head to one side. “You do, don’t you?”

Standing on her tiptoes, she laced her hands behind his neck and kissed him, long and slow. “What do you think?”

“I think I loved you the first time I saw you at The Nocturne,” he replied. “And I’ll love you for as long as you live.”

“I love you, too. Please don’t be angry if sometimes I seem…”

“Disgusted by what I am?”

“No, not that!” She pressed her fingertips to his lips. “It’s just all so new. You, my parents…sometimes I feel like I’m the one who’s different.”

She thought about those words as she drifted off to sleep and wondered what they would mean to any child they might bring into their home. She thought about her own childhood and how strange it had been. Of course, her son or daughter wouldn’t have two parents who were vampires, or a father who was only there at night. Vince could be active during the daytime, and Cara would be there to take their child to school and go to conferences and school plays and award ceremonies. She could attend graduations and birthday parties and piano recitals. Her child’s life would be normal, or as close to normal as Cara could make it. If Vince was willing, they might even adopt more than one…

It was her last thought before sleep claimed her.

Cara and Vince decided to be married as soon as possible. Cara and Brenna spent every evening for the next week shopping for wedding dresses. Cara didn’t know how she would ever decide on a gown, since she loved every one she tried on, whether it was short and sexy or long and elegant. It was the same with veils. She liked the shoulder-length ones; she liked the long ones.

Now, standing in front of a three-way mirror clad in a froth of white lace, she glanced at her mother. “I love this one, too! I’ll just have to ask Vince which dress he likes the best.”

“Don’t you know that’s bad luck, for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding?”

“You don’t believe that, do you?” Cara asked, surprised that a woman who was a witch and a vampire would believe some silly superstition; then again, maybe her mother believed it because she was a witch and a vampire!

Brenna grinned. “Why take chances?”

With a sigh, Cara went into the dressing room to change into her own clothes. She absolutely loved trying on wedding gowns, but sooner or later, she was going to have to pick one. Or maybe not, she thought with a grin. She loved shopping with her mother. When they weren’t looking at wedding gowns, they were buying things for Cara’s house—new sheets for the bed, a picture for above the fireplace, a scratching post for Cat, and a new screen for the fireplace. Brenna bought Cara a sheer black nightgown for her wedding night, a pair of matching slippers, and several sets of sexy underwear in a variety of colors.

In addition to buying things for the wedding and the wedding night, Cara and Brenna shopped for Christmas presents for their husbands. Cara loved walking through the mall, looking at all the decorations and listening to the Christmas carols. She and Vince had spent the night before putting up Christmas lights and looking for a tree. Cara had always loved the Christmas season, but never more than this year, when Vince was there to share it with her.

Cara and her mother were leaving the mall Tuesday night after yet another shopping spree when Cara had the feeling that they were being followed. Frowning, she glanced over her shoulder to see two gray-clad women walking along the street behind her and her mother. A chill ran down Cara’s spine as she recalled the two women she had seen in Serafina’s book shop. She told herself she was being silly. These weren’t even the same women she had seen.

“Something wrong, dear?” Brenna asked. “You look as white as a ghost.”

Cara looked at her mother. “What?”

“I asked you if something was wrong.”

Cara shook her head, then glanced over her shoulder again. There was no sign of the two gray-clad women. Nevertheless, she was glad when they reached her car.

Vince was waiting for her when she and her mother got home. One look at him and she forgot everything else.

“So, how did the shopping go?” he asked. “Did you find a dress yet?”

“Dozens of them!” she replied.

He shook his head. “What’s the problem?”

“She can’t make up her mind,” Brenna said.

“She never could,” Roshan said, smiling fondly at his daughter. “Remember how long it took her to decide on a car?”

“Weeks,” Brenna said.

Vince groaned as he drew Cara into his arms. “At this rate, we’ll never get married,” he muttered, then frowned at her. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

“Of course not. But the dresses are all beautiful.”

“And she looks beautiful in them,” Brenna said.

“I’m sure she does,” Vince agreed. “How about if I pick one out?”

“Don’t you know it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her gown before the wedding?” Cara asked, winking at her mother.

Vince shrugged. “I won’t see you in it, I’ll just pick it out.” He nuzzled her neck. “I’m getting tired of living alone.”

“All right, I’ll pick one out tomorrow, I promise.”