He held her all through the night, afraid to leave her alone. In the early hours of the morning, he insisted she take more nourishment. Had she been an ordinary mortal, he would have given her his blood, but he wasn't sure how her body would react. He and Vasile had tasted each other's blood, but they had ingested only a small amount. He had no idea what effect his blood would have on Regan in her current state. It might make her stronger. It might be fatal. It was a risk he didn't dare take.
His skin tingled as dawn's first light brightened the sky, and still he held her, reluctant to let her go, afraid that if he left her, he would never see her again. He told himself he was being ridiculous. The color had returned to her cheeks. Her breathing and her heartbeat were normal. And still he held her, held her until it was too late for him to leave her house and seek his lair.
Swearing softy, he put her to bed, then went in search of a place to spend the day.
Regan woke reluctantly. She had been having such a beautiful dream, she hated to see it end. In it, Santiago had made love to her all night long—slow, sweet love that had satisfied her on every level and still left her hungering for more. She smiled, remembering. He had been a wonderful lover, creative, masterful, yet caring and tender. And because he was a vampire, he never grew weary, never had to rest. He had brought her to fulfillment again and again, made her weep with the beauty and the wonder of it. Now, she felt herself blushing as she remembered all the ways, and all the places, where they had made love. If only it hadn't been a dream…
She felt a little dizzy when she sat up. Once the room stopped spinning, she glanced at her surroundings. She didn't remember going to bed last night; in fact, she didn't remember much of anything after coming home from her date with Michael. She frowned. Santiago had been here, waiting for her. He had followed her into the house. They had kissed and… She frowned. Her recollections grew hazy after that.
Rising, she went into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth, washed her hands, face, and neck… felt a jolt when her fingertips touched the skin beneath her ear. With a growing sense of trepidation, she turned her head to the side and looked in the mirror, blinked, and looked again. Good grief, were those bites on her neck?
Leaning forward, she examined the tiny puncture wounds more closely.
Vampire bites. She had seen enough to know what they looked like.
She went suddenly cold all over.
Santiago had bitten her last night.
And taken her blood.
She remembered now, though her recollection was none too clear. He had kissed her until she was lost in his touch and then he had taken her blood. She remembered his voice, thick with worry when he demanded that she eat, that she drink. He had held her all night long. She remembered waking several times, always in his arms, always hearing his voice, low and soothing, telling her to go back to sleep, assuring her that everything would be all right.
Returning to her room, Regan sat on the edge of the bed as a new thought occurred to her. The sun had been up the last time he had offered her something to eat. He couldn't have left the house when the sun was up. So, where was he now?
Recalling that he had slept under one of the motel beds when they were traveling, she stood and looked underneath her bed, but there was no sign of him. She checked the closet, even looked inside the cedar chest at the foot of her bed, though how he could fit his tall frame inside was beyond her.
But he wasn't there, either.
Putting on her slippers, she toured the house, looking in every conceivable place she could think of, but to no avail. Returning to the living room, she sat down on the sofa, her legs tucked beneath her. Where could he be? Remembering how he had cloaked his presence from her when they were in the cave, she knew he could be right in front of her and she wouldn't see him if he didn't want her to. A handy trick, she thought, and wondered if werewolves possessed that ability.
Too nervous to sit still, she went into the kitchen and punched in the code for a cup of coffee. When it was done, she carried it out onto the veranda and sat in the sun. The deck had been the main reason she rented the apartment. At night, she could see the lights of the city; during the day, she had a grand view of the mountains beyond.
She tried to relax but it was disconcerting, knowing there was a vampire in the house but not knowing where he was.
She thought about her date with Michael the previous night. He had sensed there was something different about her. How had he known? She looked the same on the outside. Did he have some sort of psychic power she wasn't aware of that allowed him to delve into her mind? Or had he sensed her internal unrest? Even when she wasn't consciously thinking about the next full moon or what had happened during the last one, the memory was always there, destroying her peace of mind, filling her with dread as she contemplated what was coming.
She was glad when the phone rang. Right now, any distraction would be welcome. "Hello?"
"Hey, Reggie."
"Michael. I was just thinking about you."
"Good things, I hope. Listen, I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. I had a phone call from my sister. Her husband was in an accident and she needs me to drive her to the hospital. I'll probably stay with her tonight."
"Sure, Mike, I understand." His sister, Jean, was pregnant and ready to deliver any minute. "Give her my love."
"Will do. I'll give you a call when I get a chance."
Regan said good-bye and hung up the phone, relieved that she wouldn't have to go out tonight and pretend everything was all right.
Picking up her cup, she sipped her coffee, aware of the taste and the aroma in a way she never had been before.
Werewolf. The word whispered through her mind. Sitting there, her face lifted to the sun, it seemed unreal, like a bad dream, but she knew it was all too true. She remembered it all so clearly, the intense pain as her body shifted, her heightened awareness of the world around her, the horrible hunger for flesh, any flesh, the giddy excitement of the hunt, and the exhilaration of the kill. Even in wolf form, she had been aware of Santiago's presence and found comfort in knowing she wasn't alone, just as she found a measure of comfort now, knowing he would be with her during the next full moon.
She shook her head. Why had this happened to her? And where was Vasile? She had to find him—and destroy him. It was the only way to break the curse.
She took a deep breath. She could do it. She had hunted vampires… but Vasile wouldn't be lying helpless in a coffin.
She wished Santiago could fight this battle for her. Unfortunately, it was something she had to do herself.