“No, but it will be my last chance to hold her. I am willing to suffer whatever punishment Rodin sees fit to inflict on me.”
“Very well,” Andrei agreed. “Katiya, will you dance with me?”
“You know I will.” She glanced at Drake. “If Rodin says anything, tell him this was at my request. Come, Andrei.”
Drake led Elena onto the floor as the pianist began to play. The music was unlike anything Elena had ever heard—soft and slow, yet there was a dark sensual edge to the notes. She gazed up at Drake as he drew her into his arms. He must have fed well, she thought. The burns and blisters accrued during his stay in the tower had all but disappeared from his face and he looked again like the dashing man she had fallen in love with such a short time ago. How was she going to live without him?
He held her close, his gaze never leaving her face. “Forgive me,” he murmured.
“There is nothing to forgive, my lord.”
“I could have killed you.”
“It doesn’t matter now.” Nothing mattered now, she thought, and perhaps never again.
“I am not giving up,” he said fervently. “No matter how long it takes, I will find a way for us to be together.” He caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “Unless you tell me you no longer love me.”
Conscious of the curious looks of the other dancers, she blinked back her tears. “I’ll love you till my dying breath,” she whispered. “And into eternity.”
“Elena.” He murmured her name and then a curious thing happened. He swept his gaze over her lips, and even though his mouth was not touching hers, she felt the press of his lips, warm and sweet, on her own.
When the music ended, Rodin stood beside them, his devil dark eyes glinting with barely suppressed fury. Andrei and Katiya appeared as if by magic.
Elena glanced anxiously at the three male vampires. Rodin looked ready to explode. Drake’s face was expressionless. Andrei appeared faintly amused.
Katiya smiled at her future father-in-law. “It was my doing,” she said, taking Drake’s hand in hers and squeezing it tightly. “Please do not blame Drake. I wished to dance with Andrei and Drake graciously permitted it.”
Rodin studied her face for several moments, as if trying to determine the veracity of her statement. Katiya met his gaze unwaveringly.
With obvious reservations, or perhaps to avoid a scene, Rodin muttered, “Of course,” and then, with a courtly bow, he strode away.
Elena glanced from Andrei to Katiya. It was easy to see they were very much in love. She wondered how Rodin could be so oblivious, but then she recalled Andrei telling her that vampires didn’t marry for love. Perhaps one had to experience the emotion to recognize it.
When the strains of another waltz filled the air, Drake reluctantly led Katiya onto the dance floor.
Andrei looked at Elena. “Shall we?”
“No, I think I’d like to go to my room, if you don’t mind. I feel a headache coming on.”
“Of course.” Taking her by the hand, he escorted her from the ballroom. “Maybe all is not lost,” he said as they walked down the corridor toward her quarters.
Elena shook her head. “The wedding is tomorrow night.”
“There is still hope that Katiya will find the courage to defy Rodin and her sire. I know Cezar has ignored her tantrums at being forced to wed against her will, but if she can find the nerve to say no during the ceremony . . .” Andrei swore softly. “All she has to do is say no. With so many witnesses, her sire may concede.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“I have to.”
He made it sound so easy, Elena thought when she was alone in her room. Just say no. She didn’t know about Katiya’s sire, but having seen how Rodin meted out justice, Elena doubted she would have the nerve to disobey the Master Vampire. Nor did she believe that Katiya’s father would accept her refusal. But, as Andrei said, it was the only hope they had.
After undressing, she washed her hands and face, pulled on her nightgown, and crawled into bed. She stared up at the ceiling, determined not to cry, but it was no use. Her tears came quickly, burning her eyes, scalding her throat. Tomorrow night, Drake would be forever lost to her. He would marry Katiya and give her children and Elena would never see him again, never lie nestled in his arms, never taste his kisses or experience the wonder of his body melding with hers.
Flopping over onto her stomach, she wailed softly into her pillow, then cried herself to sleep.
Elena woke abruptly, all her senses alert. She didn’t know what had awakened her but something—some innate sense of self-preservation perhaps—told her she was no longer alone.
She sat up, reaching for the lamp beside her bed. A scream rose in her throat and was trapped there when a large hand wrapped around her neck.
“Not a word,” hissed a voice in her ear. “If you cry out, I will break your neck. Understand?”
Heart pounding like the hooves of a runaway horse, she nodded as best she could.
Cool fingers caressed her cheek. “Ever since that first taste, I have hungered for more of your blood.”
Vardin! She shuddered as he ran his tongue along the side of her neck, then bit down hard on her earlobe.
He made ugly sucking noises as he drank, then smacked his lips. “Even better than I remembered.” He released his hold on her neck, then pulled her roughly into his arms, his hands sliding suggestively up and down her back and thighs.
“Why me?” she gasped, hoping to divert him. “There are plenty of sheep to satisfy your thirst.”
He snorted disdainfully. “I do not want one of the sheep. There is no fire in their blood. I want a tiger.”
Knowing he wanted resistance, she went lax in his arms. Perhaps, if she didn’t defy him, he would drink from her and let her go.
“Tomorrow night, Drake will wed Katiya, and when it is done, I will see that you are returned to the sheepfold. And then I will claim you as my own.”
She stared at him in horror. Could he do that?
“You will be mine until I tire of you.” Taking hold of the collar of her nightgown, he ripped it down the front. “But that will not be for a long, long time.”
With a hoarse cry, she tried to cover herself, but he trapped both her hands in his and began to kiss her, his tongue plunging into her mouth. Sheer terror welled up within her when he pushed her down on the bed, then covered her body with his.
Certain she would rather die than have him violate her, she screamed as loudly as she could.