Night's Mistress (Children of the Night)

by Ashley, Amanda

  Moving into the room, he whistled softly. He had been in some swanky homes in his time, but nothing quite like this. The walls, carpets, and twin sofas were white. A tall, slender Egyptian vase was filled with red silk flowers. A couple of red throw pillows and a trio of red tapers in a wrought-iron candelabra added additional splashes of color to the room.

  He crossed the floor to get a closer look at a glass-fronted curio cabinet that housed a variety of knickknacks, all with a decidedly Egyptian flavor. A large landscape that depicted the Nile River beneath a bloodred moon hung on the wall across from the cabinet.

  “Mind if I light a fire?” he asked.

  “That would be nice,” Mara said, and tried not to remember that she had once been able to ignite a fire with a mere wave of her hand. “Make yourself at home,” she said. “I’m going upstairs to change.”

  It was good to be back, Mara thought as she climbed the stairs. Of all the houses she owned, this was one of her favorites, the other being her hideaway in the mountains.

  She would have to buy a mirror or two, she thought. Perhaps a gilt-edged one for the living room, a full-length one for her bedroom, and an oval one for the wall behind the sink in the bathroom.

  She came to an abrupt halt when she opened her bedroom door. She wouldn’t have to buy a mirror for this room, after all. The beautiful antique oak looking-glass that Logan had bought for her stood in the corner.

  Blinking back her tears, she sank down on the edge of the bed. Murmuring, “Oh, Logan,” she buried her face in her hands and wept. She cried because she didn’t want to be human again, because she was afraid she would be a terrible mother, because Kyle loved her and she was afraid she didn’t really love him. She cried because she missed Logan, because, of all the men she had known in her lengthy existence, he was the only one who truly understood her and loved her anyway.

  Lifting a corner of the bedspread, she wiped the tears from her eyes. She had made her decision and she would live with it. She was mortal and pregnant and Kyle loved her. She had thought herself in love with him, but she knew now that it had only been infatuation. She was in love with Logan. Maybe she had always been in love with him, but once again, she had walked away from him, left him because she couldn’t bear to live with a man who was now stronger and more powerful than she was. She was jealous of his preternatural powers. It was too painful to be with him, to be constantly reminded of the supernatural abilities she had once taken for granted and no longer possessed.

  Shaking off her melancholy, she undressed and then, deciding a bath sounded relaxing, she slipped into her robe and went into the bathroom to fill the tub.

  When it was full, she tossed her robe aside. Muttering, “You’re as big as a whale,” she stepped carefully into the water.

  Closing her eyes, Mara rested her hands on her belly and tried to imagine what the baby looked like. She couldn’t wait to hold her son in her arms. Perhaps she would name him after Cleopatra’s one true love.

  “Antony,” she murmured. It was a nice name, a strong name, but one that held so many unhappy memories.

  “You’re frowning.”

  Opening her eyes, Mara looked up to see Kyle standing in the doorway. For centuries she had lived alone, bestowing her favors on those who pleased her, never giving away her heart, never letting anyone get close to her, running away whenever any of her lovers became too important or too demanding. Why was it that now, when she had lost her powers and apparently her ability to make a decision, she was attracted to two men? Men who were as different as night and day.

  Her gaze moved over Kyle. He was almost as tall as Logan, though not as muscular. His hair was short and brown where Logan’s was long and black. Kyle’s eyes were gray, Logan’s were dark brown. Each was handsome in his own way, although no mortal could hope to compete with a vampire’s preternatural allure.

  “I brought your suitcases upstairs in case you want to unpack later.”

  “Thank you.”

  He folded his arms over his chest, then rested one shoulder against the doorjamb. His gaze moved over her in a long, lingering glance filled with uncertainty and desire.

  Mara blushed under his lustful gaze.

  “Would you like me to wash your back?” he asked, his voice suddenly thick.

  She hesitated a moment, then nodded. “If you like.” Logan wouldn’t have asked, she thought with a pang. He would have climbed into the tub with her.

  She smiled inwardly as she watched Kyle walk toward her. One thing she loved about men was that they were unable to hide their lust. It was easy to see that Kyle was aroused by the sight of her reclining in a tub amid a froth of scented bubbles.

  She grinned inwardly. Perhaps he had a thing for whales.

  He dropped to his knees beside the bathtub and then, taking up the soap, he washed her back, then her shoulders and her neck.

  With a sigh, she closed her eyes as his soapy hands caressed her, easing the tensions of the day. Gradually, his hands moved lower, his touch turning from soothing to arousing.

  His breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “Ever made love in a bathtub?”

  “Not this one.” In most tubs, it would have been uncomfortable if not impossible, but her bathtub was like a small pool, easily big enough for two. Or, in this case, three.

  “I’m game if you are,” he said, his voice husky.

  She almost said yes, but then the baby moved, giving her the perfect excuse to say no without hurting Kyle’s feelings.

  “We shouldn’t,” she said, looking up at him. “This far along in my pregnancy . . . the doctor said it wouldn’t be a good idea, given my history and all.”

  Kyle wasn’t happy about her decision, but he accepted it with good grace.

  “Would you hand me a towel, please?” she asked.

  “Sure.” Rising, he helped her out of the tub. “Motherhood agrees with you,” he remarked, handing her a towel. “You’re even more beautiful than when we met.”

  “I’m fat.”

  “You’re not fat, you’re pregnant. And it looks good on you.”

  Tears stung the backs of her eyes. Logan had said the same thing not so long ago. She dried off quickly, then wrapped herself in a fluffy white robe.

  Coming up behind her, Kyle placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Kissing is still okay, isn’t it?”

  “Of course.” She closed her eyes as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently. She felt a rush of tenderness as his arms went around her, pulling her close. The baby chose that moment to give a lusty kick.

  “I think the baby’s jealous,” Kyle remarked.

  “Maybe you’re squishing him.”

  Kyle grunted softly. “I’ll be glad when he gets here.”

  She made a soft sound deep in her throat as he kissed her again, hard and quick, and then rained kisses along the curve of her neck. He nipped her earlobe, then nuzzled the sensitive skin behind her ear. She canted her head to the side, expecting the touch of fangs, and then felt a rush of disappointment. This wasn’t Logan. It was Kyle.

  The thought sobered her. Drawing away, she folded her arms over her middle.

  “Is anything wrong?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I’m just a little cold.”

  “How about some hot chocolate to warm you up? I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of hungry. I make a mean tuna melt.”

  She forced a smile. “Thanks. That sounds good.”

  He laughed softly. “I never thought I’d be fixing you dinner.”

  Mara lay awake long after Kyle had fallen asleep. She had never expected to see him again and now he was here, lying close beside her, his legs tangled with hers. He was excited about the baby. He wanted to marry her. She still couldn’t believe that he had found her, that he had been willing to become a vampire to be with her.

  “Mrs. Kyle Bowden,” she murmured. “And family.” Lying beside him, with his breath warm upon her cheek, she told herself that sh
e was happy, content. If she said it often enough, maybe she would begin to believe it. With each passing day, it was becoming easier to accept being human. Perhaps, in time, she would forget she had once been a vampire.

  She placed her hand on her stomach and smiled as she felt the baby kick. Being a vampire had been wonderful, exciting, a high like nothing else, but this . . . being pregnant . . . could there be anything in all the world more amazing than creating a new life and feeling it move inside you? A new life with unlimited possibilities. She had been powerful as a vampire, but even that didn’t compare to this. As a vampire she had only been able to take away life, not create it.

  She felt the sting of tears behind her eyes as she imagined holding her son in her arms, counting each tiny finger and toe, pressing a kiss to baby-soft skin. In Biblical times, women had considered it a curse if they couldn’t bear a child. Motherhood had been their reason for living. Elizabeth had borne a son to Zacharias in her old age and counted it a blessing. Rachel had envied her sister, Leah, because Rachel was barren. Modern women no longer felt it necessary to have children to prove their worth, but lying there, feeling her child move within her, Mara knew this was the reason for her existence.

  Kyle stirred beside her, scattering her thoughts. He loved her. He would take care of her and the baby. Holding to that thought, she kissed his cheek.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked, slipping his arm around her shoulders. “Is the baby keeping you awake?”

  “No, I was just lying here, feeling happy and maternal.”

  His arm tightened around her. “I intend to spend the rest of my life making you happy.”

  The rest of his life, she mused. How long would that be? Forty years? Fifty? The blink of an eye in the life she had once known. She thrust the memory away, then frowned as a new thought occurred to her. “How did you find me?”

  “I hired someone to look for you.”

  “Oh? Who?”

  “Who else?” he asked with a grin. “A vampire hunter.”

  Heart pounding, Mara bolted upright and switched on the light. “A vampire hunter? You sent a vampire hunter after me?”

  “Hey, take it easy. The contract was to find you, that’s all.”

  “Are you mad? No hunter worth the name would keep a bargain like that. Who was it? What was his name?”

  “Lou McDonald, and he’s a she.”

  “McDonald!” Mara shook her head. Among the vampire community, Lou McDonald was a name to be reckoned with.

  “She’s the one who gave me your doctor’s name. That’s how I found you.”

  Mara blew out a sigh. Leaving Nevada had been the smartest thing she had ever done.

  “I don’t know why you’re so upset,” Kyle said, sitting up. “She’s a vampire hunter, and you’re not a vampire anymore.”

  “It doesn’t matter. Don’t you understand? If she finds me, she’ll kill me.” Mara wrapped her arms around her middle in a protective gesture that was as old as time. “And the baby, too.”

  Mara bit down on her lower lip. She had bought this house using an alias. She carried no credit cards in her name, had no driver’s license. Her home phone was unlisted. There was no way for McDonald to find her. Finding Kyle was another matter. And if McDonald found Kyle . . .

  Mara shuddered. She had no desire to lose her head to a hunter’s wicked blade.

  “I’m sorry,” Kyle said. “I didn’t know how else to find you.”

  “You haven’t told her you found me, have you?”

  “No. We haven’t talked in a while. Don’t worry, I won’t let her know where you are . . .” His voice trailed off, and then he swore softly. “She can find you through me, can’t she?”

  “Yes. You can’t use any of your credit cards while we’re here. We’ll have to pay cash for everything. I bought this house under an assumed name, so I don’t think she can find us that way. If she calls you, don’t answer. It might be best if you got a new cell phone, a prepaid one like mine, so she can’t trace it.”

  Kyle lay back on the bed and drew her down beside him. “Calm down, Mara. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  She rested her head against his shoulder, her heart still pounding. She’d be no match for any hunter now. And it wasn’t just her life she had to worry about.

  “Listen, sweetie, I don’t know why you decided to leave Nevada, but . . .”

  Something in his tone annoyed her. Maybe it was the condescending way he said “sweetie.” Sitting up again, she put some space between them. “I left because I had a bad feeling about staying. Did I tell you that the doctor I was seeing is a vampire?”

  Kyle shook his head ruefully. “No, you forgot to mention that.”

  “He seemed nice enough in the beginning, but the last few times I saw him . . .” She worried a lock of her hair. “I can’t put my finger on anything concrete, but, I don’t know, he just creeped me out.”

  “So, who’s going to deliver the baby?”

  “I was thinking you would.”

  “Me?” He jackknifed into a sitting position, the color draining from his face. “Are you out of your mind? I’m not a doctor.”

  “I can’t have the baby in a hospital. They’d want insurance forms and personal info. I don’t have any identification.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’ve rarely needed any, and when I did, I just made whoever wanted to see my ID believe they had. But I can’t do that anymore. Besides, I can’t risk having them take my blood or the baby’s.”

  Kyle muttered an oath. She was right, of course. If the baby carried any trace of vampire blood, it would undoubtedly cause quite a stir among hospital personnel, especially when the mother was human.

  “We could be in big trouble,” he agreed. “What about your old vampire friends? Can’t they help?”

  Mara thought of Brenna and Cara and Savanah. Nice women, all of them. Cara and Savanah had both given birth. They would know what to do. But for some reason she didn’t understand, she was reluctant to ask for their help, reluctant to admit to anyone, including herself, that she needed help, even though she had never needed it more. She had chosen to stay with Kyle because he was human and because he was the baby’s father. She knew now that she would have been safer with Logan.

  Mara yawned behind her hand. She was tired. Her back hurt, and she was getting a headache.

  “We can talk about this tomorrow,” Kyle said, turning off the light. “You should get some sleep.”

  She curled up against him and closed her eyes, but sleep was a long time coming. She wished fleetingly that it was Logan lying beside her. He would know what to do. She wouldn’t be afraid to face McDonald or anyone else with Logan covering her back.

  The next few days went by slowly, and yet all too fast. Kyle turned one of the bedrooms into a studio, and Mara turned another one into a nursery. They rarely left the house except for groceries. Most nights, they snuggled on the sofa watching TV and necking like teenagers, some nights they played cards. At other times, they went for walks in the moonlight.

  One afternoon, Kyle suggested Mara pose for him before the baby came.

  “Like this?” Mara glanced at her stomach. She was as big as a horse.

  “You’re beautiful.”

  “I’m sure no one else would think so,” she muttered, and then smiled faintly. “But I’m glad you do.”

  “Come on,” he coaxed. “I’m tired of watching TV.”

  “Oh, all right. What should I wear?”

  “I was thinking of painting you in the buff.”

  “Nude? Are you serious?” She placed her hands on her stomach. “I don’t think so.”

  “All right. Hang on a minute,” he said, and left the room.

  Mara stared after him. What was he up to? She shook her head. Naked, indeed. She must have gained fifty pounds if she had gained an ounce.

  Kyle returned a few minutes later carrying a sheer panel from one of the bedroom windows.

  She eyed the cu
rtain suspiciously. “What are you going to do with that?”

  “You’ll see. Get undressed.”

  Minutes later, she was reclining on the sofa, her girth strategically camouflaged by the curtain, so that only her arms, legs, and shoulders were bare. A pot of greenery added a splash of color near her feet.

  Kyle regarded his handiwork a moment and then pronounced it, “Perfect!”

  Mara shook her head in amusement. “Only you would think so.”

  She watched his face as he worked, his brow furrowed in concentration, his brushes moving quick and sure over the canvas. After a time, she closed her eyes and Logan’s image crept into her mind. She imagined she heard his voice, soft and silky and filled with longing as he whispered that he loved her. In her mind, she yearned toward him, her body aching for the touch of his hand in her hair, the pressure of his lips on hers. And then his voice again, low and seductive, reminding her of the nights they had spent together, the love they had shared.

  “Mara? Hey, Mara, are you all right?”

  Feeling disoriented, she opened her eyes, expecting to find Logan standing over her. It took her a moment to remember where she was. “Oh. Kyle.”

  “Are you all right?” he asked again.

  “Of course. Why do you ask?”

  “You were talking in your sleep.”

  “I was?” A rush of guilt swept through her. Had she called Logan’s name? “What did I say?”

  “I don’t know. It was in a language I didn’t understand.”

  “I must have been dreaming.”

  “Yeah. It must have been some dream. Your cheeks are flushed.” He smiled faintly. “Can I hope you were dreaming about me?”

  “I . . . I don’t remember.”

  He regarded her a moment, his brow furrowed. “I thought you might want to take a break.”

  “Yes, I would. Thank you.”

  He offered her his hand, and she let him pull her to her feet. “Can we continue this tomorrow?” she asked. “I’m tired. I think I’ll go to bed.”