Night's Pleasure

by Amanda Ashley

  “Is that an invitation?”

  She hesitated a moment, then said, “Only if you want it to be.”

  “What do you think?”

  She pretended to consider it a moment, then smiled. “I think the bed is big enough for two.” In point of fact, it was big enough for three or four. The thought made her cheeks burn hotter.

  “Maybe we’ll find out later,” Rane said, winking at her. “Do you want to help me carry in our bags?”

  “Sure.”

  Savanah followed Rane outside. Since they had stopped at the store earlier, there were several sacks of groceries in addition to their luggage. It took only a few minutes to collect everything. Rane dropped their luggage on the floor inside the front door, then took two of the grocery bags from Savanah’s arms and followed her into the kitchen.

  Savanah opened the nearest cupboard. She didn’t know why she was surprised to find it empty. However, a second cupboard was filled with a set of beautiful crystal wineglasses.

  She looked at Rane askance.

  He shrugged. “My family likes a glass of wine now and then.

  Savanah nodded, wondering if wine was the only thing his family drank out of the delicate stemware.

  “What about the stove and refrigerator? Don’t tell me your family likes to cook, too?”

  He chuckled. “No, but occasionally Mara brings a mortal to visit.”

  Savanah looked at him, a question in her eyes.

  “She takes mortal lovers from time to time,” he explained with a shrug. “They need food and drink.”

  She couldn’t help wondering if Mara’s mortal visitors became food and drink, but she didn’t ask. Shaking off the morbid thought, she opened the refrigerator to put the milk, butter, vegetables, fruit, and cheese away. “Does she keep the electricity on all the time?”

  “No. I called ahead.”

  With a nod, Savanah closed the door. It took only moments to put away the rest of the groceries. With nothing else to do, she felt suddenly awkward and uncertain.

  “Come on,” Rane said, “let’s go sit in front of the fire and relax.”

  “All right.”

  Savanah sat on one of the sofas, her legs curled beneath her. Rane sat at the other end, one arm draped along the back of the couch. Silence stretched between them.

  Savanah watched the flames dancing in the stone hearth, her thoughts filled with memories of her father. It was hard to believe she would never see him again, never hear him crack his silly jokes, or read his funny e-mails. Never again would they argue politics, or stay up late working out the details of a newspaper article. Tears burned the backs of her eyes and the next thing she knew, she was sobbing.

  She hadn’t seen him move, but in the space of a heartbeat, Rane was sitting beside her, his strong arm around her shoulders. She collapsed against him, needing his strength, grateful for his hand lightly stroking her hair, his voice assuring her that, in time, she would be able to remember the good times she had spent with her father without feeling the pain of his loss.

  “How long?” she asked. “How long will it take for the pain to go away?”

  “It varies,” he said, brushing a kiss across the top of her head. “Usually a year or two, but it will get a little easier to bear every day.”

  A year or two. It sounded like forever.

  With a sigh, she snuggled against his side. Never, in all her life, had she been so confused. She was supposed to be a Vampire hunter, yet here she was, cuddling on the sofa with one of the Nosferatu when she should be thinking of ways to take his head. She was grieving for her father, wondering what to do with the rest of her life, yet she had invited Rane to share her bed. Did she really want to hunt Vampires? Did she want to continue working for the Chronicle? Would she be happier if she sold the house and moved to a new city? Someplace she had never been before, where there were no memories to remind her of all she had lost? She wished she had a crystal ball she could gaze into and see her future.

  She wished…that Rane would kiss her.

  Slowly, he drew her into his arms, his dark eyes searching hers, giving her plenty of time to change her mind.

  For once, she was glad he could read her mind. It made everything so much easier. His kiss was long and slow and tender, masterful without being demanding, asking nothing, giving her only pleasure and forgetfulness.

  Rane gazed down at Savanah. Her even breathing told him she had fallen asleep, her head pillowed on his chest, one arm draped across his waist. It amazed him that she trusted him enough to rest in his embrace. Of course, she had no idea how her blood called to him, whispering to his hunger. He could almost taste her on his tongue, feel the warmth of her life’s essence sliding down his throat.

  What was he to do with her?

  He eased the hair away from her neck. Such a lovely neck, smooth and slender. His gaze was drawn to the pulse beating slow and steady in the hollow of her throat, echoing the rhythm of her heart’s beat, calling to him, tempting him.

  A taste, he thought. Just one taste, to ease his hunger, to satisfy his unholy craving. Just one taste…

  He scraped his fangs along her throat. She stirred but didn’t wake.

  It took all the self-control he possessed to pull away. Cursing himself, he carried her up the stairs and put her to bed before his hunger overcame his willpower, and then he left the house.

  A thought took him into the town. Although it was little more than a stop-off place for tourists, it boasted several nightclubs, all of which were open.

  He picked the one closest to the edge of town. Going inside, he took a place at the bar, ordered a glass of dry red wine, and waited.

  It didn’t take long. A woman who had been sitting by herself moved toward him, her hips swaying provocatively, her lips parted in a smile that told him all too clearly what she wanted. He watched her saunter toward him, her black leather skirt so tight, he wondered how she could walk at all. A low-cut, off-the-shoulder, pink sweater revealed an expanse of creamy white skin.

  Rane smiled back. Though she didn’t know it, only one of them would get what they wanted that night.

  “I’m Diane,” she said, sliding onto the bar stool next to his. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  He lifted his glass. “I have one, thank you.”

  “Anything else I could get you?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, willing to play the game. “What do you have in mind?”

  Her fingers trailed down his chest, then settled on his thigh. “Don’t you know?”

  “I’ve got a pretty good idea,” Rane replied, thinking there were all kinds of predators.

  She slid her hand up and down his thigh, moving a little higher each time, until Rane caught her hand in his. “Let’s take it slow, shall we?”

  She shrugged. “Slow or fast, honey, whatever you want. My place is just around the corner.”

  With a nod, Rane put his glass on the bar. “Let’s go.”

  She lived in a modest cabin at the end of a long driveway. A single light burned in the window.

  He waited on the porch while she opened the door. She was a few steps inside before she realized he hadn’t followed.

  “What are you waiting for?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

  “An invitation.”

  “Well, come on in, sugar,” she purred, tossing her handbag and keys on a shabby green-and-gold sofa. “I’ve got something to show you.”

  Rane grinned as his tongue brushed his fangs. “I’ve got something to show you, too.”

  Chapter Twenty

  He was coming for her. She could see his eyes glowing red in the darkness, feel his presence looming over her like the angel of death. He smiled. His fangs were long and very white in the darkness. She opened her mouth to scream, but the only sound that emerged was a pitiful whimper. He had been deceiving her all along, making her think she could trust him, comforting her the night her father died. Lies, all lies. He had waited only for this moment, when she was fa
r from home, alone and at his mercy. Only, he wasn’t going to be merciful. His breath was like fire against her neck as he bent toward her, his red eyes blazing with an unholy light. Fear held her motionless. He was going to kill her, the way her mother had been killed, the way her father had been killed…

  She had to scream. If she could only scream, he would go away.

  “No! No!”

  Savanah awoke to the sound of her own frantic cries ringing in her ears. Jackknifing to a sitting position, she glanced around the unfamiliar room, then placed a hand over her heart, hoping to calm the panic that roiled up inside her. Where was she? Where was he?

  The thought had no sooner crossed her mind than Rane burst into the room. “Savanah? What’s wrong?”

  Momentarily speechless, she stared up at the man outlined in the doorway. The frightening creature from her nightmare. She blinked and it was just Rane standing there, his brow furrowed with worry as he moved through the dark room toward her.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  She nodded, her heart still pounding in her ears as her gaze moved over him. He was shirtless and barefooted, his hair sleep-tousled. “I’m sorry. I had a bad dream.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and switched on the table lamp. “Better?”

  She nodded, the last vestiges of her nightmare vanishing as welcome light filled the room. “What time is it?”

  “A little after four.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up….”

  “You didn’t.” Brushing a lock of hair from her forehead, he smiled reassuringly as his fingers caressed her cheek. “Everything’s all right. Go back to sleep. I won’t let the bogeyman get you.”

  With a nod, she slid under the covers and closed her eyes. But what if he was the bogeyman?

  Her nightmare seemed foolish in the morning. Sitting up in bed, Savanah stretched her arms over her head. A glance out the window showed the sun was up and shining brightly.

  She wondered where Rane had gone. She had invited him to share the room with her, but maybe he preferred to take his rest alone.

  Going into the bathroom, she washed her face and brushed her teeth and then, because she hadn’t done it the night before, she unpacked her suitcase. Even with all she had brought, her clothes took up very little room in the enormous closet. She considered unpacking Rane’s suitcase, and then decided against it, thinking he might not like her going through his things.

  After slipping her mother’s Vampire-hunting kit under the bed, Savanah went downstairs. Coffee. She needed coffee—lots of it. And something to eat.

  She peeked into the other bedrooms on her way to the kitchen. Both beds were empty. He wasn’t in the rec room, either.

  Frowning, she wondered where Rane had gone. Not outside, surely. He had to be in Mara’s lair, she thought, since it was the only place she hadn’t looked.

  After breakfast, Savanah showered and dressed. Being in a strange house, a Vampire’s house, made her feel decidedly uncomfortable. Without Rane to vouch for her, she had no idea how she’d explain her presence if the owner showed up.

  With a shake of her head, she went out by the pool. It was a beautiful day, mild and clear. The patio was shaded by a white latticed cover that made pretty patterns on the cement. Birds sang in the trees, sunlight sparkled on the surface of the pool. She wished she had packed a bathing suit and then, looking around, decided she didn’t need one, since a high wooden fence surrounded the backyard. There was no other house for miles.

  Feeling daring, she undressed and dove into the pool, yelping as her sun-warmed flesh hit the cool water.

  After a few laps, the water didn’t feel so cold anymore. She swam for twenty minutes, enjoying the beauty around her, the feel of the water moving over her bare skin, the warmth of the sun’s light on her face. Poor Rane, to forever be denied such simple pleasures.

  She floated for a few minutes, her eyes closed, her thoughts drifting toward Rane, as they did so often. Abruptly, she opened her eyes, unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She glanced around, but there was no one in sight. The only other living thing in the vicinity was a bushy-tailed squirrel watching her from the branch of a tree that hung over the fence.

  With a shiver of unease, Savanah climbed out of the pool, grabbed her clothes, and hurried into the house to dry off.

  Later, feeling somewhat bored, she found Rane’s car keys and drove into town. The car was like the man, she thought. Smooth and sleek and a little bit dangerous.

  Savanah eased off the gas as she turned onto the main street. She hadn’t been able to see much of the town when they stopped at the store last night; this afternoon, she noticed how quaint the buildings were. The streets were clean, lined with tall pines. A pretty park made a splash of green at the end of the town; several young women and children were frolicking in a pool located near the center of the park. A number of people were standing in line at the corner Cineplex. On the spur of the moment, Savanah decided to take in a movie. It was one she had been wanting to see, a remake of an old John Wayne flick, and she couldn’t think of a better way to forget her troubles than to lose herself in a good, old-fashioned, shoot-’em-up.

  As it turned out, the movie wasn’t as good as she’d hoped, but then she wasn’t surprised. Remakes were rarely as good as the original. After leaving the theater, she stopped at a small café for a tuna salad sandwich and a chocolate shake, then browsed a couple of gift shops. At the Bon Ton Ladies Shoppe, she bought a green polka-dot sundress, a pair of white sandals, a bathing suit, and a beach towel. She added a hot pink T-shirt and a pair of jeans for good measure, and headed for home.

  Only, the cabin in the woods wasn’t home. Sadness fell over her like a dark cloud. Her father was gone and home would never be the same again. Perhaps she would sell the house….

  Shaking off her maudlin thoughts, she focused on the scenery. Tall trees and lacy ferns grew on both sides of the winding road. Wildflowers in rainbow hues grew intermittently, adding splashes of color to the edge of the roadway. She hit the brake when a doe bounded across the road. Slowing down, Savanah took a deep breath, thinking the winding mountain road was just as dangerous, in its own way, as the five o’clock traffic back home….

  Home. Tears burned her eyes and she let them fall, hoping they would help to wash away the grief that welled up from deep inside.

  It was just after sunset when Savanah pulled up in front of Mara’s house. She sat in the car for a few minutes; then, shaking off her melancholy, she grabbed her purse and shopping bags and went inside.

  Rane was waiting for her just inside the front door. “Where have you been?”

  “I went into town.”

  “Do you think that was wise?” A muscle throbbed in his jaw as he fought to control his temper. “Have you forgotten why I brought you here?”

  “I thought it would be all right during the day. The Vampire…”

  “Isn’t working alone,” he reminded her. “Werewolves have no aversion to the sun.”

  “I guess I just wasn’t thinking.”

  “Well, you’d damn well better start! These people are playing for keeps, Savanah, remember that.” He muttered an oath as her eyes filled with tears. Drawing her into his arms, he said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you, but you’ve got to be more careful. I can’t protect you if you’re not here.”

  She dashed the tears from her eyes. She wouldn’t cry. Rane was right. She had to keep her wits about her.

  “So, what did you buy?” he asked.

  “Nothing much. A sundress and some shoes, a bathing suit…”

  He looked down at her, a roguish grin playing over his lips. “You didn’t wear one this afternoon.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I watched you swimming in the pool.”

  She blinked at him. “I knew someone was watching me.”

  “Did you?”

  “Where were you? I didn’t see you?”

&
nbsp; “Up in the attic.”

  “Is that where you…ah, slept?”

  “No. I slept in Mara’s lair.”

  “What were you doing in the attic, then?”

  “Watching you.” He ran his fingertips over her cheek. “It would be a shame to hide that beautiful body under a bathing suit.”

  Knowing he had been watching her swim and that he found her beautiful unleashed a flurry of butterflies in her stomach.

  “Maybe we could go skinny-dipping together sometime,” she suggested.

  “I’m game if you are.”

  Heat pooled low in her belly as she visualized the two of them swimming naked in the moonlight. What would it be like, to feel the length of his body pressed against her own, wet skin sliding intimately over wet skin?

  His grin told her he was thinking along the same lines. “Perhaps in an hour or so,” he said, “after we’ve both had time to dine.”

  His words were like a splash of cold water in her face, reminding her anew that although they sometimes thought alike, they were worlds apart.

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “Keep the doors and windows closed and locked. I won’t be gone long.”

  She nodded, her mind shying away from the image of Rane bending over some poor unsuspecting woman, his fangs piercing the tender flesh of her throat, stealing her life’s essence, and perhaps her life, as well. What was she doing, spending time with a Vampire, when she was supposed to be hunting them, killing them? It was a question she had asked herself before, a question with only one answer, foolish as it was: she was in love with him. It gave new meaning to the phrase “dying for love.” And yet, even if she didn’t have deep feelings for Rane, she knew she would never be able to destroy him. He had comforted her when she needed comfort most, looked after her, brought her here to protect her. She laughed softly. Maybe love really was blind.

  For Savanah, dinner was a chicken Caesar salad, a thick slice of cantaloupe, and a glass of iced tea. For some reason, swallowing the tea made her think of Rane, out prowling the shadows looking for prey. What was it like, to exist on a warm liquid diet? Did he ever miss real food, or think about sinking his teeth into a tart apple or a juicy orange instead of living flesh?