His Dark Embrace

by Ashley, Amanda

“Are you speaking from experience?”

  He braked at a stoplight. “Yeah. It’s a mistake I never made again.” He stepped on the gas when the light turned green.

  “Do the werewolves—are there more than one?”

  “A few more.”

  “Do they have to ask your permission to stay here, too?”

  “Yep. Vampires are at the top of the food chain, so to speak, followed by demons and werewolves, then fairies and goblins and ogres, then ...”

  “Fairies? Goblins? Ogres? I don’t believe you.”

  He grinned at her. “Okay, I made up the goblins and the ogres.”

  “And the fairies?”

  “No, they exist, or so I’m told. I’ve never met one.”

  Sky looked out the window, her mind filling with images of cartoon fairies—the three who looked after Sleeping Beauty, cute little Tinker Bell flitting around Neverland, and the lovely Blue Fairy who turned Pinocchio into a real boy. Did actual fairies look anything like their cartoon counterparts? That they could even be real was inconceivable but she couldn’t deny she had a burning desire to see one.

  Minutes later, Thorne pulled up in front of her house and cut the engine. “Get whatever you need and then we’ll go to my place.”

  “What? Oh, right. I forgot we’re staying with you.”

  Thorne followed her into the house and up the stairs, stood in the bedroom doorway while she threw a nightgown and a change of clothes into a small bag, along with her hairbrush, toothbrush, and makeup. Going downstairs, she tossed in a magazine and a paperback book.

  “I guess I’m ready,” she said.

  “Are you sure you’ve got everything? I don’t want you coming back here alone tomorrow.”

  She glanced around the room, her expression thoughtful, and then she went into the kitchen. She found a cardboard box and began filling it with foodstuffs. “I’ll need to go to the store tomorrow night. I’m almost out of milk.”

  “Will you need anything else before then?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” She added a box of hot chocolate and a bag of mini marshmallows. “I’ve got all the necessities.”

  Thorne stared at the box of hot chocolate. He could just barely remember what it had tasted like—warm and rich and smooth. But it wasn’t cocoa he was thirsty for at the moment. He lifted his gaze to the woman who was rummaging through one of the cupboards. Her blood was also warm and rich and smooth.

  She turned to face him, a loaf of bread in her hand. Whatever she had been about to say was forgotten when she saw the look in his eyes.

  “Sorry,” he said with a shrug. “You have your favorite drink, and I have mine.”

  “You haven’t fed yet, have you?”

  “No. I’ll wait until Sam gets back.”

  Sky dropped the bread into the box. “You don’t have to go out, Kaiden,” she said, and taking him by the hand, she led him into the living room. Sitting on the sofa, she pulled him down beside her, then tilted her head to the side.

  “Sky, you don’t have to ...”

  She pressed her fingertips to his lips, stilling his words. “Shh, I want to.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course I am. It feels wonderful, you know.”

  “So they say.” He stroked her nape. “It’s been a long time since Cassandra fed on me.”

  “Don’t vampires drink from each other?”

  “Rarely.” Leaning forward, he rained kisses along the length of her neck, ran his tongue over the pulse throbbing in the hollow of her throat before claiming her lips with his.

  Her nearness flooded his senses—the floral shampoo she used to wash her hair, the musky scent of her desire, the taste of her toothpaste, the satiny smoothness of her skin beneath his hand, the warmth of her breasts pressed against his chest. And over all, the beating of her heart. His arms tightened around her as his hunger roared to life. His whole being ached for her, ached to possess her completely, to drink her life and her memories, to gorge himself on the crimson elixir that flowed through her veins, to drink and drink until he had taken it all.

  With a hoarse cry, he lowered his head to her neck, his need at war with his self-control.

  His need won. His fangs pierced the tender skin below her ear and he lost himself in the taste of her life’s blood as it flowed ever so sweetly over his tongue. But only for a moment. His concern for Sky was strong, stronger, even, than his thirst. Taking a firm hold on his self-control, he lifted his head and let her go.

  She blinked up at him, a faint smile on her lips, her gaze slightly unfocused. “It feels so good. Why did you stop?”

  “Because you don’t want to be what I am.” Standing, he put some distance between them.

  Skylynn stared at him, no longer smiling. Had he been that close to taking too much? Could it happen that quickly? What if there came a time when he couldn’t stop?

  Needing to put more distance between them, Thorne went to the far side of the room and turned his back toward her while his fangs retracted.

  “Kaiden?”

  “What?”

  “Are you all right?”

  He snorted softly. “That’s a good question, only I’m the one who should be asking it. Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” She lifted a hand to her neck. The skin beneath her ear felt warm. She could feel the marks his bite had left, but they never lasted very long. By tomorrow morning, they would be completely gone. Odd, that. In the movies, the bites didn’t go away. Curious, she asked him about it.

  “It’s just a movie myth,” he replied flatly. “Some vampires feed repeatedly on the same donors. Think how those people would look after a month or so if the bites didn’t disappear.”

  Remembering what she had read on the Internet, she asked, “What about garlic?”

  “What about it?”

  “Does it repel you?”

  He turned to face her, his expression impassive. “It stinks but it won’t protect you.”

  “I’m not looking for protection, Kaiden. I’m just curious. I still have a lot to learn about what’s true and what’s Hollywood hype.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “What about crosses?”

  He shrugged. “I like the old-fashioned ones.”

  “What about holy water? And silver?”

  “They burn.”

  She nodded, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall the other things she had read. “Running water. One of the Web sites said you couldn’t cross it.”

  “That’s another fable. I don’t have to sleep in a coffin, although it doesn’t bother me to do so. I don’t need to rest on my native soil. If someone throws a sack of wheat at me, I don’t have to stop and count every kernel. Anything else?”

  She looked up at him, her eyes wide. “If you had taken too much tonight ... if I was dying ... would you have ... saved me?”

  “Would you want me to?”

  “I don’t know.” Life or Undeath? How could anyone be expected to make that choice? And yet, she had made it for Sam. And she would have done it again.

  “I won’t turn you against your will, if that’s what’s bothering you.”

  “Sometimes ...” She crossed her arms, her brow furrowed as if she couldn’t decide whether to finish her sentence.

  “Go on.”

  She looked up at him, her expression thoughtful. “Sometimes, when I’m with you and Sam, I feel like an outsider.”

  “I can fix that,” he said with a rueful grin. “Come on. It’s getting late, and you’re tired. We should go.”

  “What about Sam?”

  “He’ll come home when he’s ready. Do you need anything else out of the kitchen?”

  “The milk.”

  “I’ll get it.” In the kitchen, Thorne pulled a carton from the fridge. He added it to the box of groceries, then carried the carton into the living room.

  Sky was waiting for him by the front door, suitcase in hand. “Maybe it would be easier if I just moved in with you.”


  “Probably.”

  “But only if ...” Her gaze slid away from his for a moment. “Are we still getting married?”

  “That’s up to you. Do you still want to be my wife?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, then, what do you say we go to Vegas tomorrow night and make an honest woman out of you?”

  “I say yes!” she exclaimed happily.

  Her smile could have lit up the city, Thorne thought as he opened the door. It certainly lit a fire in his soul.

  Chapter 40

  Sky woke smiling. It was her wedding day! She glanced at Kaiden, sleeping soundly beside her. Before this day was over, she would be Mrs. Kaiden Thorne for better or worse, for as long as she lived.

  Her smile faltered. As long as she lived. How many years did she have left? Forty? Fifty? If she lived to be a hundred, Kaiden would still look thirty. She fought down a rush of resentment. If Kaiden lived another four hundred years, he would still be young. And then there was Sam. He wouldn’t age anymore, either. Her brother and the man she loved would both be here long after she was gone.

  She tried to ignore the insidious little voice in the back of her mind that whispered it didn’t have to be that way. That if she had the nerve, she, too, could be young forever. She could be more than just Kaiden’s wife. She could be his equal, a part of his world. She wouldn’t have to be on the outside, looking in, always wondering what it would be like to have amazing strength, to never be tired or sick. She would belong. And if, by some miracle, they could find the missing ingredient to Granda’s formula, she could have the best of both worlds.

  Rising, she went into the bathroom to comb her hair and brush her teeth. Where was Sam? Only three of the rooms in Kaiden’s house were furnished—the master bedroom, where she and Kaiden had spent the night, the kitchen, and the living room. Was Sam spending the day on the sofa?

  Curious, she walked down the hallway, peeking into the vacant rooms as she went. She paused, grinning, when she came to the room at the head of the stairs. Inside, Sam was sound asleep in his own bed, one foot hanging outside the covers. Apparently he had carried the bed over sometime last night. Must be nice, she thought, to be strong enough to carry a mattress, box spring, and headboard across the street and up a flight of stairs all by yourself.

  Continuing on, she went down to the kitchen, where she made a cup of hot chocolate, then carried it with her as she wandered through the house, imagining how she would decorate the empty bedrooms and the dining room. Of course, there would be no children so they didn’t need four bedrooms.

  She brushed the thought aside. She wouldn’t think about that. They could use the extra bedrooms for other things. One could be a library, one could be a workout room. Or they could just leave them empty. For all she knew, Kaiden might not want to live here after they were married. He had mentioned once that he couldn’t stay in one place too long. Maybe it was time to find another place to live. A place by the beach would be nice, or maybe up in the mountains.

  She stood in one of the empty bedrooms, sipping her cocoa, as she tried to convince herself that she wasn’t bothered by the fact that Kaiden couldn’t give her children. Lots of couples were childless, many by choice. She had never really given much thought to having a family. She had just assumed that it would happen eventually.

  With a toss of her head, she went down to the kitchen. She wouldn’t think about that now. Today was her wedding day. She needed to wash her hair, paint her nails, shave her legs, pack a suitcase. And call Tara.

  After putting her cup in the dishwasher, she dropped into one of the chairs. Propping her elbows on the table, she rested her chin on her folded hands. If only she could tell Tara the truth about Kaiden. It would be so nice to have someone to confide in, someone with whom she could discuss the little doubts and fears she couldn’t share with the man she loved.

  Thorne awoke as the sun began its downward descent. He lay there a moment, his senses expanding. Sam was still at rest. Skylynn was downstairs. He could sense her nervousness, her excitement, and a trace of apprehension. Just getting married was enough to cause a certain amount of anxiety. The fact that she was marrying a vampire was certainly cause for some uneasiness on her part.

  If the truth were known, he was a little apprehensive himself. He had never been married before. Never even considered it. He had no idea what kind of husband he would be. But what concerned him the most was the fear that, in a moment of extreme passion or weakness, he would surrender to the ravenous beast that dwelled within him, and Skylynn would pay the ultimate price for his lack of control.

  Was he kidding himself, thinking they could have a life together? It would only take one mistake on his part, one error in judgment, to put her life in danger or snuff it out altogether. She was beautiful, desirable, and oh, so fragile. If he hurt her, he would never forgive himself.

  And then there was Desmarais. He didn’t know where the wily old hunter was, but one thing he knew, Skylynn would never be safe until Desmarais had been destroyed once and for all.

  He rose, stretched, and headed for the bathroom. He showered and dressed, then picked up his suitcase and went downstairs in search of his bride.

  He found Skylynn in the living room with Sam. Brother and sister both looked up as he entered the room.

  Sam frowned.

  Skylynn forced a smile. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Thorne dropped his suitcase by the sofa. He glanced at Sam, then back at Skylynn. “Everything okay?”

  “Yes, why?” she asked.

  “Well,” Thorne said dryly, “it’s obvious that something is bothering the two of you.”

  With a huff of annoyance, Skylynn said, “He invited that werewolf to go to Vegas with us.”

  “Her name is Lisa,” Sam said curtly. “And I asked her to come along as my date so I’d have someone to talk to after the wedding, while you two are ... you know.”

  “Seems perfectly reasonable to me,” Thorne replied with a grin. “So, are you ready to go?” he asked Skylynn. “Or have you changed your mind?”

  “I’m ready,” she said, getting to her feet. “Are you coming, Sam?”

  “As soon as Lisa gets here.”

  Thorne glanced at the front door. “She’s here now.”

  “I’ll get it.” Sam bounded off the sofa and out of the room. He returned a moment later with Lisa in tow. “Lisa, this is my sister, Skylynn. I guess you already know Thorne.”

  “Yes.” Lisa smiled at Thorne. “Nice to see you again.”

  Thorne nodded. “Good to see you, too. How’s your dad?”

  “Crazy as ever,” Lisa said, her eyes twinkling. She smiled at Skylynn. “Congratulations to the two of you.”

  “Thank you,” Sky replied.

  “Okay, now that the introductions are over, I think we should go.” Thorne picked up Sky’s suitcase and his own. “Is everybody ready?”

  “I left my bag on the porch,” Lisa said. “I wasn’t sure ...” She looked at Sam.

  “We’re all set. Let’s go.”

  Kaiden turned off the house lights and locked the door, then followed the other three outside and down the porch steps.

  “Why are we driving?” Sam asked as Thorne unlocked the trunk. “Why don’t we just, you know, twitch our noses and think ourselves there?”

  “I like to drive,” Thorne said, tossing the suitcases into the trunk. “I like that long stretch of open highway.”

  “Didn’t know you were a speed freak,” Sam said, grinning.

  “Now you do.”

  Sam and Lisa climbed into the back seat, giggling and laughing like a couple of kids.

  After handing Skylynn into the car, Thorne closed her door, then slid behind the wheel.

  He turned the key in the ignition and the engine purred to life. “Las Vegas, here we come,” he said, and pulled out of the driveway.

  Skylynn glanced at the bright lights that lined both sides of the street. She hadn’t been in Las Vegas since she
was a senior in high school and one of her friends eloped to Vegas to get married. The marriage had ended a week later.

  She slid a glance at Kaiden. How long would her marriage last? With luck, she and Kaiden could have fifty or sixty years together. What would it be like when people looked at them and thought she was his mother? His grandmother? What would he think? It was easy for him to promise, now, that he would still love her when she was old and decrepit, but how would he handle it when it actually happened?

  Kaiden pulled into the valet parking area of the New York, New York Hotel.

  “Do we have reservations?” Sky asked.

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “I should have called ahead. The hotels are bound to be full on a Friday night.”

  “Not to worry.” He got out of the car and came around to open her door. “We’ll soon have the best suite the house has to offer.”

  She frowned at him a moment, and then grinned. “I guess you’re going to use a little vampire mojo.”

  “You guessed right.”

  Unlocking the trunk, he gathered their bags; Sam took his and Lisa’s.

  As Sky predicted, the desk clerk advised that all the rooms were reserved.

  And as Kaiden had predicted, five minutes later, he and Sky were registered in the penthouse suite. Sam and Lisa had a smaller suite one floor down.

  “We’ll meet you and Lisa here in the lobby in twenty minutes.” Kaiden looked at Sky. “Will that give you enough time to get dressed?”

  “Forty-five would be better.”

  “Okay, forty-five minutes.” He kissed the tip of her nose, then pressed the key into her hand. “You go on up and get ready. I’ll be there soon.”

  The penthouse suite was like nothing she had ever seen before, and bigger than her apartment in Chicago. Plush carpets. Cozy corners. A fireplace in the bedroom. A shower big enough for two.

  After dropping her suitcase on the king-sized bed, she undressed and changed into the lacy underwear she had bought for the occasion. She brushed out her hair, then pinned the sides up, so that her hair fell in soft waves down her back. Her wedding gown rustled as she stepped into it, then smoothed it over her hips. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she set her veil in place, then stared at her reflection. Her eyes were bright with excitement, her cheeks flushed. She looked like a fairy tale princess.