by Serena Zane
He stilled. She felt his tongue run over the spot where she knew she would have fresh bite marks, but somehow she didn’t care. Feeling him start to lift himself off her, she held onto his muscled back. He stopped, and looked down at her. She could see a hint of fear in his eyes.
Reaching up, she gently brought his face to hers and kissed him. “I think I love you.”
The teasing glint she was familiar with came back into his eyes. “Just think?”
She let a slow smile slide across her lips. “Well, I have only known you for a week.”
“Hmmm, we may have to fix that. I have a surprise for you.”
Ami looked at him and tilted her head to the side. “You mean that wasn’t the surprise?”
He kissed the tip of her nose, and rolled off her. She let out a little mew of protest, and he grinned back at her from the edge of the bed.
“No,” he strode across the room, and Ami tried to control the very naughty thoughts that ran through her head as she imagined all the things she’d like to do to him. He paused mid-stride, “Be good, or you don’t get your present.”
She made a pouting lip. “You’re no fun.”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
He reached inside a curtain that she assumed hid a closet behind it, and pulled on a cord. The rich material swished aside, and there, on a pedestal stood the most perfect jack-o-lantern she’d ever seen, and right next to it, a pillowcase overflowing with candy.
Bouncing up into a sitting position, Ami gasped, “Is that for me?” A huge grin spread across her face. Missing Halloween was the only thing she regretted about not spending the holiday in the States, her favorite holiday.
“I caught some of your thoughts this week and put two and two together.”
Ami ran across the room and threw herself into his arms. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He kissed her again and nodded toward the bed where their clothes had been scattered about. “We’d better rejoin the party. Your friend is bound to wonder where you are.”
“Right.” Ami quickly gathered her clothes together marveling at the fact that her skirt wasn’t ripped from earlier. Her panties, on the other hand, were hopelessly lost. Shrugging it off before they left the room, Ami filled her handbag with candy from the pillowcase. Lucian smirked as her as he slowly put on his clothes making her feel sexier than she ever had in her life.
Back upstairs, Ami searched in vain for Beth. She was nowhere to be found. Concerned, she mentioned it to Lucian. With the party in full swing, there were too many people to find her easily. As they entered the foyer, Lucian asked his butler if he’d seen Beth leave the building. The man mentioned that he had seen a lady of her description leave some time ago with another gentleman.
Ami gave Lucian a nervous look. “That’s not like her.”
“No, I have to agree that I didn’t get that impression from her. Come on.” Together they left the building. Lucian scented the air once they were outside.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to pick up on Beth’s scent…” He inhaled deeply. “If I can find it we can track her.” His eyes suddenly flashed, and his gaze turned dangerous. “I’ve got her. She’s in danger.”
“How do you know?” Ami grasped his arm.
“The human that killed the woman the other night is with her. I recall the scent. Come on, we don’t have much time.”
Ami followed him around the edge of the huge castle through a small trellis. It led to a pathway that seemed to end in a T-shape and then turn sharply at either end. “This is a labyrinth.”
Lucian smiled down at her for a moment. “Yes. Stay with me.”
She’d heard of gardens that were designed as mazes, but had never seen one. It amazed her, but Ami’s fear for her best friend overrode any sense of awe she had. She followed close behind Lucian, and the further they got into the maze, the darker it became. Several of the paths were covered by tunnels of branches, and Ami took a strange sort of comfort that she was with a vampire.
Lucian stopped and squeezed her hand. Letting go of her, he stepped carefully forward in a stop-start motion much like she’d seen on the National Geographic channel when large cats stalked their prey.
“No! Let me go you beast!”
Beth. Ami had to stop herself from rushing forward.
Stay. The command was strong in her head, and Ami struggled against the compulsion. She’d read too many books not to recognize it for what it was. But her best friend was in trouble.
A scream rent the air, and just as Lucian rushed into the clearing, Ami broke through the compulsion to race after him. Her love for her friend overrode the command. As she broke into the clearing, a shot went off, and Ami felt a sudden warm sensation start to spread from her stomach. She stepped forward.
Beth looked at her with something akin to terror on her face. The man Lucian had stopped lay dead on the ground. Her brain barely registered that it was the man from the fire dancing troupe. Lucian turned to her, and his face turned pale.
“What?”
Beth’s pointed at her stomach, and Ami looked down. Blood soaked her favorite sweater. Ami dropped to her knees feeling weak.
“Well, this isn’t good.” She laughed.
“Lucian,” Beth took a step towards him, “You have to save her.”
He looked at her with something akin to surprise on his face, “What?”
“I know what you are. You have to save Ami, she’s meant for you.”
“What are you?” Lucian took a menacing step towards Beth.
“Never mind that now. Save her!” Beth’s violet eyes seemed to glow with something unearthly, and Ami had the sudden thought that maybe her best friend wasn’t entirely human either.
“Lucian, I’m scared.” Ami’s voice sounded strange, even to her.
Lucian didn’t hesitate any longer. Ami started to feel lightheaded. He rushed to her side and gently cradled her in his arms, saying words in Romanian she didn’t understand. As the world turned to inky blackness, she felt a sting at her neck.
Chapter 9
Ami woke to a hand stroking her cheek. She opened her eyes, and took in the beauty of the man beside her, Lucian, her love.
“How are you feeling?” His deep voice infused her, and she felt an answering tingle as her body called to his.
“Fine. Where are we?” She looked around, and smiled when she noticed the jack-o-lantern grinning at her. “Oh, your room.”
“Yes,” he paused, “Do you remember anything about yesterday?”
She scrunched her eyebrows together as she tried to remember. Flashes of the evening came back to her. Making love, the candy, looking for Beth, it all came back, and her hand flew to her stomach. There was no wound where there should have been a bullet hole. She should be dead.
“What did you do?” She looked at him with wide eyes, and realized she could hear his heartbeat.
“Shhh.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and stroked her arm in a calming gesture, “I did what I had to in order to keep you with me.”
Ami pulled back slightly. “You made me a vampire.”
“Yes.” He said it so matter-of-factly that Ami looked at him askance.
“It was more than that, wasn’t it?”
He nodded.
“You tied us together somehow.” Her heart started to race. She could feel their bond.
He kissed her again. “Listen to my heart. You need to calm down.”
She listened and somehow matched her heartbeat to his. “Those words you said.”
“Yes, it’s an old ritual. Would you like to hear what they mean?”
He kept running his hands over her body while he spoke, as if to assure himself that she really was okay, “Iubita mea. My beloved. Inima mea iti apartine. My heart belongs to you.” He kissed her forehead again with a light brush of his lips. “Mi-ai intrat in suflet. You entered my soul.” He touched her breast right over her heart. “Tu esti sufletul meu pereche. You are
my soulmate.” Leaning forward he kissed her just above where his hand lay. “Ini mea bate alaturi do a ta. My heart beats next to yours.” Raising up, he looked deeply into her eyes. “Iubirea ca moartea e de tare. Love is as strong as Death.” He moved within an inch of her lips and hovered. “Te iubesc. I love you.”
His lips descended, and Ami met his mouth as their passion intertwined. When the kiss ended she lay back. “It’s all real, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a vampire now too?”
“Yes.”
“Can I still eat candy?”
Lucian laughed, “Some, but no chocolate, it will make you sick.”
She could live with that. “Where’s Beth?”
“She had to take the last flight out today. She sends her best, and says she’ll be contacting you soon to start up the Romanian branch of The Broom Closet. That woman is very ambitious.”
“So, she knows.”
Lucian nodded. “I think she always knew. Somehow, I almost believe she planned this.”
Ami smiled. She could see that. As she laughed, Ami pulled Lucian into another kiss. She was going to love life as a vampire.
Epilogue
Beth smiled as she leaned back in her seat. By this time, Ami would be waking up in the arms of her lover to discover a new and wonderful life. She would miss her, but her friend deserved the best. Besides, there was always Skype. They would keep up.
Picking up the book in front of her, Beth began to read. The book was good, off on a few key points, but good. She laughed and the sound tinkled about the cabin of the airplane.
“Good book?” A deep voice questioned, coming from the seat right behind hers.
Beth turned slightly to see who was talking. “Yes.”
“I’m Anthony Stewart.” He was handsome, that’s what he was.
Beth felt a grin settle into place. “Beth Stark. Nice to meet you.” She reached between the seats to shake his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Beth Stark, we have much to discuss.” He took her hand and everything suddenly went dark.
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