Lord of the Night

by Robin T. Popp

  She settled in beside him. “Would it be terribly painful for me to hold your hand?”

  “Let’s see.”

  He winced when she started to slip her fingers through his, but when she tried to pull back, he stopped her. “No, hold my hand.”

  She did, pulling it into her lap because that seemed to be a more comfortable position for him. “Where did all this powder come from?” she finally asked. “When I saw it I thought you had turned to stone.” She rubbed her finger across the top of his hand, wiping away the top layer. “You’re covered in it,” she said, reaching over with her free hand to ruffle his hair, creating a soft gray cloud of dust.

  “Ty wasn’t as fortunate as I was,” he said quietly.

  “Oh, Erik. I’m so sorry.”

  He squeezed her hand. “There’s no need to be. He found the justice he deserved.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not sorry for Ty. I’m sorry for you. I know you cared about him, despite the horrible things he did.”

  “Thank you.” He groaned and pulled his arm away from her lap. Before she could protest, he slipped it around her shoulders and pulled her closer to his side.

  “I have to tell you something,” she said, getting his attention.

  He looked at her with a quizzical expression on his face. “What’s that?”

  “I love you.”

  He looked at her in surprise and then smiled. “I know you do, love.”

  She smiled back. “I wanted to say it to your face, so you’d never doubt it. And I’m going to keep saying it to your face until you’re tired of hearing it.”

  “That could take a long time,” he warned her.

  “I’m prepared to say it for as long as it takes.”

  His expression grew serious. “We could be talking hundreds of years.”

  Her tone had been light before, but not anymore. She wanted him to know that she was as serious about this as he was. “I think we’re talking a lot longer than that.”

  He kissed her then, taking his time, so that when he finally pulled away, she felt like she’d been kissed very thoroughly.

  “Maybe we should go back to the castle?” she suggested, hoping he’d take the hint.

  The look he gave her was troubled. “Would you be horribly insulted if I asked you to sit here with me a while longer?”

  She smiled up at him as understanding dawned. “Not in the least.”

  “Thank you.” He turned to stare at the horizon while she continued to watch him. “I’ve never seen anything as miraculous as a sunrise,” he said almost reverently.

  “I have,” she said, her gaze fixed on him.

  Epilogue

  You’re what?” Jess screeched over the phone when Kacie called her several days later. “I can’t believe it.”

  Kacie furrowed her brow. “Somehow, I thought you’d be more surprised to find out that I’m a changeling, not that Erik and I are getting married.”

  “Well, I admit that all of it’s a shock,” Jess said, “but Dad called me the other day to tell me about the chupacabra attack and what happened with Erik. You should have heard my scream then. I’ve never seen John and Harris move quite that fast to see what was wrong.”

  Kacie smiled, imagining how strange a life her sister must lead, living with a changeling and a vampire. It couldn’t be any more bizarre than hers now, being a changeling and living with two vampires—or maybe they were two changelings and a vampire. After all, whether it was the infusion of baby chupacabra venom—the same stuff that had restored Lanie Weber to life and had made Erik so sick—or the vast quantities of blood that she—a changeling—and Erik had been sharing, Erik had definitely changed. There was no other explanation for why he had survived the sun. Whatever the reason, life would definitely be different.

  From upstairs, she heard the sounds of her father and Michael working on Michael’s apartment upstairs. She was amazed at how quickly the two had become friends. Neither had shared the exact details of how they’d escaped, but judging from the scratches and bite marks, it hadn’t been easy.

  “Dad failed to mention anything to me about you and Erik,” Jess said, interrupting her thoughts. “So . . . ?” she asked. “How is it?”

  Kacie had a feeling she knew what her sister was asking and felt herself blush. “I’m not the kiss and tell type,” she said with a laugh.

  “Oh, please,” Jess scoffed. “The man is four hundred years old. He’s got to have developed some great technique by now.”

  “Well, that goes without saying,” Kacie said, smiling as Erik, standing at his easel close by, heard everything and rolled his eyes.

  She and Jess talked a few minutes longer and then hung up after promising to call one another soon.

  “Everything all right?” Erik asked, coming up behind her. His hands stole around her bare waist and she leaned back against him.

  “Everything’s great,” she sighed, feeling the familiar stirrings that came every time he touched her.

  “Good.” He kissed her. “Now, please go back to the couch where you were posing so nicely for me. I’d like to finish this picture before the sun comes up.”

  She rolled her eyes but went and sat down, arranging herself as closely as she could to the way she’d been sitting before the phone rang. “How’s this?”

  “Perfect,” he said, picking up his brush and getting back to work. After sitting quietly for several minutes, she had to ask him the question that had been bothering her for a while.

  “Erik?”

  “Yes, love,” he answered absently, his attention still focused on his work.

  “I’m almost afraid to ask, but what exactly have you been doing with all these nudes you’ve been painting of me? I really don’t want to walk into a gallery one day and see my naked body all over the place.”

  “You don’t? I can’t think of anything I’d like more.”

  She smiled, remembering how self-conscious she’d been the first time she’d posed for him. Now, it seemed that she spent more time naked in front of him than wearing clothes. “Seriously. What are you doing with them? And when do I get to see one?”

  “Love, you can see what I’m painting any time you desire.”

  “I can?”

  “Of course. I never said you couldn’t.”

  “But when I asked before, you said it wasn’t finished yet.”

  “It wasn’t, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t see it.”

  Feeling slightly miffed, she got up from the couch and walked across the room until she was standing beside him. She studied the picture, feeling her cheeks heat up. “This is a beautiful picture, Erik.”

  “Thank you, my love. I’m glad you like it.”

  “It’s not really a nude, though,” she observed.

  “No, it’s a landscape.”

  “I see.” She turned to him, hands on her hips. “Would you mind telling me, then, why it is I’ve been sitting nude on that couch for the last couple of days?”

  He gave her a sheepish grin and shrugged. “I love being with you and I love looking at you. And as long as you were willing, I saw no reason not to have both while I painted. It’s as simple as that.” He gave her an endearing look. “Are you angry with me?”

  She laughed. “How could I be? Although to be fair, I think that if I’m going to sit nude for you, you should start painting in the nude for me.”

  The light in his eyes grew brighter and her own vision took on a reddish haze. “If I did that, I’d never finish a painting.” He gathered her to him and kissed her thoroughly.

  After a while, she felt a familiar drain on her system. “It’s almost time,” she said, pulling back. “Shall we?”

  “Only if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

  She left him long enough to put on clothes. When she came back, he was waiting for her by the door. “We’ll need to hurry,” she said.

  “Not a problem.”

  He opened the door and like kids after the ice cream truck, they
ran hand in hand into the night. Once they reached the bluff, Erik pulled out a large wool blanket and spread it over the ground.

  “Hurry,” Kacie said, sitting down and patting the spot next to her.

  Erik joined her and together they stared out over the cliff. Kacie thought she would never tire of seeing the look of love in his eyes when he looked at her or the wonder on his face when he faced each new day.

  It was the reason she came out every single morning with him to sit on this blanket and watch the sun rise.

  About the Author

  Bestselling author Robin T. Popp has built a reputation of delivering highly sensual, action-packed reads. Three-time Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice finalist, she is best known for her Night Slayer series, which combines mythology with vampire lore. The first two books of the series, Out of the Night and Seduced by the Night, were both Romantic Times Top Picks.

  Robin grew up watching Star Trek and reading science fiction. She was amazed that anyone could dream up stories so enthralling and aspired to do the same. Though forced to take a thirty-year detour through the real world where she earned two master’s degrees, took on a full-time job, married, and started a family—all of which brought a fair amount of adventure—she’s now also pursuing her dream of being an author.

  Robin lives southwest of Houston with her husband, three kids, two dogs, two frogs, a rabbit, and a mortgage. She is living the American dream.

  To learn more about Robin, go to www.robintpopp.com.

  THE DISH

  Where authors give you the inside scoop!

  Dear Reader,

  While rummaging together through an antique store full of furniture and clothing, we came across two curious books. The first, bound by leather so soft and worn it almost fell apart in my hands, was the journal of Highland laird. The second book was more modern with sketches in the margins written by an ancient vampire bent on revenge.

  Laird of the Mist Lord of the Night

  Dear Reader,

  When yer called the Devil, there isna much to prove to the world anymore save that the title is a deservin’ one. I am an outlaw, a murderer, and a legend to be feared. I dinna seek fergiveness fer my many sins. My road to perdition has been long and my iniquities too numerous and too savage fer redemption. There is naught in my soul but darkness, and I am driven by one purpose: to kill those who have created this beast no one dares call a man.

  I wasna born from my mother’s womb as such a detestable creature. I was formed in the dank dungeons of Kildun castle, home of my kin’s lifelong enemies the Campbells. Taken as a young lad by the Earl of Argyll, after his men slaughtered everyone in my village, I was shackled to a wall and tortured fer my faither’s crimes against the realm. My faither was an outlaw as I am. His crime was refusing to surrender his name during the MacGregor proscription. Mayhap, some would find my faither guilty. But I was sinless as was my sister, who bore his punishment with me and grew to adulthood in the caverns of hell. It took many years, but we did escape. When all that made me human was finally stripped bare, I massacred Kildun’s mighty garrison and fled north with my sister to the misty Isle of Skye. But I canna escape what I have become, and my hunger fer revenge against the Campbells is all I have left.

  Fer six years now I have ridden forth from the obscure mists to exact payment fer that which was robbed from me and from my clan. I have killed withoot sympathy, fer what does a devil know of mercy? Aye, I am a cold-hearted beast whose name alone strikes terror in the hearts of his enemies. Save fer one.

  Kate Campbell is the granddaughter of the man who imprisoned me. A woman I should despise. I took her from her home with the intention to lure her uncle, the current Earl of Argyll, to me. I didna expect her to slice me with her blade or to awaken a part of me I thought long dead with her saucy mouth and tantalizing curves. But most of all, I wasna prepared to find atonement fer my sins in the bonny eyes of a Campbell lass. And now, instead of killing my enemy, I must do all I can to keep her alive.

  Clan chieftain of the MacGregors, and Laird of the Mist.

  Dear Reader,

  I am neither man nor monster, and yet I am both. Killed by a chupacabra four-hundred years ago, I died and rose again as a vampire.

  I killed friends and family before I learned to control the blood-lust. I killed for food, taking lives so that I might live. But no more. Now I kill others of my kind to protect the human residents of Hocksley, England.

  I still reside in the Winslow family castle and have watched each generation of my brothers’ descendents come into this world. I’ve watched them grow and trained many to become vampire slayers. Their time upon this earth is far too brief, and when they pass each one takes a part of me with them.

  Over the years, I’ve lived a thousand lives and died a thousand deaths. There are times when I long to meet the sunrise and end it all, but my responsibilities are too great. Should I die, who would protect my family from the scores of vampires not even they know exist? And who would protect my friends from the Winslow slayers?

  Yes. I have friends. Michael, Sedrick, and Ty Ellington—my best friends in life—and better friends in death. Killed by the same chupacabra that killed me, we have endured the test of time. Michael runs the local lair and I control the slayers. Together, we rule the night.

  This arrangement has worked well for years.

  Now things have changed.

  Sedrick is dead. I found his body the other night cut down by the blade of a slayer’s sword. But not by a Winslow, for all three—Gerard, Jess, and Kacie—are out of town. This is a new player and his actions will not be tolerated. He will pay for his deed—with his life. This I have vowed to Michael, lest he turn his lair of vampires loose on the innocent residents of Hocksley.

  I have lost a great friend and the tenuous balance between vampires and humans that I’ve worked hard to maintain is threatened. I can’t imagine how the situation can get any worse.

  Then, I run into Kacie Winslow in the streets of Hocksley, her sword still dripping red with the blood, and I know I’m wrong.

  Earl of Hocksley, Lord of the Night

  Lord of the Night Notice

  I hope you enjoyed Lord of the Night. Be sure to look for the rest of the books in the Night Slayer series. If you want to learn more about me, the Night Slayer stories, and what might be coming next, please visit my Web site at www.robintpopp.com.