A Whisper Of Eternity (12 page)

She glided toward him across the dark green velvet lawn, as regal as any queen who had ever lived. Her waist-length red hair flowed over her shoulders, shimmering like wildfire in the silvery light of a full moon. She had not changed since he had last seen her. Her skin was still pale and perfect, her eyes the deep green of pure jade. She wore a long gown of ruby-red silk that clung to her slender form, emphasizing every voluptuous curve.

“Dominic.” She held out a pale, slender hand.

“Kitana.” He took her hand in his, noting its warmth as he brushed his lips across her skin, which was almost translucent. “What brings you here?”

She lifted one shoulder in a graceful shrug. “I was bored.”

“How did you find me?” A foolish question, but one he could not resist asking.

She looked up at him with an indulgent smile. “Did you think I would not?”

“I did not think you would bother after so many years.”

Her laughter was soft, musical, yet he heard the hard edge beneath it. “What is time to us? I have always known where you were, Dominic St. John. How could I not when my blood runs in your veins?”

“Why are you here?”

“I told you. I am bored.”

“Surely you do not expect me to entertain you?”

“But of course. I have never been in this part of the world before. It is quite lovely. I should like to see more of it.”

“I am afraid I cannot spare the time.”

“Really? What is it that keeps you so busy?” She glanced at the house, her gaze resting momentarily on one of the second-story windows. “Is it possible you have found that woman yet again?”

“And if I have?”

Again, the sound of her laughter filled the air. “Really, Dominic, do you never tire of pursuing that little mortal through the ages? It should be obvious, even to you, that she does not want what you have to offer.”

“This time she will be mine.”

“Really? What makes you think so?”

“Have you come here to make trouble for me?”

She pouted prettily. “Is that what you think?”

He grunted softly. “I have not forgotten your last words to me.”

“Oh, that.” Her laughter fell on his ears like the tinkling of tiny silver bells. “You don’t think I came here because of that, do you? I admit I was angry at the time, but even I cannot stay angry forever. You have nothing to fear from me.”

“I would like to believe that.”

“Then believe it.” Rising on tiptoe, she ran her tongue over his lower lip, then kissed him. It was not the kiss of a friend, but of a lover, and, as she had no doubt intended, it reminded him of the nights they had shared, nights filled with passion and blood.

She smiled a knowing smile. “
Au revoir, mon amour
.”

A wave of a slender hand, and she was gone.

Dominic stared up at Tracy’s bedroom window. Had Kitana gone there first? Filled with a growing sense of unease, Dominic hastened to Tracy’s side. She was asleep, but tossing restlessly. Bad dreams, perhaps?

Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he took her hand in his. “Rest now, my best beloved one,” he murmured. “I will watch over you until the dawn. Nothing will harm you while I am here.”

She stilled at the sound of his voice. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned onto her side, slipping deeper into the peaceful abyss of sleep. He listened to the steady beat of her heart, the soft, even sound of her breathing.

Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek, smoothed a lock of hair from her brow. They had shared many lifetimes, each different from the last yet the same in so many ways. Each time he had found her, he had been certain that, at last, she would be his, forever his, yet each time he had lost her before he could bring her across.

“But not this time,
querida,
” he murmured. “Come what may, I will not lose you again.”

He stayed at her side until the first golden rays of dawn brightened the sky and then, reluctantly, he left the house to seek his lair.

Tracy woke slowly. Sitting up, she glanced around the sunlit room, expecting to see Dominic there even though she knew it was impossible. She had felt his presence so strongly last night. Had it been a dream, or had he actually been there in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, holding her hand? She had been having a frightful nightmare when his voice penetrated her dreams, chasing away the horror that had been pursuing her. Had she truly heard his voice, or had it been another dream?

Dominic.

She wished suddenly that he were there, that she could climb into his lap and feel his arms holding her close. Strange, that she should think of his arms as a place of safety when, in reality, he was far more dangerous than anyone else she had ever met. Of course, even though Dominic might be dangerous, she knew that he would never hurt her, and that no one else would ever be able to hurt her, either, so long as she was with him. She knew that he would defend her with his very life, if need be, knew that he had defended her life and her virtue countless times before.

She felt a rush of warmth in the region of her heart.

He loved her beyond her ability to comprehend and with that realization came a truth she had thus far refused to acknowledge.

She was in love with him. Loved him in this life as surely as she had loved him in all the others. The thought made her giddy with excitement, and filled her with a sudden sense of dread. She had died in his arms in all her previous lives. Was she destined to die in his arms this time, as well? If so, was it possible to change her fate?

Throwing back the covers, she slid out of bed and headed for the kitchen. She couldn’t be expected to think clearly without her morning jolt of caffeine.

She stared out the window while she waited for the coffee to perk.

She loved Dominic.

The thought lingered in the back of her mind the rest of the day. She thought of him while she showered, while she painted, while she ate lunch, while she walked in the gardens, while she counted the hours until sunset when she would see him again. And each time she thought of him, happiness welled within her, bringing a smile to her face.

She loved Dominic.

And then, as the sun began to sink behind the wall, she was overcome with nervousness. Did she dare admit she loved him? If she confessed how she felt, would he ever let her go? Did she want to be free of him? What sort of future could a mortal have with a vampire? Was it possible for him to become mortal again? Could she . . . she thrust the thought away. She had refused to accept the Dark Gift in every past life. That, at least, had not changed. She could not imagine herself as a vampire, forever doomed to dwell in darkness, never to see the light of day again, forced to drink blood for eternity. How could she face the future if she knew she would never again be able to satisfy her craving for dark chocolate, or enjoy a milk shake on a hot summer day, or indulge in a piece of lemon meringue pie?

She sensed his presence before he appeared. There was a familiar tremor in the air and suddenly he was standing beside her. Tall and dark and more handsome than the law allowed. Black jeans hugged his long legs, a black sweater emphasized the width of his shoulders.

His nearness made her tremble.

Bemused, Dominic lifted one brow. “Surely, after all this time, you cannot be afraid of me?”

“No. I’m not afraid. Not anymore.”

“What is it, then?”

“I’m just happy to see you. I missed you today.”

“Indeed?”

She nodded, her heart pounding with happiness and anticipation. What would he say when she told him how she felt?

“Tracy?”

She moved toward him. Standing on tiptoe, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you.”

He stared down at her, his eyes filled with hope. “Can it be true?”

“Yes, but I’m not ready . . . I can’t, you know? Not yet . . .”

“Hush.” He placed his fingertips over her lips, stilling her words. “It is enough that you are mine.”

 

 

Their relationship changed after that. Tracy no longer felt like a prisoner in his house and when she expressed a yearning to go back to Nightingale House, he made no objection.

She packed her things the next day and as she did so, she realized she would miss this house. Perhaps, later, they could visit here again.

She wandered through the rooms while waiting for Dominic, mentally redecorating the master bedroom, wondering what it would be like to share it with Dominic.

And then he was there, at her side.

A blush warmed her cheeks.

He looked down at her, one brow arched.

“Hi,” she said airily, eager to get out of the bedroom before he divined her thoughts. “I’m all packed and ready to go.”

He glanced at her suitcases, waiting near the door.

“I’ll need to rent a car.”

“You can, if you wish, or I can take you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will return you to your house the same way I brought you here.”

“Oh.”

He watched her, quietly waiting for her reply.

“How, exactly, did you bring me here?”

“Vampires are able to cross great distances rapidly.” A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Did you not find that bit of information in the books you read?”

She shrugged. “I don’t remember.”

“So?”

“Well . . . it is a long way . . .”

“Is there anything you want to take with you now?”

“My bag and overnight case.”

With a nod, he lifted her into his arms, then picked up the two items she had mentioned. “Are you ready?”

“I guess so.”

“You are not afraid?”

“Well . . . a little, maybe. I’ve never done this before. At least not when I was awake,” she amended. “How long will it take?”

“We will be there before you know we have left.”

She blinked and the next thing she knew, she was standing in the living room at Nightingale House. “Wow! That’s incredible!”

“Indeed.”

She frowned. “My car! I left it at the motel . . .”

“It is in the garage.” He dropped a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. “I will go and get the rest of your things.”

He was back in moments, empty-handed.

Tracy stared at him. “You didn’t bring . . .”

“It is all upstairs.”

“All of it?”

“Of course.”

“You’re amazing.”

His smile was a trifle smug. “I am glad you think so.”

“So,” she mused, “what shall we do tonight?”

“I think it is time for you to see my world.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sea Cliff is a haven for vampires.”

She blinked up at him. In the back of her mind, she heard Bryan asking her if she thought there was anything strange about the village. “A haven? You mean . . ”

Dominic nodded. “There are perhaps a dozen or so who live here.”

“But . . . I thought, that is, all the books I read said vampires couldn’t live together.”

“We do not hunt the same territory,” Dominic said, “nor do we hunt where we live. As for living together, there is safety in numbers.”

“All those people in black . . . I thought they were just Goths . . .”

“Some are.”

“And the rest?”

“Are vampires.”

“I really don’t think I want to meet any of them.”

“It is necessary.”

“Why?”

“Because you are mine. And since you will not let me bind us together, it is necessary that the others see us together, that they know you belong to me.”

She lifted a hand to her throat. “And that will keep me safe?”

“Save for Kitana, I am the oldest of my kind. To violate one under my protection means death. Are you ready?”

She glanced down at her jeans and T-shirt. “Should I change?”

“You will do as you are.”

She should have been afraid. She was on her way to meet a—what did one call a bunch of vampires, anyway? Inspecting her feelings as Dominic drove toward the village, she found that it wasn’t fear that made her heart pound, but curiosity. Dominic would protect her. She had no doubt of that.

He parked the car in front of a bar on a quiet side street. Tracy grimaced when she saw the name of the place. The Catacombs.

With a shake of her head, she put her hand in Dominic’s when he opened the door.

The inside of the bar was dim, filled with shadowy corners. Someone was playing a soft, bluesy tune on the piano in the corner. There were no mirrors; the windows were painted black. Candlelight flickered off the walls and cast shadows on the faces of the customers. She wondered what kind of drinks were served at a vampire bar, then giggled softly. Bloody Marys, no doubt.

Dominic frowned down at her. “Are you all right?”