Night's Master (6 page)

“What kind of situations?”

“Nothing too bad until we turned sixteen. It was about that time that we really started stretching our wings, so to speak, testing our powers, seeing how far we could go. One night we got into a brawl with a motorcycle gang. Those guys really knew how to fight,” he recalled with a wry grin, “but they were no match for a couple of teenage Vampires.

“The closest call we had was with a Vampire hunter. He trailed us one night. Being young and stupid and overconfident, we didn’t pay any attention to him until he followed us into an alley that dead-ended against a six-story building. We were trying to decide whether to scale the building or turn and fight when he sprayed us with holy water. That stuff burns like hellfire. Some of it splashed in Rane’s eyes, momentarily blinding him. While he was trying to shake it off, the hunter came after me. He had a silver dagger in one hand and a thick wooden stake in the other. If the old man hadn’t shown up when he did…” Raphael shook his head. “I guess I wouldn’t be here now.”

“I’m glad your father found you in time.”

“I guess it’s pretty stupid of me to be telling you all this, isn’t it?”

“I don’t think so. Friends shouldn’t have secrets from one another.”

He stared at me for a full thirty seconds, and then he smiled. “So I haven’t scared you away for good?”

“I don’t know. What does being your friend entail, exactly?”

“Whatever you want it to.”

“You mean like being there when you’re feeling blue, driving you to the airport, and listening when you need someone to talk to?”

“Pretty much,” he said with a melancholy smile, “except for driving me to the airport. So, what do you say?”

I couldn’t resist the soulful expression in his dark eyes, or the barely suppressed note of hope in his voice. Here was a being with Supernatural powers, a man who could probably destroy me with a glance, and yet he wanted me to be his friend. How could I refuse? Besides, I didn’t have any friends in Oak Hollow, either.

I stuck out my hand. “Hello, friend.”

His hand, large and strong, engulfed mine. “Friends,” he murmured. “Forever.”

Forever.
Here was a man who could promise me eternity and mean it. “So, friend,” I asked, “what do you want to do now?”

His smile was slow and oh-so-sexy.

“Never mind that!” I said. “We’re friends, remember? Not lovers.”

He was still holding my hand. He squeezed it lightly. “You’ll let me know if you change your mind about that?”

I nodded.

“So,” he said, releasing my hand, “do you want to watch a movie or something?”

“Sure.” Picking up the remote, I turned the screen on, then surfed through the channels until I found a movie neither of us had seen before. After a moment’s hesitation, I joined Rafael on the sofa, careful to keep a respectable distance between us.

The screen might as well have been blank, the movie silent, for all that I got out of watching it. I couldn’t concentrate on the plot, couldn’t think of anything but the man sitting beside me. His presence filled the room; his masculine scent teased my nostrils. He rested one arm along the back of the sofa, his hand tantalizingly close to my nape. Even though we weren’t touching, I was aware of every breath he took, every glance he slid in my direction. Every time he moved, I went still inside, waiting, wondering if he would reach for me.
Friends
, I thought. How could I be friends with a man who made me feel this way?

I was almost twenty-four years old. I’d had a number of boyfriends in high school, but nothing really serious until I was a senior. My parents hadn’t liked Shane, which only made me more determined to see him. Even when I realized my parents were right about him, I refused to give them the satisfaction of breaking up with him until much later, which pretty much ruined my last year of school.

I didn’t get serious about anyone else until Lyle. I was certain he was the man I would marry, the man I would spend the rest of my life with. That, too, had ended badly. Maybe Lyle and I would have lived happily ever after if I’d been willing to compromise my standards, but I’d made it through high school with my virginity intact, thanks to a vow I’d made with my friend, Sherry, who had been my best friend at the time. We had watched the so-called popular girls in school, heard the way the guys talked about the ones who put out, and decided our self-respect was worth more than a one-night stand with the captain of the football team. When I told Lyle I was a virgin and intended to stay that way, he had tried, forcibly, to change my mind. I’d had him arrested. Needless to say, that put an end to our relationship. I’d sworn off men after Lyle.

And now Raphael was here, tempting me with his ebony eyes and his slow, sexy smile. No matter how often I reminded myself that he was a Vampire, it didn’t seem to help. He was just the kind of man I had always dreamed of, only he wasn’t really a man at all, and I was afraid that allowing myself to care for him wouldn’t be a dream come true, but a nightmare. And yet I wanted his touch more than my next breath.

As if he knew what I was thinking, he turned toward me, the heat in his eyes hotter than any fire.

My heart seemed to slow, and then it sped up. I could feel it pounding in my ears. From the way Raphael was looking at me, I knew he could hear it, too, just as I knew that the heat in his eyes wasn’t entirely from the urge to make love.

What would it be like, to let him bite me, to know he was drinking my blood?

The thought washed through my veins like ice water, and even though I was loathe to admit it, even to myself, it held a modicum of fascination. In the old
Dracula
movies, the women always swooned when under Dracula’s spell. They never resisted; instead, they bared their throats in silent invitation, their expressions bordering on sheer ecstasy as he bent over their necks, his black cloak settling over them like a shroud.

“Does it hurt?” I asked curiously.

Raphael didn’t pretend he didn’t know what I was asking. “That depends on the Vampire.”

That was interesting. “In what way?”

“There are some who feed like wild animals. They take what they want without a care for their…” He paused, and I could see him searching for a word that wouldn’t frighten or offend me.

“Prey?” I said it for him, since he seemed to be having a hard time.

He nodded. “Others who are more thoughtful make it a pleasant experience.”

“So, how come you never hear anyone talking about how wonderful it is to be some Vampire’s dinner?”

“Because we wipe memory of us from their minds.”

“You can do that?”

He nodded again.

“Have you ever done that to me? Bitten me and then made me forget?”

“No, and I never will.”

I hoped he was telling me the truth. “How often do you have to…eat? Drink?”

He shrugged. “Once a week is sufficient to sustain life, though not very satisfying.”

“What if they’re drunk? Do you get tipsy?”

“No,” he said, chuckling.

“What if you drink from someone who’s got a really bad cold? Or the flu? Do you get sick, too?” Although research scientists had managed to eradicate AIDS and most of the contagious diseases known to man, there was still no cure for the common cold.

“We tend to avoid those who are in ill health, even though their sickness doesn’t affect us.”

I wondered if that was common knowledge. I mean, if Vampires could drink tainted blood without it affecting them, maybe scientists could use their blood or DNA to find a cure for the new strain of influenza that had recently been discovered.

“Do you like it?” I asked, my curiosity growing by leaps and bounds. “Drinking blood? I mean, isn’t it really gross?”

“It should be, but it isn’t.” His gaze slid to my throat. “It’s very sweet, actually.”

“Right.”

He laughed softly. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

“No, thank you!”

He laughed again, a husky, sexy sound that wrapped itself around me like warm velvet. The attraction between us flared to life, ignited by the heat in his eyes. I wanted to be in his arms, to feel his body pressed against mine, to taste his kisses…and that was all, I assured myself, just a kiss, nothing more, even though my whole body ached with wanting him.

Surely one kiss wouldn’t hurt.

“Kathy.” His voice was thick with longing.

“Kiss me.” The words came out in the barest of whispers, but he heard them.

His arm slid around my shoulders, and I leaned into him, closing my eyes as his mouth claimed mine. His lips were firm and cool, his kiss unhurried. I scooted closer, wanting to feel his body pressed against mine. I slid my hand under his shirt, my fingers moving restlessly over his broad back.

At my touch, he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding over my lower lip, dipping inside to taste and explore. Heat exploded through me, as if I had swallowed a piece of the sun. That quickly, I was on fire for him.

He cupped the back of my head in one hand while he lifted me onto his lap, so that I was straddling his hips. I moaned softly, scorched by the heat of his arousal. In a distant part of my mind, I remembered my mother warning me to never, ever, sit on a boy’s lap. As I had only been ten or eleven at the time, I had been puzzled by her advice. The reason for her warning was blatantly obvious now.

“Kathy…” His voice was ragged as he whispered my name.

Lifting my head, I gazed into his eyes, deep black eyes that seemed to glow with a fire all their own.

“If we don’t stop now,” he said in that same rough tone, “we’re going to take our friendship to a whole new level.”

I stared at him, every fiber of my being urging me to take him by the hand and lead him to my bed. It was what he wanted. It was what the woman in me wanted. But a little part of me, that one tiny part that was still rational, warned me that it would be a gigantic mistake. Lust wasn’t love. One night didn’t mean a lifetime commitment. Once I crossed the line and let him make love to me, there would be no going back.

With a sigh of regret, I climbed off his lap, turned my back to him, and took a deep breath. Even if he hadn’t been a Vampire, I wasn’t about to break my vow and jump in the sack with a man I had known for only a few days. But oh, my, it was tempting.

A tingle of awareness slid down my spine, and I knew he was standing close behind me.

“You’re angry.”

“No.” I turned to face him. “It was as much my idea as yours. But…” I blew out a sigh. “Things are moving a little too fast for me, that’s all.”

“Still friends?” he asked with a roguish grin.

“Still friends.”

Lowering his head, he kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Good night, then.”

“Good night.”

I accompanied him to the door, then stood on the porch, thinking that he looked just as good walking away. I liked the way he moved. I liked the way his jeans clung to his long legs and lean hips. I liked his tight butt. It took all my willpower not to call him back.

He turned when he reached his car. “Like what you see?” he asked, his voice tinged with amusement. Even in the dim light, I could see the smug look on his face. “It’s not too late to change your mind.”

I felt my cheeks flame with embarrassment. How had he known I was checking him out? Or that I was having second thoughts about sending him away?

I shook my head. It just wasn’t fair! Not only was he sexier than any man on two legs had a right to be, but now he was reading my mind!

I was unloading a box of new paperback releases on Monday morning when Susie arrived. I was relieved to see that, for once, her boys weren’t trailing at her heels. Not that I have anything against kids, it’s just that her three seemed more like six. Every time they came into the store, I was afraid they were going to break something, tear something, or just drive me crazy with their constant bickering and punching. I didn’t know how she stood it, day after day.

“Hi,” I said. “What brings you here so early?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just taking a walk. It’s supposed to be good exercise, you know, and…did you hear anything out of the ordinary late last night?”

“I don’t think so.” When Raphael was kissing me, the whole world could have blown up and I’d have been none the wiser. “Why?”

“Oh, it’s probably nothing.” She smiled, but it looked forced. “Rick says I’m imagining things again.”

I came out from behind the counter. “Come on, we can sit down and talk over coffee.” I had bought a couple of cute ceramic mugs at the pottery shop. I filled a cup for her and one for myself. “So, what kinds of things are you imagining?” I asked when we were both seated.

“Well, last night I got up a little after midnight to go to the bathroom. Seems like I’m always going these days. Anyway, I heard a wolf howling, and when I looked out the window, I’m sure I saw three wolves attacking a man. Rick said I must have imagined it. He says Oak Hollow is neutral territory, so it couldn’t have been Werewolves, and that wild wolves don’t attack people.”

Susie stared into her coffee cup, her brow furrowed. “I went outside this morning after Rick went to work. There were signs of a struggle and what might have been dried blood on the ground. This has always been such a peaceful place….” She looked up at me, her expression troubled. “Rick doesn’t believe there’s anything to worry about, but…” She placed one hand on her belly. “He says it’s just my hormones acting up, blowing everything out of proportion, but I’m afraid something terrible happened last night, and that it will happen again. That it might happen to us.”

“I’m sure Rick’s right and there’s nothing to worry about,” I said, hoping to calm Susie’s fears, but in the back of my mind, I found myself thinking, what if she was right? What if the Werewolves and the Vampires no longer considered this neutral territory? If they turned this into a war zone, no one would be safe.

Susie stayed another half hour or so and then left to run some errands before she had to pick her kids up from school.

I went back to unloading the box of books—books no one would probably buy—but I couldn’t stop thinking about what Susie had said. I knew there were at least fourteen Vampires in town, maybe more. Had fourteen Werewolves showed up to keep things even? Had they had some kind of scuffle last night? Was it time to pack up and leave town? I shook my head. If this remote little burg wasn’t safe, no place was. As for the conflict between the Vampires and the Werewolves, I knew someone who could tell me what was going on. Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to get in touch with him. And it was just as well. Being able to call him was a temptation I didn’t need.

While I was shelving the books, I remembered a conversation I’d had with Raphael. I had been surprised to learn that he lived in Oak Hollow, and he had replied that someone had to stay and make sure that everyone followed the rules. At the time, it hadn’t occurred to me to ask if that meant there was a full-time Werewolf in residence as well. But now that I thought about it, it seemed like a logical assumption.

To my surprise, just before noon, several moms trooped into the shop, their children in tow. They all nodded in my direction or murmured hello as they headed toward the far corner of the store where I kept the children’s books.

After a few minutes, I went back to see if I could help, and the next thing I knew, I was chatting with the women as if we were all old friends. Two of the mothers asked me to order books for their kids, a third ordered several romantic suspense novels for herself, another asked about a murder mystery for her husband.

Some time later, after the kids had all chosen books, a couple of the moms wandered through the shop, picking up a new book here, a used book there.

It turned out to be quite a profitable day. By the time the women left the store, it was almost two, and my stomach was growling. I debated closing the shop and running out for a sandwich, but since I’d be closing up at six, I snacked on a candy bar instead and promised myself a healthy dinner later.

A few more customers trickled into the shop throughout the afternoon.

At six sharp, I closed the store. Standing on the sidewalk, my keys in hand, I decided dinner at the café sounded a lot better than going home and cooking a solitary meal.

I slipped my keys into my pocket and strolled down the street toward Carrie’s Café, hoping that nothing would happen to change the ambience of this quaint little town. I loved it that the movie theater still played a double feature on Friday and Saturday nights, and that the barber shop still had a red-and-white-striped pole out front, and that the soda shop still served malts in the same shiny stainless steel containers they were made in. I liked it that the stores didn’t all look like cement blocks with windows, and that each one was unique. I liked it that the first few pages of the newspaper reported on what was happening in Oak Hollow—Daisy Parker delivered a healthy, seven-pound baby boy on Sunday; Jeffrey Madden pitched a no-hitter at the high school softball game Saturday night; Emma Watson’s strawberry preserves won first prize at the River’s Edge Country Fair; Ed Stefan and Laura Peterson were engaged.

Crossing the street toward Carrie’s Café, I nodded at an elderly couple I recognized from church, although I didn’t know their names.

Carrie Watts, who owned the café, smiled at me as I walked in the door. She was a tall, middle-aged woman with curly brown hair, gray eyes, and the biggest dimples I had ever seen. I smiled back at her, then found a small table near the window. A waitress brought me a menu, and after a moment, I decided on a small salad, a cheese-burger, curly fries, and a chocolate malt. So much for my decision to have a healthy dinner.

I had only been there a few minutes when Cagin slid into the chair across from mine.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked.

“A little late to be asking, isn’t it?”

He grinned. “I was afraid if I asked first, you’d tell me to get lost.”

“You’d have been right.”

“Hey, I’m sorry if I came on a little too strong the other day.”

“You lied to me.”

His brows shot up. “When?”

“I asked you if you were a Werewolf and you said no.”

“I’m not.”

“Don’t split hairs with me. You’re a Were-tiger, aren’t you?”

“But not a Werewolf,” he said with an easy grin. “How’d you find out, anyway?”

I didn’t tell him that I had sensed he wasn’t human. In the first place, I still wasn’t sure how I knew; in the second place, something told me I’d be better off if no one else knew about it.

While I was trying to decide how best to answer, he muttered, “Cordova told you, didn’t he?”

“Maybe.”

“What are you doing hanging around with a dead man?”

A dead man? Raphael Cordova was the most vibrantly alive man I had ever met. And since he had never died, “dead man” was hardly an accurate description. I didn’t see any need to mention that, either, because if there was one thing I was certain of, it was that I couldn’t trust the man sitting across from me.

“Hi, Cagin,” the waitress said, returning to my table. “Can I get you anything?”

“Hey, Pam. How about a steak sandwich, rare, and a cup of black coffee?”

“You’ve got it, you handsome devil.”

Cagin licked his lips as he watched Pam walk away. “Cute kid.”

“Uh-huh.” I had a mental image of Pam as Little Red Riding Hood, and even though Cagin wasn’t a Werewolf, I had a mental image of him lying in wait for her, only this time there would be no heroic woodsman to save her from the big bad wolf, or big bad tiger, as the case may be.

“Kathy?”

Startled from my reverie, I realized he had asked me a question. “What?”

“I asked if you were busy Friday night. I thought maybe we could try again.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Come on, give a guy a break.”

“You aren’t a ‘guy.’”

“You’re not holding what I am against me, are you?”

“Not exactly, it’s just that I’m still recovering from a bad breakup. I’m really not ready to start seeing anyone again on a regular basis.”

“Except for Cordova.”

I stared at him, searching for a reply, relieved when the waitress brought my salad and our drinks. The fact that Cagin knew I had gone out with Raphael bothered me, although I wasn’t sure why. I mean, I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret or anything. Lots of people had seen us together. I guess someone could have mentioned it to Cagin.

I waited until Pam moved away from the table before saying, “What I do, and who I see, are none of your business.”

With a shrug, he added two packets of sugar to his coffee and took a drink.

Pam returned with the rest of our order a few minutes later.

Cagin picked up his sandwich and took a bite. Red juice dripped down the corners of his mouth. It looked very much like blood. I knew Raphael drank blood, but he didn’t eat his prey.

We said little during the rest of the meal. Cagin ate quickly, then leaned back in his chair, lazily studying me with his amber eyes. As the seconds went by, it made me increasingly uncomfortable. Raphael had gazed at me just as intently from time to time, but it had never made me feel as if I were a piece of meat.

I folded my napkin and laid it beside my plate, placed my fork on top of it, and pushed away from the table. “I’m going home.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.” I reached into my purse and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. “That should cover my dinner.”

He leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“I think I’m leaving. Good night.”

“Sit down,” he said curtly. “You’re not going anywhere.”

I was about to tell him to go to hell when a voice spoke from behind me.

“Are you ready to go home, Kathy?”

Relief poured through me when I looked up and saw Raphael. “Yes, I am.”

Cagin’s eyes narrowed to ominous yellow slits. “What the hell are you doing here, Cordova?”

“Rescuing my fair lady from the dragon,” Raphael replied. He offered me his hand. “Shall we go?”

Cagin sprang to his feet, his eyes blazing with anger.

I clung to Raphael’s hand, my heart pounding. Surely they wouldn’t fight here, in the restaurant. A quick look around confirmed that everyone in the café was staring avidly in our direction, no doubt waiting to see who would throw the first blow.

“This isn’t the time or the place,” Raphael said quietly. “Sit down and cool off.”

“This isn’t over.” Cagin spat the words.

“Just tell me where and when,” Raphael said. Still holding my hand tightly in his, he walked me out of the restaurant. His car was parked in a red zone at the curb. He opened the door for me, and then closed it with a little more force than necessary.

Still feeling shaky, I watched him walk around the front of the car to the driver’s side. Opening the door, he slid behind the wheel.

As Raphael pulled away from the curb, I glanced out the side window to see Cagin standing on the sidewalk.

Raphael drove in silence for several minutes. Tension radiated off of him like heat from a blast furnace. I couldn’t tell if his anger was directed toward Cagin or toward me, or if it was even anger I was sensing.

My apprehension kicked up a notch when he pulled up in front of a large two-story house located at the end of a long dirt road lined with cypress trees. The house was made of faded red brick and had a tile roof. Four steps led to a covered veranda that spanned the front of the house. I only saw one window. It was on the first floor, and barred.

I cleared a throat gone suddenly dry. “Where are we?”

“My place.” He cut the engine and got out of the car.

His place. Oh, Lordy. Sitting in the restaurant with Cagin suddenly seemed a lot safer than accompanying a Vampire into his lair.

I was trying to think of a way to convince Raphael to take me home when he opened the car door and reached for my hand. The next thing I knew, he was leading me up the porch stairs. The front door, made of what looked like solid steel, opened seemingly of its own accord. Interior lights came on as I crossed the threshold ahead of Raphael.

The sound of the door closing behind me sent a shiver down my spine.

“Make yourself at home,” he invited.

The living room, sparsely furnished, was decorated in earth tones. The main focus of the room was an enormous fireplace that took up most of one wall. I stared at it, thinking it could easily hold an elephant or two. A deep brown leather sofa was situated in front of the biggest television screen I had ever seen. A pair of matching leather chairs faced the sofa. The carpet beneath my feet was a dazzling white. A large painting hung over the fireplace. It depicted a black knight astride an equally black horse. A large green dragon loomed in the distance. A collection of dragons made of onyx, jade, pewter, and carved wood were scattered on the mantel amid several black candles.

“Do you mind if I look around?” I asked.

“Help yourself.”

An arched doorway to my left opened onto the kitchen. I peered through the doorway, my gaze sweeping the room, noting that the kitchen was bare except for a small black refrigerator and a microwave oven. The countertop was black granite; the floor was white tile. There were no windows in the room, which I thought was odd, especially for a kitchen, and no back door. I wondered if Rafe had plastered over the windows to block the sun.

A short hallway opened off the kitchen. My feet made no sound on the thick carpet. The first door off the hall was a guest bathroom with a commode, sink, and a small shower. There were no windows in this room, and no mirrors. A small bedroom adjoined the bathroom. The walls were a pale moss green, the carpet white, the furnishings no more than a twin bed made of black wrought iron and an antique chest of drawers made of dark oak. Again, there were no mirrors in evidence, and no windows.