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He kissed her temple, lips brushing the thin scar where a bullet had nearly killed her the last time she risked her life for him. “It’s not so easy for a human to hide. He knows about you and how important you are to me, and he would find you long before he found me.”

“I have the advantage. I have the day. We can use that. I could—”

“He can compel a daytime army to hunt us down.”

That at last stilled her enthusiasm for half-formed escape plots. A wretched little sob escaped her. “I won’t let him take you from me, Dominique. I can’t.”

“You won’t have a choice about it, chérie,” he whispered. “No more than I.”

She pushed out of his embrace far enough to see his eyes. “I don’t understand. What are you saying?”

He caressed her cheekbone with his thumb, catching the first of her tears. “I will never be his. The only way this ends is if he lets me go, or—”

“Don’t say it.” She put a finger to his lips. “I won’t let him take you from me. Not in any way, shape, or form.”

He took her hand in his and kissed it. “I belong to you, Cassidy. Hell itself will not stand in my way. All that matters is your survival.”

“Well. That settles it then.” She wiped at her eyes and tucked her hair back behind her ears. “Since I can’t survive without you, we have to both get through this. Together.”

“Together,” he repeated, smiling faintly. Fragile mortal she may be, but the spirit flashing in her eyes was that of a lioness charging to protect her pride.

“As one,” she clarified with a pointed look and tilted her head to expose her neck.

Strange how he hadn’t seen this coming. The one thing they both wanted tonight had been eclipsed by events. Now, tasting her, becoming one, seemed the most dangerous path of all. Though not because of Bijou. With his serum fresh in the other vampire’s blood, he could sense her presence and would have some warning. Nor did he fear causing Cassidy harm, thanks to Jackson’s annoyingly helpful explanation. There was no room for a greedy blood-drinker ego in her arms. Only salvation waited for him there.

No, what mattered was that being part of him now would put her squarely in the path of Kambyses, blood-drinker lust incarnate. Or was it too late already? Had he exposed her by returning here tonight? Or did it matter? Bijou had rummaged through his thoughts and memories. She and Kambyses would know how important Cassidy was to Dominique, regardless of what he did. She walked this hell with him, had done so from the beginning, and she was correct—the only way out of this was through. Together.

He watched the blood rushing beneath her skin turn into pulsing rivers of golden light. When he kissed the brightest of these just beneath her ear, she cupped his head, encouraging him, then moaned softly when he pierced her skin. Her blood swept into him, along with her soul, scouring away the filth left by Bijou. He drank more deeply from Cassidy than he had in a long time. She knew it and permitted it, trusting him without question.

They fell into a shared dream, a reality all their own. But instead of the usual jungle waterfall scene, a high mountain meadow surrounded them. A sea of grass rippled around him in an earthy, fragrant breeze, and snowy mountain peaks reared into a cobalt sky. He blinked at the sun. Joy fizzed in his veins like fine champagne in a crystal flute.

Cassidy sat and smiled at him, love and mischief shining in her eyes.

“The place we first shared,” he said, recalling that first time he had bitten her—and nearly killed her.

She pulled her sleep shirt over her head and tossed it aside. It vanished before it hit the ground. Her bare body shamelessly called to his. “We first realized how much we are a part of each other here.”

Oh, what a sweet shock that had been. He touched her face, felt her press her hot cheek against his palm, and knew that awe again—the wonder of her trust. “And how much more we are together.”

She leaned in, brushing her nose against his, teasing. “Don’t you ever forget it.”

“Never,” he vowed, and kissed her gently, reverently.

She briefly closed her teeth on his lower lip. “Kiss me like you mean it.”

He did that—and more.

Hell would have to wait.

17

Lost and Found

Late the following afternoon, Cassidy slammed on the brakes the moment the cottage came into view. An unfamiliar gray Ford SUV sat in the driveway. Was the compelled army of Kambyses coming for her already?

She gripped the steering wheel hard, her hands going clammy with indecision. Venture forth and gather the facts? Or flee with her life and groceries and let the boys take care of this, whatever “this” was?

“Next thing you know, you’ll be jumping at shadows, Chandler,” she muttered. There was still time to assess the situation before things turned supernatural. Probably someone from the property management office. The joys of being a tenant.