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“ I hate to ask this,” Kincaid remarked as they left the witch’s house, “but what do we do if we can’t find Luca, and Izabela’s wizard can’t help?”

“Let’s not go there yet,” Saintcrow replied. “We will find Luca and we will end this blasted curse. Anything else is unthinkable.”

“What if we find Luca and he didn’t unleash this mess?”

“Dammit, Kincaid, I’m trying to think positive and you’re not helping.”

“You need to be prepared for the worst,” Jake replied. “It could be just some freak of nature. Some bizarre once-in-a-lifetime virus that has to run its course.”

Saintcrow grunted. “I don’t know which would be worse, a spell concocted by Luca or some random malady. Shit, if we can’t find a cure for it, what difference does it make?”

“ Romar? Hi, it’s Izabela. ”

“ Izabela! My angel. I have not heard from you in decades. Are you well? ”

“ I’m fine. I have a problem I can’t solve. It involves some sort of plague or curse and … ” Her voice trailed off when she heard a knock at the front door. Could it be? A slow smile spread over her face when she peeked through the curtains and saw the wizard.

“I didn’t expect you to come so quickly,” she said, when she opened the door. “Do you mean me any harm?”

“Of course not, my angel,” he said, and produced a dozen black roses from behind his back.

“My favorite,” she murmured, as she unlocked the screen door and stepped back to let him in.

He followed her into the living room, then shook his head as his gaze moved over her from head to foot.

Izabela laughed softly as she transformed into a younger version of herself. “Better?”

“But, of course.”

She conjured a vase of water, placed the roses inside, and set the vase on the mantel.

No sooner had she turned around than she was in his arms. “I’ve missed you,” she murmured, her fingers delving into the thick, gray hair at his nape.

“As I have missed you.” He kissed her lightly, then licked his lips. “Vampire blood. It is most amazing, is it not?”

“Indeed.”

He kissed her again, then sat on the sofa and drew her down beside him. “Now, what is this curse?”

“It’s affecting young vampires, but only those in Wyoming.”

“What kind of curse? Any idea who conjured it? How does it work?

“It renders them inanimate, I guess you would say. They cannot move or speak. I’m not sure if it was made or if it’s simply some unheard-of random virus.”

“And this concerns you why?”

“I have a few vampire friends,” Izabela said, with a negligent wave of her hand. “The wife of one of them has been infected. They think it might have been conjured by a necromancer.”

“Anyone I might know?” Romar asked.

“Luca Sasan.”

“I heard he had been dispatched by a black witch,” he said, with a knowing smile.

“Alas, the spell was broken and his spirit is on the loose.”

“And you are hoping I can cure the vampire in question?”

“If a cure is possible.”

“That is the question, is it not? Where is the stricken creature?”

After leaving Izabela’s place, Kincaid suggested he and Saintcrow stop for a drink at Abner’s Ale House, a popular pub in New Orleans.

Kincaid had found it on one of his trips to visit Izabela and it had become a favorite stopping place.

They found a booth in the back and ordered a bottle of wine.

They were drowning their sorrows over a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon when Kincaid’s cell phone rang.

“It’s Izabela,” he said, glancing at the screen.

“Wonder what she wants at this time of the morning,” Saintcrow muttered as Kincaid said hello. Being a vampire, he had no trouble listening to both sides of the conversation.

As soon as Kincaid said goodbye, they transported themselves back to the witch’s house.

“My friends are here,” Izabela told Romar, and resumed the shape Kincaid and Saintcrow were familiar with before opening the door.

After the usual opening ritual and reply, she introduced them to her friend, Romar.

She noticed that Romar did not offer to shake hands when introduced to the vampires, nor did they offer to shake his.

She wasn’t sure why, but supposed it had to do with the inherent power the three of them possessed.

She grinned inwardly, thinking it was a purely male reflex.

They would instinctively try to prove who was stronger, more powerful, which might start off innocently enough but could end up destroying her house as the males fought for dominance.

Saintcrow glanced at Kincaid. He had thought Luca powerful but this wizard was his equal, or better. His power filled the room.

“Izabela has told me of your problem,” the wizard said. “I am not sure I will be able to help, but I am willing to try. Will you take me to see the one infected?”

“I laid my Kadie to rest,” Saintcrow said. “It seems to help a little.”

“Ah,” Romar said. “Yes. I have heard vampires do that. What is the phrase? Going to ground? Shall we go?”

Kincaid took hold of Izabela’s hand, Saintcrow grasped the wizard’s forearm, and they transported to the Morgan Creek cemetery.

“Interesting place,” Izabela said, glancing around. “There are many restless spirits here.”

Saintcrow grunted softly. “I’ll get Kadie.”

Izabela watched with fascination and horror as he burrowed into the ground and came up with his wife in his embrace. Odd, she thought, that no dirt or debris clung to either one of them.

Romar held out his arms. “May I?”

Reluctantly, Saintcrow let the blanket fall away, then laid Kadie in the other man’s arms.

Romar closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Kneeling, he held Kadie to his chest with one arm, he ran his other hand over her, traced her face with his fingertips.

“I have never encountered anything like this,” he said, returning her to Saintcrow.

“Nor can I tell if it is something conjured or some horrible sickness peculiar to vampires.”

“Is there nothing you can do?” Izabela asked.

“I have some ancient texts that might offer a clue. It will take me some time to study them.”

Saintcrow nodded. “I’d appreciate anything you can do.”

Romar nodded. “I will let Izabela know if I find anything.”

“Thanks.”

“Until next time,” Izabela said, and taking Romar’s hand, the two of them disappeared in a swirl of silver motes.

Still holding Kadie close, Saintcrow sat cross-legged on the ground.

“What do you think?” Kincaid asked.

“He didn’t give me much hope.”

“He seems pretty powerful, though. Maybe he’ll come up with something.”

Saintcrow shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe. You might as well go home. I’m gonna stay here with Kadie for a while.”

Kincaid nodded and left the cemetery.

Saintcrow stroked Kadie’s hair, then lightly kissed her cheek. Speaking to her mind, he said, Come back to me, sweetheart. My life is nothing without you.

He couldn’t take much more of this, he thought, fighting a rising tide of despair. They had to find a cure before he went out of his freaking mind. Before Kadie slipped away forever.

He glanced over his shoulder at a sudden change in the atmosphere, hissed an oath as Eleni materialized beside him.

“Have you given up on her?” she asked, a note of hope in her voice.

“Hell, no. What are you doing here?”

“I got lonely.”

Eyes narrowed, Saintcrow stared at his sire. He was pretty sure he knew what was coming. Her next words proved him right.

“We’re both alone at the moment,” she purred, running her finger through his hair. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t console each other.”

Saintcrow snorted. “Forget it.”

Eleni sank gracefully to the ground beside him. “Your woman is lovely,” she said. “It would be a shame if something happened to her before a cure can be found.”

Saintcrow swallowed his anger at the implied threat. “What do you want from me?”

“Just your company for a few days.”

“I don’t have time to be your pet,” he retorted. “I’ve got more important things to do.”

“Yes, yes, I know. You’re trying to find Luca. An impossible task, I should think, considering his current condition.”

“Nothing’s impossible,” Saintcrow said, though there was no conviction in his voice. Try as he might to think positively about a cure for Kadie and putting an end to Luca, he was losing the battle.

“A week,” Eleni said. “Is that so much to ask? After all, if I hadn’t turned you, you would have been dead long before the love of your life was born.

” She ran her fingertips down his arm from shoulder to wrist. “I can compel you, if necessary.” To prove her point, she unleased a bit of her power.

It speared through him like heat lightning, searing his flesh, turning his blood to liquid fire.

He gasped with the pain of it, every muscle in his body tightening in response to the agony sizzing through every fiber of his being.

He hissed, “Stop it,” through clenched teeth when he realized he was crushing Kadie.

“Do we have a deal?” Eleni asked.

Breathing hard, he nodded. When the pain subsided, he ran his hands lightly over Kadie, making sure he hadn’t broken her ribs. “With one exception,” he said. “No sex.”

“Very well.” It was an agreement she had no intention of keeping. She rose in a single fluid motion. “I shall see you at your place tomorrow night,” she said. “You won’t like what happens if you fail me.” And with that not-so-subtle threat, she was gone.

Saintcrow blew out a breath. “Forgive me, Kadie,” he murmured. “Whatever she forces me to do, it has nothing to do with us or my love for you.”

Rising, he brushed a kiss across her lips before he cocooned her in the blanket and returned her to the arms of Mother Earth.

Damn Eleni , he thought bitterly. And damn whoever had unleashed this accursed plague on the young of his kind. Materializing at home, he called Kincaid. “I’m going to be unavailable for a few days,” he said. “Don’t try to contact me unless it has something to do with finding Luca or a cure.”

“What’s going on?” Kincaid asked, a frown in his voice. “Where are you going?”

“Eleni has threatened to destroy Kadie if I don’t spend some time with her.”

“Damn. I guess you couldn’t say no.”

“I could, but what’s the point? She’s my sire.”

“Well, shit, that’s rough.”

“Yeah. I just hope one week doesn’t turn into two.”

“Anything I can do?” Kincaid asked.

“I don’t think so.” Saintcrow swore under his breath. He couldn’t help thinking this was all his fault. He had thought about Eleni a few months ago and now she was here. Damn, damn, damn. Could things possibly get any worse?