Page 52

“How do you feel?” Izabela asked.

Saintcrow flexed his muscles. “Like I could defeat an army.”

Kincaid snorted. “Let’s hope you can defeat one female vampire.”

Saintcrow nodded. “Thanks, both of you.”

“You are a lot of trouble, Ryland Saintcrow,” the witch said, but she was smiling as she said it, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

“It’s time to go,” Saintcrow said. He dropped the chains into the pillowcase, removed his gloves and shoved them into his back pocket.

“I wish you luck,” Izabela said, as Saintcrow and Kincaid headed for the door.

“Thanks,” Saintcrow muttered. “We’ll need all we can get.”

Saintcrow knocked on Eleni’s door at exactly midnight.

He figured she was standing right behind it because it opened immediately, revealing his sire clad in a nightgown that hid nothing and revealed every luscious curve.

Her hair fell over her shoulders, shimmering in the light of a dozen candles.

She was a beautiful creature, there was no denying it, her body supple and nicely rounded, and yet, looking at her, he felt nothing at all.

“Right on time,” she purred. “I see you took my threat seriously.”

“Indeed.”

“Well, don’t just stand there,” she said, with a coy smile. “Come in.”

“Why me, Eleni?” he asked, genuinely curious. “And why now, after so many centuries?”

“Why not?” She unbuttoned his shirt, peeled it off, and tossed it on the floor.

“I have the feeling that once you—what’s the phrase? Have your way with me, you’ll find me far less desirable.”

“Perhaps.” She ran her tongue along the side of his neck. “Pity there’s only one way to find out.”

“And if I give you what you want, what kind of guarantee do I have that once will be enough?”

“I guess you’ll just have to trust me.”

“I’d as soon trust a snake.”

She raked her nails down his chest, leaving five shallow, bloody gashes in their wake. Smiling, she leaned forward and licked it off. “Nothing compares to vampire blood.” She held out her arms, her eyes glowing. “I’ve waited long enough for you. Tell me you want me.”

“It’s a lie and you know it.”

“I want to hear it.”

Steeling himself, he murmured, “Eleni, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’m tired of fighting my desire for you.” Taking her in his arms, he rained kisses on her brow, her cheeks, the curve of her throat, her lips. “I can’t wait any longer.”

She smiled triumphantly as he swung her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

A dozen candles revealed a king-sized bed covered with a plush throw and a dozen pillows.

A bottle of what was no doubt very expensive wine and two cut-crystal goblets waited on a wooden table next to the bed. Damn.

She ran her tongue down the length of his neck. “ Shall we open the wine before, or after?”

“It’s your party. You decide.”

“After.”

There was no reasoning with her, he thought, as he lowered her onto the mattress. She was like a child who had one thing on her mind and wouldn’t be distracted by anything else.

Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him down on top of her, holding him close.

Saintcrow kissed her again and again, his hands arousing her and when she was writhing beneath him, begging him to take her, he whispered, “Now!”

Kincaid burst into the room, his gloved hands carrying the chains. With preternatural speed, Jake bound her feet while Saintcrow bound her hands. He let out a hiss of pain as the chains scorched his palms. But there’d been no time to put on his gloves, no way to explain his reason for wearing them.

Eleni let out a shriek as Luca’s chains, now sprinkled with witch blood, seared her skin.

Saintcrow scrambled off the mattress, reached into his right boot, and withdrew a double-bladed knife. Straddling her thighs, he laid the edge of the blade against her throat.

She glared at him. “What’s the meaning of this?” she screamed, her voice thick with pain and betrayal.

“I want your word that you’ll leave Wyoming and never come back. I want your promise that you won’t do anything to harm Kadie, and that you’ll stop hounding me.”

“And if I refuse?” She spat the words at him, then let out a long, low moan as the chains continued to scorch her skin.

He dragged the blade lightly across her throat, just deep enough to draw blood. “I’ll take your head.”

“You wouldn’t!” Her voice was defiant, but he saw the fear in her eyes.

“I’ve had enough,” he said. “I want your promise now. I’ll know if you lie to me.”

She thrashed beneath him, not in pleasure this time, but in agony as whatever Izabela had put on the chains began to eat into her skin.

“Make up your mind.”

Eyes blazing, she stared at him. He could feel her probing his mind to see if he meant what he said. “All right,” she agreed sullenly. “You win. You’ll never see me again.”

Saintcrow searched her face, then glanced at Kincaid. “What do you think?”

“It sounds like the truth to me, but she’s your sire. If it was me, I’d take her head while I had the chance. The female is always more deadly than the male, you know.”

Saintcrow blew out a breath. Kincaid was probably right, but he just couldn’t do it.

He had been a knight centuries ago, a man of honor.

He couldn’t kill her while she was helpless, and he wasn’t fool enough to turn her loose while he was in the room.

Chiding himself for being a damn fool, he gained his feet and sheathed the blade in his boot again. “Take the chains off of her, Jake.”

“Are you sure?”

Saintcrow nodded. “As sure as I can be.”

“I’d as soon trust a viper,” Kincaid muttered, as he removed the chains from her wrists. “Let’s get out of here. She can take the chains off her ankles. I don’t want to be anywhere around when she’s free again.”

“Me, either,” Saintcrow agreed.

Eleni’s scream of outrage followed them out the door.

“How are your hands?” Kincaid asked. when they returned to Morgan Creek.

“They hurt like hell, but a little of Kadie’s blood should help.”

“I reckon so.”

“Thanks for backing me up tonight.”

Kincaid shrugged. “You saved my life. I could hardly say no.”

Saintcrow chuckled. “True enough. But I’m still grateful.”

“Let’s hope we’ve seen the last of her.” Kincaid gave him a friendly slap on the back and headed for Blair House.

Taking a deep breath, Saintcrow willed himself into his lair. Sitting beside Kadie, he kissed her cheek. “Wake up, sweetheart.”

She smiled at the sound of his voice. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“I need your blood, Kadie.”

Hearing the pain in his voice, she sat up, her brows drawn together. “What’s wrong?”

He held out his hands, palms up. They were bright red and covered with tiny blisters. “Oh, Rylan! What happened?”

“I confronted Eleni,” he said, and quickly explained the night’s events and the promises he had forced his sire to make. “And that’s how I got burned.”

“It must hurt dreadfully.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think she’ll keep her word?”

“Only time will tell.”

Brushing her hair away from her neck, Kadie turned her head to the side. “Take as much as you need.”

Keeping a tight rein on his thirst, he took only enough to ease the worst of the pain, sealed the wounds with his tongue, then kissed her cheek.

Kadie stared at him as he bit into his own wrist, dabbed his fingertips in the blood and smeared it over his palms, one after the other. “Will that heal them?”

“Not right away. Burns take a long time to heal, but it eases the pain.”

“Why did you need my blood?”

“It strengthens me, which also eases the pain and helps with healing.”

Sitting back, he slid his arm around her shoulders.

“Do you think Eleni will keep her word?” Kadie asked after a while.

“I hope so.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Next time I’ll take her head.”

Kadie shivered. Looking at the harsh expression on his face, hearing the determination in his voice, she didn’t doubt for a minute that he meant what he said.