Yes! She bit down on her lip to keep the word from escaping.
He regarded her through unblinking eyes. When she felt him probing the edges of her mind, she put up her walls, not wanting him to know what she was thinking. Feeling.
“This isn’t the time for secrets between us,” he remarked. “Most girls want to get married. There’s nothing wrong with that. But I need to know who you have in mind.”
Taking him by the hand, Tessa moved to the sofa, sat down, and tugged him down beside her. “You, of course. But . . .”
“But I’m a vampire,” he said again. “And that complicates things.”
She nodded. “It’s not just what you do to survive. I can accept that. It’s . . . well, look at you. You’ve lived hundreds of years and you still look young. What happens when I grow old and you don’t?”
“I won’t love you less.”
“But how will I feel about you? What if I start to hate you? What if I suddenly decide I don’t want to die and I ask you to turn me when I’m old and gray and you find yourself stuck with a fledgling wife who looks like your grandmother?”
“Tessa, stop. You can’t live your life worrying about what might happen. Life is fragile, uncertain.” He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. “There are no guarantees either one of us will be here tomorrow. There’s only today.”
It was pretty much the same thing Jilly had once said.
Maybe it was time to listen.
* * *
In the days that followed, Andrei didn’t pressure her one way or the other. He had promised her weeks ago not to try to take advantage of her, to wait until she was ready. And he kept his promise. Tessa didn’t know if her indecision was harder on him, or herself. His longing was evident when she looked in his eyes. And when he held her close, well, there was no denying that he wanted her. Or that she wanted him. It was, she knew, only a matter of time before she surrendered to her own desires.
In the meantime, Jilly was getting married.
The girls at the office gave her a surprise shower after work on Friday.
Tessa met Jilly at the bridal shop the next afternoon. The happy couple had set the date for the following weekend and time was running out for Jilly to find a dress.
After trying on more than a dozen beautiful gowns, she finally narrowed it down to two.
“I just can’t make up my mind!” Jilly exclaimed. “You decide.”
“I like the one you had on before. It fits like it was made for you. And it accents all your curves.”
“I think you’re right. Let me try it on one more time.”
Tessa sighed as Jilly ducked into the dressing room. For a moment, she pretended she was getting married, imagined herself in a long white gown, walking down the aisle on her father’s arm . . . the thought brought her up short. What if she decided to spend the rest of her life with Andrei? How would she explain him to her parents? Would she even be able to tell them the truth? Perhaps Andrei wouldn’t want them to know. Eventually, they would notice that he never looked any older, that he was never sick, that he rarely ate, or drank anything but red wine. Just thinking about all the complications and possible repercussions gave her a headache.
“So, are you sure about this one?” Jilly asked, emerging from the dressing room.
“What? Oh yes. Jilly, you look beautiful.”
“Thank you. And thanks for coming with me. Let me change, and I’ll take you out to lunch.”
* * *
Tessa grabbed a towel as she stepped out of the shower, eager to spend the evening with Andrei, just the two of them. Bailey had gone out with Tristan. Again. The two were becoming inseparable. Tessa had a feeling that it wouldn’t be long before Bailey decided to join Tristan’s pack, whatever that entailed.
After donning a multicolored skirt and pale pink shirt, Tessa brushed her hair, took a last look in the mirror, and went into the living room. A moment later, Andrei appeared bearing a bottle of red wine and a box of dark chocolates.
His gaze moved over her, bringing a blush to her whole body. “You look lovely.”
“So do you.”
He kissed her cheek, handed her the candy, and carried the wine into the kitchen.
Tessa set the box on the coffee table, then followed him. In the last few days, their relationship had changed in subtle ways. They weren’t living together, they weren’t sleeping together, and yet he was no longer a guest in her home. He often spent the night in her bed, though he was usually gone in the morning.
He was at home in her kitchen. She smiled as he opened the wine and filled two goblets. “Cabernet sauvignon,” he said, offering her one of the glasses. “From Chateau Montelena. One hundred fifty dollars a bottle.”
“A hundred and fifty dollars? I can’t wait to taste it.” Returning to the living room, she sat on the sofa and sipped her wine.
“What do you think?” Taking the seat beside her, he stretched his legs out in front of him.
“Worth every penny!”
“How was your day, dragostea mea?”
“Almost as good as this wine. Jilly finally found a dress. I guess now I need to find one.”
“You’ll outshine the bride, no matter what you wear.”
“I’m glad you think so.” She set her goblet aside to unwrap the candy box. “So many choices,” she murmured as she lifted the lid. After a moment, she reached for a fat dark chocolate truffle. “These are sooo good. Too bad you can’t have one.”
“Who says I can’t?” He plucked one from the box and popped it into his mouth.
Tessa stared at him as a look of pure enjoyment spread across his face.
“Why so surprised?” he asked. “It’s not the first time you’ve seen me eat.”
“I know, but . . . it’s just so . . .” She shrugged. Then smiled inwardly. She had worried that, if her parents met Andrei, they would wonder why he didn’t eat much. Apparently that was one fear she could lay to rest.
Andrei draped one arm over the back of the sofa. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Oh, nothing much. I was thinking about us earlier, about introducing you to my parents and . . . you know, whether you’d want them to know what you are, and how they’d react and . . .”
“Does this mean we’ve reached the ‘meet the parents’ stage in our relationship?” he asked with awry grin.
“Sort of.”
“I see.”
“Do you?”
He set his glass on the coffee table. And then he kissed her, his lips lightly brushing hers, his tongue teasing her lower lip before dipping inside. Lifting his head, he gazed deeply into her eyes, and then he kissed her again. There was nothing light about this one, nothing tentative.
Pleasure curled in the pit of Tessa’s belly as his arms enveloped her and his kisses grew longer and more intense. As always, she forgot everything but the wonder of being loved by this remarkable man, by the feeling that she was the most important thing in his life.
Lifting his head, he gazed into her eyes. “You are mine, dragostea mea,” he said fervently. “Never doubt it for a minute.”
* * *
Andrei’s words played and replayed in Tessa’s mind long after he had left to go hunting. It seemed he had taken the decision out of her hands, she thought. It hadn’t been a question or a suggestion, but a statement of fact. The “I am woman, hear me roar” part of her wanted to be upset. How dare he? And yet the softer, more submissive part of her found it appealing on some level she found troubling. Then again, he wasn’t an ordinary man. He was a vampire, with supernatural powers, not concerned with political correctness or women’s lib. He was a man who loved her, who had sworn to protect her.
And right or wrong, for better or worse, she loved him just the way he was.
* * *
Bailey ran alongside Tristan, every sense alert as they tracked a deer along a narrow trail in the mountains behind the town. Each time she shifted, it became easier, more nat
ural. To think there had been a time when she hated what she was. But no more. She reveled in it now. She loved the power, the feel of earth and leaves beneath her paws, the myriad smells that assailed her from every side. She loved the bond forming between herself and Tristan. She looked forward to being his life-mate, to joining with him, to becoming a full-fledged member of the pack.
The pack. There was a bond between herself and the others. When they ran together, she could hear their thoughts, as they could hear hers. Sometimes they all hunted together. But tonight, it was just the two of them. Running side by side like twin shadows in the darkness.
Tristan growled, the sound low and filled with excitement as the deer came into view. He looked at her and she heard his voice in her mind, asking if she wanted to make the kill. When she nodded, he fell back and she darted forward. The kill was quick and clean.
Since it was her kill, he sat back on his haunches, letting her consume the choicest parts before he took his place beside her.
As she gorged on the soft, inner parts of the deer, she couldn’t help wondering what Mr. Fischer would think if he could see her now.
The idea percolated in her mind. She thought of Kim. She thought of all the times that horrible man had molested her and the other girls. The times he had hit his wife for being kind to her or one of the other foster kids.
When they’d had their fill, Bailey and Tristan returned to the place where they had left their clothing.
Instead of putting on her jeans, shirt, and shoes, Bailey pulled on her Jedi-like robe. For once, she was going to put her fears aside. She was going to confront the monster and let him know if he ever hurt or molested another child, he would have her to contend with. And then she would show him what he’d be dealing with if he didn’t heed her warning.
Tristan looked at her askance when she stepped into view. “What’s up?”
She quickly told him what she intended to do.
“I’ll be happy to drive you,” Tristan said. “I just hope he puts up a fight, because I’d love to take him out. Are you ready to go?”
She nodded. “Before I lose my nerve.”
* * *
The Fischer house looked the same as always. A single light burned in the living room window. Mr. Fischer liked to watch TV in the evening by himself, so Bailey knew everyone else had been sent to bed, including Mrs. Fischer.
She took a deep breath when Tristan parked the car.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“Yes.” Another deep breath, and she stepped out of the car, padded barefooted to the ugly brown front door. And rang the bell.
When Mr. Fischer answered the door, her courage almost deserted her, but then she sensed Tristan behind her. As long as he was there, she had nothing to fear.
“You!” Fischer exclaimed. “Where the hell have you been?” He reached for her with one beefy hand, no doubt intending to drag her inside and punish her for running off.
Bailey danced effortlessly out of his way. “I’m here to talk to you,” she said, pleased that her voice was strong and steady.
“Talk?” He sneered. “What about?”
“I know what you did to Kim. If you ever molest or abuse another child, you’ll answer to me.”
He snorted his disdain. “What’s a kid like you gonna do about it?”
“I’ll show you.”
Fischer’s beady eyes grew wide when she stepped out of the robe to stand naked before him. Tristan stood behind her, blocking her from the view of passing cars.
“If you ever hurt another child—or strike Mrs. Fischer—I’ll know about it. And I’ll come after you.”
“Yeah, I’m real scared,” he said, unbuckling his belt. “Now get in here where you belong!”
He reached for her again.
In that instant, Bailey shifted. Ears laid back, she bared her fangs. A low growl rumbled deep in her throat.
Fischer gaped at her, eyes wide as dinner plates, mouth hanging open as he stumbled backward.
Bailey followed him inside, then backed him against a wall.
Tristan followed them, her robe in his hands.
Shifting back to human form, Bailey pulled on the robe. “If you ever touch another child, I’ll tear you apart.”
Fischer nodded. Face pale, brow beaded with sweat, he sank to his knees.
Bailey didn’t wait for a reply. His fear was real. He believed every word she said. Of that, she had no doubt.
With a last warning look, she turned on her heel. Head high, back soldier-straight, she walked out of the house. She’d done it! And she hadn’t been afraid at all!
“I’m proud of you,” Tristan said when they were in his car driving home.
Bailey grinned. “I’m proud of me too.” She had faced her worst fear. If she could stand up to Mr. Fischer without flinching, she could do anything.
Chapter Thirty
The next week passed by quickly. Another wedding shower for Jilly. Another day of shopping, this time for a bridesmaid’s dress for Tessa. She bought the first one she tried on—a pale blue, floor-length silk with a dark blue sash. A small hat with a short veil and a pair of matching shoes completed her outfit. They had found a dress for Bailey as well.
The day of Jilly’s wedding dawned bright and clear.
Tessa glanced over her shoulder as Andrei appeared in the doorway of her room.
“Ready to go, beautiful?” he asked.
It was all she could do not to swoon. Clad in a new black Armani suit that had been tailored just for him, a white silk shirt, and black boots polished to a high shine, the man was so devastatingly handsome he fairly took her breath away. “Yes, just let me grab my handbag.”
* * *
Jilly had chosen to be married in a small chapel located in a shady glen. When Tessa arrived, the bride was pacing back and forth. Munching on a candy bar.
“Not too late to change your mind,” Mr. Hix said, patting his daughter’s arm.
“No, no, I’m not having second thoughts about Luke,” Jilly said. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”
Tessa plucked the candy bar from Jilly’s hand. “Brides are supposed to be jittery.” She gave Jilly a hug, then handed her a Kleenex pulled from the box on a nearby table. “But not smeared with chocolate. You look lovely, by the way.”
“Thanks. So do you. Is Luke here?”
“Yes,” Tessa said. “I saw his new car out front. Very nice, by the way. Don’t worry, girlfriend, you won’t be alone at the altar.”
Just then, the organist began to play the “Wedding March.”
Tessa glanced over her shoulder as she took her place. “Just remember to breathe, Jilly. Here we go.”
* * *
Tessa blinked tears from her eyes as Jilly and Luke exchanged their wedding vows. As they shared their first kiss, Tessa looked out at the guests, and saw Andrei watching her.
His gaze caught and held hers as, in her mind, she heard his voice. Will you marry me, Tess?
Happiness swelled in her breast, chasing away every doubt, every fear. Yes. Oh, yes!
His smile matched the one in her heart.
After the ceremony, Andrei took her aside while Jilly and Luke were busy with their guests. “You said yes.” His gaze searched hers. “Did you mean it?”
Nodding, she murmured, “I love you, Andrei, for as long as I live.”
Her words poured over him and through him like a warm summer breeze, chasing the cold from his heart and soul. Murmuring her name, he swept her into his arms, holding her as if he would never let her go.
She would have been content to stay there forever but, all too soon, Jilly was tugging on her arm. “Come on, the photographer wants to take some pictures in here, and then take a few in front of the church.”
Andrei kissed Tessa on the cheek, thinking she looked more radiant than the bride. “Go on, love. I’ll see you later.”
* * *
After what seemed like hundreds of photos, the bridal party a
nd guests went to the reception, which was being held at the Corner’s Country Club, located not far from the chapel. Tessa was dying to tell Jilly about Andrei’s proposal, but this was Jilly’s night and she didn’t want to say or do anything that would distract the bride from her own happiness.
The bride and groom did all the usual things—the first dance as man and wife, cutting the cake, tossing the garter and the bouquet.
For Tessa, the best part of the reception was dancing with Andrei. When she was in his arms, everything and everyone else melted away and it was just the two of them lost in a world of their own.
“You look like you swallowed the sun,” Andrei remarked as he twirled her around the floor.
Tessa smiled at him. “I feel that way too. All warm and glowy inside.”
He drew her closer, his gaze hot enough to melt steel.
Tessa felt herself blushing. “Andrei, stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re going to seduce me right here in the middle of the dance floor.”
“Would you like me to?”
She stared at him. Was he serious? Right here, right now, with everyone watching?
Leaning down, he whispered, “No one will see us.”
She didn’t doubt for a minute that he meant it. He was a master vampire, after all, possessed of amazing powers. Still, as intrigued as she was by the idea, she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
He laughed softly. “Chicken.”
“How would you do it? Just hypnotize everyone in the place?”
“More or less.”
“You could really do that?”
“Want me to show you?”
“No. When we make love, I’d like it to be someplace more romantic than the floor of the country club.”
“Just say the word. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
The man was as incorrigible as he was desirable.
* * *
“It was a lovely wedding,” Tessa remarked, slipping off her shoes.
Andrei sat on her bed, his back resting against the headboard, one knee bent. He had discarded his suit coat and boots. Now he watched her through heavy-lidded eyes as she stepped out of her dress. “Yes,” he murmured, his gaze following her as she hung her gown in the closet. “Lovely.”