aNo.a She was startled by the husky tone of her voice. aI was awake.a aAre you still in bed?a aYes.a He gave a purr of pleasure. aI like imagining you in bed thinking of me.a She gave a low laugh. aHow could I not?a Her answer must have pleased him for he made another sound, this one lower, more sensual. aI miss you,a he said.
Elaine swallowed hard, struggling for a calm voice. aAnd I, you.a aI just wanted to hear your voice.a Her throat tightened. How long had she waited for the right man to say those very words? It felt like forever. She rolled onto her back and the low throbbing in her head drew her attention away from the man she loved. She clamped a hand over the base of her skull, silently willing the pain to go away and give her yet another chance at life.
aI had a dream about you,a she blurted.
He chuckled. aYou did? What was your dream?a aWe were outside and dressed like gypsies and you were playing a guitar for me.a aWhat were you doing?a aDancing. I was dancing just for you. It was night and the stars were overhead. I twirled round and round until I became quite dizzy.a She chuckled. aThen I took your guitar away from you and we made love in the summer gra.s.s.a She sighed. aIt was lovely.a The only sound from the other end of the phone was his ragged breathing. She frowned. Wasnat he going to say something? aAlexei?a she said.
aYouare beginning to remember our shared past.a His voice was hoa.r.s.e. aI know that dream.a Her heart gave a queer little jerk. aIt was only a dreama"a aIt is and it isnat,a he said. aIn some ways, itas much more than just a dream. I have so much to tell you, but I need to be with you, not over the phone likea"a Voices in the background caused Alexei to break off his words. He covered the mouthpiece and spoke to someone else then returned. aElaine, I have to go. Iall be back tomorrow before you awaken.a She was struck with the sudden fear that she would never speak to him again. aPromise?a Her voice wobbled and she despised herself for the sudden weakness.
aI promised you, did I not?a She sniffed, fighting to stave back the tears that threatened. What the devil was wrong with her? She wasnat normally such a leaky faucet. aAlexei?a aYes, angel?a aI know this sounds crazy, we barely know each other butaa The words stuck in her throat.
aNo, it isnat crazy. Tell me, I want to hear it from you, I need to hear it.a She caught the sense of urgency in his voice and something in her broke free.
aI love you, Alexei.a aAnd I love you, Elaine, more than youall ever know. I have so much to tell you that I donat know where to begin.a She gave a watery laugh. aMe too.a aTell Dirk to take good care of you until I return. Iall see you in a day.a She sat up, tears running unheeded down her face. aAnd you take care and come back to me, Alexei.a aNothing will stop me from reaching your side, remember that. Nothing.a With that, he hung up.
Trembling, Elaine replaced the receiver then rubbed the tears from her face. He would return to her. She knew that as well as she knew her own name. Alexei was a man of his word.
Shoving the tangled sheets aside, she got to her feet and stumbled into the bathroom, flipping on the switch as she walked. Headache or not, she needed to take a shower, then find some breakfast, albeit it would be a late onea Why was the room so dim? She frowned and turned to stare at the light switch. Shead turned the lights ona Her image in the mirror was cloudy as if it were coated in steam from a hot shower. She frowned and approached the mirror, raising her hand to lay her palm flat on the cool, dry gla.s.s. She rubbed, but there was nothing to obliterate her image. She rubbed harder, but her vision didnat clear, not one bit. Her hand stilled then clenched as the reality of her situation sunk in.
Time had run out. She was going blind.
Her knees wobbled and the room swayed around her. A cry broke from her lips as her knees gave way and she fell onto the cold marble floor. She barely felt the bruising jolt as her hip struck the corner of the tub.
Horror spread beneath her skin like ice water as she struggled to breathe. In her mind, she kept hearing a game show buzzer, over and over again. A soft moan escaped her as she melted into the floor, pressing her cheek into the cold stone.
Alexeia Dirka Pain clawed her heart as she forced herself upright, her breath coming in pants. Head throbbing, she forced herself to crawl to the in-house phone. It took her several attempts, with shaky fingers, to dial the numbers and then she waited for someone to answer.
aDirk, I need you.a
Chapter 9.
Alexei stared in disbelief at Nigel.
aWhat do you mean, she left?a Alexei asked.
aMr. Prentiss left last night with Miss Veronique and Miss Elaine.a He frowned. aI donat think Miss Elaine was feeling well as he carried her out to the car.a A spurt of panic bloomed in his chest. Was she ill? Was it serious? Why hadnat she told him?
aWhere did they go?a The butler shook his head. aI donat know. Mr. Prentiss didnat inform me as to his destination.a He ground his teeth in frustration. aDid he have his cell phone with him?a Nigel nodded. aOf course.a aIf you hear from him, tell him to call me immediately.a Alexei turned and stalked to the limo that awaited him. Climbing in, he grabbed his phone and punched in Dirkas number. The phone rang several times and he growled as voice mail picked up. aItas Alexei. Call me as soon as possible.a He slammed the phone shut and tossed it on the seat beside him. aBack to Denver, Reg,a he said to the driver.
The car pulled smoothly away from the house and Alexei let his head fall back against the b.u.t.ter-soft leather of the seat. Why had she left? d.a.m.n. He knew he should have returned last night. Head had the feeling when he spoke to her that something wasnat right. His gut had screamed at him to return, but he hadnat. Head waited because head wanted the moment to be perfect.
A bitter smile twisted his mouth and he pulled the ring from his pocket. A one-carat emerald surrounded by diamonds glittered between his fingers. It was the ring head never managed to give her the last time theyad been together during the war. Shead died before he could reach her side.
His hand fisted around the ring, the p.r.o.ngs cutting into his skin. Not this time. He loved her, head always loved her and head meant what he said. Nothing, not even time itself, would keep them apart this time.
Dirk ran his thumb over her knuckles again, his gaze glued on Elaineas sleeping face. His best friend was dying and it had happened so fast. Just two days ago, they were making plans to take a short cruise to the Mediterranean next month and, now, it was almost over.
Even as she lay in her drug-induced sleep, she was suffering. From time to time, a soft sigh would escape her lips and her forehead would pleat as if something reached through her morphine-clouded slumber to disturb her.
Head panicked when Elaine had called. It was too soon to lose her. Too soon for the world to lose her mercurial laugh and wicked sense of humor. Eyes dry, he raised her hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss over her cool skin. Head cried himself dry in the past twenty-four hours and he was exhausted. He just didnat have any more tears left in him.
Thank the G.o.ds for Ronni. Shead been a rock. Shead stepped in and made arrangements to get them back to New York in record time, not to mention the twenty-four hour a day nurses and the transformation of Elaineas bedroom into her sick room. Ronni had filled it with flowers and soft cla.s.sical music played on the stereo. The hospital bed was covered in silk sheets and Elaine was dressed in her favorite emerald silk kimono.
Elaine was right. He loved Ronni. Why had he waited so long to tell her? He shook his head. All that wasted time. He wanted to marry her, have children with her and, yes, head even buy a d.a.m.ned mini-van and drive the kids to soccer practice if she wanted him to do so.
He dropped his head onto the bed beside her arm. ad.a.m.n, if you werenat right all along, Elaine.a She stirred. aBout timeaa she slurred.
He raised his head, a smile on his face. aDoesnat it just figure youad wake up when I said that.a She gave a slight chuckle. aMust be dyina, never thought Iad hear that in my lifetimeaa Her voice trailed away as she slipped back into her drugged sleep. She had moments of lucidity, but they were rapidly becoming farther and farther apart. Her doctor had been in a few hours earlier and his diagnosis was that they had a few days at best.
He swallowed hard. d.a.m.n, he wasnat ready to let her go yet.
The door opened and he turned to see Ronni enter. She looked as tired as he felt. Her normally perfect coif was sc.r.a.ped back into a ponytail, her face devoid of makeup and she wore oversized sweats and a white t-shirt.
Head never seen her look more beautiful in his life.
aAlexei called again and heas quite frantic,a she said. aWe have to tell him something, Dirk.a He shook his head. aShe doesnat want to see anyone, especially not him. She doesnat want him to remember her like this.a aWell, guess what, Dirk. He told me he loves her and not telling him is tearing him apart. If he doesnat learn the truth heall end up hating her forever. Does she want that instead?a She laid her hand on his shoulder. aHe deserves the chance to say goodbye and she deserves to hear that he loves her one last time.a Dirkas gaze swung to his sleeping friend, her image burned into his mind. What was the right thing to do? Follow Elaineas edict or bring the man she loved to her side for one last time?
What would he want? Would he want Ronni by his side as he lay dying?
Yes.
His gaze never wavering from Elaineas face, he spoke. aBring him to New York.a Veronique dropped a kiss to his check. aI love you.a His throat tightened. aI love you.a She turned to leave.
aDarling?a he said.
She stopped, her expression questioning.
aTell him to hurry.a
Chapter 10.
aShe has cancer of the brain and itas inoperable.a Dirk ran his hand through his long pale hair.
Dying.
Alexei closed his eyes, sorrow lancing his soul as his mind screamed, NO! He couldnat lose her again, not this time.
Blindly he turned and started down the hall, his only thought to reach her side as soon as possible. A hand on his arm halted him and he looked back into Dirkas tormented gaze.
aSheas known the end was near and thatas why she attended the party. She knew her death was eminent and she told me she wanted to feel alive one last time.a He released his grip on Alexeias arm. aYou did that for her. You made her feel more alive than Iave seen her in months.a Alexei swallowed hard, his eyes stinging fiercely.
aI know what you are,a Dirk continued. aRonni told me several years ago and I didnat want to believe her. It was only when I saw the evidence with my own eyes that I realized you really are a vampire. After that, I thought you were a monster and Iam sorry for that. Youave been a good friend to me and I forgot about that. Irregardless of youraa aDining preferences?a Dirkas smile was faint. aWell said.a Alexei cleared his throat. aHow is she?a aSheas sedated for the most part, but she has moments of lucidity. Sheas blind, but the medications are keeping the pain under control for now. At this point, all we can do is make her comfortable.a Dirkas anguish was written on every line in his face. Right now, he looked far older than forty-three. Making Elaine comfortable might be all Dirk could do, but Alexei could do more.
aI love her you know.a Dirk nodded. aShe needs to hear that now.a Alexeias knees wobbled and he straightened them, forcing them to lock. Elaine needed him to be strong and strong he would be. He gave Dirk a swift nod before walking down the hall.
She might not remember their lives together, but her house told him a different story. Soft fabrics covered overstuffed furniture in bold, vivid colors. Cozy nooks filled with books and candles invited him to sit for a respite. The scent of flowers filled the air, but head expect no less from his beautiful gypsy woman.
He heard Veroniqueas soft voice as he approached the half-opened door. Through the wedge, he saw her sitting in a puddle of lamplight. Her gaze was fixed on a book in her lap as she read aloud.
He pushed the door open and his breath caught as his gaze locked on Elaine in the narrow bed.
She looked much the same as she had when head left her side three days before. Her hair was neatly brushed and tied with emerald ribbons. Her skin was pale, her lashes barely covering the shadows under her eyes. Dressed in a vivid green kimono, she looked like a sleeping angel.
She canat be dying.
On the nightstand stood a variety of bottles, syringes and other sickbed implements that voided his thoughts. Next to the nightstand sat another woman dressed completely in white, a nurse no doubt. Her pale blonde hair was pulled into a neat bun and she sat bent over knitting. The pale pink yard fairly screamed baby blanket.
Veronique rose from her chair, her expression solemn. aIam glad youare here, Alexei.a He caught her hand. aSo am I.a aMaddy, letas leave them alone.a The nurse nodded and quickly gathered her things, pausing only to check Elaineas pulse before leaving the room.
Veronique laid her hand on his arm. aLet me know if you need anything, Alexei.a He nodded, his throat tight as she left. He wanted to scream at her to stay, but he didnat speak.
As he moved toward the bed, his gaze locked on her face. She was so impossibly beautiful and he needed to touch her, hold her. He stretched out beside her, pulling her into his arms, shocked at the sudden fragility of her body in such short a time. She curled into him with a soft sigh.
He stroked her back, a repet.i.tive motion that soothed his scattered thoughts.
aThat first time, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. You were so young, so beautiful. You were always the gypsy, your feet bare and your hair tangled with wildflowers. Your mother was forever yelling at you to comb your hair, but an hour later it would be tangled again.a He chuckled.
aYour name was Natasha in that life and I lost you too soon. Less than a year after we married, you were dead with our child inside of you.a He pressed a kiss to her brow. aI was devastated and it was then that I became a vampire. I know what youare going to say, vampires donat exist, but they do. I left the mother country, too many memories for me to stay there any longer. I traveled for several years and ended up in the Carpathian mountains. It was there that I was transformed.a He sighed. aI was forever doomed to walk the years of darkness in pursuit of you, my love.
aI found you next in the French countryside. I could barely believe my eyes when I saw you in the middle of a field of mustard with a cl.u.s.ter of children around you. It was dark and you were teaching the children about the animals that came out only at night. I fell in love with you all over again.a He tangled his fingers in her hair. aWe were happy, living in the country. Wead make love all night long, talk for hours and laugh. You were everything to me and, yet again, I lost you less than three months later.a He closed his eyes at the memory of the crushing blow of her death. Shead fallen from the barn roof and broken her neck.
aI searched and searched for you. If you were returned to me once, I knew you would be yet again. It was almost thirty years before I found you once more. This time I was in England during the time of the War. You were working for the British Red Cross nursing wounded soldiers. The first time I saw you, youad been cutting bandages and were covered in lint and your feet were bare.a He chuckled. aMy beautiful Elise, you never could keep your shoes on.
aI lost you less than three weeks later. The Germans bombed London and you were killed while ushering several small children to safety. You always did put everyone elseas safety before your own.
aYou donat know this, but I first saw your picture in Dirkas office. Do you remember the photo with you and he when you went fishing in Canada?a He chuckled. aIn that photo, your feet were bare and your face was mostly covered with a big floppy hat, but I knew it was you. I didnat even have to see your face and I knew.
aIt took me the longest time to get Dirk to even tell me your name. Heas very protective of you.
aWhen you walked into the ballroom, I couldnat breathe. Iad dogged Dirkas steps for almost four years waiting for you to appear. I knew you would, it was only a matter of time. Then I came here.a He sighed, his grip tightened on her sleeping form.
aFor the first time in fifty years, I felt like I could breathe. You were by my side once more and this time I was going to make you mine.a He reached into his pocket and withdrew the ring.
aI bought this for you just hours before you were killed in London. We were to meet for dinner and I was going to ask you to marry me, but I was too late.a He slipped the ring on her finger and his heart gave a jerk at the sense of rightness. The emerald was finally where it should have been placed years ago. aMarry me,a he whispered.
His words filtered through the cloud of morphine and she absorbed the enormity of what he was telling her. This explained the dreams that had plagued her for her entire life and had only grown worse with each pa.s.sing year. It all made perfect sense now.
Or she was stoned, maybe too stoned and he wasnat really here at all. She poked his chest with her finger. He certainly felt real.
aAlexei.a Her voice came out as little more than a croak.
His chest jerked beneath her cheek. aElaine?a aYouare crazzzeee.a He cleared his throat. aHow am I crazy?a aVampires donat exist,a she whispered.
aHow can you doubt your own heart? I think you know as well as I do that weave lived and loved before.a She did. She knew it as well as she knew her own name. Theyad been together before, buta a vampire?
aFollow your heart, my darling.a She swallowed. aI know that I love you. I donat need to know anything else.a aMarry me.a aI canat.a Her voice came out as a sob.
She felt him pull away and she knew he was looking at her even though she couldnat see him as he was, only how she remembered him. Now, he was reduced to a silhouette of dark on light and shead never see him again. Her eyes misted and she blinked madly to keep the tears from falling.
aWhy not?a he asked.
aNews flash, Iam dying.a He chuckled. aAnd this is more important than marrying me? You wound me.a aNo.a Her smile felt rusty. aNothing is more important than loving you.a aDo you mean it?a She nodded and laid her head on his chest, unable to bear not being able to see him, only his shadow. aIam so tired. I want to sleep now.a aI know you do, darling, but you need to stay awake for another minute. I need to ask you something.a She raised her head. aI wish I could see you.a Her tone was wistful.
aFor now, it is enough that I see you, hold you in my arms as well as my heart.a aYou say the sweetest things.a aWill you marry me?a aIf only I could.a aIf you could, would you marry me and stay with me forever?a Her threatened tears spilled at his words. aThat is my greatest wish. To marry you and remain by your side for however long we could.a aYou can do that you know.a She ducked her head. aYouare not to tease me at a time like this, I canat take it.a aIam not teasing you, my love. I am truly a vampire. Iam immortal.a aI donat thinka"a He shushed her by pressing a finger to her mouth, then caught her hand and raised it to his mouth. Brushing a kiss across the back, his breath warm on her skin, then something p.r.i.c.ked her finger and she jerked her hand away.
aWhat was that?a she asked.
aMy teeth.a aYour teeth?a She frowned. aAre they real?a aAs real as you and I.a She laid her hand on his cheek. Stroking, she ran her thumb along his lip then inside, to inspect his teeth with the lightest of touches. His front teeth were even and strong. She ran her finger along their edge, then stopped when she hit an obstruction. Closing her eyes to concentrate, she ran her finger over the barrier. It was on the left side of his mouth where his canines should have been. Smooth, she followed the hard surface up to his gums then down to the sharp point.
It was definitely a tooth.
She moved to the other side of his mouth and found the matching one.
aI feel like a horse,a he said around her fingers.
She pulled her hand away. aWhy didnat I see these before?a aThey retract.a aUh huhaa He led her hand back to his mouth and placed her index finger on a tooth. Then she felt them shift and shrink. Within seconds his teeth felt normal beneath her touch.
Shaken, she pulled away. He really was a vampire. All of her life, shead prided herself on being open-minded and, now the man she loved was a vampire. Talk about mixed relationships!
aDo you believe me now?a he asked.
She nodded, not trusting her tongue to be able to speak.
aDoes this change how you feel?a Did it? He was still Alexei, warm, funny, intelligent, pa.s.sionate. He was just a great deal older than shead imagined. And definitely not a vegetarian.
aNo.a The moment she said it she knew it was true in her heart. It didnat matter if he was Vlad the Impaler. She would still love the man shead come to know so well.
aTell me that you love me and will stay with me.a She caught the desperation in his voice and it called to her. aMore than anything in the world, I want to stay with you. I love you, Alexei.a aI donat know that this will work,a he said.
aWhat are you going to do?a aTransform you.a She tensed. aDoes it hurt?a aNo, it feelsa strange but it doesnat hurt. And the best part isaa His finger ran down her cheek eliciting a rush of warmth through her body. aIf it works, we will be together forever.a aAnd if it doesnat?a aYouall die.a aIam already dying.a She shivered and his grip tightened. Eternity or death. She was afraid, very afraid. She was afraid to transform, but she was more afraid of dying and never being in his arms again. aIf I die, will you come for me in my next life?a she quavered.
aDeath will never part us. We are destined.a He dropped a kiss to her hair.