Chapter Six

Sabryn was standing on top of a rickety chair, her hair tied up behind her head, her eyes still droopy with exhaustion. The bed was unmade, and she was wearing nothing but a loosely tied robe. Scattered on the floor around her, several canvases were carefully covered in bubble wrap and tape, and she was in the process of lifting them into the storage space above her closet.

Standing in the doorway, content to watch her for a moment as her robe slipped higher and gave him a peek at the bare globes of her ass, Anton couldn't help but smile. He felt much better now that he'd fed. Stronger and more awake, despite the nearness of sunrise. And he felt over a hundred percent better since reconciling with both of the women in his life. Things were definitely looking up.

As she turned to reach for another painting, she didn't see him standing there. Picking up the smaller canvas, she paused for a moment, then slowly unwrapped the protective packaging to stare at the painting inside. She sighed, looking slightly saddened, before reaching for the bubble wrap once more. Suddenly noticing him, she shrieked and dropped the canvas to the floor, nearly falling off the chair in the process. He started forward, and she quickly recovered her balance. Clutching her chest, she laughed slightly.

"God, you scared me."

"Sorry, my dear." He bent down to pick up the fallen painting, turning it over in his hands. "I didn't mean--Bryn, when did you paint this?"

When she didn't answer, he looked up to see her chagrined expression. "Before painting the one I sent you."

The print was nearly identical to the one he'd received in the mail...only a mirror image. Instead of himself standing at the ocean's edge, it was Bryn pictured there. Her hair flew freely in the wind, sparkling in the sunlight just like the water before her. And just as his own footprints had been side-by-side with an invisible companion in his portrait, so were Bryn's in hers. She'd portrayed them as night and day...and his chest squeezed a bit at how appropriate the analogy was.

"It's beautiful." [Anton, you fool. You would fall in love with someone who needs light to express her emotions.] He handed it back to her and held her steady as she stretched up to place it with the other paintings. "Are you done?"

"Yeah." He swung her off the chair in a smooth movement, pulling her into his arms and walked towards the bed. Grinning, she put her arms around the neck, expecting him to put her down on the center of the bed and climb on top of her. He didn't quite do what she expected. Instead he settled on the edge, keeping her crosswise on his lap.

"I want to talk to you for a moment, and I want you to just listen until I'm done." He placed a kiss on her forehead. "I understand what you were trying to do the other night. The need to give me an experience I've never had before. And I love you Bryn, and am touched that you wanted to do that.

"But I hadn't made clear that we've already had that experience, only you didn't know about it." He lightly touched the scar on her neck. "It's not just because of her," he would not say that woman's name anymore tonight. "You have a joy about life, Bryn, that attracts me. Warms me when I'm near you. And I'd hate to see it die. Also, I never want someone I love to think that they're nothing more than a late night snack to me. That's why I don't feed from my lovers, Bryn. And why I'm so scared, because you're the first one I broke that rule for."

She reached up to touch the side of his face, her fingers sliding over coarse stubble. "I'm not sure what to say to that."

"You don't have to say anything, my dear."

She nodded vehemently. "Yes, I do." She gave him a soft kiss. "Thank you, for breaking your rule. I know it's silly, but I really did want to be your first at something. I know we can never have children, and I'll never be your only wife...and I accept that. But I wanted something that was all my own. Does that make sense?"

He nodded, pressing his lips against her temple. "I wish I could give you more."

"I've got an idea..."

"What's that?"

"We could set our wedding date. I know it's kind of early, but I already have my dress." She blushed a bit at his surprised expression. "And if we knew approximately when we were getting married, I have another suggestion to implement."

"Which is?"

"No sex for one month before the wedding night. Think you can handle that?"

"You're serious?" Anton smiled, shaking his head slightly when he realized she was. "If it means that much to you, yes, lets set a date and yes, I'll keep from ravishing you for one month before it. The question is, my dear, will you be able to keep your hands off of me?"

She giggled slightly, squirming in his lap until he gasped. "Hands, yes...I can't guarantee any other body parts, though."

He was about to make a sly comment of his own when they both heard the front door of the house open. It was too early for anyone but Lindy to be up and around. Suddenly a bit quieter, Sabryn stood up and headed to her dresser to grab some clothes.

"So, any dates in mind?" she asked, pulling on a pair of underwear beneath her robe. "Late September, possibly?"

He made a non-committal sound, his attention focused elsewhere. "Why have you gotten so quiet, my dear?"

"I just--I think I need to talk to Lindy. I should apologize."

Anton stood up as Bryn continued dressing. "Okay. It will be dawn soon, so I should head down stairs." He couldn't quite suppress a sigh of disappointment when she pulled on a sweater. "I should warn you, though, she may still be a bit snarly."

"I'm not too worried about that. If she goes after me, I'll remind her that she owes you an ass kicking." She kissed the tip of his nose as he snorted. "Come on," she said taking his hand.

They both walked downstairs. Lindy was walking towards them with a half asleep expression on her face. Her clothing looked like it had been hastily pulled on and her hair was a mess. "Are you aware there is a tree trying to take root behind your right ear, Lindy?"

"Huh?" She pulled a twig out of her long hair. "Damn," she muttered. "I thought I got them all." She yawned, revealing her eyeteeth were slightly elongated.

Looking slightly nervous, Bryn turned to Anton and said, "Go, before it starts getting lighter. We can always come in there when we're done talking."

He nodded, leaving her and Lindy alone. Stepping around the couch, Sabryn sat down. "Feeling any better since last night?"

"Some." Lindy rubbed her eyes, shaking a few knots out of her hair with her fingers.

"I wanted to talk to you about yesterday. Not just what happened that night, but after we couldn't find Anton. I was wrong to take my frustrations out on you, and I'm very sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Bryn. On top of everything else, the Change is like intense PMS, so I wasn't exactly the most pleasant person to be around." She took a breath before asking the next question. "So are you convinced that he wants to be with you?"

"Yeah," Sabryn said. "In fact, we're talking about setting a date." Her smile faded as she saw the trace of pain in Lindy's eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said--"

"No," Lindy interrupted. "Go ahead and talk about it. I'll deal with it. Always have. Besides, I may have met someone else..."

"Really?" She realized how excited she sounded and immediately toned it down a bit. "Wh-When? This is kind of fast isn't it?"

"You could say that." A soft expression came over her face. "You already know him. Nate, from the bar at the hotel."

"Nate?" Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh, Nathaniel?" She giggled, self-consciously. "He must think I'm a total spaz by now. But he is very sweet, isn't he? I met him in my art history class."

"He is," Lindy said, nodding. "We talked for a long time that night. And he even drove me home without trying to take advantage of me. Imagine that."

"Well this is exciting. Any plans to see him again?"

"I told him I'd call him tonight."

"I'm happy for you." Sabryn placed her hand on top of Lindy's. "It couldn't have been easy for you, that night. As much as I did want you to be happy, I was too lost in my own feelings to notice if you were or not. I shouldn't have...I'm just sorry it turned out the way it did. I never meant for you to get hurt. And when I mistook...when I thought you and Anton were better off together, I didn't mean to insult you at all. I honestly think you do have more in common with him than I do."

"Maybe," Lindy allowed. "But, having things in common isn't the same as being in love. I want someone who will love me back. Anton might try, but he'll never love me the way he does you, Bryn."

"It took me a while," Sabryn said, with a shaky sigh, "but I think I know that now. And I think I finally realized how much I love him, too. Yesterday was pure hell. I thought I'd go crazy. But when I saw him again, I didn't care about any of it. I just wanted to hold him again."

"So much for the ass-kicking *you* were promising."

Sabryn blushed. "I'm full of shit, I know."

"Well...any plans for today?"

"I thought maybe you might want to go up to my parents' house. They won't be there, or at least I hope not. I have a couple of horses, if you'd like to go for a ride."

"Horses? I'd love to!" Lindy squealed. "But I don't know how to ride."

"Don't worry, I'll let you ride Whisky. She's the horse I learned to ride on. She's really gentle."

"Oh my God! Bryn, slow down!" Giggling, Sabryn turned around in her saddle to see Lindy bobbing along behind her, grimacing every time her butt hit hard leather, holding on the horse's mane and reins for dear life. The horses had been going wild all morning, but given the fact that they hadn't been ridden in so long, Sabryn wasn't worried. Now that they were beginning to calm down, unfortunately, it was time to head back to the barn. The caramel-colored mare beneath Lindy picked up its pace, sending her shrieking as it moved into a gallop. "This horse is gonna kill me!"

Wheeling around the gray appaloosa gelding she was riding, Sabryn called out, "Just relax and move with her. Find the rhythm. If you move against her, you'll just end up sore."

"Easy for you to say--I'm already sore!"

Sabryn snorted, kicking Moonshine over to where Lindy had stopped the mare. "Ready to go raid the kitchen for some lunch?"

"Oh yes, please."

They walked the horses back to the barn to cool them off, removing all of the tack and then brushing them down. Lindy wobbled, feeling a bit bow-legged as they made their way to the house, giggling all the while. Just as they'd opened the kitchen door, a voice called out at startled them both.

"Steven, is that you--Amanda. What are you doing here?"

Groaning softly, Sabryn said, "Mom, this is my friend Lindy. Lindy, meet my mother Bernadette Pruitt."

Bernadette wasn't much taller than her daughter, although considerably heavier. She had the same dark hair, sprinkled with silver, and a similar face. Heavy lines and wrinkles marred her complexion, but it was easy to see they were related. She even had the same icy blue eyes. Oddly, given what she'd heard about her, Lindy expected to be greeted with hostility...instead, the woman gave her a warm smile and held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, dear."

"Likewise," Lindy said shaking her hand. She glanced over to Sabryn, who looked a bit uncomfortable. "We were just out riding. Well, actually Bryn was riding. I was more like trying to keep from falling off."

A slight frown crossed Mrs. Pruitt's face, before she put on a quick smile. "I do hope you cleaned up after yourselves. You know how your father likes the barn kept."

"Yes, we did," Sabryn said. "Do you mind if we have some lunch?"

"No, of course not. We haven't seen you for months, but please feel free to take whatever you want." She cleared her throat. "I'm working on some patterns for Caroline, so I'll be in the sewing room. Holler before you leave."

She walked out of the room, her footsteps creaking across the linoleum floor. Sabryn rolled her eyes at Lindy as she headed for the cupboards. "She's always like that, no matter how often I see her. You want to talk about PMS...that's my mother. A terminal case of it." She pulled down some plates, and reached for the bread. "Oh, but she's perfectly sweet to Caroline. Treats her like the daughter she never had. And the kids...jeez you'd think they were angels. She spoils them rotten."

Opening the refrigerator, she turned to meet Lindy's gaze. "I once thought that maybe when I had some kids of my own, she might actually like me again. But I guess I can forget about that."

"Why?" Lindy leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Yeah, they can't be Anton's kids, but don't sell adoption short. Jess, Alex, and Walter have always loved me like I was their own. And half the time I forget that I'm not related to my sister. Hell, we fight like we're 'real' sisters."

Grabbing some lunch meats and condiments, she nodded. "I know. I guess I'm just trying not to think about that stuff too much."

"What stuff?"

"You know, the future," she said, as if the words were mystical. "I think it's going to be more difficult that I realize, marrying a vampire. God, if my mother heard me say that, she'd have a fit."

"Let her," Lindy muttered. "I know you think it's going to be very sad, not having Anton's kids and not seeing him grow old with you...but think how much he will love you, for the rest of your life. Do you think you could expect that much from a human man? You'd be lucky if he wasn't cheating on you by the fifth anniversary."

"I know." Sitting down on a counter stool, she started putting sandwiches together. "I think human men must realize they aren't going to be here for very long, so they have to screw anything that walks, while they have time."

Lindy snorted. "Exactly. And who wants to have a man's kids only to raise them by yourself when he runs off with his mistress?"

"Jeez, not me." She tilted her head as she looked at Lindy. "But what about Nate? Surely you can't mean all human men?"

"I don't know Nate well enough to make a judgment call," she hedged. "Um, Bryn, can you keep a secret? I mean from Anton."

"Depends. If it's something that will hurt him--"

"No, it's nothing that's going to hurt him, I think. But I want to be certain of a few things before I introduce him to Anton." She took a deep breath. "Nate's also a vampire."

She started to giggle, until she realized Lindy wasn't laughing along with her. "You're serious?"

Lindy nodded.

"Holy cow...how many vampires are there in this country?"

"I honestly don't think there are that many. I guess we just got lucky."

Sabryn shook her head. "Will he mind me knowing? I mean, should I keep my mouth shut the next time I see him?"

"Well, considering what you told him the other night," she said, making Bryn blush, "I doubt it matters much. But just in case, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything. Especially to Anton. I'm not sure how he'd react to that."

"All right." She let out a breath. "Wow. So what is it about you and vampires, anyway? Do you have some sort of weird pheromone that I don't know about, or what?"

"I have no idea," Lindy laughed. "I smell 'normal' to me. You all smell weird. So what's on the agenda for this afternoon? More attempted murder by horse?"

"If you'd like." She grinned, handing over one of the sandwiches. "Or we could always go look for something nice for you to wear on your date."

Lindy could only blush.

Lindy checked her makeup in the mirror one last time, trying to decide if she needed to touch up her blush or not. The white pantsuit wasn't a look that she'd normally go with, but she had at Bryn's insistence. She had to admit, it did look good on her.

Nate had sounded excited when she called him almost as soon as the sun had set. She thought she heard a female voice in the background, but she wasn't sure. She had told him to go ahead and feed first, discouraging him from coming over right away. Sabryn had ushered Anton out almost right away.

She heard the door bell rang. "Lindy, your date's here," Caroline called. Lindy gave one last look in the mirror, adjusted a few strands of hair and took a deep breath before heading downstairs.

She saw Nate standing just inside the doorway, and he looked up when he saw her. The huge smile that crossed his face gave her goose bumps. "You look amazing," he murmured.

"Thank you." She was glad she hadn't decided on more blush. She certainly didn't need it now. "You've met Caroline?"

The other woman nodded. "Yes, I've had the pleasure." She gave Lindy an envious look as she stepped out of the room, making her laugh.

"Shall we go?" he asked, his hand on the doorknob.

She allowed him to usher her out to the car, smiling at him as he opened the door. That was the first time she noticed the single white lily sitting on the passenger's seat.

"A lily and not a rose?" she asked, picking it up and smelling it.

He smiled a bit sheepishly. "Lilies are supposed to mean majesty. I couldn't think of anything more fitting."

She didn't think she could blush redder, but she managed it somehow. "But aren't they also supposed to mean chastity?"

"I'm keeping you chaste. At least for the moment." He fidgeted for a moment before asking, "Where would you like to go?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for a good steak."

He grinned, starting the engine. "As long as it's nice and rare."

She tried to concentrate on the menu before her, but her eyes kept straying to the man sitting beside her. His lips moved as he read, and there was something very attractive about that. Then again, it seemed everything he did was attractive. Perhaps she was on the rebound after confessing her feelings to Anton, but she didn't care. To be honest, she was growing a bit tired of hearing about setting dates, wedding gowns, and engagements. For now, she just wanted to have fun.

"Have you ever had Tiramisu?" Nate asked, out of the blue.

"No."

"I think we should share a piece after dinner. You'll love it. It's like an orgasm in your mouth."

Lindy squirmed a bit. He picked up on it immediately. "I'm sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable by saying that?"

"Yeah." Honesty seemed to better policy with him at the moment. "I was a werewolf's sex toy when I was younger, and to say it's colored my outlook is an understatement. Never been comfortable with comments directed at me, and the other night I don't think will help any in the long run."

Nate put down his menu to look at her. "This bastard who did that to you, is he still around?"

"No," she said with a slight shake of her head. "I slit his throat with a silver knife while he slept one night."

"Good," he replied with a hint of bloodthirsty approval. "Although I think the bastard may have gotten off too easily. If he were still around, I'd have to hunt him down and make him pay for every time he touched you."

She looked down, and he realized his teeth were sharpening. Closing his eyes, he willed himself to calm down.

"I'm sorry...you don't need my anger right now."

"It's all right," she said, softly. "This may sound silly, but I'm flattered."

His brow furrowed as he met her gaze. "You shouldn't have to be. Anyone would do the same."

"But still, thank you." She reddened slightly under his gaze. "So now that you know all about my sordid past, what about yours?"

He seemed to withdraw a little at that question. "There's not much to tell."

Lindy laughed at that. "You're telling me there's no dark secret in your past? No skeletons in your closet? At least tell me how old you are."

He sighed, but let his shoulders relax. "Technically, I'm twenty-two...but if you add all of the years in between, I guess you could say I'm 930 years old."

"You were born in 1070?"

"Very good. Raised in Alamania--now Switzerland--until I was seven. I spoke three languages, none of which were Russian. Unfortunately, I had to learn that quite quickly when my mother remarried."

"You moved to Russia?" She sat forward. It was probably just coincidence.

"My mother married a Russian," was all he'd admit.

"You must have missed your home. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your father?"

"Yes, I did miss my home. It was beautiful country. Forests so dense and ancient they were nearly black. Beautiful mountains. And then I moved to the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of snow and fish." He gave her a mock shudder. "My father died of old age. He was my mother's fourth husband. As the sister of a prince, she had the right to choose whatever husband she liked. And as many as she liked, apparently."

He took a drink of water before adding, "I was her last child...youngest of twelve."

"Twelve?" Lindy blinked in surprise. "It must have been hard to get her attention."

"No. She was a loving woman. Showered me with attention, even after we moved to Russia. It was her husband who didn't like me. He Transformed me, but it was she who saved me."

"Your mother's husband was a vampire?"

"Yes. I was riding the horse that belonged to Mother's husband's son." It took Lindy a minute to figure out that he meant his step-brother. "The horse was half wild, but I was confident I could ride him. I was wrong."

He paused to swallow another sip of water. "I was thrown. Broke my spine when I hit the ground. I could barely breathe and couldn't feel any of my limbs." His sentences became shorter, clipped. "I was carried back to the keep. Wasn't expected to survive more than a day. Mother begged Ivan for my life. He did it because he loved her, not me."

"That's awful. How could he not love you?"

He gave her a half-smile. "I suppose because I was another man's son. A foreigner's son. I only spoke a little Russian at the time, didn't know the customs, and I'll admit I must have been challenging. I was very jealous of his son, and more than a little rebellious."

"So? That describes just about every step-child ever born."

"True, but we're talking about the eleventh century, not modern-day America. Things were very different then. More than you could possibly imagine. People married for land, above all things. Children were little more than belongings. I was lucky to have what I did."

"I guess so," she murmured, not quite convinced.

"Look, most parents sent their children off to live in other households at the age of seven. They were taught by strangers to be adults, and very rarely given time to be a child. But my mother refused to do that. She took me with her, and raised me by herself without the help of a nursemaid. That's a very rare and extraordinary thing. Especially when you consider that she could have just married me off at the age of twelve to collect on a dowry."

"She sounds like she was a wonderful woman." Lindy reached out and placed a hand on one of his. "I wish I could have met her."

"I think she would have liked you, Lindy." He stroked his thumb along the back of her hand. "So tell me about your mother."

"The woman who raised me?" Lindy shrugged. "I never call her mom, always her first name Jess. She found me on the streets after I escaped from *him.* She's a werewolf as well, and was tracking me when I went on a killing spree. I think the last thing she expected to find was an eight year old werewolf. Anyway, she offered me a safe place to stay, more than enough to eat, a lot of love and understanding, and the freedom to leave if and whenever I wanted to. I didn't until I was almost 20."

"She sounds like a wonderful woman as well. Is she still living?"

"Yes, she is."

"I would like to meet her some time...with your blessing, of course."

She smiled. "I think I'd like that."

When the waiter came and took their order, Nathaniel let her go first, watching her all the while. He seemed to like looking at her, even when he was ordering his own meal. Once they were alone again, he turned in seat to face her.

"I like being with you, Lindy. It may be forward of me to say so, but I think I'd like to spend a lot more time with you. As much as possible. I'm just hoping you feel the same."

Lindy looked at him. Her feelings for Anton hadn't changed, but were being displaced for the growing ones for Nathaniel. Or, perhaps more accurately, she was putting things into perspective. "I do, Nate."

He held still as she leaned towards him. After a false start, she pressed her lips firmly to his. Gently he reached up to cup her cheek. It took all his self control not to pull her against him and plunder her mouth. But somehow he sensed that it would be the wrong thing to do.

She pulled back after a few seconds, flushed and eyes sparkling. He couldn't help but smile at her slightly befuddled look. He pushed a few of her stray hairs back into place. "That was nice," he murmured.

Lindy looked down demurely. "Just one request? Can we take this slowly?"

"Whatever you need," Nathaniel said, surprised at how deeply he meant it.

After dessert (the Tiramisu had been as every bit as good as Nathaniel had promised), they walked along the street. She was still a bit nervous. He had made no other reference to the fact that she had kissed him. She shivered slightly, and Nate put his arm around her, drawing her close to the warmth of his black wool overcoat.

"Here," he said, pausing to start pulling off his gloves. "Put these on first. They'll be a little big, but still warm."

When she realized he was about to take off his coat, she shook her head. "No, then you'll be cold."

"I'm fine. You'd be surprised how warm I'm feeling right now."

She couldn't hide her smile as she pulled on his gloves and stood still while he draped his heavy coat over her shoulders. The thing had to weigh a ton. It was all she could do to keep from grunting like a packhorse.

"That better?"

"Much." She giggled slightly, caught her reflection in a store window. "I look like a little kid in her dad's coat."

He smiled, turning to see his own image standing next to her. "Just don't say that I look like a dad, and you'll be just fine."

"I wouldn't. I--" She thought for a moment, trying to be tactful. "Does that bother you, knowing you won't have kids of your own?"

He put his hand on her back as they resumed walking. "Sometimes, I guess it does. Usually I try to keep myself so busy that I don't even think about it. But yeah, I think it does hurt a little."

Pulling a stray hair out of her face, she said, "What do you do to keep busy?"

"Depends on what I'm in the mood for," he said, with a devilish grin. "I take an odd job here or there. I don't really need to money, so that's not what interests me. Lately I've been doing historical research for professors and librarians. It's quiet, I can keep to myself, and it's like looking at old scrapbooks. I can look back and remember what I was doing then."

"You must be very good at what you do," she said, smiling.

"Well, they do seem to think my research skills are impeccable. One woman told me she couldn't understand how I was so accurate all the time." Scratching his chin, he added, "I just told her I study the encyclopedia on my off hours."

She giggled a bit. "I'm *sure* she believed you."

He looked at her in mock indignation. "And why wouldn't she?" Lindy just shook her head as they continued walking. "And what do you do when you are not chasing the moon?"

"Me?" Lindy shrugged. "I help run an antiques business, mostly doing research as well. A little assessing, but not the dating. Mostly I spot the replicas, saving everyone else the work."

"How?"

She tapped her nose. "They just don't smell old enough."

"Ahh, I see." He grimaced a bit. "I'd hate to know what you think I smell like, in that case."

"You smell...incredible." She turned bright red after saying that, and he stopped to look at her.

"Thank you." He pushed his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "You're not used to this, are you?"

"Used to what?"

"Being one-on-one with a man."

"Actually, I work like that all of the time with A--with my business partner."

He tilted his head slightly. "A business partner is not what I'd consider a man. I mean like this, the two of us, standing here, hopelessly flirting with each other."

Laughing slightly, she said, "No, I guess I'm not."

"It's been quite a long time for me, as well. With a man, or a woman," he joked. "And as much as I like it, I'd really like to kiss you again. I just worry it won't be me you'll be thinking about."

She cocked her head at him, giving him a shy half smile. "There's no way you'll know unless you try."

He pulled her into his arms. One hand stroked the side of her face, tracing her cheekbone. He couldn't help smile as she audibly inhaled as his lips touched hers. He nudged her lips apart with his tongue. She tasted different from a human woman or a vampiress. He couldn't define what the difference was, but he liked it.

She tensed as he stroked his tongue along hers. Remembering what she had told him earlier, he pulled his mouth away, but didn't release her from his arms. "Okay," he asked a bit breathlessly. "Who are you thinking about?"

"Who do you think?"

Grinning, he leaned closer, whispering in her ear, "You were thinking about me. And you're going to keep thinking about me, I promise you. I'll give you as much time to get over him as you need, but I'm not going to back off for a second. I'll hold you if he breaks your heart, and I won't even flinch if you scream his name in my bed." He felt her tense slightly against him, but didn't stop talking. "I know that scares you, gorgeous, but one day it won't. One of these days, you won't be able to keep your hands off of me. I guarantee it. And what's-his-name will be nothing but a distant memory."

She seemed to melt slightly against him, and for a moment he was afraid to pull back...as if he might see tears coursing down her face. But when he did meet her gaze once more, her eyelids were heavy over her eyes and she stared at him in a semi-drugged haze.

Keeping his voice purposefully low, he murmured, "What do you want, baby?"

"You," she whispered, her voice low and throaty. "I want you."

The ferocity of her attack stunned him. She was rubbing against him, running her hands through his hair and clothes, and kissing him like there was no tomorrow. She pulled back, breathing heavily, long enough to whisper. "I want to forget him. Both of them. Can you help me forget?"

His only response was a frantic nod. Grabbing her hand, he turned around and started a fast pace towards the car. She nearly had to run to keep up with his long strides. For a moment or two, a bit of conscience crept into his mind but he quickly pushed it away. Using his electronic key chain to open the doors, he made sure she was securely seated before hurrying around the car and sliding behind the wheel. His hand shook as he slid the key into the ignition, and he pulled the car a little too erratically out of the parking stall...burning rubber on the pavement. Once he reached the road, however, he was able to regain his composure and obey the speed limit.

He turned to glance at her, noticing the nervousness in her expression. He reached for her hand, keeping his other hand on the wheel, and pulled the glove out of the way. He wasn't quite sure if it was her or the smooth purr of the Viper he was hearing, as pressed his lips to her palm. After a moment of innocent caresses, kissing each finger in turn, he teased her by tracing the tip of his tongue over the lines of her palm.

Her head leaned back against the seat, mouth dropping open. She whimpered as he guided one of her fingers into his mouth, sucking gently. "Mmmm... Nathaniel..."

He released her hand long enough to whisper, "That's right baby, keep saying my name. I love the way it falls from your lips."

She shivered at the sound of his voice. "Where are we going, Nathaniel?"

"Back to my place, gorgeous. And I think you're gonna like what you find there."

She wasn't expecting to be led past the door to his apartment. Yet when he led her up another set of stairs and they emerged on the roof of the building, she was instantly amazed. Instead of being a normal industrial-style roof, it was something of a hideaway. Tiny white lights glowed around them, lining the walls and the doorway. Elegant iron-work chairs and a cafe table sat off to one side. A gliding swing stood under the eave, sheltered from any possible rain shower. And in the center, an inflatable bed with a few blankets and pillows sat waiting for her presence.

She giggled softly, although the sound wasn't quite as amused as it was suspicious. "Come up here often?"

He gave her an innocent look. "As a matter of fact, I do. I like lying on my back and watching the stars. I usually come up here after I feed and read a good book."

"Really?" She walked over to the swing and sat down on it. Hoping to mask her nervousness, she kicked off her shoes and rocked the swing back and forth using her feet.

No such luck. Nathaniel took a place besides her, but with a little space between them. One arm rested on the back of the swing as he angled to look at her. "You're not sure about this, despite what you said earlier. Right?"

She sighed, looking at her hands folded in her lap. "Yeah," she whispered. "I was okay until I saw the... bed."

Gently he turned her face towards his. "I understand why you're hesitating. Hell, I'd be worried if you weren't. Tonight's about what you need, whether it's a screaming orgasm or to be held while you cry."

She smiled. "I do...want to be with you. I'm just--"

"You don't need to explain." Kicking off his own shoes, he paced over to the bed. "I've got an idea. Why don't we just lie here. I can tell you all of the constellations I know. And maybe, if you're comfortable, we can make out for a while." He grinned. "It doesn't have to be anything more than you want it to be. I just don't want this night to end. Not yet."

"Neither do I." Lindy walked over to him. He reached out his hand to her, and she placed hers in his. Both sat down on the bed. Leaning towards him as he placed an arm around her, she pointed at one star. "Okay, what's that one?"

"Good, you picked one I actually know." He laughed as she elbowed his side. "That star just happens to be Betelgeuse, believe it or not. It's the shoulder of the constellation Orion. Orion was a mighty hunter, whose companion was the goddess Artemis, the virgin huntress. Some people say she was jealous of his hunting skills, or possibly that he tried to rape her, so she sent a scorpion to sting him to death. But I believe she was deeply in love with Orion. Her protector, Apollo, grew so jealous of her love for another man that he tricked her. One day he dared her to shoot arrows at a rock out in the lake, to see whose aim was surest. Artemis won the contest, but she lost her companion...it turned out the rock in the water was really Orion's head as he swam towards shore."

"She killed him?"

He nodded. "Consumed with grief, she flung him up into the stars where he would live for an eternity."

"That's a very sad story."

"Most myths are." He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth before laying back on the mattress. "Then again, we should know that better than anyone."

She laid back as well. "Yeah, look at us. Myth taken flesh." She rolled over to one side, resting her head on her arm. "Do you think we're meant for happiness? All the myths I've ever heard end in tragedy. Death, destruction, loss..."

He laid a finger on her lips to silence her. "Perhaps it is time we start rewriting those myths." He rose up on one elbow and kissed her gently.

Relaxing against the mattress, she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer, silently giving him permission to deepen the kiss. He didn't put any pressure on her, or roll on top of her like she might have expected. He merely stroked the side of her face, exploring her mouth with gentle sweeps of his tongue. Content to let her lead the way, he settled back down on to his shoulder and met her face to face.

It was nice kissing him, even if she did have to admit to getting a little carried away. She rushed forward at all the wrong moments it seemed, eager to get to whatever next step he might have planned. But he wouldn't let her take things too far. When he felt her breathing speed up, or her body shake with anticipation, he pulled back slightly, giving her a moment to return to reality.

Eventually he pulled away. "Time for another astronomy lesson. Pick another star." Blinking and slightly befuddled, Lindy pointed at the first light that caught her eye. He turned and studied it. "That... is an airplane's running lights."

"Sorry." Giggling a bit, Lindy pointed out another bright star close to the constellation Orion.

"Another one I know." Nathaniel grinned. "That is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Also known as the Dog Star. He was Orion's faithful hunting dog who went mad trying to find Orion when he died. Taking pity on him, Artemis also hung him in the sky, where he follows at the heels of his master, ever faithful."

"You know, wolves are very faithful as well."

"Is that so?" He thought for a moment. "Can't say I know too many vampires that are...but I can't say I know too many vampires, anyway."

"Hey, you were supposed to be helping me forget!"

He gave her a sheepish look. "Oops. Guess I'll just have to go back to kissing you. It's the one thing I seem to be able to do right with this big mouth of mine."

Giggling slightly, she didn't protest in the slightest.

It was about an hour before dawn when she walked back into the house. She twirled the lily she was carrying in her hand, a bemused smile on her face. She walked to the kitchen to find a glass or a small vase she could put the flower in.

As she filled the glass with water, she reflected back on the events of the night. Nathaniel had not pressed her beyond kissing her. She was a bit embarrassed by the fact that she had thrown herself at him like a bitch in heat, and more than a little relieved that he hadn't taken advantage of her. But at the same time, she was oddly disappointed.

Lily now in water, she started back down the hall. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Anton was waiting by her door until she practically ran into him. "You've been out late," he said.

"Did I miss my curfew, Warden?"

"That's not funny."

"I thought it was."

"Where were you?"

"That's none of your business, Anton."

He ran his hand through his hair, sighing heavily. "You know, I'm sure this may sound funny to you but I was worried about you. I'm sure you haven't noticed that there's some sort of psycho killer on the loose."

Frowning, she stepped past him and walked into her room. Slipping off her shoes, she said, "Killer?"

"Yeah. The cops are calling it a vampire hoax, but I'm not so sure of that. I have a bad feeling about it."

She shifted uncomfortably. "Why Anton? What makes you say that?"

"One couple murdered every other day. Victims found exsanguinated with puncture wounds to the neck, but no blood found at the scene. There was also indications that the victims had been tortured before being killed. Something about it reminded me of someone..." He frowned thoughtfully. "You didn't see anything when you were out the other night?"

She shook her head. [What about Nathaniel? How well do you know him? He told you he doesn't feed on women, but how do you *know* that?]

He noticed she had gone quiet. "Is there something wrong, Lindy? Did something happen on your date?"

"No, I--" She noticed Sabryn coming down the stairs and saw a quick diversion. "Bryn, will you please help me convince him that he's not my keeper?"

Pushing her hair out of her face, Bryn stepped over to where they stood and grabbed Anton's arm. "Come on, leave her alone. She's probably tired."

"Does no one care that I was concerned?" Anton asked.

"Yes," Lindy said. "And it's very sweet of you, but I can take care of myself. In case you've forgotten, I'm not exactly helpless. I'm fully capable of defending myself if need be."

"I take it he's told you about the stuff in the papers?" Bryn said.

Lindy nodded. "And I will be more careful if I go out again."

"See?" She nudged Anton's side. "Now why don't you come into the den with me? I wanted to talk to you."

Still grumbling slightly, Anton gave Lindy a lingering look of disapproval before slowly following his fiancée. Something about Lindy's attitude bothered him. There was something she was withholding. However, it looked like whatever it was would have to wait until later. He closed the door behind them once they were in the den. "What did you want to talk about, Bryn?"

"Anton, I think it's time we started making some plans. You're not going to be able stay here forever." She sat down on the couch, looking more than a little tired. "Besides, with me staying here, I have to be awake to take care of the kids during the day. I'm too tired most of the time to realize whether or not they're even in the same room."

He gave her a bit of a sly grin. "What makes you think you'd get anymore sleep somewhere else?"

"Because, smart-alec, we'd be on the same schedule. As of right now, one of us always seems to be sleeping while the other is awake. I hate that. I want to be with you, not watch you snore."

A look of indignation crossed his face. "I don't snore!"

"Yes, you do." She grabbed his hand, pulling him down on to the couch next to her. "My brother has another sitter that he can hire if he needs to. Paying her would probably be a lot less expensive than having me live upstairs rent free. And besides," she said, her voice lowering a little, "I'd kind of like you to take me home with you."

He put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He had been thinking of returning to San Francisco, but did not quite know how to broach the subject with her. "You sure about that?" he said softly. "You seem close to your brother, and I'd hate to take you away from that. And what about your schooling?"

"I am close to my brother, and his family," she said, rubbing her cheek against his shirt. "But that's what phones and email are for. I can talk to them whenever I want to. As for school, I was only going for fun anyway. I can always take those classes somewhere else if I really want to. They're actually kind of boring."

"You didn't seem so bored the other night."

"And I wasn't thinking about my class, either. I was just happy to come home to you." She grinned, pulling him down for a slow kiss. "Besides, don't you think a wedding in San Francisco would be pretty? I've already got my dress..."

"You've already got this planned out, haven't you, my dear?"

"Uh huh."

"And you're not going to give up until I agree."

"Nope."

"Then who am I to argue?"

End Chapter Six