Shadows of Eternity

Chapter Fourteen

L eia moped through the apartment. It was summer, the weather was beautiful, and all she wanted to do was cry. Nothing held her interest—not reading, not rearranging the furniture, not going to the movies or working crossword puzzles or watching any of the mediocre shows on Netflix.

Somehow, one day turned into another and when she woke up Friday morning, she decided enough was enough. She was going to Bisbee to see Rohan dance again. She wasn’t going to talk to him or let him know she was there. She just wanted to know if seeing him again would have the same impact on her as it had the first time.

An hour later, she had booked a flight, reserved a room in the Copper Queen hotel, and after a few inquiries, found out where Rohan’s troupe was performing. She said a hurried prayer as she dialed the number of the box office, praying she’d be able to get a ticket. Luck was with her and she managed to get a ticket on the aisle in the last row.

She arrived at the hotel in Bisbee late in the afternoon and was immediately enchanted by the old world feel of the town. According to a Guide Book, Bisbee had been founded in the 1880s and had grown quickly, thanks to a thriving mining industry. The town had been well-preserved and the early 20 th century atmosphere drew visitors from around the country and around the world, appealing to bird watchers, hikers, wine connoisseurs, and those who enjoyed exploring museums and historic sites.

In her room, she showered and washed her hair. Wrapped in a fluffy hotel towel, she unpacked and laid out her clothes for the evening—a pair of black slacks and a silky, turquoise-blue blouse. After dressing, she spent twenty minutes fussing with her make-up and another fifteen on her hair, assuring herself it had nothing to do with Rohan.

After leaving the hotel, she wandered around for a while before finding a place for dinner. By the time she finished eating, it was time to head to the venue.

Leia felt her heart skip a beat when she reached the theater and saw a life-sized cutout of Shadow Dancer outside the box office. Just looking at his image took her breath away. During his absence, she had convinced herself that he couldn’t be as gorgeous and sexy, as desirable, as she remembered. But he was all that and more. In spades.

She picked up her ticket at the box office and hurried inside, her stomach churning with excitement and anxiety.

The show started promptly at eight. The lights, the music, the colorful costumes of the Native dancers were all as beautiful and impressive as the first time. It was truly amazing to watch the men as they executed the intricate steps of the Traditional Dance, the Fancy Dance, the Grass Dance. The bells tied to their ankles tinkled with every move. The women were lovely and graceful as they dipped and swayed to the Fancy Shawl Dance and the Jingle Dress Dance.

Leia held her breath as the MC introduced their star performer, Shadow Dancer of the Lakota Nation. He was the only performer who danced alone. She pressed her hand to her heart as he stepped out on the stage, as handsome and mesmerizing as she remembered, his movements fluid and powerful, his body twisting and turning, every step executed perfectly. She felt her heart skip a beat when he gazed out into the audience. Hoping he hadn’t seen her, she hunkered down in her seat and bowed her head.

Rohan paused briefly between steps, his eyes searching the crowd. She was here . He felt her presence in every part of his being.

The crowd was on its feet when he finished. He acknowledged their applause with a nod and left the stage. When the applause continued, he went out again, his gaze drawn to the back of the theater. With a wave, he went into the wings.

A moment later, the MC came out to assure the still-applauding crowd that he would be back before the end of the show.

Leia sat up, hands clasped in her lap. He knew she was there, she was sure of it. She was tempted to leave before the show was over, but the thought of watching him dance again was irresistible.

The other dancers were wonderful, but none of them danced with the same power and authority as did Rohan, his body as fluid as silk. Not surprising, she supposed, since he had learned from his ancestors hundreds of years ago.

She hurried out of the theater as soon as he finished his last dance. Hopping into her rental car, she drove back to the hotel as fast as she could, parked in the lot, and ran up to her room as if pursued by demons.

She had scarcely had time to kick off her shoes when there was a knock at her door.

It was him. She knew it as well as she knew her name. Knew she had been lying to herself when she said she was coming just to watch him dance. He had captured her heart and soul and, right or wrong, she was his.

Her hand trembled as she opened the door. For stretched seconds, they gazed at each other without speaking.

And then she took a step back and he crossed the threshold.

The door seemed to close of its own accord as he drew her slowly into his arms, his eyes hot with desire as he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his. When he swung her into his arms, she rested her head against his shoulder, wondering why she had ever thought she could let him go.

Somewhere between the living room and the bedroom, their clothing disappeared. Naked, entwined in each other’s arms, they fell on the bed. His gaze burned into hers as he caressed her, his hands masterful as he aroused her, his kisses hotter than the desire in his eyes. For a time, she lay there, caught up in his nearness, the magic of his touch, his kisses, the sheer beauty of the man.

“Touch me,” he growled.

And she had no thought to refuse.

Feeling suddenly bold, she explored the hard lines of his body, her fingertips tracing the hard muscles in his arms, the width of his powerful shoulders, his hard, flat belly. She smiled when he groaned, knew a moment of panic when he rose over her, his long, black hair falling forward like a dark curtain. She gasped his name as he possessed her in one, swift thrust that fulfilled her every desire and made her his forever.

Leia woke slowly, surprised to find Rohan lying in bed beside her. For a moment, she admired the beauty of the man and then, as the events of the night before came crashing back, she felt herself blush from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. He had made love to her last night, and she had gloried in it. But now, in the bright light of a new day, she was filled with doubts. What had she done? There had been no words of love spoken last night, no mention of forever. Had he cast some sort of supernatural spell over her that had made her surrender her virtue like that? What had she been thinking? she wondered, and then snorted. She hadn’t been thinking at all, that was the problem.

She rolled onto her side, letting her gaze move over him again. Long, thick, black hair. Skin the color of pale copper. Broad shoulders and chest. Six-pack abs. Long arms and legs corded with muscle. Clever hands that had played over her body until she melted like butter on a hot day. She traced his lips with the tip of her finger, gasped as he flipped her onto her back and rose over her.

For a moment, his dark eyes were fierce, and then he grinned at her. “Sorry, Princess. I’m used to waking up alone.”

“No problem,” she squeaked.

He rolled onto his side, carrying her with him, so that they lay face to face, bodies pressed intimately together. “I need to rest a little longer,” he murmured, his fingertips caressing her cheek. “But as long as I’m awake, I could probably keep my eyes open long enough for a quickie.”

“A quickie!” she exclaimed. “I don’t think so.” And so saying, she pushed him away, scrambled out of bed, ran into the bathroom, and locked the door. “A quickie!” She slammed her fist on the counter top. “I’m not some hooker he bought for the night.” No, she thought with a guilty flush. Y ou gave it away for free.

“Leia?” He rapped lightly on the door. “Leia, I’m sorry.”

“Go away.”

There was a moment of silence. And then the bathroom door opened.

Leia glared at him. “How did you do that? It was locked.”

A slow smile spread over his face. “How do you think?”

“Some kind of vampire voodoo, I suppose.”

“I’m full of tricks.”

“Well, I’m not one of them!”

“Leia,” he purred, drawing her into his arms. “I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. Or hurt your feelings.”

“Well, you did.” She had expected tenderness and he’d made jokes about ‘a quickie.’

He put his forefinger under her chin and tilted her head up. “I really am sorry,” he said. “Forgive me?”

How could she refuse when he was looking at her like that, his dark eyes filled with tenderness?

“Let me get some rest and then I’ll take you out for dinner. How does that sound?”

“I was planning to fly home late this afternoon.”

“And now?” His fingertips caressed her cheek, slid down her neck to settle in the hollow of her throat.

Her gaze slid away from his. “I don’t know.”

“Stay,” he coaxed.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with hurt and confusion.

He should have waited a while longer before he made love to her, he thought. But, dammit, she had been warm and willing and he’d been wanting her since the night they met. Still, that was no excuse for taking advantage of her in a weak moment, because she wasn’t the kind of woman who gave her body without giving her heart and soul, as well.

Gripping her shoulders, he pulled her up against him. “I’m crazy about you, Leia. I care for you as I have never cared for any other woman. And I want you as I’ve wanted no other.” His gaze burned into hers. “Are you still going home?”

“No.”

“I’ll be back at six,” he said, and kissed her until she was weak and breathless. “Six,” he said again, and vanished from her sight.

Afraid her legs wouldn’t hold her any longer, Leia sank down on the edge of the bathtub, her arms folded over her breasts. When her breathing returned to normal, she took a long, hot shower. Then, wrapped in a hotel bathrobe, she went to the window and opened the drapes. Standing there, trying to decide what to have for breakfast, it occurred to her that if she stayed with Rohan, she would never have to worry about what to fix him for breakfast, or for any other meal, for that matter.

Staring into the distance, she wondered if staying with him was the right decision. He hadn’t made any declarations of love last night, or spoken of a future together, although this morning he had said he cared for her. Perhaps vampires couldn’t love the way mortals did. She shook her head. What was she thinking? They had only known each other for a few weeks. Surely it was too soon to talk of love. But not too soon to let him make love to her, she thought wryly. She wasn’t even sure if what she felt for him was love, or merely infatuation for a gorgeous hunk of a man who had only to look at her to make her want him.

Still, she’d had no qualms, no doubts, about anything while in his arms last night. His sheer masculinity had been overpowering, his voice mesmerizing. But he was no ordinary man. She had to remember that. She shivered as she recalled something he had told her . If you decide you want to share your life with me, I’ll go anywhere you want to go, do anything you want to do. But know this, once you’re mine, I’ll never let you go.

It had sounded so romantic when he’d said it, but thinking of it now, it seemed more like a threat. It reminded her of something else he had said, something about his not being able to change what he was, but that, if she stayed with him, it would change her. At the time, she hadn’t thought to ask what those changes might be, but it would probably be wise to find out before she made any permanent commitment.

So much about him she didn’t know. He had told her a little about his past, about how he’d been made a vampire. He had told her what it was like. She had seen some of his supernatural abilities in action, like disappearing from view and being able to read her mind, healing her injuries, drinking from her and making her forget. And yet, he was still a mystery. Was he the man he appeared to be, or was there another side to him, a side he hadn’t let her see?

She stared down at the people on the sidewalk. Ordinary people leading ordinary lives, getting married, having children, worrying about braces for their kids and how to pay the mortgage and the rising price of groceries, with no idea that vampires were real. Or that there was one in their town even now. She watched a young family waiting at the corner to cross the street and wondered if Rohan had preyed on any of them.

With a shake of her head, she turned away from the window, stuffed her belongings into her suitcase, and called the airline to exchange her ticket for an earlier flight.