Shadows of Eternity

Chapter Twenty-One

“ I had an interesting conversation with your friend’s husband last night,” Rohan remarked. He had taken Leia dancing earlier. Now, they were snuggled on the sofa in her apartment. She had kicked off her shoes, and so had he. Soft music played in the background.

“Really?” she asked curiously. “About what?”

He looked at her, one brow raised. “What do you think?”

“Oh. Oh! He’s not planning to … you know?”

“Take my head?”

She grimaced at the image. “Is he?”

“Not right now.”

“What do you mean, not right now?” she asked, worried by the implied threat.

“He said he’d kill me if I hurt you or anyone else in the city. The usual vampire hunter warning.”

“And what did you say?”

“I told him to stay out of my business or his wife will be a widow.”

Leia bolted upright. “You didn’t! You wouldn’t!” In any conflict between the two men, she was certain Rohan would win. And just as certain that Trent’s death would also be the death of her friendship with Janae.

“What did you want me to say?”

“Well … I don’t know, but … ” Leia bit down on her lower lip, her brow furrowed. What had she expected him to do? Run away like a whipped cur? He’d never do that, nor would she want him to.

Rohan put his arm around her again. “Don’t worry about it, love. He’s not going to do anything, and neither am I.”

Relief washed over her. She didn’t know what she’d do if Rohan made good on his threat. Still, he had a right to defend himself, if necessary.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lightly. “Don’t think about it,” he murmured, kissing her again. “Whatever happens, happens. No use in worrying about it.”

He ran his tongue along the side of her neck, sending a wave of heat spiraling through her.

In answer to his unasked question, Leia canted her head to the side, giving him access to her throat. She sighed, her eyelids fluttering down, as he bit her. Why did she find something that should have been disgusting so arousing?

A moment later, he sealed the tiny wounds, pulled her into his arms, and carried her to bed. He quickly shed his own clothing and then, his gaze burning into hers, he undressed her ever so slowly.

Lying beside him, with his hands and lips arousing her, pleasuring her in a hundred ways, Leia forgot everything else but the incredible man rising over her, carrying her to heights and depths she had never imagined.

Much later, when he rose to leave, she tugged on his hand. “Why don’t you move in with me?”

“Are you sure about that?”

She giggled at the surprised look on his face. “I’m sure. I hate it when you go home after we make love. You want to, don’t you?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve almost asked you a couple of times, but … ” He shrugged. “I didn’t know how’d you’d feel about it.”

“Why didn’t you just read my mind?”

“I’m trying not to pry,” he said, with a grin.

She smiled up at him as he slid back under the covers and took her in his arms again. What would he say, she wondered, if she asked him to marry her?

Leia frowned when she woke in the morning, surprised to find the room still dark, until she glanced at the windows. Sometime during the night, Rohan had used her spare blankets to block the sun’s light.

“Looks like I’ll be needing some black-out curtains,” she murmured, wondering what other changes she might have to make to accommodate her new roommate.

She showered and dressed, then tiptoed out of the bedroom. There was a whole new feel to the apartment, she mused, though she couldn’t explain the difference. Was it merely the presence of another person? Or that dark aura Janae had so often mentioned? It didn’t matter, she decided, as she scrambled two eggs, then popped a couple pieces of bread into the toaster. Her life shouldn’t change too much, she thought. After all, he slept half the day and didn’t eat.

Smiling, she dished up her breakfast and sat at the table. Later today, she’d go shopping for curtains, and maybe a sexy new nightgown or two. Or three.

Leia was looking at nightgowns when she saw Janae in the adjoining aisle. “Janae, hi!”

“Hi! If I’d known you were coming to the mall, we could have ridden together.”

“It was kind of a spur of the moment decision,” Leia said. “Wanna grab some lunch later?”

“Sure.” Janae waggled her brows at the nightgown in Leia’s hand. “Sexy.”

Leia felt a blush climb into her cheeks. “I hope Rohan thinks so.” She frowned as a shadow passed behind her friend’s eyes. “Learn to live with it, girlfriend. He’s moving in with me.”

Janae blew out a long sigh. “Oh, Leia.”

Leia frowned. Since Rohan had wiped Janae’s memory of what he was, she hadn’t expected her friend to still object to her dating him.

Janae came around the end of the rack. Lowering her voice, she said, “You need to dump him. Now.”

“Why would I do that? I’ve never been happier.”

Janae glanced around. The store was having a lingerie sale and there were women young and old alike pawing through bras and panties and nightgowns as if they were going out of style. “We can’t talk about it here. Are you almost done?”

“I guess so.” Curious now, Leia quickly paid for the three nightgowns she’d decided on. They took the escalator up to the food court, ordered Chinese food, and eventually found a table for two.

“So, what’s going on?” Leia asked, setting her packages on an empty chair.

“I can’t tell you anything except he isn’t who you think he is, and you’re in danger every minute you spend with him.”

Leia sat back, stunned by what Janae had said. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“I wish I could tell you,” Janae said earnestly. “But I promised Trent I wouldn’t tell anyone. Not even you.”

As soon as Janae mentioned Trent, Leia blew out a sigh of relief. She didn’t know what Trent had told his wife, but she was pretty sure he hadn’t told Janae that Rohan was a vampire.

Rohan was still at rest when Leia got home. She unwrapped the new blackout curtains and spread them over the back of the sofa. Maybe he would help her hang them later. She left the nightgowns in the bag so as not to ruin the surprise.

It was hours until sunset. Maybe he’d rise early. He had often done so in the past. What was it like to go to asleep and never dream? To just fall into oblivion? She shivered, thinking it would be scary to be awake and aware one minute and trapped in utter darkness the next. He’d mentioned he used to sleep in a coffin. Why did he stop? Thank goodness he had. That was just too creepy to even think about.

After grabbing a soda out of the fridge, Leia sank down on the sofa and switched on the TV. She had just found a movie she wanted to see when the station broke in with a news alert.

She was about to change the channel when the reporter said, “ … completely drained of blood, the body was found in a culvert. The victim had no identification. If you have any information, please notify the police immediately. In other news … ”

Leia sat back, chilled to the bone. A body. Drained of blood. Oh, Lord. She switched the TV off, not wanting to hear more.

Forty minutes later, she was still sitting there when Rohan, clad in black jeans and shirtless, entered the room. He stared at her face, listened to the erratic beat of her heart, and wondered what the hell had upset her. “Leia?” He repeated her name when she didn’t respond. “What’s happened?”

She looked up at him then, and quickly looked away.

What the hell? He let his mind brush hers and then he knew. Some vampire had left his kill where it could be found. Dammit. That was going to put Trent Frumusanu on his tail like a redbone hound on the scent of a coon, sure as hell and damnation. “Leia, I swear on my love for you, it wasn’t me.”

She didn’t say anything, but the relief on her face was evident. “I didn’t really think it was, but … ” She looked away but not before he saw the guilt in her eyes. Not that he could blame her. As far as she knew, he was the only vampire in town. He’d thought so, too, but apparently that had changed.

He was about to ask if she wanted to talk about it when the doorbell rang. A vicious oath escaped his lips as he caught Frumusanu’s scent. Well, hell , he thought irritably. That didn’t take long. “I’ll get it,” Rohan said. “It’s Janae’s husband.”

“I wonder what he wants,” Leia remarked, and then bit down on her lower lip.

“What do you think?” Rohan muttered, as he unlocked the door.

Frumusanu didn’t waste any time. As soon as the door opened, he said, “I need to talk to you.”

Rohan stepped out onto the small porch and pulled the door closed behind him. “Save your breath. It wasn’t me.”

Trent snorted. “Why the hell should I believe you?”

“Because I said it. I’m not stupid enough to leave a fresh kill in the town where I live.”

That took Frumusanu aback. Looking somewhat embarrassed, he shoved his hands into his pants’ pockets. “I guess you’d have to be a damn fool to do so. Any idea who the bloodsucker might be?”

Rohan shook his head. “Until tonight, I thought I was the only one in town. I haven’t sensed any others.” Even as he spoke the words, he caught the faint scent of vampire on the wind. He swore under his breath.

It was a scent he’d never forgotten.

The scent of the vampire who had turned him over three hundred years ago.

Rohan stood on the porch for several minutes after Frumusanu took his leave and then, unable to resist, he descended the steps. Lifting his head, he turned in a slow circle, trying to locate the scent again. Had he been mistaken? More than likely, he decided. After all, it had been centuries. What were the chances he and his sire would wind up in the same town at the same time? He snorted softly. What were the chances they would have met the first time, he thought darkly. Fate? Bad luck? Or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

He walked to the sidewalk but if the scent had ever been there, it was gone.

And yet, in the back of his mind, he knew the SOB who’d turned him was out there, waiting.

“Is everything all right?” Leia asked, when he returned to the living room.

Rohan shrugged. “Frumusanu naturally assumed that I was the killer,” he said, a note of bitterness in his voice. “But then, why wouldn’t he?” Hell, the thought had crossed Leia’s mind, too. Not that he could blame her, but it cut, just the same.

“He believed you, didn’t he? When you told him it wasn’t you?”

“I guess so.” He stood in front of her, hands fisted on his hips. “Do you?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, a guilty flush staining her cheeks.

“Oh, hell,” he muttered.

Leia frowned. The tone of his voice told her something else was bothering him.

Rohan dropped down onto the sofa beside her, one brow raised. What the hell? Was she reading his mind now? How did she know he was on edge?

She tilted her head to the side, an unspoken question in her eyes.

He huffed a sigh. “When I was outside talking to Frumusanu, I caught the scent of the vampire who made me.” Leia stared at him, eyes wide with … what? He wasn’t sure if it was disbelief or fear. Hell, maybe it was both.

“How could he find you after so long?” she asked tremulously.

“There’s a strong blood tie between sire and fledgling. He’ll always be able to find me, if he’s looking. But … ” Rohan clenched his hands into tight fists. “I don’t think he’s looking for me. I think it’s just an unfortunate coincidence that he’s here.”

Later that night, after Leia had fallen asleep, Rohan willed himself to the place where the body had been found. The air still smelled of blood and fear and death.

And his sire’s never-to-be-forgotten scent.