HAPTER SEVEN

 

 

Darius had lived more centuries than he cared to count, first in Romania, then Scotland, before he settled in America. None of the women, both vampire, and human, he had known in his long existence held a candle to Carolyn. All he could do was stare. She was a vision to behold, a sexy combination of the Mistress of the Night and glamorous siren.

He watched her sashay around the ballroom, admiring the decorations. His heart thundered in his ears, and blood rapidly left his head to pool south. Surreptitiously, he adjusted himself and reached out for the nearest chair for support.

His tongue peeked out to lick his lips. The black Elvira wig contrasted with her creamy skin in a dramatic fashion. With the plunging neckline of that dress, there was a lot of glowing skin exposed. When she moved again, he sat down hard in the chair he’d been gripping. The skirt was slit to her hip! There was no way she wore panties in that get up. She took a breath, and he instantly focused on her breasts. Darius groaned. She was killing him. He was ready to drag his Muierimei from the room and take her fast and hard. He hungered for a nibble and taste, starting at her bright crimson lips and not stopping until he reached her cute little toes.

Carolyn sucked in a sharp breath. She felt it, that sense of calm and comfort that wrapped around her like one of her grandmother’s quilts when Darius was near. He was here, somewhere. Then she saw him. Her heart skipped and her breath caught in her throat.

She bit her lip as Darius stood and made his way across the ballroom. He looked the epitome of a Scottish Laird. Damn, that man was made to wear a kilt. The man oozed sex appeal and confidence. The width of his chest and the size of his biceps tested the limits of his tunic. She wondered if it was true about what a man wore under their kilt. She couldn’t wait to lift that plaid and answer that question once and for all.

“Good evening, lass. Such a beautiful lady should be on a lairds arm. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lord Drummond.” His smooth brogue was rich and thick in his costume persona.

“Good evening. I am Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. I'm pleased to make the acquaintance of such an esteemed gentleman.”

She drank in his features as he lifted her hand to his lips. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Startling amber eyes, enhanced by a jet-black mask, stared back. His thick brown hair the color of chestnuts sported natural extensions to accommodate the three-inch ponytail at the nape of his neck. He looked dang good with longer hair. Power surged between them when his lips grazed her skin. She grinned when he raised his head and brushed at a wavy lock that defied his flawless coif to curl over his right brow, and it fell right back where it had been.

“Your blood-red refreshment has expired, may I get you another?” His accent curled her toes.

“I would love another. Thank you.” Her voice came out breathless and low. Her body heated at the wicked sparkle in his eyes and the suggestive quirk of his lips. She knew he meant a sip of his blood and not the wine.

Darius offered Carolyn a refilled glass, retaining the other for himself, and cocked his head playfully. “Are you staying in the hotel?”

She played along with his game of strangers flirting. “As a matter of fact, I am. You?”

“I have lodging here as well. I’m surprised we haven’t run into one another. I'm sure I would have remembered a beauty such as yourself.”

She swallowed the sip of wine and grinned. “I’ve been rather busy with appointments. Unless you were having a facial, I doubt we would have run into one another.”

“Alas, I have never had a facial. Are you from here?”

“No. I’ve lived my entire life in Slidell, Louisiana.”

His brows shot up. “You’re kidding! I’ve resided in New Orleans for several decades.”

Carolyn frowned at that bit of information. “I work in the French Quarter quite often. Strange that we finally meet in Savannah.”

They sipped in unison, as she glanced away. Why hadn’t they met before this? Sure, New Orleans was a busy town, but the French Quarter was only a twelve by six block area. She racked her brain for a time when she might have seen a man who resembled Darius. She should have at least seen him in passing.

“What?” he asked, one palm sliding down her arm to link his fingers with hers.

“Huh?” She glanced up, startled.

“You narrowed your eyes.” He laughed low and sexy. “A man could feel unwanted by a look like that.”

“I was trying to recall if I’d ever seen you before. I would think we traveled in the same circles.”

“Perhaps it was fated that we meet here. Come.” He took the glass from her fingers and set both of their drinks on the table. “Honor me with a dance?”

Leading her toward the dance floor, he swept her into his strong arms and gracefully moved her around the floor. She should have known he would be a fantastic dancer. The man did everything well.

Her right hand was held gently in his left, and her other settled on his broad shoulder with his warm palm spanning the small of her back. She couldn't seem to look away from his mesmerizing eyes. With each breath, she inhaled his spicy male scent.

Darius glanced away and smiled. A chuckle rumbled in his chest. He swore every male in the room was watching his woman with envy in their eyes. Her right leg and hip playing peek-a-boo with each step, giving them glimpses of what was his alone.

“What is it?” Carolyn whispered.

“Well, lass, it looks like I have won the heart of the queen of the ball,” he said, playing up the Scottish accent he’d long ago curbed to be less noticeable when he relocated to the new world.

He’d spent the majority of his adult years in the Scottish Highlands but had lived in the United States for the last several decades. He only poured the accent on when he wanted to. He’d seduced many women with his rolling brogue. His desire for Carolyn brought it out naturally, to the point that he sounded like he’d only just arrived from that far away land.

“Every man in the room wishes they were me tonight.”

She blinked, looking from him to the men in the room and back again. “Why?”

“Because I have the pleasure of your company, leannan,” he decreed with pride.

Carolyn gave a little snort. “I doubt that. There are many beautiful women in the room.” Their little game of strangers meeting at a masquerade ball was at an end. “I was starting to get worried you wouldn’t make it tonight.”

He dipped her and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Nothing could have kept me from you this night, lass.” The music ended, and he took her hand and led the way to a table in the corner of the room, away from the others.

As he held her chair, he pointedly stared at the men still eyeing his woman with interest until they dropped their eyes and turned away. He chuckled softly and placed a kiss on the side of her neck.

“So, fancy a fresh glass of wine?” he asked. “The wait staff cleared the glasses we had before our dance.”

She gave him a flirty smile. “That would be most welcome.” She watched him make his way to the bar and shook her head. He made her feel like the sexiest woman on the planet. Heck, he could make a goat feel sexy if he set his mind to it.

Their fingers brushed when she accepted the glass he held out to her. As always, power flared the moment skin touched skin. She sucked in a breath and laughed. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that. The feeling isn’t unpleasant, just unexpected.”

“That I can’t deny. We have a rare connection, but with the final blood exchange your power should settle in, and these surges should end. That reminds me, I have something for you.” He dug in his sporran and pulled out a black velvet box. “For you, my love.”

Inside was an intricate ring set with an amber stone infused with flecks of gold. Darius lifted the ring from the box and slid it onto her index finger. With each turn of her hand, sparks of color glittered from the beautiful stone.

“It’s so pretty,” she breathed. “Thank you.”

“It’s a daywalker ring. As long as you wear it, the sun will not harm you.”

“So, I can go outside anytime I want to? Having to stay indoors would be tiresome.”

“Aye, as long as you wear the ring. If you remove it while exposed to the sun, you’ll go up in a puff of smoke.”

Her eyes widened. “Then I’ll make sure it stays on my finger. Smoke isn’t a good look for me.”

“In two hundred years you can take it off. As a vampire matures, we are no longer affected by daylight.”

“Is that why you don’t wear one?”

“Aye. I removed mine some time ago.” Reaching out, he ran a finger across her cheek. “My God, you're beautiful.” His voice roughened, and his eyes brightened until they glowed.

The desire that deepened his voice sparked little zings of power through her body. She'd never felt such a tremendous connection with a man. It must be a soulmate thing. She swallowed a healthy sip of wine. The fingers of her free hand flexed and rubbed up and down her thigh. She wanted him so badly, her hands tingled. With every heated look, he gave she felt her temperature rise a few degrees.

It took a minute to find her voice. No man had ever looked at her the way Darius did. His desire was so evident she couldn't help but believe his sincerity. “I'm not beautiful. I’m about as average as they come. But thank you for saying so,” she added.

When he brushed her lips with his, she shuddered. “You’re no more average than the hope diamond is a grain of sand,” he whispered against her lips.

As if his declaration was the final word on the subject, he sat back in his chair and took another drink of wine. How could the flexing of a man’s throat as he swallowed be so erotic? She thanked God he loved her because she had it bad for that man.

She closed her eyes and took another sip, hoping it would calm her libido. It didn't. When she lifted her lips from the rim, a drop attempted to escape down the outside of the glass. She flicked at it with her tongue wishing it were his lips she was tasting.

“Damn it, Carolyn. You can’t do things like that in public,” Darius hissed.

“Darius. Earth to Darius.”

The roar of his pulse in his ears muffled his hearing until the second call of his name.

“Excuse me, Darius. May I speak with you for a moment?”

He smoothed his thumb over Carolyn’s bottom lip and smiled. “Someone has a death wish.”

She glanced up at the man and grinned. “Apparently.”

A soft smile played on Darius’s lips when he winked and turned to Nick. “Carolyn, this is Nick.”

Nick gave her a wave and a smile.

She raised a hand in response.

“What is so important, Nick?”

Nick glanced nervously from Darius to Carolyn and back again. “I seem to be interrupting a private moment. I’m sorry, but I just received some disturbing information. Are you aware that Miss Soucek’s room was breached earlier today.”

The color drained from Darius’s face. “What?” His gaze shot to Carolyn. “Is this true?”

She averted her eyes and nodded. “Yes. Someone was in my room while I was at the spa.”

His face reddened and his nostrils flared. “And you didn’t tell me! I should have been told immediately.”

“There was no need to bother you. Jeff was with me, so I wasn’t in any real danger. The police were called, and a report was filed. Nothing was taken, but there was a small bottle left behind. Once everyone left, I bolted the door. While I packed to move to another room, the intruder returned, but he couldn’t get in. I called Jeff, and he came right away but whoever it was had gone. Jeff stayed with me while I finished packing and then moved me into the room next to yours.”

Darius’s agitation manifested as a rhythmic brush of his thumb across her knuckles. “I’m glad Jeff was with you, but I should have been called. You could have been hurt or worse killed. I wouldn’t have survived losing you, Carolyn.

“If they made an attempt on you in the hotel they know where you are. They’ll stay close by, waiting for an opportunity to grab you. I want you to stay at my side at all times.”

Nick’s eyes narrowed. “You say he left a bottle behind? What did it look like? Was there anything in it?”

“It was small like the liquor bottles served on an airline. There was clear liquid in it. I think it was just water. And there was a crucifix scratched into the glass.”

Nick scowled “So, the Guild left a calling card. I didn’t think they did that anymore.”

Darius’s expression was thunderous. “Apparently, they have resurrected some of the old ways. Nick, talk to Jeff and find out how the hell the Guild accessed the private floor. If we have a spy, I want that person identified. Beef up the security on the private floor until we know who gave them access. Then search her old room. Let me know if you find anything. While you are at it, move Carolyn’s things into my room. I won’t take the chance of them getting near her again. Before you go, give Derick a heads up to watch your witches while you are gone.”

Nick nodded “Consider it done.” Then he spun on his heel and marched from the ballroom.

Darius stood and held out a shaking hand. “I need some air. Take a walk with me?”

She placed a hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet, tucked tightly against his chest for a moment as his arms enveloped her. Warm breath fanned across the bare skin of her neck. “I couldn’t bear it if you were harmed.”

“I’ll be careful, I promise.”

With reluctance, he loosened his hold and took her hand. He led Carolyn out a set of French doors onto a patio and into a semi-dark garden. “The stars are beautiful tonight. They’re almost as stunning as you,” he whispered, his finger sliding along her jaw.

She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, His warm touch stole any words of response she could have formulated. Her tongue flicked across her lips and her mouth watered in anticipation of his kiss. The heat in his gaze, the need and the desire reflected clearly in the glow of his eyes made Carolyn’s knees weak. His want of her was as strong as her desire for him. She suppressed a shiver at the thought.

For several moments, she was lost in his eyes. Then he bent his head, and her heart stopped beating only to resume with a slam against her ribs the moment their lips touched. In utter contradiction to his mood only moments ago in the ballroom, his kiss was a soft caress, worshiping Carolyn gently. The undemanding brush of his tongue on her bottom lip entreated a response. Tongues entwined like lovers bodies, sliding and dancing, loving each other. He deepened the kiss, taking everything she had to give with every stroke.

Strong fingers traced the exposed flesh between her breasts, skimming lightly along the goose-pimpled skin. She arched into his touch, begging him to caress more intimately. She sighed when his hand slipping inside the plunging neckline just below the weight of her breast. His thumb stroked back and forth stoking the fires of her desire.

His mouth left hers, skimmed along her jaw, and kissed his way down her neck to where he’d bitten the night before. The hair of the wig fell against his face, and he pushed it aside. His sharp fangs nipped but stopped short of piercing flesh. As if it had a mind of its own, the Elvira hair fell against his face again.

“This wig is problematic,” he murmured, kissing the bite mark, and raising his eyes to hers again.

Carolyn placed her palms on his chest. Her fingers trembled at the feel of strong muscles that lay beneath the thin cotton shirt. When he leaned in again, she rose on tiptoes to meet him halfway and slid her arms around his neck to pull him closer. Her body melted against his, soft curves giving way to his hard plains. This kiss was more desperate than the first, filled with passion sparked equally by fear and desire.

“I love you, my Muierimei,” he whispered against her lips, his voice heavy with lust. He raised his head and just stared at her. He didn’t move. Didn’t blink.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She combed her fingers through the wig, attempting to restore it to order.

“You want to drag me away and get me naked.”

“Well, duh, as if you didn’t already know that,” she said as she gave him a saucy wink.

“No, but I didn’t sense your need for me when we were inside. I worried that the desire you felt last night had cooled.”

“That was before you kissed me until I had the IQ of an earthworm. You scrambled my brain.”

He pulled back a little, a huge smile joining his already bright eyes. “I scrambled your brain, Carolyn?”

“Utterly. If you hadn’t just said my name, I wouldn’t know what it was.” She raised a brow trying to look serious. Her lips twitched and broke out in a smile. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to return to our table. These high heels are killing me.”

He gave her an apologetic look and nodded in approval. “I should have considered your comfort.”

Darius pulled her chair and seated her before taking the seat beside her. A smile tugged at his lips as she pulled first one shoe and then the other from her tortured feet. Sure enough, both were an angry red. On impulse, he patted his thigh. “Allow me.”

Carolyn’s gaze shot to his and then comprehension dawned in her eyes and her lips formed an “O” as she lifted her feet to his lap. A moan rose from her throat as he began a massage that rivaled what she’d received at the spa. “My God, that’s good.”

She enjoyed the massage for a moment and then cleared her throat. “So, I meant to ask you about how you came to be a badass witch protector. I mean, why would you risk your life over and over to protect strangers?”

He shrugged. “It had to be done, and I was without purpose.”

“Yeah but if you’re what, three hundred years old? That’s a long time to do what you do.”

There was a brief chuckle, making her smile in response. “Three hundred eighteen, and it’s longer than you’d think when you’re alone.” Then he corrected himself. “When you’re lonely. I wasn’t actually alone. I’ve had the other vampires to talk to. But I didn’t have a woman to love.”

She didn’t realize a response was required until she watched his throat work as he swallowed tightly.

“I’m sorry. I assumed you still wanted to complete the three exchanges and stay with me as my Muierimei. Whatever you decide to do. Wherever we go from here. Be assured, protecting you isn’t just another job for me. I love you, and—”

Carolyn leaned forward and placed two fingers over his lips. “Yes. I want to complete the exchanges and take you as my Férjé.”

A gust of a sigh rushed across her fingertips and his overly tight shoulders relaxed. “Thank God.”

“Now that we’ve settled that. You said you had no purpose when you joined the witch protectors. I believe you mentioned you were offered that position when you were made a vampire. Can you tell me about that?”

“We’re called the League of Guardians. When Etienne found me, I was a dead man walking or should I say curled in a ball. I’d been mugged and beaten so badly I was dying. As I made peace with God, a face appeared before my eyes. The comeliest man I’d ever laid eyes on with long jet-black hair squatted before me. He asked me if I would like to be converted and join him as a member of the league. The choice was mine. I could allow my injuries to take me and join my deceased wife in Heaven or go on forever changed. As you can see, I chose the latter.”

She frowned as a thought occurred to her. “If you were so close to death, how did you manage to do the three blood exchanges?”

“All of the exchanges can be completed one after the other without waiting between them if done by a very old vampire. It isn’t pleasant and causes quite a bit of pain since your body isn’t given time to adjust to the changes that occur after the first two exchanges, before being subjected to the ultimate change that comes with the third. But it can be done. Nick and Derick, two of the other guardian’s that are here were also changed in such a way. They had been in a battle with a pack of shifters and were gravely injured. They chose to join the league as I did.”

Carolyn stared at Darius for a long moment with her wine glass suspended half way from the tabletop to her lips. “There are shifters, too?” she croaked.

“Did I hear my name?” Nick asked as he and his brother Derick stopped beside the table.

Carolyn’s wide eyes shot to Nick’s face. “You fought a shifter?”

“Oh, yeah a bunch of them. We kick their asses.” A man she hadn’t met answered.

Darius jumped in to make introductions. “Carolyn, this is Derick.”

Derick held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Carolyn.”

Still staring, she automatically shook what was proffered.

“Do you have a few minutes to tell her your story?” Darius asked the pair.

Nick hooked a chair with his foot and took a seat. “Sure. Our witches are on the dance floor and by the looks of it will be there a while.”

“It all started when a pack of swampers kidnapped our sister. Stupid move on their part,” Derick began as he too hooked a chair and joined the table.

“Yeah, moronic move,” Nick agreed. “The entire royal family and Etienne formed a rescue party. Those swampers didn’t stand a chance.”

She blinked, looking from Nick to Darius and back again. “Royal family?”

Derick offered the explanation. “The Le Beau’s, Isaac and Emma to be exact, are the king and queen of the shifters. Our sister Rose is mated to their son Simon. Anyway, we tracked the swampers down and took our sister back. The fight was pretty much over, only the asshat who snatched our sister was still breathing when he broke free of the hold Cade had on him. Before he could be stopped, he managed to slash my belly open and sliced Nick’s juggler.”

Carolyn sucked in a breath.

Nick shook his head as he picked up where Derick left off. “I was sure we were goners. Derick had his intestines in his hands and blood was shooting from my neck like a fire hydrant. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Rose ran at the swamper and smashed him in the head with a rock. Then she begged Etienne to save us, and voila, we’re vampires.” Nick waved his arms like a magician.

Through the entire telling, Carolyn sat in rapt attention. With Nick’s flourish, she sat back and exhaled. “Wow.”

“Yeah,” Derick said with a laugh.

“So, now you protect witches?”

Nick nodded. “That and a few other things when we are between assignments.”

“What else do you do?”

Derick shrugged. “Sometimes we train other vampires to fight. When we’re not doing that we’re either guarding the royal family or building houses.”

With that, both of them got to their feet. “It looks like our witches are on the move again. We have to go. It was nice to meet you, Carolyn.”

“It was nice to meet you as well,” she said before they turned and disappeared into the crowd. Then she glanced at Darius, “Shoot. I forgot to ask what kind of shifter the royal family is.”

“Wolves. They’re wolf shifters.”

“Oh,” she paused for a moment and asked, “Are there other kinds?”

“Aye. I’ve met bears, large cats, and dragons.”

Carolyn clasped her heart. Her breath sawed in and out of her lungs. “Dragons?”

Darius pulled her from her chair and onto his lap. “You don’t have to be afraid. Every shifter I’ve ever met has been a good person. As long as you don’t threaten them, they won’t harm you. Well, except for swampers, apparently.” He waited for her trembling to ease and asked. “Would you like to meet a few of the other shifters?”

Her head rose, and she glanced around. “Here? There are shifters here?”

“Do you see those two rather tall men near the French doors? They’re wolf shifters. And those two at the bar collecting drinks? They’re bears.”

“You know them?”

“Sure. They’re friends of mine.” He caught the eye of the men by the doors and waved them over. “Logan and Quin, I would like to introduce you to my Muierimei, Carolyn. Sweetheart, this is Logan and his brother Quintin Le Beau.”

Each, in turn, kissed the back of her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Carolyn,” the one named Logan said.

“Congratulations, Miss Carolyn. Darius is a lucky man,” the other added.

“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you both. I’ve never met a shifter before, at least none that I know of.”

Quin grinned. “That’s not uncommon. We don’t reveal ourselves to those outside the paranormal community.”

“Perhaps if your Férjé can bear to be parted from you, you would grace me with a dance?” Logan glanced at Darius as he made the request.

“In a minute, Logan. I would like her to meet the bears.” Darius caught the men’s attention as they passed by the table. “Carolyn, this is Jonas Black and his brother Martin. Both are bear shifters from Colorado. Gentlemen I would like you to meet my Muierimei, Carolyn.”

“Hot dog! Congratulations, Darius, she’s beautiful,” the one called Martin whooped.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” Jonas said with a nod, obviously the more cultured of the two.

“And you as well. Are any of you here with wives or girlfriends?” She would enjoy talking to the women who shared these men’s lives.

As if synchronized, smiles fell from all four faces. “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”

“No, cher,” Quin was quick to assure. “It’s just that finding a mate is the one thing every shifter craves and none of us have been so lucky. Yet. I have high hopes of meeting mine soon. That’s why we attend parties such as this. We have to travel and meet as many women as possible if we’re ever to find our one true mate.”

“Is that right? Perhaps I can help. I’m not making promises mind you, but I can see a person’s future.”

In a rush, all four men grabbed chairs and sat down.

A laugh burst from her lips. “Well, okay then. How about I do each of you one at a time.”