Gabrielle sat on the hill overlooking the manor and the village below. It was a windy day, and even now her hair whipped about her, making her pull the hood of her cloak over her head.

She smiled remembering the moment she and Darius had spent in the sun. The fear on Darius’s face when he had awoken to the sun shining on him had made her angry with herself for not having warned him. After all, the sun was his enemy, and he had lived in fear of it for over five hundred years. But she had wanted to see the look on his face after living so long in the dark, and what a look it had been. One of exultation and immense joy. A look she would never forget for as long as she lived.

If only it had been possible to give him more time to savor the sun. To spend an entire day, now that would have been perfect, but her mother always reminded her that one must never become too greedy.

Plus, using her gifts, in whatever way, exhausted her. She had slept a few hours after making love to Darius, but she had awoken, unable to fall back asleep. She wanted Darius to turn her into what he was. It would be the only way she would ever have peace.

But he would not hear of it. No, he would bite her, and make her believe that perhaps he had turned her, but every time she raced to the nearest mirror, she found that the bite marks had disappeared and there was no mark across her heart.

Unable to sleep, she had dressed and headed up the hill, but not too far. In fact, she had best get back before Darius woke and found her gone.

“Well look who we have here.”

Gabrielle’s blood ran cold.

She knew that voice too well.

The tip of a blade pressed against her neck.

“You have been a bad little girl, have you not, Gabrielle?”

She swallowed, a difficult feat with cold steel pressing against her throat.

“You have become quite the whore since you have left me. I have no intention of paying for damaged goods, you slut.”

She forced herself not to move, or to respond.

“Oh yes, I have watched the two of you. Right here on this hillside. What, coming back to relive the event?”

He pressed against her, and bile rose in her throat. He reeked of sweat, ale, and stale body odor.

“Will you sigh for me now, like you did for MacLeod?”

Despite the fact that the blade now cut into her throat, she pushed hard against him, surprising him enough that he lost his hold on her.

She stumbled, fell on her hands and knees, and managed to get to her feet, but not before Sutherland grabbed one of her ankles, his nails digging into her skin.

Looking over her shoulder, her stomach churned seeing the murderous gleam in his eyes.

Repulsed, she managed to pull from his grasp again and lifting her skirts, she ran for the manor, screaming as loud as she could.

The sun still shone and she knew she would have to make it inside in order for Darius, his brother, or Remont to help her. Plus, when they slept during the day, it was almost a trancelike sleep, one that was hard to wake from.

She dared a glance back and saw Sutherland right behind her, huffing and puffing.

“Get back here, whore!” he said, his voice slurred. “I will take what I am owed.”

She rushed through the courtyard, up the manor steps, and just then the door flung open and Darius was there, his eyes wide. He winced as the sun hit his arm, burning his flesh, but he pulled her in.

“Sutherland is here,” she cried out, rushing into the manor, pulling him back inside and shutting the door behind her. “I was up on the hill, and out of nowhere there he was. He has been watching us.”

She glanced down and saw the red burn mark across his hand and wrist. “You are hurt.”

“It will heal. What of you?” His gaze shifted to her neck, where he pushed her hair aside. “He cut you.” He shook his head. “The son of a bitch will die.”

“Open this fucking door, or I will blow a bloody hole through it,” Sutherland said, his voice booming.

“The sun is setting, sir,” Jacob said, coming from the study. “Shall I get you your sword?”

Darius nodded. “Aye.”

Minutes later the valet appeared with sword in hand. “Wake my brother and Remont. Tell them to look after Gabrielle.”

“I will not leave you.”

He cupped her face in his hands. “I must do this, Gabrielle. I have to end this, here and now. I refuse to live the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders.”

She kissed him, then backed up toward the staircase.

“Go to our room. I shall come after you when I am done.” He would not open the door until she left, so she turned and walked up the stairs, terrified she would never see him again.

The door opened, and she heard Sutherland. “Where is the whore?”

Darius closed the door firmly.

“She is no whore, and you will do well to remember that.”

“That whore is my betrothed, MacLeod, and I demand satisfaction.”

“She will not be marrying you, Sutherland, because she is going to marry me.”

“Over my dead body.”

“I am happy to oblige.”

Gabrielle felt rather than heard someone behind her, and glanced up to see Remont and Demetri. Remont put a finger to his lips while Demetri kept walking down the stairs. He ripped a sword off the wall display and continued out the door to join his brother.

The sound of metal against metal resonated in the air as Demetri rushed outside.

“He will be fine,” Remont said, pulling her into his embrace. “You forget he is a warrior. Sutherland has no idea what he has gotten himself into, or with whom.”

“Sutherland has a bad reputation. He has killed many people, my uncle included.”

“Are you sure?”

“I had a premonition earlier today, and then another when I saw Sutherland.”

“As horrible as this might sound, your uncle had it coming. He sealed his fate when he took money from Sutherland.”

“I cannot stand here and not know what is happening.”

“Nor I,” Remont said, taking her by the hand and opening the door.

For his age, Sutherland had more agility than Darius had expected.

Sutherland nodded toward Demetri. “Your brother is here. Will I have to fight the both of you?”

“Nay, I am merely here to make sure you fight fair, Sutherland.”

Sutherland shook his head. “You worry that I will fight fairly?”

“Aye, your dead wives can attest to your reputation.”

Ignoring Demetri, Sutherland lunged again, missing Darius’s side by a mere fraction.

It had been centuries since he had taken up a sword, but it came back to him quickly enough.

Darius attacked, beating Sutherland down with each stroke. The older man fended him off well enough, but he grew weary, sweat pouring off his head, his breathing becoming labored.

Even better, he could see the fear in the older man’s eyes. He knew he was going to die.

“Kill him!” Demetri yelled, looking like he wanted a go at Sutherland himself.

Sutherland stumbled, but caught himself before falling. He moved quickly; a second later his pistol was drawn and he pulled the trigger.

Darius heard the bullet make contact a moment later, heard Gabrielle’s sharp cry.

“Oh God!”

“No!” Remont cried, his voice full of the same dread Darius felt all the way to the bone.

Darius could not bring himself to turn around, but he did see the satisfied smile on Sutherland’s face, the triumph there a full second before Darius took him by the neck, his fingers squeezing his throat.

The smile soon faded as he struggled for breath, the sound of bones crushing in his ears. “Remember my face as you burn in hell,” Darius said between clenched teeth.

Blood flowed from Sutherland’s mouth, nose, and eyes and he gasped for breath, his feet kicking, and then fell limp.

Darius released him, the man falling in a heap to the ground.

He turned to Gabrielle, who lay on the grass beside Remont. Demetri glanced up at him, concern in his eyes. “Brother, it is not good.”

Darius went down beside him. Gabrielle’s face had turned ashen, her lips a blue hue. Death was minutes, perhaps seconds, away.

The bullet had entered her body, just right of her heart. Blood covered the bodice of her gown and seeped into the ground beneath her.

“Darius, you can save her,” Demetri urged.

“Make her one of us,” Remont said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “She will die if you refuse.”

“But she will be reborn as one of us.”

Remont and Demetri shared a look, and Darius knew he only had seconds to decide. Could he lose the woman he loved more than life twice in one lifetime?

The answer was a resounding no.

“Forgive me,” Darius said, biting Gabrielle’s neck, her blood flowing into his mouth. How sweet her blood tasted, so pure and intoxicating.

Her body had already gone limp, and now her heartbeat faded fast. He had never changed anyone before, and he thought perhaps he had been too late, until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Darius, she sleeps for now,” Remont said. “In a couple of days she will wake, wanting blood, and you must supply that blood.”

Darius trembled from head to toe. He had done the one thing he swore he would never do. To the woman he swore he would never hurt.

“Some promises are made to be broken, Darius,” Remont said, his voice gentle. “Just as I made you, and saved you from death, you have saved Gabrielle from death. She wanted this anyway.”

“But what if she does not wish this life after she becomes one of us? What if she hates me for having made her into a creature of the night?”

“You learned to accept your gifts.”

“Aye, but I lived with guilt for years.”

Remont smiled softly. “As did I, my friend. I was made without giving consent, and I did the same to you.”

“And I wanted Remont to make me into what he was,” Demetri added, going down on his haunches across from Darius. “You had no choice, brother. Accept it. You may be surprised by Gabrielle’s reaction.”

Darius lifted her in his arms. How light she was, so frail. When Sutherland had struck her, he had felt her pain, felt the shock and surprise. He had simply reacted, bitten her, and now he must live with that decision for a lifetime.