“Ignatius,” I whispered.

“Yes,” he answered, his lips lightly teasing mine.

“It is a strong name, mysterious.” I slid my hands into his hair and gazed fully into his face.

“Perhaps, but do not speak it to your Master or any other vampire.”

“Why not?”

His smile was dark, but playfully mocking. “You have your secrets as do I.”

“Ignatius,” I said, testing it on my tongue and lips. Yes, it suited him. His dark hair, his wondrous eyes, his sensual mouth, his long lean muscled body…yes…

I could feel him firm and heavy against my thigh and I felt my own ardor rising.

“Glynis,” he answered my voice. He, too, seemed to be relishing my name.

Pressing a kiss to his lips, I drew him tight against me. My body shifted and he entered me as I once more loved my mysterious vampire.

Ignatius…

How I love you…

We finally rested in the early afternoon. He covered us with the fine coverlets he had gathered to make his bed. Huddled in the serene darkness beneath the heavy bedclothes, we kissed and whispered. I fell asleep with his chest pressed tightly against my bare back and his face buried in my hair.

I was in heaven.

I woke slowly, dimly aware of his presence. I knew instinctively that he was awake, and I turned to gaze up at him. He was resting beside me, slightly raised up on one arm, regarding me. I slid my hand across his cheek and into his hair, drawing him close to me for a kiss. I adored his kisses and I pressed myself tightly against him as our kisses deepened.

Finally, he drew free with a small laugh. “You are rather insatiable, are you not?”

I smiled wickedly at him, kissing his cheek and nuzzling against him.

“Glynis,” he said softly, his tone quite serious.

“Why are you gazing at me so,” I queried as I drew near once more to my new lover.

He gave me the most solemn of smiles while touching my face gently with his hand. “I fear that when you leave tonight I shall not see you again.”

“Do not speak of such things. Of course you shall see me again. I am merely departing for my own haven. We shall see each other quite often. I am sure of it,” I said quickly, wishing with all my heart that the words I was uttering were true.

Ignatius kissed my mouth softly and whispered, “But you return to your Master.”

I lowered my gaze, biting my bottom lip. “Yes, but I am quite independent of him in thought and action. He gives me a measure of freedom, so I can most certainly see you again if I so desire.”

“And you desire it?”’

“Of course,” I said, giving him a fierce pout. “I am not the sort of woman that will allow any man to take her into his bed on a whim.” I pressed my hand to my breast and looked at him plaintively. “Do you not see? You have taken my heart and I fear I shall never recover it.”

Sliding to his knees, he took me in his arms and covered my face with kisses. “And you have taken mine, my impetuous one.”

I clung to him. “I shall come to you again. I swear it. I am not certain of the date or time, but I will come here. There are matters I must attend to and it shall be difficult for me to slip away, but I shall.”

“Do not come here,” Ignatius answered. “Come to me in one week. There is a small hotel down near the river. It stands in the shadow of the Cathedral. Meet me in the garden at midnight near the fountain.”

I hesitated, then nodded. “I shall. I will find a way to be there.”

His hand gently caressed my cheek as he kissed my forehead lightly. “I shall wait for you until dawn.”

My hands gently stroking his hair, I gazed into his eyes. “I am loath to leave you.”

“I am loathing letting you leave, yet I know you must. You have stolen my heart quite away from me, dear Glynis. Never in my long life have I felt the passions that you have stirred within me. I fear that when you leave I shall feel quite cold again.” He spoke softly, but his tone was rich with feeling. I knew deep within myself that he was not lying. His touch against my skin was so exquisitely loving.

I gave him a long and passionate kiss. “I shall keep your heart as you keep mine and neither one of us shall ever be truly cold again.”

He smiled at me and it warmed me thoroughly. Pulling me down into the comforts of his bed, he again seduced me with his kisses and touch.

I gave himself wholly to him and was not satisfied until he was deep within and we were one.

In the afterglow of our lovemaking, I finally drew away from him and dared to stand in the shadows of the mausoleum to see the last rays of the setting sun vanish from the sky. He rose after me and his hands slid down my arms as his chest pressed against my back.

“It is time,” he said in a voice that caught with emotion.

I nodded as I dared to look into his eyes. My emotions were reflected in his gaze.

We dressed in silence and did not dare to gaze upon each other. It was far too difficult to refrain from touching and dragging each other back down into the soft bed.

I struggled for a bit with my dress, and then he came to me, and with infinite care, helped me fasten it tight around me.

“Your Master,” he said in a low voice. “Does he treat you well?”

I hesitated as I pulled my long cloak around me. Should I speak the truth or not?

He sighed, my hesitation enough of an answer. “Stay with me. Together we can break the curse that is upon you.”

“I cannot.”

“Why not?”

I looked up at him, my eyes full of tears and my lip trembling. “Because his power over me is not merely his blood, but much more. He has the power to strike down that which is most precious to me.”

“I do not understand,” Ignatius said, his expression confused.

I threw up my hands and pulled away from him. “I know you do not. But it is the truth! He has found a way to keep me his faithful slave beyond his blood and I cannot defy him. When I return tonight, I know my punishment will be cruel, but he will not kill me for he needs me.”

Ignatius came to me, his hand reaching out to touch my cheek. “Tell me. What power does he have beyond his blood in your veins?”

I shook my head and whispered, “I cannot. For what he threatens is too dear to my heart to reveal to anyone.”

Ignatius drew away from me then said, “I wish I understood.”

“I wish I could speak the truth, but I have lost too much to dare to lose what little I have left of a life that was once mine,” I answered. I walked to him and lay my hands on his chest.

He gazed down upon me with adoration and remorse. “I fear for you now. More than before.”

“I shall be fine. I am far to ornery to be struck down,” I assured him. “And, my Master, he does need me. He does.”

He crushed me against his body and we kissed long and passionately. The heat of our desire for each other began to overwhelm our senses and reluctantly we drew apart.

“I must go now,” I said softly.

“I know,” he said in a hushed tone.

“Ignatius,” I said just to hear his name once more.

He looked up and smiled ruefully. “Lady Glynis.”

I bowed to him and he to me.

“Take care of my heart,” he said.

“I shall,” I vowed, giving him one last smile then fled into the night.

I can be cunning when I need to be. Realizing that I most likely reeked of lovemaking and Ignatius, I plunged into the Danube and let the waters sweep over my head. I have no need of breath and my eyes are keen enough that I was able to make my way along the banks, keeping beneath the dark waves.

Only once did I venture out of the black waters and it was to feed upon a man who had fallen asleep on the shore, a notebook sprawled beside him. I took what I needed to sharpen my senses then left him sleeping, his dreams now rich and erotic with visions of pale white women raising from the water to seduce him.

I kept to my silent, watery path back to Vlad’s lair. The moon shimmered and wobbled above me, but I was strangely at peace in the dark depths of the Danube.

At last, I rose, sopping wet and disheveled on the banks near our estate and began the journey up to the great house. Already I could feel Vlad’s anger and his power seeking me out. Why he had not yet beckoned me, I am not certain.

As I approached the house, dripping wet, water flowing off my hair and gown and I was met by one of the servants. Seeing me, he screamed with fright. Turning on his heel, he fled back into the house, calling out for Vlad.

I was nearly to the back patio when Vlad exploded into view. His long black cloak swung about him and his hair was hanging in loose waves to his waist. Immediately, he glided toward me, his hand rising to strike me down as he unleashed an oath of curses in upon me.

“You should have told me of the dhamphir,” I shouted at him, stomping my foot.

This outburst stopped him rather abruptly. “What did you say?”

“I was hunted and nearly caught by a dhamphir last night! He killed my driver and hunted me across Pesth and Buda. I barely escaped by taking refuge in the Danube near the pontoon bridge. I nearly died!” I was so angry it gave credence to my words. Of course, I was furious at him for not telling me of the dhamphir, but I was also terrified to reveal where I had truly been.

“You escaped a dhamphir hunter?” Vlad looked impressed. His anger abated in that moment and he looked at me quite intently.

A thrill of terror swept over me as he examined my face and dress with great interest. I was quite waterlogged and he seemed to believe my story.

“It was not easy. He could have killed me. Luckily, I had fed so I was able to cloak myself from his sight and escape into the water. I am not certain of the limitations of his existence, but I guessed that perhaps being half-human, he would not be able to sustain himself without breath.”

“You are a crafty woman,” Vlad said after a long beat. “I must remember never to underestimate you.”

I brushed past him and into the house. I discarded my soggy cloak and shook out my hair. “I demand that you teach me how to defend myself. I think it quite rude of you to release me into the city but fail to teach me how to protect myself against all manner of predators. I also saw human hunters. I watched them kill a mad vampire.” I squeezed out the water from my hair all over the marble floor.

Vlad regarded me coolly, studying my expression. “Did you?”

“Yes, I did,” I answered firmly. I was worried that he was seeing through the lies of my tale even though they were wrapped in truth.

A maid came and laid a heavy towel about my shoulders while another got down on her hands and knees to dry the floor.

I pointed at Vlad and snarled, “I shall never forgive you for not teaching me to use my powers.” I whirled about on my heel and stormed up the staircase to my room.

I was in a hot bath, my naked skin growing quite flush as the maid washed my hair, when Vlad once more approached me. He merely entered my room and sat down in a chair, regarding me with great interest.

“You survived the attack of a dhamphir alone?”

“Yes,” I answered, and made a great show of scrubbing my toes.

“And hid in the Danube,” he continued.

“Yes,” I responded dismissively.

“You think me a fool?”

I arched an eyebrow at him.

“I think you saw the dhampir kill the other vampire and that you were so terrified you hid immediately in the river. I do not believe he came after you at all. You most likely stayed far too long in the water and the sun rose. And you were stuck, beneath the waves. You are quite lucky that you found a place of darkness.”

I frowned at him and tilted my head back so the maid could rinse my hair. “No. That is not the truth of it at all.”

“Is it not?”

“No.” I was quite insulted by his accusation that I was lying, even though I was. Yes, I am a complex creature. It is part of my charm.