Amaliya waited until they were on the highway before slugging Cian as hard as she could.

The Mercedes veered sharply to the left. Luckily, a car wasn't traveling in that lane.

"What the hell was that for?" Cian demanded.

“Dumping my ass here in San Antonio! What the hell was that all about? " She was furious.

The pain in her face and chest were a throbbing reminder of Santos' lack of hospitality.

“I did not do that,” Cian said to her sharply. "You should know that!"

“You wanted me gone so you could marry Samantha! You told me that yourself! You could

have just told me to get the hell out of Austin and I would have! ” she screamed at him.

"Did you just miss the fact I rescued you?"

“It was more like I rescued myself and you just happened to be there,” she huffed and

restrained herself from slugging him again.

“Well, I came to rescue you,” he said with a growl in his voice.

"God, my face hurts." She moaned and laid her forehead on the dashboard. “You could have

shown up before they pummeled my face into the ground. "

“I called Santos as soon as I heard where you were,” he said in a gentler tone, and his hand

stroked her back gently.

“So, Roberto dumped me, huh? Or was it Sam? "

“Roberto was trying to protect me,” Cian admitted.

Amaliya lifted her head up to see they were heading back to Austin not via I-35, but US 281.

She knew from her time living in Austin that it would loop them around through the outskirts of

Hill Country up to US-290 so they would enter Austin from the West, not the South.

"Why this way?" she asked.

“You need to feed. We can pull over out here easier. Plus it's darker. No continuous city

lights, ”he explained to her.

Falling back in the chair, she ran her hands over her arms. She was feeling hungry, but she

was angry. “Look, just let me off somewhere. Give me whatever cash you have and I'm going to

just head out.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No. You're going back to Austin with me after you feed,” he said firmly.

“You're not the boss of me,” she said through gritted teeth.

She was sick of all of this crap and she just wanted to get away. Just run away and be done

with it. She'd call her Grandmama and tell her where to get the Lincoln.

“I am now. You're not going anywhere. We need to prepare for The Summoner. Now that

you've shown you have his powers twice, he's going to be coming for you.”

Cian's voice sounded very sure of this and it sent a chill down her spine.

“I don't even know how I did it!” She wasn't even really sure that she had summoned up the

dead. But if she hadn't done it, then why would have they gone back into the earth when she

ordered it? Lightly, she touched her broken cheekbone and shivered at the sharp stab of pain. She

was definitely healing slowly and she was famished. Crossing her arms over her stomach, she

curled up in the car seat.

“It doesn't matter if you know how you did it or not, he'll come for you for now. I don't think

he ever anticipated that you inherited some of his ability. I know I never heard of this happening

before. I certainly cannot control the dead.”

She stared out the window at the dark landscape rushing past them. Tears were threatening to

fall, as her face pulsed with pain. Her hunger grew. When she had said the words that Cian now

called a curse, she had felt something drain out of her body and into the ground below her. It was

as if a thread had been pulled and a piece of her had quickly unraveled. When she had taken back

her words, she had felt it snap back. Now she was keenly aware of the shadow wound inside of

her that could call to the dead.

“My Grandmama sees the dead,” she said. “That is why she was suspicious of me. She sees

the dead so clearly, they are like living beings to her. My grandfather was terrified, so she

stopped talking about it. When she was a little girl, she used to help ghosts cross over. That's

why she is addicted to those stupid TV shows with mediums and ghosts.”

“Then, maybe that's why it’s been different for you,” Cian suggested.

She looked at him and saw that he was deep in thought. He looked different tonight with his

much longer hair and a goatee. “My life is seriously fucked up, isn't it?”

“Yeah. Both of our lives are.” His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly.

“I'll leave when we get to Austin.” She felt a little calmer now. He had come to San Antonio

for her and dumping her seemed like something Roberto would do. Tie her up, shove her in a

trashcan and leave her out for the San Antonio vamps to play with. “I'll get Grandmama's car and

head to Mexico. Unless they're as crazy as you guys are about territory.”

“Worse,” Cian informed her with a sigh. “It's a constant struggle for control down there.”

“Then maybe Canada,” she decided. She could feel her sharp teeth brushing against her

bruised lips and she ran a finger over them thoughtfully.

“Stay in Austin,” Cian said to her.

“You're getting married,” she pointed out.

He lapsed into silence and she curled up even tighter. Her body hurt like crazy. There were

still a lot of cars on the road, but they would soon thin out as they got further out of San Antonio.

She must have dozed for a while, for she was startled when he pulled over onto the shoulder.

“You need to drink,” he said and slashed his wrist.

The smell of his blood overwhelmed her. Without hesitating, she leaned over and gripped his

arm between her hands and covered the gash with her mouth. Sucking hard, she drew his blood

into her in a wonderful cool rush. It wasn't as warm as a mortal's would be, but it was rich and

full of the life she needed. She gasped as the blood began to flow through her and her body

tingled as she healed. She felt Cian's hand slide into her hair and she giggled, blood almost

coming out her nose.

“What?” he whispered in a raspy voice.

“If anyone saw us they'd think I was giving you a blowjob,” she said and bit into his wrist

again.

Despite his earlier seriousness, Cian's laughter filled the car. It even broke the tension

between them a little as the deliciousness of the moment filled them. The more she drank, the

more she felt entangled in him and soon wanted to climb on top of him and devour him in other

ways. His fingers in her hair tightened and slowly drew her head back.

She didn't hesitate to kiss him back when he covered her mouth with his and her hands clung

to his shoulders. It felt so good to heal and it felt so good to feel fully alive again. His tongue

licked the blood from her lips and he drew back reluctantly. Slowly, she sank back into her seat

and ran her hands over her now healed face.

Cian looked a little pale as he sucked on his wrist so it would heal more quickly. There was a

disquieting atmosphere in the car as they both retreated into their own thoughts. Amaliya had no

idea what was on his mind, but she was still thinking about blood and sex. Unfortunately, she

was also thinking about him being engaged and as annoying as Samantha was, she appeared to

love him very much.

With The Summoner somewhere out there, she had no desire to stick around anyway. She

knew that if she stayed around, it would only put Cian in more danger and she was done with

doing that. She'd grab the car and the phone her grandmother had given her that was still at the

apartment and she'd bail. Simple as that.

Without a word, Cian shifted gears and the car sped back into the night.

* * *

The silence on the trip back to Austin had been stifling. They had both retreated into their

corners and avoided even looking at each other. Amaliya had the distinct feeling they were both

gearing up for the big argument they both knew was coming.

When they reached downtown Austin, she finally looked at him to see that his jaw was set in

a harsh line. It made her feel agitated and she looked away sharply. He parked in the parking

garage and she was out of the car before the engine died.

“Amaliya,” Cian said from behind her.

She walked to the elevator and punched the button. Turning, she rested her hands on her hips.

“What?”

“We need to talk.”

“No, we don't.”

To her relief, the elevator doors opened and she stepped backward into it.

And managed to bump into a couple that was exiting.

“Oh, sorry,” she said as they looked at her curiously and she remembered she was covered in

her own blood. She just gave them a half-hearted smile and shrugged.

Cian stepped in beside her and opened his mouth to speak, just as a pretty blond girl reeking

of liquor lunged in. She swept her hair out of her face and giggled at them.

“Hope I'm not crashing,” she said with exaggerated concern. Her keys jingled in her fingers as

she swayed back and forth.

“Not at all,” Amaliya assured her.

“Did you spill your drink?” The girl pointed to Amaliya's crusted t-shirt.

“Bloody Mary,” Amaliya answered.

“That sucks,” the girl said with a deeper frown.

“How are you doing, Heather?” Cian steadied the girl with one hand.

“Oh, I'm drunk. But I got a cab back,” she assured him.

It struck Amaliya that this was one of the people Cian drank from on a regular basis. She felt

a pang of jealousy, then fought it away.

“Good for you,” he said and helped her step out onto her floor when the doors opened. “Be

careful.”

Heather teetered on her high heels and giggled. “I like the look, Cian. It's hot.” She gestured

to his long hair.

Cian smiled at her slightly. The doors shut. With a determined expression on his face, he

turned back toward Amaliya.

Amaliya pointed a finger in his face. “Don't start.”

He moved to grab hold of her and she managed to skirt around him as the elevator opened.

Rushing to the door, she banged on it as hard as she could.

“Let me unlock it,” Cian said shoving her aside.

Roberto opened the door and peered out at them. “You brought her back.”

“I told you I would,” Cian snapped. He was growing more and more irritable.

“I need my car keys and my cell phone. And you owe me seven thousand dollars,” she said to

Roberto, jabbing him in the chest as she pushed her way past Cian and into the apartment.

“Are you leaving?” Roberto asked hopefully.

“No,” Cian said firmly.

“Yes,” Amaliya spoke over him. “And I should rip your freaking head off after the shit you

pulled,” Amaliya hissed at Roberto as he moved smoothly toward the kitchen.

“I only did what I felt was right.”

“Well, what if I do what feels right and it's throwing you off the balcony?”

“I'm stronger than you think,” Roberto answered as he picked up the cellphone and looked

around for the keys to the Lincoln. “A hundred years of drinking a vampire's blood makes me

stronger than a mere mortal.”

“I'll show you how mortal you still are!” Amaliya headed toward him. She had a very strong

desire to punch his lights out.

She was stopped when Cian grabbed her arm and jerked her back off her feet and onto the

floor. “Leave him be.”

Roberto moved toward them, the keys and cellphone in his well-manicured hand. His

expression was impassive as he laid the objects on a table. He plucked his jacket off the back of a

chair.

“If you are wise, you will let her leave,” Roberto said to Cian.

Amaliya pushed herself to her feet.

“Roberto,” Cian said in a low voice. It was a tone Amaliya had never heard Cian use before

and it terrified her.

“Yes, my Master?” Roberto said eyebrow arched, as he shrugged on his jacket.

“Get out.” Cian's tone was absolute.

“As you wish.” The servant quickly moved across the loft and soon the front door clicked

shut.

“Are you going to kill me?” Amaliya asked warily as she backed away from him.

“No,” Cian answered, and closed the gap between them in the wink of an eye.

She was startled when he pulled her close and his hands cradled her face.

“Cian, we talked about this,” she said as he kissed her. As always, she felt a great need rising

and her desire to crush him close was growing unbearable.

“I was wrong,” he answered against her lips and kissed her again with deepening passion.

“Samantha,” she whispered in a husky voice. “You're marrying her.”

Cian drew back from Amaliya and moved toward the walls that hid his secret lair. She felt

strangely abandoned and her lips felt naked without his. She felt hypnotized by his movements as

he moved away from her.

“You know as well as I do that I was living a delusion.”

“You said she made you good,” Amaliya responded in a weak voice.

She felt terrible that she had come into his life and royally messed it up just as The Summoner

had done to her.

“She makes me weak. She makes me feel human. She makes me forget what I am,” he said

sharply. He turned toward her, eyes blazing. His longer hair and goatee made him look almost

satanic. “I am a vampire. I am the master of this city and I will protect it and guard it against

intruders. And that includes protecting my cabal. Which may be only you, but that is what I must

do.”

“You've changed. Just since I met you a few days ago,” Amaliya said in a low voice.

It just wasn't his appearance: it was his presence. He seemed less of the Austin pretty boy and

more of the master vampire. His power was evident to her gaze now, even if it had not been

when she had first met him. She felt torn. Cian was the only real advocate she had in this life; the

only real protection she had against The Summoner and the unknown. Hell, even against herself.

She was still learning. But she hated to fuck up his life and destroy all he had created for himself.

Cian ran his hand through his hair and shook his head slightly. “Maybe. But maybe it is an

awakening you are seeing more than anything else.”

Moving slowly toward him, Amaliya ran her hands over her arms lightly, trying to focus her

thoughts. Being around him was hard at times. This was one of those times. She wanted him.

They both knew it. Despite her misgivings and her own stubbornness, she slowly closed the gap

between them.

The moment she was close enough, his hands were in her hair and his lips were on hers.

Within seconds, their kiss was frenzied and full of need.

Pulling her around and pinning her to the metal wall behind them, Cian licked her lips and

sucked hard on their fullness. She felt his sharp fangs draw blood and her hands yanked hard at

his shirt, pulling it free from his black trousers.

“It can't be gentle,” he whispered. “Not the first time.”

“I know,” she answered and drew her tongue over his lips. Then as quick as a viper, she drove

her fangs into his neck.

Gasping, he pushed her hard against the wall, grinding his body against hers. Amaliya drew

her nails down his bare back, then around his sides to his navel. Once there, she unfastened his

pants as she drank deeply from his throat.

His hands pushed her thick hair back from her neck and licked her with one long delicious

swipe. She managed to pull his cock free and stroked it with her cool hand. She sucked harder,

tearing at the tiny holes her fangs had made in his skin. They both knew they would not stop this

time. He was hot and heavy in her hand, like flesh over steel, and it only aroused her more.

When his fangs slid into her neck, she felt him pulse in her hand and a deep moan pulled itself

out of her.

Somehow, he managed to get her jeans open and pushed them down. Her overwhelmed

senses barely took in his maneuvering to get one of her legs free. She was consumed with the

taste of his blood and the heat of him in her hand. She stroked him with swift, demanding

movements.

Once her jeans were off, he pulled his lips from her neck and forcibly drew her mouth from

his own throat. His blood spilled down her chin and he licked the long rivulet from the base of

her throat to her full, bruised lips.

“Look at me,” he ordered.

Her fingers traced up his neck to caress his face as he pulled her body upwards. She could not

tear her eyes from him as he pressed himself deep into her sex. She opened for him, hot and

ready, and she bit her lip as he fully filled her. Her eyes closed, but he shook her.

“Look at me,” he said again.

She obeyed, pressing her forehead against his as he began to slowly stroke in and out of her.

Her legs tightened around him as he pulled her against him and licked the blood off her neck.

They were so terrible for each other and they both knew it. This never should have happened.

Every time he slid his cock into her, she would cry out and he looked drugged with her blood and

sex. The fingers of one of his hands gripped the back of her neck as he thrust into her. She kept

her gaze locked with his as he slid his other hand under her blouse and tugged on one of her

pierced nipples.

“Don't stop,” she begged as his tongue played over the wound on her neck. It was beyond any

experience she had ever had.

It wasn't until he buried his face in her throat and bit her again, that Amaliya felt the terrible

sensation of being watched. She knew, for certain, The Summoner was nearby. Anger sliced

through her and she gripped Cian's hair with one hand and pushed her hips hard against him,

driving his cock even harder into her.

Let him watch, she thought bitterly. Let him watch.

Gripping Cian tight inside of her, she bit hard into his throat again and pushed them both over

the edge. His nails bit into her ass as he came deep in her and her own nails sliced down his back

drawing more blood. Letting his vitae fill her mouth, but not swallowing, she released his flesh.

Slowly, they slid down to the floor together, a tangle of legs and arms. Cian's tongue lapped

up the blood he had spilled as her wounded neck healed and she drew her finger through the

blood running down his chest. The sensation of being watched was no longer there and she felt

spiteful, yet satisfied.

Cian stared up at the ceiling and let out a shuddering sigh.

“What now?” Amaliya asked softly, almost afraid that he was full of regrets.

He rolled over and opened up the concealed compartment that hid the controls to his

sanctuary. Tapping in the code, he looked at her and gave her a slight smile. The wall behind her

slid up and she gave him a suspicious look.

“I want to taste the rest of you,” he said in a low voice that made her legs tremble. He kissed

her again and his hands began to undress her. “Do everything we skipped over the first time.”

Her voice shuddered as she whispered, “Yes, please.”

Easily picking her up, he tossed her onto the bed. As the wall slid down to shroud them in

blackness, he crawled between her legs and she moaned with delight.

* * *

It was close to dawn when The Summoner saw his opportunity. A young woman in jogging

clothes slipped out of Cian's building and started down the street holding her car keys. He

followed her at a distance, noting her bloodshot eyes and the slight reek of liquor on her breath.

She was sobering up and obviously on her way to collect her car. After a short while, she started

jogging through the streets and he moved through the shadows silently.

When she reached the empty parking lot, he took note of her rising fear. She had been afraid

her car would be gone, either towed or stolen, or damaged in some way. Obviously relieved, she

unlocked her car to get in.

“Excuse me,” he said from beside her.

She whirled around, terrified. Her eyes were enormous and she swallowed hard.

“Heather, it's me. Patrick. We met last night at the bar. I was worried about you when you

disappeared.”

“I don't remember,” she stuttered.

“We live in the same building? Remember?” He held up his hand and forced her mind to see a

key card to match her own.

She leaned forward slightly to see a card with his picture on it and apartment number. Her

shoulders relaxed. “Oh, yeah.”

“I just moved here from France, remember? I'm so sorry I startled you. I've had a very late

night myself and I was just walking back when I saw you. I was over at IHOP sobering up. You

know how cabs are at this time of the night.” He smiled at her gently.

“Oh,” she rubbed her brow, and studied him, obviously trying to remember him. “Yeah. I

know about cabs. I know it's stupid to drive when I live so close by, but with high heels on and

all.” She floundered and looked nervous.

He could easily force her to have a false memory, but he enjoyed toying with people and

seeing them trying to rationalize his actions into their worldview.

“Well, anyway, I'm glad you are okay. I'll see you around.” He turned to walk on, his hands

tucked into his trouser pockets.

“Oh, well, Patrick, why don't you ride back with me?”

She motioned to her car and glanced toward the horizon. It was slowly growing light and he

knew from his many years of life that humans found the sun a comforting signet.

“That would be very kind of you,” he answered and slowly walked around the car. He settled

in as she pulled the seatbelt over her lap and chest.

“I had a good time last night, but I definitely drank too much,” she said as she turned on the

car.

He knew she was working up to apologizing for not remembering him.

“I'm afraid I did too. I went to IHOP for three hours trying to sober up. I barely remembered

your name.” He gave her a charming smile.

She laughed with relief. “I really don't remember you either. I guess because we don't live on

the same floor I haven't seen you before.”

“I'm sure we'll see more of each other now,” he assured her.

The tiny sports car zipped up the streets as she made her way back to the apartment building

in a roundabout way forced by all the one-way street signs.

“That would be cool. I was thinking of doing a barbecue for some people in the building,” she

said and turned onto the ramp leading into the parking garage.

“That sounds quite lovely,” The Summoner decided. “I do enjoy socializing.”

She quickly swiped her card and the gate slowly lifted. The little car zipped up the ramp and

she maneuvered to the correct level. “Me, too. I mean, hell, you're only young once. Might as

well enjoy it.” She turned the wheel and the car slid easily into her parking slot.

Climbing out of the car, The Summoner could feel the exquisite pleasure of the hunt

ratcheting up. The pretty girl with her swinging blond hair and firm body came around the car

and headed toward the elevator.

“I'm glad you were walking back. Kinda needed a second set of eyes. God, the cops are so

cracking down on people driving drunk.” She rolled her eyes. “I know it's dangerous, but sheesh.

It's like the Gestapo.”

She punched the button for the elevator and he stepped up next to her.

“One of the annoyances of life and going out. Trying to outwit the authorities.”

“I remember when I had a fake ID. That seemed so dangerous.” She laughed.

The doors opened and she hopped inside.

He deliberately waited.

“Coming?” she asked.

“I didn't want to make you uncomfortable,” he said smoothly. He waited calmly for his

invitation into the elevator, and thus into Cian's little world.

“Come on. We can share an elevator. We're practically old friends. Get in. Come on,” she

laughed coyly. It was now obvious she was flirting with him.

The Summoner stepped into the elevator. As the doors shut, he reached out and banged the

back of her head hard into the elevator wall. She crumpled without a sound. Leaning down, he

picked up her key card and keys and pocketed them. Tucking his hand under her hair to grasp her

neck, he lifted her up so she was leaning against him. He could feel her heart beating against his

chest. It was a delicious sound.

* * *

The walls were up, for now, allowing them a spectacular view of the slowly rousing city of

Austin. The sky on the horizon was turning lighter shades of purple and blue. Amaliya could feel

the night washing away as the sun rose. She was curled up under the covers of the bed with

Cian's arms around her.

Cian kissed her shoulder and rose up to sit beside her. “We'll have to close it soon,” he said.

“It makes me sad, you know,” she said softly. “Never being able to see the sun again.”

His hand slowly slid down her arm and he rubbed his fingers over hers. “I know.”

“I don't remember the last time I saw it. My last moment of seeing daylight happened and I

didn't even realize it was important,” she said with her voice full of regret.

“I remember the green of the sugarcane fields and the sun glittering off the white shores as the

sun set beyond the edge of the ocean.” His memory tinged his voice with sadness. “I didn't know

it was my last day as a mortal, but I stood there wondering what Ireland looked like. At that

point, I could hardly remember anymore.”

He had told her his own story in the aftermath of their lovemaking. It had broken her heart.

Amaliya rolled onto her back and stared up at him. “Do you want to go back to Ireland?”

“Some days,” he admitted. “But then I remember that my family is long dead and my village

long gone and that there is nothing there for me anymore.”

“I always feel there is nothing for me,” Amaliya confessed. “Like I belong nowhere. That I

am always the visitor, the outsider, never part of the inner circle.”

“Is that why you always run?”

Amaliya frowned at him but nodded. “Yeah. I think so. Always running to something, I guess.

Just not sure what it is.”

He leaned over her, his leanly muscled chest smooth and cold to her touch. “Stay this time.

Don't run.”

Amaliya was afraid of his request and she couldn't answer. She always ran away. It was her

nature. When things became overwhelming, she always ran. But she had to admit, for the first

time in her short life, after having sex with someone, she had not rushed away as soon as it was

over.

“Amaliya,” he said again softly.

She pushed herself up onto her elbows and kissed him. Her lips caressed his and she playfully

licked the tip of his tongue. It was her way to shut him up and avoid the conversation going in

the direction she did not want it to go.

Distracted, Cian kissed her passionately and pushed her back down onto the bed. Just as the

sun was about to break the horizon, he fumbled for the controls and lowered the walls.