The worst nightmare had been the last, when Derek—his body twisted into some grotesque creature that was half vampire and half werewolf—tied her to the bed and then invited Mara, Logan, and the two elderly vampires to come in and drink their fill.
Sitting up, bracing her back against the headboard, Sheree wrapped her arms around her waist. What if the serum would have worked? Maybe it would have cured Derek of being both vampire and werewolf, giving them a chance for a normal life together. Last night, disposing of the serum had seemed like the right thing to do. Why did it feel so wrong now, when the serum was gone and it would take weeks to make a new batch?
Telling herself that she was worrying for nothing, that everything would be all right, she glanced to her left, where Derek lay sleeping beside her. Propped on one elbow, she let her gaze move over him. For a man who was supposed to be dead and didn’t spend hours at the gym, he had a remarkable physique, one she never tired of looking at. Or touching.
He stirred when she slid her fingertips over his chest, opened one eye when she licked his navel.
“Is there something you want, wife?” he asked.
“Maybe.”
“Well, make up your mind,” he said, yawning.
“You don’t seem very interested,” she retorted.
“Don’t I?” He gestured at the sheet, tented over his groin. “Does that look like I’m not interested?”
Flinging the sheet aside, she straddled his hips, then leaned down to kiss him, her bare breasts grazing his chest.
“Now that’s worth staying awake for.” He slid his hands up and down her back. “Oh, yeah,” he said, nipping her earlobe. “I could get used to waking up to this.”
Sheree smiled and wriggled against him, the movement eliciting a low groan of pleasure from Derek. But she couldn’t silence the little voice in the back of her mind that whispered this might be the last morning they ever spent together.
It was early evening when Sheree tiptoed downstairs. After taking a few steps, she chided herself for trying to be quiet in a castle full of vampires. If they were awake, they could hear every beat of her heart, every breath she took. For all she knew, they could even hear her when they were at rest.
The place was eerily silent as she made her way into the kitchen and rummaged around for something to eat, only to find that she had no appetite. She couldn’t think of anything but Derek. What would happen at moonrise? Had it been a mistake to beg him not to take the serum? What if something terrible happened because she had talked him out of it?
She hadn’t known her vampire very long, but she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
Too restless to sit still, she wandered around the great hall, studying the tapestries. They were huge, hanging from the ceiling to the floor, some almost as wide as the walls. One depicted a hunting scene, the other a bloody battle. She wondered how old they were, and who had made them, and who, if anyone, had owned the ancient castle before Mara.
Moving to one of the narrow, leaded windows, she stared outside. Raindrops splashed against the window, blurring the view. But it didn’t matter. There was little to see but dark clouds and trees swaying in the wind.
Where was Mara? Why did the castle seem more quiet than usual? Had they all gone home and left her behind?
She shook the thought aside. No doubt they were all at rest.
“We need to talk.”
Sheree whirled around, startled by the vampire’s silent entrance. One look at Mara’s face and it was obvious she knew what had happened the night before.
“Why?” Mara asked, her green eyes as cold as glass. “Why would you do such a thing?”
“If you know what I did, then you must know why.”
“We’re all afraid,” Mara said, her expression softening. “Pearl and Edna are in fear for their lives, certain I’ll destroy them if the serum doesn’t work. Derek is afraid of becoming a true monster, unable to control himself. You’re afraid of losing him.”
“What are you afraid of?”
The vampire glanced at the fireplace; a moment later, a cheery fire crackled in the hearth. Sheree stared at it curiously. Vampires didn’t feel the heat or the cold, so what use did Mara have for a fire?
“I like the sight of the flames,” Mara remarked. “As for what I’m afraid of, I’m afraid of losing my son. I’m afraid that the war going on inside him might warp his mind, that he’ll become the very thing he’s afraid of, and I’ll have to destroy him.”
“You would do that? Destroy your own son?”
“If it becomes necessary.” Mara stared at Sheree, her expression implacable. “If what you’ve done harms him in any way . . .”
The vampire didn’t have to finish the sentence. Sheree heard the threat in Mara’s voice. She had no doubt that her own life would be forfeited if anything happened to Derek.
Chilled to the bone and unable to think of a reply, Sheree left the hall. Her legs were shaky as she climbed the stairs to the bedroom she shared with Derek. She had expected to find him asleep, but he was sitting up, his back braced against the rosewood headboard.
“She had no right to threaten you like that,” he remarked, holding out his arms.
“It wasn’t a threat,” Sheree said, hastening into his embrace. “It was a promise.” She glanced out the window, wondering what the night would bring.
“Don’t worry, love. I won’t let her hurt you.” His breath brushed her cheek as he folded her into his embrace.
Nodding, she snuggled against him. Derek would protect her against his mother and anyone else, with his life, if necessary. She knew that without a doubt.
But what if he wasn’t there?
“She did what?” Hands spread in a gesture of disbelief, Pearl stared at Mara. “Why would she pour it out? Does she realize how long it will take to make more?”
“It’s a matter of trust,” Logan said.
“She doesn’t trust me?” Pearl sniffed, obviously offended. “I’m only trying to help.”
Logan glanced at Mara, surprised by her silence. “We know that,” he said. “But Sheree’s experience with vampires is limited. I know Mara told her about the two of you, and what went on during the war, when you were trying to cure the supernatural community. All things considered, it’s easy to understand why Sheree isn’t in any hurry for Derek to become another of your failed experiments.”
Pearl threw up her hands in exasperation. “They didn’t all fail!”