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He slowly waved his hand. In that instant, my jeans and jacket vanished and I realized I was wearing a long dress, crimson with rubies awash across the satin material, and a pair of four-inch stiletto pumps. It was a simple sheath, low cut, and my scars showed. Feeling terribly exposed, I glanced over my shoulder, hoping to find my jacket to cover my arms and chest.
“Menol y . . . do not hide who you are. Your lover appreciates the view . . . as do I.” And with that, he was by my side, silent as the depths of the ocean. He reached forward and I slid into his arms and we were dancing; his embrace a fortress both trapping and protecting me. He leaned forward, his eyes glowing with hoarfrost. Roman’s hair was long and shining, sleeked back into a brunette ponytail, and a goatee graced his chin.
“Roman, is this a dream? Or are you real y here?” We whirled around the room to the music as it rose and shifted from harpsichord to acoustic guitar.
“Oh, I am here, my dear. Make no mistake about that.” And then he let go of my hand and with a wave, the wal s of the room fel away and we were dancing under the velvet night, the swirl of my skirt a shimmering flutter.
“What do you want with me?” I whispered, staring up at a starry horizon that seemed to stretch forever.
“Have you ever wanted to be a queen, Menol y? Have you ever wanted to rule by the side of someone who can give you more power than you’ve ever dreamed of?”
Before I could answer, before I could even process the thought, he leaned down and kissed me, and al thought was lost in a blur of passion and longing.
CHAPTER 4
I woke before Erin did—the older the vampire, the quicker the waking.
As I bolted up in bed, remembering where I was and who I was, the dream stuck with me.
Roman, the dancing . . . “Have you ever wanted to be a queen, Menolly? Have you ever wanted to rule by the side of someone who can give you more power than you’ve ever dreamed of?”
What had he meant? Had it just been wish fulfil ment? Not likely, considering I’d never aspired to be the consort of any king, be he vampire or Fae.
Shaking off the dream, I turned my thoughts to my daughter. What the hel was I going to do with her for now? She couldn’t stay here. And I most definitely was not going to return her to Sassy. But I couldn’t leave her with any of our human friends. Roman? No way. Especial y after that dream. I thought of Wade and cringed. I couldn’t cal him.
And then it hit me. Tavah. I trusted her to watch over the portal in the bar. I could trust her to watch Erin. I grabbed the phone and punched in Tavah’s cel number. She answered on the third ring.
“Tavah, I have something to ask you. Can you please drop by my house right away? As in the next half hour?”
“Sure thing, boss. What’s up?”
“I’l tel you when you get here,” I muttered. “Can’t talk right now, but it’s important. I have a job for you and I real y need your help.”
As I hung up, it occurred to me that Erin could stay at the bar, in the hidden chamber down in the basement. The panic room was created to keep magic and intruders out, and anything up to a demon in. No daylight filtered in; no hunters could intrude, stakes in hand. I could tuck Erin in during the day and she would be safe, with no one being the wiser.
“Erin? You awake?” I gave her a few minutes to come out of her stupor. As she sat up, it occurred to me she had no clothes except what she’d been wearing. If there was one thing I didn’t appreciate, it was a vampire who dressed in smel y, messy clothing. It was bad enough we fed on blood; we didn’t have to look the part. She didn’t like Chanel, anyway, and I wasn’t going to force it on her like Sassy had. Erin was a grown woman; she could wear what she wanted.
She blinked, then pushed herself to her elbows. “I’m awake. It takes me a while—Sassy says that wil change. Is she right?”
“As you age into your new life, yes, you wil wake easier and with more clarity. Some of the ancient vampires can last against sunrise for an extra half hour or so, and can wake up even as the sun is starting to dip below the horizon. As long as they aren’t directly in its path. Listen, I’ve got work to do. Important work. I want you to stay with Tavah this evening. She’l take you clothes shopping and then to the bar. I’l meet you there later.”
Erin nodded, a hopeful look crossing her face. “Can I help you out? Please?” And then her words spil ed out in a rush. “Menol y, I’m bored. I loved running my shop. I hate just sitting around at Sassy’s and playing games or watching TV. Put me to work, and I promise: I won’t let you down.”
I blinked. The thought of putting Erin to work had never occurred to me. Most vampires I knew were content to run around without a job to impede them. “You’re serious? You wouldn’t mind working in the bar at night?”
Erin flashed me a grateful smile and her eyes lit up in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. “I’d love it! I miss being busy. I miss . . . being needed. With my store, my clients needed me. Now . . .”
“Sassy needs you.” I tried to make her feel better, but that opened up a whole new can of worms.
“I know Sassy needs me, but I feel like her pet.” She glanced over at me. “You think we’re in love, don’t you?”
I slowly nodded. “Sassy gave me that impression, yes.”
Erin shifted, obviously uncomfortable. “Sassy is in love with me. But . . .”
“But you’re not in love with her?” Understanding began to pound its way into my brain. Why, oh why hadn’t I talked this over with Erin before? I’d taken Sassy’s word for everything. Feeling every inch the neglectful parent, I asked, “What do you real y think of her?”
“I am grateful,” Erin said with a shrug. “She’s taken me in and makes sure I’m safe and fed and comfortable. I care about her. Maybe I could love her if we were equals, but we aren’t. She’s my foster mother. She’s a good fifteen years older than me, which wouldn’t matter if I were real y attracted to her in that way. But the whole affair gives me the creeps. I know what she wants and I don’t want to give it to her. Truth is, I’m not that interested in a relationship with anybody. I’ve got too much to learn about myself now.”
