Page 5 of Fateful Reunion

“I know, baby,” Charles murmured and busied himself with shoving her top up and pulling it over her head. Cool air blew against her heated skin, providing much needed relief. “But I need you. It’s been too long.”

Roxanne was already unbuttoning his shirt. They only ever had these stolen moments and knew how to make the most of it.

They were both naked within seconds. Charles maneuvered them to the large bed which had already been turned down. When Roxanne felt the soft sheets beneath her back and Charles’s naked body on top of her, she sighed in contentment.

She loved his well-toned physique, his lean torso, his muscled thighs. And his face framed by short, dark hair, his strong jaw, full lips, and straight nose. But most of all she loved his chocolate-colored eyes. They signified everything good about him: he was a man of honor.

“Charles, I need you,” she murmured against his neck. “Please take me.”

“I need you just as much. But I won’t rush it. You deserve better. Damn, you deserve so much better than that animal—”

She pressed a finger to his lips. “Let’s not talk about him. You know I can’t break up with him. I know too much about his operations. He can’t afford to let me live.”

One of the bedside lamps blew out.

“Charles!” she urged him, knowing his power had been the culprit. She’d never been afraid of it, though she had no defense against it. “Please, you’ve got to stay in control.” Or they might draw attention to themselves. Which they couldn’t afford. It was one of the reasons they always met at different places, never at Charles’s home for fear that one day somebody might follow her.

“How can I?” he ground out. “When you’re with him, I fear for your life. Don’t you understand what it does to me?” He rolled off her and stared at the ceiling. “We can’t go on like this any longer.”

She sat up with a start. “Are you telling me you’re leaving me?” A sob worked its way up her chest, but before it could roll over her lips, Charles had reared up and gripped her shoulders.

“Why would you think that? How could I ever leave you? I love you, Roxanne! More than life itself.”

Though the words were a relief, his stormy facial expression didn’t help ease her worries. “Then what?”

“We have to go away. Together.”

“But he won’t let me go.”

“You’re not going to ask for permission.”

“He’ll chase me.”

“Not if he thinks you’re dead.”

Her heartbeat accelerated. “Oh my God, what are you planning?”

He cupped her cheek and stroked it, looking deep into her eyes. “I’ve thought it all through. It’s the only way for us to be together. We have to stage your death.”

“But how?”

“Two nights from now, I’ll make sure Silas gets word from an informant that there’s easy prey waiting for him. He and his men will leave the compound. That’s when you’ll act.”

Roxanne bit her lip, worry charging through her. To cross an evil man like Silas was akin to signing her own death sentence. “If anything goes wrong, he’ll hunt me down like a dog. I should just kill him.”

“No!” Charles nearly yelled the word. “Even if you’re able to kill him, his men will slaughter you. You’ll never get out of there alive. I won’t let you do it. I’d rather go in there myself and kill him.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “You know you won’t get close enough. His men will sense you, despite your power, or maybe because of it. They’ll have the upper hand. They’ll kill you just because they can. And if they do that, you know I won’t remain idle. You know I’ll try to stop them. And then we’ll both die. We’ll never get away alive if we try to kill Silas.”

“Then we have no other choice. We have to make sure Silas thinks you’re dead. We’ll make sure your death is believable. Since a vampire doesn’t leave a body behind, but only dust, it’ll be simple. Take your jewelry off and drop it to the floor in your room, together with your cell phone. Make it look like there was a break-in. Leave a stake on the ground, and sprinkle dust in the same spot.”

“He’ll never believe it. The compound is secure. Silas made sure of that.”

Charles shook his head and stood up, reaching for his jacket. “If there’s evidence of witchcraft, Silas will think a witch used a spell to get inside and kill you.” He pulled an amulet out of the inside pocket and showed it to her.

“What is it?”

“It’s a witch’s protection stone. Many witches carry them. Tear it off the leather string and toss it on the floor in your room. Make it look like you were fighting a witch. When Silas finds it, he’ll have proof that you were killed by a witch. He won’t try to find you. He’ll be too busy getting revenge on the witches.”