He'd certainly surprised her. She lay on the bed, her bonnie mouth dropped open. He rolled onto

his side to face her and propped himself up on an elbow.

"You--you're not dead," she whispered.

He smiled. "No' at the moment."

"How? You took that drug? The Stay-Awake drug?"

"Aye. I know where it's hidden."

She sat up. "But Ian, it makes you grow older." "One year for each day." He shrugged one shoulder. "So I'll look twenty-eight instead of twenty- seven."

Her mouth fell open again. "You were willing to age a year?"

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"To spend a day with you, aye."

"That's so sweet." She stretched out, facing him. "But are you sure you should be sweet? I mean, you're awake, and the bad guys are asleep."

His smile widened. She was as much a warrior as he was. "So ye want to slaughter them while they're unable to defend themselves?"

She winced. "I realize it's not a very honorable thing to do, but they would do it to you in a second."

"Aye, they would, so we'll have to make sure they never get that drug." He reached out to brush a tendril of damp hair off her cheek. "Actually, I would be tempted to kill them all and be done with this mess, but they have about twenty Russian mafia guys guarding them with high-powered assault rifles."

"Oh." She made a face. "That would be nasty."

"Aye, verra nasty. Ever since Roman visited them during the day, they've been extra vigilant." He trailed a finger along the line of her jaw. "And then there's the problem of me burning to a crisp if I go out in the sun."

"I guess we'll have to stay inside."

"Aye." He skimmed his finger over her ear.

"I guess we could think of something to pass the time." Her eyes twinkled as she glanced at his pajama bottoms. "It looks like you've been thinking ahead of me."

He smiled wryly. "A man should never be unprepared."

It was true that while he lay in bed, waiting for her to arrive, he'd grown aroused just thinking about making love to her. He knew his eyes were turning red now. A red tint shaded the room, making Toni's skin look pink and ripe with blood. It would be a challenge to keep control. He'd purposely filled up with synthetic blood to make it easier.

The way she'd looked at him when he'd unleashed all his Vamp power in Dr. Proctor's library-- that had stretched his control to the max. He'd heard her heart racing. He'd smelled the scent of her arousal. He'd wanted to leap on her and sink his fangs into her neck.

His gums tingled, and he collapsed on his back, squeezing his eyes shut. Control. He didn't dare make love to her if he couldn't control himself.

"Are you all right?" she whispered.

"I doona want to influence you in any way. If ye stay in my bed, it should be yer decision. But know that I will make love to you."

"Well, I was sorta counting on that." Her voice sounded muffled, then something soft fell on his face.

He brushed it aside and opened his eyes. There was a navy polo shirt in his hand. Her shirt. She sat beside him, sliding her bra straps off her shoulders. The heart pendant he'd given her was nestled between her breasts.

"Are ye certain?"

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"Do I look uncertain?" She flung her bra on the floor.

He pounced, pushing her onto her back. "I love a decisive woman."

She smiled. "I love an aggressive man."

He splayed a hand around her rib cage. "I know ye havena known me for verra long."

"But I've waited for you for years."

"For centuries. I think my heart recognized you the verra first night we met. It just took a few more nights for my brain to catch up."

She touched his face. "I was the same way."

He skimmed his hand up to cover her breast. "I want ye to know that I'll be faithful. I love ye dearly. That will never change."

"Oh, Ian." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, too."

He leaned down to kiss her lips. They were soft and moist, and they opened sweetly. He swirled his tongue inside, exploring and tasting. She quivered beneath him, so fragile in her mortality but so strong with passion. She was everything he wasn't. Everything he craved. Life and light. Pure and good.

Her tongue skimmed along his teeth, then swirled bravely around the sharp point of one of his fangs. He groaned. Did she know how badly she was flirting with danger? She pressed her tongue against the point.

With a sharp breath, he broke the kiss. Her skin, her neck, her breasts--they all looked pink and delicious through his red-tinted eyes.

"By all the saints, I want you." He trailed kisses down her throat to her breasts. Her pounding heart echoed in his ears, pounding faster and accelerating the flames of his passion. He scooped a hand behind her back and lifted her rib cage in the air. Her back arched, pressing her breasts against his mouth. With a moan, she flung her arms to the side, as if surrendering her body to his needs.

And he needed her. Every inch of her. He nibbled and suckled on her plump nipples till the tips grew hard in his mouth. He sucked on one and pinched the other one lightly. When he tugged on both, she gasped.

"Oh, please." She grasped his T-shirt and pulled.

He yanked his T-shirt over his head and threw it. Then he unbuckled the belt around her hips and attacked the waistband and zipper of her khaki trousers. "Bloody hell, I never thought I'd be removing a pair of men's pants."

She laughed and tried to help him by lifting her hips in the air. He groaned at the sight. He tugged her pants down to her ankles, but was halted by her athletic shoes. With a quick flick of his wrists, they went flying into the air. Her socks and trousers followed.

"I love yer legs." He grasped an ankle and lifted her bare leg so he could plant kisses along her calf.

"Take off your pants."

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"Now?" He tickled the underside of her knee. Her leg jerked. "Yes. Now." He lowered her ankle onto his shoulder, then rose to his knees to pull his pajama bottoms down.

His erection sprang out. She propped herself up on her elbows to get a better look at him. "Wow." "I hope ye doona expect me to dance like that guy at the Horny Devils." He tossed his pajamas on

the floor. "What guy?" she murmured, her eyes glued to his crotch. The more she stared, the more swollen he became. At this rate, he wasn't going to last another

minute. He needed to distract her quickly. "Now, where were we?" He kissed her ankle.

"No." She slid her leg off his shoulder and leaned forward. "I want to touch you." She circled her hand around his erection. "Och, lass. I canna endure this for long." "Aw, come on." She squeezed gently. "You're a tough guy." "Aye." He hissed in a breath as she teased the tip with her thumb. He'd already leaked a drop, and

she spread the moisture around. "I am tough." He gritted his teeth. "I'm a seasoned warrior." "A real he-man." She shoved him back onto the bed. His head was halfway off the end of the bed. He gasped when her mouth enveloped him. He

crushed the comforter in his fists. He could handle this. He wasn't a green boy. "I--I grew a few

inches over the summer." She made a sound of appreciation deep in her throat. Her fingers tickled his balls, then squeezed. Her tongue was swirling around him. The room swirled around him. He couldn't believe it. This was different from all the sex he'd had over the centuries. Maybe it was because his equipment was slightly different--bigger and more mature. Or maybe it was because Toni was...Toni. She was making love to him. He never wanted it to stop.

But it was going to stop, and bloody well soon. "Nay! Toni!" She looked up at him just as he lost control. With a groan, he spurted on her chest. He retained

enough control to turn away from her. Mortified, he ejaculated all over Roman's suede comforter.

And the damned stuff kept coming. "Och, lass. I'm so sorry. I'm no' used to this longer...I dinna control it properly." He lowered his head, too ashamed to look at her.

The sound of giggling broke the silence. He looked warily at her. She was rolling from side to side, laughing so hard there were tears in her eyes. His face heated up. "Och, it is truly every man's desire to be laughed at in bed."

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"Ian, you're so cute. Och, mercy! Me cock is too big. It's out of control!" She mimicked his Scottish accent and laughed some more. "You poor baby. It's so sad to be over-endowed. I think I may have to cry."

He glowered at her. "Ye're certainly enjoying this." "Of course." She sat up, wiping her eyes. "I am so thrilled that I could make you lose control." "Really?" "Oh yes! It's like an amazing power trip." She flexed her biceps. "Mere mortal drives hunky,

immortal vampire past the brink of his control. I feel like Superwoman!" "Ye liked it?" "Oh God, yes." She pressed a hand to her chest, then laughed some more when her fingers landed

in cum. She grabbed the edge of the sheet and wiped her hand and chest.

Ian was amazed. He could embarrass himself with Toni, and she still loved him. He was the luckiest man on earth. "And I have to say that I really appreciate those extra inches." Her gaze dropped to his crotch.

"You are magnificent."

"Thank you." He was feeling much better now. "I could easily be persuaded to lose control again, since it makes ye feel so good." Her mouth twitched. "That's real noble of you." "I aim to please. In fact, now that I'm no longer in danger of exploding, I can devote more time to

pleasing you." Her eyebrows rose. "That sounds good." "Aye." He trailed his fingers up her bare leg. "It will be my mission to drive you past the brink of

control." "I love a man with a mission." He arched a brow. "Off with yer undies, lass." With a giggle, she lay back. "Aye, aye, medieval warrior." She hooked her thumbs in the

waistband of her panties and slowly wiggled out of them. "You may have your lusty way with me."

"That I will." He admired the way she moved her hips. When her undies reached mid-thigh, she couldn't reach any farther with her hands. "Could you be so kind as to offer me some assistance?"

"My pleasure, dear lady." He hooked a finger in her undies and dragged them down her legs.

"Why thank you kindly, sir." Her Southern accent grew more pronounced, and she gave him a sultry look. He chuckled. He should have known making love to Toni would be like nothing he'd experienced

before. She filled his heart with joy. "You are most welcome, fair lady."

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He tossed her panties in the air. When they defied gravity, he looked up and spotted them hanging

from the light fixture. Toni reclaimed his attention when she planted one foot to the right and then, with a seductive sway of her hips, she planted the other to the left. She opened her legs. "I do hope you'll enjoy the view."

"Aye, I do." He could see the moisture glistening on her tender folds. He inhaled deeply, savoring

the scent of her arousal. "Och, lass, ye are the most beautiful of all fair maidens." "Hmm. You are too kind." She wiggled her hips provocatively. "I shall endeavor to accommodate your manly size." She grinned at him.

"I'm going to suck on you till yer eyeballs pop out." Her eyes widened. "Okay." He grasped her ankles and placed them around his neck. "Hold on, sweetheart. This could get

wild." She giggled. He seized her hips and buried his face in her scent. She gasped when he started to lick and

trembled when he sucked. He inserted two fingers and stroked her gently. With panting breaths,

she moved her hips in rhythm with his fingers. She was so wet now. So hot. So beautiful. And he was growing hard again. He enjoyed one last look at her wet, engorged flesh, then moved in for the final assault. He flicked his tongue, increasing his speed as only a vampire could do. Her legs clenched. Her hips rose. Almost there.

With a squeal, she jolted. Her inner muscles spasmed around his fingers. Her whole body

shuddered. He kissed her trembling thighs and lowered her feet to the bed. He kissed her belly, her breasts. He held himself poised over her, and the tip of his erection grazed her slick opening.

"Ian." She skimmed her hands up his back to his shoulders. "I want to see the love in yer eyes when I enter you," he whispered. "You have it." She looked at him. "I love you." He slid inside her. A mixture of sensations surged through him. Joy, love, erotic pleasure, and a

primordial, male triumph as he took possession. He intended to make love slowly, but she was so beautiful, so sexy, so loving, that they were soon hurtling together toward a climax. They couldn't get close enough. Her legs locked around his waist, and they ground their bodies together.

His orgasm hit hard. He pumped into her with a speed and ferocity that only a vampire could do. She screamed and came with a shuddering rush. She clung to him as her body continued to spasm. "Oh my." She panted, trying to catch her breath. He rested his brow against hers as their breathing slowly returned to normal. "I hope I dinna hurt you," he whispered. "No. It was...wonderful. Spectacular. Mind-blowing."

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"Aye." He collapsed beside her and pulled her close. Her eyes flickered shut. "You wore me out." "Aye." He shut his eyes and nuzzled his chin against her hair. A man could easily want an eternity

of this.

Toni woke up, slowly becoming aware that she was naked and cold. She sat up. In the dim light that spilled from the cracked bathroom door, she spotted Ian beside her. Her gaze drifted down his naked body and back to his face. Gorgeous man. So sexy. And so sweet to age another year just to be with her. Had the drug worn off? He certainly looked dead to the world.

She glanced at the bedside clock. Good grief. It was almost noon. Carlos and Howard had to be wondering what had happened to her. She pulled the sheet up to cover Ian to his chest. Then she went to the bathroom and took a hot shower.

She padded back into the bedroom with one towel wrapped around her head and another around her body. She found her polo shirt on the floor on one side of the bed and her bra on the other. She glanced up at the wrought-iron chandelier above the bed. Her underwear was dangling from one of the spiky branches. She doubted she could reach it, even if she stood on the bed. What a shame she couldn't levitate like the Vamps.

Maybe she could find something that would knock her panties down. She looked inside the closet and smiled at the kilt hanging there. She stroked the softness of Ian's sweater and leaned close to smell his scent. She spotted the black leather pants he'd worn the night they rescued Bri. Behind that was the tuxedo he'd worn to play Dracula. And then there was the vampire cape.

She skimmed her fingers down the sleek, black satin. The stand-up collar was so cool. She glanced back at Ian, still dead to the world.

Well, why the heck not? She dropped her towels to the floor and grabbed the cape. She twirled around, flourishing the cape like a matador. Then she swirled it onto her shoulders and tied the strings at her neck. She clasped the edges with her fingers so she could lift her arms and spread the cape wide. Whoosh, she ran across the room, letting the cape billow behind her. Then she executed a few lunges in a Paso Doble style. Happy with that, she bent her right elbow, letting the cape cover the bottom half of her face. Like Snidely Whiplash, she stalked across the room.

She jumped onto the foot of the bed and lifted her arms wide. With an ominous glare at Ian, she said in a spooky, low voice, "I am your master."

"Like a virgin," a female voice answered.

Toni jerked around. That had to be her cell phone. Her pants were somewhere on the floor.

Madonna claimed she was being touched for the very first time.

"Oh, hush." Toni jumped down from the bed and strode about the room, searching for her pants. "You're about as virginal as I am."

"That's debatable," a male voice said.

With a squeak, she spun around. "Ian?"

"Toni?" His eyes widened as he took in her costume, or lack of costume.

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She whipped the edges of the cape together to conceal her nude body. "I thought you were dead. Again." His mouth twitched. "I wouldna miss this for anything." Her face heated up. "Like a virgin," Madonna taunted her.

She snatched the phone from her pants pocket. "Hello?" "Menina, what happened to you?" Carlos asked. "You went upstairs to check on Ian and never came back."

"I--I'm fine. Ian's fine." She glanced at the bed. Ian was grinning at her. "Did you fall asleep?" Carlos asked. "I know you were tired this morning." "I...slept a little. Sorry." "It's okay. Nothing's happening. I just thought you might be hungry. Howard's making some

paninis in the kitchen. You want one?"

"I--uh..." She watched Ian stroll past her into the office. The view from the back was great. He removed a bottle of blood from the small fridge at the wet bar and popped it into the microwave. "Toni, what's going on?" Carlos demanded. "Do you need some help up there?" "No! I--I'm fine, really." "He's awake, isn't he?" Carlos demanded. "Either that, or you have developed some tastes that are

way too kinky." "Okay, he's awake," she confessed. "Howard told me about the Stay-Awake drug," Carlos said. "I guess you two are putting it to good

use?" "Oh yeah." Carlos chuckled. "Ciao, menina." He hung up. "They know what we're doing?" Ian removed his bottle from the microwave and poured the blood

into a glass. "Yes." She dropped her phone and wandered into the office. "Are we going to be in big trouble?" "No one has a way to contact Connor right now, so I wouldna worry about it." Ian sipped from his

glass as he watched her approach. "That cape looks better on you than it does me."

"I don't think it's the cape you're looking at." She swept the cape open for a second to flash her body. Ian smiled and took another sip. "Something amazing happened." "Oh yeah, the sex was great." She perched on a bar stool.

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He chuckled. "That, too. But Toni, I actually fell asleep." He leaned toward her, resting his elbows on the bar. "It was so strange. I havena slept in centuries."

"Wow." He drank more blood. "I'd forgotten what it was like. Death-sleep is so...blank. It's nothing but death and total oblivion. But this was sweet and..."

"Restful?" His eyes glimmered with moisture. "I had a dream. I dreamed of you." "Oh...my." She noticed the tears in his eyes were reddish in color. He touched her face. "I would have never thought it possible." She took his hand. "What did you dream?" His mouth quirked. "Ye did a striptease dance for me in a vampire cape." "Really?" When he laughed, she made a face at him. "Very funny. What was the dream?" His eyes softened. "I'll tell you someday." "Hmm." She scooted off the bar stool. She walked away from him, then flipped one side of the

cape back to reveal a rounded hip. "I have ways of making you talk."

She gasped when he zoomed up to her at vampire speed. "I have ways of making you scream." He untied the strings at her neck and pushed the cape off her shoulders. The satin material pooled on the floor, the red side up. Ian lifted her in his arms, then laid her

down on the scarlet satin. "Well, why not?" She gave him a wry look. "We've stained everything else in this place." With a laugh, he zoomed back to the bar and grabbed his glass. An inch of blood still remained in

the bottom. "Ye've given me an idea." "You're going to stain the carpet?" "Nay." He knelt beside her and drizzled the blood over her breasts and down her torso. "Eeuw. I hope you plan to clean that up." She forgot to be indignant when his tongue lapped the

blood off her breasts. He followed the trail of blood down her torso, then licked the last remaining

drops from her belly button. She squirmed on the red satin, enjoying the decadent feel of it against her backside. Ian returned to her breasts to suckle. She felt his teeth nibbling ever so gently and recalled the look of his fangs when he'd gone into full Dracula mode. His eyes had glowed blue, intense with Vamp power, then they'd turned red as he'd looked hungrily at her. The old bite marks on her breasts and torso itched, but not with fear or repulsion.

She felt desire. And need. "Ian." He glanced up at her, and the red glow in his eyes tugged deep within her. Her bite marks burned. She raked her hands into his long black hair and gripped his head tight. "Bite me."

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He blinked. "Nay. Doona say that. I willna use you for food. I'm no' hungry." "I am. I have a deep...hunger inside me." "Toni, ye're reacting to my Vamp power. I'll try to tone it down." "No, let it loose." He studied her curiously. "Do ye know what ye're asking? Ye were attacked. Ye have terrible

memories." "I want to turn that terror into something beautiful. Can you do that?" "I can keep it from hurting. But it is all an illusion. Mind control. And I know how ye feel about

that." "I'm not afraid of your mind. I love you." He hesitated, frowning. "Do it. Do it all. I want to experience everything with you." He closed his eyes. "Ye're so verra tempting. I can smell yer blood, hot and delicious. I can hear it

rushing through you, calling to me." "Take me." His eyes opened, and she gasped at the startling blue. A wave of icy cold air struck her forehead,

then swept down her body, prickling her skin with gooseflesh. I am with you. His voice reverberated in her mind, and her entire body tingled as if he were

blowing his breath over her. He nuzzled her neck. We will share mind, body, and blood. He licked her neck, and she gasped as the same sensation happened between her legs. It had to be an illusion. But one hell of an illusion. All the tingling on her neck was echoed below.

Her need grew more desperate, and the tingles grew into throbbing pulses, demanding satisfaction. She wrapped her legs around him. "Take me now." His fangs extended with a small hissing sound that made her ache for him. She shuddered as his

erection pressed against her and his teeth softly scraped her neck. Soon, soon it would happen. He plunged into her core with so much force, she barely noticed the prick on her neck. And then

he was loving her, taking her body and blood. I am inside you in every way. Ye are mine, and I am yers. With each suck at her neck, a shudder of pleasure skittered through her. Then he pulled away from

her neck. I doona want to take too much. He licked the bite wounds, and the shudders continued, intensified with each bodily thrust into her core.

His pace picked up. I can feel ye coming. We're coming together. And they did. Toni cried out just as she heard his roar of pleasure thunder through her mind. She'd never felt anything like it. Their bodies shuddered together like a choreographed dance. Their minds pulsated in shared pleasure. Amazing, she thought, or did he think that? She could no longer tell who was who. They were one.

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"Ian," she whispered as their breathing returned to normal. Even their breaths were in sync. Do ye feel how much I love you? His voice filled her mind. A warmth flooded her and brought tears to her eyes. Then a chill swept through her, and he was

gone. Gone from her mind, but lying next to her with love in his eyes.

And she knew, then and there, that nothing would stop her from spending her life with Ian. No friendships or villains could stop her from loving him. Even death couldn't come between them.