Night's Illusion Page 24

  “Keep in touch,” Nick said, taking Abbey Marie by the hand. “He’s killed one of our own now. We can’t let him get away with it.”

  Two by two, they took their leave, until only Cassie, Giovanni, Mara, and Logan remained.

  “Giovanni, why don’t you and Cassie go stay at our place in Hollywood?” Mara suggested. “Logan and I are going to remain at the ranch for a day or two. We need to repair the front door and find someone to look after the stock until Rane and Savannah get back.”

  “All right, thanks. Talk to you soon.”

  Holding tight to Cassie, he transported the two of them to the house in the hills.

  * * *

  Cassie sat on the edge of the bed, hands tightly clasped in her lap, while Johnny ran water in the tub. She felt numb, empty. Guilty. She had killed someone. She avoided killing spiders or squashing bugs, yet she had taken a human life.

  “Cassie?”

  She looked up at him, her eyes haunted.

  Without a word, he picked her up and carried her into the bathroom. Setting her on her feet, he undressed her, then lifted her into the tub. Removing his own clothes, he stepped in behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. “Relax, love. Try not to think about it now.”

  “I killed her,” she said dully.

  “Shh. You did the right thing, and probably saved lives doing it. No telling what kind of havoc Alric and the witch could have caused tonight.” He massaged her back and shoulders until he felt the tension slowly seep out of her. When the water grew cool, he lifted her from the tub and dried her off. She stood like a mannequin as he slipped one of Mara’s nightgowns over her head and tugged it down over her hips. After putting her to bed, he crawled in beside her, holding her close while she cried herself to sleep.

  * * *

  She was trapped in a room with no windows, surrounded by revenants who stared at her, their faces void of expression. She let out a cry of denial as Alric appeared, his eyes glittering red with hunger and hatred as he buried his fangs deep in her throat. And then she was the vampire, her fangs embedded in his neck as she drank his blood. The scene changed abruptly and she was firing a gun loaded with silver bullets. She killed Alric. She killed his witch. And then she killed Johnny....

  Cassie woke to the sound of her own screams, her cheeks wet with tears.

  “Hush, love.” Johnny’s voice, soft and soothing in her ear as his hand stroked her hair. “It was just a bad dream. There won’t be any more. Go back to sleep.”

  Go back to sleep. Unable to resist the compulsion in his voice, she closed her eyes and slept.

  * * *

  Cassie sighed and rolled over. A glance at the window showed it was still dark outside. She glanced at Johnny, sleeping soundly beside her and then, in a rush, the events of the night before came rushing back and she began to shake.

  She had killed someone. Someone she didn’t even know. She had never seen the woman’s face, didn’t know her name, yet she had shot her dead without even knowing if the woman meant her any harm. Although it was highly likely, she thought, since the woman was a witch working for Alric. Still . . . there was blood on her hands.

  “Cassie?” Johnny reached out to her, his voice heavy with sleep. “You did the right thing.”

  He sounded so loving, so compassionate, she burst into tears.

  Turning onto his side, he gathered her into his arms. “I know how you feel,” he said as he stroked her back, her hair. “It isn’t easy, taking a life, even when it’s to save your own. And that’s what you did. I don’t have a doubt in my mind that if Alric gets his hands on you again, he’ll kill you. Or worse, he’ll turn you.”

  His words rang true. She shuddered as she imagined being turned by Alric, being in his power for the rest of her life, compelled to do his bidding. It was a fate worse than death.

  Wiping her eyes on a corner of the sheet, Cassie snuggled against Johnny, grateful for his presence, his comfort, his wisdom.

  * * *

  It was barely light outside when Giovanni awoke. Cassie stirred, a sleepy sound rising in her throat, but she didn’t wake.

  Rising, he strolled into the living room, then wandered outside to stand on the porch. He blinked against the light of the rising sun. Still, he stood there for several minutes. It had been a long time since he’d seen the sun rise. It was a beautiful sight.

  When the heat, though mild, caused his skin to tingle, he went back inside and closed the heavy drapes that blocked the sun’s light.

  Alric, that elusive coward, had escaped them yet again. How much more havoc would he cause before they destroyed him? Would they ever destroy him? He was beginning to doubt it. Damn the man. He had the devil’s own luck.

  Giovanni frowned. If he turned Cassie, Alric would no longer be able to find her.... Damn! What was he thinking?

  He put the thought out of his mind, yet it crept in again. It would solve a number of problems—her blood would no longer be a temptation. She would be better equipped to resist Alric. And she would be strong, even as a fledgling, because his blood was old and powerful, and even more so because Mara’s blood was mixed with his.

  He dragged a hand across his jaw. He knew Cassie had been thinking about it. What would her reaction be if he suggested it? Horror? Curiosity? Fear? She had accepted him for what he was readily enough. He knew being with the family made her nervous, but she didn’t seem to be afraid of any of them, except maybe Derek, which was understandable. In his werewolf form, Mara’s son was easily three times larger than any normal wolf, and scary as hell.

  Feeling the pull of the Dark Sleep, he padded silently back to bed.

  Chapter 45

  Alric cursed Mara as he took refuge in the first dark, uninhabited place he could find–some dilapidated old shack in the middle of nowhere. The werewolf had bitten him in his right thigh, both arms, and his left shoulder. He had suffered numerous injuries in his life, but nothing as painful as this. Where the hell had they found a werewolf? His wounds, which usually healed rapidly, were still leaking blood and burned like hell’s own fires.

  He groaned low in his throat as he curled up in a ball. He needed to feed, but he was too weak and in too much pain to hunt.

  He closed his eyes, thoughts of vengeance crowding his mind as he tumbled into the healing power of the Dark Sleep.

  Chapter 46

  When nothing suspicious happened during the next two weeks, Giovanni decided it was time to stop hiding and get back to living. Mara’s house was nice. It was safe. But he knew Cassie was uncomfortable there. He had put aside his idea of talking to Cassie about becoming a vampire, at least for the time being.

  “What do you say we get out of here and find a place of our own?” he asked her when he rose one night.

  She looked up at him from the sofa. “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

  “Will you marry me?”

  “Didn’t I already say yes?”

  “I mean in Las Vegas as soon as we can get a reservation at one of the chapels. I already went online and filled out a pre-application.” It was good for sixty days, but he didn’t want to wait that long.

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. There’s no waiting period, no blood tests. Just pay for the license, find a church or maybe a chapel, and say ‘I do.’”

  She was about to agree when the memory of what had happened at the ranch rushed to the forefront of her mind, and with it the memory of being kidnapped by Alric and everything that had happened since. Worst of all, she had taken a human life. If she married Johnny, would their future be one, long continuous battle for survival? Would she always be running, always looking over her shoulder?

  “Cassie?” He swore inwardly as his mind brushed hers. She was having second thoughts again—and who could blame her? He had brought her nothing but trouble since the night they’d met. “Never mind, love,” he said quietly. “We’ll leave here tonight. I’ll find you an apartment and make sure you’re safe. Don’t worry about pa
ying for your schooling. I’ll take care of it. And your rent, too, for as long as necessary.”

  And when she had her license and was making enough to take care of herself, he would wipe his memory from her mind, leaving her free to live a normal life with no bad memories to cause her nightmares or regrets.

  Cassie stared at him. Out of everything he’d said, the only part she’d heard was that he was leaving her. Why wasn’t she relieved? No more vampires. No move revenants or witches. No more Alric.

  And no more Johnny.

  “Just like that?” she said, blinking up at him.

  “Just like that.”

  He’d given her the perfect out. No muss, no fuss. So why did she feel like crying?

  Was that what she wanted, to just walk away? Sure, she’d been through hell a couple of times, but did she want to trade what she shared with Johnny for a life without him? She gazed into her future—a future without him—and saw nothing there. True, she might fall in love again, but it would be a pale shadow of what she felt for Johnny. No other man would ever love her, or need her, the way he did.

  “Get your things together while I tell Mara what’s going on.”

  Suddenly, instead of being relieved, she was angry. Slapping her hand on the sofa cushion, she said, “So, you’re going to leave me, just like that?”

  Confused, he frowned at her. “I’m just trying to help. I don’t want to bring you any more grief than I already have.”

  She blew out a deep breath. “And I don’t want to live without you.” Whatever the future held, she wanted Johnny to be part of it.

  His gaze searched hers. “Are you sure?”

  Rising, she put her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, then grinned as the words for better or worse ran through her mind. “I’m sure. One hundred and ten percent.”

  Wrapping his arms around her, he crushed her body to his.

  “Am I interrupting something?” Mara asked from the doorway.

  “We’re getting married!” Giovanni said, smiling at Cassie. “Just as soon as we can find a venue.”

  “Well, congratulations.”

  “Notify the family, will you?” he asked. “We’re leaving for Vegas tonight. I’ll text you when we have a date and time.”

  Nodding, Mara went to find Logan and tell him the news.

  “Are you sure all we need is a license?” Cassie asked, dropping down on the sofa.

  “And a photo ID.”

  “That’s going to be a problem,” she said, frowning. “I lost my wallet and everything in my purse when Alric abducted me, remember, and I still haven’t applied for a new driver’s license.”

  “Not to worry. Do you remember the number on the old one?”

  “I think so.”

  “I’ll take care of it. Are you ready to go?”

  “Wait! What about a dress?” The one she’d bought had burned in the fire, along with everything else.

  “We’ll buy a new one when we get there, and anything else you need.”

  Cassie stared up at him, overwhelmed by the suddenness of it all. But one look at his face, the love shining in his eyes, drove the last of her doubts away. For a day or a lifetime, she was his and he was hers.

  Smiling, she stood and reached for his hand. “Let’s go!”

  He wrapped her in his arms and the next thing she knew, they were standing on a busy sidewalk on the Las Vegas Strip. Cassie blinked in astonishment. It was dark out, yet it seemed as bright as day. There were lights everywhere in a myriad of colors—solid and blinking. And people—she had never seen so many people in her life, and they were all in a hurry. Men in shorts, sandals, and Hawaiian shirts. Women in cocktail dresses and heels, or jeans and tank tops. A young mother sat on a bench, nursing a baby. A man carrying a ferret on his shoulder. A woman in a sari, a man in a tuxedo. A wall of noise rose all around her—people shouting, laughing, the screech of tires and horns blaring as taxis wove in and out of the traffic. How did anyone get used to it?

  She held tight to Johnny’s arm as they made their way down the street to a hotel that was lit up like a Christmas tree.

  Cassie glanced left and right as they made their way to the desk. It was almost as noisy in here as it was outside—the clinking of ice, the whir of a wheel, bells and whistles from numerous slot machines, exuberant shouts from the gaming tables.

  Johnny grinned at her. “It’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

  “Kind of exhilarating, though.” She glanced at the people gambling only a few feet away. “Do you think we could try our luck?”

  “Anything you want to do is fine with me,” he said after they had checked in and collected their key cards. “Just name your poison.”

  Giovanni watched with amusement as Cassie moved from the craps table, where she won a hundred dollars on one roll of the dice, to the roulette wheel, where she lost half of her winnings. Their next stop was the blackjack table. He stood behind her, unable to stop grinning as she won hand after hand. This was her game, he thought, novice or not.

  Cassie glanced at him over her shoulder as she raked in her winnings. “I’ve got more than enough for a new dress,” she said, grinning. “And shoes to match.”

  “Keep it up and you’ll have enough for the first payment on our new house.”

  She stared at him, eyes wide. “You bought a house?”

  “You remember that one I told you about? I made an offer over the phone last week and they accepted it.” He winked at her. “It’s your wedding present.”

  “Oh, Johnny!” she squealed. Sliding off her chair, she threw her arms around him.

  “Hey, lady,” the dealer called. “You playing this hand or not?”

  “What? Oh, yes. I can’t stop now.” She kissed Johnny on the cheek before turning back to the game.

  When she called it quits an hour later, she’d won over nine hundred dollars.

  “I had no idea you were such a gambler,” Johnny remarked as they headed for their room.

  “Beginner’s luck,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve never played blackjack—or anything else—before.”

  Their room was located on the fourth floor at the end of the hall. Cassie gasped as she followed Johnny inside. “It’s beautiful!”

  It should be, he thought, considering what it cost. The walls were papered in a subdued gray and blue stripe. A luxurious carpet covered the floor. A pair of sofas were placed in front of a big screen TV; a small table and two chairs occupied a corner of the room.

  “This must have cost a fortune,” Cassie murmured.

  “More than you won tonight,” he said.

  “No way!”

  Sweeping her into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom. “Alone at last,” he said, setting her on her feet.

  Cassie flushed under his heated gaze. They had only made love a couple of times while staying at Mara’s, and she was eager to be in his arms again.

  She shivered in anticipation as he lifted her sweater over her head, reached behind her to unfasten her bra, then lifted her onto the bed. Kneeling, he removed her shoes, then unfastened her jeans. Excitement thrummed through her as he slowly peeled them down her hips, then tossed the Levi’s aside.

  She stretched out on the bed and watched him undress, and then he was lying beside her, his hand absently caressing her thigh.

  “While you were breaking the bank at the blackjack table,” he said, “I made reservations at the Sunnyside Garden Chapel for us for tomorrow night at nine.”

  “But I still don’t have a dress.”

  “We’ll look for one tomorrow. Okay?”

  “Yes,” she murmured, and then he was kissing her and she forgot everything else but the wonder of being in his arms, of loving and being loved in return.

  * * *

  The sun was shining brightly when Cassie awoke in the morning. Turning her head, she let her gaze move over Johnny. She never tired of looking at him. Even now, knowing they were going to be married that night, she couldn�
��t believe it was true, that he loved her, that he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

  Almost as much as she wanted breakfast, she thought, as her stomach reminded her she hadn’t eaten since yesterday.

  “Sounds like my lady is in need of nourishment,” Giovanni remarked, rolling onto his side.

  “I’m starving,” she admitted.

  “So am I.”

  Cassie felt her heart skip a beat when his gaze slid to the pulse throbbing in the hollow of her throat. It had been a while since he’d drunk from her, and though she hated to admit it, she missed the intimacy. Her pulse raced in anticipation as she pushed her hair out of the way.

  “Are you sure, love?”

  More than sure, she thought, remembering the first time he’d bitten her. He had warned her then that she would want him to do it again and when she’d asked how he could be so sure, he had grinned and said, Because you liked it the first time. He had been right on both counts.

  He rained featherlike kisses on her cheeks, her brow, her lips, then ran his tongue along the side of her neck. Every touch inflamed her senses. His bite, when it came, filled her with a wave of sensual pleasure, almost as if he was making love to her.

  She moaned in protest when he lifted his head, but the best was yet to come. Rising over her, he claimed her lips with his as he made slow, sweet love to her until she lay sated and content in the circle of his arms.

  It was midday before she finally made it to the hotel dining room.

  * * *

  Giovanni rose a little after three. He showered and dressed, and then he and Cassie went shopping at one of the department stores on the Strip.

  “Seems as if we just did this,” Cassie muttered. She hadn’t wanted to go back to the ranch, not even long enough to pack their clothes, so Mara and Logan had generously shared their wardrobes once again.

  Cassie strolled through the ladies’ department, picking up jeans, T-shirts, a couple of skirts, and a light jacket. She had decided to save the best—finding a wedding dress—for last.

  He grunted softly. Until Cassie, he had never shopped so often, or spent so much time being awake during the day. He supposed he should be grateful he was able to be out and about with her when the sun was up, but it was wearing on him. He could feel the hot Vegas sun draining his strength.