A Night of Forever (7 page)

It was only when he cupped the sides of her face
that he realized his hands were trembling. “Are you well?”

“Yes, but…but…” She was pale, shaking in his arms.
Her mask had come off and lay upon the ground, while her hair
tumbled in silvery waves that curled down her back and over her
shoulders. The sleeve of her dress was torn. She looked like an
angel who’d been through hell. Twice in two days she’d been
attacked. It made no sense. Werewolf and now this? Something was
wrong. Aidan clenched his jaw so hard, he was surprised his molars
didn’t crack. Taking in a deep breath, he drew her close, holding
her against his chest, forcing himself to be gentle. For the first
time since he’d known her, she welcomed his touch, his attention.
When she wrapped her arms around his waist, he almost sighed at the
rightness of it all.

“You’re hurt,” he said softly.

“No, I’m fine. Merely surprised and confused, is
all.” She tried to turn to look at the men, but he held her close,
not allowing her to divulge her curiosity. The scene would only
disturb her, confuse her even more. She’d undoubtedly have
questions he wasn’t sure he could answer quite yet. But it didn’t
matter anymore…things had changed between them.

“You’re cold.” She tilted her head back and looked
into his eyes. “Always so cold.”

If only she knew why. If only she realized how well
she could warm him. No doubt she’d run screaming toward home…just
like his fiancé. He had to tell her…eventually and he would reap
the consequences then. But at the moment he would merely savor the
feel of the woman. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “No…I…” She seemed flustered,
unsure and she’d always been so sure. He found her sudden
bemusement endearing and even better, intriguing. “Yes?”

She swallowed hard and dared to look into his eyes.
“Thank you, Aidan.”

She’d said his name. He wanted to hear it again, and
again.

“Of course.” How badly he wanted to taste her. How
badly he wanted to pull her close, feed from her, taste her, have
her completely, make her his. Only his. The beast within growled to
life, demanding he divulge. “We should return.”

Out here with him, she was barely safer than with
the men who had attacked her. His hand slid to her lower back and
he started to lead her toward the patio, desperate to protect her
from himself, when she pulled away.

“But…”

He paused, glancing back at her. “What is it?”

“I don’t understand.” She moved away and wrapped her
arms tightly around her chest. Not merely bemusement…there was
confusion and fear. Yes, fear. “You moved so quickly—”

“You were under duress. You’re confused.”

She frowned. “And your eyes, I could have sworn they
glowed.”

“The moonlight.”

She stepped closer to him, as if searching for the
truth in his gaze. Hell, if he didn’t want to admit it all, tell
the truth right at that moment. He was so damn tired of the
secrets.

“And your—”

He grasped her upper arms and jerked her forward.
Before she could protest, he pressed his chill lips to her soft,
yielding mouth. So bloody warm. Mary Ellen sank into his body,
releasing a little moan that stirred his blood and sent his cock
throbbing.

He couldn’t help himself. She didn’t belong to him,
she never would. Yet, when she wrapped her arms around his neck,
pressing her soft breasts to his hard chest, he knew he would take
her there on the damp grass. His body pulsed with life. His world
was right. He no longer suffered when she was in his arms.

He was so consumed with the need to have her that by
the time he heard the other men approach, it was too late.

The soft tap, tap, tap of dripping water woke Mary
Ellen.

Slowly, she lifted her lashes, only to stare at
cold, stone walls glistening with condensation. Where in the bloody
hell was she?

With a groan, she shoved her hands into the slate
floor and managed to sit upright. But the movement only sent her
dark world spinning. She couldn’t remember much… Aidan… Aidan had
rescued her yet again. But then, why was she here? Confused, she
studied her surroundings. A large, dark space…the perimeters hidden
within shadows. A shiver of unease raised the fine hairs on her
neck.

A dungeon.

Mary Ellen surged to her feet, tripping in her
haste. The hem of her skirt had come loose and was dragging behind
her. Frustrated, she yanked on the material. Ruined. Utterly
ruined. Whoever had done this would pay.

“Hello?” she cried out, her voice echoing.

“Shhh,” someone whispered from behind her.

Mary Ellen spun around, searching the darkness.
“Aidan?”

“Keep quiet,” he whispered. “Don’t move.”

“But…” A mixture of emotions held her captive. She
felt ill, off balance, relieved.

He shifted, the softest of movements, but the sound
was unexpected… metal scraping against stone. “Are you chained?”
she whispered furiously.

“Yes.”

Fear swirled through her in a bitterly cold wave.
“Why?”

He paused for one telling moment. “I don’t
know.”

“Oh Aidan!” She rushed toward his voice.

“Don’t!”

But she didn’t listen, didn’t stop until she
collided with his hard, cold body. His familiar spicy scent put her
somewhat at ease. A wonderful smell that overrode the stench of
their dungeon. As she drew comfort from his being, he apparently
did not glean comfort from her. His body was stiff under her touch.
She didn’t care one whit.

“What happened?” She followed the line of his broad
shoulders, lower, down his muscled arms where they twisted behind
his back. He wore only his shirtsleeves, his jacket either taken
from him, or lost. Her fingers brushed thick, cold manacles that
wrapped tightly around his wrists. Hopelessness and outrage
combined in a sickening combination. Who would do this to them and
why?

“Come closer,” he whispered. “Wrap your arms around
my waist, as if we’re embracing.”

Mary Ellen didn’t hesitate. Eager to feel his touch,
she wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek on his
shoulder. He tilted his head toward her, his hair brushing her
temple, his breath chill on her ear. As afraid as she was, she
couldn’t deny the shiver of heat that whispered through her body.
She’d dreamt of being in Aidan’s arms, but not exactly in this
setting.

“We were captured. I don’t know why, or who is
responsible, but they’re watching us.”

Her instinct was to pull away and demand answers. As
if sensing her desire, he brought his leg forward, tucking his foot
behind hers and keeping her close to him. “Stay put.”

She swallowed hard, proud when her voice didn’t
quiver. “Where are they?”

“About twenty feet above. Along the far wall there
are windows.”

She slid a glance right. Sure enough, there was the
faint outline of windows covered with metal bars. “Why? I don’t
understand any of this.”

He paused for one telling moment. He knew more than
he was letting on. “Have you ever read about the gladiators from
long ago?”

“In Rome?”

“Yes.”

“Of course.” Her father was a scholar, she knew lots
of odd information.

“I have a feeling someone wants to reenact the
games.”

She didn’t understand what he said, but she knew her
feelings well enough to recognize panic. A fear she’d never felt
before. A panic that froze her body in place, made her heart
thunder so loudly it hurt. Hinges screeched, a metal door opening
from across the room. Mary Ellen spun around, searching the
darkness, yet afraid of what she’d find.

“We’re not alone,” Aidan said.

Just as he said the words, a low groan whispered
through the large dungeon…someone hurting…someone in pain.

Mary Ellen swallowed hard. “What’s over there,
Aidan? Shall I help him?”

The groan turned into a low growl that vibrated the
very stone walls, stirring the stale air. Mary Ellen stumbled back
into Aidan’s arms. A dog…or worse…something inhuman. Oh God, the
wolf from the woods.

From the windows, a bell rang. “My friends,” a man
called from above. She knew he wasn’t speaking to them, unless he
had a very odd way of treating his friends. “Shall we begin the
festivities?”

“I don’t suppose he means charades and cards?” she
whispered.

Aidan didn’t respond, merely yanked on the chains,
trying to break free. She latched onto his left wrist, digging her
fingernails into the hinge of the manacle, attempting to pry it
loose. The only thing that broke was her nail.

“Perhaps I can speak with them. If they know I’m
related to Grayson, they might ask for a ransom.”

“They don’t want money.”

The growl across the room turned into a high-pitched
cry. Mary Ellen froze, her stomach churning. Wolf or man? “Whatever
it is, its coming.”

Frantic, she wrapped her hands around the chain and
placed her foot against the wall, pulling. It wouldn’t budge. Aidan
was stronger, stronger than any man she knew. If he couldn’t break
the chains no one could. “Tis no use!”

Light burst to life, torches that lined the cell and
sent shadows leaping across the stone walls momentarily blinding
her. No. She didn’t understand how this could be happening. There
were laws in this world, surely someone would stop the insanity.
Needing the comfort of his touch, Mary Ellen slipped her fingers
through Aidan’s. His hands were cold. So very cold.

Human shapes stood in windows, some men, some
obviously women with their wide skirts. So many people. Ten?
Fifteen? It was hard to tell. She tore her gaze away and focused on
the far end of the room. Something hovered there in the shadows. A
dark shape, snarling, growling, twisting, turning.

“What is it?” she demanded. “A dog?”

“Of sorts.”

What the hell did that mean? Frantic, Mary Ellen
searched the shadowy space, looking for something… anything that
might serve as a weapon. There was nothing.

“We’ve often wondered, debated even,” their esteemed
host spoke from behind the windows above, his voice echoing against
the stone walls, “Who would win between these two beasts, and now
we’ll know. To entice them further, we’ve thrown in a fair maiden.
Gentlemen, place your bets.”

The crowd murmured their approval and Mary Ellen
realized that there was only one maiden here. She tightened her
grip on Aidan’s hand, but he wouldn’t look at her, his face turned
away, focused on those windows. “What’s happening? What does he
mean?”

“It’s my fault,” he whispered. “Mine.”

“No, don’t say that.”

“You don’t understand.” He dropped his gaze to the
ground. “I’m not what you think I am, Mary Ellen.”

Frustrated and confused, she cupped the sides of his
cold face. “Then what are you?”

He lifted his gaze. Those beautiful blue eyes glowed
with an eerie light, the likes of which she’d never seen before.
“I’m a vampire.”

****

She didn’t scream. That was good. It was what they
were expecting, what they wanted. But Mary Ellen was stronger than
she looked. He’d known that about her almost immediately and it was
part of the reason why she intrigued him so.

She did pale, her body swaying as if she might
faint. Perhaps that would be better. She wouldn’t witness the
horror that was about to unfold. A nightmare she couldn’t even
began to imagine.

“You can’t be serious,” Mary Ellen whispered. She
didn’t laugh, or scoff, she didn’t even get angry. Instead she
merely stared at him in bewildered confusion because she knew, deep
down, she knew there was something different about him.

“I’m quite serious.” He jerked again on his chains.
If he had fed even a week ago, he’d be strong enough to break the
bonds. Damn his pride. They’d known all along what he was, and
they’d reinforced the chains, doubling their strength.

“I…I don’t even know what that means!” Mary Ellen
cried.

Instead of fearing him, like most sane women would,
she latched onto the front of his shirtsleeves, her beautiful face
a mere breath away from his. Oddly, he felt very much like tasting
her lips at that moment, kissing her with so much passion the world
around them would fade.

With a groan, she gave him a little shake, as if
knowing the way of his thoughts. “What are you?”

How could he explain what he was? Most people
thought of him as an animal. But not Mary Ellen, no, because at the
moment she understood there were worse things than he… such as the
humans in those windows.

A bell rang from above. Suddenly the chains holding
him captive loosened. They fell to the ground with a clank, his
arms finally freed. Aidan clenched his fists, bringing life back to
his hands as he searched the darkness for the beast that was to
come.

“What’s happening?” Mary Ellen spun around, studying
the dark shadows where the torchlight couldn’t reach. Shadows from
which low growls erupted. The dog was coming.

Aidan stepped in front of Mary Ellen. “A
werewolf.”

Even if he hadn’t seen the man transforming, even if
he hadn’t heard the growls, he knew the scent. The scent fed the
beast within him, anger simmering below the surface. He’d fought a
werewolf before and come out the victor, but he hadn’t been this
weak.

He slid his gaze upward toward the windows; five
women, ten men, all watching eagerly while drinking… his nostrils
flared… red wine. Their excitement was almost palpable. There had
been rumors circulating of games, but nothing had been confirmed.
Disgusted, Aidan turned his attention toward the werewolf. The
beast hadn’t completely transformed.

“Dear God,” Mary Ellen whispered, following his line
of vision. “Is that a man or a wolf?”

“Both.”

She held up her hands. “No, absolutely not. Vampires
and now… now… this? I refuse to believe such nonsense.” She spun
around and slammed her fists against the metal door. “Hello? Excuse
me, but there’s been a mistake, if you could just open the
door…”