"Hold on to your crucifix." He slipped his arm around her shoulders. "If you begin to feel light-headed, press it against my face."

"But… "

"It will make me stop."

"All right." She clutched the cross tightly in her hand.

"You are a very brave woman," he murmured as he lowered his head. "I can think of no other who would bare her throat to me at a time like this, when there is no one here to help you."

Vicki closed her eyes. She didn't feel very brave. Her hand tightened around the crucifix as she felt his breath on her neck, the sharp sting of his fangs, the mind-blowing pleasure as he drank from her. It always astonished her, the pure delight, the sense of blissful contentment…

Pleasure turned to fear as she felt suddenly dizzy. "Antonio? Antonio, stop!"

For a moment, she was afraid he was beyond hearing, beyond stopping. She lifted her hand, the cross bared on her palm. "Antonio, stop, please!" He was already hurting. She didn't want to cause him more pain.

With a low groan, he drew away.

For a moment, she saw him as he truly was, his eyes red, his fangs lowered. And then he was her Antonio again, his eyes dark with concern. " Victoria?"

"I'm all right. Are you?"

"Better now." Drawing her closer, he brushed a kiss across her lips. "I must go out for a while." He stroked her cheek, his eyes filled with such tenderness it made her heart ache. "Do not wait up for me," he said, and he was gone.

"Yeah, right," she muttered. "Like I'm gonna get any sleep until you get home." She sat there a moment, thinking that she must be getting used to being bitten, since she hadn't passed out this time. She was, however, famished.

But food could wait. She went through the house, turning on all the lights and making sure all the doors and windows were locked. She wished she had some of Mrs. Heath's garlic to spread around. Suddenly, the old lady's quirks all made sense. Well, if Mrs.

Heath could outsmart Falco and live to be ninety, so could she!

In the kitchen, she fixed a huge ham and cheese sandwich and poured a big glass of milk. She added an apple, a banana, and a few cookies to the plate and carried everything upstairs to the back parlor. Sitting in Antonio's chair, she turned on the TV

and flipped through the channels, settling on an old comedy starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day. No dark dramas tonight! No sci-fi movies about aliens. Tonight she needed laughter.

But she couldn't concentrate on the movie. Where was Antonio? Where had he gone to look for prey? How long did it take him to feed? Would he come back to the castle tonight? Did he rest here during the day? And most troubling of all, where was Falco?

They had escaped him this time, but what about next time? Would they ever be free of him? Did he take his rest in that old shed? If so, she needed Tom Duncan's help. She would call Bobbie Sue tomorrow.

The end credits were running on the TV when Antonio returned. One minute she was alone in the room and the next he was there, beside her.

Sometime between the time he'd left the castle and his return, he had changed into a pair of black jeans and a black T-shirt. The burns at his throat, wrists, and ankles were still visible, still painful looking, though the burn on his cheek was nearly gone.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked.

He nodded.

She gestured at the burn mark on his neck. "Does it still hurt?"

"Like the very devil."

"Well, that's not surprising, since the devil did it."

Antonio looked at her, sadness reflected in his eyes. "We are the same, he and I."

"No!"

"We are both vampires, sweeting. Both killers who prey on others to survive."

"No! I refuse to accept that. You are nothing like him! Nothing, do you hear me?"

"Perhaps not now, but— "

"No buts. People make mistakes, but they can change. You've changed. You're not like him anymore and I won't have you saying you are! Do you hear me, Antonio Battista?"

He laughed softly. "What a warrior you would have made. You would not have stayed behind while your man went out to fight. No, you would have taken up a sword and ridden beside him."

"I don't know how to ride."

He laughed again. "Ah, Victoria, what will I do when you are gone?"

"I'm not going anywhere," she said, but in the back of her mind she heard his voice telling her that, when it was safe, he would leave her so she could return to her old life.

Well, he could think that for now if it made him feel better, but he was stuck with her whether he liked it or not. Life with Antonio. He made her feel wonderful, beautiful, and more desirable than any other woman on the planet… life with a vampire… What would it be like to never see him during the day, to eat all her meals alone, to sleep alone, to age while he did not? And what about children?

She looked at him, mute, and knew by his expression that he had divined her thoughts.

"I'm sorry… "

"There is nothing to be sorry about, my sweet. You only want what every woman wants.

I wish I could give you everything you want, everything you need, but I cannot."

She stared at him. How could he talk about it so lightly? He had come into her life like a whirlwind, made her love him, made her need him. Did it mean nothing to him? He was like no one else she had ever known. No man alive could compare to him.

His expression told her he knew what she was thinking.

"I can't believe you really mean to leave me when this is over."

"It is for— "

"Don't you dare tell me that it's for the best!" She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I thought you loved me. You said you loved me."

"Do not doubt it. If I did not love you, I would have seduced you long ago, Victoria Cavendish. I would have taken your love and your blood and left you with nothing."

Tears dampened her cheeks. She made no move to wipe them away, only stood there looking up at him, her expression filled with anguish. She was hurting, and it was his fault.

" Victoria … "

"Kiss me."

He yearned to take her in his arms, to feel her hands on his flesh, her body writhing in ecstasy beneath his. Had he thought he could stop with one kiss, he would gladly have obliged, but he was hurting and weak. Taking blood had eased the pain somewhat, but in his weakened state, he did not trust himself to make love to her without taking more of her blood as well. And if he tasted her again, he did not trust himself to stop.

"I cannot, sweeting. I must go."

"But it's still early."

"Yes, but I need to rest." Rising, he moved away from her, away from the temptation of warm flesh and pouting lips. "It will help me heal faster."

"You're not just saying that?"

"I would not lie to you."

"Good night, Antonio."

"If you do not see me tomorrow night, do not worry."

"Why won't I see you? Where are you going?"

"I may sleep through the night."

"Oh."

He murmured, "Buono notte, my sweet." And then, as though to remind her of what he was, he vanished from her sight.

"He loves you very much."

Vicki looked up to see Lady Kathryn sitting on the edge of the mantel, one leg crossed over the other. "I know."

"Like must marry like," Lady Kathryn said wistfully. "A lady cannot marry a commoner. A vampire cannot marry a mortal." She smiled faintly. "Or even a ghost, mote's the pity.

He is such a delectable creature."

"I guess you're right," Vicki said thoughtfully. "Like must marry like for there to be true togetherness, true happiness."

Chapter 33

Vicki slept late the next day. After rising, she showered and ate breakfast. She made her bed. She read a book. She watched a movie. She ate lunch. She took a nap. And still it seemed like an eternity until the sun went down.

She waited all that night for Antonio to appear. At midnight, she admitted that he wasn't coming. She couldn't blame him, not really. If sleep made him feel better and heal faster, then sleep was what he needed. But she missed him terribly just the same.

She rose early the following morning, dressed quickly, and drove to the nearest phone booth to call Bobbie Sue.

Bobbie Sue answered on the fifth ring. "Girl," she said, yawning, "do you know what time it is?"

"Eight-fifteen. Is Duncan there?"

"Eight-fifteen!" Bobbie Sue exclaimed. "I'm late for school! Talk to you later, Vicki.

Duncan, telephone."

A moment later, Tom's voice came over the receiver. "Hi, Vicki. Is something wrong?"

"Yes. Falco is here."

Tom grunted. "I guess that explains why things have been so quiet here. Are you all right?"

"Yes, for now." She quickly explained everything that had happened since she had left Pear Blossom Creek. "We need to find him, and I need your help for that."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Look for me sometime tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you."

"Don't worry. Just stay inside." He paused. "Does Battista sleep in the house?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"Just curious."

"We're only hunting Falco," Vicki reminded him.

"Sure, sure."

"If you have any intention of hunting Antonio, then stay there."

"Listen, Vicki— "

"No, you listen. I'm in love with Antonio. If you're thinking of going after him, then I'll look for Falco on my own."

Tom cursed.

"I want your word, Tom."

"All right, you've got it. I won't hunt Battista."

"You swear?"

"I swear."

As soon as she hung up the receiver, she was beset by doubts, doubts that only grew stronger on the ride back home. What would Antonio say when he found out that not only had she called Tom for help, but she had given Battista's address to a vampire hunter?