Bound By Night Part 11

aDo not take too long,a Rodin said, and closed the door behind him.

Drakeas arms tightened around her. aElena?a She looked up at him, her eyes swimming with tears.

He wiped the dampness from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. aStefan and Andrei will see you safely home. I have signed a paper deeding the castle to you. I have opened a bank account for you in the city. A large amount will be deposited to your account every month.a She nodded, but the only thing that registered was that he was sending her away.

He caressed her cheek with his knuckles. aBe happy, Elena. I will never forget you.a aDonat make me go!a She hated the pleading note in her voice, but she couldnat help it. The thought of being parted from him was unbearable.

aIt is impossible for you to stay here,a he said. aYou must realize that.a aI know.a She sifted her fingers through his hair, slid her fingertips over his lips. aKiss me good-bye.a Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her ever so gently. aI will love you as long as I draw breath.a She nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.

Drake pulled her close and she clung to him, memorizing the feel of his hard-muscled body against hers, the scent that was his alone. He kissed her again, hard and quick, and then Rodin was striding into the room, ordering Drake away.

What happened next pa.s.sed in a blur. Andrei and Stefan materialized in the room. With a rea.s.suring smile, Stefan took Elena in his arms. There was a familiar buzzing in her ears, a sense of hurtling through time and s.p.a.ce, a queasiness in the pit of her stomach.

When she came to herself, it was early morning and she was lying in her bed in the castle, alone.

Elena rolled onto her side, her cheek pillowed on one hand, and stared at the wall. She wondered without really caring if Stefan and Andrei were still in the castle or if they had returned to the Fortress.

She had known Drake such a short time. How was it possible that he had made such a drastic impact on her life?

She had fallen in love with him.

She was one of the few mortals alive who knew that vampires existed.

Wolfram Castle belonged to her now.

She had a marriage license proving she had married Drake Sherrad. No one would ever know that Rodin had annulled her marriage. . . . She frowned. Where did Drakeas sire get the authority to end her marriage, anyway? No matter. Drake was lost to her. She could tell people he had died on their honeymoon and no one could disprove it. The castle was hers now. She could live here for as long as she wished. If she desired, she could hire a cook and a housekeeper to help care for the castle. Doing so would not only provide her with household help, but company, as well. She could travel the world, go anywhere she pleased.

But none of that mattered because she was, and always would be, in love with Drake.

And tonight he was marrying someone else.

Chapter 20.

aIt is time.a Drake glanced over his shoulder to find his mother standing in the doorway. She looked as beautiful as always. Sometimes it was hard to think of her as his mother, since they appeared to be about the same age. Tonight, she wore a gown of cloth-of-gold that made her pale skin glow and added shimmering highlights to her long blond hair.

aAre you ready?a Liliana asked.

Drake snorted. aI will never be ready.a She blew out an impatient breath. He could see her gearing up for another argument, could almost see the wheels turning as she sought for some way to make what must be done more amenable.

He decided to save her the trouble. Putting on his coat, he said, aLet us get it over with.a aIt is for the best.a Liliana brushed her hand over his coat, removing a miniscule bit of lint. aKatiya will make you a good wife. She is lovely, well mannered, and will provide the Coven with children.a aHow can you defend this way of life?a He hadnat meant to argue with her, but the words poured out of him, coming hard and fast as his anger and frustration rose to the surface. aI know there is no love between you and my sire. There never has been. Yet you stay with him, and condemn me to the same misery you have endured for centuries. Why?a aWe are vampires, Drake. The only way you will ever find peace is to embrace what you are. No way of life is perfect. Do you think all mortals find happiness in their marriages?a She shook her head. aHappiness lies in family, in tradition, in shared beliefs. I stay because my sons and daughters are here, because this is my home.a aThis was never my home,a Drake said bitterly. aIt never will be.a aI would spare you this, if I could.a A sigh of regret whispered past Lilianaas lips. aYour bride awaits.a With a nod, Drake followed his mother down the corridor to the Council chambers.

Weddings among his kind were not romantic affairs. There was no music, no flowers, no guests other than the bride and groom, their parents and siblings. As Master of the Coven, Rodin would perform the ceremony.

Drake glanced briefly at his brothers as he entered the chamber. Notable by their absence were Vardin, Andrei, and Stefan. Earlier that evening, Vardinas body had been disposed of, the ashes buried in the small cemetery located in the forest behind the Fortress. Drake a.s.sumed Andrei and Stefan were still at Wolfram with Elena. He would have given everything he owned to be there with her.

Liliana took her place beside Katiyaas parents.

Drake took a deep breath. With Vardinas death, he had hoped for a reprieve, but he should have known better. His people had no mourning period. They burned their dead and never spoke their names again.

His last hope was that Katiya would find the courage to defy her fatheras wishes. If she refused to go through with the ceremony, Rodin would have to accept her decision.

Taking his place beside Katiya, Drake reached for her hand. Her skin was cooler than usual. He could feel her trembling. She didnat look at him; instead, she stared at the floor.

Rodinas gaze moved over those a.s.sembled in the room. aYou have been called here to witness the union of Drake Sherrad and Katiya Belova, here present. Drake, will you have this woman to be your life mate, to care for her and protect her so long as you shall live?a Drake thought fleetingly of the nights and days he had spent with Elena, of the love they had shared, the light she had brought to his life, her willing acceptance of what he was.

It was his undying love for her, the very real fear that Rodin would make good on his threat to do Elena harm, that made Drake say, aI will.a aKatiya Belova,a Rodin said solemnly, awill you have this man to be your life mate, to care for him and bear his children?a Drake held his breath as he waited for her answer.

Katiya stared at Rodin and then at her sire, her eyes wide and scared, like a doe caught in a trap. She swallowed hard, then lowered her gaze and murmured, aI will.a Drake blew out a sigh of resignation. There would be no reprieve.

Rodin pulled a small golden goblet from inside his jacket and placed it on the table in front of him. Taking Drakeas hand in his, he used his thumbnail to make a shallow cut in Drakeas palm, then held Drakeas bleeding hand over the goblet. He made a similar cut in Katiyaas hand, adding her blood to the cup.

Lifting the goblet, Rodin offered it first to Drake, who took a swallow, and then handed the cup to Katiya. She closed her eyes, drank quickly, and returned the goblet to Rodin.

aBy the exchange of blood,a Rodin intoned, aand by my authority as Master of the Carpathian Coven, I hereby decree that from this night forward, Drake Sherrad and Katiya Belova are life-mated.a Rodin embraced the bride and then the groom. aMay you be blessed with many healthy sons and daughters.a Drake endured his sireas embrace in taut silence; then, holding Katiyaas hand, he walked out of the chamber, his back rigid.

One of the drones had moved Katiyaas belongings into Drakeas quarters earlier that evening. His rooms, once spare and uncluttered, were now littered with female paraphernalia. Colorful pillows were scattered across the sofa. Half the wardrobe held her dresses and shoes. Bottles of perfume, sweet-smelling shampoo, brushes and combs occupied half the countertop in the bathroom. Flowered towels hung on the rack beside his own navy blue ones. He had seen a sheer black nightgown, most likely bought by the brideas mother, spread across the foot of his bed. He grimaced at the memory.

Closing the door, Drake shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it over a chair, then turned to face his bride, his hands clenched at his sides. aWhy did you not just say no?a He bit off each word.

aI was going toa"I wanted to, but I lost my nerve when I saw my father watching me.a Drake blew out an angry breath. Why was life never easy? If she had just refused to accept him, he could be on his way back to Wolfram Castle and the woman he loved.

Dropping down into the chair in the corner, he stretched his legs out in front of him and regarded his new wife over his steepled fingers.

She stood in the middle of the living room, looking lost, obviously as unhappy about their union as was he.

So. He had kept his word. He had wed Katiya. Elena was safely away from the Fortress. As far as he was concerned, she was still his wife and always would be. Rodin might have the power to perform weddings and proclaim annulments here, in the Fortress, but that authority carried no legal weight in the outside world. According to the laws of Transylvania, Elena was still his wife. And would remain so, if he had anything to say about it.

aWhat are we going to do now?a Katiya asked.

A slow smile spread over Drakeas face. aI have a plan. We are going to spend as much time as needed pretending to fall in love. Once we have convinced Rodin that we are happily married and have accepted things as they are, we are going to leave the Fortress for a belated honeymoon.a aLeave?a She shook her head. aI was told you were going to take a seat on the Council.a aOne of the terms of my agreeing to this marriage was that Rodin find another to take my seat in the chamber.a She considered that a moment before asking, aHow long must we pretend to be happily wed?a aThat, my dear unwanted bride, remains to be seen.a Elena had expected to be unhappy without Drake, but she hadnat expected to feel so empty inside, as if someone had ripped out her heart and left a bleeding, gaping wound behind. She couldnat stop thinking about him, but she had expected that, had known she would miss him, that she would grieve for him almost as if he had died. She had expected that, too. It was the depths of her misery that surprised her. She told herself she hadnat known him very long, that it wasnat as if they had been in love for years and years. And yet it felt as if she had lost a vital part of her being.

Stefan and Andrei did their best to cheer her up. And they were good company, but it was hard to be around Drakeas brothers night after night. How was she supposed to forget Drake when Andrei and Stefan looked so much like him, when she was living in Drakeas house, sleeping in his bed? Maybe she should move, but where would she go? And even as she considered it, she knew she would never leave Wolfram Castle. She had no way to get in touch with Drake. Her only hope of ever seeing him again was to stay here in case he should one day decide to return.

For once, Elena would have welcomed the presence of the cat, but he was nowhere to be found.

One afternoon, needing a change of scene, Elena decided to take the car and drive to the city. She found the keys to the Porsche, grabbed her handbag and a sweater, and left the castle.

What had seemed like a good idea faded somewhat once she was behind the wheel. She knew how to drive a stick shift. She had learned in school. But she had never driven more than a few miles from home. So, she thought, switching on the engine, this would be an adventure.

It was inevitable that thoughts of Drake would fill her mind as she drove, ever so carefully, toward the city. It was there she had learned the truth of what he was. Funny, how unimportant that had seemed once she realized she was in love with him. She wondered now what they would have done when she grew old and he did not. Would he have stayed with her, taken care of her until she pa.s.sed away? Or would he have left her for someone else when she became a burden?

Well, she would never know now.

Arriving in town, she parked the car and strolled along the sidewalk. Now that she was here, she had no idea why she had come. When they first arrived at Wolfram, Andrei had given her an envelope that contained more money than she had ever seen.

aFrom Drake,a Andrei had told her.

Drake. Just the mention of his name made her heart ache with loneliness. He had once told her to make any changes she wanted in the castle, but she liked it just the way it was, although electricity would be a nice addition.

With a sigh, Elena continued down the street. When she came to a store that sold housewares, she stepped inside. An hour later, she had purchased a set of flowered china, sets of silverware and gla.s.ses, and several new pots and pans. She also bought a pretty blue cloth for the table in the kitchen, and a pale green one for the trestle table in the main hall. It seemed strange to be able to buy whatever she wanted without having to ask permission or worry about the cost. After a clerk helped her carry everything out to the car, she strolled on down the street.

Pa.s.sing by a bookstore, she stepped inside and bought every vampire book she could find.

Elena was making her way back to the Porsche when she saw her uncle step out of the hotel across the street. With a gasp of alarm, she quickly turned to look in the window behind her. Had he seen her? Heart pounding, she stared at his reflection, breathed a sigh of relief when he moved on down the street.

Hurrying to the car, Elena stowed everything on the floor and the pa.s.senger seat, slid behind the wheel, and drove for home as fast as she dared.

It wasnat until the city was far behind that she breathed a sigh of relief. She had been so lost in her own misery, she had forgotten all about Dinescu. What was even worse, she had forgotten about Jenica.

Drake knew it wouldnat be easy to convince his father that he had decided to make the best of things where Katiya was concerned, so he took it slow, knowing that, if he went too fast, Rodin would be suspicious. For the first few weeks, he remained cool and aloof with his bride. He was polite when they were in the presence of others. He treated her with respect, but not affection. Only gradually, did he become more relaxed. He began to smile at her. He held her hand. Once, he let Rodin catch him kissing Katiya in one of the corridors.

Katiya played her part as well. In the beginning, she made sure to let her mother know that she was not pleased to have Drake as her husband, and that Drake was equally unhappy at being forced to marry her and then, as time went on, she, too, began to smile more often.

Six weeks after Drake married Katiya, Andrei returned to the Fortress.

Drake sought him out the next night. aElena,a he said, ais she well?a aShe misses you, of course. She cries a lot.a Andrei grinned. aSheas been reading vampire books.a aVampire books!a Drake exclaimed.

Andrei nodded. aNone of them are close to being accurate. She asks a lot of questions. And then she cries some more.a Cursing softly, Drake shook his head. Why on earth was she reading vampire books? If shead had questions, she could have asked him, he thought irritably. But then, once she had found out what he was, they hadnat had a lot of time alone.

aSo, how are things going here?a Andrei asked. aIs the plan we agreed upon working?a aI believe so. Yes.a aHow is Katiya?a aShe worries a lot.a aI cannot say as I blame her.a Drake grunted softly. aRodin is hosting a feast tonight for Marcos.a aWhy?a aMarcos has taken over the Fortress in England. He is coming here to propose a new treaty with Rodin.a aSo, Marcos now rules the Fortresses in England and Spain.a Drake nodded. It was an old story. Vampires lived a very long time. Often, when they grew bored, the very old ones challenged each other for territory. Such fights were always to the death. In the course of Rodinas long existence, he had defended the Carpathian Fortress over a dozen times.

But Drake had other things on his mind tonight. aKatiya is fully ripe. I am certain she will conceive tonight. Once that is accomplished, there will be no reason for my sire to insist we remain here.a aAnd if Rodin still refuses to let you leave?a Drake clenched his hands at his sides. aPray that he doesnat,a he said, his voice little more than a hoa.r.s.e whisper. aI cannot stand being here much longer.a The reception began at midnight. Marcos and his entourage, apparently desiring to make a grand entrance, arrived an hour later. Rodin took the stage to introduce his guests, and everyone present came forward to pay their respects, starting with Rodinas sons.

When that was done, Drake took his father aside.

aI hope you will not be offended,a he said, abut Katiya and I desire to retire early.a aIs something wrong?a Rodin asked, his voice curt. aYou have not yet danced with your bride.a aThe night is young, and we have another dance in mind,a Drake said with a smile. aThe woman is ripe and willing, and I am eager.a aThen go with my blessing!a Rodin said exuberantly. aShe will bear l.u.s.ty sons and beautiful daughters.a aOf that I have no doubt,a Drake replied.

Moments later, he took Katiya by the hand. Smiling at each other, they hurried out of the ballroom, arm in arm.

Chapter 21.

Time pa.s.sed, one day blending into another. Elena kept busy as best she could. There was always something to do in the castlea"a bit of dusting or sweeping, windows to clean, tapestries that needed airing and beating, clothes and sheets to wash and dry.

Once, leaning over the wooden washtub in the kitchen, she grinned, remembering how she had once contemplated doing her laundry on a rock in the river.

The nights were better. She had only Stefan for company now. Stefan claimed he didnat know why Andrei had returned to the Fortress, but she didnat believe him for a minute. Something was going on.

But she was too unhappy to wonder or care what it was. Drake belonged to someone else now. What else mattered?

One night, a month after Andreias departure, she coaxed Stefan into accompanying her to the lake. It was as beautiful as she remembered, but it lacked the magic she had felt when Drake had taken her there, and she realized then that it hadnat been the lake or the moonlight that had cast the magical spell on the place, but Drakeas presence beside her. Had she loved him even then without knowing it?

aYou are very quiet tonight,a Stefan mused when they were seated side by side on a fallen log.

aWill I ever stop missing him?a she asked. aWill the pain ever go away?a aI know little of the ways of mortals,a he replied, gazing out over the water. aSometimes I think it would be a blessing to be human.a aHow so?a aYou may miss Drake for decades, but I have centuries to grieve.a aHave you lost someone you cared for?a aYes, but it was long ago.a aBut youare still mourning for her, arenat you?a He nodded.

aWould you like to talk about it?a aNo. It only freshens the pain.a They sat in silence for several minutes. Elena gazed into the distance, thinking how sad it was that the only place where men and women lived happily ever after was in fairy tales.

aAre you truly immortal?a Elena asked after a while. She couldnat imagine living forever. Of course, if you never got sick and never got old, it might not be so bad. But to live forevera"when you had been everywhere and seen everything, what else was left?

aNot exactly immortal,a he said. aEverything that lives can be killed. But some of us take a lot of killing.a aDrake is five hundred. How old is Rodin?a aHe turned one thousand and one this year.a The number was staggering, she thought. aHow many children does he have?a aI am not sure how many his other wives have borne him, but Liliana has given him five sons and three daughters.a aI thought Drake said female vampires were only fertile for a short time.a aThey are fertile four months of the year, but many have difficulty conceiving or carrying a child full-term.a Stefan laughed softly. aLiliana is obviously not one of them.a aWould it be rude of me to ask how old you are?a aOnly mortal women are vain about their age,a he said, grinning. aI am four hundred and fifty-three.a She pondered that a moment, then sighed. aDo you think he misses me?a aI know he does.a aWhy canat vampires and humans have children together ?a aI do not know,a he said with a shrug. aI am not sure it has been tried very often. The penalty for mating with a mortal is death. If not for the fact that Drake is Rodinas favorite, and the favorite of our mother, he would be dead now.a aHow many wives does Rodin have?a aTwenty. He has taken two wives every fifty years for the last five centuries. Our women outnumber the men, so it is not uncommon for a Master Vampire to have more than one wife. Liliana is Rodinas first, and his favorite.a aDo they all live at the Fortress together?a aNo,a Stefan said, laughing. aWhen Liliana comes to the Fortress, the other wives go elsewhere.a aI canat say as I blame them. Oh! Iam sorry. I shouldnat have said that.a aIt is all right. Liliana never loved Rodin, but she is extremely jealous of the other wives and refuses to have them under the same roof. As the first wife, it is her right. She has always been good to me, spoiled me because I was her youngest son, but she can be cruel and uncaring to those not of her family.a Stefan glanced at Elena, his expression solemn. aTrust me, you are well out of it. Take my advice. Forget this place. Forget Drake. Start a new life somewhere else. Somewhere far from here.a Elena was thinking about what Stefan had said the following morning when the clang of the bell at the front door announced a visitor.

She opened the door cautiously, then stood there, staring at a man in overalls and the enormous moving van that loomed behind him.

aMiss Knightsbridge?a aYes?a aGot a delivery for ya. Sign here.a She glanced at the clipboard, noting her name and directions to the castle were neatly typed in the s.p.a.ce that said, Deliver to. aBut I didnat order anything.a aWell, somebody did. I got a truckload of goods here, all paid for.a The words had barely escaped his lips when four big burly men began carrying furniture into the castle: bedroom sets in gleaming walnut and antique oak, an oak dining room table with eight chairs, an enormous flatscreen TV, an entertainment center, three antique oak curio cabinets, flowered sofas and matching love seats, overstuffed chairs, oak end tables and coffee tables, and lamps. Except for the TV and the entertainment center, all the pieces appeared to be antiques, which was only fitting, she thought, considering the age of the castle.

An hour later, she stood in the middle of the main room surrounded by more furniture than she had ever seen in her life. Who had sent it? What was she going to do with it all? And how was she supposed to get it up the stairs?

A short time later, the bell rang again and a man stood on the steps. His eyes grew wide when he looked past her. aHoly hel . . . heck,a he muttered. aThis place really is a castle. Iam gonna need a lot more help,a he said, pulling a cell phone from his back pocket.

aExcuse me?a aGot a job order from the power company to wire this place.a He shook his head. aYou must know somebody mighty important, thatas all I can say. Weall get started as soon as I get more help. Wonat be done for a couple of weeks, big as this place is, and thatas pushina it. Weall try to stay out of your way as much as possible. Like I said, itall take time, but weall get ya hooked up, never fear.a Elena nodded. Then, feeling as though she was living in the twilight zone, she closed the door.

A short time later, men were swarming around the outside of the castle, like ants at a picnic.

The biggest surprise of the day came with the setting of the sun. There was no knock at the door this time. Elena was sitting on one of the new sofas, reading a book, when there was an odd ripple in the air and suddenly Drake, Katiya, and Andrei were standing in front of her.

aDrake.a She murmured his name, her gaze devouring him. She was certain she was dreaming until he swept her off the sofa and wrapped her in his arms.

aElena! How I have missed you!a He held her close, crushing her body to his until she could scarcely breathe. But she didnat carea"he was here. He was real, and nothing else mattered.

aI missed you, too.a Tears fell unchecked down her cheeks as she hugged him close. He was here. aOh, how I missed you!a She didnat know how long they stood like that, just looking at each othera"a moment? A lifetime?a"before she noticed that Andrei and Katiya were also embracing.

aElena, beloved, let me look at you.a So saying, Drake put her on her feet and held her at armas length. aYou are more beautiful than ever.a aHow long can you stay?a she asked, dreading the answer.

aAs long as you wish.a She glanced at Katiya. aI donat understand.a aI want to be your husband,a he said. aAlways, if you will still have me.a aBut . . . how is that possible? And what about Katiya? Sheas your wife now.a aRodinas decree has no authority in the outside world. According to the laws of the land, you and I are still man and wife.a aSo, what is Katiya doing here?a aWe left the Fortress together. Rodin believes we are on a belated honeymoon.a aAnd Andrei is here because . . . ?a aHe is here because Katiya is here,a Drake replied, as if that explained everything.

Elena continued to stare at him while her mind tried to process what he had told her. But none of it seemed to register save for one facta"he was still her husband, if she wanted him.

aSay something,a he demanded. aI do not like your silence.a aDrake.a She caressed his cheek, ran her fingertips over his lips. aRead my mind.a His gaze met hers, a moment only, and then he swept her into his arms again and carried her swiftly up the stairs.

A thought closed and locked the door and they were alone in the bedroom.

Drake set her on her feet ever so slowly and then he stood there, just looking at her. aNever again,a he vowed. aNever again will I be parted from you.a Fresh tears welled in Elenaas eyes.

aYou are my heart, my soul.a He drew her into his arms again. aThere is no life for me without you.a Pressing her face against his chest, Elena closed her eyes, her hands moving restlessly up and down his back. aDrake . . . ?a aYes, wife?a aI canat wait any longer.a He murmured her name and the next thing she knew, they were in bed, lying naked in each otheras arms.

She smiled into his eyes. aAnd to think, I once refused to take you to my bed.a He laughed softly. aTonight, it will be even better than the first time.a aI donat think thatas possible.a aYou doubt me?a He rose over her, his eyes blazing red with his desire.