"Where would you like to spend your honeymoon?"
Tracylooked up at her new husband. They were standing outside the chapel, shopping bags in hand. "Anywhere you want, so long as they have a great big bed."
Dominic hailed a cab and after a wild ride though traffic worse than anything she had ever encountered on the freeways ofCalifornia , they arrived at Caesar's Palace. With a name like that, it wasn't surprising that the motif was Roman. There was a large pool outside, with fountains and statues everywhere.
She wasn't sure what magic Dominic worked at the desk. Probably the same sort of enchantment he had worked at the wedding chapel, she decided. Whatever spell he used, it worked and the next thing she knew, they were being led to a suite in thePalaceTowers and Dominic was carrying her across the threshold.
He kicked the door closed with his heel; then, letting her body slide down the front of his, he set her on her feet, his dark eyes glowing. Whispering, "Mine at last," he captured her lips with his.
It was a kiss like no other she had ever known. Tender yet possessive, gentle yet ardent, it went through her like wildfire, making her heart pound and her blood run hot.
His hands moved over her, his nimble fingers unfastening her gown, lifting it over her head. Her shoes and stockings followed, leaving her clad in only her bra and panties.
She shivered as he stroked her bared flesh, all her senses coming vibrantly alive.
Murmuring "My turn," she slipped his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms and tossed it aside. His white silk shirt quickly followed. She noted, in passing, that he didn't wear a T-shirt.
Her fingers were trembling as she removed his belt, unzipped his trousers to reveal a pair of black bikini briefs. She removed his shoes and socks and he stepped out of his trousers.
Pausing, she drew back to look at him. He was beautifully made, from his broad shoulders and trim waist to his long legs. She had expected his body to be pale, though she wasn't sure why. Instead, his body and legs were the same warm, golden shade of brown as his face and arms.
She felt her cheeks grow hot under his regard.
"You are lovely," he murmured. "More lovely than I have ever seen you."
His fingertips traced the curve of her breast, slid down her belly, sending shivers in their wake.
His gaze met hers. "Mine," hesaid, his voice husky. "Mine, at last."
And sweeping her into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom, placed her on the bed, and stretched out beside her.
Tracyran her hands over his shoulders. "Tell me."
"I love you, my best beloved one," he said, his voice thick, "as I have always loved you.As I will always love you."
Warmth filled her heart. "I love you, too.So much."
He drew her close, raining kisses over her face, her breasts. Her bra and panties and his briefs seemed to disappear as if by magic and she reveled in the sensory pleasure of bare skin against bare skin. His was cool beneath her palms. She tested the strength of his arms, measuredthe with of his shoulders, ran her fingertips over his muscular chest and hard, flat belly. He gasped as her exploration continued downward, and then he was rising over her, his dark gray eyes glowing with desire as he claimed the prize he had won time and again throughout the centuries; a prize that had never been sweeter than it was now, when she knew the truth of their past lives together, when she knew everything there was to know about him, and loved him anyway.
She cried out in mingled pain and pleasure as their bodies came together. It was everything she had ever dreamed of, more than she had ever imagined. Surely no mortal man could have lifted her to such lofty heights, brought her such soul-shattering delight.
She stilled as she felt his teeth at her throat.
Dominic drew back, his body trembling with a need that went beyond hunger, beyond pain.
She read the question in his eyes and after a moment of indecision, she nodded.
He kissed her deeply and then she felt his teeth at her throat again. There was no discomfort, no fear, only a rush of sensual pleasure that built and built until she was mindless, breathless. She clutched him to her, reaching for something that was just out of reach.
His voice whispered in her ear, urging her on, crying her name, until the world shattered around her, left her floating in a pool of such exquisite pleasure she was certain she had passed beyond the veil of mortality. And there, locked in his arms, she felt his tortured soul brush hers as he found peace and acceptance in her arms.
Slowly, slowly, she drifted down to earth. Dominic rolled onto his side, carrying her with him, so that they lay face to face. She had often heard the expression "forever in his eyes," but in Dominic's case, she really could see forever in his eyes - herforever, if she only had the courage to ask for it.
She sighed with pleasure as his hand lightly stroked her back, her hair. Their bodies were pressed intimately together from chest to ankle. She imagined she could feel his heart beating in time with her own.
He brushed a lock of hair from her brow. "Tell me you have no regrets."
"Of course I don't. Why would I?"
"You have given up much to be my wife."
She caressed his cheek."And gained much in return."
"I hope you will always feel that way."
"Right now I just feel... sticky."
With a hearty chuckle, he lifted her from the bed and carried her into one of the two adjoining bathrooms - one for him, one for her. This one had a light gray marble floor, a glass-enclosed marble shower, a separate whirlpool bathtub, a gray marble vanity with a round sink and brass fixtures, and a hair dryer. The toilet and bidet were enclosed. She grinned when she saw there was a phone within easy reach of the commode.
Her cheeks turned pink when she saw herself in the mirror, her lips swollen from his kisses, her skin flushed.
She frowned at her reflection, saw her eyes widen as she realized what was bothering her. Dominic cast no reflection in the mirror.
"Bathor shower?" he asked.
She looked at her image in the mirror again,then turned to look at him, at his arms holding her.
"Tracy?"
She stared at the mirror again and then looked up at him. "You're not there.In the mirror."
"No." A muscle worked in his jaw. "I told you before, vampires cast no reflection."
"Why not?"
He lifted one shoulder in a negligent shrug. " Kitanasaid it was because vampires have no souls."
"Is that what you believe?"
"Perhaps it is true."
"I don't believe that!" She looked in the mirror again, accepted what she saw, and put it from her mind, determined not to let it spoil this moment. "I must be getting heavy."
He lifted one brow, dismissing the notion. "So," he said, "what will it be?Bathor shower?"
"Shower."
He opened the door, reached inside, and turned on the water. When it was just right, they stepped inside. It wasn't one large shower, as she'd thought, but two showers that met in the middle. Each bathroom had its own separate entrance from the main room and met in the middle, in the shower.
For a moment, he held her in his arms. And then, picking up the soap, he washed her from neck to toes, sending shivers of delight coursing through her as his hands moved over her.
And then he handed her the soap.
Feeling deliciously wicked, she returned the favor.
And then they made love with the water running over them, and washed again.
It was, without a doubt, the best shower she'd ever had.
Getting dressed later,Tracy got her first good look at their suite. Done in rich earth tones, it was the most luxurious room she had ever seen. There was a full-sized desk and chair in front of the windows, which stretched across most of one wall. The entertainment center located across from the bed held a 27-inch TV, complete with remote and cable. There were tables with lamps on either side of the bed, a large mirror on the wall. There were lights in the closet, even an iron and ironing board.
"Wow, I've never seen anything like this except in the movies," she muttered. "How much is this costing you?"
Dominic moved up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist."Three hundred dollars."
She glanced over her shoulder."Three hundred dollars?For one night?"
He chuckled. "It is worth it just to see the look on your face."
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"I was going to get the Rain Man Suite."
She giggled."The Rain Man Suite? You mean, like from the movie? How much was that?"
"Thirty-five hundred dollars."
"A night?Wow, I'd like to see that."
"I can arrange it, if you like."
"That's all right. This one is fine."
"I am glad you like it. I thought it would be more intimate." He nuzzled her neck."More romantic."
"I don't think you need a setting to be romantic," she remarked dryly. "It seems to come to you naturally."
He laughed out loud. "Are you ready?"
She nodded. She had never been toLas Vegas and she was eager to see the casinos and try her hand at the slot machines. Looking in the mirror, she frowned, wishing Dominic had given her time to pack. She only had two choices - her wedding gown or the jeans and T-shirt she had been wearing at home.
"They have shops in the hotel," Dominic said, reading her mind.
She couldn't stop looking at him as they rode down in the elevator. Each time his shoulder brushed hers, each time their eyes met, she recalled what it had been like to be in his arms. Warmth flowed through her body as she anticipated what would happen when they returned to their room.
Dominic caught her gaze. Grinning, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "If you do not stop looking at me like that, I will take you here, now."
She felt a rush of heat flood her cheeks. A moment later, the elevator door opened.
She was overwhelmed by the number of stores located inside the hotel. A brochure told her that there were more than a hundred shops and restaurants, including Gucci, Versace, Abercrombie and Fitch, Ann Taylor, JustFor Feet, FAO Schwarz, Spago , and Planet Hollywood.
The domed ceiling was painted to look like the sky, complete with fluffy clouds; the buildings had a Roman motif, with lots of marble and statues.
Spying a simple black sheath in a window, she went inside to try it on and bought it, along with a pair of black, low-heeled sandals.
Dominic also picked black, of course, and when she complained, he bought a powder blue shirt instead. Black slacks, black loafers. The store assured them that their old clothing would be sent up to their room.
When they passed The Cheesecake Factory, she bought a slice of chocolate cheesecake and ate it as they walked along.
Dominic smiled indulgently while she ate, laughed softly as she licked her fingers. Unable to resist, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She smelled of soap and toothpaste and rich, dark chocolate. It was an intoxicating combination.
Walking along The Appian Way, they wandered down corridors filled with marble and an exact replica of Michelangelo's David. They passed Bernini's and Carrier's and a shop that sold Italian ceramics and dinnerware.
He stopped automatically when they came to a Godiva chocolate shop.
Tracygrinned up at him. "Think you know me pretty well, don't you?"
He didn't say anything, only pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it to her.
She bought a bag of assorted dark chocolates.
"Some for now," she said, popping one into her mouth."And some for later."
Tracycouldn't help staring when they entered the casino. There was an impressive gold statue of a man she assumed was Caesar sitting on a horse. Lightsflashed, bells and whistles and the sound of music and laughter filled the air. There were Roman statues and columns and rows and rows of slot machines, from regular slots to video Poker, Keno, and Twenty-one. And there were people everywhere clad in everything from jeans and T-shirts to floor-length gowns and tuxedos.
Tracystopped in front of an unoccupied slot machine. "Do you have a quarter?"
"I think so," Dominic replied dryly, and fished a quarter out of his pocket.
Filled with excitement,Tracy dropped the quarter in the slot and pulled the handle. Bars and sevens flashed in front of her eyes as the wheels spun and when they finally stopped, there were three sevens in a row.
Several quarters dropped into the tray.
"I won!"
"Beginner's luck," Dominic said.
"You think so?" Scooping a quarter from the tray, she fed it into the machine and pulled the handle.
And lost.
"Come on," Dominic said.
Tracyscooped her winnings up and dropped them in a plastic cup she found beside the machine. "Where are we going?"
He led her to an unoccupied machine that was third from the aisle near the entrance to the casino.
Tracylooked up at him. "Why here?"
"It's a busy aisle near a busy entrance. It's been my experience that most of the so-called loose machines are up front." He called an attendant and got fifty dollars worth of quarters. "Here you go." He tapped the machine. "Always play the maximum number of coins."
With a nod, she put five quarters in the machine.
And won again.
She spent the next hour playing the machine, winning more than she lost.
Dominic stood behind her, amused by her excitement, content to simply watch her.
After an hour, she was thirty dollars ahead and ready to try something else. Going to the cashier, she exchanged her quarters for dollars, which she offered to Dominic.
"Keep it," he said.
"I don't have any place to put it."
Grunting softly, he folded the bills in half and placed them in the right pocket of his trousers. "The right is yours, the left is mine."
Moving through the casino,Tracy couldn't help but notice the way women turned to look at Dominic. Not that she could blame them. He was easily the most handsome man in the place. Not only that, but he exuded an air of mystery and sensuality that was impossible for any female over thirteen to ignore.
Dominic stopped at one of the craps tables andTracy moved up beside him. She watched the game for a few minutes, completely baffled by what was going on. Dice and money seemed to change hands at an alarming rate and she had no idea how the players knew who was winning and who was losing. The man next to her had a row of one-hundred-dollar chips in front of him.
She wondered how the men who worked at the table remembered who had made which bets, and whose money to take and who to pay off.
She heard calls of "Eight the hard way" and "Any craps" and "Come on, seven" and "Twenty on big six" from the players and wondered what it all meant.
Tracylooked up at Dominic. "I'd ask you to explain it to me, but I don't think it would help."
Dominic pulled a roll of bills from the left-hand pocket of his trousers, peeled off five twenties, and handed them to her.
"That's your money," she said, noting which pocket he had reached into, "not mine."
"I have more money to lose than you do."
She couldn't argue with that.
"The easiest thing to do is play the field," he said. "It is one bet on one roll of the dice. If a shooter rolls a three, four, nine, ten, or eleven, you win. If they roll a two or a twelve, you win double. A five, six, seven, or eight means you lose."
"That sounds simple enough."
"You can also play any craps, which means if a shooter rolls a two, three, or a twelve, you win seven to one."
"Oh, I like that!"
Dominic grinned at her. "Or you can play any seven, which pays four to one, or ace-deuce, which means you win if a shooter rolls a three. The odds are fifteen to one."
"I get the feeling you've been here before."
"A time or two."
She felt a twinge of jealousy. "Did you come with someone?"
"No, querida .I would not have brought you here if I had."
Pleased, she decided to play the field and placed a twenty on the table.
She was having a good time when she felt someone watching her. Glancing up, she saw a tall, painfully thin man staring at her through hooded brown eyes.
When she met his gaze, he smiled at her. The look sent a shiver down her spine and she tapped Dominic on the arm.
When he didn't look at her right away, she tugged on his hand. "Dominic, that man is giving me the creeps."
That got his attention. "What man?"
"Over there.In the gray sweater."
Dominic found the man in question. Their gazes locked for stretched seconds,then the man in the gray sweater left the table.
"Who was that?"Tracy asked.
"An old acquaintance."
Her eyes widened. "You mean he's a vamp - "
"Yes."
"Vampires in Vegas," she murmured. "Sounds like a movie title."
"It is a favorite hunting ground."
Glancing at all the people milling around,Tracy found that easy to believe. Gamblers, transients, tourists who'd had too much to drink - they would be easy prey.
"Are there others here now?"
He nodded."The man in the flowered tie.The woman in the sequined dress.The stickman at the next table.The attendant making change at the slot machine in the corner.The lady in the cashier's cage."
Tracymoved closer to Dominic, all thought of gambling forgotten as she tried to pick out the vampires among the people moving through the casino. She looked at the woman in the sequined dress, trying to see what it was that set her apart from the other women at the craps table. Her skin was pale and flawless and though she wasn't really pretty, there was something different about her, something intangible yet undeniable. The same was true of the man in the flowered tie. He looked rather ordinary and yet there was something about him that set him apart from the others. She noticed that the other people at the table clustered around them, seeming to be eager for their attention.
Dominic leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It is the glamour of being vampire that sets them apart."
Tracyfrowned at him. "Is that why I invited you to dinner that first night?Because I was mesmerized by you?"
"No, though that might have been a part of it.We share the bond of eternity, my best beloved one." He looked down at her, his dark eyes hot. "We will always find each other."
She whispered his name, hoping he could hear the longing in her voice.
His gaze moved over her face and then, abruptly, he scooped up his chips and dropped them into his coat pocket. Taking her by the hand, he led her out of the casino to the elevators.
Desire hummed and flared between them as the car climbed the floors.
He was undressing her almost before the door to their room closed behind them and by the time they reached the bedroom, she was naked. Lying in bed, she watched him undress, admiring anew the width of his shoulders, the way his muscles rippled under his skin as he stripped off his trousers, the latent power evident in every move.
He looked at her, and she thought she would melt from the heat of his gaze. And then he was there on the bed beside her, drawing her into his arms, murmuring that he adored her, worshipped her,could not exist without her.
Caught up in the wonder and the magic that was Dominic, she welcomed the touch of his fangs at her throat, pleased that he desired her, that she could give him that which he needed to survive.
The second time they made love was as soul-shattering and pleasurable as the first.Exhausted mentally and physically by the events of the day, she fell asleep in his arms.
She woke with the sun shining brightly in her face. Eyes closed, she smiled and stretched as she remembered the night past and then, with a cry, her gaze darted to the pillow beside hers, afraid of what she would find.
But Dominic was gone.
Relief swept through her. For a moment, she had been afraid she might find a pile of ashes on the pillow.
Piling the pillows behind her, she sat up and stared out the window.
A moment later, there was a knock at the door.
Wrapping a sheet around her nakedness, she padded across the thick carpet. "Yes?"
"I've brought your breakfast, Mrs. St. John."
She smiled at the sound of her married name as she opened the door a crack and peered out. "I didn't order any breakfast."
"Mr. St. John ordered it last night, ma'am."
Tracyopened the door and stepped back and a young man wheeled a cart into the room. A second young man followed the first. He was carrying a vase filled with red roses, which he placed on the desk, and then he handed her an envelope.
"Will there be anything else, ma'am?" the first young man asked.
"No, thank you." She glanced around the room. "I'm afraid I don't have any..."
The boy smiled at her. "It's been taken care of," he said, and the two young men left the room, closing the door behind them.
Tracyopened the envelope and withdrew a sheet of hotel stationery and five one-hundred-dollar bills. Laying the cash on the desk, she read the note:
My best beloved one, I have gone to seek my rest. I will come to you at sunset. Use the money to buy whatever you wish, whatever you need. Know that I am dreaming of you and exist only to be in your arms again.
DSJ
She read the note again, kissed his initials, and then sat down at the desk to eat. Unrolling the napkin, she found another note. She grinned as she read it.
"I wasn't sure what you liked for breakfast. I hope something here will appeal to you. Love, Dom."
One by one, she uncovered the trays, revealing a strawberry waffle, chocolate chip pancakes dusted with powdered sugar, scrambled eggs, two poached eggs, and eggs over easy. Another tray held hash browns, fried potatoes, bacon, and sausage. There was a cup of fruit, three kinds of muffins, a blueberry tart, two slices of French toast, a single-size serving of Rice Krispies , a carton of milk, a glass of orange juice, and a cup of coffee.
For a moment, she stared at all the dishes spread before her, and then she burst out laughing. One thing was for certain. Life with Dominic would never be ordinary!
Filled with the warmth of his love and caring, she ate a bite of everything, then went into the bathroom and luxuriated in a hot bubble bath.
Later, she went shopping, buying whatever caught her eye.Something for her.Something for him. Something for her.Something for her that was also for him.
She sent her purchases up to their room and then left Caesar's Palace, deciding she might as well go sightseeing while she could. She wandered through the other casinos, overwhelmed by their opulence. They were all so gorgeous, both inside and out.
She ate lunch at the MGM Grand, stopped at The Mirage to wander through Siegfried andRoy 'sSecretGarden and DolphinHabitat, spent a few moments playing Blackjack at the Excalibur. Andyet, no matter where she was or what she was doing, she couldn't help wishing Dominic were with her, couldn't help wishing she could hurry the sun across the sky .
How many vampires were there in Vegas?In the world?
Where had Dominic gone to spend the day?
Where did the others go?
In the movieDracula , the vampire had been required to sleep on his native soil. Obviously that was Hollywood fiction since Dominic hadn't mentioned such a thing, but thinking about it made her wonder how many other vampire myths were fantasy and how many were fact. Would he be repelled by garlic?A cross? Would pure silver or holy water burn him? She would have to ask him later.
She was crossing the lobby of Caesar's Palace when she suddenly rememberedBryan . Hurrying up to her room, she dropped her packages on the bed, which had been made in her absence, and quickly dialed his number.
He didn't answer, so she left a message, telling him where she was and giving him her room number. It was only when she hung up the receiver that she realized he was probably down at the beach.
At least she hoped that's where he was. She couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible had happened. She couldn't help worrying that Kitana might have broughtBryan across, or that he was helplessly in thrall to her. She shook off a quick mental image ofBryan lying in a coffin beside Kitana , his lips stained with blood. If anything happened to him, it would be all her fault. Knowing howBryan felt about vampires, how would she live with herself if Kitana forced the Dark Gift on him?
As much as she wanted to spend another night here, it was time to go home. She had to get in touch withBryan , had to know that he was safe.
She glanced out the window, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the sun was low in the sky.
Dominic would be rising soon.