Page 37 of Sexual Appetites of Vampires

Michael picked it up, opening it and turning the pages with care. “My grandmother complied this book of spells, writing some lines in English and others in her native gypsy tongue. She felt it was safer that way, even though there were certain observances that needed to be met before a spell could be cast. She didn’t want to take any chances.”

He stopped at a page, though didn’t look at it as he recited the spell. “In the darkest time of night, when no moon shines fully bright, I call on the forces that be, to grant my impassioned plea, this love that beats strongly in our hearts, cannot survive if we must part, and so with love I curse his soul, as through the ages has been told, take our souls and combine, so that he/she will be forever mine, and in the years those we sire, will forever be born of fire, it is done and will always be, a love that lasts through eternity.”

“What happened to your grandparents after the spell was cast?”

“Once he proved to my grandmother’s people that the spell had worked, they married to seal his commitment to her and her people. My grandfather insisted my grandmother leave right afterwards since he knew the raid on the camp would come soon. He planned to join her after he spoke with his father. She refused to leave him and waited in a safe place in the woods. His father and he had a vicious fight and being my grandfather was so new at being a vampire, he couldn’t control the urge to show his fangs when threatened. His father ordered a stake to be driven through his heart and his body burnt. My grandmother couldread my grandfather’s thoughts and sense his feelings, as I do yours, and she didn’t hesitate to save him. With constant wars in their homeland and changing times, they eventually came to the New World and made a new life for themselves and generations to come. But you will not see that story in the books on the Village of Mull and I know you will understand when I ask you to keep the story to yourself.”

“Of course,” Lara said, “though who would believe it? It sounds more a myth.”

“But somewhere in a myth is a basis of fact, something that gave birth to the myth.”

“Like the suggestion that this town was founded by a vampire. However, did that myth, though actually fact, get started?” she asked.

“My grandfather credits my grandmother with that one. It seems Grandma wanted to honor her family or band of gypsies. They were known in their own circles as the band ofmulla...band of corpses. Grandpa shortened it to Mull, and curiosity—which you are very familiar with—had a journalist putting two and two together and coming up with the idea that the Romanians who settled Mull were gypsies. He insists that the original town name was probablyMulla,which then of course had to mean that the founding family had to have been vampires. The story stuck, though the town has fought hard through the years to negate such a ridiculous claim.”

“Your grandfather’s love for your grandmother must really run deep for him to have given up so much for her. It’s never wavered through the long years?” Lara asked curious that such an everlasting love could possibly be real. It was a nice thought and of course poetry and books had been written on such undying love, but was it real or simply a myth?

“I asked my grandfather that once, and I recall how serious his expression had been when he told me that never once hadhe questioned his love for his wife. He insists that his love for her has never diminished, but rather has flourished through the years. And that life would not be worth living without her. My grandmother told me just about the same when I purposed the question to her.” Michael smiled. “Not that I’ve never seen them fight. Believe me, they can go at it good sometimes, though they never stay mad at each other.”

“Now that I know all your dark, deep secrets?—”

He smiled and a hint of red shined in his eyes. “Sweetheart, you haven’t even touched on my dark, deep secrets yet.”

Her libido and curiosity went into overdrive at the same time. What more dark secrets could he harbor? She wanted to know, or did she?

“What bothers you, Lara?”

“Where to begin?” she said with a quivering laugh. “All of this is so surreal that I sometimes wonder if it’s a dream and I’ll wake up.”

“And would you be disappointed if it was?”

His question startled her as did the answer she kept from slipping past her lips—yes. She would be extremely disappointed, just as she knew she would be when it came time to say good-bye to him. Barely two days knowing this man, and yet she felt more connected to him than some of her friends she had known for years.

She realized he was waiting for an answer and she quickly said, “It’s been memorable.”

“I can make it more memorable.”

She had to smile. “I’ve no doubt you could.” Before he could respond or the conversation went in a direction that she preferred it didn’t, she stood. “I could use a cup of tea. Would you like one?” She shook her head. “You don’t drink tea,” she said more to herself than him.

Lara put the kettle on and tried to keep from looking at the section of the counter where only a few hours ago they had had quick, deliciously satisfying sex. She turned away and planned to busy herself looking through the wide selection of teabags kept in a beautifully carved mahogany box and found herself face to face with Michael.

“I would love to hike your skirt up, pull your panties off and have you here again on the counter, but I think we should try the library next. The couch is soft, though up against the ladder could prove interesting.”

“Damn it, Michael,” she said, stepping around him.

He grabbed her hand before she could get all the way passed him. “Aroused you, didn’t I?”

“Smart ass,” she said and yanked her hand out of his and turned around, opting for a regular teabag from the ceramic container on the counter rather than trying to get passed him.

He thought differently, snagging his arm around her waist and turning her around to face him. His lips caught hers in a kiss before she could say anything. And of course, she melted in his arms as always.

Always.

But it wasn’t always. They would have only this short time together and nothing more but...memories. Why did the thought disturb her so? Could she have actually fallen in love with him in such a short time?

His mouth left hers and he whispered in her ear, “Let me love you, Lara”

I’m not stopping you, she thought.

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