Page 25 of Shadows of Eternity

She grinned in spite of herself. Who would have guessed that vampires brushed their fangs?

They took the elevator to the main floor. Rohan held the front door open for her, then led her around to the parking lot, where he unlocked the silver Challenger. So many surprises, she thought as she settled into the passenger seat. Vampires driving sports cars and brushing their fangs. Who’d have guessed? Her stomach clenched as he started the engine. She was alone with him. No one knew where she was. With school out for the summer, no one but her parents and Janae would even miss her.

“Leia, please relax,” Rohan said quietly. “Trust me, I am not going to hurt you.”

She wanted to believe him, had no reason not to, except … he wasn’t human.

He took her to a pancake house and ordered breakfast for her—a strawberry waffle, scrambled eggs, sausage, and a large glass of orange juice.

“I can’t eat all that,” she protested when the waitress went to turn in her order.

“You need it.”

“Do you ever eat?”

“No.”

“I guess I should thank you for saving my life.”

His gaze moved over her in a feather-light caress. “I was happy to do it.”

Her food came a short time later. To her surprise, she was famished and ate every bite.

The ride home was tense. And quiet. She found herself glancing at him again and again, trying to reconcile the sexy Native dancer with the vampire. How could he look so normal when he wasn’t even human?

Rohan grinned inwardly as his mind brushed Leia’s. He had been a vampire so long, he’d forgotten what it was like to be afraid, to worry about getting hurt or sick. He had few needs—a safe place to take his rest, a ready supply of prey, a woman now and then to ease his desire. He had been reasonably content with his life until he met Leia. Being with her, hearing her laughter, the pleasure he found in her company, made him realize how empty his life had been. He didn’t want to lose her. He could keep her, if he chose to. He could mesmerize her, make her believe she wanted to stay with him. He could compel her to love him, to do anything he wished. But it would be meaningless.

Too soon, they reached her apartment. He pulled to the curb and killed the engine.

“I had your car towed to a repair shop on Main Street. They said it would take a couple of weeks to repair it.”

“You shouldn’t have done that,” she said. “I can’t afford to fix it right now.”

“It’s taken care of.”

“What?”

“It’s my fault you were so upset.” He raised a hand to silence the protest he saw rising in her eyes. “I know it was my fault. And so do you.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll go out with me again.”

“Rohan … ”

“Just to a movie. Or maybe dancing. No strings attached. Just one more date, and then I won’t bother you anymore.”

“What’s the point?”

“I’d just really like to see you again. Maybe nothing will come of it. And then again … ” He shrugged. “You never know.”

She should say no, she thought, But how could she? He had saved her life. The least she could do was go out with him. But why just one more date? If he didn’t want to see her again after that, why not just end it now? Was he hoping it would lead to another date and then another? She had no clue as to his thinking, but she found herself saying, “Tomorrow night?” And then wondered if it was her decision, or his.

“Sounds good,” he said. “Where would you like to go?”

A movie would be the safest choice. But if she was only going to see him one more time, she wanted to be in his arms. She felt her cheeks grow warm as she murmured, “Dancing.”

“Pick you up at eight?”

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