Page 43 of Shadows of Eternity

“That bothers you.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes. Even if we part, I don’t ever want to forget you.”

“Then I promise I will not erase your memories of me completely, only the fact that I’m a vampire. Can you live with that?”

She thought it over a moment and then nodded.Vampire.It still seemed unreal. Impossible.

“Would you like to go out?” he asked.

“No. Let’s stay in tonight.”

“As you wish.” His gaze moved over her. “What would you like to do?”

“Hear more about your past.”

“Whatever for?”

“I want to knoweverythingabout you. When you dance, it’s like you’re far away in another time.”

“You’re very perceptive. Dancing always takes me back to the past. It reminds me of long summer nights on the Plains. I remember the scents of roasting meat and sage, listening to the Old Ones relate the ancient stories of our People. I remember the excitement of going to war, the thrill of my first coup, the pain and glory of the Sun Dance.”

“I saw a depiction of that in a movie once.”

He snorted. “You cannot capture the wonder of it on film. It was painful, yes, but spiritual in the deepest sense of the word.”

“Did you have a vision?”

“Yes. It was from that vision that the shaman gave me my name.”

She wanted to ask him what he saw, but knew, somehow, that he wouldn’t tell her.

“What’s it like for you, when you rest? Do you sleep? Do you dream?”

“It’s difficult to explain. It’s like falling into dark water. Vampires rarely dream.”

“Are you really dead to the world?”

He laughed softly. “In a way. But I am also aware of what’s going on around me, every noise that’s out of place, every scent that shouldn’t be there.” He grinned at her. “It’s very hard to sneak up on an old vampire. Easier on the young ones.” He drew her closer. “Enough talk about the past,” he said, tracing her bottom lip with his fingertips. “Let’s talk about you. Your warmth, your sweetness. The way you make me forget what I am,” he murmured. And then he grinned. “Although at this moment, all I can think about is tasting you.” His gaze searched hers, seeking permission.

“Does blood taste the same to vampires as it does to mortals? I mean, I’ve tasted my blood and … ” She shrugged. “It just tastes kind of salty and coppery.”

“Your blood tastes like the finest wine,” he said, his gaze moving to the pulse throbbing in the hollow of her throat. “Warm and sweet and intoxicating.”

Leia felt her heart skip a beat. Who would have thought such a conversation would be arousing? But it was. She canted her head to the side, closed her eyes as he bit her ever so gently, sighed as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed.

Chapter Eighteen

As happened every time Leia spent time in Rohan’s arms, she woke smiling, her whole body tingling with the memory of his touch, the soft caress of his voice whispering that he loved her more than life itself. She wished he had spent the night, but he’d left while she slept. Would he stay if she asked him to?

She lay there for a long time, thinking about what a remarkable man he was. How incredible, to have lived so long, to have experienced more than three hundred years of life. She couldn’t imagine the things he had seen and done. He had obviously loved his previous life with the Lakota. She could tell he missed it even now, after so many years. How sad, to see everything you had known and loved be swept away. Had he lost many people he cared for over the centuries? Or had he never let anyone get close to him, knowing he would inevitably lose them in a few short years? How many women had he loved?

She slammed the door on that train of thought. He was a virile, handsome man. No doubt he had known hundreds of women. The knowledge was like acid in her soul. She told herself it was foolish to be jealous of women who were long dead. And then she frowned. Maybe they weren’t all dead. Who knew what he’d been doing, who he’d been seeing, before they met? For all she knew, he might be seeing other women when he wasn’t with her.

Once that little seed of doubt had been planted, it took root and try as she might, she couldn’t dig it out.

Leia called Janae later that afternoon to let her know she’d talked to Rohan about double dating and he had agreed. “What do you think about a movie and drinks afterward?” Leia asked.

“Sounds good to me. How about tomorrow night? I’ll ask Mrs. Johnson next door to sit with the boys.”

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