Page 8 of Enchant the Dawn

Anger flared in the depths of the vampire’s eyes as she looked at Maddy. “I’m sure we’ll meet again,” she growled, and then turned on her heel and disappeared back into the shadows.

“Who was that?” Maddy asked.

“No one you want to know.”

“She’s lovely.” But a little scary, Maddy thought.

Dominic grunted. “Maybe on the outside. Come on,” he said, “let’s get you home.”

Dominic was quiet on the drive back to her house. Maddy slid several sidelong glances his way, wondering about his relationship with the redheaded woman. An old girlfriend? A jilted lover? She shrugged off her curiosity. It was none of her business. She had just met the man, she reminded herself. His personal life was his own.

At home, she pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine.

Dominic got out of the car and came around to open her door for her, then walked her up the stairs to the veranda. “Thanks for going to dinner with me.”

“Thanks for asking me. I had a wonderful time.”

“Me too.”

Silence stretched between them. Maddy waited, wondering if he would kiss her, wondering if she should let him. It was their first date. For all she knew, she might never see him again.

“I’ll be around later tonight to keep an eye on things,” he reminded her.

“It’s probably not necessary. I mean, my attacker is in jail.”

Dominic nodded slowly, thinking that Claret was a lot more dangerous than the man who had attacked her.

“Thanks again for dinner,” she said as she unlocked the door.

“Maddy?”

She gazed up at him, felt her heart skip a beat at the look in his eyes.

He lowered his head toward hers, giving her all the time in the world to back away.

But she didn’t. Her eyelids fluttered down as his lips brushed hers, ever so lightly, yet she felt the heat of it all the way down to her toes.

She was breathless when he lifted his head.

“Good night, Maddy.”

“Good night.”

Whistling softly, he turned and strode down the walkway to the street, then disappeared into the darkness beyond.

Maddy stared after him, her lips still tingling from the heat of his kiss.

Chapter 3

Filled with a jealous rage unlike anything she had ever known, Claret stormed through the night. She had waited years to taste Quill’s blood again, had almost given up hope until, like a miracle, his son appeared in New Orleans. She had bitten him and savored the taste of blood so like his father’s—warm and rich and filled with preternatural power. She could feel the strength of it flowing through her, even though it was already growing weaker. She wanted more.

Much more.

She had intended to seduce Dominic tonight, to mesmerize him so that he would never leave her side, giving her an endless supply of his blood.

And seduce him, she would. Confident of her ability, she discounted the puny mortal female. She wasn’t woman enough to satisfy a man like Dominic Falconer. He needed someone his equal, someone strong and powerful who could be his mate forever.

She smiled, confident that he would soon tire of the mortal woman. And if he didn’t . . . Claret grinned into the darkness. She could easily make the woman disappear without a trace.

---