Page 36 of Enchant the Dawn

She smiled with anticipation as the dark sleep carried her away.

Chapter 16

With no reason to rise early, Dominic rested until well after the sun had gone down. And because he didn’t want to endure Ava’s sympathy, he showered, dressed, dissolved into mist, and left the house.

In the backyard, he resumed his own shape and then stood there, resisting the temptation to go see Maddy.

Willing himself to the city, he returned to the place where the Knight had attacked him. It took only moments to find the stake the man had used. He followed the Knight’s scent to his house and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he stepped inside. A small pile of dust gave evidence of the Knight’s fate. The lingering signature of dark magic hovered in the air, attesting to the fact that a warlock had killed the Knight, because no vampire he knew was capable of turning humans to dust.

Still, it was Claret’s scent that worried him the most. What was her involvement in what had happened here only hours before? Was she in league with the warlock? If so, that was bad news, indeed. The Brotherhood wanted him dead. Claret wanted his blood. But what was the warlock’s interest?

Troubled, he went in search of prey to replace the blood he had lost the night before.

Spying a young couple up ahead, he spoke to their minds, willing them to stop and follow him around the corner to a quiet spot behind a tavern.

“I saw them first.”

Dominic glanced over his shoulder to find Claret standing behind him. She wore a long dress the color of autumn leaves that outlined every slender curve. Love her or hate her, she was an incredibly beautiful woman. “Is that so?” he asked with a grin. “Then why are they here, with me?”

She glared at him, refusing to admit his powers were stronger than hers. “It doesn’t matter. I saw them first. And this is my city. You have no right to hunt here without my permission.”

“Yeah?” His gaze bored into hers. “How are you going to stop me?”

She growled low in her throat, and then smiled. “You don’t need them both. Give me the man.”

“Only if you promise not to kill him.”

She sulked a moment, and then nodded. “Fine.”

Dominic rested his hand on the woman’s arm, his attention on the vampire to make sure she kept her word.

Claret drank long and deep before she released her prey.

“All right,” Dominic said. “You’ve fed. Now go away and let me dine in peace.”

A wave of her hand and she was gone.

Dominic took what he needed and no more. Lifting his head, he spoke to the man’s mind, telling him to be sure to drink plenty of liquids before he went home, and then he released the two of them from his thrall and walked away.

He hadn’t gone far when Claret materialized beside him. “Do you never kill your prey?”

“Never.”

She studied him through narrowed eyes still faintly tinged with red. “And yet you are remarkably powerful for one so young.”

“Good breeding, I imagine.”

“Yes, there’s no doubt about that.” Her gaze moved to his neck. “I’ll give you a thousand dollars for a taste of your blood.”

“Sorry. I’m not for sale at any price.”

“As you wish. Just remember, I always get what I want, sooner or later.” And with that, she vanished from his sight.

With a shake of his head, Dominic moved out from behind the building and strolled down the sidewalk. It was Saturday night in the middle of summer and Bourbon Street was crowded. Music blared from dance clubs and bars; people sang and danced in the streets.

He made his way through the crowds and, after a time, found himself in the residential section, heading for Maddy’s house.

He stopped in the middle of the block. What the hell was he doing? She’d as much as thrown him out the night before. He told himself it was for the best. Sure, his parents had worked things out, but a witch and a vampire had a lot in common. They both possessed magic of one sort or another. They both tended to live longer than most of humanity. But a vampire and a mortal? He just didn’t see how it could work. With his kind, desire and hunger were closely entwined. He didn’t see how he could make love to Maddy and resist the temptation to drink from her every time he took her to bed. He’d had a difficult enough time subduing his thirst in the short time they had been together, and all they had shared were kisses and a few caresses.

---