Joshua made her yearn for life. She had scarcely remembered the girl she'd been before that fateful night of her capture. She found herself missing her parents, her home, and the carefree life she had led as their precious only child. Did they even have hope she would return in their lifetime?
Mia desired the sun, the warmth and the light it gave. She wanted fresh air, a trip to the beach, to dip her toes into the cool waters...
Mia craved to be among the living once more.
But it couldn’t happen. Lilith and her Prince Adrian had stolen that from her twenty-six years earlier – and it could not be undone.
“Mia?” Joshua came to her bed. He hadn’t been able to be with her for two days. Al had announced she hadn’t done her sets during that period. It hadn’t occurred to anyone to come down to see if Mia was ill or not. And it appeared she hadn’t moved since he had left.
Mia kept her back to her consort. “Leave me.”
“What’s wrong, baby?” he asked as he climbed onto the bed behind her.
“There is nothing you can do, my love. Please, go.”
“Are you sick?” He stroked her hair tenderly. Her body was cool next to his.
He didn’t need to see her wasting, she thought grimly. Some men would be appalled and run. Not her beloved. Instinctively, she knew he wanted to try to find a solution – and there was none.
“You’re like ice, angel...” Rising, he stripped out of all his clothes, save his shorts. He went back to the bed, pulling up her meager blanket to wrap around them. He pressed close to share body heat. Joshua gasped as her death chill permeated his bones immediately.
“Joshua, you need to go.”
His teeth chattered from the cold. “I want to help you.”
She turned to push him away.
A scream caught in his throat as he fell away. Her face was beyond pale. It was deathly white. Her eyes had sunk into their sockets. Her cheeks were hollow. Her lips were shaded in blue. She looked gaunt. Her face a death mask.
“I—I was only gone two days!” he protested.
“Twas enough. You need to leave and never return.”
“No! What’s happening? What can I do? Mia, tell me!” he demanded desperately.
“Let me parish, my love. You will be released. You will be safe once more.”
“Safe? How can I let you just die? How does that make me safe?”
“My spell over you will be lifted.”
“I won’t just stop loving you.”
“You do not truly love me, Joshua. You are perhaps enamored with the image of me.” She stroked an icy finger along the healed wound she had inflicted the night he first came to her. “I took from you that night – and gave you my tainted blood in return. Innocent blood for evil blood. The only way for me to remain is to continue taking from you. I choose not to do so.”
Joshua didn’t want to believe the tales of Lilith and Prince Adrian she’d spun. Vampires didn’t truly exist.
“Still you doubt me.” Mia shook her head. “What if I tell you I can smell the fragrance of the blood pumping through your veins? That I long to feel your pulse against my lips just before my teeth tear your flesh. Then there is your blood on my tongue – hot, sweet, delicious, heady as the richest wine. Even now I want nothing more than to experience your flavor once more. I do, Joshua. I tremble at the very thought.”
Joshua moved towards her again. “Will that make you well?” He kissed her softly. “Then take what you need, angel.” Cupping the back of her head, he guided her face against his neck.
“You don’t know what you ask of me,” she sobbed. Once again she could smell the tang, the rich scent of his ambrosial blood. The temptation pulsed against her lips...
“Don’t leave me, Mia,” he whispered in her hair, his other arm held her chilled body close, cradling her.
She was a weak creature. With a moan of despair, she sank her teeth into her lover’s warm skin.
The pain...the agony was exquisite, perfect, blissful. “I love you...” Joshua murmured dreamily.
Mia became a wild thing, taking all of the crimson ambrosia for which she had thirsted. Nothing was so powerful as the nectar flowing from Joshua. She was drunk with it.
“You’re...killing...me...” The faintest whimper of protest came from him as his hands fell away.
Immediately, Mia released him and he fell back to the pillows. He lay pale and unmoving. What had she done?
“No!” she wailed. Leaning forward, she licked the wound closed. “Joshua...my love...” She looked to heaven. “There is no redemption for me, but he doesn’t deserve this. If he is dead, let him remain so, let it be an angel’s death,” she pleaded.
Removing herself from the bed, she covered his still form. While she paced, she racked her vast memory for a cure. Having the knowledge of the ages of vampires must have more use then luring the kill. Had none of them tried to save a loved once?...
It came to her...Blood wine!
She quickly produced the bottle of wine she and Joshua had shared. Pouring a goblet nearly half full, she had one of the ingredients. Slicing her wrist open, she let the blood drain into the glass until it was nearly full. A quick lick sealed her flesh. Stirring the brew with her finger, she approached the bed once more.
She climbed on the bed and lifted Joshua’s shoulders. Putting the goblet to his lips, she trickled the concoction between them. He swallowed instinctively, though his face showed some distaste for the liquid. Slowly, very slowly, she felt his life return.
When consciousness reasserted itself, he choked and pushed the drink away. “Damn! That’s nasty!”
Giddy with relief, she mocked him. “Are you saying I taste horrible?”
“Ugh!” He sat up on his own, though weakly.
“You must drink, darling.”
“No.”
“You must. To renew your strength.”
“It’s blood.”
“Half, yes.”
“Your blood.
“Yes.”
“I’m not a vampire.”
“No, but one nearly took your life.”
“You’re a vampire...” he said it reluctantly, hoping she would deny it.
“Yes, Joshua – or nearly so. If you had died, I would have become one. I have yet to make a kill.”
Gingerly, he touched the wound on his neck. “Not some neat, two little holes like in the movies.”
“I’m afraid not.” Mia offered him the goblet. “You must, beloved.”
“Mia...”
“Drink and be strong. Walk away from this place and never come back.”
“You call me ‘beloved’ then you tell me to leave.”
“For your own sake.”
“I don’t love that way.”
“You don’t love me. I made you think that.”
“Bullshit. I fell in love with Mia Sheppard six years ago.”
She was startled. She had never given him her real name.
Taking the glass from her, he set it on the night sand. “I saw your missing person’s poster. I never told you about that, have I?” He held his arms out to her.
“No...” Reluctantly, she went to him, letting him press her close to his warm body.
“We were staying at the hotel where you had vacationed. The proprietor still had your poster up. He said you were like champagne and that the face on the poster grew more haunted every year. I was fascinated by your face, so beautiful yet so sad.” He nuzzled her hair. “Did you know you disappeared on the day I was born?”
“No...”
“Another link to you. You didn’t ‘make’ me love you with any spells, Mia. I was already half-way there when I saw you on stage.”
She tilted her head back to meet his eyes. “You still must leave me.”
“No.”
“I am no ordinary girl—”
“No. In fact, I am not only not going to leave you, I’ll make you a safe place.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Part of your problem is being cooped up in this one dingy room. My house has a large basement. We’ll make you an apartment down there for during the day. Make it comfortable. Only you and I will have a key. At night, you and I can be a regular couple.”
Her dark honey eyes were wide. “You would do this for me?”
“I love you, angel.” Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her tenderly.
“I—I don’t know what to say, Joshua.”
“That you’ll come live with me, Mia. That you’ll leave this depressing hole and let me give you some happiness again.”
Mia nodded and then reached for the goblet once more. “Please, darling, drink this,” she urged.
“Baby, I feel okay.”
“You must finish this to fully recover.” She stirred it, then smeared some across his lips. “I am hurt. I believe you taste like ambrosia – and you balk at a few sips of me,” she taunted.
Joshua downed the remaining blood wine in a single gulp, holding back the urge to vomit. “Parts of you do taste like ambrosia,” he replied wickedly. He slid a warm hand into her gown, covering one breast. “Your skin. Your mouth. The love cream when I go down on you.” Her nipple beaded beneath his caressing fingers. Shoving the gown aside, he lifted her to his mouth to lick and suckle.
“My darling,” she whimpered happily, knowing he was well recovered. “Yes, quickly before I must go upstairs.”
“You don’t need to go up there. You quit.”
“When did I do that?” she asked as he laid her back, coming over her.
“When he never thought to check on you. Damn, you were nearly dead!”
Mia felt her gown slip away just before Joshua removed his shorts. “Ah...well recovered I see, my love.” She remarked at the hard, thick manhood he presented.
“Yeah, and then some. I feel – well – stronger than before.”
“That is a side-effect. It’ll wear off soon.
“Then I’d better use it on you before it does!”