Chapter
2
Zackary Ravenscroft strolled through
the main floor of the casino, stopping now and then to chat with
one of the customers, pausing to answer a question here, to address
a complaint there. He loved owning a nightclub, loved the
excitement that filled the air, the rush of adrenaline that fired
the blood of the patrons, the fact that no two nights were ever the
same.
Zack had built the casino ten years
ago, simply because he was bored and thought it would be a nice
distraction. It was one of the best decisions he had made in the
last six hundred years. Not only did the casino provide a hefty
income, but the constant change in customers assured a steady
supply of women. And Zack loved women—all women. Old or young, ugly
or pretty, smart or not so smart, black, white, red, brown,
yellow—it made no difference. He loved them all. And they loved him
in every way imaginable.
Leaving the gaming tables behind, he
strolled up and down the aisles of slot machines. He stopped a
moment to watch an elderly woman playing one of the old dollar
slots. From her shabby appearance, she appeared to be down on her
luck and most likely using the last of her money in a desperate
hope of hitting it big. He had seen it all before. Usually, he had
no sympathy for those who plunked down their last five bucks in
hopes of winning a fortune on the turn of a card. Sure, it happened
from time to time, but no matter what the game, the odds were
always with the house.
The old lady was muttering under her
breath.
It took Zack a minute to realize she
wasn’t cursing but praying.
He frowned as he listened to the
urgency of her words, heard the unshed tears in her voice as she
sent a desperate plea toward Heaven.
Zack grunted softly. Her husband was
sick. He needed an operation, and medication they could no longer
afford. She had lost her job. They couldn’t pay the
rent.
She needed a miracle.
Murmuring a breathless “Amen,” she
shoved her remaining three dollars into the machine, then clasped
her hands to her breast.
With a bemused shake of his head, Zack
concentrated on the wheels of the slot machine.
One gold bar.
Two.
Three.
Smiling, Zack moved on as the machine
lit up and bells and whistles went off, signaling that a player had
hit the ten-thousand-dollar jackpot. So, he had lost ten grand, he
thought, but it wasn’t much to pay for a miracle.
He was still smiling when he stepped
outside. It was a beautiful night. Cool and crisp. A few scattered
clouds drifted across the face of the full moon.
Feeling suddenly restless, he wandered
away from the casino, crossed the parking lot, and headed for the
wooded hillside that began just beyond the blacktop.
He moved soundlessly through the
underbrush, his keen senses aware of the tiny night creatures that
scented a predator and quickly scurried out of his way. He caught
the scent of a skunk and farther on, that of a deer.
Nearing one of the cabins, he came
across a black bear scavenging through a trash can. The bear reared
up on its hind legs and sniffed the wind. Apparently recognizing
Zack as a threat, the animal dropped back down on all fours and
lumbered into the trees.
Grinning, Zack continued on until he
came to the solitary cabin at the top of the hill. He paused,
surprised to see there were lights on in the house. The cabin had
been vacant for the last two years. He had, in fact, been thinking
of buying the place for a rental.
Ah, well, too late now.
He was turning away when he caught the
scent of prey. Glancing back, he saw a young woman looking out the
front window. He whistled softly. He had seen a lot of beautiful
women in his day, but this one—he shook his head. She was beyond
beautiful. Her skin was smooth and unblemished, her eyes a deep
dark blue. Hair the color of a raven’s wing tumbled over her
shoulders.
He frowned when her gaze found his, and
then shook his head. She couldn’t see him, of course. He was hidden
by the darkness. And yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that she
knew he was there, that she was staring at him, as he was staring
at her.
Curious to see her reaction, he stepped
out of the darkness into a shaft of bright moonlight.
He had expected her to gasp in
surprise, call 911, or hastily move away from the window and close
the curtains. Instead, she tilted her head to the side, her gaze
moving over him from head to heel, much the way he studied a woman
he was considering as prey.
Zack was contemplating what to do next
when she moved away from the window. Moments later, she was
standing on the front porch, her arms folded under her
breasts.
“What are you doing here?” she
demanded.
Her voice was low, soft, and yet he
detected a fine layer of steel underneath. He grunted softly. Most
women would have been frightened if they looked out their window at
midnight and found a stranger standing in the yard. But she wasn’t
the least bit afraid.
He had to admire that. Inclining his
head, he murmured, “Good evening.”
She lifted one delicate brow. “I
repeat, what are you doing here?”
“Merely enjoying the night air,” he
replied with a smile. “And I repeat, good evening.” He frowned,
mystified by his inability to read her mind. It was a skill that
had never failed him before and left him wondering if she was
deliberately blocking him, and if so, how?
She huffed a sigh of exasperation.
“Same to you.”
“You’re new in the area,” he
said.
Kaitlyn nodded. He must be a longtime
resident, she thought, else he wouldn’t be aware of
that.
“It’s a lovely house,” he remarked. “I
had intended to buy it myself.”
“Sorry.”
“No need to be sorry. Our town can
always use another pretty face.” He took a step forward, extending
his hand. “Zackary Ravenscroft,” he said. “But my friends call me
Zack.”
She descended the stairs. “Do you think
we’re going to be friends?” she murmured, taking his
hand.
“I hope so.”
“I’m Kaitlyn Sherrad.”
He gave her hand a slight squeeze.
“Kaitlyn.”
She didn’t know if it was the sound of
her name on his lips, or the touch of his hand on hers that sent a
shiver of excitement racing down her spine. Startled, she jerked
her hand from his and took a step backward. Who was this guy? She
had never experienced a reaction like that with any other man.
Stranger still was the bewildering fact that she couldn’t divine
his thoughts. She supposed there were bound to be a few people
whose minds she couldn’t read; still, it was disconcerting. Was
there something wrong with him, she wondered, or was the problem
hers? She would have to ask her father about it the next time he
called.
Needing time to ponder her odd reaction
to Zackary Ravenscroft and her failure to read his thoughts,
Kaitlyn bid him a quick good night and hurried up the stairs and
into the house. She closed and locked the door, then stood there,
her back pressed against the wood. Who was that guy?
Zack stared after her for several
moments before he turned and headed back down the trail toward the
casino.
Kaitlyn Sherrad was a puzzle, he mused,
and he hated puzzles.
Zack was still trying to unravel the
mystery that was Kaitlyn when she strolled into the casino shortly
after dusk the next evening. Clad in a simple pale pink dress that
outlined a figure bordering on perfection and a pair of white heels
that did wonderful things for her long, shapely legs, she quickly
attracted the admiring gaze of every man in the place, and the envy
of every woman.
“Miss Sherrad,” Zack murmured, going
forward to greet her. “Welcome to my establishment.”
“Thank you, Mr.
Ravenscroft.”
He made a broad gesture with his hand,
encompassing the gaming portion of the nightclub. “What’s your
pleasure?”
“What would you suggest? I’ve never
been in a casino before.”
“Well, the slots are the easiest. The
craps table is a bit confusing but probably the most exciting.
Poker is a game of skill. Roulette is a game of pure
chance.”
She looked thoughtful a moment. “Slot
machines, I guess.”
He followed her to a bank of slots,
stayed her hand when she delved into her handbag. Reaching into his
pocket, he pulled out a fifty-dollar bill.
“First time’s on me,” he said with a
wink.
“Really? Is this something you do for
all of your customers?”
“No, ma’am, just the pretty
ones.”
With a toss of her head, Kaitlyn took
the fifty from his hand and slid the bill into the appropriate
slot. A credit meter displayed the amount deposited.
“On this machine, you can play one
credit or as many as five, or you can hit the button marked
PLAY MAX CREDITS,” Zack
explained. “After you make your choice, hit the SPIN REELS button. That’s all there is to
it.”
Kaitlyn followed his directions, then
watched breathlessly as the colorful wheels turned, then slowly
came to a stop, showing three cherries across.
“I won!” she exclaimed, her cheeks
flushing with excitement, as credits were added to her original
amount.
Zack smiled, amused by her excitement,
content to stand at her shoulder as she continued to play. As with
most games of chance, the odds were always in favor of the house.
The payout on slots was about ninety-three percent.
A few minutes later, a hostess clad in
a ruffled, offthe-shoulder white blouse and short, wine-red skirt
came by offering drinks, which were free to players. Kaitlyn
ordered orange juice.
“Not a big drinker, are you?” Zack
remarked.
“Not really. Aren’t you having
anything?”
“Maybe later.” He jerked his chin
toward the machine. “You won again.”
Amused by her enthusiasm at winning a
few dollars, he was curious to see what her reaction would be if
she hit the jackpot. It was easy to manipulate the machine. A
single thought, and three sevens lined up on the pay
line.
“Oh! Look at that!” she exclaimed as
more credits were added to the meter.
He laughed, surprised that her
enjoyment pleased him so much.
The waitress arrived with her orange
juice only moments later. Kaitlyn couldn’t help wondering if all
drink orders were filled as quickly, or if the fact that she was
with the boss had anything to do with the speedy
service.
She continued to play while she sipped
her drink, winning more than she lost, and decided to quit while
she was ahead.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Then hit CASH OUT,” he directed.
She frowned when the machine spit out a
bar-coded ticket.
“Only the older machines pay out in
cash,” Zack explained. “You can cash that in later.”
“Oh, okay.” She slipped the coupon into
her purse and glanced around.
“Are you game to try something else?”
Zack asked.
“Maybe later. Right now, I think I’d
like something to eat. Is there a restaurant in here?”
“This way.” Curious to see if his touch
elicited the same reaction as the night before, he took her hand in
his. An odd look passed over her face, but she didn’t pull away
this time. Pleased, he led her out of the casino and down a long,
carpeted hallway. Kaitlyn glanced at the shops that lined both
sides of the corridor—gift shop, flower shop, hair salon. But it
was the sexy black pants and top in the window of the dress shop
next to the hair salon that caught her eye. She’d never worn
anything like that in her whole life.
The restaurant was at the end of the
corridor. Kaitlyn glanced around. The room was rectangular-shaped,
with an open beam ceiling and parquet floors. Booths lined three of
the walls; tables covered with deep green cloths were arranged in
the center of the floor. The lighting was subdued; soft music
filtered through the sound system.
They were seated immediately, but that
was no surprise. After all, it was bad form to keep the boss
waiting.
“Good evening, Mr. Ravenscroft,” a
waitress said, offering Kaitlyn a menu. “Your usual?”
“That’ll be fine, Annie.”
“I’ll be right back,” she said,
smiling.
“So,” Kaitlyn said, opening the menu,
“what’s good here?”
“Everything,” Zack replied with a grin.
“We’ve got the best chef in the state. I’m told the lobster is
excellent.”
“You’re told?” Her eyebrows went up in
surprise. “Haven’t you ever tried it?”
“No. I’m . . . allergic to
seafood.”
The waitress returned bearing a glass
of dark red wine, which she placed on a coaster in front of Zack
before turning her attention to Kaitlyn. “Do you need more
time?”
“No. I’ll have the
lobster.”
“Soup or salad?”
“Salad, with ranch.”
“And to drink?”
“Just water, no lemon.” Kaitlyn looked
at Zack. “Aren’t you having anything?”
“No. I dined earlier.”
After jotting Kaitlyn’s order down on
her pad, the waitress picked up the menu and turned to go, but not
before bestowing a dazzling smile on Zack.
“She seems quite smitten with you,”
Kaitlyn remarked as the waitress moved to the next
table.
“Annie? Yeah, she’s a good kid.” He
draped one arm along the back of the booth. “So, are you a working
girl?”
“Not yet. I just graduated from
college.”
He grunted softly.
“I majored in Comparative
Folklore.”
“How’s that workin’ out for ya?” he
asked, grinning.
“Not very well, actually,” she
admitted, her grin matching his. “Believe it or not, there isn’t a
lot of interest in ancient folklore these days, but”—she
shrugged—“I receive a substantial allowance from my
father.”
Zack nodded. “Must be nice.” He barely
remembered his own father.
“Yes, although sometimes I feel guilty
for taking it, and for knowing that if I do get into financial
trouble, he’s there to bail me out.”
“What’s wrong with that? Isn’t that
what fathers are for?”
“I guess so, but I’m a big girl now.
Old enough to stand on my own two feet. I shouldn’t be living on an
allowance.”
“What does your father
do?”
“He’s in business in Romania.” It was
the truth. And a lie.
“Romania? Girl, you’re a long way from
home.”
Kaitlyn nodded. “I always wanted to see
America. I have an uncle here somewhere. Of course, I have no idea
where he might be. He left home before I was born.” Her father was
still hopeful that Stefan would one day return to the Fortress, but
she thought it unlikely. Stefan had been gone for over twenty
years. Surely, if he intended to return, he would have done so by
now. Then again, maybe not. Twenty years wasn’t such a long time
when you lived for centuries.
“It’s going to be hard to find him if
you don’t know where to start,” Zack remarked.
“Well, I’m not really looking for him,”
Kaitlyn said with a shrug. “Although it’s kind of nice to know that
I have family here, somewhere.” All she knew about Stefan was that
he looked a lot like her father and that he had once loved a mortal
woman. Even her grandmother, Liliana, rarely spoke of
him.
The waitress brought Kaitlyn’s dinner a
few minutes later, along with another glass of wine for
Zack.
“You’re really not going to have
anything?” Kaitlyn asked.
“No.” He picked up his glass and sipped
his drink. “Enjoy your dinner.”
The lobster was every bit as delicious
as he’d said, the rice fluffy and perfectly seasoned, the
vegetables the best she’d ever had. Her enjoyment must have shown
on her face because Zack grinned as she took another bite of
lobster.
“Told you so,” he said.
“It’s wonderful.” She speared another
piece with her fork and offered it to him. “Are you sure you don’t
want to try a bite?”
“Quite sure.”
“You don’t know what you’re
missing.”
That much was true, he thought. He had
never tasted lobster. Or hamburgers. Or hot dogs or potato chips or
so many other foods that mortals took for granted these days. In
his day, the wealthy had dined on pheasant and roast pork and
chicken swimming in rich sauces. The poor folk had lived on bread
and cheese and an occasional deer poached from the king’s
forest—and been glad to get it.
These days, his was strictly a liquid
diet.
Kaitlyn laid her napkin on the table
and pushed her plate away. “I simply can’t eat another
bite.”
Zack’s gaze moved to the pulse
throbbing in the hollow of her throat. “A bite,” he murmured. The
scent of her blood, the need to taste her, was driving him
crazy.
“What?”
“Would you like dessert?” he asked,
dragging his gaze from the smooth, slender line of her
neck.
“No, thank you,” she said, certain she
couldn’t eat anything else. Until she saw the dessert cart.
Brownies. Seven-layer chocolate cake with fudge frosting. Deepdish
apple pie. Dainty strawberry tarts. Tapioca pudding topped with
cherries. Cheesecake.
“Are you sure?” Zack asked with a wry
grin. “Your words say no, but your eyes are saying, ‘Oh,
yes.’”
Kaitlyn bit down on her lower lip. Her
vampire cousins were jealous because she could still eat mortal
food. And because, no matter how much she ate, she never gained an
ounce. “Maybe a slice of that cake,” she decided. “With a scoop of
ice cream.”
Women and chocolate, Zack thought,
amused by the nearly ecstatic expression on Kaitlyn’s face as she
sampled the cake.
“What?” she asked when she caught him
staring.
He shook his head, but he couldn’t help
wondering if he could put that same look of sheer pleasure on her
face.
“So,” he said when she finished her
dessert, “what are you in the mood for now?”
“I don’t know. Did you have something
in mind?”
He could think of several things he’d
like to do, none of which he thought she would agree to, since they
all involved the two of them romping naked in his bed.
“Zack?”
He shook the images of the two of them
from his mind. “Do you want to try your luck at
craps?”
She considered it a moment, then said,
“No, I don’t think so.”
His gaze moved over her, a caress more
than a look. “We could go upstairs.”
“What’s up there?” she asked, her eyes
narrowing with suspicion.
Zack chuckled, amused by her wary
expression. Did she think he had some nefarious scheme in mind,
like spiriting her away and ravishing her until dawn? Not that that
was such a bad idea. He wondered what she would say if he suggested
it, then chided himself for being a fool. She was a nice girl. Way
too nice for a guy like him.
“The Skylight Room,” he replied. “Soft
music. Good champagne. Dancing under the stars.”
Kaitlyn hesitated. She hadn’t had a lot
of experience with men. She sensed that Zack Ravenscroft wasn’t
like ordinary men, although she wasn’t sure what there was about
him that set him apart. He carried an aura of danger, but that
didn’t frighten her. She could take care of herself. Maybe it was
the fact that she found him so attractive. Almost irresistibly so.
His voice, his roguish smile, both were hard to resist. Still,
there wasn’t much future for them. Even though her father had
repealed the laws that once forbade her people to marry mortals,
she knew her parents would be disappointed if she didn’t marry
someone from home. There was no possibility that she could ever
marry Zack.
Marry Zack! Good grief, where had that
thought come from? She had just met the man.
“Kaitlyn?”
He was watching her intently, making
her glad he couldn’t read her mind, although she would have loved
to read his. Of course, being able to eavesdrop on people’s private
thoughts was a mixed blessing. There had been times in college when
she had lowered her guard to steal into someone’s thoughts, and
then heard something she wished she hadn’t. Like the time Kaitlyn
learned her supposed best friend forever was telling everyone that
Kaitlyn was sleeping with her anthropology teacher and that was why
she was getting such good grades.
“It’s just a dance,” Zack said in his
soft, oh, so sexy voice.
And the perfect excuse to be in his
arms, Kaitlyn thought as he took her hand in his and led her to a
glass-sided elevator that whisked them to the top floor of the
building.
The Skylight Room was lovely. The walls
were white, the drapes a soft blue. Small round tables were
scattered along the edge of the dance floor. A pianist, two
guitarists, and a drummer provided music, which was slow, soft, and
sensual. It was easy to see where the room got its name. A huge
skylight took up most of the ceiling. A million stars twinkled
overhead. Moonlight shimmered through the glass. It was, she
thought, like walking among the stars, although it was nothing like
the ballroom at the Fortress.
Zack gestured at the dance floor.
“Shall we?”
“Isn’t that what we’re here for?” she
asked with a playful grin.
He didn’t answer, simply drew her into
his arms.
He was a wonderful dancer, light on his
feet, easy to follow. She searched her mind for something to say,
but small talk eluded her. How could she be expected to think
coherently with his body pressed so intimately against hers? They
were, she thought, a perfect fit. The scent of his cologne tickled
her nostrils, his very nearness was intoxicating, as was the scent
of his blood. But that was to be expected. She was half vampire,
after all, a fact that had been confirmed on her twentieth
birthday.
Her father had been with her when the
change occurred. He had told her she could resist it if she
desired, but that doing so would make it more difficult later.
Taking his advice, she had surrendered to the need that night. He
had warned her that undergoing the change might be violent, that
she could possibly be overcome with the need to kill, but it hadn’t
happened like that. A yearning for blood had been niggling at her
for weeks. Surrendering to it had seemed the most natural thing in
the world. Her father had taken her hunting. She had not enjoyed
the hunt, but her need for blood had been easily satisfied, with
little harm done to the young man who had been her chosen
prey.
“You must feed often the first year,”
her father had told her. “If you don’t, it could be
fatal.”
“And after that?” she had
asked.
“As often as you feel the
need.”
He had frequently gone hunting with her
during the first few months to make sure she didn’t have any
problems.
“You’re very quiet,” Zack mused,
wishing he could read her thoughts. “Is something
wrong?”
“No.” She smiled wistfully. “I was just
lost in the past.”
“Anything you want to
share?”
“I was thinking about my father. You
remind me of him.”
He grimaced. “I’m not sure I like
that.”
“You should be pleased. He’s a
wonderful man.”
“I’m sure he is. He’s got a wonderful
daughter.”
“Flatterer.”
“Just callin’ it the way I see it.” He
drew her closer, his gaze intent on her face. “Are you feeling what
I’m feeling?”
She knew what he meant; she just wasn’t
sure she was ready to admit it to herself. Or to him. Things were
moving way too fast. She had only known him for a few hours. All
she knew for certain was that he was drop-dead gorgeous, danced
divinely, and owned a popular casino. Hardly enough on which to
base a solid relationship. But somehow, with his arms around her
and his devil dark eyes gazing into hers, nothing else seemed to
matter.
One song blended into another, and then
another, and they continued to dance, making Kaitlyn think he was
as reluctant to release her as she was for him to let her
go.
They shared several long, lingering
glances, though few words were spoken between them.
The other patrons all left the
room.
And Zack and Kaitlyn continued to
dance, just the two of them, even after the musicians called it a
night.
Usually, it made Kaitlyn uncomfortable
when men stared at her for too long, but it pleased her that Zack
couldn’t stop looking at her, because she couldn’t stop looking at
him, either. His eyes were like dark, mysterious pools and she
longed to dive in, to swim to the bottom and discover the hidden
depths of his soul.
She smiled at her fanciful
thoughts.
“What are you thinking
about?”
“Nothing you need to
know.”
“Is that right?” Zack twirled her
around, dipped her once, and drew her into his arms again, his gaze
lingering on her lips, sliding down to the pulse throbbing in the
hollow of her throat, then back to her delectable
lips.
Kaitlyn shivered with anticipation. He
was going to kiss her. She could see it in his eyes.
And even then he was lowering his head,
claiming her lips with his.
She had never been drunk, never been
high on anything, but his kiss made her feel like she was
invincible, like she was soaring through rainbow-colored clouds.
Like she never wanted to come down.
And it was just one kiss.
She had been right about him, Kaitlyn
thought dreamily, one hand pressed to her rapidly beating heart. He
was dangerous, in more ways than one.
“Can I see you tomorrow night?” he
asked, his voice husky. “Say, around eight?”
Every instinct she possessed warned her
that she was treading on shaky ground. As much as she wanted to see
him again, she knew she had to refuse. She meant to say no, but the
word that emerged from her throat was a breathless
“yes.”