A WHISPER OF ETERNIT

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With a nod of agreement, Dominic paid for the shirts and they left the store. Hand in hand, they walked through the mall.

Tracy's mouth watered as they passed by the food court.Mrs. Field's Cookies.Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream. McDonald's French fries. Starbucks Coffee.A popcorn stand.Corn dogs.A candy store.Frozen lemonade.

Dominic looked over at her, a wry grin twitching his lips.
Tracypunched him in the arm. "Don't say a word!" "You can always start your new life tomorrow."

It was tempting, so tempting. What had she been thinking? She should have had one last pig-out party before giving up the good things of life.

She shook her head. "No. I said I was going to start tonight, and I will."

Dominic nodded. There were so many different kinds of food these days, things unheard of back in the days when he had been a mortal man—things like ice cream, cotton candy, hot dogs, coffee that came in myriad flavors.So many new tastes in food and drink. He had savored some of them onTracy 's lips. But any desire he'd had to indulge in solid food had been thoroughly eliminated the night before. It had been foolish of him to think he could eat solid food. He was no longer human. His body could no longer tolerate such things. He was a vampire and blood was his only source of sustenance.

Leaving the mall, Dominic drove to The Catacombs.

"If you are going to live as a vampire, you might as well get acquainted with them," he remarked as he parked the car.

Entering the bar,Tracy noticed that many of the vampires who had been there the last time were there again.

Petrinasashayed up to Dominic as soon as they walked through the door. "Dom," shepurred, her voice low and sultry. "Did you come for that dance?"
Tracysmiled sweetly at the vampire. "Any dancing he does tonight will be with me."

Petrinalooked up at Dominic, a pout on her pale lips. "Dom, why do you insist on bringing this mortal here? We could have so much more fun without her."

"You heard the lady, Pet," Dominic said, drawingTracy into his arms. "I will be dancing with my woman."

"Your woman," Petrinasaid, a feral gleam in her eyes. "What does that mean, exactly?"
"It means she is my woman," Dominic said, his voice suddenly harsh. "Not my slave."