Chapter Six
“You smell rabbits around here?” Neona asked her pet leopard. “I haven’t seen any tracks.”
Zhan trotted ahead of her, presumably following the scent of some sort of prey. According to Tashi, who could communicate with him, the cat wanted his favorite meal again. So Neona had taken him hunting at dawn.
She stopped, recognizing the clearing they were in. This was where she’d met Zoltan. The rising sun shot fractured rays through the trees, causing the morning dew to sparkle on the grass. It was a beautiful place, the perfect setting for a memory that continued to haunt her. Who would have known a man could be that strong, yet kiss that sweetly?
A deep sense of longing enveloped her heart. God help her, she wanted to be special to someone. She was surrounded by friends in Beyul-La, but with her sister gone, she felt so alone. There was no one to open her heart to, no one to hold her when she ached inside. Of course, as a warrior woman, she wasn’t supposed to need comforting. She certainly wasn’t supposed to seek comfort from a man. Even an exceptional man like Zoltan.
Where did he come from? He didn’t look like any villager she’d ever seen. Had he truly wanted to kiss her? Or had he merely tricked her into closing her eyes so he could escape? Why did he run away? Did he not enjoy the kiss? Maybe he didn’t like her.
She shook her head. Why would he like her when she’d clobbered him? She exhaled slowly, reminding herself once again that his disappearance was for the best. She couldn’t fall for a man and shirk her sacred duty. Especially now, when they were at the beginning of a new cycle.
But why did she have to keep reminding herself? Even now she found herself peering carefully into the forest, hoping for a glimpse of him.
The leopard drew her attention when he suddenly scrambled up a tree.
“What are you doing? You won’t find a rabbit up there.” Her breath caught when she noticed a piece of paper stuck to the branch with an arrow. “What is that?”
Zhan ripped at the paper with his claws.
“Don’t destroy it!” Could it be a note from Zoltan?
A piece of the paper floated down, and she grabbed it.
Dear Neona,
I’d like to see you again. Please meet me here at midnight.
Zoltan
Her heart leaped into her throat. “He wants to see me!”
Zhan made an annoyed huffing noise and jumped down to the ground.
“How clever of you to find the note.” She hugged the leopard, then rubbed his ears. “You must have recognized his scent.”
Zhan butted his head against her.
“Good kitty.” Her heart thudded as she folded the letter and slipped it into her tunic pocket. Did she dare meet Zoltan? And the even bigger question, did she dare take his seed?
She swallowed hard. Why not? He had agreed to mate with her. It would be cowardly to run away from such a golden opportunity. Still, she needed to think this through. “Let’s find something for dinner.” She could make her plans while they hunted.
She strode down the hill toward the stream. It was easier to spot tracks in the muddy areas there. Her heart pounded with each step. She could see Zoltan tonight! An inner voice warned her that it might be unwise, but she shoved it aside. She wasn’t shirking her duty. If she had a daughter, she would be fulfilling it.
Should she take him to Frederic’s old cabin? It wasn’t far from here. The women had used the cabin two weeks ago to house the vampire, Russell, when he was injured. They had felt honor-bound to take care of him after he’d saved Queen Nima’s life during battle.
Neona figured the cabin was a more suitable place for mating than the woods. She would have to take fresh sheets and some supplies from Beyul-La without anyone noticing. And she would need to bathe and wash her hair.
She pressed a hand against her chest, where her heart continued to pound. This was exciting! Be careful, an inner voice warned her. You could lose your heart to him. She pushed those thoughts away. She’d lived with gloom and despair for two weeks. It was time to think more positively. This had to be for the best. Because for the first time since losing her sister, she felt alive.
After waking from his death-sleep in the bedroom of his castle, Zoltan’s thoughts immediately turned to Neona. Would she be waiting for him at their meeting place? Had the leopard helped her find the note?
His excitement grew as he showered and dressed. This time he wore more suitable clothes—jeans, brown T-shirt, hiking boots, and a green hooded jacket with zippered compartments. He teleported down to the kitchen for a quick meal.
“There you are,” Howard said as he materialized.
“Good evening.” Zoltan nodded at the were-bear and his wife, who were seated at the kitchen table, sharing a bowl of ice cream.
“We thought we’d find you here after sunset,” Howard said, his gaze drifting down to Zoltan’s hiking boots. “Going somewhere?”
Ignoring him, Zoltan took a bottle of AB negative out of the fridge, twisted off the top, and set it in the microwave.
“We heard you were taking a vacation,” Elsa said.
“Yes.” Zoltan rummaged through the fridge till he found some bagged blood. He zipped it into one of the large pockets on his jacket. Emergency rations, just in case.
“Milan is in shock,” Elsa continued. “He said you haven’t taken a night off in five years.”
“Guess I’m overdue.” The microwave dinged, so Zoltan removed the bottle and poured the warmed-up blood into a glass.
Howard spooned some ice cream into his mouth. “Let’s get to the point, okay? I need to know where you’re going.”
Zoltan gave him an annoyed look. “I’ll take a sat phone with me this time.”
“So you’re going back to Tibet?” Howard set down his spoon. “You’re going to see the Amazon warrior again?”
“Maybe.” Zoltan upended his glass, guzzling down the blood.
“Why do you want to see a woman who beat the crap out of you?”
Zoltan swallowed so hard that his eyes watered. “She didn’t beat the— Look. Whomever I choose to see is none of your business.”
“It is my business when it affects security,” Howard argued. “From what I can tell, you have no regard whatsoever for your personal safety. There are no guards here. No working surveillance cameras. You let strangers roam about the castle that you publicize as a vampire castle, and you let everyone in the vicinity know you’re a Vamp.”
Zoltan shrugged and drank more blood.
Howard sat back, folding his arms across his chest. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I think I know what’s going on here.”
“Really?” Elsa’s eyes widened as she ate more ice cream. “What?”
Howard leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “Gregori explained it to me. When a Vamp reaches his five hundredth birthday, he normally falls into a state of deep depression.”
“Oh no.” Elsa gave Zoltan a worried look.
He snorted and drank more blood.
“And Zoltan here is about eight hundred years old,” Howard continued. “So he could be seriously depressed.”
Elsa winced. “The poor man.”
Zoltan gritted his teeth. “I’m not so old that my hearing is gone.”
Howard leaned closer to his wife. “It explains everything. Why he’s so careless about his own safety. Why he’s no longer interested in his job. Why he insists on seeing a woman who beat the crap out—”
“She didn’t beat the crap—” Zoltan took a deep breath. “This is ridiculous. I’m not depressed.”
Elsa gave him a sympathetic look. “You won’t be able to get better until you admit the problem.”
“I’m fine!” Zoltan tossed the empty bottle in the recycle bin so hard that it shattered. He winced. Sometimes he forgot how strong he was.
Howard and Elsa exchanged a knowing look.
Zoltan groaned. “I’m not depressed. I’m just . . . tired.” And lonely. “I’m going now.”
“Wait!” Howard jumped to his feet. “You can’t leave without a sat phone. And you shouldn’t face the Amazon warrior without some weapons. You’ll need a knife, a sword, and a handgun.”
“I can’t go on a date fully armed!”
Elsa’s eyes lit up. “This is a date?”
Zoltan winced. Now he’d said more than he had intended to. “Maybe.”
Elsa looked at her husband. “This is a good sign. If he’s dating, maybe he’s not so depressed after all.”
“But if he were thinking clearly,” Howard whispered back, “he wouldn’t date a woman who beat the crap out—”
“She didn’t beat me!” Zoltan strode toward the door. “I’m getting the sat phone, then leaving.”
“Wait!” Elsa rushed toward him. “You shouldn’t go on a date empty-handed. Do you have flowers or something?”
Zoltan paused. Elsa might have a point. “What should I bring?”
Elsa frowned, considering, then her face brightened. “I have a box of chocolates I haven’t opened.”
Howard stiffened. “That was my gift for you.”
“You can get me some more.” Elsa squeezed her husband’s arm. “This is an emergency. Zoltan needs something now.”
Zoltan nodded. “Chocolate might be good. I doubt she gets much of it.”
“Maybe it’ll keep her from beating the crap—” Howard stopped when Zoltan glared at him.
“The box is in our bedroom.” Elsa started out the door. “I’ll be right back.”
“We’ll be in the armory,” Howard called after her.
Zoltan made his way quickly to the armory with Howard right behind him, asking questions along the way.
“What’s her name? Where does she live? Does she look like Xena, the warrior princess? Why did she beat you up?”
Zoltan ignored him and selected a sat phone off a shelf in the armory.
“Let me see that.” Howard grabbed it and started pushing buttons. “Okay. It’s charged up and working well. I’m putting in my number and Angus’s and Mikhail’s. If anything goes wrong, I want you to call. Either Angus or Mikhail should be able to teleport to you right away.”
“I understand.” Zoltan reached for the phone, but Howard kept pushing buttons.
When Howard’s cell phone went off, he smiled. “Okay, now I have your number.” He handed the sat phone to Zoltan. “I recommend you take at least one knife.”
“I’ll be fine.” Zoltan dropped the sat phone into a pants pocket. “If I’m really in trouble, I’ll just teleport back here.”
“Does she know you’re a Vamp?”
Zoltan shook his head. “I don’t think so.” Although her cat knew he wasn’t normal. Fortunately, she wasn’t able to communicate with her pet.
“Does she know about Vamps?”
“Probably. They were fighting Lord Liao and some of Master Han’s army two weeks ago.”
Howard’s eyes narrowed. “What does Lord Liao have against them?”
“I don’t know.” Zoltan shrugged. “There’s a lot I don’t know. That’s one reason I want to go back.”
Howard nodded. “They might turn out to be good allies against Master Han.”
“Hello?” Elsa’s voice carried down the spiral staircase, then she appeared in the entrance to the armory. With a smile, she handed a gold foil box to Zoltan. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” The box was too large for any of his pockets, so he zipped up his jacket and slid it inside.
“Good luck! Oh—” Elsa raised a hand to stop him. “I wanted to let you know. We’ll be moving the mummy Tuesday morning, so it will be in the chapel for the tour that afternoon.”
“All right.” Zoltan nodded. “Good evening.” His heart started pounding. Would Neona be waiting for him? He didn’t want to materialize in front of her, so he would teleport a short distance away and walk to the clearing.
Neona smoothed the clean sheets on the bed, then took one final look around the cabin. A fire was burning in the hearth. The kettle was full of water and ready to heat up over the flames. The old English tea set had been washed and placed on the table, along with a bowl of fresh berries she’d picked earlier in the day.
She adjusted the sash around her tunic. These were her finest clothes, an embroidered silk tunic and pants. She’d told the other women that she was hunting tonight with Zhan, so she’d left wearing her usual green and brown linen, with her good clothes, a towel, and some soap stashed in the bag she wore on her back.
She’d washed up in her favorite place, where the stream from Beyul-La jetted out into the neighboring valley. Then she’d dressed in Frederic’s cabin and readied it for Zoltan’s visit. The cat kept getting underfoot, as if he didn’t think he was getting enough attention.
She patted Zhan’s head. “I know I cannot continue to see him. But if I could just have a daughter . . .” She tensed as the fear of having a son crept into her thoughts. No, she would have to think positively. She would have a daughter, a beautiful daughter with Zoltan’s hair and eyes. Then she would have someone to love. And she wouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life with a broken heart.
Zhan curled up in front of the hearth to take a nap. She took a deep breath, then started for the clearing. With each step, her heart pounded louder in her ears. Remember to stay in charge, she warned herself. Take his seed if he is willing, then send him on his way. Do not become attached to him.
She stopped, her breath catching when she saw him. He was contemplating the night sky, his head tilted back and the moonlight illuminating his profile. The sharply defined line of his jaw, the shape of his cheekbones and nose, the strong length of his neck. How could he be even more handsome than she’d remembered? His shoulder-length brown hair was brushed back from a wide brow. The wound on his temple was completely healed.
He turned toward her, and she froze under the intensity of his stare. It had been a mistake to ever question this man’s intelligence. His sharp eyes cut through her as if he wanted to peel back her skin to examine her soul. His gaze lowered to her clothes, then returned to her face. “I’m glad you came.”
She drew in a deep breath, steeling her nerves. “Zhan found your note.”
He stepped toward her. “You look beautiful tonight.” He smiled. “But then you would look beautiful every night.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his smile. Who was this man, that he could affect her so easily? “Where do you come from? Are you staying at the nearby village?”
After a pause, he replied, “I have passed through there.” He removed a box from his jacket. “I have a gift for you.”
She blinked in surprise. First he’d used flattery, and now he had a gift? Hadn’t she made it clear that she wanted to mate with him? There was no need for him to act so gallantly. As if he were . . . courting her.
Her nerves tensed. Why would he court her unless he wanted to win her affections? She couldn’t allow that to happen. After tonight, she’d refuse to see him again.
She glanced at the shiny gold box. “That was not necessary, but thank you.”
“Do you not like chocolate?”
She searched her memory of all the books she’d read from Frederic’s small library. “Hot chocolate?”
“Not the drink.” Zoltan gave her a curious look. “Have you never eaten chocolate?”
She felt heat warming her cheeks. When Frederic had returned to England, they’d lost their only contact with the outside world, and now she felt woefully ignorant. “Come with me, and we shall have some tea.” She turned and headed down the hill.
Zoltan walked beside her. “Are you taking me to your home?”
“No.” She shook her head. “That is not allowed. I am taking you to Frederic’s cabin.”
“Is he a friend of yours?”
“He’s Freddie’s and Freya’s father. He taught us English.”
“He’s the one who went back to England?”
Neona nodded, remembering how distraught Freddie and Freya had been. And their mother, Calliope, had been devastated. Queen Nima had declared that it was just further proof that men could not be trusted. They always betrayed you in the end.
She wouldn’t let that happen. Zoltan couldn’t hurt her if she refused to let him into her heart.
“The cabin is this way.” She pointed to a clearing downstream where the stone house was situated.
He followed her inside and looked around. “Is your home similar to this one? No running water or electricity?”
She wasn’t sure what electricity was. “There is running water in the stream outside.” She hesitated, wondering if she should suggest he lie down on the bed. Perhaps she should give him time to get comfortable. He’d said the other night that he needed to be in the mood.
She set the kettle over the fire. “It will take a moment for the water to boil.”
“That’s fine.” He placed the gold box on the table in front of the hearth.
Zhan looked up from his nap and hissed.
“Ssh.” She hushed the cat. “Why don’t you go outside? You can warn me if someone comes.”
Zhan stalked toward the door, snarling at her guest. Zoltan followed the cat, chuckling as the cat gave him one last hiss.
“So long, cat.” He shut the door, then strolled around the perimeter of the room. “This is nice.” He stopped to admire a white silk banner embroidered with red and pink blossoms.
“Frederic’s wife made it.”
“Does she live here?”
“She . . . passed away.”
Zoltan turned to face her. “I’m sorry. Were you close to her?”
Neona tossed a few more sticks onto the fire to increase the heat. “There is no need to discuss anything personal. Once we have had our tea, we can . . . proceed.” She motioned toward the bed.
He glanced at the bed, then back at her, his eyes narrowing as he looked her over. “What you’re wearing is very pretty. Did you make it?”
“Yes.” She adjusted the sash. Why did she feel like he was imagining her without her clothes? “We do quite a bit of sewing in the winter. We can be snowed in for months.”
“You don’t get lonesome?”
She swallowed hard. The next winter would seem endless without her sister. “We keep busy. We make our clothes and shoes. A new supply of arrows. I make ointments and medicine. Some of the women make pottery. And of course, we practice our fighting skills every day.”
His mouth twitched. “I’m sure you do. I’ve been told more than once that you beat the crap out of me.”
She lifted her chin. “You were told correctly.” His answering smile caused an odd fluttering sensation in her stomach. He didn’t seem intimidated or angered by her show of strength. On the contrary, he acted like he enjoyed it. And that only served to make him more appealing.
Don’t fall for him, she reminded herself. She straightened the teacups and saucers on the table.
He wandered over to a wooden chest that was topped with a stack of books. “These are in English.”
She sighed. He seemed determined to pry into her personal life. “Those belonged to Frederic.”
Zoltan rummaged through them. “A world atlas. A Bible. Some novels—Ivanhoe and A Tale of Two Cities.”
“Those were his favorites.”
“They all look well read. This one is falling apart.” He picked up a book and studied the faded lettering on the spine. “Pride and Prejudice.”
She selected a plump wild berry from the bowl on the table. “That one is my favorite. I read it every winter.”
“Interesting.” He set it down carefully, then looked at her, the corner of his mouth curling up. “So your favorite is about a man and woman falling in love.”
Warmth invaded her cheeks, but she ignored it and slipped the berry into her mouth. Juice spurted from the fruit as she bit down, and she quickly pressed a hand to her mouth. She swallowed and licked her lips, painfully aware that he was watching her intently, his gaze riveted on her mouth.
More heat flooded her face. Was he remembering their kiss? She turned to look at the fireplace. It was taking an eternity for the water to boil. But the way he was looking at her might indicate that he was now in the correct mood.
Steeling her nerves, she faced him and motioned toward the bed. “Please make yourself comfortable.”
He surprised her by sitting at the table in front of the hearth. “Would you like to try one?” He opened the gold box.
She moved close to the table and studied the chocolates. They came in different shades of brown and three different shapes—round, square, and rectangular. Finally, she selected a round one and bit into it.
Instantly her mouth was filled with the richest, creamiest, sweetest sensation she’d ever tasted. “Oh my!” She licked her lips to keep drool from trickling out.
He smiled. “I guess you like it.”
She nodded and put the rest of the piece in her mouth. It was truly heavenly. What other wondrous things from the outside world was she missing? She put the lid on the box, then turned back to the hearth to check on the water.
“So Frederic lived here?” Zoltan asked.
She nodded. “Frederic Chesterton.”
“And his wife and daughters lived here, too?”
“No, the women live in . . . another valley.”
“Why didn’t he live with them?”
“It is one of our rules. No man is allowed in—” Neona glanced back with an apologetic look. “I guess our ways must seem strange to you.”
“What about your family?”
Neona sighed, wishing the water would hurry up and boil. “I’d rather not talk about myself.”
“It was my third condition, remember? We have to get to know each other.”
She glanced back at him. Would he really refuse to bed her if she didn’t tell him more about herself? Maybe a little information would be all right as long as she didn’t disclose any secrets.
She wandered back to the table and opened the tin that contained tea leaves. “I never knew my father. He went back to Greece.” Or did he? She spooned some tea leaves into the pot. “My mother is our leader. Queen Nima.”
Zoltan’s eyes widened, then he grinned. “So you really are a warrior princess?”
She scoffed. “No. I’m not in line for the throne.”
“Why not?”
The kettle whistled, finally, and she hurried to the hearth, relieved for the brief respite from his questions. She wrapped a towel around her hand, then carried the hot kettle back to the table.
“Why can’t you be queen?”
She poured steaming water into the teapot. “It’s . . . complicated.”
“Then explain. I have nowhere else to go.” He gave her a wry smile. “And I’m seemingly intelligent.”
Neona smiled in spite of herself. “Yes, you are.” She set the lid on the pot to let the tea steep. “We all have special gifts, and I have the wrong one.”
“How can a gift be wrong?”
Would the man never stop with the questions? She motioned toward the bed. “It’s late. Perhaps we should . . . rest for a while?”
His eyes glimmered like glowing amber. “You keep trying to seduce me.”
She swallowed hard. The way he was looking at her made her stomach quiver. “Don’t you want to be seduced?”
His mouth curled up slowly. “I’m not in the mood yet.” He patted the chair next to him. “Talk to me. I want to know what kind of gift you have and why it’s wrong.”
She eased into the chair, all too aware that his arm was now resting on the back of it. “I’m a healer. When I touch an injury, I can take away the pain and help it heal.”
“That’s an excellent gift.”
“Not really. I have to feel the pain, too.”
“Oh. That’s bad.” He sat up suddenly. “Is that why you had your hand on my pants? You were healing me?”
She nodded. “I needed you to be functioning properly.”
“I see.” His mouth twitched, then he gave her a wide-eyed, innocent look. “I’m afraid I’m still suffering from residual pain.”
“From two nights ago?”
“You kneed me really hard. I could use your healing touch.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I think you’re lying.”
“You’re right.” He grinned. “But it was worth a shot.”
She smiled back.
“You have a pretty smile.”
Her heart squeezed in her chest. Don’t fall for him. Just get this over with. “So you’re functioning properly now?”
“I’ll be fine once I get in the mood.”
How could such a strong, virile man be so slow? “Maybe I should touch you after all. To help you get in the mood.” She reached for his groin, but he grabbed her hand.
“What kind of gift do you need to be queen?” he asked, encasing her hand in both of his.
She groaned silently with frustration. “Why do you need to know? You cannot be queen. You are a man.” She pulled her hand from his grip and eyed his groin with suspicion. “That is, if you can ever get in the mood.”
His jaw shifted. “I’m getting there. Just a few more questions. What kind of gift does the queen need?”
“She must be able to communicate with . . . winged creatures.” Neona winced. Now she’d said too much.
Zoltan inhaled sharply. “You mean birds? Your mother can talk to birds?”
“Yes.” She gave him a wary look. “That probably sounds strange.”
“No. It doesn’t.” He gazed into the fire for a moment. “Are there other women in your group who have had that gift?”
“My twin sister, Minerva, did, but—” Neona tensed, afraid a wave of grief would sweep over her. She steeled her nerves and continued, “Winifred has the gift, so she will be the next queen.”
Zoltan turned toward her. “You had a twin sister?”
“Let me see if the tea is ready.” Neona jumped to her feet and grabbed the teapot. Her hands trembled, and some tea splashed onto the table.
“That’s all right.” Zoltan took the teapot from her and set it down. “I don’t really need any tea.”
She sat back down and clenched her hands together in her lap. “I think we’ve talked enough.”
“You lost your sister?”
She nodded. “Two weeks ago.”
“I’m so sorry.” He reached over and took hold of her hands. “I’ve lost my loved ones, too.”
She glanced at him and saw the pain shimmering in his golden amber eyes. “I’m sorry.”
He squeezed her hands. “What happens if you get injured? Are you able to heal yourself?”
She shook her head. “There was another healer. Frederic’s wife, Calliope. But she died about six years ago. I couldn’t save her.”
“And now you’re on your own? You relieve everyone’s pain, but there is no one to help you?”
Tears filled her eyes. “The pain I have cannot be healed.”
“I know.” He reached up and brushed her hair back from her brow. “But I would give you comfort if I can.”
He was so tempting. Oh, God, don’t fall for him. Her heart yearned for someone to hold her and care for her. But it couldn’t be Zoltan. She had to have a daughter. She could hold and cherish a daughter.
But what if she had a son? Would Zoltan react like Frederic had when Calliope had given birth to a son? Frederic had waited till the boy was old enough for school, and then he’d taken him to England. He’d left his mate and daughters behind. Abandoned.
A tear rolled down her cheek. What if she fell in love with Zoltan? How could she bear to lose him? Good God, she could lose him and a son. The pain she was feeling now could triple. “I cannot do this.” She jumped to her feet and ran for the door.
“Neona!”
She dashed outside, headed for the stream.
“Neona.” Zoltan grabbed her arm to stop her. “What happened? Did I say something wrong?”
She shook her head. “You’re not wrong. You’re too right! I could fall for you.”
“Would that be so bad?”
She broke away from his grip. “I don’t want your heart. The only thing I wanted from you is a daughter!”
He stiffened. “What?”
“I told you. Men are not allowed here.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she backed away. “I wanted a daughter, but I changed my mind. It’s too big of a risk. I can never see you again. Good-bye.”