Chapter 17
Roman leaned back in the easy chair and stared at the ceiling. He had serious doubts about this. The last time he'd told this story to a woman, she'd wanted to kill him.
He took a deep breath and began. "I was born in a small village in Romania in 1461. I had two brothers and a little sister." He tried to conjure up their faces, but his memory was too vague. He'd had such a short time with them.
"Wow," Shanna breathed. "You're over five hundred years old."
"Thanks for reminding me."
"Go on," she urged. "What happened to your family?"
"We were poor. Times were difficult." The red blinking light in the corner over the bed caught his attention. The digital surveillance camera was working. He sliced the air with a cutting motion, and within seconds, the red light was off.
He continued with his story. "My mother died in childbirth when I was four. Then my sister died. She was only two."
"I'm so sorry."
"When I was five, my father took me to a local monastery and left me there. I kept thinking he would come back. I knew he loved me. He'd hugged me so tightly before he left. I refused to sleep on the pallet the monks gave me. I insisted my father would come back." He rubbed his forehead. "Eventually the monks grew tired of my complaining and told me the truth. My father had sold me to them."
"Oh no. That's terrible."
"I tried to console myself, thinking my father and brothers were doing well, eating like kings off all the money I earned for them. But the truth was I was sold for a sack of flour."
"That's awful! They must have been desperate."
"They were starving." Roman sighed. "I used to wonder why I was the one my father chose to give away."
Shanna leaned forward. "That's how I felt when my family sent me to boarding school. I kept thinking they were mad at me, but I couldn't figure out what I'd done wrong."
"I'm sure you did nothing wrong." Roman met her gaze. "The monks discovered I was eager to learn and easily taught. Father Constantine said that was why my father chose me. He understood I was the best suited of my brothers for intellectual pursuits."
"You mean you were punished for being the smartest."
"I wouldn't call it punishment. The monastery was clean and warm. We never went hungry. By the time I was twelve, my father and brothers were all dead."
"Oh, jeez. I'm sorry." Shanna grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed and dragged it into her lap. "My family is still alive, thank goodness, but I know what it's like to lose them."
"Father Constantine was the healer in the monastery, and he became my mentor. I learned all I could from him.He said I had a gift for healing." Roman frowned. "A gift from God."
"So you became a doctor, of sorts."
"Yes. There was never any question in my mind what I wanted to do. I took my vows at the age of eighteen and became a monk. I swore to ease the suffering of mankind." Roman's mouth twisted. "And I swore to reject Satan and all his evil guises."
Shanna hugged the pillow to her chest. "What happened then?"
"Father Constantine and I traveled from one village to another, doing all we could to heal the sick and ease suffering. There weren't many educated physicians at the time, especially for the poor, so we were very much in demand. We worked long, hard hours. Eventually Father Constantine grew too old and frail for it. He stayed at the monastery, and I was allowed to go forth on my own. A mistake, perhaps." Roman smiled wryly. "I wasn't nearly as smart as I thought I was. And without Father Constantine to guide me and give wise counsel.."
Roman closed his eyes, briefly recalling the wrinkled, weathered face of his adopted father. Sometimes, when he was alone and in the dark, he could almost hear the old man's soft voice. Father Constantine had always given him hope and encouragement, even when he had been a young and frightened child. And Roman had loved him for that.
A picture flashed in his mind. The monastery in ruins. The dead bodies of all the monks strewn about in the rubble. Father Constantine ripped apart. Roman covered his face to try to block out the memory. But how could he? He had brought their death and destruction upon them. God could never forgive him.
"Are you all right?" Shanna asked softly.
Roman dragged his hands down his face and took a shaky breath. "Where was I?"
"You were a traveling doctor."
Shanna's expression of sympathy made it hard to stay in control, so he shifted his gaze to the ceiling. "I traveled far into areas that are now Hungary and Transylvania. In time, I ceased to bother with priestly trappings. My tonsure grew out. My hair grew long. But I kept my vows of poverty and celibacy, so I was convinced that I was good and righteous. God was on my side. News of my healing capabilities preceded me, and I was welcomed into each village as an honored guest. A hero, even."
"That's good."
He shook his head. "No, it was not. I had sworn to reject evil, but I slowly succumbed to a deadly sin. I became proud."
She snorted. "What's wrong with taking pride in your work? You were saving lives, weren't you?"
"No. God was saving them through me. I forgot to see the distinction. Then it was too late, and I was cursed for all eternity."
She gave him a doubtful look as she hugged the pillow.
"I was thirty years old when I heard rumors of a village in Hungary. The people there were dying one by one, and no one knew why. I'd had some success with the plague by enforcing strict quarantines and rules of sanitation. I.. I thought I could help this village."
"So you went."
"Yes. In my pride, I thought I would be their savior. But when I arrived, I discovered the village wasn't plagued by a disease, but by hideous, murderous creatures."
"Vampires?" she whispered.
"They had taken over a castle and were feeding off the local people. I should have requested help from the Church, but in my vanity, I thought I could defeat them by myself. After all, I was a man of God." He rubbed his brow, trying to erase the shame and horror of his downfall. "I was wrong. On both counts."
She winced. "They attacked you?"
"Yes, but they didn't leave me to die like the others. They transformed me into one of their kind."
"Why?"
Roman scoffed. "Why not? I was their pet project. Turning a man of God into a demon from hell? It was a perverse game for them."
Shanna shuddered. "I'm so sorry."
Roman lifted his hands. "It's done. A pathetic story, really. A priest so immersed in his own pride that God saw fit to abandon him."
She stood, her eyes filled with pain. "You think God abandoned you?"
"Of course. You said it yourself. I'm a blood-sucking demon from hell."
She made a face. "I tend to be a bit dramatic at times. But now I know the truth. You were trying to help people when the bad guys attacked you. You didn't ask for it any more than I asked the Russian mafia to attack me and Karen." Her eyes shimmered with moisture as she slowly approached him. "Karen didn't ask to die. I didn't ask to lose my family or spend my life being hunted. And you didn't ask to become a vampire."
"I got what I deserved. And I became one of the bad guys, as you put it. You can't make me good, Shanna. I've done terrible things."
"I.. I'm sure you had your reasons."
He shifted forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Are you trying to exonerate me?"
"Yes." She stopped beside his chair. "The way I see it, you're still the same man. You invented synthetic blood to keep vampires from feeding off people, right?"
"Yes."
"Don't you see?" She knelt beside him so she could see his face. "You're still trying to save lives."
"It hardly makes up for the lives I have destroyed."
She looked at him sadly with tears in her eyes. "I believe there is good in you. Even if you can't believe it."
He swallowed hard and blinked to keep his own eyes from filling from tears. No wonder he needed Shanna. No wonder he cared for her so deeply. After five hundred years of despair, she'd touched his heart and planted a kernel of hope that had never existed before.
He stood and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly and never wanted to let her go. God's blood, he would do anything to be the man she believed him to be. He would do anything to be worthy of her love.
Ivan smiled at Angus MacKay. The huge Scotsman was pacing back and forth in front of him, glowering at him as if a few ferocious looks could actually scare him. The Highlanders had surrounded them as soon as Ivan and his entourage had entered the ballroom. Ivan, Alek, Katya, and Galina were escorted to a far corner and told to sit. With a nod, Ivan had let his followers know that they would comply. He made himself comfortable in the corner, flanked by his companions. The Scotsmen spread before them, each one fingering the leather hilt of his silver-plated dagger and looking eager to use it.
The threat was clear. A stab through the heart and Ivan's long existence would be over. The threat didn't scare him, though. Ivan knew he and his companions could simply teleport from the building whenever they liked. But for now, he was having too much fun playing with his alleged captors.
Angus MacKay marched back and forth in front of his men. "Tell me, Petrovsky, why are ye here tonight?"
"I was invited." He slipped his hand beneath his cummerbund.
In unison, the Highlanders took a threatening step forward.
Ivan smiled. "I'm just taking out my invitation."
Angus crossed his arms. "Proceed."
"Your boys are a bit high-strung," Ivan observed dryly. "No doubt it has something to do with wearing skirts."
A low growl emanated from the Highlanders. "Let me skewer the bastard," one of them muttered.
Angus held up a hand. "All in good time. For now, we havena finished our wee chat."
Ivan removed the paper from his cummerbund and unfolded it. The cellophane tape connecting the two halves gleamed in the overhead lighting. "This is our invitation. As you can see, we were undecided for a while, but finally my ladies here convinced me that it would be a.. blast."
"Exactly." Katya twisted to the side in her chair and crossed her legs so everyone could see her bare leg and hip. "I just wanted a bit of fun."
MacKay lifted a brow. "And what is yer idea of fun? Were ye planning to kill someone tonight?"
"Are you always this rude to your invited guests?" Ivan dropped the invitation on the floor and glanced at his watch. They'd been here fifteen minutes. By now, Vladimir should be locating the storage compartments of synthetic blood. The True Ones were about to strike a major victory.
MacKay towered over him. "Ye keep looking at yer watch. Give it to me."
"You've already emptied my pockets. Are you a pack of thieves?" Ivan took his time removing the watch. MacKay knew he was up to something. He just needed to stall for more time. With a resigned sigh, he placed the watch in MacKay's hand. "It's an ordinary watch, you know. I keep looking at it because so far, this party has been a dreadful bore."
"It is." Galina pouted. "No one has even danced with me."
MacKay handed the watch to one of his men. "Examine it."
With a tilt of his head, Ivan spotted the French coven master entering the ballroom with another Highlander.
Most of the guests turned to admire the Frenchman as he strolled across the room. Jean-Luc Echarpe. What a pathetic excuse for a vampire. Instead of feeding off mortals, the silly Frenchman was dressing them. And getting filthy rich in the process.
Ivan jerked his head to the side, causing a loud crack. That got everyone's attention. The guests were now focused on him. Ivan smiled.
Angus MacKay gave him a curious look. "What's the matter, Petrovsky? Is yer head not screwed on properly?"
The Highlanders chuckled.
Ivan's smile faded. Go ahead and laugh, you fools. When the explosives go off, we'll see who's laughing then.
Shanna stiffened in Roman's arms. She had wanted to give him comfort, but now that he was taking it, she was a little spooked by the fact that she was hugging a vampire. This was going to take a while to get used to. She pulled back, sliding her hands from his shoulders to his chest.
He kept a loose hold on her and studied her face. "Second thoughts? You haven't decided to kill me, have you?"
"No, of course not." She studied her right hand where it rested against his chest. Over his heart. The thought of a stake piercing him there was too awful to contemplate. "I could never hurt - " She blinked and looked at him in shock. "You have a heartbeat. I can feel it."
"Yes. But when the sun rises, it will stop."
"I - I thought - "
"That nothing in my body worked? I walk and talk, don't I? My body is digesting the blood I consumed. For my brain to function, it must be supplied with blood and oxygen. I need air in order to talk. None of this would be possible without a beating heart to supply blood throughout my body."
"Oh. I just thought vampires were.."
'Totally dead? Not at night. You know my body reacts to you, Shanna. You've known that since the first night we were in the backseat of Laszlo's car."
Her face heated with a blush. His huge erection certainly proved how well his body functioned once the sun went down.
He touched her warm cheek. "I've wanted you since that first night."
She moved out of his reach. "We can't.."
"I would never hurt you."
"Can you be sure about that? Do you have complete control over your.. ?"
His jaw clenched. "My evil impulses?"
"I was going to say your.. appetite." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I - I care for you, Roman. And I'm not just saying that out of gratitude for you rescuing me. I really do care. And I hate the way you've been suffering for so long - "
"Then be with me." He reached for her.
She stepped back. "How can I? Even if I can deal with the fact that you're a - a vampire, there's still the live-in girlfriends. The harem."
"They don't mean anything to me."
"They mean a lot to me! How can I possibly ignore the fact that you're screwing ten women on the side?"
He winced. "I should have known that would be a problem."
"Well, duh! Why on earth do you need so many of them?" Oh, jeez. Dumb question. Any man would probably jump at the chance.
With a sigh, he turned and paced back to the kitchen area. He tugged at the tie that hung loose around his collar. "It is an ancient tradition for every coven master to keep a harem. I have no choice but to honor that tradition."
"Yeah, right."
He pulled the tie free and tossed it on the kitchen table. "You don't understand vampire culture. The harem is a symbol of a coven master's power and prestige. Without them, I couldn't command any respect. I would be a laughingstock."
"Oh, poor baby! Trapped in an evil custom against your will. Wait a minute, I think my eyes are tearing up." Shanna held up her hands and waited a few seconds. "Oh no. False alarm. Probably allergies."
He scowled at her. "More likely indigestion from your acidic wit."
She glared back at him. "How amusing. Excuse me for not fawning over you like one of your ten harem girls."
"I wouldn't want you to."
She folded her arms across her chest. "That's why I left, you know. I found out you're a womanizing pig."
His eyes flashed. "And you're - " His angry expression slowly cleared into a look of wonder. "You're jealous."
"What?"
"You're jealous." With a grin, he whisked off his jacket with the flair of a victorious matador and draped it over the back of a kitchen chair. "You're so jealous, you can hardly stand it. You know what this means? It means you want me."
"It means I'm disgusted!" Shanna turned her back on him and paced toward the door. Damn him. He was far too clever. He knew she was attracted to him. But a vampire with a harem of ten women? If she was going to date a demon, he could at least be a faithful one. Good God. She couldn't believe she was in such a predicament. "Maybe I should contact the Justice Department in the morning."
"No. They cannot protect you like I can. They don't even know what kind of enemy they're facing."
That was true. As far as she could tell, her best chance for survival was with Roman. She leaned against the wall next to the door. "If I stay with you, it can only be temporary. There can't be any sort of relationship between us."
"Ah. You do not wish to kiss me again?" He stared at her so intently, she was ready to squirm.
"No."
"No touching?"
"No." Her heart rate quickened.
"You know I want you."
She swallowed hard. "It won't happen. You have a whole harem to keep you happy. You don't need me."
"I have never touched them. Not intimately."
Who was he fooling? Of all the ridiculous things to say. "Don't take me for an idiot."
"I'm serious. I've never physically shared a bed with any of them."
Anger spiked inside her. "Don't lie to me. I know you've had sex with them. They were talking about it, about how it had been a long time, and how they missed you."
"Exactly. It's been a long time."
"So, you admit it. You've had sex with them."
"Vampire sex."
"What?"
"It's purely a mental exercise. We're not even in the same room." He shrugged. "I simply plant the feelings and sensations into their brains."
"You mean it's some sort of mental telepathy?"
"Mind control. Vampires use it to manipulate mortals or communicate with each other."
Manipulate mortals? "That's how you got me to implant your tooth?" She winced. "I mean your fang. You tricked me."
"I had to make you see it as an ordinary tooth. I regret that I couldn't be completely honest, but under the circumstances, I felt I had no choice."
He had a point. She wouldn't have wanted to help him if she'd known the truth. "So you really didn't show up in the dental mirror."
His eyebrows shot up. "You remember that?"
"Sorta. Do you still have the splint in your mouth?"
"No. I had Laszlo remove it last night. I was so worried about you, Shanna. I could hardly function without you. I was calling to you mentally, hoping we still had a connection."
With a gulp, she recalled hearing his voice in her sleep, "I - I'm not comfortable with you invading my head whenever you feel like it."
"You needn't worry about that. You have an incredibly strong mind. The only way I can get in is if you let me."
"I'm able to block you?" That was good news.
"Yes, but when you let me in, our connection is stronger than any I have ever experienced before." He walked toward her, his eyes gleaming. "We could be so good together."
Oh Lordy. "It's not going to happen. You've already admitted that you're having sex with ten other women."
"Vampire sex. It's an impersonal experience. Each participant is alone in his or her bed."
Participant? Like a team of soccer players, working one ball down the field? "Are you saying you do it with all ten at the same time?"
He shrugged. "It's the most time efficient method of keeping them all satisfied."
"Oh my God." Shanna slapped a hand across her forehead. "Assembly line sex? You'd make Henry Ford proud."
"You may joke, but think about it." He pinned her with an intense gaze. "All sensations of touch and pleasure are registered in your mind. Your brain controls your breathing, your heart rate. It's the most erotic part of your body."
She felt a sudden urge to press her thighs together. "So?"
The corner of his mouth lifted. His eyes gleamed hotter, like molten gold. "It can be extremely satisfying."
Damn him. She locked her knees together. "You've never actually touched any of them?"
"I don't even know what they look like."
She stared at him, then shook her head. "I'm finding this hard to believe."
"Are you calling me a liar?"
"Well, not intentionally. It just seems too weird."
His eyes narrowed. "You do not believe such a thing exists?"
"I'm having a hard time believing you can satisfy ten women without laying a hand on them."
"Then I will prove to you that vampire sex is real."
"Yeah, right. How do you propose to do that?"
He smiled slowly. "By having it with you."