"Like it or not, he's coming for you," Salem said. "Probably just getting hisself cleaned up. Letting his wounds heal a bit."

Morgana grinned. "Ah, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak?"

He chuckled.

Bettina narrowed her gaze. "You're both happy, celebratory."

In a deadpan tone, Morgana said, "Yes, goddaughter. We are pleased that you don't have to wed a giant toadlike creature." They both chuckled.

"I'm going to lose someone tomorrow," Bettina said gravely. "I'm going to have to watch him die."

In a harsh tone, Salem said, "Cas is a big boy. If he wants to live, he'll bloody figure out how to win. I've faced worse odds."

At times like this, Bettina recognized that Salem was harder-and colder-than she'd initially supposed. He could be playful and teasing, but beneath that front, a calloused phantom warrior lurked. She parted her lips to ask him about his curse-

Without warning, Daciano traced into the room. Bettina scrambled to her feet again.

The vampire wasted no time, telling Morgana, "I have much to discuss with my queen in private, and you are in our rooms."

Our rooms?

"Ordering me about? Deference would serve you well just now," Morgana said, all earlier signs of relaxation replaced with ire as she rose. "It's one thing for me to tease Bettina that you're as good as king of Abaddon, it's another for you to act like it. For now, you're merely the king of foregone conclusions."

"What do you want?"

"It seems that I stand between you and something you desire"-she waved at Bettina wide-eyed by the bed-"I can put your discussion on hold indefinitely."

"You try to keep me from what's mine, and I will end you, Morgana."

Bettina gawked at his tone. Morgana allowed Raum to get away with his blustering, because that was all it would ever be. But this quiet menace coming from the vampire was something else entirely.

"Though I've put you on your knees before and could easily do it again, I'm feeling magnanimous. Let's bargain, shall we? I'll turn a blind eye toward this little liaison. But I want the scythe."

The accessory Morgana "must possess."

"What purpose would that serve?"

"I'm sentimental that way. Hand it over and"-again she indicated Bettina-"enjoy."

Bettina was appalled. "You can't just trade me! I'm not a bargaining chip."

"In fact, that's exactly what you are, freakling."

While Bettina sputtered for a reply, Daciano disappeared. An instant later, he returned, brusquely tossing the staff to Morgana.

"Wise choice." She caught it in one hand, twirling it like a baton. "Just my size!" Turning toward the door, she said over her shoulder, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Which means naught in the definitive sense."

And then she was gone.

Daciano started for Bettina, only to pause and narrow his eyes. "Phantom."

Salem had remained?

"I discovered a way to kill an unkillable being tonight," the vampire said. "Watch my queen bathe again, and next I'll discover how to gut a sylph. Now, begone."

"Right you are, Your Kingness," Salem said with a chuckle, but then he did disappear.

Leaving her alone with Daciano. "There's nothing like being bartered for a weapon to make one feel like chattel," she snapped. "You're just as bad as she is."

"I want you as my wife, my queen. But I want you freely given." He began advancing on her with the same dark look of hunger that he'd had in the folly. I can see where I would kill to be. . . .

With a swallow, she started retreating.

"I gave up something very valuable for the chance to convince you that you are mine."

"I-I can't be with you. Not like this."

He stalked her around the bed. "The first time I was in this bed with you, I believed I was about to make love to you. The last time we were together here, you dreamed of me taking you. Why would you deny us?"

Trehan's eyes narrowed with realization. "It's because of him, isn't it?" Earlier, instead of cheering for Trehan after his match, Bettina had slipped her gaze up to Caspion, her wide eyes full of sadness.

Then she'd hastened away from the ring without a word, without any acknowledgment.

Trehan had barely registered his victory, or even his injuries-until they'd continued to bleed. He'd ordered his squire to bandage his chest, then forced himself to wait for enough regeneration to stem the blood loss.

Trehan had felt no pain, the need to mate overwhelming him. Now that he could claim her without repercussions, nothing would stand in his way.

Nothing. Least of all Caspion the Tracker.

"Be careful, female. One day I will reach my limit. One day you will convince me you want him above all others." After last night, Trehan had thought they'd come to an understanding.

Maybe he'd only imagined how agonized she'd been during his battle, wanting something so badly he'd conjured it in his own mind. Would he never win her?

Perhaps not her affections-but after tonight's victory, she was his by right. I've as good as won this tournament.

"It isn't like that," Bettina said. "I've told you why I feel this way. I can't make love to the male who will murder my best friend."

Best friend? Could it possibly be . . . ?

"I barely made it through tonight," she said, her voice despairing. "I can't take another round of this!" She rubbed her forehead, sending her mask askew, and with it, his traitorous heart.

Damn it! Exhaling a breath, he asked, "What if I told you there was a way for both Caspion and me to survive tomorrow?"

She stopped backing away. "How? Is it possible?"

"Would you yield to me tonight?"

She rushed up to him. "Tell me how!"

"I've found an escape clause in the rules. But I must explain it later-my need is great, and my control is slipping. Do you trust me?"

"Can you vow to me that you'll both live?"

"I vow it."

"You and Cas will both survive?"

"Yes. Now do you yield-"

She leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around him, kissing his face. Her clasped hands knocked against his injured neck, her breasts against his bandaged chest; yet he felt nothing but pleasure.

For the first time since this nightmarish tournament had begun, Bettina felt hope.

Daciano had told her that both he and Caspion would survive. He never lied. "I believe you, vampire. I trust you."

When he traced her to the bed, she laughed against his lips.

His curled in turn. "My merry sorceress. All will be well." He removed her mask, slipping it into his pocket.

"You're so good to me, Daciano."

"Call me Trehan."

She brushed a dark lock of hair from his forehead, well aware that she was gazing up at him dreamily. "Trehan."

"I will protect you, Bett. No queen will be more treasured than mine." Even as he said these tender promises, tension radiated from his body. "Tomorrow, I wed you. Tonight, I claim you forever. Eternitate." He slanted his mouth over hers, fiercely taking her lips.

I'm truly about to make love? Her introduction to passion had only whetted her curiosity.

As she met his fierce kiss, she recalled how his shaft had pulsated against her tongue. Would it do that inside her? She replayed feeling his hot seed on her hand-and watching it arc thickly over his torso. Now, with her tongue twining his, she imagined his semen flooding deep into her body, filling her.

Her sex dampened from the mere idea.

His kisses grew more demanding, scattering her thoughts. Between his sensuous forays at her mouth, he began undressing her. She eagerly assisted.

Arching her back as he removed her shirt. Arms raised as he bared her breasts. Hips up as he tore free her panties.

When he broke away to remove his own clothes, she opened her eyes, realizing he'd stripped her of everything but her jewelry.

Yet once he'd returned to bed, she noticed the injuries marring his mighty warrior's body. He had a swath of bandage tied tightly around his chest. "How badly were you hurt?"

"I feel little pain." His voice was roughened, his jaw now clenched. That tension rolled off him. His eyes were fully black as his gaze raked over her naked body.

Bettina's excitement dimmed; his control was slipping. He looked like he was about to launch himself at her.

Her human friends had spoken about losing their virginity, had described the pain they'd felt-and they hadn't mated a thousand-year-old vampire who was strong enough to defeat a primordial!

Then his eyes dropped to the pulse she could feel fluttering in her neck. This time he didn't stare at it with mere lust; he looked ravenous.

She'd accepted that lovemaking would hurt at first. But did she have to get bitten as well? To experience so many milestones at one time-after the night she'd had-seemed . . . excessive.

Still, when he caught her gaze and laid his palm between her breasts, she found herself easing back under the firm press of his hand.

"Open for me, love."

She hesitantly spread her legs. He knelt between them, his erection jutting hungrily between his narrow hips. The head was bulbous, daubed with seed. When he planted a fist on either side of her head and leaned over her on straightened arms, his thick shaft bobbed above her belly.

She couldn't help but note that it appeared even more swollen than it had the night before.

His onyx eyes again landed on her pulse. "Tell me I can do anything to you."

If a vampire's exceedingly thirsty or inexperienced . . . "Um, wait, Daciano." All the desire she'd felt began to evaporate, replaced by apprehension. "I can't say that."

Some big steps can come later, right?" she asked Trehan. "Like maybe in the near future. But not tonight."

His Bride was supposed to yield! Yet now she was about to tell him that she didn't want him inside her. Denying my claim?

She was glorious beneath him with her shining braids spreading over her pillow, her pert breasts taunting him to touch, her lustrous eyes gazing up at him. Bettina was his treasure. Comoara mea. But now she seemed distant.

He wanted them connected completely; she felt a thousand miles away.

Chapter 43

There could be only one reason for her hesitation. "Big steps," he said in a toneless voice. Again and again he'd surrendered his exquisite prize.

Not tonight.

"I mean, maybe we could just . . ."

She can't even say the words. She knows better than to say them!

"Can we just make love?" she said in a rush.

His weakened arms began to shake, forcing him to sink down on his forearms. "You've lost me, Bett. What big step were you musing about?"

Looking anywhere but at his face, she said, "Um, bite play."

"Pardon?"

"Losing my . . . virginity is, well, a big step for me. And maybe we could save your first bite for later. I'm not saying never, just not everything at once."

Relief soughed through him. "Bite play, is it?" Even in the midst of his body's craven need . . . even though he was wounded . . . he had to stifle a grin, not wanting to embarrass her.

"Maybe we could experiment with those kinds of things later?"

My virgin Bride is naked beneath me, talking about experimenting. How will I last?

"I want you to make love to me." Her cheeks and throat flushed with blood, tempting him to take a nip. But he wouldn't have, even before she'd voiced her concerns. "I-I really want you to. But I just need to take other things slowly."

Now that he understood what she was talking about, he could recognize the new tension in her body, the blunted desire. She wasn't nervous-she was afraid.

"Look at me, love." When she did, he said, "I can't drink from you anyway." What I do tonight affects us eternally.

"You can't?"

"I have to keep control to make this good for you, perfect for you." He wanted to make love to her till dawn, to give her memories to last an immortal's lifetime-and to coax more of her affections. Capitalize on her passion . . .

If it proved perfect, she would fall for him. He had to believe that. "Remember when I told you how often I've envisioned this? I never once considered biting you during your first time."

"You don't think about it?"

A humorless laugh. "Ah, Bettina, it's a fevered fantasy of mine. And it will remain so for now." Because perfect would be hard won tonight.

Already his injuries would hamper him. With both his cock and fangs deep in her body, he'd probably come in an instant, and he feared that once he emptied himself inside her, he'd weaken even more.

She cast him a brilliant smile. "Then you do understand?" He could feel her relaxing beneath him. "My human friends told me that there'd be pain-and they'd only been with mortal males."

"I'll do everything I can to spare you hurt," he said, drawing back to sit up. "Come." When he held out his hand, she rose up on her knees and climbed over to him, her sweet breasts quivering.

Pulling her sideways across his lap, he leaned back against the headboard, hissing in a breath from the pain in his wounded neck-and from the pleasure of her bottom gliding over his engorged shaft.

Once he had his arms around her, he brought his forehead against hers. "I'm going to touch you inside, make you ready for me." He cupped a possessive hand between her legs, massaging her there.

Eyes languid, she nodded. So trusting. So innocent.

With teasing caresses, he rubbed the pad of his forefinger over her clitoris. When he felt the little bud swell, he dipped his finger to her opening, just inside her core, stirring her. "Do you like that?" Her first time to be penetrated . . .

"Yes!"

"Deeper?"

In answer, she eased her thighs open for more.

He began sliding his finger farther inside, stunned by the snug heat that gloved it. She was already slick-but so tight. His cock jerked beneath her. Like me, it's hungry for the virgin flesh I'm exploring.

When his finger moved deep inside her, she gasped. "Oh! That feels . . . good." Her lids were growing heavy, her breaths shallow. Her irises sparkled.