Carolyn tugged at her hand, trying to get free as Christian dragged her out of the bedroom, but she couldn't break his hold.

"Christian," she finally muttered. "I don't want to go downstairs. We have to talk about-"

"We'll keep talking," he promised. "I just want to grab some water first."

Carolyn opened her mouth to protest again, but paused as she recalled the bags of blood in the fridge. She'd quite forgotten about that what with one thing and another. She supposed though she really should find out about that now too, so held her tongue, curious to see if he'd allow her to see the blood or would try to hide it. That would tell her a lot about how much she could really trust him, she supposed and stopped trying to tug free.

When Christian glanced over his shoulder, she just shrugged and said, "I'm thirsty too."

He immediately relaxed and slowed down, his hold on her hand loosening as they started downstairs. Halfway down, he offered, "I can order food up too if you're hungry?"

"No, thank you," Carolyn murmured. She was kind of hungry, but if she was going to be naked around Christian, it seemed a good idea to try to rid herself of some of those curves of hers she thought with a sigh.

They were silent the rest of the way down. Carolyn had no idea what he was thinking, but her mind was spinning a bit, bouncing between the fact that his mother knew about them-how mortifying-and that he had a fridge full of blood which just seemed kind of strange to say the least. Although, she was sure there was a good explanation.

She just couldn't imagine what that might be.

Her gaze slid to Christian and she noted that he seemed deep in thought, his expression troubled. She wondered what he was thinking about, and then they were approaching the kitchen and she glanced ahead to spot Gia, Santo, Raffaele, and Zanipolo gathered around the kitchen counter.

Carolyn immediately recalled that she was in nothing but a T-shirt and was again about to try to tug her hand free of Christian's, but then noted that the foursome each had what appeared to be bags of blood pressed to their mouths. Gia's and Santo's were full, but Zanipolo and Raffaele's bags were both empty or nearly, and even as she noticed that, Zanipolo ripped his empty bag from his mouth and she caught a flash of fangs before he turned to toss the bag in the garbage.

Carolyn promptly stopped dead.

Drawn from his thoughts, Christian glanced to her in question. "Cara? What-?"

He paused abruptly and released her hand to move in front of her to raise her face with concern. "You've gone deathly pale, cara. Do you feel unwell again?"

Carolyn just stared up at him with a sort of horror and began to shuffle backward.

"Cara?" he repeated, his concern deepening. "What-?"

Carolyn didn't wait for more, her horror had suddenly given way to panic, and she whirled on her feet headed for the nearest exit, the front door. She knew he was following, but her fear gave her wings and she swore her feet barely touched the floor as she raced toward escape. She was just passing the stairs when the door ahead suddenly opened and Marguerite and Julius started into the villa.

Carolyn immediately changed direction, charging up the stairs instead.

"Christian?

What's going on?" she heard Julius ask.

"I don't know," he barked, and she could actually feel his breath on the back of her neck.

Carolyn was sure he would grab her at any minute, but he merely tailed her along the hall, staying close but not stopping her, and Carolyn began to realize he had no idea what she'd seen. He hadn't seen it. He'd been lost in thought. If she could just keep her head, she could get out of this, she told herself as she hurried through the bedroom door.

"Cara, what is it?" Christian repeated as he closed the door behind them. "Don't you feel well?"

"No," she muttered, grasping at the excuse, and turned toward the bathroom.

"What did you have for dinner?" he asked, following.

"I-"

She stopped abruptly at the door and turned to raise a hand to stop him. "I think I'm going to throw up."

His concern deepened. "Then I'll get you a cold, damp cloth and hold your head while you do."

Carolyn blinked at the offer. Her mother used to do that when she was a child, but no one since. Robert's idea of nurturing had been to say, "You look like hell. Go lie down so I don't have to look at you."

Her thoughts were distracted when Christian suddenly took her upraised hand. "You're trembling, and cold as ice. Is your blood sugar low again?"

When she stared at him blankly, he cursed and scooped her into his arms to carry her to the bed. He set her down gently, and pulled the blankets up to cover her, then brushed the hair from her face, frowning when he saw the tears pooling in her eyes.

"Don't cry. I'll run down to the main building and get you some juice. You'll feel better soon," he reassured her, caressing her cheek. "But don't get out of bed until I get back. I don't want you to fall and hurt yourself. I love you too much to lose you now. Okay?"

When she just stared, he bent to press a tender kiss to her lips, then straightened and hurried away, promising, "I'll be as quick as I can."

For one moment, Carolyn didn't move. Her mind was filled with the concern and caring on his face, the tenderness he'd shown and his vow of love. She was sure he cared for her. Perhaps there was an explanation.

For blood in the fridge and fangs? her friendly heckler asked dryly. Sure there is. You've stumbled into a den of vampires and are on the menu. Surely it isn't coincidence that you suddenly developed a blood problem after meeting him? Is it low blood sugar or just low blood?

Carolyn sat up abruptly. Surely he hadn't been feeding on her? She immediately began to check her arms and legs for bite marks, then felt her neck, but there was nothing that she could find. She was just relaxing when her heckler suggested, "Maybe he bit you where you can't see. The back of the neck, or between the legs, he seemed to like it down there when he tied you up and that would explain why you kept passing out at the end.

Carolyn leaped out of the bed, but then just turned in a circle as it occurred to her that she'd had the low blood sugar thing on the boat, before they'd ever had sex. It couldn't be because he'd bitten her.

Or maybe those erotic dreams weren't dreams at all, her heckler suggested. Maybe he's been coming to you in your sleep, like Dracula did to Lucy. Creeping in your window and doing things to you as he sucked you dry.

The heckler let that sink in and then added, Jack did say he thought Christian wanted you, body and soul. He just probably didn't know how right he was.

Carolyn was at the curtains, ripping them aside and slipping out through the French doors before that last thought was finished. She hurried down the stairs leading to the pool, sure with every step that someone would catch and stop her.

"Christian? Where are you going?"

He paused impatiently at the front door to glance back as his mother led Julius out of the kitchen. "Down to the main building. Carolyn's blood sugar is low again. I need to get her some juice."

"Well, you're not going like that," Julius said dryly.

"Get your ass upstairs and put on some pants. And you'll need your wallet if you plan to buy anything."

Christian glanced down, amazed to find he wore only the robe. Muttering under his breath, he hurried back to the stairs.

"Gia and the others were feeding when we got here," Marguerite announced, suddenly in front of him.

"That's nice," Christian said with disinterest and made to go around her.

"Did Carolyn see them feeding?"

The question made him glance at her with surprise.

"No, of course not."

"So they weren't feeding when you saw them in the kitchen as you approached?"

He blinked. "No. I mean, I don't think-I never really saw them, I was preoccupied with my thoughts, and Carolyn stopped suddenly and I looked at her and-"

He frowned as he recalled her expression. He'd been distracted by her pallor, but her expression had been-Cursing, Christian turned and hurried upstairs, aware that his parents were following. At the bedroom door he hissed, "Go away," and then pushed inside and glanced to the bed. When he found it empty, he crossed quickly to the bathroom and peered inside. It too was empty. Her dress was still there though, hanging from the shower door, and he grabbed it before he turned out of the room.

"She ran," Marguerite said sadly, drawing his attention to the fact that his parents had followed him into the room.

"She must have slipped out this way." Julius pulled the curtains aside to reveal that the French doors weren't completely closed.

Christian merely grunted and walked over to push past him. Julius didn't move, however, and said patiently, "Pants. You can't run around like that. You'll draw too much attention."

Cursing, he swung back to the room and accepted the pants his mother was already holding out. Still clutching the dress, he tugged them on and quickly shrugged out of the robe. But he didn't bother with a T-shirt or shoes, and simply headed for the French doors again.

"We'll come with you," Marguerite announced.

He paused abruptly and turned to shake his head. "No, I'll handle this."

"You can't control her," Julius pointed out.

"I don't need to control her. I'm just going to explain things and-She'll accept it. She loves me. Gia said so," he added and didn't like the desperate edge to his voice.

"And if she doesn't accept it?" Marguerite asked.

"Mother," he began grimly, and then forced himself to calm down and said, "Mom, I love you. And I know you two are trying to help. But you can't. This is my life, my lifemate. I have to do this on my own."

"But I can help you," Marguerite said, and moved forward, pleading, "Let me help you, son. I missed so much. I wasn't there for you for so long. Let me help you."

Christian smiled crookedly, and reached out to hug her tightly, saying, "You have nothing to make up for, you know. It's not your fault you weren't there for me these last five hundred years. I don't blame you for it, and you need to stop feeling guilty about it." Pulling back he added, "And you already have helped me. You brought me to her and you made sure we got to spend time together. Now, it's up to me. I can do this," he added firmly. "I have to."

She hesitated, and then stepped back, but said, "If you need help we are here. And there is no shame in asking us. I helped your brothers and sister with their lifemates. I will be more than happy to help with yours.

We both will," she added as Julius moved to slide his arm around her.

"Thank you," Christian said quietly, and slipped through the French doors.

"Caro? What on earth?" Bethany gasped, clutching her robe closed and gaping at Carolyn when she opened the door to find her on the doorstep in just the T-shirt.

"I'm sorry I woke you," Carolyn said as she slipped past her into the villa. "I didn't have my key."

"That's not all you don't have," Beth snapped, slamming the door. "Where are your clothes? And your purse? Did you have sex with that captain?"

"I'll explain later," Carolyn muttered, heading for her room.

"I don't think so, girl." Bethany caught her arm as she reached the door to her room. "You can't just come in from a date looking..." She paused and then simply waved at her bare feet and legs and said, "Looking like this and not explain yourself. What the hell happened?"

"I-It's-"

She gave up her efforts and cast a hunted look to the door as the bell rang. She knew at once it was Christian, and when Beth moved to the door, cried, "Don't answer it!"

Too late, Bethany was already pulling the door open.

Christian was on the stoop, her ruined dress in hand. He barely spared Beth a glance before spotting Carolyn.

When he started toward her, she turned with a squeak and hurried into her room. He was there before she could close the door though and she backed away, eyes searching frantically for an escape as he advanced into the room.

"Carolyn? Should I call security?" Bethany asked, appearing at the door, the villa's cordless phone in hand.

Christian turned and peered at her silently. After a moment, Bethany's face went blank. Then she set the phone on the bedside table and retreated, pulling the door closed behind her.

Carolyn gaped at the closed door, but then scrambled back as Christian started forward again. "What did you do to her?"

"I took control of her mind, made her relax, and sent her to her bed thinking everything was all right." She'll stay there until morning no matter what she hears. "

His words brought her up short and she breathed, "Oh, God, you really are a vampire."

"No, I am not a vampire," he said solemnly.

"You're lying," she said at once.

"I love you. I promised you I wouldn't lie to you, cara. And I'm not. I am not a vampire," Christian said firmly as his hands closed on her arms. It was only then that Carolyn realized she'd stopped backing up.

Forcing down the panic that tried to claim her, she remained perfectly still and said grimly, "I saw the blood in the fridge and Zanipolo's fangs. I-"

"There is an explanation if you will only listen," he said quietly. "Please, cara. Let me explain."

Carolyn was tempted, but said, "Show me your teeth."

Christian hesitated, and then opened his mouth to reveal perfectly normal teeth. No long incisors that could pierce bags and skin.

"You don't have fangs." She sagged against him with relief and his arms closed around her as she babbled, "Oh, my God. I thought-I was-When I saw them all in the kitchen and the blood and-I was ready to catch the first plane back to Canada," she admitted with horror, and then glanced at his face. "Was it some kind of joke? Or..."

Carolyn paused because while she really, really wanted to believe it was a joke, it had suddenly occurred to her that she'd never noticed Zanipolo or the others having fangs before tonight either. Not that she'd seen fangs on the others, but they'd had bags to their mouths as well...

And Christian had controlled Beth, she recalled. How could she have forgotten that he'd controlled Beth?

"Please let me explain," Christian said, apparently seeing the dawning realization on her face.

"Show me your fangs," she said grimly.

Much to her surprise, though he didn't look happy, he did open his mouth again. Only this time his incisors suddenly slid smoothly down out of his gums to make two fine points.

Carolyn stared at them and cried, "You said you weren't a vampire."

His teeth slid back and he said quickly, "I'm not. I'm an immortal."

Carolyn frowned, not having a clue what that was about other than it sounded much nicer than a vampire, but then her mind returned to her worries in the villa and she asked abruptly, "Have you been feeding on me?"

"No, I have never once bitten you," Christian assured her, but added apologetically, "Although, it was very close that time on the bus... and then again each time I've made love to you it has been a struggle not to bite you as well."

He sounded pained to admit it, but the very fact that he had made her believe him, and she asked, "Why? I mean, you have all that bagged blood, why bite anyone?"

"We don't," he assured her. "Except in cases of emergency or... er... mutual agreement. The situation on the bus would have fit under the emergency heading. I was low on blood, the sun was affecting me, and I almost bit you. But I didn't," he added quickly, and explained, "That's why I dumped you and ran off the bus. The horror on my face wasn't because I felt like you were raping me, as you imagined. I kissed you, not the other way around. I couldn't resist you. You smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, and then once I gave in and kissed you, I couldn't resist touching you, but that just made it worse.

I wanted to rip your clothes off, push you down on the bench seat and sink my teeth into you as I claimed you with my body and I just...."

Carolyn felt her body responding to his words and the memory of that day. That and the recollection of the sudden explosion of passion that had rolled over her then, combined now with the picture he painted of what he had wanted to do and made an echo of that passion roll up through her again. She wasn't even put off by the thought of his biting her as he made love to her, Carolyn realized with dismay, and forced the memories away to ask, "And were you low on blood last night and again tonight when we-"

"No," Christian assured her, and then cleared his throat and admitted, "I was just overexcited."

"Overexcited?" she asked uncertainly, not sure what that had to do with biting.

His expression pained, he admitted, "When I'm with you, cara, I just lose it. I want to touch and lick and kiss you everywhere, and I want to make love to you in every position in every place in that villa-Hell, every place in the world. But the lifemate passion rolls over me and I lose control and our bodies are merged, and our senses are merged, and it's a real struggle not to sink my teeth into you and merge with you in blood too."

"Oh dear," Carolyn breathed. His words were just making the desire that had been slithering through her stronger. Or perhaps it was his arms around her, and his scent enveloping her, or the erection growing against her belly, Carolyn thought, and then noticed that his eyes were more silver than black as she'd seen on several occasions.

"You aren't wearing colored contacts, are you?"

Christian shook his head. "My eyes flare silver when I need blood."

"So you need blood now?" she asked uncertainly.

"No, I had several bags while waiting for you to return from your date last night," he assured her, and then cleared his throat and admitted, "They also go silver when I want you."

Carolyn blinked, and asked with disbelief, "So it's like an ocular boner?"

He gave a startled laugh, but nodded. "Basically, yes, I suppose it is."

"Huh," she muttered staring into his eyes, and shifting against him, which only seemed to increase the excitement shimmering through her.

"Cara?"

"Hmm?" she asked, shifting again.

"You have to stop doing that, or we won't get to finish our talk," Christian said in a pained voice.

"Stop what?" she asked with surprise, shifting again to lean back a bit.

"That," he said grimly, reaching for her hips to hold her in place so she'd stop unintentionally rubbing against him.

"Oh." Carolyn felt herself flush. But every shift had sent shivers of pleasure through her and she was terribly aware that she was in his arms in nothing but a T-shirt, and that he had both an ocular and a penile boner and... Gees, she'd just discovered how good sex could be. "Ummm,... Christian?"

"Yes?"

Carolyn raised her head again, her blush deepening.

"Maybe we could talk on the bed?" she suggested, and then breathed, "Wow," as the silver completely overtook his eyes and turned molten. It was accompanied by a definite growth spurt against her belly too. Christian growled, his arms tightening around her and his head lowering toward hers, and then suddenly jumped away as if he'd been burned.

"No," he growled, and then softened the rejection by saying, "Believe me, I want to, but we have to talk first. I don't want to be overwhelmed by passion and then wake up only to find you have panicked and fled. I need to explain everything so you understand and feel safe."

"I feel safe," Carolyn assured him, feeling bereft now that his arms were no longer around her. "You're an immortal, not a vampire. You drink bagged blood, have never bitten me, and you really, really want me," Carolyn said, smiling as a sense of power she'd never experienced before swept through her. She felt desirable, beautiful even. Wanted. This gorgeous man's eyes were glowing for her, his body hardening. She had no idea how or why she affected him so, but just the fact that she did was one hell of a turn-on.

It made her want to test her new powers.

"Caro," Christian growled in warning.

"What?" she asked innocently.

His eyes narrowed. "You have a very naughty look on your face. Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't. We need to have this talk."

"Naughty?" she asked with a throaty chuckle.

"Yes," he said firmly. "Naughty."

"And if I did do anything naughty, would you spank me?" she asked with interest.

"Caro-"

"And what is considered naughty? Would borrowing your T-shirt without permission be naughty?" she asked.

"It probably is. I should give it back."

Carolyn saw his eyes widen with realization, but she was already pulling his shirt off over her head and walking toward him.

Christian immediately began to back away. When the back of his legs hit the bed, he dropped with dismay to sit on it. His voice was tortured when he said, "Cara, we need to talk. I can't risk losing you. I love and need you too much. You're my lifemate."

"You won't lose me." She stepped between his legs and glided her fingers into his hair. When he raised his head to meet her gaze, she said, "Immortal or even vampire, I don't care what you are. I need you too much too. You make me laugh and smile and happy. And you make me feel beautiful and desirable and I've never felt that way in my life. I've never enjoyed such passion or pleasure. My life was a wasteland before you, and now it's an orgy of pleasure. I'm not giving that up easily," she assured him.

"I love you for all of that and much more. You're stuck with me. You'll have to kick me out of your life when you tire of me, and then I'll probably stalk you like a crazy lady. But I'm done running."

"You are my lifemate, cara, I will never tire of you," he vowed, his hands rising to clasp her by the waist and turn her onto the bed.

"What's a lifemate?"

Christian blinked his eyes open to find Carolyn leaning over him, her hair framing his face. Smiling wryly, he said, "Good morning to you too."

"It's only three thirty, not morning yet," she assured him. "What's a lifemate? You've called me that two or three times now."

"A lifemate is the one person we cannot read or control who can be a proper mate to us. With them we can enjoy shared dreams, shared pleasure, and passion beyond measure, but we can also relax and not guard our thoughts with them," he answered solemnly.

"And I'm that for you?" Carolyn asked with surprise.

He nodded.

She considered that and then frowned. "How do you know? I mean, what if you've got the wrong girl?"

Christian grinned at her worry. "Do you remember on the beach when I smoothed cream into your back and started to make love to you on the lounger before Beth called to interrupt us?"

Her eyes and mouth went round, and then she gasped, "But that was a dream."

"A shared dream," he corrected.

"You mean you and I-?"

He nodded. "As were the other dreams. It is a sign of a lifemate, as is eating again, not being able to read their mind or control them. As well as the shared pleasure."

"Shared pleasure?" she asked.

"When I make love to you I experience your pleasure as my own," he said quietly. "And so will you feel mine."

"I don't recall feeling-"

"When you touched me on the terrace," he prompted, and slow realization dawned on her face. "I distracted you then and have tried to keep you from touching me since because I couldn't explain it without telling you everything and I worried you weren't ready for it." He hadn't given her the chance to touch him tonight yet either. Her admission of love had quite overset him earlier and it had been a very short, passionate session before they'd both been screaming and passing out. His thoughts scattered as he felt her fingers slide down his chest toward his groin.

Christian's gaze shot to hers, but knowing she was testing out the shared pleasure, he simply watched her face as her fingers found and closed around his suddenly awakening member. Her eyes widened at the first touch, but then drifted shut as she closed her hand around him and drew it along his growing length. His own eyes drifted closed, so Christian was taken completely by surprise when she suddenly climbed to straddle his hips.

* * *

Blinking his eyes open, he found himself staring with amazement. She was smiling. Carolyn knew exactly how she was affecting him and was reveling in it. Enjoying the power she wielded, she grinned wickedly and lowered herself, taking him into herself in a slow, torturous manner that had him clenching his fists to keep from grabbing her hips and taking control. A relieved groan slid from his lips when he was finally buried inside her to the hilt, but her torture wasn't over yet. Grin widening, Carolyn leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips, then slowly began to move, apparently determined to drive him wild with her slow torment. It was sexy as hell.

"Why do we faint each time?"

Christian opened his eyes, expecting Carolyn to be leaning over him again, but this time she lay on her side beside him, head on her upraised hand as she waited for him to explain why they fainted at the end of each lovemaking session.

He hesitated, his brain slow to wake fully, and then answered, "That happens with lifemates for the first year or so."

"All lifemates experience this?" she asked, running her fingers lightly along his arm.

Christian, raised his arm, and drew her against his chest before lowering it again. Running his own hands down her back, he admitted, "I have only heard of one couple who it didn't happen for right away."

When she tilted her head up in question, he kissed her forehead, and murmured, "My cousin Vincent and his lifemate, Jackie."

She raised her eyebrows. "Weren't they lifemates then?"

"Yes, but Jackie had a bad experience with an immortal as a teenager," he explained, his hand finding her breast. Pleasure slid through him at once and his voice became a little rough as he continued, "My mother believes the experience caused an ingrained wariness that made her erect a natural wall that wouldn't allow their minds to merge fully until she learned to trust him completely.

After a couple of weeks they apparently started fainting as well."

"Oh." Carolyn breathed, arching into his caress, and then mumbled, "You have a lot of cousins."

"More than you can imagine, cara. And they will be yours too," he assured her, pulling her to straddle his thighs as he sat up.

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