“Perhaps I’ll tell you the story one of these days.”
Sheree nodded, thinking she would love to hear it. But there was something else she was curious about. “Where did you get this car?”
“I . . . uh, borrowed it from a parking lot. And right now, we’re going to return it before someone misses it. And then we’re going home.”
Home, Sheree thought. Nothing had ever sounded so good.
It was dark when Sheree and Mara returned to the castle. Logan, Derek, Edna, and Pearl were seated in the great hall. Sheree noted they all looked well fed. It was easy to see once you knew what to look for.
Sheree hugged Derek and exchanged greetings with the other three vampires, but her attention was fixed on the large brown case on one of the side tables. She shivered as Edna lifted the lid and rummaged inside. For better or worse, Sheree thought, her future lay inside that ugly brown box.
“So,” Pearl said, lifting a small bottle from the case, “tomorrow night we’ll administer this and then . . .” She shook the vial, causing the dark red liquid to slosh back and forth.
“And then what?” Sheree asked, her voice sharper than she intended. Her blood was in the mix, after all.
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Edna answered.
“Am I supposed to drink it?” Derek asked, eying the bottle’s contents.
“Yes, dear. It should be quite tasty, if a little tart.”
“The original serum was given by injection,” Mara said.
Edna nodded. “But Pearl thinks, in this case, drinking it will be more effective and faster acting.”
“What’s the gun for?” Sheree asked.
“For you, dear,” Pearl said. “It’s loaded with silver.”
“Why do I need a gun?” Sheree asked, and immediately felt as if she had just asked the stupidest question in the world as all eyes swung in her direction. “Oh.”
Derek slipped his arm around her shoulders. “It was my idea. Silver isn’t just effective against vampires,” he said flatly. “But werewolves, too.”
“You don’t expect me to shoot you?”
“Damn right! If I come after you, it’s the only thing that will stop me.”
Logan glanced at Mara. “So, what’s the plan? We lock Derek in the dungeon, slip him the serum, and hope for the best?”
“It doesn’t sound like much when you put it that way,” Derek said.
“Have you got a better plan?” Mara asked.
“After you lock me up, don’t let Sheree out of your sight. I don’t want a repeat of what happened last time, if I can help it.”
“I want to stay with you,” Sheree said.
“No! Not this time. No one knows how this stuff will affect me. I don’t want you anywhere near me.” He held up one hand, staying the argument he saw coming. “This isn’t open for discussion, wife.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. “I’ve put your life in danger too many times already. I won’t knowingly do it again.”
Pearl cleared her throat. “I think you should feed again tonight,” she said, placing the vial back in the case. “Drink as much as you can hold. It will strengthen your resistance. And whatever you do, don’t eat any meat.”
“All right. Anything else?”
“If Sheree’s willing, you should drink from her, as well.”
“Of course,” Sheree said, “as much as he needs.”
“Anything else?” Derek asked gruffly.
“I think that about covers it,” Pearl said. “Edna?”
“Nothing comes to mind.”
“If we’re done here,” Derek said, taking Sheree by the hand, “I’m going to go make love to my wife.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Later that night, Sheree lay curled against Derek’s side. He had made love to her with such exquisite tenderness, it had brought tears to her eyes because every kiss, every caress, had felt like good-bye.
He ran his fingertips along her lower lip. “Don’t be sad, love.”
“Is it possible to be happy and sad at the same time?”
His knuckles slid ever so lightly down her chin to the curve of her throat. “I can’t be sad while you’re with me.” His gaze moved over her face, as if to memorize every line. “However this turns out, always remember I love you.”
Sheree blinked back her tears. “Everything will be all right. I have to believe that. You have to believe that. I don’t want to go on without you. No matter what happens, we’ll face it together.”
“All right, wife,” he said with a wry smile.