How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire(46)

"When did they find you?"

"At the battle of Solway Moss." Connor sighed. "There was never peace for long in my bonnie Scotland. It made a prime hunting ground for dying warriors. I had crawled under a tree to die.

Roman found me and asked if I was willing to fight again for a noble cause. I was in so much pain, I doona remember much. I must have said yes, for Roman transformed me that night."

Shanna swallowed hard. "Do you resent what happened to you?"

Connor looked surprised. "Nay, lass. I was dying. Roman gave me a reason to exist. Angus was there, too. He changed over Ian. By 1710, Roman had acquired a large army of vampires. Angus was his general. I was a captain." Connor smiled proudly.

"And then you marched on Casimir?"

"Aye, it was a bloody war and raged on for three nights. Those who were wounded and too weak to move would fry when the sun rose. On the third night, shortly before sunrise, Casimir fell. His followers fled."

"And Petrovsky was one of them?"

"Aye. But we'll be getting him soon. Doona worry about that." Connor stood and stretched. "I'd best get to my rounds."

"I suppose Roman is up by now."

Connor grinned. "Aye. I'm sure he is." He strode from the kitchen, his red and green kilt swinging about his knees.

Shanna heaved a big sigh. So Roman had told the truth about his crimes. He had killed and transformed mortals into vampires. But he had transformed those who were already dying, and his purpose had been a noble one. He defeated Casimir, the evil vampire who enjoyed torturing innocent people.

It was a violent past Roman had, but it was one that she could accept. In spite of Casimir's attempts to vilify him, Roman had remained a good man. He'd always sought to protect the innocent and save mortals. Yet he was so filled with remorse, he believed God had abandoned him. She needed to get through to him somehow and ease his pain. Their personal relationship might be doomed, but she still cared about Roman, and she couldn't stand for him to suffer anymore. She wandered into the hall and headed for the stairs.

"Oh, Shanna!" Maggie stood at the opening to the parlor.

The double doors were open, and Shanna could see the harem inside. Aw, jeez. She really didn't want to see these women.

"Shanna, come on." Maggie grabbed her by the arm and tugged her toward the parlor. "Look, everybody! It's Shanna."

The harem girls all gave her glowing smiles.

What the hell were they up to? Shanna didn't trust their newfound friendliness one bit.

Vanda came forward with an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry I was rude to you." She touched a lock of Shanna's hair. "This color suits you."

"Thank you." Shanna took a step back.

"Don't go." Maggie grabbed her arm. "Come in and join us."

"Yes," Vanda agreed. "We'd like to welcome you to the harem."

Shanna gasped. "Excuse me? I'm not joining your harem."

"But you and Roman-you are lovers now, non?" Simone curled up in the corner of the couch.

"I – I really don't think it's any of your business." How on earth did they know what had happened?

"Don't be so touchy," Vanda said. "We all like Roman."

"Oh." Simone sipped from a wineglass. "I have come all ze way from Paris to be wiz him."

Anger sizzled in Shanna. Anger at Roman and these ladies, but mostly anger at herself. She shouldn't have gotten so involved with him while he still had all these women on the side. "What happens between Roman and myself is private."

Maggie shook her head. "It's very hard to be private amongst vampires. I overheard Roman when he asked to make love to you."

"What?" Shanna's heart lurched toward her throat.

"Maggie's very good at picking up thoughts," Vanda explained. "When she heard Roman, she alerted the rest of us, and we all asked Roman to let us join in on the fun."

"What? " Sparks of fire shot off in Shanna's head.

"Relax." Darcy gave her a worried look. "He didn't let them in."

"He was so h-rude!" Simone huffed.

"It was awful." Maggie crossed her arms, frowning. "We've waited so long for Roman to take an interest in sex again. And then, when he finally does, he wouldn't let us play."

"It was terrible." Vanda sighed. "We're his harem. We have a right to share vampire sex with him, but he blocked us out."

Shanna stared at them, agape, with her heart pounding in her chest.

"I do declare," the Southern belle said, "I have never felt so rejected in all my life."

"You-" Shanna struggled to breathe. "All of you tried to join us?"

Vanda shrugged. "Once someone initiates vampire sex, anyone can join in."

"That's how it's supposed to be," Maggie agreed. "We asked twice to participate, but Roman kept blocking us out."

"He even fussed at us." Simone pouted on the couch.

"There was so much arguing and mental shouting going on," Maggie continued, "that even the

Highlanders got into the fight and told us to leave Roman alone."

Shanna groaned inwardly. No wonder the Scotsmen had been smiling at her. Did everyone in the house know what she and Roman had been doing? Her face heated up.

"You will have sex again tonight, non?" Simone asked.

"That's why we want you to join the harem," Maggie said with a friendly smile.

"Yes." Vanda smiled, too. "Then, Roman can make love to all of us."

"No, no." Shanna shook her head and backed away. "Never!" She ran before the harem could see any tears on her face. Damn! Now she knew why Roman had disappeared twice last night. He'd put her on hold in order to answer the deluge of mental calls from his harem. The whole time he'd been making psychic love to her, he'd been forced to expend mental energy to block the harem out. It was like they were making love with a bunch of peeping Toms trying to see in the window.

She ran up the stairs to the first floor. Shock turned to horror, then to raw pain. How could she have gotten herself into such a horrid mess?

By the time she reached the second floor, tears were streaming down her face. How could she have been so stupid? She should have never let Roman into her head. Or into her bed. And certainly not into her heart. When she reached the third floor, the pain morphed into anger. That damned harem!

And damned Roman. How dare he keep a harem while claiming to care about her? On the fourth floor, she headed to her room, then stopped. The anger was burning at full blaze, too hot to be controlled. She stormed up to the fifth floor.

The guard there gave her a knowing smile.

She wanted to slap that smile off his face. She gritted her teeth. "I'd like to see Roman."

"Aye, lass." The Highlander opened Roman's office door.

She strode inside and shut the door. Roman might have survived the Great Vampire War of 1710, but he was about to face an even worse terror.

A mortal female in full rage.

                       
       
           



       CHAPTER 20

Roman lay in bed thinking, and foremost in his thoughts was Shanna. Last night had been wonderful, but at the same time aggravating. He'd had to expend too much energy blocking out those women downstairs. God's blood, he hated being stuck with them. He didn't even know all their names. He'd never spent any real time with them. During vampire sex, he'd simply imagined making love to a woman's body. It might have felt good to the harem ladies, but the body he imagined might as well have belonged to VANNA. It wasn't real. It wasn't any of them.

It wasn't even Shanna. That, too, had annoyed him. He had imagined Shanna in his mind, but he knew it wasn't really her. He didn't know what she looked like naked, and now his imagination wasn't enough. He wanted the real thing. And he believed she did, too. Last night she had complained about not being able to touch him or hold him.

He had to complete that formula he was working on. If he could stay awake during the day, he could protect Shanna around the clock. He could also be alone with her at a time when other vampires couldn't interfere. And if he could convince Shanna to live with him, then his ability to be awake during the day would allow her to maintain a more normal lifestyle.

He jumped out of bed and took a hot shower. He wanted to see her tonight, but he also needed to go to Romatech. The rest of the week would be filled with the conference. He, Angus, and Jean-Luc needed a plan of action for dealing with the Malcontents, particularly now that they knew Petrovsky was their leader. And getting rid of Petrovsky would not only make the world safer for law-abiding, modern Vamps, but safer for Shanna.

Roman smiled to himself. Even with a vampire war imminent, he couldn't keep his mind off her. She was so different. So raw and honest with her emotions. While in her mind, he'd tried to detect her feelings for him. She was adjusting fairly well to the reality of his being a vampire, mostly because she had such a kind, compassionate heart. When he called her sweetness, he meant it. She had a true, sweet nature that he loved.

He chuckled as he toweled himself dry. She could also be fearless and feisty when upset. He loved that about her, too. He hoped with all his heart that she could fall in love with him. That would be perfect, since he was already in love with her.