erik brushed a kiss across her cheek, marveling at the sweetness of her scent, the warm silk of her skin. he had lived for centuries. he possessed powers beyond compare. yet this woman, this fragile human woman, had woven a spell around him he couldn't break.

he felt the coming of dawn and with it a sense of heaviness, as if an invisible hand was weighing him down, trying to bury him in the earth where he belonged. though he hated to leave daisy, he needed to be away from her house and safely out of the sun's reach.

he brushed a kiss across her brow. she smiled faintly, making him wonder if she was dreaming of him, dreaming of the two of them locked in each other's arms. the thought of holding her body against his, of running his tongue over her skin, tasting her lips, her blood, aroused him instantly.

muttering an oath, he dissolved into mist and fled the house before he put thought to deed. moments later, he materialized inside his hotel room. he had left strict instructions at the desk that he wasn't to be disturbed during the day. still, he had not survived this long by trusting his fate to others. he quickly set wards around the door and the windows. his preternatural power, combined with his witchcraft, afforded all the protection he needed.

he took a quick shower and then, with his strength being leeched away by the rising sun, he fell facedown on the bed and surrendered to the darkness. and though he hadn't dreamed since the night he became a vampire, on this day, he dreamed of making love to daisy.

and in his dream, he wasn't a vampire and she wasn't the blood thief.

chapter 26

daisy awoke slowly, reluctant to leave the beautiful dream she had been having. sighing, she turned onto her side and closed her eyes, hoping to recapture the wonder of it. the magic of it. it had seemed so real...just her and erik, sharing a candlelight dinner beneath a canopy of summer stars, dancing to music only they could hear, walking along a moonlit path, pausing now and then to kiss in the shadows. and then, in the way of dreams, the scene had changed and they were lying on a pile of furs in a room with a ceiling made of glass. the moon smiled down on them as erik drew her into his arms. and in the way of dreams, she never thought to wonder where their clothing had gone. it was too wonderful to feel his bare skin against hers, to run her hands over his broad chest and shoulders, to bask in the touch and the taste of him. there was no time in this place of dreams, and they had explored each other at their leisure. she was ticklish. he was not. her skin was soft and warm. his was firm and cool. two halves, fashioned differently, yet they fit together to make a perfect whole...

"erik..." breathing his name, she opened her eyes. the dream had seemed so real, she half expected to find him lying in bed beside her.

"hey, sis, you ever gonna get up? breakfast is ready."

the last vestiges of her dream vanished at the sound of brandon's voice.

when she entered the kitchen some ten minutes later, brandon, her father, and alex were waiting for her.

"'bout time you got up," alex remarked.

daisy stuck her tongue out at him as she took her place at the table. as usual, alex had prepared enough food for a small army. this morning he served ham and cheese omelets, toast, fried potatoes, and a bowl of fruit.

they were halfway through their breakfast when brandon cleared his throat.

daisy and alex exchanged knowing grins. brandon always cleared his throat when he had something important to say.

"well, go on, son, spit it out," noah said.

brandon cleared his throat again. "last night, after dinner, i asked paula to marry me."

alex slammed his hand on the table. "judging by that grin on your face, i'm guessing she said yes."

"you guessed right, big brother. we're getting married the week after christmas."

"so soon? damn, bro," alex exclaimed. "you've only known her a few weeks."

brandon shrugged. "long enough to know she's the one for me."

"i think it's wonderfully romantic," daisy said. "congratulations."

"thanks, sis."

"i know your mom will be pleased," noah said. "you'll have to call her later and let her know."

brandon nodded, his grin stretching ear to ear.

"how do paula's folks feel about it?" alex asked. "i assume you've already told them."

"they gave us their blessing, although i think they'd rather we waited a while."

"have you told paula what you do for a living?" daisy asked.

"no." brandon cleared his throat yet again. "i've decided to give it up."

daisy glanced at alex and her father. alex looked chagrined. noah looked relieved.

brandon looked at his father, waiting for his response.

"i think that's a wise choice," noah said. "being a hunter is a dangerous business, and it's a hard secret to keep. if your mother hadn't been a hunter when i met her, i would have taken up another line of work. any idea what you'll do?"

"mr. o'reilly said i could work for him."

noah nodded. paula's father ran an enormously successful software company.

"you're gonna become a computer nerd?" alex asked disdainfully.

"it's a perfectly respectable line of work," brandon retorted, obviously stung by his brother's disapproval. "it's going to be a small wedding, just family and a few close friends." brandon looked at daisy. "paula's going to ask you to be a bridesmaid."

"me? she doesn't even know me."

"well, we're keeping it in the family. alex, i was hoping you'd be my best man..."

alex grinned. "i hate to break it to you, little brother, but i've always been the best man."

"her brother, kevin, will be an usher," brandon said, ignoring alex's jibe.

kevin, the ubiquitous mr. right, daisy thought glumly. not wanting to think about having to spend an evening with kevin o'reilly or sidestepping her mother's matchmaking efforts, daisy began to clear the table. maybe, if she was lucky, she could get erik invited to the wedding.

since brandon was giving up the family business, they decided to take daisy's compass and go for one last hunt together. after gathering their gear, daisy and brandon climbed in the front seat of brandon's old firebird, alex and noah squeezed into the back, where they played rock, paper, scissors to decide which way to go. noah won and chose east, and brandon headed toward the ocean.

"hey, daisy mae," brandon said. "any sign?"

daisy glanced at her compass. "go straight." she watched the needle grow brighter, darker. "turn left here." they were nearing boston harbor now. "left at the corner--stop!"

brandon pulled up in front of a small bungalow located on a quiet side street.

daisy stared out the window. the door to the bungalow was closed, the windows shuttered. there was no sign of life.

"is this the place?" noah asked.

daisy nodded. the needle was bright red.

"let's go!" alex said.

as they piled out of the car, they each grabbed their gear, then walked single-file up the narrow, rock-lined path.

alex made short work of the lock on the security screen door and the three deadbolts on the front door, and they were inside the house.

as in most lairs, heavy blackout curtains covered the windows.

"daisy, which way?" alex asked.

heart pounding, she murmured, "straight ahead."

moving quietly, they passed through the living room, down a narrow hallway, and into a large bedroom.

"there's nothing here," alex said. "are you sure that compass is working?"

"in there," daisy said, pointing at the closet door.

brandon opened the door and stepped inside, his flashlight making a sweep of the interior.

"there," noah said. "another door."

it was locked but alex's trusty lock pick made short work of it. daisy followed her father and brothers into another room. in the eerie light cast by brandon's flashlight, she saw four caskets lined up side by side.

"let's go to work," noah said.

alex lifted the lid on the first coffin. brandon filled several vials with blood for himself and daisy, then backed away. daisy closed her eyes as alex staked the vampire, then cut off its little finger as proof that he had destroyed the vampire. those who paid the bounty on the undead required some kind of proof--blood or a finger in the case of young vampires, the vampire's ashes in the case of the ancient ones, since they disintegrated when they were staked or beheaded.

they moved to the second casket and quickly took care of business.

brandon was about to open the third coffin when the lid flew open and a female vampire sat up, her eyes blazing red, her fangs bared.

"stake her!" noah cried, but before alex could move, a male vampire burst out of the fourth coffin. alex and noah charged toward the male. their combined strength drove the bloodsucker to the floor. he lashed out, his nails drawing blood as he tried to defend himself.

the female had her arms wrapped around brandon. her fangs were only inches from his throat.

daisy jumped on the vampire's back, hoping to distract her.

with all the stubbornness of a pit bull, the female vampire tightened her hold on brandon and sank her fangs into his throat.

daisy screamed as brandon sank to the floor, his hands trying to dislodge the vampire. daisy raked her nails across the vampire's cheek, then pummeled the creature's back and shoulders, but the vampire seemed oblivious as she continued to feed on brandon.

with a wild cry, daisy slid off the female's back. fishing in her pocket, she pulled out a stake and drove it into the vampire's back.

shrieking in pain, the vampire lifted her head, blood dripping from her fangs, but didn't loosen her grip on brandon.

summoning all her strength, daisy jerked the stake from the vampire's back and drove it in again. she hit the heart this time, she was sure of it. a horrible cry erupted from the vampire's throat as she rolled off brandon. she twitched once and then lay still, her sightless red eyes wide and staring. a single red tear slid down her pale cheek.