The Kiss: Stronger Love

Micah stood in the shadows alongside the driveway leading to Saintcrow's house, his hands clenching and unclenching as he watched three men get into a late-model sedan and drive away. They were hunters. They had destroyed his sire. He'd had no feelings for Lilith, hated her for what she had done to him, and yet he had an overpowering need to avenge her death.

With preternatural speed, he raced ahead.

When the hunters reached the bridge, he was waiting for them. The driver braked hard when he saw Micah blocking his path.

The man in the passenger seat got out of the car. "What the heck are you doing, you idiot? Get off the bridge."

Micah frowned. This was a hunter? An indrawn breath carried the faint scent of Lilith's blood, but he detected no malice in the man, no sense of danger. What the hell?

The man in the backseat leaned his head out the window. "What's going on, Rob?"

"I don't know," Rob replied.

Now the driver rolled down his window. "Hey, buddy, do you need a lift?"

Micah shook his head. Muttering, "No, thanks," he moved out of the way. He would have sworn the men in the car were hunters. Could he have been wrong? They smelled like hunters, but they didn't act like hunters.

Still puzzling over their odd behavior, he strolled back to town.

Everything was locked up tight.

With nothing to do, he turned his thoughts to finding a secure spot to spend the day. The first place that came to mind was the cemetery. It should have struck him as morbid. Not long ago, it would have. But what the hell, he was dead, after all. And his sire was there. He had visited her grave earlier. There had been no marker. Saintcrow had buried her deep, smoothed the earth, replaced the grass. There was nothing to show where Lilith was buried. Saintcrow had told him the blood bond was broken, so he had no explanation for how he'd known where to find her, but find her he had.

This whole lifestyle was bizarre, he mused glumly. Just when his life and career had been on the upswing, Lilith had wiped it all away. She had stolen his life, his hopes, his dreams, and left him with nothing but an insatiable thirst.

He was glad they'd destroyed her.

Walking through the residential area, he noted that all the houses were dark. Only three were inhabited. He paused in front of the first one where he detected a heartbeat. It belonged to an older woman, as did the second house.

The occupant of the third house wasn't as old as the other two. She wasn't asleep. And she wasn't in the house, but in the backyard, crying softly.

Curious, he walked around to the rear of the house. He found the woman lying in a heap at the bottom of a set of stairs that led into the kitchen. There was blood matted in her hair. One ankle was swollen.

She let out a shriek when she saw him.

"Hey, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."

She stared at him, her eyes wide with panic, her heart beating wildly as she tried to scrabble away from him.

He knelt beside her. "Take it easy."

"Go away!"

"You need help, lady. That's a nasty bump on your head. What happened?"

"I . . . I slipped on the steps. I think I might have passed out." She cringed when he reached for her. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to take you inside and bandage your head and your ankle."

"No! You can't come inside!"

Micah snorted. "Lady, if I was going to kill you, I could just do it here."

She blinked at him, as if that had never occurred to her.

He settled her in his arms. "So, are you going to invite me in or not?"

Kadie spent part of the morning packing. Saintcrow had told her he would buy her a new wardrobe in England, so packing hadn't taken long-her makeup, toothbrush, hairbrush and comb, her favorite underwear, her cell phone. The last thing she packed was the enormously expensive bottle of Clive Christian No. 1. No way was she leaving that behind.

With the day stretching before her, she decided to go into town for lunch and to tell Rosemary and the others good-bye.

She had thought to find them in the restaurant, but it was closed up tight. Frowning, Kadie went to Shirley's house.

Rosemary answered the door. "Kadie, hi."

"Hi. What's going on?"

"Shirley had an accident last night."

"What happened? Is she all right?"

"She's fine. Come on in. She's resting."

Kadie followed Rosemary into Shirley's bedroom. Passing through the living room, Kadie noticed there was a new TV and DVD player on a stand across from the sofa. She wondered absently if the other women had also bought flat screens.

Stepping into Shirley's bedroom, Kadie saw that Donna was already there.

After exchanging hellos, Kadie took the empty chair beside Shirley's bed. "What happened?"

Shirley shook her head. "It was so silly. I'd been watering the plants by the back porch. The stairs got wet and I slipped and hit my head and twisted my ankle."

"Do you need a doctor?"

"No."

"You should have called one of us to come and stay with you," Kadie said. "You should have been watched through the night in case you had a concussion."

Shirley lowered her gaze. "Well, actually, I did have someone stay the night with me."

"Oh?" Kadie glanced at Rosemary and then at Donna.

"It wasn't me," Donna said.

Rosemary shook her head. "Or me."

"Then who was it?" Kadie asked.

"A vampire," Rosemary muttered, her voice dripping with venom.

"He was very nice," Shirley said defensively. "He carried me into the house. After he treated the cut in my head and wrapped my ankle with an ace bandage, he fixed me a cup of tea, then tucked me in."

"Micah," Kadie guessed.

"Yes." Shirley smiled faintly. "Do you know him?"

"Not really. He came here looking for Lilith."

"Lilith? Why?"

"She turned him," Kadie said. "You know those hunters who were here? They killed her, and somehow Micah knew she was dead."

"He was very sweet," Shirley remarked. "If Saintcrow is anything like him, I can understand why you stay with him."

"Sweet!" Rosemary exclaimed. "I think that bump on the head scrambled your brains!"

"They aren't all monsters," Kadie said.

"I'll never believe that." Rosemary shook her head.

"She's lucky to be alive. And now that she's invited him inside, she'll never be safe."

"I'm not afraid of him," Shirley said. "If I was younger . . ."

Donna stared at her. "You don't mean that."

Shirley lifted her chin defiantly "Yes, I do."

"He's bewitched you." Grabbing her handbag from the dresser, Rosemary left the room.

"I think she's right. You aren't thinking clearly." Donna patted Shirley's hand. "I'll see you later."

When they were alone, Shirley looked at Kadie. "You don't think I'm crazy, do you?"

"Of course not."

"Do you think he's still here?"

"I don't know. You want to see him again, don't you?"

Shirley nodded. "It was nice, having a man to talk to, even though I'm probably old enough to be his mother."

"Can I get you anything?"

"A drink from the fountain of youth would be nice."

"I'll see what I can do."

Later, back at Saintcrow's house, Kadie thought about what Shirley had said about a fountain of youth. In a few years, Kadie might be wishing for a sip out of Ponce de Leon's magic fountain herself. Right now, she and Saintcrow looked like the perfect couple. But that wouldn't last forever. She was growing older every day.

She was standing in front of the mirror, fretting over things that could not be changed, when Saintcrow came up behind her.

Slipping his arms around her waist, he nuzzled her neck. "How's my girl?"

"How do I look?"

"Beautiful, as always."

"Never mind. Is Micah still in town?"

"Yeah." He was quiet a moment, and then he frowned.

"What the devil is he doing at Shirley's house?"

"She fell last night and he went to her rescue."

Saintcrow's gaze met hers in the mirror.

Kadie shrugged. "He spent the night with her."

Saintcrow raised his eyebrows.

"Not like that!" Kadie exclaimed. "He stayed to look after her because she hit her head."

"And now she fancies him." It wasn't a question.

"It seems that way." Kadie frowned. "Did Micah do some kind of vampire mojo to make her like him?"

Saintcrow lifted one brow. "Vampire mojo?"

"That's what Vaughan called it. So, did he?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"I thought you knew everything."

He lifted his head, his eyes narrowing. "Your father's here."

"What? Where?" She glanced over her shoulder, as if she expected to see him standing behind her.

"He's coming up the driveway."

"You don't think I called him, do you?"

"I know you didn't."

Kadie tugged on his hand. "Let's go. Now. Before he gets here."

"It's too late. He's at the door. Why don't you let him in?"

"No! You can't kill him. He's my father!"

"Did I say anything about killing him?"

"What's he doing here?"

"He's come after you. Your sister's in the hospital again, but this time it's worse."

"I don't believe that. He would have called me."

"Kadie, go let him in."

Her hands were shaking when she opened the door. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to take you home."

Saintcrow folded his arms over his chest. "What makes you think I'll let Kadie go?"

"Kathy's dying."

A cry of denial rose in Kadie's throat. She had known this day was coming, but the shock of hearing it put into words, the finality of it, was even worse than she had expected.

"At most, she has only a few days left. Her last wish is to see Kadie."

Saintcrow shook his head.

"You think I'm lying?" Andrews asked.

"I'm not in the habit of trusting vampire slayers, or helping them."

"Yeah, I heard what you did to Rob, and Clarke and Gordon. Three of the best hunters in the world, and you ruined them."

Saintcrow shrugged. "Would you rather I'd killed them?"

"Come with us and you'll see I'm telling the truth," Ralph said. "I have a plane waiting. It leaves in forty minutes."

"Rylan, please." Kadie stared at him, her eyes glazed with unshed tears. "My sister's dying! I've got to go."

"I know. Tell me what hospital she's in. I'll meet you there."

Ralph stared at him, his eyes narrowed, and then he nodded. "Very well." He pulled a card from his coat pocket and handed it to Saintcrow. "Room 305. Let's go, Kadie."

Kadie stared at Saintcrow. She didn't want to leave him. To her surprise, she realized she didn't trust her father, that, deep down, she found herself questioning his motives. Was her sister really at death's door, or was this simply her father's way of getting her away from Saintcrow? The thought left her feeling horribly guilty. Surely her father wouldn't lie to her about something as serious as Kathy's welfare. "Rylan?"

"It's all right, Kadie," he said quietly. "Go with him. I'll meet you there."

Kadie kissed him on the cheek, then followed her father out of the house and into the car. She glanced out the back window as her father put the Buick in gear, unable to shake off the nagging suspicion that she was making a terrible mistake.

Saintcrow stood in the living room, silent and still, as he considered his next move. He had let his mind brush Ralph's. Either the man was telling the truth, or he was a master at hiding what he was really thinking.

It would take Kadie and her father less than two hours to fly from Morgan Creek to Morro Bay, another half an hour or so to leave the airport and drive to the hospital. He had seen the worry in Kadie's eyes, and it hadn't been for her sister. It had been for him. The thought warmed him as few things had. His sweet, fragile female was worried about him, afraid her father was up to no good, that the story about Kathy being in the hospital had been a ruse to get her away from Saintcrow.

Well, they'd know if she was right soon enough.

Going to his lair, he changed into a pair of black jeans and a black shirt, pulled on a black leather jacket, and went in search of Ravenwood.

He found the vampire in Shirley's house. The woman was on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, her left leg propped on a pillow on the coffee table. Ravenwood sat beside her. They were watching a movie on a small flat-screen TV. Saintcrow shook his head, thinking that technology had come to Morgan Creek in his brief absence.

Vampire and human both looked up when he entered the house. The woman's eyes widened in fear. The vampire's eyes narrowed as he gained his feet, his hands clenching at his sides.

"Relax," Saintcrow said. "I just stopped by to tell you I'm leaving. I'm not sure when I'll be back." Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew the key to the Corvette and tossed it at Ravenwood. "Don't wrap it around a phone pole."

Micah stared at the key. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. If I'm not back in a few days, the car is yours. Look after the women." With a nod in Shirley's direction, Saintcrow left the house.

Shirley looked at Micah. "What was that all about?"

He shook his head. "Beats the hell out of me." Micah tossed the key to the Corvette in the air, and caught it in his hand. "How'd you like to go for a drive?"

Shirley stared at him. "Are you serious?"

"Sure. It's a beautiful night. What do you say?"

"How do I know you won't . . . you know?"

"You don't think I'd do anything to make Saintcrow mad at me, do you?"

"I hope not."

"Come on," he said, and smiled at her.

His smile was her undoing. The dimples in his cheeks gave him an innocent, boyish look that was somehow irresistible.

Moments later, she was sitting beside him in Saintcrow's Corvette, holding on for dear life as he sped down the highway. At any other time, she would have been scared to death, but with Micah, she wasn't afraid.

For the first time since she had wandered into Morgan Creek, she felt young and carefree. Laughter bubbled up inside her and she let it out, not caring that Micah looked at her as if she was slightly insane.

"Anyplace in particular you'd like to go?"

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Doing what?"

"Spending time with me? I'm old enough to be your mother."

"Really? You don't look that old. Besides, it's just a date. We aren't getting married."

Shirley laughed again, liking him even more. "I'd like to go somewhere for an ice cream sundae . . . Oh, never mind. I forgot you can't eat anything."

"Well, maybe you'll let me have a taste of you later, and I can taste it that way."

"You're kidding! You can taste what I eat?"

Now it was his turn to laugh. "No, but that would be great, wouldn't it?"

"I guess so."

For a time, they rode in silence. Shirley kept glancing at him, unable to believe this gorgeous vampire wanted to spend time with her. In spite of Micah's words to the contrary, she was forty-five and she looked it even though she still felt like a teenager. She recalled a conversation the women had had one night. It seemed, no matter what their age, from forty to sixty, they all felt young on the inside. They'd all laughed when Donna said she sometimes looked in the mirror and found herself wondering who that old lady was staring back at her. Shirley knew the feeling.

A short time later, Micah pulled up in front of a Baskin-Robbins where Shirley ordered a hot fudge sundae with extra whipped cream and extra fudge.

"It doesn't bother you, watching me eat?" she asked when they were seated at one of the tables.

"A little. I haven't been a vampire very long. I can still remember what food tasted like."

"What do you miss the most?"

"Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," he said, grinning. "And beer."

"Did you have a family, before?"

"Well, sure. Mom, dad, sisters, brothers."

"Do they know what you are?"

"No. I haven't seen them since I was turned. As far as they know, I'm working in Cody."

How awful, she thought, to have been turned against your will. "Are you going to tell them?"

"I don't know. Probably not. My dad's not in the best of health. Something like this could kill him."

"Did you have a sweetheart?"

"Several," he admitted.

She wasn't surprised. With his dimples, sexy smile, and beautiful dark brown eyes, he had probably charmed every girl he met.

"What about you?" he asked. "Were you married?"

"No."

"Why didn't you leave with the others?"

"Oh, I don't know. I didn't really have anything to go back to." She took several bites of ice cream. "Have you . . . Never mind."

"You can ask me anything," Micah said.

"No, it was nothing."

"You wanted to know if I've killed anyone," he said quietly.

"It's none of my business."

"I have," he said, not meeting her eyes. "I didn't mean to. I didn't want to, but . . ." He shook his head. "I couldn't stop." He'd never forget how it had felt, draining the life out of that old derelict. He'd probably saved the man from a slow, lingering death on the streets, but that didn't ease his guilt.

"I don't know a lot about vampires," Shirley said, "but I know it takes time to control the hunger." She took a last bite of her sundae. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." He was subdued on the ride back to Morgan Creek.

Shirley found herself watching him surreptitiously as he drove, admiring his profile, the confident way he handled the Corvette.

She was sorry when he pulled up in front of her house thirty minutes later. She hadn't expected him to walk her to her door. Or to take her in his arms on the porch.

Flustered, she murmured, "Thank you, Micah. It was fun."

"Maybe we can do it again."

"Maybe."

She stared up at him. He was going to kiss her. The thought filled her with excitement and trepidation. It had been years since anyone kissed her.

He lowered his head toward hers, then paused. "You okay with this?"

Shirley nodded, unable to speak, as his arm slid around her waist. When his mouth covered hers, she felt like she was sixteen again.