SINGLE WHITE VAMPIRE Page 0,75

soul mate. Kate felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle. It wasn't common knowledge, but Jodi's husband had died four years earlier, a year before she'd been published. Kate also knew Jodi still wept for him. She claimed he had been her one true love.

The psychic rubbed Jodi's hand soothingly and told her that her love was there with them now, and that he was always nearby. But she also said he wanted Jodi to continue living. Someone would come into her life soon, and while he wouldn't be a soul mate as her first love had been, he would be Jodi's dear friend, lover and companion for the rest of her daysand the psychic said Jodi's first love wished for it to be so.

Jodi's eyes glazed with tears. She stood and turned to Kate and Lucern. Kate was trying to think of something to say to lift the mood, when Lucern suddenly commented, "So, looks like you'll get laid before you die after all."

Kate turned a horrified gaze on him. She had never heard the man speak so crudely. She'd never even heard him use such modern terms. She turned to Jodi in shock, but the author just burst out in peals of tinkling laughter.

"Yes, it does. Isn't that nice?" Jodi sighed and touched Luc's arm. Then she explained to Kate, "The women were talking about sex, of course, when it got slow back in the hospitality suite. Beth was bemoaning the fact that her characters had better sex than she did, and I snorted and said that at least she was getting some, I doubted I ever would again before I died. But now it sounds as though I shall!"

She smiled at Lucern, then urged him toward the chair. "Your turn, my friend. I want to hear what she has to say about you."

Kate watched the older woman badger Luc into sitting. For a moment, she felt a touch of discomfort. It was obvious that the pair had developed something of a friendship this morning, and Kate was ashamed to realize that what she felt was jealousy. Shrugging off the petty feelings, she turned her attention to the psychic, who had claimed Lucern's hand and was now running her fingers lightly over it. Her eyes were closed in concentration.

"You're very old," the woman said in hushed tones. She blinked her eyes open to look at his handsome young face, frowned in confusion, then closed them again. "It's your soul that must be old," she corrected. "Very old. You have had many loves."

Kate felt something tighten in her chest before the woman corrected herself again: "No, not loves. Lovers. You have had many. Many, many," she added, sounding surprised again. Then she blinked her eyes open to ask with some vexation, "When have you had time to sleep?"

Kate's lips twitched. She supposed Lucern had been with many women. He was a healthy male of over six hundred years. Even if he'd only had one lover pery ear, it meant six hundred. If he'd had more than three a year The mind boggled. In dismay, she decided she would have to ask him if vampires could get and pass on STD's. She hoped not, but really, it was something she needed to know.

"You had begun to weary of life," the psychic went on, grabbing Kate's attention. "It all seemed so hard, and the cruelties of man had begun to wear you down. But somethingno, not something, but someonesomeone has reinvigorated you. Made you feel it might be worth living again. That there is still joy to be had."

Kate's tongue seemed stuck to the roof of her mouth. Someone? Who? Some secret part of her hoped it was she. At the same time, the idea terrified her. She was attracted to Lucern. She had even come to like and respect him, but

"Hold on to her." The woman was staring deeply into Luc's eyes, "You will have to fight for her, but not in the way you are used to. Weapons and physical strength will do you no good in this battle. It is your own pride and fear you will have to fight. If you fail, your heart will shrivel in your chest, and you will die a lonely, bitter old man, regretting what you didn't do."

Lucern jerked his hand free, then stood and walked away. Kate turned to follow, but the psychic suddenly latched onto her hand. "Wait. Your man will be all right for a minute."

Kate