held her, absorbing her warmth, listening to the whisper of the red tide running through her veins. His fangs lengthened in response to the sound of it, the warm, sweet coppery scent of it.
With a low growl, he bent her back over his arm and lowered his head.
Dominic could hear the woman moving about in the house above when he returned to his lair. Her presence unsettled him in a way he didn't understand and he paced the floor restlessly, all his senses focused on the woman. He had fed earlier and fed well. Why, then, did this woman's blood call to him so strongly? Even now, the beast within was urging him to go to her, to bend her to his will, to sample the sweet elixir running through her veins. No other woman had ever tempted him so save for one.
He glanced upward, his gaze tracking her footsteps. He had to meet her and soon, had to hear the sound of his name on her lips, taste the nectar of life that thrummed through her veins in a warm, rich river of crimson.
He ran a hand through his hair. How best to accomplish such a meeting? He did not want to appear out of nowhere and frighten her.A chance meeting, then. Perhaps she would take a walk along the beach some evening after sundown, when the air was cool. Yes, that would afford the perfect opportunity.
Smiling at the prospect, he picked up a book of Shakespeare's plays and settled down to pass a quiet evening at home.
The perfect opportunity presented itself two evenings later, shortly after sunset. Dominic was returning from the city, walking along the shore, when he saw the woman who had haunted his every waking moment jogging toward him.
He spent a pleasant few minutes admiring her long, shapely legs, the smooth, golden tan of her skin, the way her ponytail swished back and forth. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion. Her blood was warm from the run, the smell of it stronger than the faint scent of her perspiration, the ocean, or the salty air.
When she was only a few yards away, she slowed to a walk. He sensed her trepidation at finding herself alone on a deserted stretch of beach at night with a strange man. As far as she knew, he didn't belong here. This part of the beach was private, reserved for the few homes spread out on the cliff above.
As he drew nearer, she stopped walking. He could hear the fierce pounding of her heart as she looked him over, trying to decide whether or not she was in danger.
"Good evening." He offered her a benign smile."Lovely night for a stroll."
"Yes." She slipped her hand into the pocket of her shorts. He saw her hand clench and he wondered what sort of defense she carried in there.A can of Mace, perhaps, or pepper spray. He watched her summon her courage.
"I'm afraid you're trespassing," she said, her tone cool but not unfriendly. "This is a private beach."
'Yes, I know. I have a house nearby."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know that. I'm new here myself."
He extended his hand. "Dominic St. John."
After a moment's hesitation, she placed her hand in his. "Tracy Warner."
His fingers curled lightly around hers. It was then that he felt it, a sharp jolt of recognition as his essence brushed against hers. A thrill of excitement swept through him. It was she, his soul mate, the woman he had found and lost countless times through the centuries.His beloved one. He had known her in many guises, by many names.
She was staring up at him. It took him a moment to realize he had fallen silent, that he was still holding her hand.
He smiled. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Warner."
"Thank you." She withdrew her hand from his and glanced back the way she had come. "I should go."
"May I walk with you?"
He could easily read her thoughts by the expressions that flitted over her face. He was a stranger. It was dark. The beach was deserted. For all she knew, he could be the next Cliffside Strangler.
"Perhaps another time," he suggested, fully aware of her apprehension.
She hesitated briefly,then said, "I'd be glad for the company, actually."
"Afraid of the dark, are you?" He asked the question lightly even though he already knew the answer.
She had feared the dark in every life.
"Just a little," she admitted.
She turned and started walking back the way she had come. He fell into step