Stefan returned to her side. “You must talk to him. Tell him he can’t leave you alone. You won’t be able to live without him.”

“No way! He’s arrogant enough as it is. That’s all I’d need, to simper like some besotted idiot over him. He’d hold it over my head forever. And he’s so egotistical, he’d probably even believe it.” Even as she said the words, her fingers were tenderly pushing back clotted strands of hair, wiping the blood from Aidan’s face.

Stefan frowned at her but refrained from expressing his opinion. “He needs blood. I will give it to him. You must drive us home. This fire will attract attention from the authorities soon, and we need to be away from here.”

No.Aidan’s voice was strong in its protest, but only in her mind. She realized he was too weak to attempt speech it is too dangerous. I would kill him. I cannot take from Stefan.

She believed him. It was in the purity, the honesty of his voice. It was in the alarm in his heart and soul, his mind a raging protest. “No, Stefan, you drive. Aidan refuses to allow you to donate, so I guess it’ll have to be me.” She brushed back Aidan’s hair again with gentle fingers. That’s what you’re trying to tell me, right? I can donate but not Stefan. Don’t say no, it isn’t as if you haven’t helped yourself before. Just do it, and don’t argue with me, or I might lose my sweet nature.And my courage, she added silently to herself.

Jam not certain you will be safe.

Big deal. I told you, I don’t have a lot to lose. This really isn’t my kind of life. Go for it, Aidan. Just don’t hurt me, okay?

Never,cara, he assured her. It took both Stefan and Alexandria to get him into the car.

His face was gray and etched with pain, but he didn’t make a sound until they had him settled with his head cradled in her lap. “The spilled blood must be destroyed,” he said. Only Alexandria caught the words. He was so weak, he could barely whisper.

“He wants you to clean away the rest of the blood, Stefan.” Her heart was beating fast. This was it. She would die this night, giving her life for this man. She didn’t know what he was, only that he was the most courageous being she had ever known. She wasn’t certain that what she believed about him was true, or that she even liked him, but this was right. She knew it in her deepest soul.

Stefan swore softly. “We are bound to be seen, the longer we stay,” he groused, but he hastily went back to the gas can he had left for the investigators and set to work on the pools of blood. It was necessary to remove any trace of Aidan’s participation in the battle, and they had little time to do so.

Alexandria laid her head over Aidan’s. “You can’t wait. Do it now. But promise me you will always look after Joshua. That this insane life will never touch him. Promise me.”

Always,cara mia. The voice in her mind was faint, and she knew they didn’t have much time.

She felt his hand move first. His fingers stroked the slim column of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. His fingers parted the buttons of the silk shirt, his shirt, covering her bare skin. The brush of his knuckles against the soft swell of her breasts sent flames licking through her blood. She relaxed into him, arching even closer so that his warm breath touched the pulse over her beating heart. The touch of his teeth scraping gently, erotically over her skin sent liquid heat pooling in her body, producing a heavy, unfamiliar ache.

She made a sound, a soft moan, as white-hot heat exploded through her when his teeth pierced her skin and sank deep. She cradled his head to her, drowsy with contentment, offering herself up to him. It was a sensual experience, her blood flowing into his body, replenishing damaged cells and tissue, warming cold muscles, bringing him life.

She could feel strength building in him even as it slowly flowed from her. It was like a hazy, erotic dream. And then he was in her mind, murmuring softly, seductively, words of love, words she had never heard, ancient, beautiful sounds. The car was moving, a vague swaying adding to the surreal timelessness.

Stefan drove the car up close to the side door and ran to lock the heavy iron gates behind them, nervously checking the skies. When he returned to the car, he was shocked to find that the situation in the back seat had changed so dramatically. Now it was Aidan sitting upright and alert, covered in blood but his color returned, while Alexandria lay motionless, gray-faced, like one dead. She looked small and lost in Aidan’s arms, almost like a child.

Stefan looked away. He had spent a good portion of his life with this man, yet the reality of Aidan’s existence was almost too much for him to accept. He knew in his heart that Aidan would never harm the woman, yet to see her like that, so still and lifeless, after she had displayed so much courage...

“Clean the car, Stefan. I will go to ground for a day or two. It will be up to you to field any questions if the police come around. You must protect the child and Marie from any intruders. Remember, no harm can come to you in this house at night, but vampires can use humans to do their bidding.” Stefan helped Aidan from the car, watching as he reached into the back seat to lift Alexandria’s limp body into his arms. “I know what they and their minions can do, Aidan. I will be alert for an attack,” he assured him gruffly.

“Place blood inside the chamber for me this night, and then leave and stay away. Keep Marie and the child far from the chamber. It will not be safe for any of you until I replace the volume I have lost.” He said it tersely, his strength already waning. Alexandria was a small woman, and he had taken all the nourishment he safely could from her, then had placed her in the deep sleep of his people to keep her alive until he could replace her blood loss.

He allowed Stefan to assist him through the house. Marie came running, crying out when she saw him. He heard the boy’s feet on the hardwood floor. Aidan swung around, his golden eyes flaming with warning. “Keep the child away from me,” he snapped, beating down his voracious hunger.

Marie stopped in her tracks, one hand pressed to her throat. Aidan was covered in blood and dirt, Alexandria lifeless, cradled in his arms. Blood and soil littered the hardwood floor on a trail from the door. Aidan’s eyes were flaming red, his white teeth sharp and gleaming like a predator’s.

“Marie!” Stefan’s voice propelled her into action. She rushed to intercept Joshua before he could witness the horror of this night. Tears were pouring down her face as she caught the child up and began to run down the hallway toward the stairs.

Joshua touched the tears on her face. “Don’t cry, Marie. Did someone hurt your feelings?”

She made an effort to gain control of herself. The house would have to be cleaned before the boy could come downstairs, so somehow she had to get him to sleep. “It’s nothing, Joshua. I had a bad dream. Don’t you ever have bad dreams?”

“Alexandria says if you say a prayer and think about really good things, you know, things you like, you’ll have good dreams.” Joshua rubbed his cheek against hers. “It always works when she does it with me. I’ll say prayers with you like she does, and you won’t have bad dreams ever again.”

Marie found herself smiling at the simplicity and innocence in Joshua. She had three children, now grown, and Joshua brought back memories of the sweetness of childhood. She hugged him close. “Thank you, Joshua. Your sister is a very smart woman. You’re lucky to have her.” She stifled a sob. “And what are you doing out of bed at this time of night anyway? It’s nearly four in the morning. Shame on you, young man.”

“I thought Alexandria was in her bedroom, but she wasn’t. I was looking for her.” Joshua’s eyes betrayed his fear of losing his sister.