Tracylooked up at Dominic, alarmed by the quiet menace in his tone.

Kitanaheard it, too.

Bryanshifted restlessly, obviously upset by all the talk of killing.Tracy didn't blame him. She was feeling more than a little unsettledherself .

Kitanasmiled reassuringly atBryan . "Do not let such talk bother you." She turned to Dominic once more. "Remember what I told you," she said, and glanced pointedly inTracy 's direction.

"I remember."

Kitanalaid her hand on Dominic's arm. "Take care of yourself."

Tracylooked up at Dominic as Kitana ledBryan away. "What did she mean? What did she tell you?"

"Not now," Dominic said.

"All right, but we're going to talk about it later."

Dominic guidedTracy to a table and ordered her a drink, then moved through the room, speaking to each of the vampires. It reminded her of the way candidates running for public office shmoozed with the common folk, garnering votes and good will. Was Dominic asking for the support of the vampires in the coming battle with Petrina ? Would they give it to him? Was Petrina so strong he needed help to defeat her?

She tapped her fingernails on the table, took a sip of her drink. There was something in the air, something that made the hairraise along the back of her neck, something that made it impossible to sit still.

Frowning, she gazed around the room again. Was it her imagination, or were there fewer vampires than before? She hadn't seen any of them leave, but Marcus and his companion were gone. So wereMagdalena and Landau and Nicholas and some of the others she had seen earlier.

With a start, she realized there were only a handful of vampires left in the room, and that they were all standing with their backs to the bar.Five males and one female. She knew somehow that they had sided with Petrina . But why had the others gone and left Dominic alone? And even as she asked herself that question, she heard Dominic's voice in the back of her mind.This is my territory. If I am to hold it, I must be strong enough to do it alone . She knew then that he had sent the others away.

She looked at the vampires again. Was he strong enough to fight them all?

A sudden stillness fell over the room. Power shimmered in the air, crawling over her skin like ants.

There was a faint sound, like static in the air, and Petrina materialized in the center of the room.

Dominic turned away from the bar to face her. "So," he said quietly. "It begins."

"We don't have to fight," she said. "You could leave."

"I will not."

"Nor willI ."

Dominic glanced atTracy . "Go home, querida , and lock the doors."

She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you."

Dominic nodded. She would be as safe here as anywhere else so long as he survived.

Blocking everything from his mind, he gathered his power around him.

There was no warning, no signal.

Energy flamed through the air as Petrina launched herself at him, her hands like claws, her fangs bared.

The other vampires formed a loose circle around them, their eyes glittering, their nostrils flaring as Petrina drew first blood.

A slow smile spread over Dominic's face as the hand he lifted to his cheek came away bloody. It was a foolish thing to do, letting her draw first blood, but some latent sense of honor rebelled at the thought of fighting a woman, even a woman who was determined to see him dead.

With a cry, she sprang at him again but he was ready for her now. She was an old vampire. She carried the blood of ancients in her veins, but she was no match for him. He was older, stronger, and carried the same blood in his veins.

She shrieked in outrage as he pinned her against the wall, his fangs at her throat.

"You are beaten. Admit it and leave this place."

She shook her head, and smiled at him.

Tracyscreamed, "Dominic, look out!"

He turned, but it was already too late. The vampires closed in on him, their nails and fangs savaging his flesh.

With a roar, he struck out at his attackers. Save for Petrina , they were all young vampires, overconfident of their powers, and yet they were strong and determined. He wondered what Petrina had promised them in return for their treachery. One on one, he could have destroyed them without effort. But the five of them circled him like angry gnats, darting in and out, giving almost as much damage as they received. He was vaguely aware that Petrina had slipped away.

And then he heardTracy cry out.

Over the heads of the vampires trying to wrestle him to the ground, he saw Franco and Laslo grabTracy . They forced her back into the booth until she was lost from his sight beneath the two of them.

Her fear drove straight to his heart. With a mighty surge, he turned on the vampires, flinging them aside the way a horse shook water from its coat.

Heedless of the blood flowing from his arms and legs, he battled the other vampires. Hatred fueled his anger, making him oblivious to the wounds they inflicted on him. One of the younger vampires turned and ran from his rage.

He tore out the throat of the second, ripped the heart out of the third.

In the lull that followed, he heard a harsh cry of pain, turned to see Laslo and Franco reeling backward, their faces contorted with anguish as they clawed at their eyes.

Tracysat up, a small brown bottle in one hand."Holy water."

Dominic grinned at her, and then felt a new wave of fear as Petrina rose up behindTracy and wrapped the fingers of one hand aroundTracy 's throat.

"Your little bottle is empty," Petrina said with a sneer. "And you are mine."

"No!" Dominic started forward, but Petrina held out her free hand. "Another step and I will tear out her heart."

"No!"

Petrinaglanced at Franco and Laslo . "We are going to go now, and we will take your little mortal with us, to make sure you don't follow."

" Petrina, wait..."

"You took Zarabeth and Turk from me," Petrina said. "Now it is my turn to take something from you."

"If you kill her, I will hunt you down. There will be no place where you can hide, no place where I will not find you."

Something that might have been fear flickered in Petrina's eyes and was quickly gone. "I will make you a deal then," she said, her hand tightening onTracy 's throat. "I will not kill her, and you will leave Sea Cliff to me."

"You will not turn her?"

"No."

Dominic stared at Petrina for a long moment, as though weighing her words, and then sighed in resignation."Very well. Leave her and go."

Petrinashook her head. "I do not trust you. We will take her with us, and leave her where you can find her."

Dominic's gaze rested onTracy 's face. "Do not be afraid, my best beloved one. I will find you." He looked at Petrina again. "Do not betray me."

"I have your word that you will not follow us?"

He nodded.

"And your word that you will wait until tomorrow to find her, that you will not use the bond between you before that time?"

He nodded again. "Have I your word that you will not kill her and you will not turn her?"

"Yes, my word."

Dominic grunted softly, wondering what Petrina's word was worth.

"Franco, Laslo , come."

The two vampires went to stand beside Petrina . The skin on their faces was red and scorched. In some places, it hung in lacy tatters, like bloody cobwebs.

Dominic looked atTracy again. "I will find you, querida . I will always find you."

Eyes wide with fear, she nodded.

And then Petrina took her away.

Dominic stood in the middle of the room, his mental anguish far greater than the pain of his wounds, which continued to bleed profusely.

He had gambled everything he loved, everything he held dear, on Petrina's promise. His only hope was that she wanted Sea Cliff bad enough to keep her word. If she betrayed him, he would not rest until he had cut her heart from her body and flung it into the sea.

Suddenly overcome with the loss of blood, he left The Catacombs. He lacked the energy to will himself home. Instead, he slid behind the wheel of one of the cars parked outside, started the engine with a thought, and drove to Nightingale House.

Leaving the car in the driveway, he went up the porch stairs. He stood on the verandah for several minutes looking out over the ocean. The water was like a great black mirror reflecting the light of the moon. He looked skyward, his gaze tracing the outline of the Big Dipper, following the path of the Milky Way. He would miss this place but it was a small price to pay forTracy 's life. Perhaps they would go back to his house inMaine . She had been happy there. As for himself, he could be happy anywhere,so long as she was there beside him.

Tracy. He clenched his hands at his sides. He could find her with a thought but he had promised not to do so. Was he being a fool to wait, a fool to trust Petrina ? He knew without doubt that if he broke his word, she would killTracy without a qualm. And yet his apprehension grew with every passing moment.

Opening the front door, he stepped inside.

And knew immediately that Petrina had been there.

"Tracy!"

Calling her name, he followed Petrina's scent up the stairs, down the hall toTracy 's bedroom.

He came to an abrupt halt when he opened the door, his gaze taking it all in in a single glance. Franco and Laslo stood on either side of the bed. Petrina knelt on the mattress. Her head jerked around as he opened the door. There was a smear of blood on her lips.

Tracy's blood.She was lying on the bed, her eyes closed,her face as pale as death itself.

Rage rose up within him as he met Petrina's gaze.

Defiantly, she returned his stare.

"You gave me your word," Dominic said coldly.

"You gave me your word you would not follow me."

"I did not follow you. This is where I live." His eyes narrowed."And where you will die."

He was moving as he spoke, his hands reaching for Petrina . But she was moving, too, and when he reached the foot of the bed, she disappeared in a swirling black mist.

Undaunted, Franco and Laslo attacked him, one from each side, bearing him down to the ground.

Dominic was feeling weak and light-headed from the amount of blood he had lost earlier, but his rage, combined with his soul-deep concern forTracy , fueled his flagging strength. With a roar, he surged to his feet. The two vampires flew after him, but he was too quick for them. Pivoting on his heel, he broke the mirror overTracy 's dresser. Grabbing two long shards of glass, he whirled around, slashing first Laslo and then Franco across the throat, slicing their jugular veins. Blood fountained from the killing wounds. Both vampires fell back, their hands clutching at their throats, screams issuing from their lips as the mirror's silver backing scorched their preternatural flesh.

Dominic saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye and Petrina materialized in front of him. He ducked just in time to avoid the brunt of her attack. Nevertheless, her nails, as sharp as a raptor's claws, raked his cheek as she hurtled past him. He felt a sudden wetness on his skin and knew she had drawn blood.

She caught herself and whirled around, her fangs bared.

Dominic facedher, his feet spread wide, waiting.

She sprang at him again, her face contorted with hatred.

Dominic waited until the last second, then, darting backward, he grabbed the stake from the dresser and drove it into her breast.

She shrieked as the wood pierced her heart. Eyes wide, she stared at the blood spreading over the front of her dress,then slowly sank to the floor where she twitched once, then lay still.

Panting heavily, Dominic spared hardly a glance for the bodies on the floor as he hurried toTracy 's side. She was still alive, but close to death.

Two tiny drops of blood stood out in stark relief against her throat.

"Tracy! Querida , can you hear me?"

She didn'trespond, only lay there unmoving, her breathing growing more shallow by the moment.

A low groan rose in his throat. He couldn't let her go, couldn't lose her now,couldn't endure the thought of waiting, searching, perhaps for centuries, to find her again.

"Tracy." He stroked her cheek,then shook her shoulder gently. "Tracy, querida ,wake up."

Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open. She stared at him blankly a moment, and then a faint smile touched her lips. "Dominic... "

" Querida, do not leave me again."

"I don't want to..."

"Then take what I have to offer."

Her eyes widened. "No."

"Forgive me, my best beloved one, I cannot lose you again."

She stared up at him, too weak to resist as he bent over her. She felt the slight prick of his fangs, followed by the familiar sense of euphoria. Petrina's bite had not been so pleasant. She closed hereyes, let herself drift away on a sensual sea of pleasure.

She was drowning, sinking into oblivion, when she heard Dominic's voice calling her name.

"Tracy.Tracy ! Come back to me."

It took every scrap of energy that remained to her to open her eyes.

"You mustdrink, my best beloved one."

"Drink..." She was thirsty, so thirsty. She opened her mouth, felt it fill with warm, salty liquid. She drank until he took it from her and then she closed her eyes and tumbled into the comforting abyss of slumber.

Dominic knelt beside her, watching the color return to her face. Her breathing grew stronger, steadier.

What had he done?

Throughout centuries of time she had refused the Dark Gift. Would she hate him for what he had done? How would he survive her hatred? But survive he must. He had brought her across - he could not leave her now.

Nor could he leave her here.

Gathering her into his arms, he willed them across the country to his house on the coast ofMaine . He placed her on the sofa, then went upstairs to the master bedroom and opened the door that led into a hidden room behind the fireplace.

Knowing it would frighten her to wake in a casket, he took the mattress and bedding from the bed and carried it into his lair. He turned on the light so she would not awake in darkness, and then he went downstairs forTracy .

He put her to bed, fully clothed, removed her shoes, covered her with the blankets, and then went through the house, securing it against intruders.

He stayed by her side, watching her throughout the night, and when he sensed the dawn's approach, he took off his shirt and boots and then, stretching out on the mattress beside the woman he loved, he gathered her into his arms.

For the first time in his life, he would pass the daylight hours lying beside the woman he loved.

For the first time in his life, he would awake from the Dark Sleep with her beside him.