Eyes still closed, she frowned. Had it been a dream? It had seemed so real. Fully awake now, she realized that she was vividly aware of the texture and smell of the cotton pillowcase beneath her cheek. She knew the sun had set. She knew it was raining.

She knew she wasn't alone in the bed.

"Good evening, my sweet one."

"Antonio." She rolled over and he was there. Propped up on one elbow, he was watching her, his expression oddly vulnerable. "What happened?"

"You do not remember?"

"No… " She looked past Antonio, only then realizing that not only could she see him clearly, but she could also see everything else in the room with perfect clarity even though the room was dark. "You did it, didn't you? You made me a… " She stared at him. "A vampire."

He nodded, his expression closed to her. "Do you hate me now?"

"Hate you?" Sitting up, she looked at her hands, her arms. She threw back the covers and wiggled her toes. "I don't feel any different, and yet… "

Everything was different. She felt as if she had been reborn, as if she could run forever and never get tired. As if she could fly to the moon and back again.

She looked back at Antonio. He was sitting up now, and she noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt, only a pair of black trousers. She couldn't stop looking at him. Had his lips always been that sensual, his shoulders so broad, his arms so muscular? He looked incredibly sexy, with his sleep-tousled hair and deep blue eyes, eyes that watched her, unblinking, waiting for her to answer his question. Hate him? Not if she lived a thousand years, she thought. And she just might!

" Victoria?"

She heard the rough edge of worry in his voice, saw it in the taut set of his shoulders.

"Talk to me," he said. "Tell me what you are feeling, what you are thinking. Have I made a mistake? Have you changed your mind?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Are you going to marry me, Mr. Battista? I mean, I'm dying to… " She laughed softly.

"Wrong choice of words. I mean I'm really anxious for us to make love, but I promised my mother I'd wait until I got married, and I'd hate to break a promise to my mother. So,"

she asked breathlessly, "are you going to marry me?"

He laughed then. It came rumbling up from deep within him, a sound filled with joy and relief and love as he bounded off the bed, pulled her into his arms, and twirled her around the room.

"I will marry you, Victoria Lynn Cavendish, any night you wish."

Chapter 39

Though he had said he would marry her any night she wished, Antonio decided plans for the wedding would have to wait until Victoria grew more accustomed to her new way of life. Because he didn't want her to experience any discomfort, particularly that first night, he took her hunting before her preternatural hunger grew unbearable. If he had his way, she would never know pain or hunger or deprivation of any kind. She had willingly given up her life to be with him, and he intended to make sure that she would never have cause to regret it.

Vicki had expected to be reluctant to hunt for prey, repulsed by the act of taking blood from another, but such was not the case. Antonio told her how to summon prey, and she felt a surge of pride as she called a young man to her and took him into her arms.

She soothed his fears, was careful not to hurt him.

Feeding seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Perhaps because Antonio had insisted she feed before the hunger had time to become painful, she wasn't tempted to take too much. She wiped her memory from the young man's mind and sent him on his way, then looked up at Antonio, smiling.

He smiled back. What an amazing man he was. He had taught her so many things, helped her find her way in her new life. And he loved her, without question or doubt. It was a wondrous thing indeed to be loved by Antonio. She shared every part of his life, knew him in ways she would never know anyone else.

"My warrior woman," he said proudly. "I think you were born to be a vampire. I have never seen anyone take to it so easily, or so readily."

She basked in his praise, in the love in his eyes, the beauty of the night that surrounded them. Never before had she noticed how many stars there were in the sky, or heard the myriad sounds of the night that ordinary mortals never heard— the beating of a moth's wings, the way the earth spoke to the trees, the sound of dew sliding down a blade of grass.

Hand in hand, she walked beside Antonio as they turned and headed for home. They could have returned to the castle with a thought, but Vicki liked to walk. She reveled in her newfound strength. Energy flowed through her, making her feel once again as if she could soar through the heavens or run for miles and miles.

"It is wonderful, is it not?" Antonio asked, smiling down at her.

"Yes!" Letting go of his hand, she twirled round and round in a circle, then threw back her head and laughed. "No wonder you love being what you are."

He caught her in his arms and whirled her around. "It is you I love, my sweet one, now more than ever."

"I want to go everywhere! See everything! Can we?"

"Whatever you wish."

"Can we afford it? I only have a few hundred dollars to my name."

"I have more than enough."

"Handsome and rich," she said with a grin. "Who could ask for more?"

They walked in silence for a moment, and then she frowned. "Where will we get married?"

"Anywhere you wish."

"Can we be married in a church?"

"If you like."

"I thought vampires couldn't go inside churches."

"Some are more difficult to enter than others."

She thought of her church in Pear Blossom Creek, the crosses, the holy water, the priest. She was sure Antonio would not be comfortable there. But she still wanted to be married in a church.

She frowned, thinking they should have gotten married before Antonio brought her across. She couldn't invite her mother now, or any of her friends. How could she explain it when she and Antonio didn't eat any of the wedding cake, or drink any of the champagne when people toasted them and wished them well? Her mother would expect to be there to help her dress. How could she explain her lack of a reflection in the mirror or excuse her absence during the day?

Well, there was no help for it. She would simply tell her mother that she and Antonio had eloped, and they would be married in a small nondenominational church. Perhaps they could ask Ramsey and Kelly to stand up with them… And what about Bobbie Sue?

How could she get married without her best friend at her side?

In a rush, she told Antonio of all her concerns.

"Do not worry," he said, drawing her into his arms. "It will all work out."

And it did.

Vicki found a small church with a minister who was willing to marry them after dark.

There would be no need to explain to Bobbie Sue or Duncan why the wedding had to be at night. Both knew that Antonio was one of the Undead. Vicki's only concern was finding a way to tell her best friend that she, too, was now a vampire.

The next night, she drove into town and called Bobbie Sue.

"Girl, where are you?" Bobbie Sue exclaimed. "I can't believe you left town and didn't say a word."

"I'm sorry. I'm with Antonio."

"Well, I guessed that! But you might have told me you were leaving," Bobbie Sue said with an exaggerated sigh of exasperation.

"I know. I should have let you know, but I was afraid you'd try and talk me out of going."

"Well, you're right about that. Call me crazy, but I just don't think running around with a vampire is a good idea. When are you coming home?"

"I am home."

"You are? When did you get back?"

"I mean Antonio's home."

"I see." Disapproval was evident in those two brief words.

"It's not like that. We're getting married."

"Married! Oh, Vicki, do you think that's wise?"

"Please be happy for me, Bobbie. You're the only one I can share this with."

"But, hon, he's… I mean, well, I just don't see how you can make it work unless… "

"Unless what?"

"Never mind," Bobbie Sue said quickly. "The idea is too awful."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Vicki could almost see the wheels turning inside her friend's head.

"Bobbie?"

"You're not thinking of letting him… Oh, geez, Vicki, tell me you're not thinking of becoming what he is!"

"No, I'm not thinking about it."

"Oh, thank goodness, I was afraid you were going to— "

"I already did it."

Another long silence, this one filled with disbelief and disapproval. Then, "You mean that now you're a—Oh, Vickie, I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll be my matron of honor."

"You know I will, hon, but… "

Vicki's hand tightened around the receiver. "But what?"

"Well, how are we going to shop for dresses with you there and me here?"

"We aren't. Just buy something you love that you can wear again. It's going to be very informal."

"Oh, well, all right. When's the big day… er, night?"

"We haven't set a date yet. I'll let you know."

Bobbie Sue giggled. "Imagine, both of us getting married so close together. Who'd have thought? Duncan wants to have children right away. He says he's waited so long to get married, he doesn't want to wait to have kids."

"That's wonderful," Vicki said, forcing a smile into her voice. There would be no children for her and Antonio. It was her only regret.

"What's your mother going to say when she finds out you're marrying a vampire?"