“Of course,” she said, surprised by the worry in his tone. “Why do you ask?”

“It is probably nothing, but there are rumors circulating—”

“What kind of rumors?”

“At the moment, they are vague, with no way to ascertain if there is any truth behind them. All I know is that Nadiya’s name has been mentioned a few times, and that her son, Daryn, hasn’t been seen lately.”

“So you had to call and check up on me,” Kaitlyn interjected, smiling.

“You are my only child, after all.”

“Well, I’m not hiding Daryn, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Nadiya was one of her grandfather’s many wives; Daryn was her son. Kaitlyn had only met Nadiya once, but once was enough. She had never met Daryn.

Her father’s laughter reminded her of home and of how much she missed it. And him.

“Seriously, I’m fine, Dad.”

“You are comfortable there?”

“Of course. The cabin is wonderful, the view is terrific. I was going to go back to my apartment in L.A., but I’m thinking of staying here indefinitely.”

“I see.”

“What do you see?”

“Your mother is listening. She thinks there must be a man involved.”

Kaitlyn grinned. She had never been able to put one past her parents. “As a matter of fact, there is. But I just met him, so don’t go making any wedding plans yet.”

Her father growled on the other end of the line.

“I’m kidding, Dad.” Even though her father had lifted the ban forbidding their people to marry mortals, she knew he hoped she would marry one of the Romanian vampires.

“Kaitlyn, are you still there?”

“What? Oh, yes.” She chewed on her lower lip as she pondered the best way to ask the question that had been niggling at her since last night. “I was wondering—is there a way for me to tell if a man is one of us?”

“You think this man you are seeing is a vampire?”

“I don’t know. But last night, I would have sworn I felt a surge of preternatural power coming from him.” Her father had the ability to detect those of his own kind when they were near; unfortunately, she hadn’t inherited that power.

“Explain.”

She quickly told her father about the events at the casino the night before.

“What is this man’s name?”

“Zackary Ravenscroft. Have you ever heard of him?”

“No. If he was of our blood, I would know it.”

“Maybe I just imagined it,” Kaitlyn murmured. But she didn’t believe that for a second.

“Perhaps. Your mother wishes to say hello. Take care of yourself.”

“I will. Love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too.”

Kaitlyn heard muffled whispers and then her mom’s voice came over the line.

“Kaitlyn, how are you, sweetie?”

“I’m fine, Mom, really. I love it here. I wish you and Dad could have stayed longer.”

“Me, too, but I guess we’re stuck here at the Fortress for a while until your father gets to the bottom of these rumors.”

“You don’t think one of the other vampires is planning a coup, do you?”

“I hope not. I was here for the last one, and believe me, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Your grandmother sends her love.”

Kaitlyn grinned. Her grandmother, Liliana, wasn’t fond of telephones and refused to use them.

“Listen, sweetie, I’ve got to go. Call if you need anything.”

“I will.”

“All right. I love you.”

“I love you more. Give Dad a hug for me. And give Aunt Katiya and Uncle Andrei my best.” Though Kaitlyn had other aunts and uncles, Katiya and Andrei had always been her favorites.

“Consider it done. And keep us informed about your young man.”

Kaitlyn was smiling when she ended the call. Her young man. She very much liked the sound of that.

Shortly after sunset, Kaitlyn drove to the small convenience store her mother had told her was located on the other side of the hill. “Handy for when you’re in a hurry,” her mother had told her, and added that there was a supermarket in the city.

Kaitlyn only needed a few things tonight. She moved up and down the aisles, quickly picking up the items on her list. She exchanged a few pleasantries with the clerk, thanked the boy who bagged her groceries, and headed for the door, a sack cradled in each arm, only to have a man stumble in front of her, jarring her shoulder and causing one of the sacks to slip from her grasp.

The man was immediately apologetic. “I’m sorry,” he said, offering her a winning smile. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. Of course, if I’d known how pretty you are, I would have run into you on purpose. Here,” he said, when she began gathering her groceries, “let me do that.”

He quickly scooped up the bread, bananas, cheese, and candy bars and dropped them into the sack which had, miraculously, remained intact, and handed it to her.

“Thank you.”

“Eddie,” he said, smiling again. “Eddie Harrington.”

“Kaitlyn,” she replied, and took a step around him.

“Hey, hold on a minute. The least I can do is buy you a cup of coffee.”

“That isn’t necessary.”

“Please,” he said. “It would make me feel better.”

She hesitated. Eddie Harrington was of medium height, young and slender, with a shock of bleached blond hair and dark brown eyes. Had she been an ordinary girl, she would have refused to go with him, but she was her father’s daughter. Blessed with preternatural speed and the strength of ten men, she was confident of her ability to take care of herself.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “It’s just a cup of coffee.”

“All right.”

“Great.” He took one of the bags from her arm and followed her to her car.

He whistled appreciatively when she unlocked the door of the Porsche. “Nice ride!” He put the bag he was carrying on the backseat, then placed hers beside it.

“Thanks.” Kaitlyn locked the car. Wishing she had never agreed to this, she listened to Eddie make small talk as they strolled toward the coffee shop, which was a few doors down from the market.

A waitress showed them to a booth. Kaitlyn sat down and Eddie slid in beside her. It annoyed her that he didn’t take the seat across from her.

Eddie ordered two cups of coffee, then sat back, one arm stretched out on the seat behind her. “So, do you live around here?”

“Yes, do you?”

“No, I’m just laying over for a few days on my way to L.A.”

“Oh? Is this a business trip?”

“You could say that.”

The waitress arrived with their coffee. “Will there be anything else?”

Eddie glanced at Kaitlyn, one brow raised in question.

She shook her head, wishing again that she had refused his invitation. There was something about Eddie she didn’t like, didn’t trust, although she had no idea what it was. He seemed nice enough. And it was, after all, just a cup of coffee. It wasn’t as if she was agreeing to a lifetime commitment.

“Have you lived here long?” he asked.

“No.” She added cream and sugar to her cup. “What kind of business are you in?” Not that she cared, she thought as she stirred her coffee.

“At the moment, I’m just scouting around.”

“Oh.” She sipped her coffee. It burned her tongue, but she kept drinking. The sooner she finished it, the sooner she could get out of here. She should have bought a half-gallon of ice cream at the store. It would have given her a good excuse to hurry home.

“So, I was thinking, maybe we could go out later, take in dinner and a movie.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t. I have a date.”

“How about tomorrow night?”

“I’m afraid you’re wasting your time. I’m seeing someone.”

“Are you engaged?”

“No, but we’re exclusive.” She drained her cup and set it aside. “I really need to go.”

He stared at her, his eyes narrowed, as if he didn’t believe her, but she didn’t care.

She lifted one brow. “Do you mind letting me out?”

“Sure.” He wasn’t smiling now.

Kaitlyn slid out of the booth. “Thank you for the coffee,” she murmured over her shoulder.

It was all she could do to keep from running out the door. She didn’t know who Eddie Harrington was, but he gave her the creeps.

Chapter 11

Zack stood in the shadows alongside Kaitlyn’s house, debating whether to see her again. She was a nice girl, obviously a little naïve when it came to men. He had the feeling she had been sheltered most of her life until she came here to live. He sensed the strength in her, but it was more physical than emotional, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. In all his existence, he had had only one long-standing relationship with a woman, and that had been over a century and a half ago. It just wasn’t smart to care too deeply for mortals. At best, they lived a mere seventy or eighty years; at worst, they died in your arms at the age of twenty, like his beautiful dancer, her mind gone, her body ravaged by disease.

He rarely thought of Colette. She had been a pretty young woman, with bright red hair, a winsome smile, and a dancer’s slender figure. They had spent three incredible years together and then, without warning, she took sick. Within the space of a few hours, she was out of her head with fever. He had taken her to the hospital, but the doctor shook his head and said there was nothing he could do. In a few days, she looked more dead than alive. He had begged her to let him bring her across in hopes that the change would heal her in mind and body, but she had been too far gone to decide, and when he had tried to bring her across, it was too late. She had died in his arms. The memory of her death had haunted him for years. Even now, thinking of her filled him with guilt and regret. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face that kind of failure, of loss, again.