Secrets of the Night Special Edition (106 page)

"For all the good it does me. I have an appointment with the doctor at the end of the week. He told me on my last visit there's a new arthritis medicine that should be on the market soon. Supposed to do wonders. He'll write me a prescription whenever it's available. Like I said, though, I have something more than just arthritis, so I don't want to get too optimistic. We'll see.”

"Let us hope it helps you. You mean so much to me,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"You've said that before, but. . .” She bit her bottom lip.

"But--what?” 

She turned in his arms to look at him, taking in every feature of his face, his dark hair, straight nose, and square jaw, but more than anything, his pale skin.” I don't know much about you,” she blurted.

"What would you like to know?” he asked in his deep melodic voice.

"Well, your family, for instance.”

"I told you before, they're all dead.”

"All of them? You don't have any living relatives?” 

"So long ago,” he said, as if to himself.” They all died a long time ago.”

"How long ago?” 

"Sweeting, has it never occurred to you that perhaps it hurts me too much to discuss my family?” 

She lowered her eyelashes.” Sorry.” A brief pause.” I've noticed your accent, so different from mine. So did you live in
England
?” 

"Ah, that was long ago, also.”

"Whereabouts in
England
did you live?” she asked with the uneasy feeling he wasn't being entirely honest. What was he hiding?

"
Kent
, near the coast.”

"
Kent
! That's your last name.” She shifted her position on the sofa, concealing the pain that gripped every joint in her body.

"Not an uncommon custom, to take a place name as a family name. Such names go back hundreds of years.” 

"Hey, you're right. By the way, my last name is
Czech.
My ancestors came to this country in the 1890s.”

"Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the nineteenth century, and a lovely part of the world.”

"You've been there--to
Czechoslovakia
?” 

"Yes, I've been to every country in
Europe
.
Prague
is a beautiful city.”

"You've seen a lot of places, haven't you?” 

"True enough.” He hesitated.” It would be my pleasure to take you to many of these places if-"

"If I felt better,” she finished for him.” There's a lot of cities I'd like to see--
Paris
,
Vienna
,
Rome
.
Prague
, too.”

"All lovely cities.”

She studied her swollen fingers, no longer ashamed that he should see them.” Well, it'll be a long time before I feel like traveling. But something I've been thinking about--would you like to go to church with me?” 

He jerked back.” Church?” 

"If you don't want to go, just say so,” she snapped.” You don't need to act like I'd suggested we rob a bank together.”

He turned away for a moment, then swung his gaze back to her.” Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so, uh, adamant. But you see, I sleep late and--"

"But there are two services, an early one and a later one.”

"Sorry, but I sleep very late every day.”

"So you're a night owl?” 

He nodded.” You might say that.”

"Okay, so . . . Would you like to meet me for lunch sometime? Lots of eateries at Bayside, and we could--"

"Dearest, I'm sorry, but I absolutely can't.”

What was his problem? She shrugged, aiming for humor.” I never see you during the day. What are you, a creature from the dark side of the moon?” 

A fierce look crossed his face, and if looks could kill, she'd be headed for the morgue. After a moment, his face cleared, and he spoke slowly and distinctly, as if explaining a simple situation to a child.

"I've already told you I'm a night owl--your words, incidentally. But true, just the same. Why can't you accept my explanation?” 

She slid back on the sofa.” It seems odd to me that once in a while we can't do something during the day. All the things to see and do in
Miami
--daytime activities, like the zoo or
Fairchild
Tropical
Garden
--well, I think you're missing out on a lot.”

"Please, I don't need a rebuke.”

"Hey, just listen a minute. Let me say what I've had on my mind. You should get out in the sun more. I told you that once, remember? No, let me finish,” she said as he opened his mouth to speak.” It's not good for you to spend so much time in bed. Why, if you were any paler, you'd be a ghost.”

A long moment of silence stretched between them.

"Are you quite finished?” he asked in a voice as cold as a Siberian winter.

"For now. Maybe I'll think of something later.”

"You've said enough for now . . . or later.” He gave her a long, steady look, and she sensed she'd pushed him too far. Too late to swallow her words, and she wouldn't want to anyway. What was he hiding that couldn't bear the light of day?

"I had thought,” he said in his low voice, “that it was enough for us to attend nighttime activities together and--"

"--and don't get the idea I haven't enjoyed myself and all the things you've done for me--the Nutcracker and everything, not to mention the time it must have taken you to buy all those lovely orchids. Honest--"

"--and I think you could accept my explanation that I prefer to socialize in the evening.”

"Well, sure, I understand if that's how you want to do things. I was mainly thinking of you--you know, getting out in the sun more.” Not entirely true, since she still thought there was something peculiar about someone who never ventured out during the day, or not until late afternoon, for all she knew.

"Stevie, I've taken care of myself for quite a long time without anyone else's advice. I believe I can continue to do so.”

"Well, why does everything have to be a secret with you? I mean, this business about church-"

He scowled.” And that's my business.”

"There! You see what I mean? Don't tell me you sleep so late every Sunday that you can't even attend a church service. Or that you can't even have lunch with me one time. You know, I have a sneaking suspicion you're not being honest with me, and I think you owe me some answers.”

He scowled.” I don't owe you anything.”

"Well, pardon me for thinking you do. I thought that after all the time we've known each other, you could at least be open and honest with me.” She drew her knees up to her chin, hugging her legs.

"I have never lied to you.” 

"Funny, that's not the impression I get.”

He sighed, his voice gentle now.” Please let it go for now. I promise you that very soon I shall give you answers, and I won't hold anything back.” He splayed his fingers through his hair.” The truth of the matter is, I've had many worries lately, more than you can imagine. For now, let's leave matters as they are. Please wait and be patient.”

What was the matter with him? Did he have skin cancer or some other terrible disease? Maybe he had an ailment that kept him away from the sunlight. She'd read about such an abnormality. Then why didn't he just say so? And maybe she was only adding to his worries by her questions. Okay, for now, she wouldn't ask any more, but he'd better give her some answers soon.

A smile crept over his face, making her feel a lot better. She didn't like to have angry words with him.

"You're not satisfied with my answer, are you? Haven't you heard the expression, 'Oh, God, give us the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, courage to change what should be changed, and wisdom to distinguish one from the other'? Reinhold Niebuhr.”

"Uh, uh, I never heard that. You must read a lot.”

He tapped his head, a grin on his face.” I'm smart.” He sighed.” And you would do well to remember that quotation. Now, no more lectures for today.” He reached for her again and held her close to his chest.” Let us not have any disagreements between us,” he murmured, nuzzling her ear.” Rather, let us make the most of every minute together, for you never know . . .”

A chill raced over her body.” Never know what?”  She let her legs slip to the floor.

"Never know what tomorrow may bring. And I really don't want to talk anymore.” He smoothed her hair away from her face and angled his lips onto hers, his fingers tracing a path from her cheeks to her neck and on to her breasts, hips, and thighs. Entranced by his touch, she wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her breasts against his solid chest, loving his hard strength. Galan moaned, his hands roaming her body, arousing her, helping her forget her pain. She wanted to give herself to him, but how could she when there was no commitment from him?

He feathered kisses on her face, behind her ear, and across her jawline, stopping at her neck. Breathing hard, he licked a spot there, softly nibbling the skin. With a low groan, he released her, his face heavy with passion and something more, something she couldn't define. A look almost like . . . hunger.

"We must stop,” he gasped.” I . . . I could stay with you forever, but the world intrudes, I fear. You need adequate sleep for your job.” He eased away from her.” I must leave you now, although I would wish it otherwise.”

"Right, it's getting late,” she agreed, afraid she sounded like a broken record, she'd said those words so many times. Throbbing all over, she wanted him to stay with her all night long, wherever the night would lead them. And where would the night lead them? One guess was all she needed.

She tightened her bathrobe sash.” I'd better get to bed. As you say, I need my sleep.”

"Yes, of course.” After a quick kiss, he stood, looking down at her with those eyes that missed nothing.” I shall call you later this week.”

And then he was gone, leaving her with more worries than ever, more questions than before. Something told her that soon, he'd be out of her life forever, this mysterious man with secrets he refused to share. She leaned her forehead against the door for the longest time, an ache deep inside her.

* * *

Galan closed Stevie's door and walked out into the dark night, the darkness that was so much a part of him, as much as his arms or legs or atrophied heart.

Fool! Why hadn't he told her what he truly was? All those questions she'd asked, her curiosity about why he wouldn't attend church with her or take her to lunch--surely that was the time to let her see his true essence--a monster of the night.

Coward. Yes, he feared to tell her the truth, feared losing her forever. But the time for subterfuge was past. Next time he saw her, he'd reveal his true nature . . . and suffer the consequences.

* * *

Beneath the ground, Rosalinda lay in a crypt, brooding and vengeful. They thought she was dead--Galan, Octavius,

Moloch . . . and no one cared. No one had looked for her, even while she lay with a stake through her chest, not half a mile from the chateau, where Lilith had taken her and left her for dead . . . where she pretended to be dead. Lilith--the imbecile! --had missed her heart by an inch.

After she pulled the stake out and allowed a few hours of recovery from her wound, Rosalinda had transported herself to this crypt, where she lay for a long time, recuperating. But a day of reckoning would come. For now, she'd lie low, lick her wounds, as the mortals would say. She needed time.

And then--oh, then! --she'd have her retaliation. She'd show them all she couldn't be killed or forgotten so easily. Later, she'd deal with Lilith, but for now, she'd get even with the others, starting with Galan. Anticipation swept all resentment aside. Revenge would be sweet, for she knew how to make Galan suffer, knew how to inflict a pain worse than the most exquisite torture.

She would kill the mortal bitch, and she would do it slowly, so that it took her days to die.

Soon, very soon.

There goes another book! After she retrieved Dean Koontz's latest thriller from the floor, Stevie caught Julie's attention across the room and motioned her over to the shelf. She winced with pain as she struggled to her feet, finally managing a smile as Julie joined her.

"Julie, how about if you finish shelving these books and I'll handle the cash register when the store opens.” She tried to flex her fingers, a rush of alarm zipping through her, sending her heart down to her stomach.” A little stiff today.” She kept her smile, determined not to show her trepidation.

Julie frowned.” Okay, but that cash register's kinda stiff, too.”

"Yeah, but anything's better than trying to stock these books. I end up with more books on the floor than on the shelves. Besides, the doctor told me I should exercise all my joints, so here's my chance!” She laughed, then shifted her position again, taking pressure off her left knee.