arcy's heart was thundering in her ears as she reached for him. Yes! If all else failed, she would at least have this one glorious night. Austin fell onto the bed and pulled her into his arms. Yes, her mind repeated the same word since she was too excited to think of anything else. She scattered kisses over his face and raked her hands into his hair. It was thick, damp, and oh, so soft, a wonderful contrast to the darker whiskers lining his jaw.

He was planting kisses all over her face, too, and she didn't mind that he seemed rushed. Even frantic. So what if this quickly careened out of control and exploded? She loved the aura of desperation, and it would be one hell of an explosion.

Their mouths found each other, instantly opening and melding together. He invaded her with his tongue at the same time that he entered her mind.

I'm here, Darcy. You'll never feel cold again.

She opened for him, both mentally and physically, reveling in the heat from his mind and body. A wave of awe swept through her as she realized just how open she was. He was in her mind and would soon enter her body. He would know every inch of her, inside and out. And the wonder of it was she wasn't afraid. She trusted him. She'd never trusted anyone so much before.

He pulled back and looked at her. "Darcy." He brushed back her hair. "You honor me."

He'd heard her thoughts. She felt as if her heart would burst with an overabundance of love. She wanted to show him how much. She had to. With a lightning-quick move, she shoved him onto his back and pinned his arms down.

"Whoa!" His shocked expression turned wary. "You're, uh, really strong."

Stronger than she'd realized. Cool. She examined Austin's muscular arms and chest. Why, she was as strong as a macho super spy. He clenched a fist and strained against her grip on his wrist. He couldn't budge her. Very cool.

Frowning, he studied her. "I guess this turns you on. Your eyes are red again."

She smiled. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle." She released his wrists, letting her fingers glide up his arms, over his biceps and shoulders, and onto his chest. She splayed her hands into his curly chest hair, then followed the trail of dark brown hair to his navel. What a gorgeous man. She could eat him alive.

He propped himself up on his elbows, watching her with a worried look. "I'd rather you didn't."

Oh, the rascal had heard her. "I meant it metaphorically. Relax." She shoved him back down. "I said I'd be gentle." She grabbed the waistband of his sexy red underwear and pulled.

Rip. She winced as the flimsy silk tore in two. "Oops."

He lifted his head to look at his ripped shorts.

"Sorry." She gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm a little overly eager." She glanced down at him. "I'm not the only one."

With a groan, he let his head drop back on the bed. "If you don't know your own strength, you should st��" He gasped when she curled her hand around him.

"I should what?" She gently stroked the shaft.

He gritted his teeth. "Continue."

She drew little circles around the tip. "I thought you could be persuaded."

"Yeah, I'm easy." His eyes flickered shut. His chest heaved with rapid breaths.

He was such a beautiful man. And so large. She traced a vein on his shaft, then snuggled close to him so she could retrace it with her tongue. A moan rumbled deep in his throat. She trailed kisses up to the tip, then took him into her mouth.

Do you like this, she asked him in her thoughts.

God, yes. You're so good. You're�� "Wait!" He struggled to sit up.

She released him with a smack of her lips. "Hmm. Tastes like chicken."

"It's not funny. You've never made love as a vampire, right? Do you even know what to expect?"

She nuzzled her cheek against his shaft, then kissed him. "I expect to have a good time. I'm being gentle."

"But you can't control your eyes. Or your strength. What if you can't control your fangs and they pop out?"

She paused with her mouth on his cock.

"Holy body piercing." He pushed her away from him and pinned her on her back.

She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

He glowered at her. "It's not funny."

"But I wouldn't have bitten you." Typical male, so worried about the preservation of the family jewels.

"I heard that." He raked his gaze over her while he kept a tight grip on her wrists.

She figured she was strong enough to throw him off. If she wanted to.

He arched a brow at her. "But you don't want to."

She smiled slowly. "Oh, dear. I'm totally at your mercy. Whatever will you do?"

He smiled back. "I'll be doing all the nibbling from now on."

She sighed. "I suppose I can live with that." Especially if he nibbled in all those places he'd mentioned before.

Not a problem. He nuzzled her neck and nipped at the spot where her neck curved into her shoulder.

She wiggled since the spot was ticklish. He nibbled a path to her breasts. He released her wrists to cup one of her breasts with his hand. He flicked his thumb over the nipple. When it hardened, he took it into his mouth.

She arched her back as her mind exploded with pleasure. When the sensation mellowed, she realized he'd retreated mentally to the fringes of her mind. She gripped his head tighter. "Don't leave me."

I'm still with you. He lifted his head from her breast. "Your reactions are too exciting. If I don't back off a bit, I'll explode."

"Oh, Austin." She kissed his brow. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." He kissed the underside of her breasts, then the curve of her hip. He pulled down the waistband of her shorts to nibble on her belly.

She wiggled against him. This was all well and good, but she was anxious to get on with it.

"Good." He yanked off her shorts.

She gasped. Hmm, telepathy could certainly come in handy.

He knelt at her feet and looked her over. "You're so beautiful, Darcy."

He lifted a foot and nipped at her toes. She bent her knee to let the leg fall open. His gaze zeroed in on her most private flesh. Excitement surged through her, causing her groin to tingle and ache. He worked his way up her leg, nibbling at her calf. She bent her other leg to spread her legs wider apart. He paused, his eyes riveted on her.

Hot moisture seeped from her, and she groaned with need.

He glanced at her with the hint of a smile. "You sexy strumpet."

Take me, please.

I'm getting there. Be patient. He kissed the inside of her thigh.

Now!

Bossy, aren't you? He released her leg and settled between her legs. When he touched her, she bucked. Whoa. This isn't the rodeo, darlin'.

"Sorry." She pressed a hand against her chest, gasping for air. "I'm just so excited. I've wanted you for so long."

Shh. Relax and enjoy. He gave her a long, slow lick.

She screamed.

He glanced toward the door, wincing. "There's a CIA operative next door. Let's try to keep it down."

"Right." She gripped the comforter in her fists and planted her feet firmly on the bed. "Okay. I'm ready. Do your worst. I mean your best."

His mouth twitched. "Sure."

Darcy gasped at the feel of his mouth on her again. She clutched at the comforter and closed her eyes. Good God. He was so sweet, so loving, so thorough, so damned slow! He quickened the pace, and she realized through the sensual fog that he'd heard her. Oh, sorry. But she was so impatient. She lifted her hips, wanting more pressure. He instantly responded by grabbing her hips. Good God, this telepathy stuff was good!

A little to the right. No, the other right. Faster. Fast�� She spun out of control, unable to give directions any longer. But he didn't seem to need any. She was climbing, soaring, reeling, teetering on the edge, and he kept pushing 'til��

She screamed. Her body convulsed. Her legs clamped together.

"Aah." He wrenched his body out from between her legs. "Holy moley, you're strong."

With a moan, she rolled onto her side. Her body continued to rack with the sweetest spasms.

He collapsed beside her and pulled her into his arms. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

"Yes," she gasped.

They both stiffened when a loud banging shook the door.

"Hey, Austin!" Garrett shouted. "What's going on? Do you need backup?"

He yelled, "I invited a girlfriend over. Go away."

There was a pause. "You sure you don't need backup?"

Darcy rolled her eyes when she heard snickering on the other side of the door.

"Get lost, you creep," Austin shouted. When all was quiet, he rolled her onto her back. "Now, where were we?"

She laced her hands around his neck. "I had just experienced the biggest, most colossal orgasm of my life."

"Ah. Well, it's a tall order, but we'll see if we can top it." He lowered his head to her breasts.

Darcy's breath caught as all the sensations came rushing back. It wasn't long before her legs were spread and his fingers were drenched with more moisture.

"Do I need a condom?" he whispered.

"No." She shook her head, her eyes closed. He was teasing her with such sweet little circles. "No diseases."

His hand paused. "And children?"

Her eyes opened. Her heart stuttered at the concerned look on his face. "I can't have any."

A flicker of pain crossed his face. "I thought not. I'm sorry."

She swallowed and mentally forbade the tears that threatened to come. Austin would be such a good father. It was just one more reason why she shouldn't allow him to stay with her.

"No. I love you." He moved between her legs and positioned himself against her. "No matter what."

She cried out when he plunged inside her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and held tight.

I love you. He repeated the words in her head as he thrust into her body. They clung to each other mentally as their sensations melted together and drove them higher and higher.

His body jerked, then pumped into her. His groan reverberated in her ears and inside her head. Her own body responded with a sensual shattering. She didn't know if it was bigger than the first one, but it was definitely sweeter, for they experienced it together.

He collapsed beside her and pulled her into his arms. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

She shivered as her body heat quickly dwindled. "I'm getting cold again."

"Here. Get under the covers." He scooted off the bed and folded back the comforter. She slipped underneath as he turned off the lights. Moonlight filtered through the window, glinting off his hair with a silvery tint.

He settled beside her with a smile. "I'll heat you up again as soon as I recover from round one."

"Is this a boxing match?" She snuggled close to him.

He winced. "Don't expect nine rounds."

Smiling, she fondled the curls on his chest. "You're no longer in my head."

The corner of his mouth quirked. "I'm conserving my energy."

"Have you always had telepathic powers?"

He closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, and she wondered if he'd fallen asleep. He looked so harmless and handsome.

He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "It runs in my family, but skips every other generation. My grandfather was telepathic. My mother's father."

"The one you're named after?"

He nodded slightly. "Papa Olaf. When I was very young, I would hear people say something, but their lips weren't moving. And when I answered them, they looked at me like I'd grown two heads. I was afraid something was wrong with me."

"That must have been very confusing."

"Yeah. Papa Olaf understood, though, and he told me what was happening. At first, I was scared, but he made it fun, like we were in a special, secret club just for us." Austin smiled. "We would spend hours fishing on his favorite lake in Minnesota, having long conversations without either of us saying a word."

Darcy suppressed a twinge of sorrow. She still missed having long talks with her sisters. "You were lucky to have him."

"Yes. He warned me to be careful with the gift, but as I grew older, I became bolder and... conceited, I guess. I considered myself the grand protector of my three younger sisters. When their friends came over, I would read their minds and chase them off if I didn't like what I heard."

Darcy snorted. "I bet your sisters loved that."

He grinned. "I wondered at the time why they weren't properly appreciative. Now, I realize I was acting like a know-it-all bully." His smile faded. "My powers took a big leap forward when I was about fifteen, and I started bragging about what I could do. It upset my father. He'd always been envious of the close relationship I had with my grandfather. He became convinced that Papa Olaf was an evil influence in my life. He even thought my grandfather was training me in the occult."

"Oh, no." Darcy propped her head up on her hand. "What did your father do?"

"He forbade me to ever see my grandfather again. I reacted angrily, claiming he could never stop us from talking to each other because we could enter each other's minds at will. That freaked him out enough that he packed up the family and moved us to Wisconsin. He told me my powers were evil, and I should never use them again."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Darcy stroked Austin's brow. "It must have been terrible for you."

He shrugged. "That's when I realized I wasn't nearly as powerful as I'd thought. I couldn't reach my grandfather over a long distance. I was in a new high school, and I didn't want to be seen as a freak. My sisters were mad at me because the move had separated them from their friends. I... I gave in. I wanted everyone to be happy with me, so I tried to be normal. I tried to make my father proud. I was on the football and swim teams. The perfect student all through high school and college."

Darcy sighed. She knew too well what it was like to feel trapped in a world where you couldn't be yourself. "What happened to your grandfather?"

"I was in college when he called and asked me to come see him." Austin closed his eyes briefly. His lips thinned as a pained expression pinched his face. "I hardly recognized him, his health had deteriorated so badly. I hadn't realized how much he needed me. He begged me to stop denying who I really was, to embrace my gifts and use them for the power of good. He told me to never be ashamed, that there was a reason God had made me the way I was, and that it was up to me to discover that reason."

"He was a good man," Darcy whispered. His philosophy reminded her of Maggie's, though she would never understand what good could come from being a vampire.

Austin sighed. "I felt like I had betrayed him. And betrayed myself. So, I promised him on his death bed that I would do as he asked. I joined the CIA and developed my skills so I could fight evil."

"Like me?" she asked dryly.

He gave her an irritated look. "Don't insult the woman I love."

With a smile, she rested her head on his shoulder. Now she understood why Austin was driven to use his powers to protect the innocent and defeat evil. She couldn't expect him to give it up. His gift was too rare and special to be squandered away. "I bet you used to dress up like a superhero for Halloween."

He chuckled. "Yes. I especially liked the capes."

"And you had Superman underwear?"

He nodded. "And Spiderman pajamas. My lunch-box was the Incredible Hulk."

She smoothed a hand over his muscular chest and defined abs. "Oh, yeah. You're incredible, all right."

He rolled onto his side, smiling. "I bet you had a Malibu beach Barbie."

Darcy laughed. "And the beach house, too."

"An ail-American sweetheart." He rubbed a hand up and down her back. "Tell me what happened to you."

Her smile faded. "I'd rather not."

"I want to know."

"I died. End of story."

"You were a television reporter. I've seen the tapes. You were entertaining and clever." He brushed her hair back. "I've been trying to figure out what happened. I went to see your old cameraman, Jack."

Darcy's breath hitched. "How is he?"

"Not good. Something scared the hell out of him. He thinks you were abducted by blood-sucking aliens."

She winced. "Poor Jack."

"Tell me what happened. It was four years ago on Halloween."

"I was doing a story on kids who pretend to be vampires." She gave him a doubtful look. "Do you really want to hear this?"

"Yes. Tell me."

Darcy shuddered as she allowed the memories to escape from the mental file where she kept them locked away. "We went to a club in Greenwich Village, not far from Washington Square. It was called Fangs of Fortune. Jack had his old video camera. We were going to interview a few kids and leave."

She closed her eyes briefly. "A couple from NYU came to our table. Draco and Taylor. Draco had dental implants that looked like fangs. Taylor was a sweet girl, just wanting to be noticed. They posed for the camera, then left. Then, I spotted a pair of odd-looking men, and I went to their table."

"Who were they?" Austin asked.

"Gregori, dressed in a tuxedo, as usual. The other was a Scotsman dressed in a red and green kilt."

Austin stiffened. "He sounds like the vampire who kidnapped Shanna when I was guarding her. Tall, red hair pulled back into a ponytail, and he talks like a cross between Shrek and Billy Connolly?"

Darcy smiled sadly. "Yes. That would be Connor." She'd thought his accent was so cute at first. "I thought they might be police officers. They did admit they were there because they'd heard bad things were happening at the club. I just thought they meant drugs."

She sighed. "I told them they looked too old to be playing pretend like the kids. Connor said they had no need to pretend. And that I had no idea how old he really was."

Austin frowned. "It sounds like he was toying with you."

"I thought they were joking. Especially when Connor claimed he was actually a vampire."

Austin sat up. "He admitted it to you?"

"He and Gregori were joking back and forth. I didn't believe a word of it, and they knew it. I even asked Connor if the Loch Ness monster had been the one to transform him. And he said I shouldn't make fun of his dear Nessie. We were laughing and having a good time until I asked Jack to come over and record them. Then, they got very nervous."

"Jack's camera wasn't digital?"

"No. All of a sudden, I felt this icy cold in my head that said I would not record them. The voice told Jack and me to leave. The next thing I knew, Gregori and Connor were no longer at the table. They were at the bar, drinking something red that looked like blood. I was so disgusted and confused, I grabbed my purse and headed for the nearest exit."

"To the back alley?" Austin whispered.

Darcy covered her face, but the horrid memories flooded her mind. "It was too awful."

Austin wrapped his arms around her. "Not if you share it with me. Tell me."

She lowered her hands. "I'll try."