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"You forbid it? What am I? A child whom you think you can push around? I am my own woman, my lord,
never mistake that." Now it was Carissa's voice that was dangerously soft.
Suddenly Ryan sat back and began laughing.
"What in blazes do you find so amusing, Ryan?" Carissa demanded as she sat up much more cautiously.
"Brynn wouldn't have let me push her around like that either, but she, my dove, she would not have yelled at
me."
"What would she have done?"
Ryan smiled, caressing the hair back from Carissa's face. "She probably would have apologized for worrying
me and slowly changed the subject so that I could never get a promise from her not to do it again. She was
rather good at managing me, you know."
"Would you prefer if I managed you, my lord?" Carissa sat back against the headboard because the room just
did not want to hold still.
"Ahh, no, I never want you to be anything but what you are. If you were feeling stronger, we could make
glorious love together now," Ryan said rather wistfully. "I do love your fire, my dove."
Carissa smiled back. "Come to think of it, if I were feeling stronger, I wouldn't mind ravaging you myself."
Ryan laughed again and then became serious. "Tell me what happened."
Carissa described the encounter as best she could. "I think I killed him. I was so angry, I left my cane in him as
you instructed. Even if I didn't pierce his heart, I don't think he could have worked it out and fled."
"I don't think so either. Would the sunlight reach that far? How tall were the buildings around the alley?"
"Three or four stories. Badly dilapidated tenements."
"Then there is a small possibility that he escaped. I will go look for him in a little bit. Now tell me, did he give
you his name?"
Carissa shook her head and then grabbed Ryan's arm for support as the small movement spun the room
around her. "No, he never told me anything about himself, but I don't think he could have been one of
Alyssa's."
"Why do you say that?"
"When I asked him if he was of her court, he looked completely confused, as though he had no idea what I was
talking about. And he wasn't a young vampire. He was much stronger than I, and you have told me it takes
ages to develop that kind of strength. Could he have been one of those hermit vampires who avoid cities?"
"It's possible. Could he have been acting?"
"I don't think so. He didn't seem smart enough for that. Also, when he tried to incapacitate me, he did as you
would a human, half choking me. A smart vampire, one experienced with his own kind would know we don't
need to breathe and that choking wouldn't really do anything."
Ryan nodded. "Yes, that is an important point. I will talk to Alyssa after I see if I can find out what happened to
him, but I will be very polite. This does not seem like her kind of attack in any case, unless she was using him to
test your strength." Ryan sat a moment in thought.
"Well, you lost a lot of blood, my dove. You need to feed."
"I don't think I am in any shape to hunt tonight, Ryan."
"You don't need to. Both Nora and Timothy have volunteered. You have a way of winning people's affection
and loyalty, Carissa. I will send them up to you." Ryan smiled with affection.
Carissa sat stunned for a minute. "Ryan, I don't want to hurt them."
"You won't. You've never hurt Reesha, have you? And you have taken her, haven't you, my dove?"
"How did you know?"
"There is a certain new confidence in you. I think it could only come from having taken complete control.of
your dragon. Do you want me to stay while you feed?"
"No& you don't need to. Even as hungry as I am, I know I can stop myself."
Ryan smiled tenderly and kissed Carissa. "I am very proud of you, dear heart, but please be more careful in the
future."
"I will be, Ryan."
"Good. Eat and then sleep. I will see you tomorrow." Ryan got up and went to the door. She stood a moment as
if uncertain and then turned back.
"Carissa& I love you." From her tone, Ryan was as surprised to hear the words as Carissa was. She stood a
moment in shock, and then she was gone into the night.
15
The Wolf
Carissa was touched to find that Clywd had stayed away from his beloved music lessons for two whole days
out of worry for her. She still felt weak, but after feeding from both Nora and Timothy the floor stopped
moving. She had come down tonight not because she felt the need for Clywd's company, but because she had
worried that Nora would be too much of a temptation for her in her weakened state.
The maid had been very sweet the night before. She had come to Carissa afraid and yet filled with a very
touching courage. Carissa had taken Timothy first, and Greger and one of the footmen had hauled the
coachman off to his own bed to sleep off the effects. Nora had come to Carissa, shyly offering herself in a way
that reminded Carissa poignantly of Reesha. Carissa held the young maid against her and bit her as gently as
she could. She could feel when the pain turned to pleasure, and the young maid's moans had filled Carissa with
delight. Carissa drank her blood and stroked her body, and although she did not make love to Nora, she knew
that the experience would be a pleasurable one. Carissa had fallen asleep with the girl in her arms. When she
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