Her mother didn’t say anything, merely sat there, watching her.

“Don’t you believe me?”

“Should I?”

“No.” Kaitlyn’s shoulders sagged. She had never been any good at lying. What had made her think she could get away with it now? “I’ll tell you the truth, but only if you promise not to tell Dad.”

“I can’t promise you that.”

Kaitlyn sank down on the sofa beside her mother. “I was with Zack.”

Elena folded her hands in her lap. “You mean just now?”

“Yes. We didn’t do anything, honest,” she said quickly. “He just woke up a few minutes before you knocked on the door.”

“How long were you in there?”

“All day, except for when I had lunch with you.”

“I see.”

“I . . . I just wanted to be near him.”

“Oh, dear,” Elena said, sighing. “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?”

“I love him, Mom. More than anything.”

Elena smiled wistfully. “Yes, I guess you do.” She took Kaitlyn’s hands in hers. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret later, sweetheart. Don’t hurry into anything. Zack is very handsome. And vampires have an allure that’s hard to resist. But you know that. Just be sure that what you’re feeling for him is real, and not . . . lustful attraction.”

“So, how did you know what you felt for Dad was the real thing and not just infatuation, or some kind of vampire glamour?”

“That’s a good question,” Elena said, smiling. “I wish I had a good answer.”

“What made you love him?”

“I guess it was his goodness, his kindness.” She squeezed Kaitlyn’s hand. “And even though he could read my mind, he never took advantage of it. Well,” she added, grinning, “not often. But the most important thing was, he let me be me. That’s important in a relationship, because you can’t change him, and he shouldn’t try to change you.”

Kaitlyn nodded. Zack knew her better than she knew herself. “You won’t tell Dad where I was?”

“No. But remember this, next time it could be your father knocking on the door.” Elena looked up. “Zack, come in.”

“I see you found her,” he said, striding into the room.

“She told me everything,” Elena said, rising. “In the future, I hope the two of you will be more discreet.”

Zack waited until Elena left the room, then, grinning, he took Kaitlyn in his arms. “Looks like we dodged a bullet that time.”

It surprised Zack to learn that the vampires who dwelled within the Fortress spent their waking hours pretty much like everyone else. They watched satellite TV and DVDs, they read a lot, they danced up in the ballroom, they argued and bickered like most married folks, they played with their kids and made sure they were well educated.

It was all a revelation to Zack. The vampires he knew were a solitary bunch. Occasionally, one or two would band together for a while, but as a rule, the vampires of his acquaintance didn’t share territory or lairs. They didn’t trust each other and pretty much avoided one another whenever possible.

But this was the Carpathian Fortress, and tonight both vampires and mortals had gathered in the game room downstairs to play cards. In order for the games to be fair, the vampires and the humans played at separate tables, since the vampires could read mortal minds. Most of the women played canasta or rummy, while the men, and a few of the women, preferred poker.

Zack glanced at Kaitlyn, who stood behind his chair as he shuffled the deck. Zack rarely played cards. Being able to read human minds made winning all too easy, which took all the fun out of the game. Playing with the vampires was far more challenging. He had met a mortal or two who had what was called a “poker face” but they didn’t hold a candle to the vampires. Kaitlyn’s father was a natural at the game, as was another vampire known as Josef.

Zack played for an hour, scooped up his winnings, took Kaitlyn by the hand, and excused himself from the game. He was keenly aware of Drake’s narrow-eyed gaze following them as they left the room.

“What do you want to do now?” Kaitlyn asked as they climbed the stairs to the main floor.

“Doesn’t matter. I just wanted to be alone with you for a while.”

“Sounds good to me.” She nodded as they passed a couple of young vampires. “But I don’t know where we’ll find a place to be alone at this time of the night.”

He grunted softly. The corridor was crowded with vampires and humans.

Hand in hand, Kaitlyn and Zack checked the music room, the library, and the art gallery, but all the rooms were occupied. Zack suggested the dining room, but it was filled with teenagers chatting, listening to music, and playing with the latest electronic gadgets.

“Maybe the council chamber,” Kaitlyn said. But when they opened the door, they saw a number of vampires engaged in a chess match.

“The ballroom?” Zack suggested.

“It’s probably crowded, too,” Kaitlyn said, “but I can’t think of anywhere else.”

Zack was thinking that, if necessary, he would physically eject anyone he found inside, but this time, luck was on his side and the place was empty. Empty and dark, save for the silvery moonlight that filtered through the windows.

“Ah, perfect,” he murmured. Taking Katy into his arms, he kissed her. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night long.”

“And I’ve been wanting you to.” She glanced around, wishing there was a sofa or a love seat. The only seat for two was the piano bench, or one of the window seats that looked out over the valley. Tugging on Zack’s hand, she moved toward the window at the far end of the room.

She sat down on the velvet cushion. Zack sat beside her, his arm going around her shoulders to draw her close.

“Pretty view, isn’t it?” she murmured. “Especially at night.”

“Very.”

“You’re not even looking.”

“Yeah, well, you look at the view you like and I’ll look at the one I like.” His hand cupped the back of her head, drawing her closer. He kissed her gently, as if she might break at his touch. Gradually, his kisses grew deeper, longer, hotter. His tongue teased her lips, dipped inside to duel with hers while his hand slid slowly, seductively, up and down her back.

Kaitlyn slipped one hand under his shirt, her fingernails raking lightly over his back, while her other hand slid up into his hair.

Time lost all meaning as their kisses grew more intense, their touches more intimate. She didn’t protest when he lifted her onto his lap, merely wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again. And again. The evidence of his desire sparked her own until she felt as though she was melting inside.

With desire came the urge to taste him. She bit his ear lightly. “Zack?”

He drew back, a knowing look in his eyes. “Yes, love?”

“Is it all right?”

“You don’t have to ask, Katy darlin’.”

With a moan that was very near a growl, she gave in to the urge to taste him. And when she’d had enough, she drew his head to her neck, reveling in his bite, in the sensual pleasure of it. She had never been intimate with a man, but she couldn’t imagine anything being more wonderful than this.

Reluctantly, Zack lifted his head. His whole body throbbed with need. It was time to call it a night, time to go downstairs before he did something foolish—like make love to her there, on the floor, in the moonlight.

Kaitlyn looked up at him, her eyes wide, and he knew her thoughts were running parallel with his.

“Come on, darlin’,” he said, pulling her to her feet, “let’s get out of here before we get into real trouble.”

“Not yet.”

“Katy, I’m not made of steel. Besides, we’re no longer alone.”

He had barely finished speaking when the lights went on.

Zack glanced over Kaitlyn’s shoulder. Her father stood in the doorway, his displeasure evident in his expression.

“Kaitlyn,” Drake said sternly, “your mother is looking for you. She is waiting in your room.”

“We’re coming, Dad. We were just . . . uh . . . looking at the stars.”

“Indeed. I will wait for you downstairs.”

“Is he going to follow us everywhere we go?” Zack asked.

“I hope not,” Kaitlyn muttered. “Good thing you’ve got so much willpower.”

“Yeah. I don’t even want to think about what he’d say if I’d let you seduce me.”

“Very funny,” Kaitlyn retorted.

“I thought so,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Be a good girl, and I’ll let you walk me home.”

She batted her eyelashes at him. “Oh, Zackary,” she said with a fake, sugary-sweet Southern accent, “ya’ll are so good to me.”

“Okay, Scarlett,” he muttered, taking her hand in his. Side by side, they walked down the stairs, stopping to kiss on each landing until they reached the main floor. Drake was waiting for them.

“Hi, Daddy,” Kaitlyn drawled. “Don’t wait up.”

Drake scowled at her.

“Well done,” Zack said, grinning.

When they reached Zack’s room, he muttered, “I guess I should have seduced you when I had the chance.”

“I guess so. Good night, Zack.”

“What? No kiss?” He glanced down the hallway to where Drake stood, arms folded over his chest, watching their every move.

Zack grunted softly. What the hell. If her old man wanted to watch, he’d give him something to see. Drawing Kaitlyn into his arms, Zack kissed her slowly, his tongue teasing hers, his arm holding her body tightly against his.

She went up on her tiptoes, her arms twining around his neck as she kissed him back.

The enthusiasm of Kaitlyn’s response, the heat of her nubile body, made him forget that her father was watching. Until Drake cleared his throat.