My Wicked Vampire by Nina Bangs Page A

babies.”
    She could tell he didn’t believe her. Probably thought she was just nuts. But before he could come up with a reply, the new guard showed up.
    Tall, with brown hair and eyes, along with a wide grin, he was a welcome touch of normalcy. He pulled off a cap that had some kind of fish on it. “Hi there. I’m Wade.” He stuck out his hand and engulfed hers in a hearty shake. “Sorry to hear about your loss. Just go on and do what you have to do. I’ll make sure no one gets to your other plants.”
    “You don’t have any idea how much I appreciate this.” Cinn thanked God for the kindness of ordinary people.
    “Don’t you worry, little lady. Everything will be fine. I was down this way for a big boat show and thought I’d stop by for some R & R. Stayed here before when I was doing a fishing tournament. Nice homey place.”
    Cinn didn’t think she’d go that far.
    “So when Sparkle asked me to do this, I didn’t have to even think about it. I’ve got lots of free time.”
    Edge handed Wade the key to the greenhouse. “No one not connected to the castle gets in here.”
    “Got it.” Wade stepped inside and pulled up a folding chair. He pulled out a copy of Texas Fish and Game Magazine. “You just go on now. Sparkle knows your plants will be safe with me.”
    Cinn couldn’t help it; she reached out and clasped his hand in both of hers. “I owe you, Wade.”
    For just a moment, something strange seemed to move in Wade’s eyes. He shook his head. “Felt a little funny there for a moment.” He grinned. “But I’ll be fine.”
    She turned and followed Edge into the kitchen. As they wound their way around an annoyed chef, Cinn was a little more optimistic. “I like Wade. He looks like the kind of man you can depend on.”
    Edge shrugged. “Yeah, he’s okay for a demon.”

Chapter Six
    Dacian dragged himself up through the layers of nothingness that held him captive each day. Even as the layers thinned and he drew nearer to the surface, he sensed it was still daylight. The force of the sun battered him.
    Why was he waking up? He tried to force himself back into the soft cocoon of sleep, but something wouldn’t allow him.
    He lay quietly, trying to analyze even as his mind still clung to the safety of the darkness. There. It came again. A light brush against his mind. And then a whisper, so soft he strained to hear it.
    “ Help. Cold. Box. “ The voice was thin and reedy, weak. And it had a shiver to it. Vince’s voice.
    Vince. Cinn. Cinn. In a moment he was fully awake. Had something happened to her? Something must have happened, because she’d never leave the plant unprotected.
    Sitting up, he rubbed a hand across his face. Damn, whenever he rose before sunset he felt like someone had slugged him with a baseball bat. Over and over and over.
    He was in complete darkness. Ganymede had given him one of the vampire rooms. It was next to the dungeon—handy if he needed to be restrained fast—and had no windows. But he could still feel the sun even if he couldn’t see it.
    No help for that now. He had to know what had happened. He turned on the bedside light, picked up the phone, and called Sparkle. “What’s happened to Cinn?”
    A few minutes later he put down the phone, grabbed his clothes, and dragged himself into the shower. He didn’t want to waste time on a shower, but he needed the driving water flowing over him to make him functional until the sun set.
    Once dressed, he glanced at his watch. Only an hour until dark. He could do this. Bracing himself, he pulled open the door and headed upstairs.
    He tracked Cinn down in a corner of the great hall where she was busy arguing with Holgarth as castle employees scurried around them, getting ready for the night’s fantasies.
    “I will help you search for your plant, madam, after I interview my last wizard.” Holgarth sniffed his contempt of anyone who could get so upset over something so trivial. “And no, you may not borrow any of the