Aaron was surprised by the question, but more so by her tone. The timid woman was suddenly gone and in her place was a fierce protector. He wondered if she even realized it.

"What do you mean, 'do with her?' I think I've made my position very clear on this; she will give us the answers we need to ensure our safety." He smiled to himself when she flushed slightly.

"I would like for you to let her go as soon as she is able to be on her own. I want her to go back to work for us, and not be bothered again. She has gone through a great deal in the past few days, saving your life notwithstanding. If you would like, I'll take full responsibility for any and all actions in the future. I just want her to be safe." April was begging for Sara's life, he realized. She thought he was going to kill her.

Aaron leaned back in his chair. He had been sitting at his desk for nearly an hour just thinking about the girl upstairs. It had been two days since she had been hurt again, and according to Duncan, who checked on her nearly every hour, said she had not moved once. He himself had been in to check on her several times a night just sitting in the big-armed chair next to the bed, and was more than a little worried. Not about her-no, Thomas was a good doctor. He was worried about what she would do when she found out he was her mate.

"I don't think I can do that, April. She knows a great deal about us. She can do a great many things that haven't been explained. I appreciate you wanting your friend safe, but you must also understand my position in this."

Her being my mate notwithstanding, he thought.

"Sara knew all this and a great deal more before she saved our lives." She pointed out to him.

"True, but we didn't know that then. She has made herself known to our kind now, April. She killed several of our kind. I realized why she did it. I do. But what if she were to..." He stopped when she suddenly stood.

"No! All that would have made it much easier to kill any of us, had that been her intentions. You must agree that had she wanted us dead, she could have just let those rogues take us out, or saved Demi and me and let them kill you. But she didn't. She saved your life in addition to ours and my child," she snapped at him. She then stormed out of his office, slamming the large oak door with a resounding bang.

Later that night, as he had for the past several nights, he stood over the bed looking down at his mate. He wanted to lie down beside her and hold her close to his body. He wanted to be beside her, inside of her. He wanted her with an intensity that was near tangible. But there was too much unknown between them for that to happen. He had no choice-he had to let her go, but he would keep an eye on her.

*CHAPTER EIGHT*.

Sara woke the next morning. Her body ached. She did not believe that there was one inch on her that did not hurt in some way. She wanted to get up, needed to really, but did not have the strength to do it. She had little choice but to ring downstairs and ask for help. She picked up the dark blue phone on the table next to the bed. At the dial tone, she pressed four for Duncan. He answered on the first ring.

"Good morning, miss," he answered in way of a greeting. She smiled at his obvious chipper tone.

"Mr. Duncan, I was wondering if you could help me to the bathroom. You don't have to come up now if you're busy. Just, you know, whenever you have the time." She hoped it was soon, as she really had to pee.

"I'll be right up. Can I bring you something? Dr. Thomas said that you can only have liquids for now. How about some nice tea or some broth, maybe?" There was so much hope in his voice. She so did not want to think about anything liquid right now.

"Maybe later, after...I think after my shower. I like tea." She liked iced tea without sugar, but did not want to think about that either.

Within two minutes, Aaron was knocking at her door. When she told him to come in, he opened the big door and went right to the bed beside her.

"What are you doing in here? Where's Duncan? He said he was coming up." He, of course, ignored her questions.

"Let me see if I can get you something to wear first. There should be a robe hanging-ah, here it is. Can you stand at all, Sara? There's a good girl, up we go." If she did not need to use the bathroom so badly, she would just stay where she was.

Aaron was very careful with her, for which Sara was very grateful. She felt the pull on the st.i.tches again and was careful how she moved. Once she was completely upright, she stood for several seconds until the room stopped spinning before she moved on.

Sara looked up into his eyes. Aaron was an incredibly handsome man. And when he smiled, like he was doing right now, her heart kicked up a notch and her body responded like it was starved for him-some part of him.

"If you keep looking at me like that, I'm going to finish what we started in the kitchen, Sara." He moved his mouth closer to hers, just close enough that she could feel his warm breath gently move across her skin. "I want to kiss you right now, taste you, but I fear that I won't be able to stop once I start."

"Why?" She was not sure if she was asking him why he wanted to kiss her or why he would stop once he started.

Aaron did not answer, but pulled back from her just as Duncan came into the room. She did not look at the other man. All she could focus on was how suddenly hungry she was for a taste of him as well.

"Duncan, could you please see that our guest gets to the bathroom? I have...other business that requires my attention."

"Of course, my lord. You can depend on me."

Aaron left the room as soon as he handed Sara off to the very capable Duncan. He turned to look at her before stepping into the hall. She felt him whisper through her mind.

"We aren't finished, you and I. I want you, Sara. I want you with a desperation I've never felt before. And I can feel you want me as well, smell your need on your body when I'm near you. And I intend to sample that very lovely mouth and so much more of you when you're better. Count on it." Then he swept out of the room, leaving her dizzy with a need for him to do just what he said.

Sara tried to not lean too heavily on Duncan, but she was still very weak. They didn't make any record breaking time getting there, but she was in one piece when they got to the sink. She a.s.sured him that she would be fine for the next few minutes and closed the door on him. She could tell he did not want to leave her alone, but he could see the wisdom in letting her have her privacy. While she was attending to herself, she could hear him fussing around on the other side of the door.

Sara looked into the huge mirror over the sink after going to the bathroom. Her face was bruised, but not overly so. The mark on her neck where Colin had held her against the cabinets was now several shades of browns and blues. Her hair was a mess, and reaching for the comb on the sink, she tried to straighten it as best she could, but simply did not have the energy.

Aaron...Mr. MacMa.n.u.s had started to kiss her twice now. Once in the kitchen and then just now. Why, she wondered, then flushed. She was not so much concerned with why he wanted to kiss her, she realized, but that he had not.

When she finally opened the door, opting wisely, she thought, not to take a shower, Duncan stepped quickly to her.

"Too much, I'm guessing; back to bed with you." He put his shoulder under her good side to gently guide her to the bed. He had made it, she saw, stripping off all the linens and putting on fresh sheets. He had also folded back the gorgeous quilt so that she could get into it with ease.

She had only taken two steps when he stopped her. Without a word, he gently picked her up into his arms and laid her back on the bed. She was exhausted and hurting and did not utter a single protest when he had lifted her. Then he fussed the blankets around her, fluffing her pillows behind her head.

"Now, I think you need to eat something light. I will go down and brew you up some tea with honey, and maybe a little broth, beef, I think. Dr. Thomas left instructions on how to make both, and to be honest, I've been practicing while you slept. I think I've about got it. What do you say?" He winked at her, and despite how badly she felt, she laughed.

"Oh, Duncan, where have you been all my life? Thank you, I'll take the broth and tea now, please."

Sara really just wanted to go back to sleep, the walk to the bathroom taking a great deal out of her. She also knew that she needed to rebuild her strength if she stood any chance of leaving this house before she became someone's lunch. She was not going to ask again if she could leave, she decided. It was time she left and if she had to hurt a certain arrogant a.s.s of a vamp to do it, then she would.

Sara must have dozed off. Duncan was about to turn and go back downstairs when she stopped him.

"Duncan, I'm awake now. Please, come in. That smells wonderful." She tried to sit up a little straighter, but it required too much effort. She almost laughed at the expression on his face.

"How are you feeling, miss? You look a little...well, if you don't mind my saying so, miss, you look like something that has been run over a few times."

"Better than I look, I guess. It has been a rough couple of days. Do I really look as badly as I feel? No, don't answer that. I'm feeling better, thank you for asking." Somehow, she knew he was not trying to be funny, but simply did not get the slang. He was always so proper. She wondered what he had been before he had started working for Aaron.

"Yes, it has. Here you go. You eat as much as you can, please." He put the tray across her lap and as he turned to go, she asked him to not leave just yet.

"Please, Mr. Duncan, if you wouldn't mind keeping me company for a little bit. I won't fall asleep in my soup if you stay."

Duncan sat in the chair that faced the bed. He then reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled several golden-colored spoons from his left pocket and then a white cloth for the right. He then proceeded to polish them.

"What day is it?" she asked after several minutes of her eating. The meaty rich broth was very good. It was warm and delicious going down. The tea was too sweet, but she drank it as well.

"Wednesday, I believe, miss."

He was putting the spoons, which she was sure was real gold, back into his pocket. She watched in astonishment when he reached into his front jacket pocket and pulled out another small cloth bag with several knives of the same golden hue and design. He looked up at her curiously as he began to polish them as well.

"No, I mean the date? I know its mid-June, but what's the actual date?" Gee, she thought, it had been a rough few days if she could not even remember the date.

"Oh, it's the sixteenth," He said.

"Oh no, I need to go into town today. I have to mail something, a payment. I should have mailed it three days ago. It'll be late for sure." As she made to get up, alarmed, Duncan moved to settle her back into the bed.

"I don't believe it would be wise of you, Miss Sara. You won't be able to go anywhere today. You can barely walk; going into town is out of the question. Here, lie back down." Once he got her back in bed, he sat back in the chair. "I'll do what you need done, so don't you fret. Just tell me what you need and I'll see to it as soon as you've eaten."

"I can't ask you to do that. You're not here to serve me, and I need to go soon anyway. If you're afraid, I will come right back so the bloodsucker doesn't have to know. I wouldn't do anything that would get you into trouble, Duncan." She liked the gentleman too much for that.

"Nonsense, the bloodsuck...I mean, his lordship will know, because I will have to tell him that I allowed you to leave. Tell me what needs to be done. His lordship would want me to insure that you are well taken care of."

Sara looked at him, and through his mind, searching for a reason a stranger would help her, when she could find no other motive than a desire to simply help her, she sighed. She doubted that his lordship would give two figs whether she was taken care of or not. The money needed to go out, though; someone was depending on her to make sure the bills were paid.

"I have to have my backpack, could you get it for me, please? You don't know how much I appreciate this, Duncan."

After Duncan retrieved it for her, she opened the larger part of it and pulled out all her personal stuff. She always carried extra things with her; clothes, two pair of pants, three shirts, several pairs of lacey panties, a couple of bras, socks, and a windbreaker. Also in her bag were a wallet, brush, toothbrush, hair barrettes, and pony tail holders. There was also a small bag that held her personal feminine things and a large zippered pack that was full of stationery. This, she laid aside. When she reached inside again, she pulled out a large stack of cash. Sara put everything back into her bag and was writing out an envelope while she explained what she needed for him to do.

"Please, get a money order for eight-hundred twenty-five dollars and put it in this envelope and mail it at the post office." She hoped again that she was doing the right thing, but she did not really have a choice. "Here is some extra money for special delivery. Hopefully, this will cover it. I don't have to mail the money this way very often, so I'm not sure how much it costs."

Sara had less than twenty-five dollars left in her hand when she was done counting out the money for him to mail. If she was not able to go back to work soon, she'd have to figure something else out quick.

"Thank you, Mr. Duncan. You don't know how much I appreciate this. I'm not used to...having people help me isn't something I've ever... Thank you."

"You're very welcome, miss. It's always a pleasure when a man can help out a damsel in distress." He winked at her as he put the envelope and cash into his jacket pocket with the golden spoons.

And with that, he gathered up the tray, and left her to her nap. She was nearly asleep when he was closing the door behind him.

*CHAPTER NINE*.

"Well, I think you are about ready to be discharged, young lady. How does that sound?" It had been a long week and she was feeling tremendously better. And Thomas Reilly was finally letting her go home.

"Perfect, sir." She needed to get this over with now. "I'd like to know if I can make arrangements to pay you. I don't have much money. I'll be able to pay you when I have a more steady income." She felt herself flush.

"Miss, you don't owe me anything. I'm...Aaron is my master, yes, but he's also my friend. I came here to take care of you, of course, but the opportunity to aggravate him is a bonus all by itself. So don't worry you're pretty little head about it. However, if you find the chance when I'm around to give it to him good, then I'll consider that a gift." He grinned at her as he stood to leave. "Now that that unpleasant business is taken care of, Aaron said you are to be taken home as soon as you're ready. I don't think he's all that happy about you leaving, and I wouldn't be too surprised if he were to pop up now and again if I were you. Just to check on you, so to speak. You are just to let Duncan know and he will be happy to take you there."

There was more to it than what he was actually telling her, or trying not to tell her, she was sure, but she was just too excited to care about it right then.

Sara had not seen Aaron all week. She did not know where he was, or what he was up to, and she had never asked. Duncan or one of the others came to see her every day, more so now that she could get out of the bed and even more since she could move around. But she had never left the room, not wanting to confront the master of the house.

She gathered up her meager belongings and was ready to leave some thirty minutes later. She found Duncan in the kitchen again and asked if he was ready to go.

"Yes, miss, all ready when you are. I'm sorry the master could not be here to see you off, but he has been, well, he has been, what I mean to say is that..." he started to say. She didn't need him to make excuses for his boss.

"It's all right, Duncan. I'm more than ready to get out of here. I have lots of stuff to do, as I'm sure you do. You've been great, but I really need to get away from him. I do have a thank you note for him, if you could see that he gets it." She handed him one of her envelopes of a pretty shade of blue.

"Oh no, miss, it isn't like that at all. He's new to this realm and there are so many details to see to. The area and household was left in such horrible shape for so many years. The previous master was such a tyrant and a s.a.d.i.s.t. His lordship is trying to get the other vampires to come to him with their needs. He so wants to help them, you see."

Sara nodded at him in way of an answer as she turned away. She had not known Aaron long, but what Duncan had told her sounded like something he would do.

Sara had Duncan take her to the Carlovetti Airlines hangar. The private airstrip was just outside of Zanesville about fifty miles from Columbus and the Columbus Airport. Carlovetti Airlines did an amazing amount of business, taking commuters to and from larger cities like New York and Chicago.

Sara's van was just where she had parked it nine days ago when she had first met Aaron and saved his life. She was grateful it was late and everyone had already gone home. It gave her a few minutes to resettle herself and to clean up in the hangar before she left. She did not think it wise to bathe in the little creek nearby to where she parked tonight. Her wounds were still healing and she did not think the dirty water would be very wise for her health.

It was not as though she didn't want Duncan to know where she lived. It was how she lived that she was keeping secret from him and everyone else. She was sure that she would never have been able to leave the big house had they known that she lived in her van, and had been for several years now. When it got cold enough that blankets did not keep her warm at night, she moved into the local YWCA for a few months. When spring broke, however, she moved back. After she had taken a quick shower, she drove to her usual place in the middle of the wildlife preserve near the airstrip.

When she was sure that it was safe, she pulled out the rest of her savings. With the money left over from her recent payment out to Sunny Side Up, in Nevada, she had nine hundred and forty dollars left until her first check again. If she were careful and ate sparingly, she had just enough for another payment. That was, bearing no unforeseen accidents, and lately that was becoming too much of a habit.

Sara had been very grateful that the Carlovettis were going to use her as a "daywalker." She was going to be answering the phones and making flight plans for the other pilots until she was released to fly by Dr. Thomas. She was okay with the forced confinement. The everyday movement on the tender wound could cause her problems at fifty thousand feet that she did not want to chance.

Sara put everything away and sat down to focus. She had to be careful when contacting her friend Mel by telepathic means. Mel was an extremely important part of the magic Sara and everyone else used in the world. Mel was magic; actually, her full t.i.tle was Queen, Mistress of Light, Keeper of All Magic. She was responsible for all the good and bad magic in the world. Her goal was keeping the world safe from ones who would abuse the power and thus destroy the earth as humans knew it.

Sara had met Melody about fifteen years before. The queen had been looking for guards to beef up her security, as she was to take a mate soon. Marcus, her personal guard, had suggested she come to a training facility to watch the young girl fight.

The training facility had been the Molavonta Kingdom guard's idea. They had suggested that Mel look into the human sphere and see if there were any there who could be trained. The facility had been charged with a magical beacon to attract those humans who may have special abilities that went beyond sword and gun play. There was a watcher, or guard at each place to keep track of all who entered.

Sara had been young, very young by any standards, but she fought like the warrior that Aaron continued to call her. Her magic was strong, even untouched and without much training. She bested man after man with the strength and style that was unique to her. Her ability to memorize each stance, each move immediately gave her a step up in the learning curve, and made her stand out as someone to be reckoned with.

The swords used to train with were much too heavy for her at eleven years old, being too long and c.u.mbersome. Mel had some blades, the ones Sara still used today, fashioned for her by her own blacksmith. The steel was stronger than anything made in this world, and had anyone taken a closer look, they would have seen the markings, charms for safety and wellbeing crafted right into the silver. Those alone made the weapons stand out from anything human made. Several weeks after their first meeting, at the age of twelve, Sara Temple became the youngest guard of the queen ever taken into service "h.e.l.lo, Little Warrior, how goes it? It has been awhile," Mel said as soon as the pathway was open.

"Yes, I have been detained. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my memories." The pathway between the two women had always been strong. Sara had never tried to block Mel from her mind, but some things, like her memories, were off limits.

"Yes, so I've seen. How is your vamp, love? Is he getting you all hot and bothered still?"

"Stop that. He's not my anything. You are well, my queen?" She was not going to think about the fact that he had almost kissed her.

"He still searches for me, Sara. And it is only a matter of time before I must face him again." Sara knew she was right.

Sherman, Mel's mate, had found Sara recently and had nearly killed her, demanding information about where she had taken Mel. She could not fight him back, nor could she defend herself with him. It was a part of his magic as an immortal and Mel's mate.

"Yes, he does, but he won't find you. I promise you this. You are hidden away from everyone, especially him." That was the one thing she had done right, not letting anyone know where she had taken Mel.

"I wish to see you. Come to me soon. I miss you very much. And, Sara, it has come time for us to talk. We have a great deal to talk about."

Sara could probably simply fly out in one of the little Cessnas, but she would have to file a flight plan and that would leave a paper trail that neither she nor Mel could afford. And why all of the sudden did everyone seemed to want to talk? She liked things the way they were before, when she would go days on end without having to have a conversation with anyone with the exception of the controller on the ground.

"I need some money first. I've had to spend nearly all I have in order to pay the monthly accommodation costs where you are. I will need at least a month to recoup my funds. Can you wait that long?"

"I wish you would go to the repository and get what you need. There is plenty there for you to use as you see fit- jewels, cash, and gold. You should be getting paid for what you are doing for me, what you are doing for all mankind. Soon, Sara, all will be well and I will remember all that you have done for me." Sara could feel herself blush at her praise. They were not even in the same state and she could embarra.s.s her.

"You know that I can't do that," Sara told her. "How would I explain the need for funding to keep the queen hidden and not have several hundred of your subjects hounding me for details on where you were, why you were there, and why weren't you home with them? Besides, you know as well as I do there's still a warrant out for my immediate death. Even if I could get the funding, dear Shermie would use that as a means to find me, then, through me, you."

"You're right, d.a.m.n it."

Sara had never let Mel know what extent she had gone to keep her safe. But Mel knew, like she knew everything that Sara had gone through.

Sara had been on patrol when Melody had been injured four years ago during the blast that rocked the castle in the kingdom of Molavonta. Sherman had somehow gotten Mel to go to the lower levels where he had drugged her. He had then put her into cell that had been warded and charmed with black magic. In her weakened state, she could not fight against him and his magic. The explosion was set to go off in the early hours of the evening when everyone was having dinner in the main hall. Mel had reached telepathically for anyone to help her. Luckily, Sara had been the one to hear her. Ten minutes before the bomb went off, Sara reached the cell and began to remove the wards to get her out. The bomb went off, killing six guards and twenty members of the royal staff. Sara had just managed to drag Mel out of the building and into an open field where she delivered Mel's stillborn child. Moving Mel through a maze of ports into the human world, she settled her in Reno. By then, Mel was so weak and close to the fade of her life that Sara put her into a comalike state until she could recuperate. Royalty, like Melody, were true immortals, never dying. When they tired of life or needed an extended rest, they changed themselves into something magical. Mel's mother, Savannah, was a fairy ring somewhere in a little town outside of Dunbar, Ireland.

A warrant was issued for Sara's immediate death, as well as a separate warrant against the six guards that had died in the explosion. The council had thought the six men, though dead, had been helping Sara remove the queen from the castle, and a slight miscalculation in timing had caught them unawares. The warrant, when served against Sara, would then be issued to the guards' families and they would be held accountable in lieu of men's lives. Until Mel, her mother, or grandmother could be found, Sherman was running Molavonta. He could not control the magic, but the castle had become his playground.

The staff at the nursing home, Sunny Side Up, had no idea who or what their charge was. Sara had been able to cast her into the shape of a very old man who would require constant care. The staff, with the help of a small mental push from Sara, gave the nice old man the best possible care, above and beyond anyone else that was there. She made sure that all of the other residents at the home received good care as well. That way no one was the wiser about the care being given to one special needs patient.

"You will reign again soon, and then things will be better for us all," Sara vowed.