Decker moved quickly out of the kitchen, a cold bag of blood in each hand; one for him, and one for Dani. He wasn't sure how long she would be knocked out, but he planned to feed her another bag whether she was awake or not. He'd done that intermittently through the night as she went through her ordeal. Sometimes it hadn't gone too well and his clothes had suffered for it. When he'd seen the bloodstains covering his shirt and jeans as he'd stood to head for the kitchen, Decker had decided it might be better to change first. He didn't want the first thing Dani saw on opening her eyes to be him covered in blood.

Decker had headed to his room, just planning to change, but several yawns and a weary scrub at his eyes along the way had made him think a swift shower might be good too. He'd intended to be quick about it, but thoughts of Dani had slowed him somewhat and he'd found himself simply standing under the beating water as his mind crowded with worry for her. Decker thought the worst of the turn was over and was pretty sure Dani was going to survive it. Now there was just the question of whether she would come out of it sane or not... and what he would do if she didn't.

It was concern that she might wake up alone and afraid that had forced him to get out of the shower. Decker had dried himself, dressed in clean clothes, and headed for her room, only to recall that his original intention had been to fetch some blood from the kitchen. He'd come down to the kitchen then, grabbed two bags, and was walking up the hall intending to head back upstairs when he caught sight of the coat closet door closing ahead.

For one moment Decker thought he must have imagined it, but then he heard a soft thud and a grunt from behind the door. He paused in the hall, staring at it for a moment, then took a couple more steps forward and stuck his head into the living room. His lips turned down in a frown when he saw the Parkers still there, sleeping soundly. It hadn't been one of them closing the closet door from inside.

Decker straightened and turned to approach the closet, thinking that it couldn't be Mortimer, Lucian, or Justin. They were all at the Parker house waiting for Leonius to show up. And Leigh, Rachel, and Etienne had headed to bed shortly after Sam had left for work. That left only-He caught a glimpse of the frayed end of rope sticking out under the door and then it disappeared, tugged inside the closet.

"Dani?" he called uncertainly, and shifted the bags of blood into one hand so that he could open the door. He'd turned the doork.n.o.b and pulled the door open a bare couple of inches when she said, "No," and the door was pulled out of his hand to slam shut.

Recognizing her voice in the short word, Decker found a smile plucking at his lips at her denial and nearly chuckled until it occurred to him that the woman was in a closet, denying it was she. That wasn't exactly sane behavior. It wasn't psychotic either, at least he hoped not, but...

Worry gnawing on his nerves, he reached for the door again. "Dani, are you all right?"

This time he got it open six inches or so before she snapped, "Go away," and yanked it closed.

Really worried now, Decker set the blood down beside the door so that he could use both hands on the k.n.o.b, but Dani must have been using both of hers as well on the other side. He had to put in some real effort to turn the k.n.o.b and then pull the door open. He had it nearly a foot ajar when she suddenly released her hold. Unfortunately, Decker hadn't expected that, was still pulling with all his might, and slammed himself in the head with the d.a.m.ned thing. Cursing, he stumbled back a step, grabbed for his head, and saw her tug the door closed again.

Sighing, he let go of his head and moved up to the door to ask wearily, "Dani, what are you doing?"

"Hiding. What does it look like?"

Decker considered that. She sounded odd, like she was crying and trying to sound angry so that he wouldn't know. He was about to ask her again if she was all right when she suddenly said, "I'm not an animal."

He blinked at those words, his head jerking back slightly at the pain evident in her voice.

"I don't want you to tie me up again," she added, and then cried almost desperately, "I'm not like Leonius. I don't even want blood. I just want-" Her words died on a gasping sob, and Decker reached for the doork.n.o.b. This time he met no resistance and found out why when he saw that Dani had backed into the corner and turned to press her face there.

Decker hesitated and then stepped inside, pulling the door closed with one hand as he reached to rub her back with the other.

Dani stiffened at his touch and cast a quick glance over her shoulder, revealing that she was indeed crying. She then turned back to the corner, her voice watery as she asked, "What are you doing in here?"

"Hiding with you."

The words made her crumble and she sagged against the wall, her shoulders shaking with soft sobs.

Aching along with her, Decker caught her shoulders and turned her unresisting body to press her against his chest. He saw the piece of rope dangling from her wrist, realized she must not have been able to remove that one since the others were gone, and almost offered to remove it. But then he decided to ignore it for now, and slid his arms around to hold her as he rocked her in that dark, airless closet. He rubbed her back and murmured rea.s.suringly, and eventually her crying slowed and stopped. After a moment she whispered, "You hate me now."

"No," he said quietly, and she lifted her head to peer up at him.

"But I'm a no-fanger."

"No, you're not," he a.s.sured her.

Dani shook her head sadly at his denial. "Yes, I am. I'm a no-fanger, and immortals hate them."

"You're Dani," he repeated firmly. "And you are not a no-fanger, you're an edentate. Immortals don't hate edentates."

"Edentate?" she asked with confusion.

"It's what sane immortals without fangs are called," he explained. "You're an edentate, Dani. Only the insane, rogue fangless ones are called no-fangers."

"Edentate," she said slowly, but then shook her head. "But Leonius said you would hate me, and you tied me down last night like a dog. You-"

"We tied you down last night so you wouldn't hurt yourself," Decker a.s.sured her quickly. "You were biting yourself and thrashing around, Dani, it was necessary."When she raised her head, hope in her eyes, he added, "And we don't despise any race. We hunt down and kill rogues only, both immortal and edentata alike."

When she peered at him doubtfully, he reluctantly admitted, "Unfortunately, half of the edentata who survive the turning come out no-fangers like Leonius and go rogue so, in the past, enforcers had to kill a lot of them in comparison to immortals, but not much anymore," he added. "I've only ever even heard of one no-fanger besides Leonius and his sons since becoming an enforcer sixty years ago, but I know an edentate. He works as an enforcer."

"Really?" she asked, almost eagerly.

Decker nodded, and when she leaned against him with a sigh, asked, "Are you ready to get out of here now? I fetched some blood from the kitchen to take upstairs. It's outside the door. We could go to the kitchen and-"

"I don't want it," Dani interrupted on a mutter. "I'm not-I don't-" Shaking her head, she pressed her face to his chest again and repeated, "I don't want it."

Decker peered down at the top of her head, slowly realizing Dani was still struggling to accept what she was. There had been shame and even despair in her voice as she'd refused the suggestion. He understood, but denying it wasn't going to make it go away, and neither would refusing to feed. And judging by the way her face glowed palely in the dark of the closet, she was in need of blood whether she admitted it to herself or not. The longer she left it, the more likely the chances she would be leaping on some poor unsuspecting mortal in search of food. Decker considered the problem briefly, and then urged her away from his chest, saying, "Come. Let's sit down."

Dani hesitated, but then sat down on the floor with her back to the wall when he did. The moment she was settled, Decker reached to open the door, grabbed first one bag of blood and then the other, and dragged them into the closet before pulling the door closed again.

"Here, can you hold this for a minute?" He handed her one of the bags. "I'm afraid of kneeling on it and bursting it."

Dani reluctantly took the bag, and he immediately popped the other to his teeth. He didn't look at her, but could feel her eyes watching him in the bit of light creeping under the door as his teeth began to drain the bag. Decker had hoped seeing him feed would encourage her to do the same, but she merely watched him silently. When the bag was nearly empty, Decker tipped it up, deliberately allowing the last few drops to dribble out and run slowly down his chin. He tore the empty bag away and set it in the corner, then turned to face her.

"Kiss me," he said softly.

Dani swayed toward him, nostrils flaring and eyes locked on the droplet of blood and the trail it was leaving, and then she caught herself and leaped to her feet, dropping the bag of blood as if it were on fire. She reached for the doork.n.o.b, but Decker grabbed the discarded pouch of blood and launched to his feet, catching her hand to stop her.

"Kiss me," he repeated.

"I don't want to," Dani said, but he could hear the lie in her voice.

"I want you to," he said softly, drawing her closer and lowering his head above hers. "Just one kiss."

Decker saw her swallow, her eyes shifting between his lips and the blood, and then he lowered his head the last few inches and pressed his mouth to hers. She managed to remain completely still and unresponsive for perhaps a heartbeat, and then Decker slid his tongue out to urge her lips apart, and she moaned and opened for him. He knew she could taste the blood he'd just consumed, knew it was like waving a gla.s.s of scotch under the nose of an alcoholic, and hoped to G.o.d this worked as he slid his arms around her and drew her against his body.

When she began to suck on his tongue, drawing off any remnants of blood remaining there, he hoped it might work, but when she then broke the kiss to lap up the blood on his chin and the blood that had trailed down his throat, he knew it had. When she'd cleaned up the last of the blood remaining, Dani pressed her head to his chest with a defeated sigh.

"You're hungry," he said quietly.

Her head nodded against his chest.

"Do you want me to open the bag?" When she stilled against him, but didn't respond, he added, "I'll turn my back if you like."

Dani sagged against him with a sigh, and then burst out, "I know this is stupid, but I don't want you to see-"

"It's all right," he said gently. "This is all new and upsetting. We'll take it slow."

Dani nodded, a little sigh slipping from her lips, and then she stepped away. Decker used his teeth to tear off a corner of the bag, holding it carefully to be sure he didn't spill any. He then handed it to her just as carefully. The moment Dani took it, he turned his back and waited. A soft sigh told him when she was done, but he gave her another moment before turning around.

"Thank you," Dani murmured as he took back the empty bag.

"Feel better?" Decker asked as he bent to set this bag with the other. She nodded her head as he straightened.

"I didn't think I-" She shook her head, unwilling to say that she'd needed blood.

Decker slid his arms around her and drew her back to rest against his chest. "I know. You'll soon learn to recognize the signs."

"I wish I didn't have to," she muttered.

Decker ran one hand up and down her back and then cupped her head and urged it up so he could see her face. "I'm sorry this is so upsetting to you, but I'm not sorry you're now an immortal. I would have turned you myself when you were ready for it."

"But now I'm-" She shook her head unhappily.

"You're Dani," he said quietly. "The nanos don't change that. You're Dr. Dani McGill. And fangs or no fangs, you're an immortal." He let that sink in and then added, "My immortal, my life mate, my hope for the future, and the woman I love."

Dani's head shot back at those words. Her heart leaped, but she stared wide-eyed at him through the dark and shook her head from side to side. "You don't love me, Decker. You can't."

"No?" he asked.

"No. We just met."

Decker nodded, but asked, "What do you know about me."

"Not much," she muttered, and then realized that wasn't true. They had managed to talk a little between lovemaking sessions in the barn. She knew he had a house on the outskirts of Toronto not far from an aunt named Marguerite that he was quite fond of, but that he didn't get to stay there much because he was always traveling for work. She knew he had a cottage up north where he occasionally got to go to enjoy the peace and quiet, that he preferred reading over television, and plays to movies.

She knew he had six brothers and sisters-three older brothers and three younger sisters. She knew he liked food, loved s.e.x, at least with her, and found Justin exasperating. And she knew he devoted his life to keeping mortals and immortals safe from those vampires, fanged or fangless, who chose to go rogue and wreaked havoc. Dani also knew he was calm in a crisis, strong, considerate...

"In here." Decker tapped her chest when she remained lost in her thoughts. "What do you know about me in here? Do you trust me?"

Dani considered the question. While she hadn't trusted him when they'd first met, that was because he'd been lying to her. But once he'd explained the lies and who and what he was... At the Parkers, the one person she'd wanted to see was Decker.

She'd trusted that he would take care of things. She'd trusted him. Dani nodded. "Yes."

"Then believe me when I tell you, Dani McGill, that I love you. I love your independence, your determination, your love and concern for family, your intelligence, your wit, your-"

She covered his mouth with her hand. "I believe you. But it would never work between us. Even if you don't despise me for being a no-fanger-"

"Edentate," he corrected.

She nodded and continued, "Your family might. Leo said-"

"He lied. Or he truly believes those things, but he's crazy. My family will love you," Decker added, drawing her back into his arms. "And regardless, I love you, Dani. I'd give my life for you."

She gave a small laugh. "You almost did before we had even met in that clearing."

Decker shook his head. "You know getting shot wouldn't have killed me. I wasn't risking much there, but I would give my life for you, Dani. I'd give it to save your life, and even to just reverse what's happened and make you mortal and happy again if it would."

Dani snorted at the thought and unthinkingly muttered, "Well, that would hardly make me happy if you were dead."

She saw the smile curve his lips and realized what she'd said, and then his mouth was on hers. She felt his hand at the back of her head, angling her to where he wanted her, and then his tongue was inside her mouth and Dani let her hands slip up around his shoulders as she began to kiss him back. The pa.s.sion that swirled up through her was breathtakingly sudden. It tore a moan from her mouth and had her shifting eagerly closer, pressing herself against him from calf to lips. She could feel his erection pressing against her and was completely caught by surprise when he suddenly tore his mouth away and leaned his forehead against hers, his hands dropping away.

Dani wanted to pull his head back to her, but forced herself not to and waited uncertainly, half afraid that despite his claims, Decker was repulsed by her now that Leonius had turned her. His body certainly seemed willing enough, but his mind apparently wasn't, she thought unhappily, and then he said, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked warily.

He gave a half laugh, as if it should be obvious, and then said, "For this. You've just woken up after being turned. You're upset and we're squeezed into a closet, for G.o.d's sake, yet I was about to yank up your skirt and-" He broke off and shook his head.

Dani felt relief slide through her, and caught his hand.

She drew it down to her outer leg where the hem of her skirt ended and said huskily, "Yank up my skirt."

Decker pulled back to peer down at her, but she merely caught his head with her other hand to draw his mouth back to hers even as she slid his other hand up her outer thigh, pushing the skirt upward. She whispered, "I want you to."

It was all she had to say; Decker took over then. He began to kiss her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, but he didn't continue raising her skirt. Instead he shook off her hand and reached for the halter of her dress. It soon dropped down, baring her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and Dani groaned as his hands covered them, squeezing and kneading as he kissed her, sending wave after wave of pa.s.sion through them both. He then broke their kiss and ducked his head to catch one nipple in his mouth. That hand free now, he slid it between her thighs, pressing the cloth of her panties and gown against her as he found and rubbed her core.

Dani groaned into his mouth, her own hand moving to work at the b.u.t.ton and zipper of his jeans. Despite her desperate distraction, she managed to undo both. She then jerked down the front of his boxers and his p.e.n.i.s sprang out. The moment it had, Decker caught her leg behind the knee and drew it up and around his hip. He then pushed her skirt up so that he could reach between her legs again. This time, it was to tug her panties aside.

Dani's groan as his fingers ran over her was followed by one from him, then Decker caught her other leg up, shifted his hands to her bottom, and raised her up a little before lowering her onto his erection. He was hot and hard, and the feel of him filling her made her tear her mouth from his with a gasp. She almost then turned to bite his shoulder, but caught herself at the last moment.

Dani wanted to bite something terribly badly, not for blood, just because the feelings exploding over her were too intense, but that was dangerous now.

Trying to reduce the risk that she might get overexcited to the point that she couldn't stop herself, Dani released the hold she had on his shoulders and grabbed for the bar that ran the length of the closet. She clutched at that with both hands and leaned her head back away from him as he withdrew himself and began to drive back into her.

Decker claimed her lips again then, kissing her deep and hard before breaking away. When it ended, she found herself pinned to the wall, his shoulder far too temptingly close. She closed her eyes and shook her head, clutching desperately at the bar as he drove into her over and over again, sending wave after wave of excitement coursing through her. And then just when she reached the breaking point, she spotted the rope still dangling from her wrist and lunged for it, sinking her teeth into the thick cord as he drove into her one last time and then cried out as he exploded. The waves that washed over her then were enough to push her over the edge too, and she was aware of actually biting through the rope before unconsciousness claimed her.

Chapter Seventeen.

It was the hard slam of his back on the floor that woke Decker. Blinking his eyes open, he saw that the closet door he and Dani had collapsed against had been opened. Justin, Mortimer, and Lucian now stood in a circle around his head, peering down at him with surprise. At least Mortimer and Justin appeared surprised, he thought with a sigh. Lucian looked stone-faced as usual, with just the slight arching of one eyebrow to suggest it might be unusual to open a closet door and have two half-naked people fall out.

"Well," Justin said finally when no one else seemed eager to speak. "I thought you'd never come out of the closet."

The younger immortal then burst out laughing at his own joke. When no one else joined him, he glanced from Decker's grim face to Dani, who lay still in a faint on his chest, and then to both Mortimer and Lucian. Shaking his head, he muttered, "You guys really need to go buy yourselves a sense of humor."

Turning on his heel, he stalked off to the kitchen.

Lucian watched him go, and then turned back to eye Dani briefly before telling Decker, "Get her up and into the kitchen. I need to ask her some questions."