Edge of Twilight

“Well now, what have we here?” Rhiannon asked from the doorway.

4

He stopped in midmotion, seeing the alarm in Amber’s eyes at the sound of the other woman’s voice.

She cleared her throat. “Aunt Rhiannon, this is Edge.”

Rhiannon came forward even as Edge got to his feet, turned to face her and put on his most charming smile. He extended a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard of you. Princess of Egypt, right?”

The beautiful woman’s stern expression softened just slightly. “Yes.” She took the hand he offered, shook it. “And how did you meet my Amber Lily?”

“She hit me with her car.”

Rhiannon blinked, shot a shocked look at Amber on the bed.

“It was an accident,” she said. “But I figured the least I could do was give him a ride. He was coming this way anyway.”

Her brows went up. “Really? And what brings you to Salem Harbor, Edge?”

“Amber’s Ferrari.”

She made a face, not embracing his humor.

“Actually, I just always wanted to see it.”

She didn’t seem to believe him. “Well, now you can.”

He licked his lips. “I, um—I heard the commotion. Is there anything I can do?”

“We have things under control.”

He nodded, then cast a glance at Amber in the bed. “I suppose I should go, then. Leave you to it.”

“It was nice meeting you,” Rhiannon said, stepping to one side of the open doorway.

Amber sat up on the bed, swinging her feet to the floor. “Do you have somewhere to stay?”

He smiled at her. “I’ll find a place. I always do.”

She sent Rhiannon a pleading look, to which the other woman responded with a scowl. But then, from outside the room, another voice came.

“That’s the problem with royalty. They can be so rude.” A third woman came into the room. She wore a plush robe and looked drained of energy. Her feet dragged a little when she walked, and her eyes were red, as if she had been crying or was suffering a hangover.

Amber shot to her feet, and Rhiannon turned to reach for the woman, but she held her hands up and stopped them both. “Don’t.”

Rhiannon sighed, but lowered her arms to her sides. “You should be sleeping.”

She shrugged. “Tell your friend Eric his vampire-tranquilizer needs tweaking. It might have put you out of commission, Rhiannon, but for a vampiress as powerful as I am, it only produces a slight buzz.”

“If you were yourself, Gypsy, I’d show you the meaning of powerful.” Rhiannon said the words gently, though. It wasn’t a real threat.

The “Gypsy” crossed the room, gently embraced Amber. “I didn’t exactly give you a proper greeting, did I?”

“It’s understandable,” Amber said, hugging her back.

As they pulled apart, the vampiress studied Amber, stroked a hand over her hair. “It’s redder than last time I saw you.”

“More burgundy than red,” Rhiannon said.

Amber shrugged. “It always seems to be changing. Mom says I have raven hair with bloody highlights.”

She was all about highlights, Edge thought in silence. Her ebony eyes turned darkest midnight-blue if you looked closely enough. He wondered if they had changed, as well, or if they’d always been that way. Not that it mattered in the least to him.

The third woman was facing him now, offering a weak smile and a hand. “I’m Sarafina.”

He took her hand. Her grip wasn’t as strong as he would have expected in one as old as she was. The power of a vampire floated around them like a nimbus. It grew with age, and he sensed a depth of it in this woman—nearly as much as he felt wafting from Rhiannon. But it was hiding now, or dormant.

“They call me Edge.”

“And you’re a friend of Amber Lily’s?”

He glanced her way. “I’d like to be.”

“Then you’re more than welcome to stay here with us.”

“'Fina, a word, please?” Rhiannon whispered.

Sarafina shot her a look. “There’s no need for secrecy, Rhiannon. I imagine Edge has figured out by now that you don’t trust him, and that you guard Amber Lily like your Pandora would guard a freshly downed antelope.”

Pandora? Edge sent the mental whisper to Amber, wondering if she could hear and respond.

Her pet black panther, she thought back at him.

He was impressed with her telepathic skills and not sure how to respond to the likening of Rhiannon to a predatory feline, so he said nothing at all.

Sarafina moved closer to him, studied his face. “Not that she’s overprotective, by any means. There are a lot of ruthless sons of bitches who’d give anything to get their hands on our Amber Lily.”

“And you think I might be one of them?” He tried to look shocked, glancing from her to Rhiannon to Amber. “I’m a vampire, ladies. I’m one of you.”

“You’re a vampire. Not one of us,” Rhiannon said, her voice soft, dangerous.

He held up both hands. “I didn’t come here looking for free room and board.”

Sarafina shrugged. “Still, I can’t think of a better way to keep an eye on you than to have you stay right here, with us.”

He smiled at her. “Not on your life, lady.” Then he turned to Amber. “I’m out of here, Alby. But I won’t be far.”

He started for the door, and Amber came up behind him. “Edge, you don’t have to—”