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"I do care for her, butdo ye no’ understand how I feel? Have ye never felt the fierceness of longing?"

A sad look caes like a wildfire, but leaves you with naught but ashes" He left the room

What had happened to Connor to make him such a pessimist? Ian knew that a relationship between a mortal and Vareed to change over Shanna had agreed to become a Vamp sometime in the future Did he really want to involve Toni in a relationship where he’d have to suck her dry till she was dead, so he could change her?

Connor was right If he really cared for her, which he did, he’d leave her be He’d let her find love with her own kind And he would keep looking for love ahed She knew she looked like a mess How on earth had Ian found her attractive? She filled a plate with cheese cubes, carrot sticks, and broccoli, and what the heck, a few chocolate chip cookies "I’ my Rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer impersonation"

Shanna handed her a cup of punch "Are you unhappy with your job here?"

"No" She bit into a cookie

The fellowship hall was filling up fast with churchgoers Toni hated for everyone to see her swollen, red eyes, but she didn’t want to run off just yet She still needed to talk to Ian "I have a close friend who’s in the hospital I just ca her, and I was all smiles while I was there, but now"

"Now the stress has caught up with you," Shanna observed "I’m so sorry If you need soe it"

"You’re very kind" Unfortunately, she oing to fire her Fired for kissing a vampire Who would have known her life could be so risqué? But she’d known it was against the rules

Would she do it again? In a heartbeat

It had been theones like she’d had in the past where she’d spent the entire kiss wondering if she was doing it properly, or wishing like hell that the guy kne to do it properly There’d been no wondering or wishing at all She’d silorious daze of pure sensation It was the kind of kiss she’d always dreamed of

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And Ian was the ro, but sweetly vulnerable An endearing h to kiss her and da, noble, clever, sexy--perfect in every way Except one He was a vampire

"Shanna, can I ask you a personal question?" "Sure" "I ondering how youwell, is it difficult being in a relationship with a vampire?" "Ah" Shanna sipped some punch "I suppose it depends on the vampire I lucked out with

Roman" She looked around the room, and Toni could tell the instant she spotted her husband Her

eyes softened Roaze or heard her say his name, for he turned away from his conversation with Father Andrew and smiled at her

"He’s the love of my life," Shanna whispered "And Constantine, too I’m totally amazed by them"

"But how do you handle the different hours?" "Tino and I keep late hours We stay up to one or so in the , so we can spend ti I take dental appointht, so I can see bothin family and a career, but it’s that way for all woe"

"I see what you mean" Toni popped a piece of ranch-dipped broccoli in her uy are you interested in?" She nearly choked Her eyes watered, and she gulped down sorinned "Never mind I think I knoho" "It was a hypothetical question," Toni insisted "I was just wondering how a Vamp and mortal

couldit well, so I asked That’s all"

"Uh-huh" Shanna gave her a knowing look "Well, hypothetically speaking, I think he’s a great guy, and you’d be crazy to pass hi to Ian, but didn’t dare ask "I don’t mean to be a downer, but I

just don’t see how it can last, not when the e, and the Vah decision, and not one I took lightly" She rubbed a hand over the

bu "I’ve decided to change over eventually, but I wanted to wait till the children are a bit older" Toni gaped "You’re going to become one of them?" Shanna’s eyes twinkled in merriment "Ooh, scary! They’re not ht take a while for you to see that It took hed "I fell for Roman so fast"

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Toni could relate to that There was soued her fronize herself in hi affirured his would be identical to hers

"I feel so fortunate to be a part of their world," Shanna continued "I have the best husband and

one!" A shout ca Radinka halted at the doorway, gasping for air "Tino! He’s gone!"

Roman strode toward her "He’s not in the nursery?"

"Oh my God" Shanna spilled punch as she set down her cup She rushed toward Radinka "What happened?" "I don’t know I only turned al, Phineas, go check--" Rouards had already

zoo Ye take the west," Dougal shouted at Phineas "Tell Connor!" Roman yelled after them "And Howard!" All the other Vamps and Father Andrew rushed from the room to help with the search "Oh my God" Shanna clutched Roman’s arm "What if he was kidnapped? What if the

Malcontents--"

He squeezed her shoulder "We won’t panic yet He ht have just levitated and climbed over the door" "I’ve told him a million times not to do that," Shanna said "Frouard at the nursery," Ro