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EVERYNIGHTMAREHASITSBEGINNINGInanancientchurchjustoutsideParis,archaeologistsuncoveranancienttomb—certaintheyhavestumbledontothefindofthecentury.Butsomethinggoesverywrongasthetombisopened.Somethingtoofrighteningtoimagine...andtooterribletoutter.ANDITSENDForAmericanvisitorTaraMason,theromanticcityofherdreamshassuddenlyturnedsinister.Forshehasheardtheblood-curdlingscreamsinthechurchyard—andknowsthatshemustrunaway—fromthe powerfulstrangerchasingafter

her...

Andfromalegendary;sensualpredatorwhostalksthenight.INTHEDEADOFNIGHTAtthecountryestatewhereshehassoughtrefuge,theshadowymanreappears.Hecallshimselfa

guardian,sworntoprotecttheinnocentfromanevilmostneversee.AndTarawillhavetotrusthim,becausethatevilhasseenher...andwon’tstopuntilitclaimsher,bodyandsoul.AWOLF...?“Openthedrawer.”Sheopenedthetopdrawer.Hergrandfather’sthingswereneatandorganized.“Openthelittlebrownbox.”Shedidso.TherewasacrossinitAbeautifulcross.Eighteen-caratgold,shethought,large,andelegantlyfashioned.“Putiton.Please,Ibegofyou,wearit.Wearitforme.”Sheunhookedthenecklaceshehadbeenwearingandreplaceditwiththecross.Whenshewalked backtothebed,shewasstartledbythestrengthofhisgripashetookherhand.“Sit”Shesat.“Thismustbebetweenyouandmefornow,please.Sweartomeonthatcross,thatyou’llsaynothingaboutthis,whetheryoubelievemeornot.”“Iswear,Iwon’trepeatanyofthis.”“Ibelievethattheyhavedugupavampire.”“What?”shecried,incredulityheavyinhervoice.Hesigheddeeply.“Therearesuchcreaturesintheworld,youknow.”“No,Idon’tknow.Therearesickpeopleintheworld,therearepeoplewhothinktheyarevampires, butGrandpapa,therearen’trealvampires.”“Iknewyouwouldnotbelieveme.AndI’mveryafraidthatintime,youwill.”ShewalkedtotheFrenchdoorsthatledouttothebalconyofherbedroomandopenedthemtothenightbreeze.Therewerenostarsinthesky,andthemoonwasbuthalffull.Sheheardastrangesound.Abaying.Fearseemedtoclaspchilledwetfingersaroundherheartagain.Adog.Ithadbeennothingbutadog.

Andthereitwas.Downbelow,attheendofthedrive.Theanimalwashuge.Sheheardthebayingagain.Deep,andotherworldly.Ahauntingsoundthatmighthavecomefromanentirepackofdeep-throatedanimals,cryingtothenightandtheheavensabove.Sheleanedoverthebalcony.Itwasawolf.Andonceagain,thenightwassplitwiththeunearthlysoundofthecreaturecryingouttothemoonandthesky.

REALMOFSHADOWS

SHANNONDRAKE

ZEBRABOOKSKENSINGTONPUBLISHINGCORP.http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

ForMoraima,withdeepestappreciationforthesupport. ForVanessaMolina,thesongbird,withloveandbestwishesandtotalfaiththatshe’llflyhigh,andforSeanAbreu,withthanksforthelaughter,andthetango

!ZEBRABOOKSarepublishedbyKensingtonPublishingCorp.850ThirdAvenueNewYork,NY10022Copyright©2002byShannonDrakeAllrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanyformorbyanymeanswithoutthe priorwrittenconsentofthePublisher,exceptingbriefquotesusedinreviews.Ifyoupurchasedthisbookwithoutacoveryoushouldbeawarethatthisbookisstolenproperty.Itwasreportedas“unsoldanddestroyed”tothePublisherandneithertheAuthornorthePublisherhasreceivedanypaymentforthis“strippedbook.”AllKensingtontitles,imprintsanddistributedlinesareavailableatspecialquantitydiscountsforbulk purchasesforsalespromotion,premiums,fund-raising,educationalorinstitutionaluse.Specialbookexcerptsorcustomizedprintingscanalsobecreatedtofitspecificneeds.Fordetails,writeorphonetheofficeoftheKensingtonSpecialSalesManager: