Excerpt
When Thomas came up the stairs to the solarium Mr. Mason had directed him to, he first saw Miss Mason’s two cousins dozing in their chairs by the door. He tapped the nearest one on the shoulder as he passed. “Stay vigilant, my friend.”
Thomas had no expectation of seeing Lady Caroline that day; however, finding her there as he entered made him smile with pleased surprise. That is, until he saw the unknown man in the room.
He stopped abruptly in the doorway and gave the young man an incredulous look. He’d met Julia’s father around back near the stables, and he’d made no mention of any male visitor, not had her cousins just outside the door. The fact they had been sleeping could have allowed someone to slip past them, but then how had the man gotten into the house in the first place? The servants had been ordered not to allow entry to anyone not a relative or a Shield member. It was a mystery and Thomas hated mysteries. He moved as casually as possible to place his body between the two ladies and the young man.
“Lord Thomas, how very good to see you,” Caroline said, rising to her feet. “May I present Mr. Montgomery? He is a friend of Miss Mason’s and has come to inquire about her health.” Turning back to Montgomery, she gestured toward Thomas. “Mr. Montgomery, Lord Thomas is a friend of the Masons and my own family.”
Montgomery stood and gave him a stiff half bow. Thomas’s nostrils flared as he picked up the vampiric scent even more strongly. It was extremely subtle—just the slightest hint of moldering decay, but since Thomas had been bitten he was able to detect the odor right away. The detestable scent had hit him almost as soon as he stepped in closer to the man.
“Montgomery, is it?” he asked tersely, not returning the man’s bow.
“That’s right.”
“What is your Christian name, sir?”
Montgomery raised one eyebrow before replying. “Andrew.”
“And how are you acquainted with Miss Mason?”
Montgomery bared his teeth at him in a semblance of a smile. “We met at her family’s party at Christmas of last year.”
“How odd. I met Mr. Mason outside, and he made no mention of any gentlemen callers. Nor did her cousins at the door mention your presence here. In fact, Miss Mason is not allowed visitors at this time, sir. I’m not sure how you managed to slip in, but I’m sure you’ll understand if I ask you to leave. I wonder that you got past her relatives at all. They have been most diligent in screening all Miss Mason’s guests up till now.”
“Oh, I can be most…persuasive when I put my mind to it. Actually, I’m glad to make your acquaintance, Lord Thomas. Your reputation precedes you.”
Thomas raised one eyebrow. “How so?”
“We have an acquaintance in common, I believe. Mrs. Dubois? I must tell her I’ve met you just as soon as I can. She’ll be most intrigued.”
Thomas felt his face stiffen with shock and fought to keep his composure. Mrs. Dubois—Marguerite Dubois. The creature he tried so hard to forget. The one who had made his life unbearable for so many months. Dear God, was she in England?
The creature in front of him was actually flaunting his acquaintance with the vampire. In effect, announcing that he was one as well. Was he taunting Thomas? The creature made an effort then to enthrall him. Thomas felt it as thin, steel-like threads, attempting to wrap themselves around his body.
“Will she?” Thomas replied and casually reached under his collar to pull out the large silver cross he wore around his neck at all times. Instantly the tightening threads fell away and the vampire shrank backward. Thomas arranged the cross to lie visibly at his throat, just at the top of his collar. Holding it in his grasp, he whispered a short Latin phrase. “Crux sacra sit mihi lux. Vade retro me.” The vampire recoiled visibly and took a step backward.
“I-I fear I must be leaving, Miss Mason.” His eyes flickered over to meet Thomas’s and he gave him an intense and spiteful glare, raising his chin defiantly. “I’ll return soon to…check on your progress.”
Thomas took a menacing step toward him. “That might not be advisable,” he said in a soft voice.
“Oh, Andrew,” Julia cried out to the vampire, obviously in some distress, interrupting the exchange. “Must you go so soon? I was enjoying your visit very much.” She held out her hand to him.
He smirked at Thomas and then made as if to step around him to take her hand and return his attention to her. Thomas moved with him, blocking him. Montgomery had to settle for peering around Thomas’s shoulder, and he did so with a huff of breath that made Thomas wince. The smell was like carrion left to rot on the side of the road.
Montgomery suddenly turned his attention to Caroline. “It was nice to see you again as well, my lady,” the creature said, giving Thomas a smug glance. “I hope to see you again very soon, Lady Caroline.”
“That wouldn’t be advisable,” Thomas said, cold menace in his voice.
Mason gave Thomas an oily smile that never reached his dead eyes. The idea of this creature even holding Caroline’s name in his mouth made Thomas ill.
“I’m sure your presence here, my Lady, has comforted our sweet friend, Julia,” the creature continued, addressing Caroline.
“It has.” Julia said, reaching over and taking Caroline’s hand. “Lady Caroline and I have been the best of friends our entire lives. But must you go so soon, Andrew?” she beseeched him. Her voice took on a wheedling tone.
He glanced over at Thomas his eyes icy cold. He looked directly down at the cross again. “It seems I am compelled to leave.” He bowed to the ladies and gave Julia a significant look. “May I come back again, my dear Miss Mason?”
“Of course, Andrew,” Julia said.
“No,” Thomas said sternly, his voice cutting across her words.
They both ignored him and the look between the couple, who had eyes only for each other, enraged Thomas, while Caroline’s expression was full of confusion. Thomas harbored little doubt that this man was the blood-sucking parasite who had bitten Julia. The fact that Julia seemed to enjoy the man’s company so much, the way she looked him, and the way she so improperly called him by his given name on such slight acquaintance confirmed it for Thomas. And the vampire had just blatantly asked for an invitation to come into the house again.
Thomas had known from the moment he’d entered the room and found him there. His hands itched to do violence to the loathsome creature, but he was constrained by the presence of Caroline and Julia. All he could do for now was to get the vampire out of the room and out of this house, and then he could track him down later and deal with him.
Montgomery strutted to the door, giving Thomas one last mocking smile as he left. Thomas followed him, barely managing to hold himself back.
He turned at the door and gave Thomas another smile. “I’ll be sure to tell Mrs. Dubois I saw you, Lord Thomas. I’m sure she would love to renew your old acquaintance.”
Before Thomas could give into the impulse to throttle him, Montgomery turned on his heel and swept out of the room. Both of Julia’s cousins got to their feet, looking shocked and then confused. Their eyes were dazed, and Thomas was sure now that they had been enthralled and were barely aware of their surroundings. He should have realized it as soon as he’d seen them, but he hadn’t been expecting it. He would need to step up his game considerably.
Thomas had no expectation of seeing Lady Caroline that day; however, finding her there as he entered made him smile with pleased surprise. That is, until he saw the unknown man in the room.
He stopped abruptly in the doorway and gave the young man an incredulous look. He’d met Julia’s father around back near the stables, and he’d made no mention of any male visitor, not had her cousins just outside the door. The fact they had been sleeping could have allowed someone to slip past them, but then how had the man gotten into the house in the first place? The servants had been ordered not to allow entry to anyone not a relative or a Shield member. It was a mystery and Thomas hated mysteries. He moved as casually as possible to place his body between the two ladies and the young man.
“Lord Thomas, how very good to see you,” Caroline said, rising to her feet. “May I present Mr. Montgomery? He is a friend of Miss Mason’s and has come to inquire about her health.” Turning back to Montgomery, she gestured toward Thomas. “Mr. Montgomery, Lord Thomas is a friend of the Masons and my own family.”
Montgomery stood and gave him a stiff half bow. Thomas’s nostrils flared as he picked up the vampiric scent even more strongly. It was extremely subtle—just the slightest hint of moldering decay, but since Thomas had been bitten he was able to detect the odor right away. The detestable scent had hit him almost as soon as he stepped in closer to the man.
“Montgomery, is it?” he asked tersely, not returning the man’s bow.
“That’s right.”
“What is your Christian name, sir?”
Montgomery raised one eyebrow before replying. “Andrew.”
“And how are you acquainted with Miss Mason?”
Montgomery bared his teeth at him in a semblance of a smile. “We met at her family’s party at Christmas of last year.”
“How odd. I met Mr. Mason outside, and he made no mention of any gentlemen callers. Nor did her cousins at the door mention your presence here. In fact, Miss Mason is not allowed visitors at this time, sir. I’m not sure how you managed to slip in, but I’m sure you’ll understand if I ask you to leave. I wonder that you got past her relatives at all. They have been most diligent in screening all Miss Mason’s guests up till now.”
“Oh, I can be most…persuasive when I put my mind to it. Actually, I’m glad to make your acquaintance, Lord Thomas. Your reputation precedes you.”
Thomas raised one eyebrow. “How so?”
“We have an acquaintance in common, I believe. Mrs. Dubois? I must tell her I’ve met you just as soon as I can. She’ll be most intrigued.”
Thomas felt his face stiffen with shock and fought to keep his composure. Mrs. Dubois—Marguerite Dubois. The creature he tried so hard to forget. The one who had made his life unbearable for so many months. Dear God, was she in England?
The creature in front of him was actually flaunting his acquaintance with the vampire. In effect, announcing that he was one as well. Was he taunting Thomas? The creature made an effort then to enthrall him. Thomas felt it as thin, steel-like threads, attempting to wrap themselves around his body.
“Will she?” Thomas replied and casually reached under his collar to pull out the large silver cross he wore around his neck at all times. Instantly the tightening threads fell away and the vampire shrank backward. Thomas arranged the cross to lie visibly at his throat, just at the top of his collar. Holding it in his grasp, he whispered a short Latin phrase. “Crux sacra sit mihi lux. Vade retro me.” The vampire recoiled visibly and took a step backward.
“I-I fear I must be leaving, Miss Mason.” His eyes flickered over to meet Thomas’s and he gave him an intense and spiteful glare, raising his chin defiantly. “I’ll return soon to…check on your progress.”
Thomas took a menacing step toward him. “That might not be advisable,” he said in a soft voice.
“Oh, Andrew,” Julia cried out to the vampire, obviously in some distress, interrupting the exchange. “Must you go so soon? I was enjoying your visit very much.” She held out her hand to him.
He smirked at Thomas and then made as if to step around him to take her hand and return his attention to her. Thomas moved with him, blocking him. Montgomery had to settle for peering around Thomas’s shoulder, and he did so with a huff of breath that made Thomas wince. The smell was like carrion left to rot on the side of the road.
Montgomery suddenly turned his attention to Caroline. “It was nice to see you again as well, my lady,” the creature said, giving Thomas a smug glance. “I hope to see you again very soon, Lady Caroline.”
“That wouldn’t be advisable,” Thomas said, cold menace in his voice.
Mason gave Thomas an oily smile that never reached his dead eyes. The idea of this creature even holding Caroline’s name in his mouth made Thomas ill.
“I’m sure your presence here, my Lady, has comforted our sweet friend, Julia,” the creature continued, addressing Caroline.
“It has.” Julia said, reaching over and taking Caroline’s hand. “Lady Caroline and I have been the best of friends our entire lives. But must you go so soon, Andrew?” she beseeched him. Her voice took on a wheedling tone.
He glanced over at Thomas his eyes icy cold. He looked directly down at the cross again. “It seems I am compelled to leave.” He bowed to the ladies and gave Julia a significant look. “May I come back again, my dear Miss Mason?”
“Of course, Andrew,” Julia said.
“No,” Thomas said sternly, his voice cutting across her words.
They both ignored him and the look between the couple, who had eyes only for each other, enraged Thomas, while Caroline’s expression was full of confusion. Thomas harbored little doubt that this man was the blood-sucking parasite who had bitten Julia. The fact that Julia seemed to enjoy the man’s company so much, the way she looked him, and the way she so improperly called him by his given name on such slight acquaintance confirmed it for Thomas. And the vampire had just blatantly asked for an invitation to come into the house again.
Thomas had known from the moment he’d entered the room and found him there. His hands itched to do violence to the loathsome creature, but he was constrained by the presence of Caroline and Julia. All he could do for now was to get the vampire out of the room and out of this house, and then he could track him down later and deal with him.
Montgomery strutted to the door, giving Thomas one last mocking smile as he left. Thomas followed him, barely managing to hold himself back.
He turned at the door and gave Thomas another smile. “I’ll be sure to tell Mrs. Dubois I saw you, Lord Thomas. I’m sure she would love to renew your old acquaintance.”
Before Thomas could give into the impulse to throttle him, Montgomery turned on his heel and swept out of the room. Both of Julia’s cousins got to their feet, looking shocked and then confused. Their eyes were dazed, and Thomas was sure now that they had been enthralled and were barely aware of their surroundings. He should have realized it as soon as he’d seen them, but he hadn’t been expecting it. He would need to step up his game considerably.
