by Lora Edwards
Chapter 42
“Victoria, this a trap, and a not very well concealed one—do you really plan on having us walk right into it?” Victor paced the study while Armand just watched her with those cool eyes, his face and body not betraying his feelings on the matter.
“What other choice do we have, Victor? She has eluded us up until now, and she has eluded you for centuries. We need to trap her with her own arrogance. She believes she can spring this trap but we have skills, and we have resources. I am confident she has underestimated the reach of the institute.” Victoria looked over at Armand, who just nodded, his face still an impassive mask.
Why did he not react or say something, anything? Why did he just sit there as if he was made of stone?
“Armand, do you not have an opinion on this ludicrous plan your mate has cooked up? Do you think we should just waltz into the witch’s lair knowing full well she has planned for our demise?”
Armand looked at his old friend and then at Victoria. She felt her heart thunder in her chest. Would he respond to Victor calling her his mate? Did he acknowledge that that was what they were to each other? Would he endorse her plan?
Armand steepled his fingers and sighed. “I believe Victoria is right—there is no other way. You have hunted this creature through time and across the globe for centuries. It is only since Victoria has come back to us that we have even come close to stopping her. She has a blindness and an arrogance when it comes to her progeny. She believes when it comes down to it, Victoria will return to the fold and turn on us. She has to believe her followers are faithful. She does not hold them to her with affection and kindness, but rather with fear and intimidation. If one is allowed to go rogue, if she allows Victoria to win, she knows the others will revolt. This makes her desperate, and desperate people make mistakes.”
Victoria looked down to hide the tears forming in her eyes. He had backed her, even if he did not fully believe in the plan. He had backed her, and though she hadn’t believed she could care for him any more, at that moment he had proven her wrong. In that moment, he had shown her that he would be her partner and would be there for her no matter what came their way.
“All right, if the two of you are set on walking into the lion’s den, that is what we will do, but when we meet in the afterlife because she has caused us all the true death, I will be saying I told you so.” Victor turned and stormed out of the study.
“Well that was dramatic.” Armand chuckled.
Victoria turned to him. “Before you say anything, I just want you to know how much it means to me that you stood up for my plan, even if you believe we are walking into the true death. You stood up for me and are allowing me to vanquish my enemy, in my own way. It was something I didn’t know I required until you made it clear.”
“I will always be at your side, Victoria. I will always be there to back you, as you put it.” Armand stood and pulled her into an embrace, placing his cheek on the top of her head. “Victor was right to call you my mate. I had an elaborate plan to show you my love when this is all over, to ask you to be my mate for the rest of our lives, however long or short that may be. Given the circumstances we will be walking into, I don’t want to wait. If we are facing the true death then I want you to know that you are my mate. I want you with me for the rest of our lives, however long that may be.”
Victoria looked up into Armand’s eyes. Here was everything she had been looking for. When she had been human, she’d imagined she would marry a man from the village, possibly the local blacksmith, have children, and make a home. She had given up on that dream many centuries ago. She may not have been able to have the simple life she’d predicted and she would not be able to have children, but she had met a man she cared for and respected, one she could have as a partner and a mate.
“Yes, a thousand times yes. If we go to the true death at the hands of the countess, I want to go as your mate.”
The words had barely left her lips when his crashed down on top of hers, letting all the fear, passion, and pent-up emotions loose.
Armand ended the kiss and looked down at her. Wrapping his hands around her wrists, he smiled down at her. “Say the words, my love.”
Victoria looked down at their hands. There was usually a ceremony for this event, and maybe if they made it through this mission and went back to the institute they could plan one, but it felt right having it just be the two of them.
She looked down at their bound hands and then up into his eyes. She repeated the words of the binding ceremony: “Spondeo vobis vitam aeternam.” Much like the handfasting of the dragons, they would each be marked as a mate. The ceremony had been performed for thousands of years, and some said the mating mark came from Lilith herself, the first vampire. Every mark was unique to the couple, and it would appear after the words were spoken by each party.
Armand followed after, pledging his life for hers. Victoria felt the burning sensation on the inside of her wrist and she looked down with tears in her eyes. Where the mark of the countess had once been burned into her flesh, there was now the mark of her mate. She closed her eyes as Armand placed a soft kiss on it and then on her lips. They were now bound together for the entirety of their immortal lives, and some said for after the true death. If he died, she would also, their lives and spirits bound together. Once mated, very few vampires survived the death of their mates. It was not unheard of, but it was very rare.
Victoria looked down at the dragon on her arm. It was perfect, and she loved it.
“Do you like it,” she whispered to Armand.
“I think it fits us perfectly,” he replied.
“Now it is time to celebrate.” A wicked light flashed in his eyes and she barely had time to catch her breath before he scooped her up in his arms. Kicking the study doors open, he marched toward the stairs. She was his now.
“I see you did the claiming.” Victor chuckled as he passed them on the stairs.
“How did you know?”
Victor looked at her, eyes wide. “Armand is an old-fashioned sort—there is no way he would be hauling you toward his suite if he hadn’t made a commitment to you.”
Victoria felt blood rush to her cheeks, flushing her pale skin with color.
Victor chuckled again. “Congratulations.” He gave the couple a saucy wink before continuing down the stairs while whistling the wedding march.
Armand rolled his eyes and continued his trek up the stairs. She was finally his, and he was not waiting one more minute to show her how much he loved and adored her.
Chapter 43
“Turn please,” Mrs. Bloom instructed Victoria, who obediently rotated on the dais. She was wearing a slim satin off-the-shoulder gown in a lovely blush color, and small rose-colored silk flowers spiraled down one side, along the edges of the flowing sleeves, and at the edge of the long train. She could hardly take her eyes off of it.
“I see still cannot believe you had the binding ceremony in some old rag.” Mrs. Bloom huffed as she picked up another gown she had brought for Victoria.
“I am sorry, Mrs. Bloom. It was just so sudden. Considering what may happen, we wanted to be mated.”
“I know, but the dress I had in mind for your ceremony—magnificent,” Mrs. Bloom grumbled as Victoria changed from the blush gown into one of bright blue.
“You will still have the chance. When the mission is over and we return to the institute, we will have a ceremony and you can create that magnificent gown.”
Mrs. Bloom turned to Victoria, a wide grin on her kind face. “Create? My dear, it has already been created. I knew you two would end up together, and after that first fitting, the gown came to me fully formed. To be honest, it nagged at me until I made it a reality. It is back at the institute just waiting for you two to catch up to it.”
Victoria laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Mrs. Bloom, you are full of surprises.”
“I was right, was I not?”
Victoria let the subject go. The woman was right—they had ended up
together. She had heard from the other women that Mrs. Bloom was a formidable matchmaker and was rarely wrong, and now she had proof of it herself.
“All right, I am thinking the blush for the party?” She arched an eyebrow in question, and Victoria nodded.
“The blue gown is lovely, but the blush does seem more fitting.”
Mrs. Bloom just nodded and started to gather her things while Victoria quickly took off the gown and donned her regular clothing once more. Inside the house, she wore jeans and a sweater. She had grown to enjoy modern attire when at the institute and preferred to wear it whenever possible.
She took Mrs. Bloom’s hands in hers, stopping the woman’s tidying for a moment. “Mrs. Bloom, I just want to tell you how much I appreciate everything you have done for us on this mission.”
“Pish posh, girl. It is my job.”
“Not only on the mission, but the way you make me feel a part of the institute just as if I have always been here, and the making of a gown for my ceremony—I cannot express how much that means to me.”
Mrs. Bloom looked into Victoria’s eyes, the faded blue sparkling with tears. She put a hand to the cool pale skin of Victoria’s cheek.
“Dear, you are one of my girls now—of course I designed your gown. Now enough of this. I have work to do back at the institute, and you have a party to get ready for.” Mrs. Bloom started to leave then stopped and turned around, wrapping Victoria in a fierce hug. “Do be careful. It is my dearest wish to see you in the gown I created.” With one more pat to her cheek, Mrs. Bloom was gone, leaving Victoria alone with the gown and her fear. She hoped as well that she would be able to wear the dress and have a celebration with family and friends. She resolved that they would best the countess; she felt it in her bones.
Straightening her shoulders, she gently laid the gown over her arm to take it upstairs. They had hired a woman from the institute to help her with the hair and makeup of the era. She would look the part for the party and be prepared for the war.
Chapter 44
Armand helped Victoria out of the coach onto the snowy ground below. She held up the bottom of her dress to prevent it from becoming wet. Armand’s face was impassive as he assessed the situation, constantly on the lookout for any threat.
“I doubt she would attack us before we have even reached the doors. Look at all the humans surrounding us—surely she wouldn’t cause a scene here.”
“The countess is a wily and unpredictable character. You of all of us know this, and it would not do to underestimate her,” Victor whispered from where he stood behind her.
Armand stood slightly to the side and in front of her, and Victor was at her back. She allowed herself a small smile at their actions. Each of these men loved her in their own way, Victor as a sister, Armand as his mate, and they were bound to protect her.
The trio stood for a moment, gazing up at the large palace in front of them. The Romanovs were entertaining at their palace in the country, and Victoria had a thought for Teagan, who would jump at the chance to meet the royal family. Victoria had been there before but had been confined to her rooms, seeing only the countess and having a few stilted conversations with Rasputin. He was different now that he had been brought over, the malice in him having been lost somehow in the conversion. There were stories in the small nest of vampires surrounding the countess that it had not been a smooth transition, that there had been unexpected challenges that may have contributed to the change in him. He was melancholy now, holing up in his study with his books and papers, the traits he had once shared with the countess gone or greatly diminished. Victoria had always felt sorry for the man.
The Rasputin they would meet this evening, however, was full of that malice and cunning that had drawn the countess to him in the first place. He would be a formidable enemy, one they would have to keep an eye on as he was deeply devoted to the countess and would do anything for her. Murdering them would be but a trifle to him.
A warning shiver skittered down her spine. She knew they would come out of this adventure with their immortal lives intact but possibly not unscathed. She took a large breath and nodded at her partners. It was time to enter the lion’s den.
They stepped into the foyer and were greeted by liveried servants dressed in their finest uniforms. Victoria handed him the gold foil invitation that had been tucked into the letter from the countess and squeezed Armand’s hand for support.
The servant stood at the stairs, the three of them pausing next to him. Victoria looked down at the swirls of glittering jewels and silks as the guests milled around, some dancing, some drinking punch and flirting. Down there somewhere was the countess, and soon this would be over, one way or the other.
“Lord and Lady Draconus,” he announced, and the guests briefly swung their gazes up to watch as Armand and Victoria started their slow descent into the party.
“Lord Victor,” he announced, and Victor followed them down the wide steps to the ballroom below. The countess would have heard and been made aware that they had arrived, and now the game would start. Victoria could feel the tension in Armand as his gaze swung from one guest to another looking for the countess. She was nowhere to be found.
“We need to blend in and not call attention to ourselves,” he murmured in Victoria’s ear. Her court smile came out to play and she schooled her features into an impassive mask. Armand squeezed the hand wrapped around his arm once again. She was acting every inch the aristocrat she had never been.
Victor followed close behind, searching the crowd with his gaze.
“Lord and Lady Draconus, it a pleasure to see that you have accepted the countess’s invitation.” A smooth voice with a thick Russian accent spoke behind them.
Victoria whirled, bringing Armand with her, and looked up into the swirling gaze of Rasputin. He too had schooled his face into an impassive mask, his court smile not giving away even a hint of what the countess had planned for them.
Victoria nodded her head in greeting. “Rasputin, how lovely to see you again. It would not do to ignore an invitation from someone such as the countess.”
Rasputin’s eyes fired for a moment before returning to their previously blank state. “You dare taunt me in my own domain,” he asked, lifting one bushy eyebrow.
Victoria arranged her face into a look of innocence. “Taunt you, good sir? I was merely suggesting that one does not refuse a woman such as the countess, as you of all people should know.”
Victoria knew it was not wise to taunt this man. He held great power there in that realm. The royal family were greatly in his debt as he was the only person known to be able to help their son and heir by controlling his bleeding disorder. Rasputin had them in the palm of his hand.
A light entered his eyes. “You have always been an impertinent one. That is why this will give me great pleasure.”
Victoria frowned and looked around desperately for the countess, but to no avail.
Rasputin snapped his fingers, and soon she found herself in the iron grip of one of the palace guards. She looked over and saw Armand and Victor were in the same state. Even with her superior strength, she was not able to break the hold. Taking a deep breath, she felt her heart flutter. Bear shifters—their grip was like iron.
“I do so enjoy making my beloved happy. Unfortunately, you have been marked as being paid assassins here to attack his royal highness and his family. A shame that you will have to be executed for your crimes.” A cruel light lit in his eyes.
Victoria felt a familiar heavy gold metal slip around her neck, and the snick of the clasp was deafening in her ears. A tear slipped down her face as she looked up into Armand’s face. He had tried mightily to get away from the shifter, but their grip was unbreakable. She suspected these had been fed vampire blood, as none of them were even able to budge.
“Take them away, please.” Rasputin flicked his hand in the direction of Armand and Victor. He then turned his gaze to Victoria. “You, my dear, we have plans for. It wouldn’t do to impris
on a dear friend of ours. Did you miss your necklace? It looks so pretty around your neck. There will be no escaping this one. We have worked together and come up with a new, stronger spell you will not be able to break.”
Victoria felt the fight leave her. Despite all the scenarios she had run in her head, this had not been one of them. She shouldn’t have brought Armand and Victor there. She should have gone alone, and now they would be killed and labeled as traitors all because she was strong-willed and had insisted they walk into the countess’s trap.
She didn’t resist when Rasputin led her out of the ballroom. Victor and Armand were smart; they would find a way to escape, and she would be a distraction. She would fight and scratch, using snark and insults to keep the countess focused on her. They would be safe—that she could guarantee. When the countess found out they had escaped, she would fly into her typical rage and Victoria would be in her path. She would not live as a prisoner again; rather, she would accept the true death. She would meet Armand in the afterlife when it was his time, and she knew he was strong enough to survive the break in their bond.
Chapter 45
“Armand, stop. There is no use. The bars are made of silver, and all you are doing is harming yourself.” Victor pried Armand’s smoking hands from the bars, the other vampire not seeming to feel the pain from grabbing them. “They were prepared to hold supernaturals. These cages are designed to hold shifters and vampires—why do you think they are lined with silver? Why do you think the bars are so thick? We need to sit and think.”