I was tired of his displeasure . Valdez was handsome, too handsome, and could shift into any kind of beast he chose. Jeremiah had hired him to shadow me at all times, unless my lover was with me. I had been in danger before but we had vanquished that one-eyed enemy. Was a bodyguard still necessary? I would like to dismiss the Spaniard. But with pirates only a short voyage away, I knew Jeremiah wouldn’t allow it. I stayed silent as I walked through the castle and outside, Valdez trailing me.
The men were having a shooting contest. Colin seemed to have organized it and had set up targets against some bales of hay with the men taking turns with bows and arrows. There was much shouting and casual betting. Apparently the best archers would join Colin for hunting on the morrow. I stopped and watched, wishing I had some skill with a bow.
“Mistress Gloriana, come join us. Have you ever held a bow, done any shooting?” Colin was grinning, loving his new position as Master of the Hunt. He was a handsome lad, but young, and barely able to grow what passed for a short beard.
“You’ll see. Hand me a bow.” I had no idea if I had ever shot an arrow or not. There were so many holes in my memory. Did I have this skill? When Colin plucked a small bow from a rack behind him and handed it to me, I instinctively held it properly. It felt familiar in my hands.
“Let me see if I can hit your target.” I notched an arrow then swung the bow around. Several men shouted and threw up their hands to cover their heads, pretending fear that I would shoot them. With lots of laughter and much scurrying about from my audience, I set the bow and pulled the string back to nestle it against my cheek. My excellent vampire vision made eyeing the target easy. I aimed then loosed the arrow. To my shock and the delight of the men, I hit the painted circle dead center. It seemed I had played this game before and did it well.
“Do I have a new archer in my ranks?” The deep voice behind me made me spin around and drop the bow to my side.
Captain Burnett nodded approvingly. “I had no idea, Mistress Gloriana, that you had such skill.”
“It was a lucky shot.” I gave him a quick curtsy. The man was usually very serious. I was surprised to see him here, away from his men, and smiling.
“Why not try again?” He pulled an arrow from the quiver next to the rack and handed it to me. “I admit I am intrigued. It is not often a beautiful woman has such a talent for archery.”
Woman, not lady. I certainly noticed that difference in address as I notched the arrow. I didn’t want to encourage what I was afraid was a flirtation. Yes, I was Jeremiah’s mistress. This wouldn’t be the first time I had been treated as less than a wife. Was I taking the captain’s sudden friendliness for something more because I was sensitive to not being wed? Perhaps. Still, I was a little angry as I eyed the target, aimed, then sent the arrow on its way.
“Another good shot!” Captain Burnett exclaimed as the men cheered. “When we’re attacked by those dreaded pirates, we must put you on the battlements, Mistress Gloriana.”
“Tell Lord Campbell that, Captain, I beg you. I am not content to hide or tend to my needlework while there is fighting to be done.” I handed the bow to Colin. “While I am delighted to see you, I am surprised. May I ask the purpose of your visit?”
“I came to pay my respects to Lady Anne. Do you think she will receive me? I knew her father. He was a fine man.” The captain gazed up at the castle walls. “I met her once. Before she was married to Lord Ralph.”
This was unexpected and good news. I knew the captain was a widower. His wife had died several years before in childbirth. The stern captain was handsome and from a good family. He was in the king’s favor or he would not have the command of the troop here. Would Lady Anne consider him if he pressed his suit? She had certainly been in mourning long enough to satisfy any notion of propriety.
“Come with me and we’ll see if she is receiving visitors.” I led the way inside. I was happy to find Anne out of her rooms and in the great hall, directing the maids.
“Lady Anne! Here is Captain Burnett, the commander of the king’s troops, to see you.” I saw her flush. “I believe you have met.”
“I’m not sure…” Anne tore off the apron she’d put over her black dress and touched her hair. She had braided it and wore it coiled neatly at the back of her neck, leaving her ugly cap in her rooms. Her flush made her very pretty indeed. “It was some years ago, I believe.”
“Malcolm Burnett, my lady, at your service. I met your father on several occasions. My parents own an estate that marches with his.” The captain pulled off his hat and bowed. “I visited your mother and her husband there before I took this assignment.”
He had not given me the courtesy of a bow, but I was too happy to see this promising start with Lady Anne to dwell on it.
“Why don’t you take the captain up to your solar, my lady, while the cleaning here continues. I’ll send a maid with some refreshments. Perhaps Captain Burnett has news of your family.” I took Anne’s arm and practically dragged her to the stairs. “The captain is in charge of the king’s soldiers. We owe him the courtesy of making him feel welcome, don’t you agree?” I waited until she nodded before I practically ran to the kitchen and gave Holly the order.
“Lady Anne is entertaining the captain of the king’s soldiers? In her solar?” Holly pulled some cakes out of the oven. “I cannot believe she is finally coming back among the livin’.”
“She is. Now send a girl up with a tray. Those cakes smell delicious. I’m sure the captain will like them.” I turned to where Mercy sat at the table picking at her supper. Her face was pale. “Mercy, I hope you are feeling better.”
“I’ll do.” The maid struggled to her feet. “Mistress Gloriana, I can get some lads to haul up water for bathing again if you wish it.”
“Not yet, Mercy. Wait until closer to dawn. We need to find a bigger tub than the one we used last night. You know Lord Jeremiah likes his baths and he barely fit into that small copper one.” I pressed her back down to her seat.
“Holly, do you know if there’s a large bathing tub anywhere in the castle?” The cook looked clean enough now though I couldn’t forget how her friend Douglas had avoided bathing. He wasn’t in the kitchen. Had he decided to stay away rather than get clean as Lady Anne had ordered?
I knew Jeremiah and I were unusual in our liking for a daily bath. Our servants had quickly gotten used to the custom or left for other employment. Vampires have a very sensitive sense of smell. I couldn’t bear to be surrounded by unwashed bodies. Even worse were those courtiers who used heavy perfumes to mask their slovenly ways. Thank the gods now all I inhaled was the delightful fragrance of fresh cake that was lemon by the smell of it. How I wished I could have a taste!
Holly must have seen the look in my eyes and offered me a warm cake wrapped in a cloth. “Won’t you try one, mistress?”
I sighed. “I would love to but you can see I have generous curves. Too generous. My new clothes are snug as it is. Jeremiah claims to like me this way, but I would hate to burst my seams.” I patted my wide hips. I’d been starving when Jeremiah had found me. He’d worried over me and stuffed me like a Christmas goose. I was grateful, of course. I had given no thought for the future, just dined on roast beef, hot chocolate and sweets of all kinds. By the time I decided to become vampire, I had a full figure that made a new wardrobe necessary. Yes, Jeremiah loved a round bottom and plentiful breasts, but he should have warned me that I would forever be this size when I was turned vampire. Unfair!
“Thank you, though, Holly. Give that cake to Mercy. She is eating for two.”
“Mistress Gloriana, please!” Mercy bowed her head, her cheeks pink.
“It is no secret, lass.” Holly dropped the cake on Mercy’s plate. “Nor a shame. My own Elsie was born after the man I thought I loved left me on my own.” She shook her head. “There’s nothing worse than a handsome man with a wandering eye.”
I patted Mercy’s back. “You see? We will take care of you here. Now about that bathtub, Hol
ly? Is there one here?”
“Aye, the master, um, Lord Ralph, had one. It’s kept in the tower room.” Holly flushed. “The master and mistress liked to use it for a bath there. At the same time!” She finished arranging the tray and called for a maid to carry it up to the solar.
Mercy giggled and muttered, “I believe it.”
Holly ignored her. “It’s a fine room for bathing. Least there’s a nice view of the sea from the window. Can’t say I blame them for lingering, though it made a good bit of work for the maids, carrying the water up all them stairs.”
“A room set aside for bathing. What a wonderful idea. I’m sure there must be a fireplace.” I was already imagining the fun to be had with Jeremiah.
“Of course.” Holly sighed. “I’ll show Mercy where it is and we’ll get it ready for ye. An hour before sunrise? Will that suit ye?”
“Perfectly.” I patted Mercy’s shoulder when she groaned. “Don’t carry the water yourself. Get the lads to do it.”
Mercy sighed. “Oh, I will. Holly, how many pails of water does this tub hold, I ask ye?”
I left them talking about the size of the tub but clearly the cook was bursting with questions about our strange ways and daily sleeping schedule. I trusted Mercy to fend her off as I walked back outside to watch the archery contest. I had a new skill. I couldn’t wait to tell Jeremiah about it.
“You’ve obviously been busy, my love.” Jeremiah followed me up the winding stairs to the tower room. “Besting the men at archery and even putting Lady Anne in charge of the castle. Then Valdez came to me asking permission to teach you and the lady sword skills. What’s next? Shall I have our gunsmith make you a special gun to fit at your waist, my warrior woman?”
I ignored his mocking tone and whirled to face him. “Would you? I think that would be the most wonderful thing.” I threw myself into his arms, almost knocking him down the stairs. The look on his face was priceless. Of course, he didn’t fall, my man was always steady on his feet.
“Enough, Gloriana. You are not going to be shooting anyone. A little practice with a knife or short sword is probably a good idea and Valdez is a fine person to train you.” He set me down in front of the door at the top of the steps. “If Lady Anne wants to join you, I see no reason to object to that. Have at it. You can spar with each other. Still, I cannot imagine a lady of her standing will enjoy actual swordplay.”
“Thank you, Jeremiah. We will see if Lady Anne takes to it. Now look what we’ve done.” I threw open the door. Mercy and I had made sure the bathing room was ready for us with a stack of drying cloths near a roaring fire. The large tub had been filled except for the water in the kettle on the hob which could be added at the last moment. There was a slight chill in the air because there was no covering over the arrow slits in the tower walls.
“What have we here?” Jeremiah stared around the room. “A bathing room. Very nice indeed. You brought two robes, I see. So we can both bathe.” He walked over to the tub. “Yes, I think we can fit in here at the same time quite handily.” He grinned. “Is that your plan?”
“Perhaps.” I strolled to the window. “Look, I think on a clear night we could see all the way to Ireland. Perhaps we should post a guard here, to warn us if the pirates are coming.”
“There are towers nearer to the sea than this. The pirate problem has been around for more than a century. It is an old challenge that I hope to see resolved under my leadership.” He stared out the window. “This particular band is ruthless. Too many have died at that she-devil’s hand.”
“I’m sure you will defeat her, Jeremiah.” I walked up behind him and put my arms around him. Leaning against him, I felt like he could do anything he set his mind to.
“I may need to take ship for her stronghold. Attack instead of waiting for her to come to us.” He turned in my arms. “It’s something Lord Ralph never dared.”
“But what do you know of the sea?” I held onto him.
“There is much you don’t know about me, Gloriana. I have spent time on ships. Even was captured by Viking raiders once.” He laughed. “They were shocked as you can imagine when they discovered the man in their hold was vampire and could shift into a bird that flew right out of a port hole once we reached land. I left that village with a vampire as a gift from the English they hated.”
“Jeremiah!” I knew he had turned mortals into vampires. I was one of them. He’d acted reluctant to make me one. But, clearly, he was capable of not only siring new vampires but lying about it. I’d thought I was his first. Hah! Well, he had his secrets, that was obvious. Did I really want to know all of them? There had been other women, surely too many to count, during his long life.
My own secrets weren’t by my choice since I’d lost my memory. It had been obvious, though, that I’d not been a virgin when Michael had found me. I was a lusty woman as well. For all Jeremiah knew, I’d been a courtesan who’d lost her memory. He could read my thoughts and now the smile on his face told me he had just done so. I hit his broad chest. He knew I hated for him to invade them.
“A courtesan, Gloriana? I like the notion.” He reached for me but I pushed past him to gaze out the window.
“I do not.” I stiffened when Jeremiah’s arms went around me. “I hope it is too near dawn for the pirates to surprise us. Do you suppose an arrow launched from this height could hit someone on the ground below and still do damage?” I pretended to aim an arrow through the slit. “I doubt a courtesan would be a crack shot.”
“You’re right. Colin said you hit the target twice with ease. I had no idea you knew how to do that.” He pushed my hair aside and kissed me behind one ear.
I trembled at the touch of his mouth, then his tongue. “Neither did I. It was odd, how I picked up the bow and it felt natural as breathing.” I turned in his arms. “It is one more thing from my life before that I just don’t remember. It vexes me. Why can’t I know who I was, where I came from?”
Jeremiah kissed my forehead. “What does it matter? I know where I came from, what I’ve done for the past hundred years and more. Some things I regret. If I dwell on my misdeeds, like loosing that Viking vampire on an unsuspecting village, I’d be tempted to fall on a stake in despair. Trust me, sometimes it’s better not to remember.”
He pulled me against him. “You might have been a warrior in that past life, Gloriana, able to lead men into battle with your bow.” He smiled then kissed my lips. “I quite like the idea of that. Perhaps you led a troop of warrior women. I’ve heard there are such on islands far from here. I shake at the thought of facing them in battle.” He pulled down my bodice and ran his hands over my breasts, making me shiver. Then he looked me over as if he’d never seen them before. “Surprising, then, that you have no battle scars like I do.”
“I must have been a brilliant leader.” I stepped back and jerked his shirt off over his head. “Or good at hiding behind my warriors.”
“You? I doubt that.” He became impatient then, making quick work of stripping away the rest of my own clothes before taking off his own. He abandoned me to walk over and grab the steaming water to add to the bath. “Get the soap and a cloth. I fancy a thorough scrubbing from my fearless woman.”
“Mayhap I fancy the same from my lord warrior.” I picked up my favorite scented soap then put it down again. Jeremiah liked the lavender scent on me, but not on his own skin. He had a bar with a more manly lemon scent and that’s what I’d use to scrub him. Of course, our scrubbing was playful and ended with my riding him until the stone floor was wet and I lay breathless on his chest.
“I love you, Jeremiah. You may want to protect me, but I do want to be a warrior. I will not cower in a locked room like Lady Anne did when the pirates came before.” I kissed his chest then sat up. “Hear me. I mean it. I will not hide.”
“I’m told women were stolen from the village and taken away.” Jeremiah lifted me and stood. Water streamed from his body. I admired his wide chest, narrow hips and sturdy legs, even as I was picked u
p and put on the stone floor. He handed me a warm cloth then picked up one for himself. “I will not risk you, Gloriana.”
“Nothing will happen to me. I’m vampire, thanks to you. Do you really think I won’t rip open the throat of any pirate who tries to take me?” I dried myself then tossed away the cloth. My robe was on a peg on the wall and I grabbed it. “You know that. I cannot be captured easily, certainly not by a mere mortal.”
“You can try. But your best defense is to shape-shift. If you can do that, then perhaps I will consider letting you stay out and help defend the castle.” He threw down his own drying cloth while there were still drops clinging to his broad chest.
Gods, but I loved him. Too bad he was so stubborn. We had gone round and round about this. I didn’t want to shape-shift. I had a deep and abiding fear of it but I had no idea why. I just knew that if I tried to turn into another creature, I was very afraid I would never be able to shift back into Gloriana the woman again. Was I foolish? No doubt. Jeremiah shifted as easily as breathing. So did Valdez. Bird, bat, even a wolf. It didn’t seem to matter. But I couldn’t or wouldn’t. I turned my back on him as I pulled on my robe.
“You ask too much.” I wouldn’t let him see my tears. Damn him for picking the one thing that he knew was my weakness and impossible for me to overcome. He touched my shoulders.
“Gloriana, look at me.”
“Why? So you can win again? You knew I would admit defeat. Now you can gloat. Go ahead.” I resisted when he tried to turn me to face him. But I couldn’t resist for long. I finally looked up at him. He wasn’t smiling.
“I only want you to be safe. To be with me forever. Is that too much to ask?” He urged me closer. “I love you. I don’t want to lose you.”
“I am not a helpless female. I am not.” I bit my trembling lip. Damn him. He pushed my robe open and palmed my breasts. Unfair. He knew how that affected me. I shoved his hands away.
Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates Page 4