Shadows and Sorcery: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels

by Adkins, Heather Marie

  3

  Lysander took a sip of his drink and leaned back into the russet armchair. “Sit, Avrum, relax yourself,” he said with a content sigh.

  Avrum, who was looking outside the tall library windows, shrugged a shoulder at his suggestion. His chest felt tight, his vision blurry. Even though she had no reason to be, Haven remained firmly on his mind. He stared out onto the manor’s courtyard and the black-water lake. The memory of Haven standing outside her father’s house with her forehead pressed against the building’s face resurfaced in his mind. He had felt her grief last night as if it was his own, and for a moment he wondered if he was even doing the right thing by taking her back.

  And what if he hadn’t brought her back? It seemed to be what Haven wanted. The question had been plaguing him since they had returned. Why would someone want to return to such a dismal life when they were now given everything they had ever wanted?

  “Would you do anything, give anything, to see them again?” Haven had said to him that night. If his family were still alive, would he be missing them the same way and ignoring rules just to see them?

  “Come away from the window,” Lysander said, but this time with more aggravation in his tone. “The curtains will have to be drawn soon enough for dawn.”

  Ripping his eyes from the glass, Avrum sighed and turned his back to it. Instead, his gaze traveled around the room. Two tiers of shelves wrapped around the walls, filled with books of every size and length. A quaint brass chandelier hung in the center. It illuminated the set of armchairs and tables underneath, as well as the very bored face of his friend.

  Lysander finished his glass of scotch and placed it on the side table next to Avrum’s still untouched one. “If you do not sit and have this drink, I am going to have to take it from you.”

  “Scotch is not a very French drink,” said Avrum as he watched Lysander trace the rim with the tip of his long finger.

  “Well, I’m no longer in France, now am I?”

  He tried to laugh, but his mind was elsewhere. He glanced back over his shoulder to the windows.

  “Well? Will you have your drink or not?”

  Avrum did not reply.

  Grunting, Lysander pushed himself to his feet and went to his side. “What is just so fascinating out there?” he asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing? You’ve been staring outside for an hour now.”

  But Avrum barely heard him. He was thinking about the maid he had asked to check on Haven. She hadn’t returned to him with news yet. His stomach clenched with worry. Had something happened? Had Haven escaped again?

  Lysander clapped his hands. “Ah ha!” he said, making Avrum jump. “I know what has claimed your attention out there.”

  “Oh?”

  “You are looking for her, aren’t you? That little pet of Henri’s.”

  Lysander tried to meet Avrum’s eyes, but he looked away. “Haven?” He gave a short laugh. “Now, what would make you think such a thing?”

  Lysander turned his back to him. “You are infatuated with her.”

  “Infatuated? Now, really―”

  Three thuds on the wooden floor vibrated under his feet, stopping him. Avrum spun to see Henri standing in the library doorway with a cane in hand. His gloved fingers stretched on top of its crystal round handle. His ash-colored cape was draped across his one shoulder, reminding Avrum of royalty. He and Lysander bowed as if he was so, and Henri’s dark eyes switched between them. A cool smile spread his lips. The air seemed to thicken around them.

  “My friends,” he greeted with a slight nod of his head, “I am surprised to find you still awake.”

  “We were just relaxing before the night was over, my lord,” said Lysander.

  Henri walked over to one of the armchairs and took a seat. He leaned back and laid an ankle over a knee. “As was I.” He chuckled, and then lifted his cane to point at Avrum. “Why, Avrum, you look distracted. Is there something on your mind?”

  Avrum pressed his lips together. Fighting his nerves to stay under control, Avrum replied, “No, my lord. There is nothing.”

  He glanced at Lysander. “Oh.”

  “I-I am a bit tired, my lord,” he added.

  “Ah, maybe that is it.”

  “It must be.”

  Henri made his cane tap against the floor, waiting, as his eyes swept around the room. All was quiet for a moment, and Avrum and Lysander exchanged worried looks. Maybe Lord Henri already knew about Lysander’s bet to switch his guard with Cornelius. Or maybe Haven had told him about Avrum’s weak moment in the foyer.

  Avrum rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I wanted to thank you again, Avrum, for bringing Haven back to Greystone last night,” he went on. “I do not understand why she has a constant need to disobey me.”

  Avrum bowed again. “I gave you my word, my lord.”

  “I am sorry to ask you this,” Henri went on, his voice as smooth as glass. “I know how tired you must be, but I need one more favor before you retire for the morning. I suggested to Haven that she go for a walk. I wanted her to have some time to clear her mind, relax, and wander the courtyard until dawn. I still do not trust her fully, but I could not deny her a simple walk. Will you make sure she stays on the property this time, Avrum?”

  His entire body awoke at the thought of seeing her again. “Of course, my lord.”

  “Thank you.” Henri stood and ran a hand over his jacket to smooth out the creases. He tapped his cane against the floor again. “You, above all people, know how she can be.”

  * * *

  Haven stepped onto the soft ground of the courtyard. Her heels sunk into the dirt, and she smiled as the damp grass brushed against her bare ankles. Autumn’s chilled early morning air tickled her nose with each breath, but she welcomed it as she made her way to the lake’s edge. Her gaze stretched to where the water met the sky. There, the sky along the horizon sparkled with lighter shades of blues and grays. For the first time in a long time, the tension in her shoulders ceased, and she let them fall with a content sigh.

  She shifted the heavy jeweled bracelets around her still stinging wrists. She had been surprised when Henri suggested she take a walk, especially after she had run off only a night ago. His sudden kind gesture made her suspicious, but she was not going to ignore a chance to get out of her prison. For now, she would enjoy it.

  Haven’s eyes searched the property for any signs of Henri’s human or immortal guards. Henri had appointed them, trained them, to watch over the manor during the day and night while he and the others were occupied with other things. As far as she could see, the grounds were bare. A pleasant hum coursed through her at the thought of being outside alone. She could make her escape now, follow the edge of the lake to the road that led into the city and to her father. It was the perfect time of day. Henri and his followers never left the manor during the day. She could use sun as her cloak and get far enough away with her father before nightfall. A light breeze picked up her curls and caressed her face. She smiled at the gentle touches. She could do it. This was her chance.

  “Oi! Cornelius, look at what I’ve found.”

  Haven froze.

  “It’s Lord Henri’s pet all alone,” another deep voice replied.

  Haven whipped around to find two very familiar faces. Cornelius, a mountain of a man with fierce green eyes and shaggy hair that sat upon his brow, stood with his shoulders back and his chest inflated. Keagan, one of Henri’s guards, was known for his quick feet and vulgar mouth. She had the misfortune of seeing him whenever Henri needed someone to fetch her or to make the knots of the ropes tighter around her wrists.

  “What a pretty little doll she is,” Keagan purred. His heated gaze traveled the length of Haven’s frame. In a blur of color, he was in front of her. His breath was icy as it brushed by her face and smelled sharply of drink.

  Suddenly feeling naked in front of them, she crossed her arms about her chest and took a step back. She collided with somethi
ng solid, and she gasped, whirling around.

  Cornelius’ square chin tilted down, and he flashed wide, straight teeth. “Is this what you normally see while doing rounds, Keagan?” he asked. “If so, I would have asked Lysander for his position on guard a long time ago.”

  Her eyes flicked between them. She tried her best not to show them fear, but from the hungry looks in their eyes, she had a feeling they could hear the frantic thudding of her heart. “Henri gave me p-permission to be here,” she said. Despite her best efforts, her voice still quivered.

  “I’m sure he did,” Keagan drawled, his Irish accent making him seem sweeter than his expression portrayed.

  Cornelius glanced at his friend and took a step closer to her. One of his hands extended, his thick fingers reaching for her.

  Haven sucked in a breath. “Leave me alone,” she snapped, moving out of his grasp. “I have permission to be here.”

  “Come on. We won’t hurt you.”

  “She smells so sweet, Keagan,” Cornelius whispered huskily. “Can I―”

  Keagan hissed. “I told you, I get first taste.”

  “But Henri―”

  “Henri isn’t here right now, is he?” Keagan flashed pointed teeth at her, and she shivered.

  “But I’ll make sure to tell him of this,” she said through clenched teeth.

  Keagan met his friend’s eye and a wave of hesitation passed over them.

  Haven looked over her shoulder where the sky was lightening in the east. “It’s almost dawn,” she continued, trying to gather some more vigor. “Shouldn’t you be hiding in a shadow somewhere?”

  Cornelius growled, snatched her by the arm, and pulled her closer to his broad chest.

  “We will make this quick.” Keagan’s eyes flashed black. Haven tried jerking her arm free. “Hmm… I like it when they fight back.”

  The grip on her arm tightened, and Haven whimpered as pain shot from her fingertips to her shoulder.

  “I like it when they scream,” said Cornelius.

  She pressed her lips together.

  “What is this, now?”

  A new voice rang from behind them. Like a trigger, Cornelius released her. She touched her tender arm, hoping another bruise wouldn’t surface. The two men stepped apart. Avrum strode forward. His eyes met hers, and she looked away.

  “We were making our last rounds,” Keagan answered, shrugging.

  Cornelius grunted in agreement.

  Avrum raised a brow in disbelief. “I think you’ve finished.”

  Keagan stared at Avrum for some time, not saying a word. His heated stare spoke his hatred for him. Then, he turned on his heel and trudged back towards the manor, mumbling curses the entire way.

  Cornelius, on the other hand, made his muscles bulge under his too tight white shirt. “You are not my lord,” he said, his nostrils flaring. “You hold no power over me.”

  Avrum held his ground and met his glare. “That is true. But Henri does, and I’ll be sure to tell him all about this.”

  “H-He won’t believe you.” He took a step backward.

  “We will see.”

  Cornelius snorted. “You can’t hide behind Henri forever,” he shot before following in Keagan’s wake.

  Once they were alone, Haven turned back towards the lake. She hoped Avrum wouldn’t try and speak to her. She had nothing to say to him. A few moments passed, and not a word was said. She could feel him hovering behind her, hear him muttering something she could not understand. Why wouldn’t he just go?

  “Shouldn’t you be heading back too? It’s almost dawn.”

  “I will,” he replied and came to her side. His fingertips brushed the hand that still nursed her sore arm.

  She jerked it away.

  “Did they hurt you?”

  “No.” She had been through worse.

  “Are you sure?” Avrum tried to reach out again.

  She turned around. “Will you just leave me alone?” She began to walk back to the manor. She hoped he would stop trying to continue this act. He didn’t care about her. He needed to stop pretending like he did. It wasn’t long before he was walking at her side, matching her quick strides.

  Her feet halted, and she gave him a hard look. “Why are you here, Avrum?”

  He stopped too, appearing taken aback by her question. “Er―I was sent… by Lord Henri to see―”

  “Exactly.”

  His brow furrowed with confusion. “I don’t understand.”

  Haven studied his face. Fine dark hairs shadowed his upper lip and strong jaw. Soft brown eyes stared at her, waiting. Her shoulders dropped, and her anger numbed. “You didn’t come here on your own account. You were ordered to watch me.”

  “Yes.”

  “And that isn’t concern. That is a duty,” she told him. “If it wasn’t for Henri, you would have never even come out here.”

  He was quiet for a moment. Behind him, the night receded farther to the west.

  “That…isn’t true,” he whispered.

  “It isn’t?”

  “I have been wanting to see you again.”

  Her stomach flipped.

  “I wanted to apologize again for the way I acted last night…in the foyer.” His hands were trembling, and he stuffed them into his trouser pockets. “It was impolite of me.”

  The foyer, the kiss, his body pressed against hers. Heat flooded to her womanhood. An image of the two of them laying in a bed, bodies naked and tangled in passion flashed before her eyes. Haven sucked in a sharp breath. She rubbed the bracelets around her wrists, reminding herself of what his kind was capable of.

  Still, her pulsed quickened as he stepped towards her. Something inside her yearned to feel his thick arms around her. She wondered if she pressed her ear against his bare chest, if she could still hear a heart beating behind his ribs. Her mouth felt dry. What was it about Avrum Brenin that made her feel this way—and so conflicted?

  She moved away, her eyes going the horizon again. “The sun…” she said, her voice no louder than a breath.

  Avrum glanced over his shoulder. “We should go inside. Lord Henri wanted you back before dawn.”

  They continued the walk in silence. When they reached the manor doors, Haven allowed Avrum to enter before her.

  Lingering in the doorway, she took one last look upon the grounds. As if it could no longer be contained, the sky ignited with fiery colors. The sun lifted its head over the black lake. Haven drew in a breath, taking in the beauty of it all. A flicker of warmth touched her cheeks. She heaved a sigh before closing the doors behind her and entering the night once again.

  * * *

  Avrum walked down the hallway on stiff legs. The dull thuds of heeled shoes on a carpeted floor told him that Haven was following close behind. The sounds of her heart dancing and her quick breathing told him she didn’t want to be. He looked over his shoulder.

  Her eyes watched her feet, allowing long waves of hair to fall in front of her shoulders. She wore a pale blue, cotton dress that hung loosely around her slender frame. Avrum thought to when he had found Haven near the lake’s edge. Keagan and Cornelius had been hovering over her like two hungry dogs. The moment he had seen Cornelius touch her, his blood boiled. How dare he lay a hand on a woman, especially one under Lord Henri’s care? They needed to be put in their place, and he would make sure of it the moment he saw Henri.

  Avrum led Haven up the stairs. With every step, he was tempted to turn around and ask her the questions that were brooding on his mind. What was it that made her want to leave here so badly? Why did she act so coldly towards him?

  What couldn’t he stop thinking about her? And why did he care so much? Those were questions he was sure she couldn’t answer. Neither could he.

  They reached the top of the staircase. Every bedroom door was closed, and as they passed, Avrum could feel the presences of many slumbering men and women behind them. He lifted his eyes to the door at the end of the hall where the bronze crow hung frozen in mid-fligh
t. The two guards that normally stood outside Henri’s door during the day were not at their posts yet, meaning that Lord Henri was still awake. As Avrum got closer, he noticed that the door was cracked opened. Light tried to push through the sliver, but a shadow moving inside the room snuffed out the stream.

  “Avrum?”

  His feet froze that the sound of his name coming from Haven’s lips. He turned to see her standing near the wall, under one of the gas lamps. The shimmering white light seemed to cascade down upon her. He swallowed.

  Haven’s eyes drifted to the end of the hall, and then back to his face. She rubbed her rose-petal lips together, as if she was thinking of what to say next.

  “Yes?” he whispered, chest tight.

  “Did you… send Emma to see how I was feeling tonight?” she asked.

  “Emma?”

  Her gaze went back to Henri’s door. “A girl,” she explained. “A maid?”

  The girl with the gold braided hair. “Yes, I did, but I did not know her name.”

  Haven crossed her arms about her chest, as if she was wrapping herself up for protection. Her fingers slid up and down the smooth skin on her arms, causing the many jeweled bracelets around her wrists to glisten in the light.

  “Why?” she breathed.

  Avrum took a step closer to her. His tongue felt heavy when he tried to speak. “I―”

  The slow squeal of old hinges pulled Avrum’s attention from her and made him look toward his lord’s door again. Henri stood in the frame with a lifeless, stone-carved expression on his face. Avrum wondered how long he had been standing there.

  Avrum took a quick step back and ran his quivering hands over his jacket.

  The lord came over to them with a predator’s grace, his eyes traveling over them both. They lingered on Haven when he said, “How was your walk, my love?”

  Something changed in Haven then. Her hands dropped to her sides and clenched into tight fists. Her back straightened, and she met his eyes with ferocity. “It was too short,” she snapped.