Rising into a seated position, she gazed about the room Sebastian had carried her to only a few hours before. It was nicely situated with a bay window overlooking the front street. The furnishings were typically English with yellow satin wall panels adding a lovely brightness. But as with most of the house, there was a decided air of neglect.
With the careful eye of a woman already in control of her own household, she took disapproving note of the dust clinging to the tall armoire and the dullness of the mahogany chairs and tables. It was only when she was debating the effort of polisling the delicate crystal chandelier overhead that she at last realized the absurdity of her thoughts.
What did she care if the entire house could use good scrubbing? Or that there was a dampness in the air? Such things were meaningless nuisances that she was using to hide her true troubled thoughts.
Perhaps not surprising, she acknowledged wryly.
Who would not prefer to dwell upon spider webs and dust rather than face the brutal truth that her en-tire world had been thrust upside down?
Unwittingly she clutched the blankets up to her chin. Vampires. Was it even possible? Until yesterday she would have thought anyone mad to claim that such monsters existed, let alone walked the streets or London. But, on the other hand, how could she deny what she had witnessed?
She had seen Mr. Ramone with blood shimmering on his lips. She had seen him shift into nothing more than shadows before her very eyes.
And there was that. .. tingling awareness within herself that she could no longer deny.
Her fingers lightly touched the Medallion about her neck. Whatever the powers of the amulet, she feared that they were affecting her. Perhaps even altering her. She could see the world more clearly, her senses heightened to an aching sensitivity. It was in the heavy warmth of the air, the faint scratch of the linen sheets against her skin, and the scent of dust and old wax.
More astonishing, if she were to close her eyes she knew she would be capable of knowing the precise location of Sebastian, and, to a lesser extent, her brother. She even feared she might be able to sense the distant presence of Mr. Ramone.
As if to prove her point, a sudden rash of goose bumps tightened her skin. Turning her head, she watched as the door to her chamber was opened and Sebastian stepped in.
Beneath the cover, her body trembled. Not from fear. As she had admitted last night, she could not bring herself to believe this man would harm her. No matter what he was. But that did not stop the stark realization that he was not the person she had presumed him to be.
He was mysterious, dangerous, and intent upon ful-lulling his duties. Duties that she must force herself to acknowledge were far more important than her or her happiness.
The silver gaze was guarded as he studied her sleep-flushed face. Then, with slow steps, he crossed to settle upon the edge of the mattress.
Amelia was immediately conscious of his male heat. Vampire or not, he was still compellingly beautiful, his burnished hair framing the pale, finely chiseled features and his muscular body attired in a golden coat and ivory breeches.
And he still managed to send a thrill of sensuous awareness searing through her blood.
Warily she forced herself to meet the piercing gaze, futilely hoping that he couldn't read the wicked direction of her thoughts.
"Good morning, Sebastian," she managed to croak.
"Amelia." He continued to search her countenance, as if seeking reassurance that she was not about to plummet into hysterics. "How are you this morning?"
She suppressed an absurd desire to laugh. How was she?
Confused, terrified, and wishing that she could convince herself that this was all some horrible nightmare.
She clutched the covers closer to her chin. "I am well. Have you seen William?"
"Yes. He is eating his breakfast in the kitchen."
"Oh." It took a moment before her brows abruptly drew together and the terrible memory struck at her heart. "But your housekeeper..."
The elegant features hardened with a dangerous anger before he began to ease the tension from his body. It was not gone. Amelia could still feel the frustrated heat smoldering, but it was more under control.
"Thankfully I am capable of producing a passable meal when called upon." He gave a faint grimace. "Well, perhaps passable is a rather generous choice of words, but it is edible."
With a faint pang, Amelia realized that she had not even considered Sebastian's own loss. He would no doubt blame himself for the death of his servant.
"Thank you for caring for William," she said softly.
" 'Tis nothing, my dear."
"It is far more than most gentlemen would do," she uttered unthinkingly before abruptly blushing in confusion.
Swiftly realizing the cause of her discomfort, Sebastian offered her a wry smile.
"I may be a vampire, Amelia, but I also hope that I am a gentleman."
Her blush only deepened at his words. "Of course you are. I am sorry."
Regret, and something that might have been pain, flashed through the silver eyes as he studied her bewildered unease. Reaching out, he lightly touched a curl that lay against her cheek, his touch sending a poignant sweetness through her body.
"Perhaps we should finish our conversation," he murmured.
She bit her lip. A cowardly part of her wanted to close her ears and pretend that none of this was occurring. Perhaps if she ignored it all, it would simply go away.
But the greater part of her rebelled at such foolishness. She had always faced the world as it was, not as she desired it to be. Even this.
"Yes."
His fingers continued to toy with the stray curl, but a distant quality entered the silver eyes, as if he were looking within himself.
"I will not bore you with a long history of vampires, any more than to say that once my brothers roamed freely among humans. Unfortunately, the tales of our savagery were not a myth. A vampire is both blessed and cursed by bloodlust."
She shivered in spite of herself. "Bloodlust?"
"It is a vampire's hunger to consume the warm blood of mortals. By taking the life and soul of a human, we are granted many powers. We possess great strength and are capable of changing our form."
Her breath caught in her throat. She had to distance herself from his words to keep the horror at bay.
"Such as becoming a shadow?" she demanded, anxious to keep talking.
His eyes darkened, easily sensing her raw nerves.
"Precisely. But along with such powers it also brings with it the curse of being vulnerable to both fire and sunlight."
Her brows rose as she noted the pool of light that even now surrounded him.
"Sunlight?"
He smiled faintly. "I speak of the years before Nefri, our leader, created the Veil."
She struggled to follow his peculiar explanation. "What is the Veil?"
"It is a boundary that separates our worlds. Beyond the Veil, vampires are no longer plagued by the hot passions that once ruled us. We live at peace with one another, able to devote our considerable intelligence to elevating ourselves far beyond the brutal predators we once were." Perhaps unconsciously, his features softened as he spoke of his home. She did not need to be told that he deeply felt the loss of being with those of his kind. "The Veil also purified the curse of blood-lust. Unless I were to consume the life of a human, I remain immune."
Amelia attempted to ignore the wistful pang of loneliness that she sensed within Sebastian. It made him seem vulnerable, and almost. . . mortal. And echoed far too closely her own feelings of isolation.
It also threatened to distract her from the troubles at hand.
"But not Mr. Ramone?"
"No." His hand dropped to lie clenched upon the blanket. The mention of his fellow vampire was clearly distressful. "He has chosen to return to a life of violence."
"Why?"
He slowly shook his head, his gaze shifting toward the distant window.
"It is diffi
cult to say. There are always those vampires who believe that it is their right to have dominion over humans. They resent the loss of the powers and their sense of divine superiority."
Amelia regarded him with a frown. It was odd to consider that vampires would be so plagued by human frailties. Pride, conceit, the lust for power.
Whatever their superiority, it did not seem that they had managed to progress far beyond the weaknesses they had hoped to leave behind.
"I still do not understand what this has to do with me."
The piercing gaze returned to her. "The Veil was created with the powers of an ancient vampire artifact. The Medallion."
Suddenly and sharply, she was aware of the heavy weight of the necklace as it lay against her skin. The odd warmth of it spread through her body, bringing the sense of peace and courage that she had come to depend upon. "My amulet?"
"The amulet is but a piece of the Medallion."
She should no doubt have been terrified of the thought of possessing such a strange and formidable artifact. Who could possibly know what it was doing to her? Or how it might affect her in the future?
But she could conjure no unease. The amulet had not harmed her. Indeed, she had never felt more keenly aware, more involved with the world about her. She found it very difficult to imagine a future without its comforting presence.
Almost as difficult as a future without this gentleman who had so tangled himself in her heart and soul.
"And it was Nefri who gave it to me?" she demanded.
"Yes, in the guise of an old Gypsy."
"But why?"
He took a moment to consider his words carefully. Amelia felt a rueful impatience racing through her. He was a man who always weighed and thoroughly pondered his every thought and action. It was a trait that she both admired and found oddly frustrating.
Just once, she wanted to see him stripped of his stark self-control. She wanted to see the truth of his soul without the carefully constructed barriers that he hid behind. She wanted him to be as prey to his emotions as she was.
A childish, and perhaps even dangerous, desire, she was swift to chide herself. She had already seen the horror of one vampire who readily wallowed in his darker side. Did she truly wish to have Sebastian be-have in a similar manner?
"Some time ago it was discovered that three renegade vampires had slipped through the Veil with the intention of gaining command of the Medallion," he answered in careful tones. "Nefri realized the danger should the traitors succeed. She made the decision to divide the Medallion into three amulets and bind them to mortal maidens. As an added precaution, I was sent, along with Lucien and Gideon, to ensure that the amulets were kept safe."
She pressed herself deeper into the pillows, her eyes wide. There were other vampires roaming through the streets of London? And other maidens who were being hunted just as she was?
Her brows drew together at the thought, and then suddenly she regarded him with a question in her eyes.
"Bind the amulets? What does that mean?"
"The amulet is a part of you," he said softly.
She was not unduly shocked. Even now, she could recall the strange warmth that had flowed through her when the Gypsy had pressed the amulet into her hand. She had known then that it was more than a mere piece of metal. The only true mystery was why she had accepted such a dangerous gift.
"I see."
Sebastian leaned forward, his features severely outlined by the sunlight. There was a quiet, relent-less strength in that countenance that spoke of a dangerous adversary.
"It was necessary, Amelia," he said, although she was uncertain whom he was attempting to convince. "It was the only way to keep the traitors from merely killing you and taking the Medallion for their own. If you die, the power within the amulet is lost."
"Dear heavens," she breathed, her heart missing an entire beat. "Then why does Mr. Ramone hunt me if it cannot be taken?"
"It cannot be taken but it can be given freely." He regarded her with a solemn expression. "That is what he seeks."
She shuddered as she recalled that dark, glittering gaze as it had regarded the amulet with a savage de-sire. At least she now comprehended why he had not simply slaughtered her and taken what he so wanted.
The knowledge should have been reassuring, but the thought of Mr. Ramone attempting to lure the amulet from her grasp made her skin crawl.
"Freely given," she muttered. "That is what the Gypsy warned me of."
His hand once again gently cupped her cheek as he regarded her with a fierce expression.
"The amulet must be protected, Amelia. For the sake of both vampires and humans. Should the Veil fall, both our races would suffer unbearably."
Lost in the smoky silver of his gaze, she slowly nodded her head. There was still far too much that she did not comprehend. Questions continued to whirl through her mind. Not the least of which was what Sebastian intended to do with her now. But for the moment she was willing to follow his lead.
"I understand."
His grip tightened upon her cheek. "My dear . . ." His words were abruptly cut off as a sharp knock upon the entrance door echoed through the house. A light flare of impatience crossed his features before he reluctantly rose to his feet. "I must answer that."
She sat upright, her eyes wide with sudden apprehensiveness. "What if it is the runners?"
"Go to the kitchen and be sure that William is kept hidden. I will soon rid us of our unwelcome guest," he added, his expression one of dangerous intent.
Amelia swallowed heavily. His even tone helped her to regain control of her ravaged nerves. Nothing could be served by panicking. Unless she did something stupid, no one could possibly know that she and her brother were here.
"Yes."
He regarded her for a long moment before he jerk-ily leaned forward to press his lips to her own in a startling kiss. It was over in the beat of a heart before he turned and strode smoothly from the room.
Left on her own, Amelia lifted her fingers to touch the lips that still tingled from his brief caress. Then, a faint glow entered her eyes.
Just for a moment, he had not been coolly ponder-ing the best course of action. He had not debated whether he should or should not kiss her. It had been spontaneous and as unexpected for him as it had been for her.
It had been from his heart.
Ten
Once in the foyer, Sebastian paused to smooth his for. As always, his time with Amelia had left him vulnerable and off balance.
A grudging smile touched his lips. Damn it all, she refused to react in the manner he expected. All of his studies had indicated that she should have been in near-hysterics at this point. Not only to learn that a vampire of legend was stalking her, but that the gentleman whom she had come to trust was a monster as well.
But there had been no tears, no fainting, no panicked flights from his clutches, no recriminations that he had lied and deceived her.
Instead she faced him squarely and demanded the truth without flinching.
It was little wonder he found himself forgetting he was in London only to protect the Medallion.
Of course, a dry voice whispered in the back of his mind, his continuing admiration of her bravery did not fully explain that poignant, utterly impetuous kiss. A kiss he had been as unable to halt as the sun rising in the morning.
Stifling a sigh, he continued across the marble floor. Fair maidens and tantalizing kisses should be the last things on his mind at the moment.
With a flick of his hand he pulled open the door to find a large, bluff-faced gentleman. His eyes swiftly narrowed in caution. Despite the smile on the broad countenance, there was no mistaking the unconscious air of authority that clung to the man's large frame.
There could be no doubt as to the reason the stranger was standing upon his doorstep.
As if sensing Sebastian's wariness, the stranger conjured a self-deprecating smile that was no doubt intended to make him seem a harmless simpleton. A ploy that did n
ot fool Sebastian for a moment.
"May I help you?"
"Mr. St. Ives?"
"Yes."
"Ah." He rubbed his square chin, the smile remaining intact. "I am Mr. Ryan from Bow Street. Forgive me for calling at such an early hour, but I am searching for a young gentleman."
Not without his own skill at deception, Sebastian lifted a cool brow. "Indeed?"
"May I have a moment?" Mr. Ryan ploughed for-ward despite the obvious rebuff.
"If you wish." With a negligent shrug, Sebastian waved the man into the foyer and then led him to the nearby parlor. For once he was grateful for the dust covers that prohibited any need to offer the man a seat. "I fear my housekeeper is out at the moment."
A shrewd gaze made a quick assessment of the room before returning to study Sebastian's bland expression with a hint of surprise.
"You have no other staff?"
"I am only recently arrived in London and not yet set in my plans. My stay in the city may only be passing."
"Ah."
It was difficult to determine if the man accepted his vague explanation, but Sebastian was little concerned. If the authorities considered him a suspect rather than William, so much the better. He planted his hands on his hips in an open display of impatience.
"Now, you said that you search for a young gentleman. Has one gone missing?"
"In a manner of speaking." The runner cleared his throat. "Are you acquainted with Mr. Hadwell?"
"Hadwell?" Sebastian took a moment, as if to consider the name. He was too wily to deny any knowledge at all. It would only convince the man that he had something to hide. "Ah yes. I believe he resides a short distance away with his sister."
Mr. Ryan gave a sharp nod. "Yes. I have a few questions I would like to ask him, but unfortunately he is not at home."
"I fear I have not seen him for some days." Sebastian slowly pleated his brows. "Indeed, I believe I heard my housekeeper mention that Miss Hadwell intended to leave London to visit her parents."
"Ah," Mr. Ryan murmured, his shrewd gaze never wavering from Sebastian's countenance.
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