“No, I must go to my own home,” I said tiredly. “But do something for me.”
“You have only to ask, Lord.”
He was like a faithful dog. No wonder Guy had had him sleep in the kitchen. “Take this,” I said, handing him Eva’s collar. It had fallen off her after I’d killed Guy, and I’d pocketed it. “Have the jeweler make another one, of gold.”
“I’ll need some of your blood,” Levi said, taking it. “The craftsman will need it for the magic that resides in the metal, giving the choker its power.”
“Explain.”
“Only you can take it off your Oathed One and no other vampire or creature can remove it. The choker is a difficult thing to create. It takes a metalworker who knows serious magic. Do not worry, I know of one, Lord. I’ll see to it tonight.”
I took out my knife, and made a deep cut, squeezing a few drops of blood into the small shot glass Levi procured. “Is that enough?”
“Yes. May I ask who you intend to oath?”
“No, you may not,” I said sternly. “I will be back with her tomorrow night. You can meet her then. Are there any other men of Guy’s?”
“Not really,” Levi said, shrugging. “He employed a few humans, but only at parties. When there was trouble, he always holed up here and hid out until it passed.”
Coward. “Anyone I shouldn’t trust?”
“The vampires? They are all equally untrustworthy, most out for themselves. None are really unique or interesting, either for good or bad.”
“Then why the hunters? Something caused this.”
“It’s always the same. A human is killed by a vampire, a bat, or a were, or sometimes just by accident, and the hunters think they have a rogue vampire. Doesn’t matter this city hasn’t seen a rogue in ten years; they go on the warpath. Then they kill who they think is responsible. Often, they are stupid or unskilled, and they find the werebats instead of us.”
“Then we need to have some people monitoring murders, and other violent deaths,” I said, after a moment. “I want to know if someone gets out of line before the hunters do. It is my job as Vampire Lord to punish vampires who step out of line, not incapable humans. The bats I’ll leave to Uther to control and reprimand. The humans who cause problems, I’ll leave to the hunters.”
“What about the other weres?”
“I’ve heard there was a family of werevultures within the city limits, but not of any other groups besides the bats.”
“For the most part, that’s true. But some pass through, especially at holidays.”
“Then the comings and goings of all creatures not human need to be watched, too. And reported on.”
“You’ll need at least twenty more men, to do all that,” Levi said after a moment. “Right now, you just have me.”
That was true, but I had a plan. “We’ll sort that out tomorrow night. I have to go.”
“Wait!” he called after me. “What symbol, on the choker?”
I turned back. “Symbol?”
“The choker must have the vampire’s symbol on it, so the owner is readily identifiable,” Levi explained. “Guy’s, as you can see, was a hyena.”
Fitting. As I stared at the choker in his hands, it came to me at once.
“A bear,” I said, turning away. “One with its fangs bared, ruby eyes, and a paw raised, as if to strike.”
Chapter Seven
I journeyed home, but found another surprise when I returned to my small house. Anna was not alone. There was a second heartbeat, strong and steady, in there with her.
I barged in snarling, to find Anna sitting with Marcus at the table, having coffee.
“Devlin!” she exclaimed. “What is the matter?”
I glared at Marcus, and shut the door behind me, cursing inwardly that the lock was now broken.
“Why don’t you go on to bed, Anna?” Marcus said quietly, getting to his feet. “We have been up all night. And I must speak to Mr. Dalcon alone.”
“It was good to see you,” she said, standing and hugging him. “Thank you, for telling me of my family. Good night.”
She left, after giving me a single worried look. I remained standing by the door, waiting for Marcus to play his hand.
Just when my patience was ready to snap, Marcus again sat at the table. He motioned for me to sit.
I joined him reluctantly. “Say what you wish, and then get out.”
“I am surprised to find you still with her,” he said sarcastically.
I resisted the urge to bare my fangs at him. “I love her.”
“Be that as it may,” he said seriously. “Her father signed this contract.” He held up what had to be Anna’s betrothal contract.
Would-be thief. I let out a growl. “You think to lay claim to her?”
“She’ll have a good life with me,” Marcus said earnestly. “I will make an honest woman of her, Dalcon. You do not have to worry that she’ll be unhappy—”
This asshole had a lot of plans, did he? I ground my upper fangs. “She is not unhappy, Marcus. We are together, and that is what matters to her.”
“For how long?” Marcus said penetratingly. “I know of your reputation, Devlin. You have left a string of lovers behind you in this department of France alone that would be enough to sew an entire mainsail. Anna deserves a better man. I am he.”
“She never wanted you,” I said, grinning widely. “She wanted me. She left you at the altar, so that she might feel joy in my arms and lay by my side.”
Marcus clenched his fists, and then relaxed them. “She wanted you then, Bard. But no doubt the thrill of your love has diminished. After all, you have not married her after five months.” He took on a knowing tone. “Because you balk at marriage, not wanting to commit to one woman. You are incapable of real love, and the commitment that comes with it. Anna sees that. She has seen by my coming here that I am the one that truly loves her. She’ll agree that a life as my wife is preferable to being your live-in-whore.”
“We were meant to be, Marcus. Leave now, or I’ll kill you.” I was going to kill him anyway, I just didn’t want to do it in the kitchen; the blood might upset Anna.
“I will leave,” Marcus sneered, going to the door. “But I’ll return shortly with the magistrate, and some men. Don’t try to thwart me. The law is on my side, Bard.”
He was right, the bastard. And he’d do it too, come back in daylight with policemen to take Anna from me. I would lose her, unless I fled with her from Fontainebleau, leaving everything I’d gained tonight and my people, such as they were, to be slaughtered.
I was not losing my newfound command, not after all my preparation and hard work, not again. It was time to act.
I grabbed him smoothly, and broke his neck with a sharp crack. He went limp in my arms, and I carried him into the cellar. I propped him in a dirty corner, and sat on the stairs, thinking of what to do.
We couldn’t leave for our new home; daylight would be here in mere minutes. When she woke, Anna was going to have questions about Marcus, as she’d seen him. Marcus had to disappear somehow.
I looked over at him. He still looked surprised, though his eyes were clouding over. It was a shame, a waste of good blood. But there hadn’t been another option.
The first thing to do was to take care of the marriage contract. After tearing it in two, I stuffed the remains in his pocket. I left him there, making sure I had no cellar dirt on my clothes, and went in search of Anna. I found her in our bed, perusing a little poetry.
When she saw me, she put the book hurriedly aside. “Must I leave with him?” she said with fear. “I know my father took his betrothal money, and signed the contract. He talked of little else all evening—”
“No, Love,” I said soothingly. “I have bribed him, and he is leaving tonight. In fact, he has already left.”
Anna went limp in my arms as all the tension went out of her. “You’re certain? He will not press the issue?”
Not from the grave, he wouldn’t. “I am cert
ain. Rest. I will be back very soon.”
Anna nodded. “I know, you need to feed. Please wake me, when you return.”
“As always.” I gave her a kiss, and then went downstairs.
I tied back my hair, grabbed my coat, and went out, throwing Marcus’s floppy body over my shoulders. He already stank of piss and shit, so some of this was going to be easy.
I stole a bottle of some cheap wine from a drunk sitting in an alley, and splashed some on Marcus. Taking the empty bottle in my hand, I let his body fall until his feet touched the ground. He was already stiffening by the time we got near a local bar.
I began singing loudly off key, and pretending to drink. Marcus appeared to be holding onto me for support. Thank God for rigor mortis.
We journeyed into the roughest section of the city, me still pretending to be drunk. Soon enough, we had one of the local highwaymen following us.
I had to speed this up; the sky was steadily lightening. I staggered, going to one knee and laughing drunkenly as mud spattered my face.
The thief made his move. “Give me your purses!” The thin skinning knife gleamed in his hand from the fading gaslight.
“Now, why you doin’ that?” I slurred. “We’re just tryin’ to have a good time—”
The man stabbed at me, swearing, as I deftly maneuvered Marcus’s body into the way. The knife went in to the hilt, and I let out a loud scream.
The robber grabbed his purse, and stabbed again into Marcus. I let out a gurgle. Then the footpad was off, and a lawman was running to me, club at the ready.
“Please,” I said, still slurring. “That man, he tried to rob us! He killed my friend!”
The lawman ran after the footpad, telling me to wait there. As soon as he was gone, I let Marcus’s body slide to the ground in a heap.
There. Problem solved.
I thought briefly of waiting for the policeman to come back, so I could drain him. I was famished by now. But then there would be a manhunt for the thief who dared kill a policeman. I didn’t need that in my city. I had enough to deal with already.
Instead, I dropped my coat and walked off silently, already hearing the shuffling behind me as other vermin of the streets came toward the body.
Marcus would be lucky to be wearing a stitch of clothing by the time the detective returned. They’d probably take his hair, too, to sell to a wigmaker. So many people wanted to be blondes in those days, it was almost a given.
Such a pity.
* * * *
I returned home. After washing up, I went to Anna. She was asleep in our bed, her book lying open on her chest, the candle near her guttering in a mound of spent wax.
I put the book aside, and blew out the candle. Then I cuddled next to her, loving the warmth of her, and how good her body felt against mine. Yet I didn’t sleep. Dark thoughts consumed me, as I stirred restlessly in anger over what Marcus had said.
It wasn’t true, that I didn’t know was love was. I did. I loved Anna, and I’d been faithful to her since meeting her, despite being tempted more than once. I was going to take care of her as I’d promised, now that I was this city’s Vampire Lord. And as soon as Levi brought me the finished choker, I would have her take an oath to me, too.
* * * *
The next evening, when I woke, I nudged Anna awake.
“Must you go out tonight?” she said softly.
Her eyes were teary again. Sigh. “What is it, Love?”
“My father and mother are dead,” she said sadly. “You knew that. But I found out from Marcus that my other family is dead, too. There was a battle that night we left, Napoleon won, and my family’s home was burned, and most of the aristocracy was killed—”
“Shh.” I’d heard of this, but not told her of it, knowing that she would be upset. It had aided our escape, otherwise we’d surely have had men on our tail looking for her and me, blizzard or no blizzard.
“If you hadn’t taken me out of there, I’d be dead, too,” she said brokenly. “Marcus only escaped as he found out we’d left together, and came after us. But he followed the gypsies instead of us. By the time he caught them and saw we weren’t with them, the snow had wiped out all traces of our trail.”
So the foiled plan had actually been a Godsend. Another show of God’s favor that Anna and I were together. I said a quick prayer of thanks under my breath.
“He said the gypsies gave him back most of the money,” Anna said hesitantly. “But my dress wasn’t there, Devlin. He said he was sorry, but he thought it likely had been sold at some peasant’s home for a few loaves of bread. But none of the peasants whom he talked to would admit to trading for it.”
I hugged her tight. “Listen, Love. I have much to tell you. Let me begin by saying that tomorrow we will go to a dressmaker, the best in the city, and get him to make you a wedding dress.”
“Can it be white?” she said eagerly.
“Whatever you want,” I said, wondering why she didn’t want one of blue, as that seemed to be her favorite color. But maybe her mother’s wedding dress had been white? “The seamstress will make it to your design. Order whatever you want.”
“Can we afford that?” she said hesitantly. “Did you get another raise?”
“Technically, yes,” I said, thinking of Quentin’s abrupt departure with the rest of the vampire herd. “In truth, I have obtained something better.” I paused for effect. “You are looking at the new Vampire Lord of this City.”
Anna looked at me in astonishment, and then her eyes got big. “You killed Guy?”
“Yes,” I said, nodding. “It was that, or let many of my kind be killed. The werebats attacked. I made a truce with them. Killing Guy was part of it. I must go tonight to solidify our alliance.”
“I knew you were planning something,” Anna said, smiling. “What can I do to help?”
“Be my lady,” I said gallantly. I tried to kiss her, but she pushed me away.
“Only if we are going to be married,” she said firmly. “A dress is wonderful, but I want to hear you say that, Devlin. Marcus was right, you do have a way with words that leads you to say much and still avoid the topic completely.”
Uh oh. Well, she was right; it was time to fulfill my vows to her.
I gritted my teeth, and took her hand. “Love,” I said gently. “Vampires to my knowledge don’t marry. But there is a custom called Oathing. That seems to be almost the same. That is what I propose to you for us.”
Anna gave me skeptical eyes. “Who says this?”
“My head guard, Levi,” I said, getting up and beginning to dress. “I do not know all the particulars. You and I will find them out together, tonight.” I looked up at her, buttoning my shirt. “You are right, it past time you joined me in my world, Love, as Lady to my Lord. Be assured, no matter what the custom says, I’ll give you the same promises a husband gives a wife, if you give me your oath to do the same.”
Anna looked at me tearfully for a long moment, and then beamed. “I promise.”
* * * *
That night, I took Anna to our new home in a rented carriage, another following us with her most necessary things. Levi met us at the door, looking so happy I’d expected him to be wagging his tail, if he had one. Eva was not in sight, of which I was glad. Something told me Anna would be better off meeting her after she and I were oathed.
“Mistress,” Levi said to Anna, bowing in respect. “You are beautiful beyond compare. Please allow me to take you to your rooms.”
“It is good to meet you,” Anna said cordially. “Devlin has told me of you, Levi. If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to begin putting things away. Please lead on.”
Levi took Anna’s possessions, groaning a little under the weight of her bags, and then led her into the mansion. When they were out of sight, I felt the brush of cool fingers on my hand, and turned to find Eva.
“Do not touch me casually,” I told her in a warning tone. “We are not lovers.”
“I’m sorry, Lord,” she said, co
wering. “I did not want to startle you. And I was taught never to speak first—”
Enough already. “What is it?”
“Thank you, for allowing Levi to take care of me,” she said delicately. “He is a good man, and I see he cares for me.” She paused. “I will be a good mate to him, when the time comes.”
“Good,” I said formally. “Now leave me.”
“Lord, I must ask, will you perform the ceremony?”
That got my attention. “What ceremony?”
“The mating ceremony,” she answered. “You are the Lord of this department, and so technically, you can do it. And it seems fitting, as you are the one who brought us together.”
Apparently being a Vampire Lord had a lot more responsibilities than I’d thought. “Sure. But you must prepare the rest, as I’ll expect only to be told when to show up, and were it is being held. And it must not interfere with my own ceremony.”
“Levi said you had a woman,” Eva said wistfully. “What is her name?”
“Anna,” I said gratingly. “She is here now, and I expect you to respect her.”
“Of course,” she said, nodding. “I hope she will be a friend.”
I had a sudden disquieting thought. “I’ve heard Guy had other mistresses. Are any more of them here?” I’d not asked Levi last night, and if Anna found other women here, there would be hell to pay.
Eva gave me a sad look. “No. He went to them mostly for blood, as he was trying not to kill me, because he loved me. So far it was working, as we’d been together a year, and I felt no ill signs—”
Oh, shit. “Tell me what you know of this.”
She gave me an odd look. “Vampire blood is toxic to humans, even though it heals. A small amount all at once won’t hurt; a very little every once in a while won’t hurt. But a large amount can kill a human. Worse, a little regularly will also kill, given enough time.”
“Is this always the case?” I said frantically. “Speak!”
“Almost always,” she said nervously. “Some humans are more susceptible than others. Some humans can be bitten and healed again and again, where others can’t handle more than a few times. But it is said that there are rare humans that do not feel any ill effects, no matter if they are bitten and healed for years.”
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