Nico turned and kissed her, in front of the servant. “I hope not to be too long.”
“No worries, Nico. I understand it is urgent.”
He smiled, and she felt her heart jump. She watched him walk down the hall and sighed. The first thing she had noticed about him was the way he walked through a room. Several months ago, she had watched him stride through the ballroom as if he didn’t care what people thought of him. And now that she knew him better, she knew he really didn’t. He was so self-possessed, so sure of himself.
“Lady Cordelia?” the footman said.
She realized she had been standing there staring after her husband. “Yes?”
“Mrs. Blackburn would like to see you in her morning room on the second floor.”
“The second floor?”
“Second room on the left, my lady.”
“Thank you, James.”
The footman looked surprised when she remembered his name. She started up the staircase, thinking back to her husband. He really kept her off balance. One moment he was the imposing businessman, and the next he was enticing her into making love in the library. She loved the way he made her laugh. It had been so long since she had genuinely laughed at anything. In less than twenty-four hours, he had slipped beneath her reserve. Of course she was falling in love with the man.
She stopped on the next to the last step as it hit her.
She was falling in love with a man she didn’t know, and worse, he wasn’t even a man. He was a vampire.
“Cordelia?” her mother-in-law said. She saw her standing just a few paces away from the stairs. Cordelia shook herself.
“Yes?”
“Are you all right?”
She nodded slowly.
“You don’t look well. Do you need to lie down?”
She shook her head. “No, I just need a little tea I think.”
She followed her mother-in-law down the hall and into her parlor. As she did, her mind worked through the ramifications of being in love. She could stop it, she was sure of it. She did not know him well enough to be in love. Goodness, she didn’t even know enough of this new life to contemplate being in love with a man who married her out of pity. They could say anything they wanted, but that was the truth of it. Nico would have survived the scandal. She would not.
“I’m a little worried about you. It isn’t easy acquiring any family, but this…well, it isn’t what you expected.”
Cordelia sighed. “True. I wish I knew more about my birth father.”
As she poured the tea, Adelaide looked at her. “You know nothing of your father’s family?”
She shrugged. “Just that he was from Scotland.”
“That is something. We can start looking there,” she said, handing Cordelia a cup.
“Start looking?”
“I think we need to find out where you came from. Believe me, Nico has never been a man to lose his head. In fact, it was worse after Demetrius died. So locked down, but you blow into town and he is suddenly found in a compromising situation.”
She blushed again. “I am sorry for that.”
Her mother-in-law laughed. “Don’t be. I am happy to watch it. His father and I were wondering if we would ever have grandbabies. With you, I know now that I will. But, with that said, I can assure you that it is important to find out who your father is.”
“Why?” she asked, afraid of the answer. What if they found out her father was a horrible person?
“My dear, we should all know where we come from. And, your sire must have been a very powerful Born. You had both Hurst and Nico trailing after you. To be honest, I am amazed you have not been claimed before now.”
“I am positive there were not many Borns in my area. This is my first real year in London. I had been here off and on for other things but not an entire season.”
“Well, let’s get down to work. You said your father was from Scotland? And you are eight and twenty? I think we need some help sorting out who was in London at that time.”
Cordelia sat back and watched as her mother-in-law formulated a plan of attack and noted that she and Adelaide were probably more alike than either of them realized.
* * * *
Nico tried to concentrate on the conversation but his mind kept wandering. It was very unlike him, especially when the stakes were so high. He could not get his mind on the subject when he could still taste Cordelia on his tongue. He wanted to take her away. The cottage he owned in the lake district would be perfect. They could spend their days and nights making love, only stopping to eat and sleep. He could handle a month of days like that. Or more.
“Nicodemus, you might want to pay attention,” Saint said.
He looked around the table and realized that his father, Gray, Malik, and his cousin were all staring at him. He shook himself and leaned forward.
“So, there was another killing?”
“A male human this time. I have a feeling one of the Mades tried to turn him,” Malik said. “We know that does not work well.”
Of course it didn’t. A Made would never be strong enough to turn a human. It always ended up with the human dying as they slowly bled to death.
“Was it cleaned up?”
Gray nodded. “We got to it before the human authorities, but the rumors are definitely swirling through the lower classes. Fear is growing. At some point I am hoping the Alliance will step in.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” Nico said as he looked at Malik. “You are sure it is another Made who did it?”
Malik nodded. “I doubt it was his idea. The Born who turned him probably gave him instructions.”
“I just wish we had an idea who that is. It would be easier if we did,” Nico said.
When everyone around the table lapsed into silence, he looked at them. There was something else they were not telling him.
“What is it?”
His father, who had been uncommonly silent until then, stood and walked to stand beside him. He reached into his pocket and handed over a familiar necklace.
Nico looked at the ruby necklace and knew what the inscription said. He glanced up at his father, who suddenly looked his age.
“What is this?” he asked, anger and irritation filling his voice. It was the betrothal necklace his brother had given his wife. It had not been seen since his death.
“It was left at the scene of the attack. We think it is a sign.”
“I killed Neal.”
“Are you sure?” Saint asked. “You were half out of your mind before we got to you. The fever raged through your body and you almost died. Did you see him die?”
Nico closed his eyes, trying to block the memories of a hundred years ago, but they came rushing back. The feel of pressing the stake through Neal’s heart still haunted him. He had killed more than a few Mades in his time, more to put them out of their misery and protect Carriers. But this was different. This was a Born and one of his best friends. Killing him had not been easy.
But Saint was correct. Neal had given him some kind of concoction that had made Nico ill, and his memories were hazy at best.
“Bloody hell,” he whispered.
He opened his eyes and looked at his friends and family. “It is either Neal Pearson seeking revenge or someone very close to him.”
“Either way, son, if we are right, you are the reason he is here. I have a feeling he will stop at nothing to ruin you.”
And that meant his friends and family were in the crosshairs.
“And more than that,” Malik said, “some of this will have to be explained to your new bride.”
“What?” he asked, his rage turning into panic in a split second. Even without asking he knew the answer, but he did not want to face it.
“Nico.” Malik waited until he looked at him. “There is one thing we know about Neal and his form of revenge. He always goes after the women.”
Which meant that by marrying Cordelia, he made her a target of an insane killer bent on making Nico pay for
imaginary transgressions.
Neal would not stop until Cordelia was dead.
Chapter Fifteen
The next afternoon, they assembled in Nico’s library to map out the attacks. Nico knew he was missing something. There was some little bit of information that was just out of his reach mentally. He knew as soon as he discovered it, this would make more sense. At the moment, though, it did not.
Neal had been his best friend for a while. They were the same age and had some of the same interests. Or so he thought. Now he was not sure of that. Everything Neal did in the end was colored by his actions before his death.
Before Nico killed him.
"So, you think that this is Neal Pearson?" Gray asked.
Nico shook himself out of his funk and looked at the map they were working on, then up at Gray. "Yes, I do. Not many people know about the necklace. It has been missing since my brother’s death."
"But you killed him, correct?" Gray asked.
He nodded. "I thought I did."
"There have been experiments." Saint stood and began pacing the room.
Everyone looked at Saint.
"What?" Nico was shocked. Experimenting with life and death?
Saint stopped at a window, looking out at the street. "I have heard there are a few people that have reported experiments on almost-dead Borns. I have not been able to find anything."
And that meant a lot. Saint was a giant of a man, but he had a scientific mind and he was actually brilliant. From the tone of his voice, he thought the story might be true. And if the cynic could be convinced...
"Raising Borns from the dead? That sounds ridiculous," Gray said.
"Don't be so hasty in your judgment, Gray,” Malik said. “Borns have done some horrendous things in the past collectively, but individually, they have been even worse. Get another Born who is upset over losing a loved one, then they will do anything."
Saint snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "If he is insane."
Malik smiled. "You should know you don't have to be sane to be brilliant."
Saint snorted again, but said nothing in retaliation. "There have been rumors of that for the last fifty years or so. More in the last ten about reviving the dead."
"So someone could have revived him?” Gray asked. "I cannot say that the Alliance is going to be happy about this."
"No, but I did not say it was successful. I highly doubt they were, but I didn't want to rule anything out." Saint returned to the map.
"Would there be anyone who would want the bastard around?" his father asked.
Nico shrugged. "He was an orphan, but there was Charlotte, his mate—if you can call her that. He had very few friends."
His father nodded. "I think it best if we make some discreet inquiries to find out about her and her people. She was a Carrier?"
"I think she was. I knew little about her." Nico’s memory of that time was faint, like his brain had tried to forget it all.
"That's odd," his father said.
"What?" Everything about Neal had been odd.
"Most Borns like to parade their mates around once they have mated and bonded, but you are saying he did not?" His father looked confused.
"It is hard to know exactly what he was thinking at the time. The man never seemed to have a plan, but we all know that he did." Nico couldn't keep the irritation out of his voice. As his friend, Nico should have known. But, he had not. He’d never had an inkling of where the bastard had been from. There were rumors after he died about his parents, their murder...and that Neal had been responsible. But Nico had chalked it up to gossip.
Gray turned his attention to the map. "Let's look at the killings. I have marked off on the map that Malik made where the killings have occurred here in London."
"These here, what are they?" his father asked, pointing at the map.
"These are the first killings. They are women, no men at this point," Gray said.
"And now, these are men?" His father pointed to a different area of the map.
"We can't say for sure if they were attacked by a Made." Gray ran his fingers through his hair. Talking about the killings was obviously hard on him.
"They were." Malik said, certainty ringing in his voice.
"You know?" Nico asked.
"I know this one, right outside the hell. We were there when they found the man. The scent was unmistakable." The look on Malik’s face was one of disgust.
He did not have to ask Malik what he meant. He had smelled it, too. There was a distinct odor to a newly Made that often caused Nico to become ill.
“Do you not see the pattern?” Hurst asked quietly. He had not said a word since he arrived.
“What?” Gray looked up, surprise on his face.
He set his finger on the map. “This is your townhouse.”
“Yes.” Nico studied the map, looking for what Hurst saw.
“These are the killings,” Hurst said, moving his finger to the markings they had made. “He’s surrounding your house.”
“Bloody hell,” Gray said. He looked at the map. “He is coming after you, Blackburn.”
“Why would he do that? Revenge, yes, that might be a reason. But why now? It has been one hundred years since I killed him.” Nico shook his head. “What am I saying? It isn’t him. It is someone who knows the story.”
“We kept that secret. Very few people know the true story,” his father said.
“But they know, Father. Some of the details have probably made their way through the gossips.” Nico knew the way this town worked. Nothing stayed a secret for long.
Before his father could respond, there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for an answer, it swung open. His mother marched in with Cordelia behind her.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” his mother said with a smile. “Nico, Samuel, we are going out.”
“Out where?” Nico asked from behind the desk, trying to pull the women’s attention away from what they had been working on. He did not need his mother or Cordelia getting involved.
“We are going over to Bingam’s house to spend some time with Lady Elizabeth.”
His father caught on also and came forward. He kissed his mother on the cheek. “You will take a footman with you.”
It was not a request. It was an order. Those usually did not go over well with his mother, but she smiled and patted his cheek.
“I daresay we need to take several. Cordelia and I are definitely not stupid,” his mother said with a smile.
He glanced at his wife to see her reaction. She smiled, and a bit smugly at that. Nico did not say a word as he approached her.
“You will be careful.” Again, he ordered, just like his father.
“I guess I could defy you, but that would be stupid. And I will remind you, husband, that the only time I was not careful, I ended up married to a vampire.”
He sensed their audience, but he ignored them. It was not hard to do. Whenever Cordelia was near, little else matter to him. Even before he neared her, he could scent her blood. It called to him like a siren’s song.
He gave her a kiss much as his father had his mother, but whispered just loud enough for her to hear, “Do not take too long, or I’ll come after you.”
When he pulled back, her face was delightfully pink. Her eyelids fluttered then she looked up at him. She might be able to hide a lot of things, but her attraction to him was not one of them.
“I don’t like to be threatened.” Her breath whispered over his skin. He knew from her cheeky tone she wasn’t angry.
“Be careful.” Nico leaned down and kissed her nose.
She nodded and followed his mother out the door. He watched the sway of her hips until she was out of view. When he turned around, the entire room was watching him.
“What?”
“It seems that our leader has truly fallen.” Saint said.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about? Leader?" He paused. "What do you mean fallen?"
His fathe
r returned to the map, a grim expression on his face. “Boys, I think we need to work on the map and get our strategy more refined before the ladies return. If I know my wife, and I do, she is formulating a way to get back here in time to find out. It is best we keep them as far away as possible."
They all agreed.
* * * *
Cordelia followed Adelaide up the steep staircase, trying to push the thoughts of Nico aside. She had been smiling since they left the townhouse, and it would not do for her to walk into a room with an ill woman looking like that.
The maid led them down a short hallway and through the door. The room was dark, but well-appointed, with a large bed, a sitting area, and a private bathing area. Apparently vampire doctors could afford these things.
She suppressed the giggle that threatened. When had her life become so strange?
"She was awake part of the morning, but mostly she is still sleeping," the maid said quietly.
"I can hear you over there, Abigail." The voice came from across the room.
The maid smiled. "And she is a wee bit cranky."
"You are being generous. I am being a raving bitch. You can say it," said the woman in the bed.
The accent was refined, telling of her time spent at finishing schools and fine tutors. As they approached the bed, she recognized the woman. She had seen her at a few balls and musicales in the past few months. They had not circulated in the same social circles, but she had heard that the woman was strong minded, or as men called it, overly opinionated.
Cordelia’s mother-in-law approached the bed with a smile on her face. "Good afternoon, dear. I'm Adelaide Blackburn."
When Cordelia finally got a good look at her, she had to swallow her gasp. Her face was ravaged. Two days after her attack, yellow and purple bruises marred her face, as did a swollen eye. Her lip had been split, and when Cordelia looked closely, she saw that there were faint bruises around her neck.
Her eyes fluttered, but she could only open one.
"I see you did not run screaming from the room." The woman gave them a weak smile.
Adelaide tsked. "Of course not. I raised two boys. And, being as old as I am, I have seen much worse." She kept her voice brisk and official, with a touch of warmth. Cordelia's admiration for her mother-in-law grew. "This is my daughter-in-law, Lady Cordelia."
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