She stopped in front of the fire, gazing into its hypnotic flames. Taking a deep breath, she came to her decision. She could not allow Uncle Arden to learn Sebastian’s secret, even if it meant her own happiness.
She left the warmth of the fireplace and walked across the room. Opening the door, she stepped into the cold darkness of the hallway and onto a path she knew would bring her ruin.
****
She stopped in front of the room she and Harrison had passed when she first arrived. It was only hours ago, and yet it seemed like days. The door was closed, but she could hear the murmur of hushed voices beyond. She considered using her spell to see through the door, but quickly disregarded it. Uncle Arden was a powerful witch. He would see through such magic in a heartbeat.
Taking a deep breath to assist her failing courage, she reached out and opened the door. She wanted to close her eyes against the sight of her uncle and a possible suitor, but she decided to face them with her chin held high.
What greeted her eyes was not her Uncle Arden, or a possible decrepit suitor. Instead, she walked into a room with two gentlemen of average height, one with fair hair and blue eyes, the other brown hair and eyes. They were accompanied by a strikingly beautiful woman with hair nearing the color of the midnight sky and flashing violet eyes. All eyes turned upon her arrival, and Melora could not stop the flush creeping into her cheeks at the sight of their curious gazes. She stood frozen on the threshold. She had gathered up all of her courage to meet her dastardly uncle, but at the sight of complete strangers she wasn’t certain whether to laugh or cry.
He hadn’t found her! Relief flooded her, and she felt weak from it. Her hand trembled on the doorknob, and, to her horror, her dizziness struck her anew.
“My dear, are you quite well?” The woman spoke with a voice to equal the beauty of her face, added with a charming accent which Melora had never heard. “William? Do you think…?”
The blond-haired man, presumably William, hurried to Melora’s side. Clasping her cold hands in his, he whispered, “I don’t know.” Melora allowed him to lead her to the sofa where the woman sat. “Miss? Are you well?”
“I’m fine,” Melora said, embarrassment sinking into her. What a sight she must have made with her entrance!
“My dear, you don’t look it at all!” the woman chastised, and she took her hands into her own, holding tight to her fingers. “You are chilled!”
“Tatya, I think you were right,” William said, in a hushed whisper, and he bent for a closer look at Melora. “What is your name?”
“Melora,” she answered, after a brief hesitation as she peered at the three curious faces. “Melora Merriweather.”
“What are you doing here at Caldwell House?” the woman asked, the concern in her eyes warming Melora further.
“I…uh...” She was unsure what lie to tell them. She couldn’t tell them the truth. Who would believe her, even if she wanted to? Fortunately for her, she didn’t need to concoct any manner of falsehood. Her answer was taken from her.
“She has been stranded here due to the unforeseen snow,” Sebastian spoke from the open doorway. “Just as, I understand, are you.”
Chapter Four
Melora’s gaze flew to Sebastian’s face, and it was like looking at a stranger. His face was thunderous. She felt her breath escape her at the fury in his eyes. Somehow she knew his anger was directed toward her, even if he did not meet her in the eye to confirm it.
“Miss Merriweather,” Sebastian said, nodding coolly in her direction. “I understood you had retired for the evening.”
Tears leaked at the corners of her eyes at the look of betrayal that flashed briefly over his face. With her brow furrowed in confusion, she shook her head, and then, remembering something that triggered in her mind, she followed it with a vocal, “No.”
He couldn’t see.
Melora noticed it so completely now as she watched him keep his gaze directly in front of him, not meeting anyone’s eyes with his own sightless ones. How could she have been blind to it herself? That’s what had bothered her before, in the library. That’s why when he looked at her it was as though he looked through her. He couldn’t see her.
The knowledge of his disability hit, leaving her breathless with sympathy and pain. What more must the poor man suffer? Blindness and vampirism. Now she understood why he hadn’t reached for the letter she had handed to him, and why he had asked Harrison to verify it was a letter he had written. Those little details she had missed became so blatantly obvious.
“My apologies for delaying my welcome,” Sebastian said to his visitors. “Other, pressing matters had been called to my attention. My butler should have shown you to rooms for the evening, but he is a superstitious man and refused to admit anyone without my meeting you first. I bid you welcome. My name is Sebastian Collins and Caldwell House is my home.”
Melora listened to the cold greeting. No hint of a smile appeared anywhere in his demeanor. She shivered as she listened to him, and the dark-haired woman’s hands clasped tightly over hers.
“Good evening to you, sir,” William said, stiffly. “My name is William Morrison, and this is my wife, Mrs. Tatiana Morrison. Our friend, Frederick Dawes.”
Sebastian nodded to each of them, replicating the actions of a man with uninhibited vision, and she marveled at his ability to use his other senses to such extent.
“We beg your hospitality for the night,” William said. “Or until the storm lets up, at the very least.”
“Of course,” Sebastian said, his voice as icy as the snow outside. “I’ll have Harrison show you to rooms. If you’ll excuse me,” he said, nodding to each of them, and then he left the room.
Melora stared after him, wounded by the lack of warmth and familiarity. True she had not known him longer than a few hours, but with all that had occurred between them thus far, she wondered at his aloofness. Even from the first, he had treated her with more generosity than he had shown these people now. The change in him was striking, and it chilled her.
****
Melora stared into the mirror hanging on the wall of the guest room Harrison had shown her to. Her belongings had arrived and been carried up, but she had no desire to look through them for a change of clothes so she might retire to bed. She had sent the maid provided for her away and instead cast her spell over the mirror and watched it ripple like watery waves. It undulated repeatedly, and she rested her head on her hand as she watched mesmerized by the movement of the glass. She had told her sister to contact her every night at midnight, or somewhere thereabouts, so they might ensure each other’s safe arrival at whatever destination they chose. She had been waiting for some time and had drifted off a time or two before the rippling of the glass began to smooth and an image appeared in the mirror. Lillian’s brown hair and blue eyes cleared within the glass, and relief filled Melora at the sight of her sister’s unkempt appearance.
“It has certainly been long enough!” Melora snapped. “I have been sick with worry over you!”
Lillian waved her hand, hushing her. “Melora, you must be quiet, I am not exactly alone here.”
Melora frowned. “Where are you?”
Her sister grimaced. “Honestly, I do not know. It is the home of Lord Jeremy North. Do you know of him?”
“North? No.”
Hope flared in Lillian’s eyes. “He is not a friend of Uncle Arden?”
“I cannot say,” Melora said. “I have never heard him mentioned, have you?”
Lillian shook her head. “No, but Uncle Arden does not speak to me overmuch these days. I fear I have not gotten as far as I had hoped. He sent Lord Fitzwalter after me, you see. I escaped out the window of the inn where he found me. I could not take chance with stealing a horse, so I set off on foot.”
“On foot? Are you mad?” Melora said. “Is it not snowing there?”
Lillian nodded. “I admit it was not a clever thing to do.”
“You could have died!”
“I a
m quite safe, I assure you.”
“And this Lord Jeremy North?” Melora asked. “Does he know?”
Lillian shook her head, vehemently. “Of course not. Why should I tell him?”
Melora hesitated.
The image of her sister flickered for a moment. When it calmed again, Lillian was frowning at her, and she bit her bottom lip, a habit she and her sister shared. “What are you not telling me?”
“I…” Melora hesitated. She’d had the dream while she slept in the carriage. Should she tell Lillian? Would it change things? There were several times in the past where the images in her dream had come true. It was the dream of Sebastian that had prompted Melora to leave her uncle’s dwelling and search for safety. Though she had found the man she envisioned in her dream, she had yet to determine if he could bring her safety now that she knew what he was…
Melora decided her sister must know of the dream she’d had concerning Lillian. “I have had a dream of a man. Dark hair? Green eyes?”
“Yes,” Lillian nodded, her eyes brightening.
“He is followed closely by a wolf. You must take care, Lilly. You are in danger in that house. You must leave before nightfall.”
Lillian frowned. “Have you looked out your window, Mel? I cannot know where you are, but here the snow is practically up to the roof. I doubt we will have access to any means of transportation for some time. I am simply stuck here.”
“It is imperative that you leave that place!”
Melora could repeat her warning all she wanted, but they both knew it would be impossible for her to go anywhere in weather such as this.
“I will try,” Lillian said. “I will summon you through the mirror later.”
“Have a care,” Melora cautioned.
Lillian nodded. “I will, sister.”
She touched the mirror with her finger, causing a ripple to take hold, and the image of her sister slowly faded, replaced with one of her own as she stared at herself, worry clear in her eyes. She studied her tired eyes for a long time, until she shifted and saw a man standing behind her.
She gasped and turned. Sebastian stood within her room, the door closed behind him. She had not heard a sound indicating his entrance, and only now did she recall she had not locked her door to bar his entrance. Had she done it on purpose, she wondered? Did she want him to find her alone and vulnerable?
“I thought I warned you to lock your door,” he said, his voice low and powerful with its effect over her. Her insides warmed at the heated look in his eyes.
“I forgot,” she whispered, her mouth dry.
“Foolish woman,” he said, taking a step forward. It seemed remarkable to her that she could imagine he looked directly into her eyes. Only now could she see he merely looked in the direction of her voice.
“Who did you speak to?”
She hesitated. It felt strange to speak of her abilities to a man she had met only a few hours ago. Inside her heart, she knew she could trust him. Despite the fact he was vampire, and therefore dangerous to anyone, she knew he would not harm her.
“My sister,” she said, softly. “We promised to keep in contact in case Uncle Arden…”
She didn’t have a chance to finish. She flinched at the fire she saw burning in his eyes. His voice a sudden growl, he said, “How do you expect me to protect you when you blunder recklessly into danger? You thought your uncle was here, did you not?”
She flinched at the fury in his eyes, but for his benefit she forced herself to whisper a weak, “Yes.”
“Then tell me why, for all that is holy, would you go into the very room you thought he occupied? Why did you not wait in the library as you were told?”
He came closer, his movements as graceful as a dancer’s, as stealthy as a lion’s. He was a predator, stalking his prey, and she was willing to stay frozen in her place, content to watch him as he neared, content to stare at the deadly beauty of a vampire.
“Why?” he repeated, the desperation in his voice jerking her visibly out of her reverie. He stopped a few paces away from her, awaiting her response.
She licked her lips to moisten them. “I couldn’t let him take you,” she said, her voice cracking with her combined worry and exhaustion.
As much as she desired to delay this interview so she might rest, she relished the opportunity to speak with him again in private. The sight of him in the blue salon, talking so coldly to his guests, had disturbed her, and it was a great relief to know she need not wait until tomorrow to try to find a moment alone with him.
“I couldn’t let him take you,” she repeated, louder and with more assurance than she felt. “When I came here seeking help, I assumed you were a witch. Why else would my father share correspondence with you? But as a vampire…” She paused, not wishing to insult him. He was a man, after all, with a man’s sense of honor. “My uncle is an alchemist. He would consider vampire blood to be valuable and would use you for his experiments. I could not allow that to happen.”
Sebastian shook his head in wonder. “You wished to protect me?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding.
“Foolish woman,” he repeated, softly. He turned away from her then, and she lifted a hand to reach for him, a gesture to hold him to her, to keep him near. He didn’t…he couldn’t…see her, and instead he walked toward the fireplace, where he stood gazing sightlessly into the flames.
Melora stared at her raised fingers. How had this happened? In less than a day, her heart had fallen for another. She could not deny her attraction to him. The way her heart pounded and her flesh tingled at the mere thought of him brushing his arm against her... She wanted him to touch her. She stood. With measured footsteps, she walked toward him.
Every step brought her closer, and she saw when he noticed her movement. A quick tilt of his head alerted her to the fact he knew she drew closer. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, grimacing as if in pain. At last, he could stand no more; he held out his hand, beckoning her to stop.
“Please, do not test me,” Sebastian muttered without facing her. “I will fail.”
“I do not care,” she said, knowing as she spoke them her words were true. She was exhausted beyond measure, but she wanted contact with him. She needed to feel him in some way. Perhaps it was because she didn’t want to be alone anymore. Or perhaps she simply looked for something to explain the feelings she found growing within her heart.
“I will hurt you,” he whispered, shaking his head. He groaned when she took another step toward him. “I should not have come here.”
“But you did,” she said, and at last she stood beside him. She reached out and touched his arm. He took a deep breath and turned to face her. His gaze met her forehead. She wanted him to see her, so she wrapped her fingers around his hand and lifted it so his fingers brushed against her cheek. She recalled the moment in the library where he had explored her face ever so briefly.
He gasped.
“See me,” she whispered. His fingers splayed across her face, moving from her cheek to across her nose, tracing each eyebrow and fluttering over her eyes, down around her chin and pausing at her lips, touching her ever so lightly.
“You’re beautiful.”
She felt his breath upon her face. When she looked up, it seemed he stared directly into her eyes. He leaned over her, dipping his head until his lips brushed against hers. She stilled at the touch. With feathery caresses, he kissed her, gently, softly, with such tenderness as she had never known a person could possess.
Her hands traveled along the broad expanse of his chest, creeping slowly to his shoulders, afraid if she moved too fast he might pull away. She knew he desired her. She knew he wanted her as she wanted him. He feared his lack of control, but she trusted him. Though she acknowledged it might be foolish to place her trust in a vampire, she knew she could trust Sebastian. She felt it deep within her heart even as it thudded fiercely within her chest.
Melora’s eyes fluttered closed, and her fingers ran through hi
s hair as she opened her mouth, inviting him in. He hesitated only a moment before deepening their kiss. She pulled him closer and felt the barriers he had held between them begin to break. His arms tightened around her, and he took a step forward, forcing her back. Another two steps, and she felt the wall press up against her back.
His breath quickened as he angled his head to kiss her deeper still, his tongue dancing with hers in a hungry swirl of taste. He tasted like desire…lust.
She moaned, grasping his silky hair in her fingers. His hard body leaned against her, his hands curving around her cheek, down to her neck, then along her arms. Tingles erupted wherever he touched, and then one hand skimmed the curve of her breast. She gasped, but he swallowed the sound with his kiss.
Her sensual reaction was enough to set fire to him. His hands found the round curve of her buttocks, and he squeezed her flesh, kneading it gently with his fingers. Then he lifted her, pressing her tightly against the wall, pulling her legs apart as he nestled his body between. She felt his hardness swelling against her, the barrier of cloth barely able to keep him from penetrating her. And then he rocked against her.
She cried out, breaking their kiss. Instead of stopping, he continued kissing her cheek, then his mouth found her earlobe. All along, he continued to rock against her, pushing his groin against hers. Melora breathed so heavily with passion that she could hardly capture her own breath. The tension he created within her mounted, and she feared she would break apart. She tightened the fingers of one hand in his dark hair, the other hand she held tightly around his back, holding onto him, afraid to part from him.
She never wanted to let him go.
“Oh, Sebastian,” she cried, as she felt herself teetering on the edge. She stood on a precipice, reminding her of the moment she met him, looking down that cliff. This time she knew she was going to fall, but she welcomed it. She yearned for it.
Sebastian groaned against her cheek, his lips traveling down to her neck. His teeth nipped at her flesh, and it was enough to send stars dancing beneath her eyelids. She stiffened, threw her head back against the wall and cried out, again and again.
The Witch and the Vampire Page 5