“Of course. I cannot wait to see that.” I took his arm, glad to retrieve my cloak from a hook by the door as well. We tramped through the snow toward the fire. It was being fed steadily from a pile of logs nearby and I was relieved to find warmth near it. The bagpipes were strange looking things but the men playing them squeezed out merry tunes accompanied by the drummers who set a fast pace. There were fiddlers as well.
Laird and Lady Campbell had already started the dancing. He twirled her around and I finally saw her smile. It transformed her into a beauty. Too bad she didn’t smile more often.
“Give me your cloak and dance with me, lass.” Jeremiah took it off my shoulders and set it on a plank table. He left his heavy sword there as well. Then he pulled me into his arms. This was much more casual than at court. He held me chest to breast and laughed down into my eyes as he danced me around the fire.
I had no trouble following his lead. I had always had a talent for dancing though I couldn’t remember ever having lessons. The steady beat and his firm hand on my waist made it easy to find the rhythm. I was soon breathless and laughing with him. By the time the song slowed, with the fiddlers taking over, I was happy to lean against my man and sway to the romantic tune.
It seemed like there were a million stars above us in the clear sky, the moon was full and the scent of burning wood was pleasant. I was almost sorry that I had a hunger for blood gnawing at me. The mortals around us were drinking ale and becoming a little rowdy. Food was laid out for them and the shifters in the crowd. I saw succulent roasted pig, vegetables, and breads with candied fruit.
My mouth watered, but I knew it was an old useless habit. I couldn’t eat. When a burly man brushed my arm, it was all I could do not to grab him and sink my fangs into his vein. Since none of the Campbell vampires had touched a mortal here, I knew that was not the way of things. A sigh escaped me and Jeremiah squeezed my waist.
“Poor Gloriana. What a dilemma—lusting for food and thirsting for blood. It is common in new vampires. Don’t look at the laden table. There is no point.” He smiled at me. “Shall I find you a mortal to feast on and a private place where you can do it?”
“That seems a poor kind of hospitality when everyone is so happy, celebrating.” I leaned my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. I couldn’t regret my choice of becoming vampire, but the reality of it never failed to shock me. No going back. It was stupid to have regrets.
“Gloriana, the villagers here faced their own reality of living with a family of vampires a long time ago. Any one of them would be willing to share blood with you gladly. This celebration Ma has arranged is one reason. She and Da are generous. The wages they pay for work are more than most could earn anywhere else. If enduring a little bloodletting is the price they pay?” Jeremiah shrugged. “So be it.”
I didn’t know what to say. This way of life with an entire village serving vampires was new to me. I raised my head and saw Brian nod toward a pretty villager. She flushed and went to him immediately. He took her hand and led her into the shadows. Before long he was back with a goblet in his hand. She was pale and frowning. What had she expected, a bedding? Instead I saw her holding her wrist. There was no mark but he must have cut her with the dagger at his waist then let her blood drain into his goblet. He noticed me watching, sipped from the cup then licked his lips.
“Brian can be an unfeeling bastard. That girl is a virgin and hoped he’d be her first. He led her on, probably even gave her a kiss, when all he wanted was her blood.” Jeremiah nodded at his brother. “Leaving her untouched was the right thing to do, but he could have used more finesse.”
“You and your mind reading. Does no one have secrets around here?” I hated it. Hated that I hadn’t mastered the knack for it yet, truth be told. I knew how to search for thoughts but it seemed most vampires hid theirs from me. It didn’t take vampire skill to know the girl Brian had used was unhappy with his teasing.
“Of course they do. I should spend more time teaching you how to block your thoughts. You can do it, especially with mortals who have no defenses. Brian let me into his mind deliberately just now because he knew I had watched him leave with the girl. He is usually not so free with his thoughts.” Jeremiah touched my cheek as if he could see my worry without looking into my mind. “Do you want me to fill a goblet for you? It is easy enough.”
I knew I should serve myself. I didn’t want to be so dependent on him. When I realized his mother was studying me from across the clearing, judging me and finding me lacking, no doubt, I squared my shoulders. Jeremiah had taught me how to hunt and take blood from a stranger. Surely this would be easier. These people were willing, nay, eager to be of service.
“I will fill my own goblet, if you will choose someone appropriate for me.” I smiled at him. “Not a man. I prefer that the only man I drink from is you, my love.” I ran my hand down the plaid that covered his chest.
“Good. I’m just possessive enough to admit I don’t care to see you drink from any other man again.” He gazed around the crowded area then strolled over to the food table. Leaning down, he whispered in the ear of a matron who had just finished filling a plate with food. She looked over her shoulder at me then smiled before she followed him, the plate still in her hands.
“May I introduce my dear friend Madame St. Clair? Gloriana, this is Goodwife MacLean. Her husband is our blacksmith. She is also known in the valley for her wonderful baked goods.” Jeremiah grinned when I stared at her plate. He turned to the woman. “Gloriana used to be quite partial to good bread.”
“Ah, lass.” The plump woman handed Jeremiah her plate. “What we sacrifice for love, eh?” She took my arm. “Come now. This won’t take long. I’ve been told my blood is good and hearty.” She grabbed an empty goblet from a laden table. “Master Jeremiah, does she have a knife?”
I had been struck dumb at her blunt talk but managed a nod. Did I have a knife? Of course I did. After Devlin’s attack, Jeremiah had bought me a pretty one in a village we’d passed through on our way here. I kept it at my waist. Before I could say thank you, the goodwife led me to a quiet and very dark spot behind a cluster of trees some distance from the dancing.
“I, I don’t know what to say.” I couldn’t stop my hand from shaking as I pulled out my knife.
“Say that you will be gentle. Bring my wrist to your mouth and give it a good lick. I’m sure you know that seems to keep the cut from hurting, lass.” The goodwife held the goblet steady. “I have a daughter your age, which I’d guess to be one and twenty.” She laughed. “Unless the laird’s son made you vampire years ago or someone else did. I know you do not age once you are changed.”
“No, I am new at this.” I licked her wrist and made a clumsy cut across her vein. As soon as blood appeared, the woman held the goblet under it, making sure that not a drop was lost. Clearly vampires didn’t drink directly from the vein here. Not that I cared. I fought back a moan of desperate hunger. The blood smelled wonderful and my fangs were down right away. Rich, delicious mortal blood. Would I ever get used to my craving for it? I leaned closer.
“There now. The goblet is almost full. Seal the cut, if you please, Madame.” She must have seen how my bloodlust was taking me to a different place and eyed me with more than a little concern. “New vampires can be unpredictable. I warn you now, Madame Gloriana, I will shout this place down if you do not stop my bleeding right away.”
Gods, but I wanted to pull her to me and sink my fangs into her vein. Seal her wrist? Not bloody likely when I wanted more. To drink until she was lifeless. I shook my head to clear it and forced her wrist to my mouth so I could close the cut. Do not taste her. With a determination I didn’t know I had, I swiped her warm skin with my tongue and stepped back.
“Thank you, Goodwife,” I said as calmly as I could, my eyes on that goblet. As soon as the cut began to heal, she thrust the cup into my hand and turned toward the group around the fire and the music that still played.
She stopped just befor
e she disappeared from my sight. “You did well. I saw that you struggled. Don’t fash yourself about it. I am fine and you have your filled goblet. Master Jeremiah has already given me coin for it. Good evening, Madame.” With a shake of her skirts, she was gone.
I barely noticed as I took my first sip and savored the warmth of her fresh blood. Was I a monster? No doubt. But I didn’t care. The knife was a bloody reminder of what I’d just done so I knelt to clean it in the fresh snow at my feet. I’d just finished when a pair of boots stopped inches away.
“How much will it cost for you to leave and never come back, Madame?”
Guarding my goblet, I looked up and saw Jeremiah’s mother standing over me. I stood quickly.
“I don’t think Jeremiah would appreciate you asking me that question.” The idea that she would try to buy me off! She could see into my mind and know that I was with her son for love, not money.
“High ideals? Please. But isn’t it convenient that he has money as well?” She sneered. “He says you are not interested in marriage.” She stepped closer, her sharp chin quivering. “As if any woman would turn down a decent marriage if it was offered.”
“I am happy with him as we are. Jeremiah doesn’t want marriage and I can understand that. We will live forever. Even I can see that tie would chafe after centuries together.” I looked down at my feet. “I know I am not worthy of him. I don’t deny it. But he loves me anyway.” I lifted my chin and met her gaze. “So I will stay with him as long as he will have me. Whether you like it or not, my lady.”
“I definitely do not like it.” She gestured and I realized she was not alone. Two men materialized out of the darkness. “I can make you disappear, never to be seen again. Jeremiah will mourn you. For a while. But he is a lusty man. He will soon find comfort in the arms of a willing woman.”
“What are you doing?” I couldn’t believe it when the men flanked me. They hadn’t touched me yet, but I was afraid they were about to grab my arms and take me away. I opened my mouth to scream. Before I could make a sound, she stared into my eyes and I was frozen in place. Oh, how I hated this feeling. I couldn’t move or speak—I was powerless. She took the goblet from my nerveless fingers and sniffed the contents.
“Excellent. Goodwife MacLean, I believe.” She took a sip. “You won’t be needing this.” She smiled and drank deeply. “Take the slut away. You know what to do with her. Enjoy her favors if you’ve the stomach for it. My son seems to think she’s comely enough.” She waved a bejeweled hand.
“Hold.” A deep voice from behind Lady Campbell had an air of authority. “Señora, you are being unwise.”
Lady Campbell stiffened, the goblet dropping from her hand to the ground. Crimson splashed the snow. If I could have cried out at the waste, I would have. But I had more serious worries. Men had me in their grasp, their rough hands biting into my arms. I couldn’t fight them as I was now. I could only wait to see what happened next.
“Who are you?” The lady didn’t turn around, she didn’t even move. “Take that stake away from my back. Do you have any idea who I am?”
“Of course. You are known here as the Lady Campbell. You were Magdalena Elena Espinosa de Rodrigo before you married into this clan of Scots. I bring you greetings from España.” His voice had a rich quality. Her name had rolled off his tongue as if España was his home as well.
“No one in my homeland would greet me with such a threat.” Her face was stiff as if she was afraid to move even her mouth. “You didn’t answer the first question. Who are you?”
“Diego Valdez, the shapeshifter hired by your son Jeremiah to guard this woman you are treating so unkindly. I do not believe he thought the danger would come from his own family.” He must have pricked the lady with his stake because she gasped. “Now direct your men to let her go and step away or you know what will happen next.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” She ground out the words then gasped again. “My son would not allow—”
“I am honor bound to do the job I have been hired to do. You understand, I am sure. He would mourn you for a while, but then would be comforted by his lady love, he calls her.” He had cleverly echoed her own words back to her as he clamped a gloved hand on her shoulder. “Do you really want to test me?”
She shuddered as if he had prodded her again, then shook her head. She muttered words in another language—I could only guess it was Spanish—then raised her chin. “Colum, Dom, release her. Return to the party. If word of what just happened gets out, I will see that you never work for a Campbell again.” The two men muttered something in that Scottish tongue of theirs then released me and walked away.
“That’s better. But not good enough. You have used your mind trick on her. She cannot move. Take away your spell, Señora.” His voice was a low growl.
“I cannot. She will attack me if I do. Or tell my son what I did. It will cause a problem in the family. She is new, so new she cannot block her thoughts. He will read of this confrontation in her mind the moment she returns to the fire.” The words came out in a rush.
“Perhaps that would be for the best.” He stared at me when he said that. “Your son should know of your treachery.”
“No!” Mag tried to step away from the man, but he tightened his hold on her shoulder. “Please! I only did this for my son’s happiness. She is not worthy. You must have heard her say so.”
“What I heard was a mother who takes too much on herself, interfering in her son’s life. He would not thank you for it. A madre should want what makes her son happy. Sì?”
“He has no idea what he is doing. She has bewitched him.” The cry was from her heart.
I almost felt sorry for the scheming bitch. But I couldn’t forget what those two men had planned for me. I didn’t doubt they would have raped me then staked me so I’d never be found. Why? Because this mother thought she knew what was best for her son?
She might be right, but she didn’t care what Jeremiah wanted. The ruthless bitch was willing to have me murdered just to get her way. Did I want Jeremiah to know what she’d done? If he did find out, I had no doubt we’d be leaving here immediately. The idea of another road trip so soon made me stare down at that splash of blood on the ground. There were dangers here, yes, but more on the road. Devlin might be waiting for us. Another fight, another terrifying wait for the dawn. I felt safe here. Out there? I simply didn’t have the strength to leave. Not yet.
“Release her now, Lady Campbell. Gloriana will decide what she wants. You owe her a goblet of blood as well.” Another prick made Mag stagger before she looked at me and I was suddenly free from her spell.
I flew at her, knocking her to the ground. I was so furious I lifted the knife I still held, ready to bury it in her heart.
“No, Gloriana. Think. Your lover wouldn’t forgive you for that.” The shifter plucked the knife from my hand.
I had to content myself with hitting her pointy chin with my fist then trying to scratch out her black eyes. I fought off her efforts to hit me and grabbed a handful of hair to bang her head into the snow. Gods, but I hated her. She kicked and clawed at me, pushing me away. I think I could have taken her. My anger was so great I had the strength of a tigress.
“Enough.” The Spaniard grabbed me around my waist and lifted me off of her. “We need to decide on terms if you are to remain your lover’s mistress here. Don’t you agree, Gloriana?” His voice was soothing now. He held me gently but firmly and smelled of man and the trees around us. When Mag tried to scramble away, he dropped me and picked her up easily instead. She was spitting mad but he whispered something in her ear, in Spanish, I think, and she calmed immediately.
“She wants me dead. You should have let me finish her. We could have blamed Jeremiah’s enemy Devlin. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is lurking about. It is why Jeremiah hired a bodyguard for me.” I brushed off my skirt, wet with snow. Mag was doing the same. I was pleased to see that her face was red where I’d hit her and covered with scratches. Those had al
ready stopped bleeding. Too bad the vampire bitch would heal quickly.
“Hah! You are too easy to read to get away with such a lie.” Mag smiled with her fangs on display. “Valdez has convinced me that I must let you live or lose my son. That is the only reason you are not staked and gone by now.”
I flew at her again, slapping her smug smile off her face. Then, breathing through my rage, I forced myself to step back while my new protector held her. “She’s right. Jeremiah will take one look at me and read in my mind all that just happened. That should worry you, Mag. If I hadn’t just finished a harrowing journey, I wouldn’t care if his love for you turned to hatred.” I gave her a grim smile
“The señora will teach you how to block your thoughts. Now.” Valdez kept a grip on her arm. “Won’t you, my lady?”
“If I must.” Mag stepped closer to me, my handprint on her pale cheek. “Why haven’t you already learned this? Are you that stupid? It is the first thing I mastered when I became vampire. I never wanted my lover or my husband to know my thoughts.”
“I am not as devious as you are, I suppose.” I finally got a good look at my new shifter bodyguard. Oh, my. He was not only strong, he was tall and handsome. He had the same black hair and dark eyes as the bitch he held with one hand, but he had fine masculine features, broad shoulders and the kind of mustache and small beard popular at court. He wore black, to blend into the night I suppose. His cloak was thrown back to reveal a sword, a pistol and a knife tucked into a broad leather belt as well as that wooden stake hanging casually next to them.
“My son is a fool to give you a shifter who is handsome. You will no doubt share his bed while Jeremiah thinks he is only keeping you safe. Is this why I am to teach her to block her thoughts, Valdez?” Mag pursed her lips.
“Gloriana will not share my bed. I am her guardian and that is all. If you don’t teach her to guard her thoughts, you will lose your son. It does not matter to me, señora.” Valdez grinned at me. “I’m sure Gloriana will be glad to quit this place where you have not made her welcome. I will make her safe from this Devlin when we leave. Es verdad?”
Real Vampires: A Highland Christmas (The Real Vampires series Book 14) Page 9