 
Books by Alexandra Ivy

Guardians of Eternity   
WHEN DARKNESS COMES   
EMBRACE THE DARKNESS   
DARKNESS EVERLASTING   
DARKNESS REVEALED   
DARKNESS UNLEASHED   
BEYOND THE DARKNESS   
DEVOURED BY DARKNESS   
BOUND BY DARKNESS   
FEAR THE DARKNESS   
DARKNESS AVENGED   
HUNT THE DARKNESS   
WHEN DARKNESS ENDS

The Immortal Rogues   
MY LORD VAMPIRE   
MY LORD ETERNITY   
MY LORD IMMORTALITY

The Sentinels   
BORN IN BLOOD   
BLOOD ASSASSIN   
BLOOD LUST

Ares Security   
KILL WITHOUT MERCY   
KILL WITHOUT SHAME

Historical Romance   
SOME LIKE IT WICKED   
SOME LIKE IT SINFUL   
SOME LIKE IT BRAZEN

And don't miss these Guardians of Eternity novellas   
TAKEN BY DARKNESS in YOURS FOR ETERNITY   
DARKNESS ETERNAL in SUPERNATURAL   
WHERE DARKNESS LIVES in   
THE REAL WEREWIVES OF VAMPIRE COUNTY   
LEVET (eBook only)   
A VERY LEVET CHRISTMAS (eBook only)

And don't miss these Sentinel novellas   
OUT OF CONTROL   
ON THE HUNT

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
Taken by Darkness

ALEXANDRA IVY

ZEBRA BOOKS   
KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.    
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected. 
Table of Contents

Also by  
Title Page  
Copyright Page  
Taken by Darkness  
Chapter One  
Chapter Two  
Chapter Three  
Chapter Four  
Chapter Five  
Chapter Six  
Chapter Seven

ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.   
119 West 40th Street   
New York, NY 10018

Copyright © 2010 by Debbie Raleigh

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews. 

To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book. 

Zebra and the Z logo Reg.  U.S. Pat. &  TM Off. 

First Edition: December 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4201-4338-6

eISBN-10: 1-4201-4338-7

Published in the United States of America
Taken by Darkness

ALEXANDRA IVY
Chapter One

Regency England   
London

The townhouse situated in the heart of Mayfair was predictably beautiful. 

Located close to Hyde Park, it boasted a columned portico, as well as a large terrace that overlooked a tidy garden with a gazebo.  The windows were high and arched, spilling light onto the cobbled street that was clogged with expensive carriages.  Along the roof a row of marble statues peered down at the arriving guests, impervious to the chill in the late April breeze. 

The interior was equally elegant. 

There were acres of marble with gilt molding and crimson wall panels.  And the furnishings offered a hint of the Egyptian influence (an unfortunate fashion introduced by the Prince Regent).  There was also a profusion of artwork chosen more to impress society than with any genuine appreciation. 

Upstairs the ballroom was a blaze of color as the guests twirled beneath the glowing chandeliers, the room so crowded that it seemed as if all of England was in attendance. 

In truth, Lord Treadwell's spring ball was the unofficial beginning to the London Season, and one of the most sought-after invitations of the entire year.  Mothers threatened to toss themselves into the Thames if their daughters were not among the fortunate debutantes on the guest list, and politically ambitious gentlemen had been known to offer discreet bribes just to step over the threshold. 

It was a collection of the most stylish and powerful bluebloods in all England, but as one they came to a breathless halt as the latest guest swept through the double doors and regarded the crowd with a bored gaze. 

Victor, Marquis DeRosa, was worthy of their attention. 

Although not a large gentleman, he possessed the sort of sleek, chiseled muscles that were shown to perfection in his tailored black coat and white satin knee breeches. 

His countenance was carved along noble lines with a wide brow, an aquiline nose, and a full mouth that could harden with cruelty or soften with a sensuous promise.  His hair was as dark and glossy as a raven's wing, and allowed to fall to his shoulders rather than being cut à la Titus as many of the young bucks, contrasting sharply with his pale skin. 

But it was his eyes that caught and held the attention of most. 

Pure silver in color, they were rimmed with a circle of black and so piercing that few would dare to meet his gaze.  They were the eyes of a predator.  A ruthless hunter that considered humans prey.  And a mere glance was enough to make poor mortals tremble. 

Some in fear. 

Some in desire. 

All in respect. 

They might not have comprehended why they reacted so strongly to the sophisticated Marquis DeRosa, but they instinctively bowed to his will. 

A small, mocking smile curved Victor's lips as he prowled toward his host and hostess, who were fluttering with a panicked delight at his unexpected arrival. 

After all, Victor had been in Venice for the past six months, returning to London only the evening before.  No one was aware of his presence in the city.  Besides, he rarely condescended to attend such tedious human parties even before leaving London. 

Why would he? 

As the clan chief of the London vampires, he was the most powerful demon in England.  He had only to lift his finger to have an entire harem of beautiful females, human or demon, to sate his hungers.  For blood or sex. 

And as for entertainment . . . 

After ten centuries of indulging in the most exotic and rare pleasure to be discovered throughout the world (from being the only male on an island filled with female wood sprites, to pitting his strength against the lethal Yegni demon), a mundane society ball was laughably dull. 

Or at least it should be. 

He disguised his rueful grimace as his gaze covertly skimmed the crowd until he discovered the one female in London, perhaps in all the world, who could have lured him to the stuffy, overcrowded townhouse. 

She was here.  He'd already caught the scent of ripe peaches.  Yes.  There she was.  Miss Juliet Lawrence. 

His unbeating heart jerked with an excitement that he didn't entirely appreciate. 

The female was beautiful enough.  From her imp father she had inherited delicate features and a long mane of curls the vibrant color of autumn leaves.  She had also been blessed with faintly slanted eyes that were the palest shade of green.  But, unlike most imps, she was slender rather than lush, with an innate grace that had first captured his attention when she had arrived in London two years before. 

Beauty, however, was not enough to explain his ruthless fascination for the woman.  Especially considering her mother was a witch. 

He hated witches. 

Not only because his one weakness as a vampire was magic, but because his brother, Dante, had been abducted by a coven of witches and chained with their spells for all eternity. 

Worthless whores. 

And worse, Juliet was currently under the protection of a powerful mage, Justin, Lord Hawthorne. 

He hated mages as thoroughly as he hated witches.  Especially arrogant, pompous mages who didn't possess the sense to defer to their betters. 

So why was he growing consumed with the savage need to claim Miss Lawrence as his own? 

Victor had tried to accept that it was nothing more than the fact that Juliet stubbornly refused to succumb to his seduction.  It had been centuries since a woman had pretended indifference to his charms.  What was more enticing than a prey that was clever enough to put up a struggle? 

He had even traveled to Venice to prove that his enthrallment with the female was nothing more than a passing bit of insanity that was easily dismissed. 

Unfortunately, all he had managed to prove was that Miss Juliet Lawrence was destined to plague him regardless of the distance between them. 

He had filled his nights with the most alluring females and lavish amusements, but he could not rid himself of the aching need to return to London. 

And Juliet. 

His lips twisted as he watched her stiffen and slowly turn in his direction, belatedly sensing his presence.  A predictable expression of dismay rippled over her beautiful features before she was covertly edging through the crowd, clearly preparing to bolt. 

He moved forward, a flare of anticipation jolting through him.  The chase was on and she was not going to escape. 

Beginning tonight, Juliet was going to pay for reducing him to little more than a eunuch. 

"My lord . . ."  Unaware how close he came to a swift, bloody death, Lord Treadwell stepped directly in Victor's path and grasped his arm. " We never expected . . .  such a delight . . ." 

Victor leashed his violent urge to rip out the throat of his host.  Even if Juliet managed to slip away, there was nowhere she could hide. 

Instead, he peered down at the pudgy fingers that were crushing the fall of Brussels lace that peeked from the hem of his jacket sleeve. 

"So I perceive," he drawled, his voice cold. " My dear Charles, have a care for my lace if not for my poor, abused arm." 

Treadwell jerked back his hand, reaching beneath his puce jacket for a handkerchief to mop the sweat from his flushed face. 

"A thousand apologies."  The nobleman nervously cleared his throat, his customary air of smug superiority notably absent. " Please, allow me to introduce my wife."  He waved an absent hand toward the plump blonde less than half his age who stood behind him. " Letty, this is Marquis DeRosa.  DeRosa, my wife, Lady Treadwell." 

Victor offered a graceful bow. " Enchanted." 

"Oh."  The woman rapidly waved her fan, her eyes wide and her lips parted in feminine awe. " Oh." 

Treadwell gave a bluff laugh, clapping Victor on the shoulder as if he had every right to touch the most powerful demon in England. 

"I say, you quite overwhelmed the poor gal."  He winked at Victor, indifferent to his wife's sudden embarrassment. " Let me escort you round the back way to the card room.  That way, you won't be bothered with the giggling petticoats.  Give a man an ache in the head.  Always best to avoid 'em when you can, eh?" 

"Which only proves just how little you know me, Treadwell."  Victor's tone was edged with a warning that made the fat idiot pale in fear. " Remain with your wife.  I am capable of determining my own destination." 

"Oh . . . ,  I say.  Of course.  Certainly." 

Dismissing the idiot from his mind, Victor turned toward the dance floor, parting the thick crowd with a wave of his slender hand.  Distantly, he was aware of the avid gazes following his slow, elegant stride and the whispers of excitement that rippled through the room, but his attention was focused on the scent of sweet peaches. 

At last leaving behind the gawking crowd, Victor made his way along the dimly lit corridor, bypassing the various salons and antechambers until he reached the narrow door leading onto the back terrace. 

Stepping into the chilled night air, Victor paused, his senses instinctively searching the garden and shadowed mews for any hint of danger.  At the same moment his gaze was busily savoring the sight of Juliet leaning against the stone railing. 

As a vampire, Victor had no need for the moonlight to reveal the pure, delicate lines of her profile or the fire in her curls that were currently pulled into a knot at the back of her head.  He did, however, fully appreciate the wash of silver light that shimmered over alabaster skin and added a hint of mystery to the pale emerald eyes. 

His gaze lowered to her gown, which was a delicate white lace over a gold sheath and cut in Grecian lines to emphasize the tempting mounds of her breasts.  Then slowly his gaze lifted, lingering on the long, bare curve of her throat. 

Victor's fangs ached with a swift, brutal hunger. 

Bloody hell.  He had been too long without a woman. 

With an effort, Victor resisted the urge to charge across the terrace and crush the female into his arms.  Although she was not a practicing witch, and her imp blood was diluted, she did possess her own share of powers.  Including the ability to resist his attempts to glamour her. 

If he was going to lure her to his bed, it was going to take skill and patience. 

For some ridiculous reason the knowledge sent a tingle of anticipation down his spine. 

Madness. 

Strolling forward, Victor allowed his gaze to boldly travel over her tense body, a faint smile curving his lips. 

"Did you think you could hide from me, sweet Juliet?"  he murmured. 

The emerald eyes flashed with annoyance, but she couldn't disguise the fluttering beat of her heart or the potent scent of her awareness. 

Miss Juliet Lawrence might wish him in hell, but she desired him. 

"Actually, I was attempting to avoid the sudden influx of vermin, my lord," she drawled in overly sweet tones. 

"Victor," he corrected, not halting until he had her firmly trapped against the stone railing, his fierce gaze sweeping over her flushed face. 

"I thought you were in Venice."  She tilted her chin, her expression defiant. " What are you doing here?" 

"At the moment I am enjoying the very fine view," he husked, his gaze never wavering from her wide eyes. 

"I mean, what are you doing in London?" 

"I should think it obvious. ' Tis hunting season." 

Her brows pulled together. " You are mistaken, my lord, hunting season ended weeks ago." 

His fingers lifted to trace the tender curve of her neck, his mouth watering. 

"That all depends on the prey." 

She shivered, pressing against the railing in a futile attempt to escape his lingering touch. 

"So you are here for the Marriage Mart?" 

"I am." 

"You have developed a taste for tender young debutantes?"  she mocked. " I thought you preferred a more well-seasoned meal." 

His lips twitched at the bite in her tone. " There is no need for you to be jealous of my . . ." 

"Harem?" 

"Companions."  His fingers lingered at the pulse fluttering at the base of her throat, his senses drowning in the scent of peaches. " You need only say the word and there would be no others." 

"How many times must I tell you that I will never be a vampire's blood-whore?"  she rasped, her eyes flashing with fury. 

Victor laughed. " Such crude language from such beautiful lips.  Does it help you to deny your body's hunger for my touch to pretend I am a monster?" 

"There is no pretense.  You are a monster." 

His lips twisted.  He could hardly deny her claim. 

He was a ruthless predator who killed without mercy and was willing to use whatever violence necessary to maintain control of his clan. 

That did not mean, however, that he was incapable of appreciating a woman who stirred his most primitive needs.  His gaze lowered to the soft thrust of her breasts, a shudder shaking through his body as the heat of her wrapped around him. 

No.  It was more than mere appreciation. 

Having her in his bed, tasting the potent power of her blood . . .  it was rapidly becoming a necessity. 

He groaned, his fingers following the enticing line of her bodice, his body hard with need. 

"And yet your heart thunders and your knees tremble when I am near," he husked. " You cannot hide your reaction to me." 

She trembled. " Disgust." 

"Desire."  He lowered his head, his lips brushing over her bare shoulder. " It perfumes the very air." 

"My lord, stop this at once," she demanded, even as her hands lifted to clutch at his shoulders. 

It had been like this from the beginning. 

Two years ago Juliet had walked into a London ballroom on the arm of Lord Hawthorne and every other woman had faded to meaningless shadows.  Victor had known in that moment he had to have her.  And it had not taken his heightened senses to know she was equally aroused. 

Not that she was willing to admit as much. 

No, for her own inexplicable reason, she was determined to keep him at a distance. 

He growled as his arms wrapped around her tiny waist, hauling her hard against his body. 

"Come into the gardens with me." 

"If it is time for your dinner then I suggest you find one of your concubines to slake your hunger." 

"I do not hunger for my dinner."  His lips traced a path down her collarbone before skimming up the curve of her throat. " Such exquisite skin." 

He felt her tremble in need, her hands pressed against his shoulders. " And I do not share my body any more readily than my blood." 

Pulling back, Victor regarded her with a brooding gaze. " I traveled to Venice to put you from my mind, but it was an impossible task.  You haunt me, little one, and that is unacceptable." 

"What is unacceptable?  The fact that I am the one woman capable of resisting your seduction, or the knowledge that you could make a fortune if only I would cooperate?" 

It was a familiar accusation. 

Juliet's ability to sense the magical properties of objects, as well as people, was a rare talent that would be priceless to any vampire, and Victor had never hidden his desire for such a power.  Why should he?  Never again would he have to fear an enemy attempting to plot his early demise with a hidden spell.  Or even accidentally stumbling into a trap.  Juliet would always be able to warn him of the looming danger. 

And, of course, there was the indisputable knowledge that her talent was worth a fortune. 

The black-market trade for magical artifacts was a profitable, cutthroat business that kept any number of demons and humans living in luxury.  Including the mage, Lord Hawthorne. 

Bastard. 

He caught and held her accusing gaze. " My wealth is more than sufficient, although I have never made it a secret that I covet your talent.  A vampire's one weakness has always been magic.  With you at my side I would be all but invincible." 

Her chin tilted. " Which is only one of many reasons that I will never allow myself to be bound to you." 

He narrowed his gaze in sudden annoyance. " And yet you willingly offer yourself to Hawthorne.  An arrogant ass—"

"You should recognize an arrogant ass easily enough.  You need only look in a mirror," she rudely interrupted, her chin stuck at a stubborn angle. " Ah, but wait.  You have no reflection, do you, vampire?" 

"And a mage," Victor hissed, ignoring her insult. 

"My mother was a witch." 

"An unfortunate circumstance I am willing to overlook." 

The emerald eyes flashed with fury as Juliet thrust her way past him, headed across the terrace. 

"How vastly considerate of you, my lord." 

With blinding speed he was behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and jerking her back against his chest.  Growling deep in his throat, Victor buried his face in the curve of her neck. 

"I can be much more than merely considerate, sweet Juliet.  I will give you whatever you desire . . ."  His body stiffened in shock. " Bloody hell, why do you smell of gargoyle?" 

* * *

Juliet resisted the urge to struggle against Victor's restraining arms. 

Despite the fact that she appeared to be a mere debutante among humans, she was in fact over a century old, and she had learned long ago that battling against a predator only inflamed his instincts. 

And the Marquis DeRosa was very much a predator. 

A beautiful, exotic, sensually lethal predator. 

Holding herself rigid, she pretended indifference to the thrilling pleasure of his unyielding arms wrapped around her and the brush of his lips against her skin.  Not that she was foolish enough to believe Victor was unaware of her thundering heart and the searing excitement that coiled through the pit of her stomach.  The aggravating demon was always swift to pounce on her uncontrollable reaction to his potent masculinity. 

"For God's sake, stop sniffing me," she gritted. " It is rude." 

He nipped at her neck, his fangs scraping her sensitive skin. 

"Tell me where you came into contact with a gargoyle." 

She closed her eyes, fiercely attempting to ignore the jolt of need searing through her. 

She had desired Victor from the moment she had caught sight of him across a crowded ballroom.  Utterly and desperately.  But she was not a fool. 

Women who were stupid enough to fall victim to a vampire's seduction were doomed to become mere ruins of their former selves. 

"I am not your property, Marquis DeRosa, and I do not have to tell you anything," she hissed. 

"Property?  No.  But you are mine and if you refuse to tell me, then I will simply ask the Guild—"

With a sudden gasp, Juliet was turning in his arms, her expression one of horror. 

"No." 

His brows lowered, the silver eyes studying her with an unnerving intensity. 

"You have not allowed that foolishly soft heart of yours to put you in danger, have you?" 

"Of course not." 

He cupped her chin in a slender hand, his handsome features tightening with a dangerous impatience. 

"Juliet." 

She blew out a resigned sigh.  The clan chief rarely exposed his formidable power in her presence, but when he did, she was wise enough to avoid trouble. 

"A few months ago I discovered a gargoyle in Justin's attics." 

"Did you?"  The silver eyes narrowed. " Hawthorne must have an object of great worth to go to the expense and bother of negotiating with the Guild to provide protection for his mansion." 

"This particular gargoyle does not happen to belong to the Guild." 

"Impossible.  He would not be allowed to hire out his services unless he was a member." 

Juliet grimaced.  When she had first stumbled across the gargoyle, she hadn't known what to think of the odd little creature. 

Like most other gargoyles, Levet possessed grotesque features and a thick gray hide that turned to stone during the day.  He also had a long tail he kept faithfully polished and a thick French accent. 

Unlike most of his terrifying brethren, however, Levet was barely knee high, with delicate fairy wings that shimmered with brilliant blues and crimsons and were veined with gold.  Even worse, his magic was unpredictable at best and inclined to cause more trouble than it was worth. 

As a result the poor thing had been banished from his Guild and treated as little more than a leper among the demon world. 

Juliet better than most understood the pain of never truly belonging. 

Which no doubt explained why Levet had so swiftly earned a place in her wary heart.  She would do whatever was necessary to protect him. 

"Levet did not hire out his services.  If you must know, he was refused entry into the Guild because he is . . ." 

A raven brow arched as she hesitated. " Yes?" 

"He is unusually tiny and considered deformed by his brethren," she snapped. " Are you satisfied?" 

"A deformed gargoyle?" 

"Do not mock him." 

The silver eyes shimmered with a wicked amusement. " I am not so clumsy as to insult your friend.  My enjoyment is at the thought of Hawthorne's reaction to a miniature gargoyle cowering in his attics." 

"My household is none of your concern, DeRosa."  A deep male voice echoed through the darkness as Lord Hawthorne climbed the steps from the garden. " Neither is my apprentice." 

Juliet rolled her eyes as Victor's arm tightened around her waist and an icy smile curved his lips. 

The two men had been adversaries since Justin, Lord Hawthorne, and Juliet had arrived in London.  Thus far the hostilities had not broken into open bloodshed, but Juliet sensed that it was only a matter of time. 

Until then they took ridiculous delight in goading each other. 

"Do you think to frighten me, mage?"  Victor mocked. 

Justin slowly crossed the terrace, his hand smoothing down the charcoal-gray jacket that he had matched with a black waistcoat and white knee breeches. 

He was a large gentleman with a thick mane of hair that had turned silver centuries before.  His face was square with strong features and black eyes that hinted at his ruthless will.  Most women considered him handsome, although he would never claim the breathtaking splendor of Victor. 

Halting near the stone railing, Justin folded his arms over his chest, his expression smug.  Which could mean only one thing. 

Gingerly Juliet opened her senses, not surprised by the unmistakable wall of magic that surrounded the mage.  Justin might be an arrogant ass, as Victor claimed, but he was not stupid.  He would never approach any vampire, let alone the powerful clan chief, without a spell of protection. 

Not that it would keep a determined vampire from ripping out his throat. 

"There will be no doubt if and when I desire to frighten you, devil spawn," Justin taunted. 

A wave of icy power raced through the air, prickling painfully over Juliet's skin. 

"Do not allow your ability to intimidate a few lesser demons to swell your head, Hawthorne," Victor drawled. " It would be a lethal mistake." 

Taking advantage of Victor's brief distraction, Juliet slipped from his grasp and moved to the center of the terrace. 

"Since my presence is obviously superfluous, I will leave you two to entertain each other," she muttered. 

Justin stepped smoothly toward her, stretching out his hand. " Forgive me, Juliet—"

The words had barely left his mouth when he was abruptly slammed against the brick wall of the mansion, Victor's hand wrapped around his throat and a pair of vicious fangs a mere breath away from his jugular. 

Shocked by the swift violence, not to mention Victor's ease in breaching Justin's considerable defensive spell, Juliet hurried to the vampire's side, laying a cautious hand on his shoulder. 

"My lord, no," she said, her voice a mere whisper.  The air was thick with danger.  It did not seem particularly wise to startle the lethal vampire. " I will not tolerate you creating a scene." 

There was a tense moment when Justin's life hung in the balance; then, with a low snarl, Victor tossed the larger man aside and turned to grab Juliet, his silver eyes flashing with a stark hunger. 

"Take heed, little one.  I have attempted to cultivate patience—you are very young, after all—but my desire for you is swiftly consuming me," he rasped. " I will not wait much longer." 

Her heart slammed against her chest, but not in fear, despite the slender fingers digging into her shoulders and the savage glitter in the silver eyes.  No.  It was pure exhilaration racing through her blood. 

"Are you threatening me?"  she breathed. 

He framed her face in his hands, staring deep into her eyes before lowering his head to cover her mouth with a harsh, shockingly possessive kiss. 

"A promise, nothing more," he whispered against her lips; then, with a muttered curse, he abruptly released her and disappeared from the terrace with a terrifying speed. 

Unconsciously Juliet pressed her fingers to her lips, feeling . . .  shattered. 

She had sensed the volatile emotions that lurked just below the surface when Victor was near.  It was like standing in the middle of an alchemist's lab, acutely aware that the brewing concoctions might suddenly explode. 

But she had never realized that his kiss, any kiss, could snatch the earth from beneath her feet. 

Hearing a faint noise, she smoothed the shock from her face.  The last thing she desired was for anyone to guess her unwelcome vulnerability to Victor. 

She was prepared as Justin moved to her side, a scowl marring his handsome features and his dark eyes smoldering with hatred. 

The man was accustomed to being the master of any situation.  He was not only a powerful mage, but with Juliet's assistance, he had acquired a massive collection of magical weapons that would make anyone hesitate to challenge him. 

Now Victor had effectively proven that he was capable of ripping out Justin's throat and leaving him another corpse in London's gutters.  It was little wonder his hand was not quite steady as he patted the precise folds of his cravat. 

"Damn the bastard," he bit out. " How did he slip back to London without my knowledge?" 

Her lips twisted, her gaze skimming over the dark, seemingly empty garden. 

"A demon does not survive a thousand years without acquiring the skills necessary to travel unnoticed," she pointed out dryly. 

Justin was far from appeased. " Skills or not, I intend to have a word with my servants.  They clearly have grown lax in their duties." 

"Lax?  Highly doubtful," she said. " They are terrified of you." 

With a shake of his head, Justin made an effort to pretend that he had not just been tossed across the terrace by an infuriated vampire. 

"And you, Juliet?"  he demanded, his fingers trailing a suggestive path over her flushed cheek. " Are you terrified of me?" 

She took an abrupt step backward.  Justin was handsome and, when he made the effort, a charming companion, but she had no interest in becoming his mistress.  As far as she was concerned, their relationship was strictly business. 

"Not particularly." 

"Hmm."  He studied her with a rueful smile. " I wish I believed you, my dear." 

With a restless shrug, Juliet turned to pace toward the edge of the terrace. 

"Perhaps we should leave London." 

"You have a sudden desire to travel?"  There was a hint of surprise in his voice. 

Perfectly understandable. 

Juliet had never made a secret of her aversion to their constant touring from place to place.  It was not that she didn't understand the need to avoid settling in one area for too long.  Humans were not particularly perceptive, but eventually they did notice if their neighbors did not age.  But it did not make the constant upheavals in her life any easier. 

Now, however, she could not deny a cowardly urge to flee from Victor and the dangerous sensations he inspired. 

"Why not?" 

"For one thing, there is a pesky war being waged throughout Europe, if you will recall, my love," he drawled, "and while the winter months always put a damper on the generals' enthusiasm for battle, if my sources are not mistaken, the foolish Archduke Charles is planning a futile uprising in Austria, which of course will spark all sorts of nasty retaliations.  We can only hope that Vienna is not damaged by his stupidity." 

She shrugged. " The Continent is not the only place beyond England.  We could visit India or the Americas or—"

"Juliet, you are well aware that I dislike the colonies," Justin interrupted, a hint of impatience entering his voice. " The society is tedious, the entertainments are rustic, and the natives little better than savages.  Besides, my negotiations with the fey are not going as well as I would desire." 

Her heart sank. 

For all of Justin's magic, he was still human, and it was only with a potent mixture of rare herbs that he managed to hold back his mortality. 

Herbs that could only be grown with fey magic. 

Which meant that Justin would not dare to leave London until he was certain he had enough of the potion to last him for several weeks, if not months. 

"What is wrong?  You have never had trouble bartering for your potion before." 

Justin grimaced. " The fey are . . .  unsettled." 

"That is hardly a shock.  They are always flighty and unpredictable." 

"It is worse than usual.  For the past three months I have sought to meet with Yiant, offering him a number of my finest possessions for the privilege, only to be told the Prince is not receiving." 

Juliet frowned in puzzlement.  As she had said, the wood sprites were flighty creatures, but they were also cursed with an insatiable craving for magic.  Nothing less than the threat of impending death would prevent a wood sprite from collecting a magical object. 

"Did you offend him?" 

"I would never be that foolish."  Justin's jaw knotted with tension. " No.  The Prince is either attempting to unnerve me in the hope of increasing the price of his goods, or he has gone into hiding." 

"Why would a fairy go into hiding?" 

"A good question." 

A silence descended as they both considered the varied, and assuredly unpleasant, possibilities. 

"So what do you intend to do?"  she asked. 

"Make him an offer so tempting that he cannot resist meeting with me."  Justin shot her a searching gaze. " Speaking of which, have you managed to have a peek at Lord Treadwell's new collection, my dear?" 

She waved a dismissive hand.  It had taken less than a quarter hour to search through the Grecian collection that was currently being displayed in Lord Treadwell's Picture Gallery. 

Not only were the badly chipped statues and pieces of pottery lacking any hint of magic, but she suspected they were outright frauds, without the least amount of historical or artistic value. 

"Rubbish." 

Justin cast a jaundiced glance toward the looming mansion. " Not entirely unexpected, but still a pity.  Perhaps we shall have greater luck at the Stonevilles' soiree." 

"Did Lord Stoneville purchase new artifacts?" 

"No, but the rumor at the gentlemen's club is that he's recently taken on a young and very beautiful mistress." 

She frowned in confusion. " What interest could we possibly have in his mistress?" 

A knowing smile curved Justin's mouth. " The old goat must be eighty if he's a day.  If he is managing to keep up with a female a quarter of his age, then he must have some magical trinket to—"

"Yes, I comprehend your meaning," Juliet interrupted, shuddering at the unfortunate image. 

Far less squeamish, Justin held out his arm. " Shall we?" 
Chapter Two

Two nights later, Juliet was seated on a Chippendale sofa with cabriole legs and threadbare brocade cushions that was tucked beneath the small window.  God alone knew how long ago it had been relegated to the attics, but Levet had done his best to beat away the dust and cobwebs.  He had also managed to clear enough space among the forgotten trunks and family portraits to place two wooden chairs around a small scrolled table in an appearance of a dining room. 

The tiny gargoyle was astonishingly domesticated and complained bitterly (and far too often) at being forced to reside in the cramped, grimy attics. 

As far as Levet was concerned, he should be inhabiting rooms at Versailles. 

At the moment, however, amusement shimmered in the gray eyes and the delicate wings fluttered as he laughed at Juliet's tale of her daring burglary of the valuable crystal that held the tears of a fertility god, while Justin had kept the ancient Lord Stoneville distracted. 

"You are certain it was a Damanica?"  the gargoyle demanded, his French accent pronounced. 

"Without a doubt."  Juliet shrugged. " Justin is currently attempting to lure the wood sprites out of hiding with it." 

Levet laughed again. " Pathetic.  Do English wood sprites have no stamina?  No manly vigor?  Sacre bleu.  They must be like fish left out of the water."  He wiggled his hand. " Flop, flop, flop—"

"Levet," Juliet hastily interrupted. 

"Ah, pardon, ma belle."  The sensitive gargoyle was instantly contrite. " I forget what a delicate flower you are." 

"Delicate flower?"  Juliet snorted. " Hardly that.  I am a thief and a liar, and I sell my services to keep a roof over my head.  Many would claim I am no better than a common whore." 

"Non, do not say such terrible things.  We all do what we must to survive." 

Juliet heaved a sigh.  She was painfully acquainted with the sacrifices that survival demanded. 

"Yes, I suppose that is true enough." 

Levet tilted his head to the side, regarding her with a narrowed gaze. 

"There is something troubling you, ma belle." 

Juliet turned her head to glance out the window, more to hide her revealing expression than to admire the view of Hyde Park slumbering beneath the silver moonlight. 

"Nothing more than ennui." 

"Ennui?  But only a few days ago you were telling me how delighted you were that the Season was at last under way." 

Of course, she had been delighted.  She had told herself that the restless dissatisfaction that had plagued her throughout the long winter would be cured by the return of society to the city. 

It was only when Victor had strolled into Lord Treadwell's ballroom that she accepted her discontent had nothing to do with the lack of society and everything to do with the breathtakingly handsome demon. 

The knowledge was galling. 

And something she did not intend to share. 

"I hoped that the return of society to London would provide a distraction," she said, her voice determinedly light. " Foolish, of course. ' Tis the same tedious balls, with the same tedious guests, with the same tedious gossip." 

"But we adore gossip, do we not?" 

"Only when it is interesting."  Juliet turned back to her companion, her fingers fidgeting with a satin ribbon threaded through the bodice of her peach muslin gown. " Thus far I have heard nothing more fascinating than that Lord Maywood's youngest daughter was quietly removed from London after she attempted to elope with a blatant fortune hunter and that there has been an odd rash of lightning that people claim is coming from clear blue skies.  One burned down a warehouse near the docks." 

Levet's tail stiffened, as if startled by her inconsequential chatter. 

"Lightning, you say?  At the docks?" 

"And why would you be interested in strange bolts of lightning?" 

A smile touched the ugly gray face. " A nest of pixies will often attract lightning.  Perhaps they have settled near the Thames." 

"You have a fondness for pixies?" 

The gargoyle touched his fingers to his lips in a gesture of appreciation. 

"But of course.  The females are très désireuses and possess a remarkable ability to please a gargoyle." 

With a sharp movement Juliet was on her feet, an odd ache clenching her heart. 

"For heaven's sake, are all males so predictable?" 

Levet gave a helpless lift of his hands. " Oui." 

"Pathetic." 

"Ma belle, please tell me what has upset you.  I know it cannot be the lack of amusing scandal."  Levet waddled forward, his gray eyes troubled. " Juliet?" 

She sucked in a deep breath, knowing the tiny creature would not leave her in peace until she had confessed the truth. 

"The Marquis DeRosa has returned to London." 

"By my father's stone balls."  Levet's wings snapped in agitation, the sudden breeze sending dust flying through the air. " Well, there is no need to ask why he is here.  The cold- hearted sod will not be satisfied until he has made you one of his sycophants." 

That was precisely what Juliet feared. 

And why she fought so hard against her acute awareness of his sensuality. 

"Hell will freeze over first," she muttered. 

Levet reached up to grasp her hand, the blatant concern in his expression sending a chill down her spine. 

"Be careful, ma belle.  He is more dangerous than you could ever imagine." 

"What would you have me do?  I requested that Justin travel away from England, but he is too occupied with his negotiations with Yiant to leave London.  I suppose I could go on my own, but . . ." 

"Non, Juliet."  Levet's tone was horrified. " For all of Hawthorne's failings, and they are varied and numerous, he does provide some protection from those creatures who would do whatever was necessary to claim you and your powers." 

She paced the cramped space that had been cleared by the gargoyle, not for the first time resenting her dependency on the mage. 

If only—

Juliet abruptly crushed the worthless yearning. 

Her parents were dead.  Nothing could alter that grim fact. 

"I am not entirely helpless," she gritted. 

"Not helpless, but you will never be ruthless enough to survive alone in the demon world, re-merciez un dieu." 

She ignored the painful truth of his words. " Perhaps Yiant will accept the Damanica as a proper token and offer Justin the herbs he needs.  He will have no reason to linger in London once he has his potion." 

"I would not be so certain." 

Juliet halted her pacing to regard the gargoyle with a puzzled frown. 

"What do you mean?" 

"It is rumored that Hawthorne has at last convinced Madame Andreas to become his mistress." 

Juliet snorted. " If you mean to shock me, Levet, you are wide of the mark.  Justin always has one mistress or another.  He will easily find another in the East Indies or Egypt or the Americas." 

"Madame Andreas is not just another mistress, Juliet, she is considered the most beautiful woman in London," Levet corrected her. " Even DeRosa has been seen attempting to court her favors." 

A sharp, savage pain jabbed through her heart at the mere thought of Victor being beguiled by the golden-haired, blue-eyed, voluptuous beauty.  Which was utterly absurd.  From the moment she had arrived in London she had heard whispers of the Marquis DeRosa's numerous mistresses, and had seen with her own eyes how the women flocked to be at his side. 

Besides, it was common knowledge among the demon world that vampires were sexually insatiable.  Until they mated it was not at all unusual for them to insist on a dozen or more lovers. 

Damn Victor to the fiery pits of hell. 

"Has he?  Well, I hope . . ." 

"Oui?" 

"I hope he chokes on her," Juliet snapped. 

Levet's lumpy brow furrowed as he regarded her in sudden dismay. " Did I make a middle of it?" 

"Middle?"  It took her a moment to realize what the gargoyle was saying. " Muddle.  A muddle of it." 

He gave a dismissive shrug. " Middle, muddle.  Did I say something wrong?" 

"Not at all."  Juliet felt her brittle composure begin to falter. " If you will excuse me, I believe I will retire for the night." 

"Are you not feeling well?" 

"I seem to have developed a pain in my neck." 

Without giving Levet time to halt her retreat, Juliet left the attics, taking a direct route through the candlelit corridors to her private chambers. 

Normally she found a sense of pleasure when she entered the sitting room decorated in shades of blue and ivory, with solid English furniture that had been designed for comfort rather than fashion.  And most charming of all, the tall, arched windows that overlooked the cobblestone road.  She adored spending her mornings sipping chocolate while seated on the cushioned window seat and watching the neighbors go about their business. 

Tonight, however, she headed straight for the connected room, preparing for bed with stiff, angry movements. 

She could call for a maid, of course.  Justin had a full staff of servants, all of them of mixed demon blood so that Juliet had no need to pretend to be human.  But she was in no mood to endure the curious gaze and inane chatter of her maid. 

She only wished to crawl beneath her covers and pretend she was far away from London and the Marquis DeRosa. 

* * *

Much to her surprise, Juliet managed to slip into a deep sleep, although it was marred with nightmares of being trapped in a small cellar while something—or someone—crept toward the door. 

If she were a practicing witch, she might have attempted to discover the deeper meaning of her vivid dream and the choking fear that had seemed far too real.  But with no genuine power beyond her ability to sense magic, she was willing to dismiss the vague premonition when Levet's voice echoed through her head. 

"Juliet," the gargoyle called. " Sacre bleu, wake up." 

"Levet?"  Sitting up, Juliet glanced around the empty room, her father's demon blood giving her the ability to see no matter how dark it might be. " Levet, where are you?" 

"I am speaking to you through your mind." 

She frowned, lifting a hand to her temple. " I wish you would not.  It is making me dizzy." 

"Non, do not sever our bond.  I need you, ma belle." 

"Now?" 

"Oui.  I am in trouble." 

Juliet's heart missed a beat at the unmistakable edge of panic in the gargoyle's voice. 

"Dear God, are you hurt?" 

"For now only my pride is injured, but I sense the future of my health is not at all certain.  In truth, ma belle, it appears to be particularly dire." 

Barely realizing she was moving, Juliet crawled from the bed and headed for the smaller of the two armoires.  Her fey blood demanded that she occasionally escape the confines of the city and surround herself with nature.  She always kept several sets of loose smocks and pants that were more fitting for a stable boy than a young lady of society.  Perfect for her long afternoons in the woods. 

"Where are you?" 

"I am not entirely certain." 

"Levet, you are not being excessively helpful," she said, swiftly exchanging her night shift for the pants and smock, as well as a pair of boys' boots. " I need to know where to begin my search if you desire to be rescued." 

"And you think that has not occurred to me?"  Levet barked. " Had I known I was to be attacked and held hostage I would have been clever enough to leave a trail of bread crumbs for you to follow." 

Juliet moved to the dresser and began pinning her thick curls on top of her head. 

"Do you wish my assistance or not?" 

"Of course I do." 

"Then tell me what happened." 

"After you left me alone to entertain myself I decided to visit the docks." 

"Why in heaven's name would you . . . ?"  Juliet bit off her words as realization struck her. " The pixies.  Really, Levet." 

"I am a gargoyle, not a saint.  And you were the one to tempt me with the promise of pixies." 

Juliet stiffened at the ludicrous accusation. " I did no such thing." 

"Juliet, something is coming," Levet hissed, his fear potent enough to spill through her. " Please, ma petite, I need you." 

There was a painful wrench, and abruptly her connection to the gargoyle was severed. 

"Damn." 

Pausing only long enough to shove a knit hat over her curls, she clambered out her window and jumped the short distance to the nearby tree. 

She might not possess Justin's terrifying magic or Victor's icy power, but she was willing to do whatever was necessary to rescue her one true friend. 

No matter what the danger. 

* * *

The estate of the Marquis DeRosa was less than a half-hour ride from London, but it provided all the space and privacy a vampire craved. 

Built of white stone, it was designed along pure, classical lines with massive marble columns and tall windows that overlooked the manicured lawn and distant lake. 

It was not the first manor house built on that precise spot.  Victor had, after all, owned the property for several hundred years.  But like all the others before, it was constructed as much for security as for luxury. 

The vast grounds were guarded during the evening by his clan brothers, while the daylight hours were protected by poisonous Bguli demons who could defeat all but the most powerful enemies.  The house itself was wrapped in hexes to keep out unwelcome intruders, including any overly forward humans. 

Not that the elaborate defenses were actually necessary. 

Only a demon or mortal anxious to seek his grave would be stupid enough to invade Victor's lair. 

Not without invitation. 

Sprawled in a massive wooden chair that had once belonged to a Roman general who had the misfortune to kill a human under clan protection, Victor surveyed the various guests who filled his elegant salon. 

There was a combination of demons.  Vampires, imps, several lovely nymphs, and a handful of human chattel, all of whom were extraordinarily beautiful, and all eager to capture Victor's brooding attention. 

A pity he had no interest in the half-naked bodies that were deliberately poised on the chaise longues and large pillows tossed across the carpet.  The tasty feast might be perfectly calculated to sate a hungry vampire, but Victor felt nothing more than cold apathy. 

Waving away the silver-haired nymph attired in a thin gauze gown who knelt at his feet with her head tilted in silent invitation, he ruefully accepted that his once varied and exotic taste had now been reduced to one particular female. 

A female whom he was still no closer to having in his bed. 

His slender fingers were tapping a restless tattoo on the scrolled arm of the chair, his body aching for Miss Juliet Lawrence, when the far doors were thrust open to reveal a tall vampire with a halo of brown curls and large brown eyes. 

Most people were deceived by the air of youth and innocence that clung to Uriel even after two centuries, but not Victor.  Although the vampire would never possess Victor's own power, Uriel was a brutal killer when necessary and loyal beyond reason. 

Which was precisely why Victor had demanded the demon maintain a constant guard on Juliet since she'd first captured his fancy. 

With a lift of his brow, he gestured for the vampire to join him, knowing that Uriel would never have abandoned his post without a compelling reason. 

Moving through the guests with fluid speed, Uriel fell to his knees before Victor and bent his head. 

"Master." 

"Tell me." 

"The female left her home." 

"An odd hour."  He frowned.  It was because Juliet's maid had sent a note to say her mistress would be staying in for the evening that he had reluctantly agreed to this small gathering.  His clan deserved a few entertainments even if their chief was preoccupied with a stubborn, unmanageable female. " She was with Hawthorne?" 

"No, master, she was alone." 

"Alone?" 

"Alone and on foot." 

"Damn."  Victor's hands clenched the arms of his chair, the wood creaking as it threatened to shatter beneath the pressure. " I trust Johan is following her?" 

"Of course." 

He glanced toward the dark windows, judging the hours before sunrise. 

"Juliet is impulsive, but she is not a fool.  Why would she be traveling the London streets alone?"  He returned his attention to his servant. " Did a messenger arrive?" 

"No, master.  No one approached the house." 

Something perilously close to fury flared through Victor's cold heart as he flowed to his feet. 

Where the devil would Juliet be headed to at such an hour?  Although London was no doubt ablaze with parties, she would never attend one without a proper chaperon and certainly not on foot. 

So that meant she was either conducting nefarious business or she was meeting a secret lover. 

It was the latter thought that triggered his blast of icy power, sending the humans and lesser demons fleeing the room in fear and his brothers falling onto their knees. 

"Where is Hawthorne?" 

"He is in the Hampton Court gardens, still attempting to lure Yiant out of hiding." 

Uriel's explanation reminded Victor of yet another mystery nagging at him. 

"Have you discovered what has disturbed the sprites?" 

"I fear not, master." 

Victor flicked his finger, commanding Uriel to his feet. 

"Perhaps my absence from London has allowed my clan to forget that my commands are not mere suggestions," he said, the frigid force of his voice wrapping around his servant and causing him to flinch in pain. " I do expect to be obeyed." 

"Forgive us, master," the vampire pleaded, his voice tight with the knowledge that Victor could kill him with one blow. " We have sought to discover the truth, but the sprites refuse to speak." 

"Refuse?  How very bold of them," Victor drawled, his gaze skimming over his cringing clansmen. " And how very disappointing that my fine warriors have been bested by a handful of fey." 

"We will discover the truth," Uriel pledged. 

"Yes, you will."  Victor narrowed his gaze, dismissing the trifling annoyance from his mind.  He had far more important matters to command his attention.  Not the least of which was putting an end to his delicate dance with Miss Juliet Lawrence.  He had struggled to be patient, but he would not tolerate having her in danger.  And he most certainly would not tolerate her taking a lover.  He would kill any man who dared to touch her. " Tonight, however, you will prepare chambers for Miss Lawrence and rid the lair of any undesirable guests before I return." 

There was a brief flicker of surprise before Uriel managed to smooth his expression. 

"Yes, master." 

Victor headed across the room, pausing at the doorway. " Ah, and I will need the services of a chef." 

"I . . ."  Uriel blinked, then gave a hasty nod of his head. " Certainly." 

Stepping into the antechamber, Victor pulled a satin cloak over his formal evening attire and glanced toward Madame Andreas, a lushly curved female who hovered with the rest of the humans. 

With a tiny cry of pleasure, the blonde rushed forward, sinking into a deep curtsy that called attention to pearly mounds of breasts that overflowed the velvet gown. 

"Francine." 

"My lord?"  she breathed. 

"Hawthorne will be returning to his home within the next few hours.  I want you to be waiting for him." 

"Do you have any specific instructions?" 

"Ensure that he remains unaware that Miss Lawrence is not in her bed.  The more hours you can keep him distracted, the better." 

She daringly lifted her gaze, regarding him with a stark sexual hunger. 

"A foolish waste of my talents.  Send one of your other females to Hawthorne and I will make you forget the dowdy Miss Lawrence." 

Victor's expression hardened with unmistakable warning. " Do not speak her name." 

"What is so bloody special about her?"  the woman demanded with a petulant jealousy. 

"She is mine." 
Chapter Three

Juliet was well aware of the dangers of traveling through London in the middle of the night. 

Oh, not the usual dangers. 

Any criminal or drunken lout who thought she was easy prey would soon discover the error of their ways, but there were predators that hunted the streets far more lethal than the human variety. 

Mages, fey, demons . . . 

All of whom could destroy her with embarrassing ease. 

Which was why she had brought along her mother's amulet, which allowed her to focus the small amount of magic she possessed.  In addition, she had grabbed a well-worn crystal that glowed with a soft power.  It was the only possession she had from her father and it stirred her imp blood. 

The objects would not save her from a full-blooded demon who wanted her dead, but they offered some protection. 

Leaving behind the elegant neighborhoods, Juliet silently moved through the shadows, headed toward the cramped, narrow Rosemary Lane and onto Pennington Street, which eventually spilled onto the docks. 

Once among the warren of warehouses and quays, Juliet halted, not at all certain where to begin her search. 

Levet had said the docks, but they sprawled along the Thames from the medieval London docks to the East and West Indies docks that were still under construction.  They were also crowded with sailors and dockhands even at this hour. 

How the devil was she supposed to find a tiny gargoyle among the confusion? 

Rubbing her nose at the potent stench that clogged the air, Juliet was considering the nearest warehouse when her skin abruptly prickled with warning, a chill wrapping around her. 

A dark premonition crawled up her spine and with a gasp she whirled.  Her heart lodged in her throat at the sight of the Marquis DeRosa, his raven hair pulled back to reveal the stark beauty of his face and his eyes shimmering pure silver in the moonlight. 

"Now what, I wonder, would entice a young and innocent maiden to the docks at this hour?"  he mocked softly. 

She pressed a hand to her churning stomach, her brows drawing together in annoyance. 

"My lord." 

"Victor." 

"I wish you would not sneak up on me." 

The cape swirled around his powerful body as he stepped toward her, reaching out to cup her chin in his slender hand. 

"You should be thanking whatever god you pray to that I am the one sneaking up on you.  It is beyond foolish to be wandering the streets alone." 

With a shiver, she jerked from his touch. 

How could a touch so cold send streaks of fire through her body? 

"I am more likely to curse the evil spirit that crossed our paths.  What are you doing here?" 

"Attempting to keep you from an early grave." 

Her eyes widened. " Did you follow me?" 

His aquiline nose wrinkled in delicate distaste. " I can imagine no other reason to bring me to such a repugnant neighborhood." 

Her hands clenched at her sides at his blatant confession. " Why, you . . ." 

A raven brow flicked upward. " Yes?" 

"You have no right to spy on me.  I am not one of your concubines." 

The silver eyes flashed with a ruthless intent as he framed her face in his hands, his intoxicating scent filling her senses. 

"No, never my concubine," he agreed, lowering his head to stroke his lips down the curve of her cheek, halting to nuzzle the corner of her mouth. 

"Halt that," she breathed, desperately attempting to fight the acute pleasure of his touch. 

God Almighty, she craved this vampire.  She logically comprehended that the beautiful demon would be a lethal addiction for any female stupid enough to fall victim to his seduction.  Still, her body ached to be in his arms, the feel of his fangs feeding greedily at her neck as he plunged deep inside her. 

Which was far more terrifying than any hidden dangers that lurked among the docks. 

Closing her eyes, she poured her thoughts into the amulet hung about her neck, feeling its heat prickle over her skin until Victor abruptly jerked his hands away. 

He narrowed his eyes, astonishingly appearing more aroused than offended by her little parlor trick. 

"Ah, you enjoy playing rough, little one?" 

"I simply want you to go away." 

"Juliet, be assured that hell will freeze over before I allow you to remain here alone," he said, the cold power of his voice sending the rats scurrying in fear and making the humans glance over their shoulders in unease.  They would have no notion of why they were suddenly fidgety, only that they wished they were at a nearby pub. " Tell me why you are roaming these docks." 

Her jaw tightened, but she was not entirely stupid.  Beneath Victor's polished charm was a dangerous edge that warned he would not leave until he was satisfied. 

"I am searching for a friend." 

"Friend?  Or lover?"  he silkily demanded. 

She blinked in shock at the abrupt question. " That is none of your concern." 

"Do not pretend ignorance.  You have known from our first encounter that I would not tolerate another man in your bed." 

Her heart slammed against her ribs, her mouth dry. " You truly are an arrogant ass." 

"Tell me."  He grasped her shoulders, his eyes glittering with a fierce emotion. " Are you here to meet a lover?" 

"No."  Grimly she forced herself to meet his stark, possessive gaze, her chin tilting. " If you must know, I am searching for Levet." 

"Levet?" 

"The gargoyle.  He is in trouble." 

His fingers eased their grip on her shoulders, but his expression remained hard with warning in the wash of moonlight. 

"Bloody hell.  You risked your life for a deformed gargoyle who is not even worthy of being a part of his Guild?" 

She stiffened. " There happen to be many of us who are unworthy to belong to a Guild or a clan or a coven, my lord.  That does not mean we cannot possess friends who care for us." 

"Juliet—"

Victor's words were brought to a sharp halt as a distinct sizzle flared through the air and then, without warning, Juliet felt herself being hauled to the ground.  Victor covered her with his body just as a strike of lightning hit a building on the other side of the quay. 

She heard the sound of distant shouts of alarm as humans rushed away from the unexpected shower of brick and glass, but with fluid speed, Victor was on his feet and scooping Juliet in his arms as he headed into the nearest warehouse. 

There was the overwhelming stench of damp wool and smoke from the oil lanterns as Victor flowed past the stacked crates to the back of the long room, his movements silent and swift.  Halting next to the heavy wooden doors, Victor set her gently on her feet and scanned their surroundings for potential threats. 

"Is it pixies?"  Juliet demanded, tugging down her loose shirt.  Thank God she had possessed the sense to trade her corset and skirts for more suitable garments. 

Victor tossed aside his cloak and removed his elegant jacket and waistcoat, carelessly dropping the expensive, but restrictive, clothing on the filthy floor. 

"Why would you suspect pixies?"  he demanded. 

"Levet claimed that they attract lightning." 

"It is true a nest might occasionally draw upon the energy of a storm to enhance their magic, but they are not capable of creating lightning from a clear sky." 

Juliet grimaced.  Of course, it could not be a nest of harmless pixies. 

"Then what creature is capable?" 

"A mage."  He sent a questioning glance in her direction. " Or witch." 

She paused, then gave a decisive shake of her head. " No.  There have been no spells cast.  At least none in this neighborhood." 

"No magical objects?" 

"Nothing with the power to—"

Again they were interrupted by that peculiar prickling in the air followed by a violent shake of the warehouse, as if the lightning had struck the slate roof. 

Yanking her against his hard body, Victor wrapped his arms around her, his frigid energy pulsing through the warehouse. 

"Damn.  We must get out of here." 

"I'm not leaving until I have found Levet." 

He pulled back to glare at her in disbelief. " Do not be a fool.  Whatever is creating such a violent disturbance in nature is beyond our ability to defeat." 

"I am not asking for your assistance."  She ignored the daunting implication that whatever was creating the lightning was more powerful than a vampire clan chief. " Indeed, I prefer to continue my search without your interference." 

"Juliet, you can come with me willingly or I will take you by force.  In either case, you will not be allowed to endanger yourself." 

Jerking out of his arms, she glared at him with an unmistakable threat. 

"Marquis DeRosa, if you attempt to force me to leave, I will never forgive you." 

His brows snapped together at her mulish determination, and for a moment Juliet sensed he was poised to ignore her warning.  Victor was a vampire accustomed to being in command.  He gave an order and it was obeyed, without question and with a nauseating amount of groveling.  His instinct would be to toss her over his shoulder and to hell with her own wishes. 

But, even as Juliet was preparing for a futile battle to keep from being hauled away from the docks, Victor muttered a curse in a language that was long dead and, closing his eyes, tilted back his head. 

"What are you doing?"  she demanded suspiciously. 

"Attempting to sense the gargoyle." 

"Is he near?" 

"Impossible to say." 

"Impossible or inconvenient?" 

"Both."  Lifting his ridiculously lush fringe of lashes, the vampire stabbed her with an admonishing glare. " And before you condemn me to the netherworld, you are sensible enough to realize that there are hundreds of scents, most of them excessively unpleasant, that mask any particular trail."  He paused, an unmistakable tension etched on his beautiful face. " Besides, there is a strange energy that is interfering with my senses." 

Juliet studied the empty warehouse. " It cannot be a spell." 

"No, it is the natural magic of a demon, but I cannot tell you the species.  I only know that it is strong and very aggressive." 

Perfect.  Juliet unconsciously wrapped her arms around her waist. 

"How can you know it is aggressive?" 

"The hostility fills the air."  The cold fingers lightly touched her cheek as Victor regarded her with a brooding frustration. " Juliet, this is no game.  We have to leave." 

With exquisite timing, another explosion rocked the warehouse, unexpectedly buckling the stone floor to reveal a gaping chasm. 

A scream was wrenched from Juliet's throat as the earth crumbled beneath her feet, and with a sickening sense of helplessness she plunged into the darkness below. 

* * *

Victor cursed as he grabbed for Juliet, only to have her snatched from his grasp as the floor collapsed. 

He didn't hesitate. 

For perhaps the first time in his very long existence, Victor leapt without considering the consequences, without seeking the potential dangers, his savage need to protect the vulnerable female simply overcoming his instinctive sense of self-preservation. 

Astonishing. 

Landing lightly on the balls of his feet, Victor moved silently to where Juliet sprawled on the packed-earth floor, her hand lifting to rub the back of her head. 

"Ow."  She struggled to sit upright. " Where are we?" 

He crouched next to her, his hunter senses capable of determining that she had a small cut on the back of her head and a few bruises, but that she was essentially unharmed. 

His fangs lengthened, aching with hunger at the intoxicating scent of warm peaches and blood that abruptly swirled around him.  Damn.  With an effort, he thrust aside his potent reaction, instead concentrating on their surroundings. 

The small cavern appeared to be connected to a series of tunnels that ran beneath the docks, the smooth walls and carved ceiling proving they were not natural, nor the work of mere humans. 

"I assume we have intruded into the lair of some demon." 

"Lovely."  With an effort, Juliet rose to her feet, glancing up at the opening far above them. " How are we—"

Her words ended in a small squeak as he shifted with blinding speed to stand directly behind her, one hand clamped across her mouth and his arm wrapping around her waist to tug her against his chest.  Bending his head, he placed his mouth next to her ear. 

"Ssh." 

He felt her stiffen as she became aware of the ominous foreboding that drenched the air above them. 

"What is it?" 

Her words were muffled and so low that only a vampire's heightened hearing could have heard them. 

"Death," he whispered. 

"I am desperately hoping that is a metaphor." 

"Only if we are fortunate enough to avoid being caught." 

Keeping his arm wrapped around her tiny waist, he lifted her off the ground and began backing toward the nearby tunnel, calling upon his powers to cloak them in shadows.  It would not entirely disguise their scents, but it would hopefully mute them enough to avoid attracting unwanted attention. 

Silently he moved away from the cavern, edging deeper into darkness until he at last halted where the tunnel split in two directions.  He gently set Juliet back on her feet, but he kept his arm firmly around her, absurdly needing the tangible comfort of knowing she was unharmed. 

Glancing over her shoulder, Juliet tilted her chin, refusing to reveal the fear he could feel trembling through her body.  His lips twisted as he ruefully admitted that he admired her courage, even as it threatened to drive him insane.  After all, if she were a bit more timid they might even now be at his lair, spending the evening in a far more satisfying manner. 

Wickedly, intimately satisfying. 

"What are we doing?"  she demanded. 

"Waiting and hoping the creature passes on without noticing our trail." 

She nodded her head, then her brows tugged together as she noticed the thick scents that wafted from the far tunnel. 

"Good lord, it smells of . . ." 

"Humans." 

"Terror," she softly corrected him. 

His hand cupped her chin as he studied her delicate face. " And what would you know of such a thing, little one?" 

"When I was young my parents and I were traveling through Africa.  One night we entered a town where a slaver's ship was berthed."  She shivered. " I will never forget the stench of desperation.  It spread through the streets and tainted everything in its path." 

"Your parents permitted you to be near such evil?" 

"Actually, my mother used me to sneak aboard the ship and release the shackles that held the humans captive while she cast a spell that made the slavers believe they were being chased by hungry lions."  A small smile of remembered satisfaction curved her lips. " The last we heard, they ran straight into a tribal village that happened to take a very dim view of their townsfolk being sold like cattle." 

A cold fury clenched his stomach at the mere thought of what might have happened to her. 

"Your mother sent you alone to release brutalized slaves?" 

"She trusted that I was capable of performing an important task as well as teaching me to care for others," she snapped, the raw wound of her parents' death suddenly visible in her eyes. " Something I have forgotten far too often since . . ." 

His fingers softened their grip to trail over her cheek, oddly feeling her pain as if it were his own. 

"How did you become Hawthorne's apprentice?" 

"After my parents were murdered, I was determined to remain on my own."  A tremor shook her body. " It did not take long before I learned that humans are not the only creatures capable of great evil." 

"You were hurt?" 

Her eyes clouded before she hastily lowered her lashes, as if she could hide her emotions from him. 

"I was captured by trolls and sold to the highest bidder." 

Victor made no effort to contain the eruption of frigid power that filled the tunnels. 

"Their names." 

She regarded him warily. " I beg your pardon?" 

"Give me the names of the trolls." 

"They did not bother to share their private information and it no longer matters."  She gave a restless shrug. " I was fortunate that Lord Hawthorne was at the auction and purchased me." 

"Hardly fortunate," he bit out. " The bastard has taken advantage of you and your talents for decades." 

"We both know how much worse it could have been." 

His jaw clenched.  He wanted to deny the truth of her words.  He detested the overly conceited bastard, and not just because he was a mage. 

The man stood as a protector to this woman. 

A position that belonged solely to Victor. 

"Very well.  I will concede there are worse fates than to be apprenticed to Hawthorne, but why do you continue to remain with him?"  he growled. " The debt must be paid by now." 

"I have nowhere else to go." 

A dangerous emotion jolted through his heart at her soft words, his arm tightening in an unconsciously possessive motion. 

"You are mistaken, little one.  Your place is with me." 

A bleak smile curved her lips. " And once you weary of me in your bed, my lord?  Would I become a tasty meal for your clan?" 

Unthinkable. 

He growled low in his throat, knowing he would readily kill any of his brothers who tried to touch her. 

"Perhaps I will never weary of you." 

"I am no gullible mortal.  A vampire's hunger is as varied as it is insatiable until he has mated." 

His lips twisted in a humorless smile. " That is the common assumption." 

"Ah, no doubt you are about to convince me that you are different from every other vampire?" 

"But of course I am.  I expected that went without mentioning." 

"Arrogant—"

Victor swooped down to claim her lips in a kiss of naked, unrelenting need. 

"My hunger remains insatiable, but it is no longer varied," he confessed. " I desire no woman but you." 

"For the moment." 

He pulled back to capture her wary gaze. " Since I first caught sight of you." 

"Are you implying . . . ?"  She sharply shook her head. " No, it is impossible." 

"I can be deceitful when the occasion demands, but I will never lie to you, little one," he swore. " That you can depend on." 
Chapter Four

Juliet's heart forgot to beat as she gazed into the silver eyes, mesmerized by the promise that shimmered in the beautiful depths. 

Was it possible? 

Could he truly have forsaken women since meeting her? 

And if he had, why would he? 

He had to have a potent reason to deny himself.  It was, after all, unheard of for a vampire to go even a few nights without sating his sexual appetite. 

So why . . . 

It was the yearning ache deep inside her that abruptly shocked her out of her inane thoughts. 

Good Lord, she had known for two years that she lusted after Victor.  Hardly a shocking realization.  What female in London did not desire the handsome beast? 

But to long for something he could never, ever offer her was utter madness. 

"This is hardly the time or place for such a discussion," she forced herself to say, spinning out of his hold and heading toward the far tunnel before he could guess her intent. 

"Juliet.  Damn."  There was a stir of cold air before Victor was grasping her arm to bring her to an abrupt halt. " Where do you think you are going?" 

"To see if we can help the humans."  She squared her shoulders. " And then to find Levet." 

"Do not be a fool." 

"Fine.  You remain here.  I will go." 

"Absolutely not." 

She steadily met his smoldering silver gaze. " We have already been through this, my lord.  You are not my keeper.  In truth, you have no right to tell me what I can or cannot do." 

His jaw tightened with frustration. " You have always possessed an independent spirit, but you have never willfully courted danger.  Why are you being so stubborn?" 

Her gaze dropped to where his slender fingers wrapped around her wrist, genuinely considering his question. 

"Because I am weary of allowing my fears to isolate me from the world," she at last confessed. 

"You are hardly isolated." 

"Perhaps not physically, but I have avoided becoming emotionally involved."  Her voice was soft, edged with regret. " I told myself that it would be illogical to become attached to others when I would eventually be forced to leave them behind.  Spending time with Levet has made me realize I was simply being a coward." 

He gave a short, humorless laugh. " You have readily defied the most dangerous demon in the entire British Empire.  You consider that the behavior of a coward?" 

"More like the behavior of a lunatic," she muttered, lifting her head to meet his glare. " But I was referring to my habit of avoiding relationships out of a fainthearted fear of experiencing the same pain I endured when I lost my parents.  It has kept me in a prison of my own making." 

"I would be the first to applaud your desire to share your life, so long as it is with me, but what does this newfound need have to do with recklessly endangering yourself?" 

She shrugged, ignoring his frigid displeasure.  Stupid, of course.  Only a fool would willingly cross swords with a vampire. 

But over the past months she had been plagued with a growing restless need to break free of the fear that had held her captive for far too long. 

"Truly being a part of the world means taking risks, as my mother taught me.  Whether it is with your heart or with your life."  She sent him a challenging frown. " Do not try to convince me that you would not do whatever was necessary to rescue a vampire who had been kidnapped." 

"It is my duty as clan chief." 

"Well, this is my duty as a . . ." 

"Yes?" 

She yanked her arm from his grasp. " As a mongrel, I suppose." 

His brows snapped together at her brittle tone, but before he could continue his lecture, she was moving down the tunnel, refusing to halt until she reached the heavy metal door that blocked the passage. 

She pressed a hand to the wall of the tunnel, knowing better than to actually touch the door until she was certain there were no nasty surprises.  Her brow pleated with concentration.  Unlike full-blooded demons, she did not possess finely tuned senses that allowed her to easily determine every nuance of her surroundings. 

Which only meant she had to work harder, she grimly told herself. 

Ignoring the annoyed vampire hovering protectively at her shoulder, Juliet pushed out with her senses, nearly going to her knees at the staggering odor of unwashed bodies and barely leashed panic. 

Her every instinct urged her to turn around and flee, just as it had all those years ago when she had been in the bowels of the slave ship.  Hardly unexpected.  No creature with the least amount of sense would be eager to confront whatever was behind the door. 

But now, as then, she called on the thought of her parents.  Her fierce, fearless mother who defied her own coven to be with the imp she loved.  Her impulsive, charming father with his ready laugh and open delight in his only child. 

They believed in her, never allowing her to accept she was less because she was a mere mongrel. 

Tonight she would make them proud. 

"There are more than just humans," she muttered. 

"Sprites," Victor determined with annoying ease. " A few nymphs." 

"Gargoyle?" 

"Not mixed among the others." 

She snapped her gaze to his wary face. " But Levet is here?" 

His lips thinned; he was no doubt regretting his promise he would never lie to her. 

"Yes." 

Relief surged through her. " Thank God." 

"No god would be so cruel," he drawled. 

She ignored Victor's callous indifference toward her friend.  Vampires considered any demon not a vampire as a lesser demon.  Even werewolves. 

"First we must release the captives," she decided. 

Victor scowled. " Juliet, you do realize this might very well be a trap?" 

"Do you sense—"

"I do not need to sense danger to know it is there." 

"I am doing this with or without you, Victor." 

The silver eyes flashed with mocking amusement. " Ah, when you have need of me I am Victor, eh, little one?" 

She clenched her teeth, belatedly realizing she had indeed allowed his name to slip out.  It was a luxury she never indulged in.  Not when she needed the formality to remind herself that Victor was a forbidden temptation.  Just as she pretended she did not notice the manner in which his silk shirt clung to the chiseled muscles of his chest, or how precisely his pantaloons outlined the hard lines of his legs . . . 

"I have several other names if you prefer," she muttered. 

With an impatient sound, Victor captured her face in his hands and leaned down to steal a kiss that jolted through her with stunning force. 

"Let us be done with this," he rasped against her mouth. " I have a far better means to spend the evening." 

She shivered, the image of the delicious vampire sprawled on satin sheets, his fangs latched onto the vulnerable throat of a woman, searing through her mind. 

"I can imagine." 

He pulled back, a wicked smile curving his lips at the thickness of her voice. 

"Soon you will not have to imagine," he promised. 

Annoyed with the indecent ease with which he could make her heart pound and her body ache, Juliet turned her attention to the heavy door blocking their path. 

"Magic?"  Victor softly demanded. 

She held out a hand, lightly touching the dull metal of the door handle, stiffening when the door slid open with shocking ease. 

"There are no hexes or curses." 

"No silver," Victor deduced.  Like most demons, vampires were lethally allergic to silver. " A spell?" 

Juliet shook her head, ignoring the urge to gag at the putrid scent of unwashed bodies and human waste as she stepped to peer into the gloom of the cavern. 

She expected the dozen or so people huddled against the far wall, and even their deplorable state of misery.  Whether human or demon, being held as a prisoner was a ghastly fate. 

No, but what did surprise her was the realization that none of them were bound in any way. 

No cages, no shackles, no magic. 

She turned to stab Victor with a puzzled frown. " What is keeping them in there?" 

"Pure fear."  His expression hardened. " There is nothing to be done, little one.  So long as the prisoners are held captive by their terror, then nothing will induce them to leave." 

"Could you glamour them?" 

"I am powerful, but there is no vampire who could glamour so many at once." 

She gnawed her bottom lip, considering their limited options. 

"Then we must discover something that will convince them that it is more dangerous to remain than to flee." 

His brows arched at her odd request. " I do not believe you would appreciate my means of convincing them just how dangerous I can be." 

"No, I did not mean you," she hastily said, appalled at the mere thought of the poor creatures being tormented by a rampaging vampire. " I know a spell, but I have not attempted to use it for years." 

The silver eyes flickered with a wary surprise. " I did not know you could perform magic." 

She reached into her pocket to pull out her mother's amulet, ruefully wishing she possessed the sort of power that would frighten a vampire.  Then perhaps she would have the courage to accept Victor as her lover. 

"I have no talent for true magic, but I can perform a few small illusions." 

"I do not like this." 

She heaved an exaggerated sigh. " Is there anything you do like?" 

His gaze flared over her with a blatant hunger. " You." 

Good . . .  Lord. 

Juliet hurriedly bent down, using her finger to draw a circle in the dirt, and at the same time hiding the heat staining her cheeks. 

"Stand back and do not break the circle." 

Closing her eyes, Juliet rubbed her fingers over the amulet, using her mother's lingering powers to bolster her own as she filled her mind with the image of a Saulgon demon in full bloodlust.  The actual demon had been extinct from this world for centuries, but the sight of the hulking creature with its gray, rotting flesh and double row of razor-sharp fangs was enough to break the nerve of the most courageous warrior. 

At the same moment, she conjured the sensation of choking terror that had assailed her in the outer chamber. 

Whispering the words of power, she sent the illusion spreading outward, touching the minds of the captives. 

Engrossed with her spell, Juliet failed to notice the startled cries, and even the sudden pounding of footsteps.  It was not until Victor snatched her into his arms and pressed her painfully against the wall of the tunnel that she realized she had very nearly been trampled by the fleeing prisoners. 

"Damn," Victor snarled, keeping her wrapped tightly in his arms even after the last of the terrified humans had disappeared down the tunnel. 

"It worked," she breathed, astonishment blending with relief as she sensed the prisoners continuing their frantic flight through the tunnels. 

"Too bloody well," Victor growled next to her ear. 

"What do you mean?" 

"The escaping prisoners have attracted precisely the attention we hoped to avoid." 

Shaking off the fog of her spell, Juliet stiffened as a violent wave of fury pulsed through the tunnel.  Dear God.  Something was charging toward them.  And she did not have to be a full-blooded demon to know it intended harm. 

Profound, agonizing harm. 

The thought had barely flared through her mind when Victor scooped her off her feet and was bolting across the cavern to a narrow tunnel that Juliet hadn't noticed until that moment. 

"Victor," she breathed, fear crawling over her skin. 

"Just hold on, little one." 

She did.  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she unashamedly clung to him, knowing that without Victor she would still be stumbling across the cavern.  Few things could match a vampire for speed. 

Well, few things except for the creature chasing them, she realized with a stab of regret. 

No matter how swiftly Victor sped through the tunnels, or how often he darted into side corridors, the menacing pursuer continued to grow closer. 

"We will never be able to outrun it," she at last muttered. 

"I fear you are right."  Coming to a grudging halt, Victor placed her on her feet, his beautiful features grim. " It appears we must fight." 

Juliet gave a sharp shake of her head. " No." 

"No?" 

"This is not your battle," she said, unconsciously pressing her hands to his chest. " You can escape.  I will distract—"

He muttered an incoherent curse before grabbing her face and kissing her with a combination of frustration and yearning need. 

"I will not leave you," he husked against her mouth. " I will never leave you." 

"Victor—"

With a firm motion he thrust her back and turned to place himself between her and the approaching danger. 

"Stay behind me." 

She smacked him in the middle of the back, as aggravated with herself as with the stubborn vampire. 

It was not that she regretted her decision to rescue Levet.  Even if it meant facing her own death.  She was done with hiding from the world.  But she had not considered the unfortunate consequence that her decision would endanger Victor. 

But then, why would she? 

She had always known the Marquis DeRosa desired her in his bed, but it had never occurred to her that he would involve himself in her mad quest.  He had not survived for so long by being reckless. 

Now the thought that he might be hurt or even...

No, she could not even bear to imagine such a cruel fate. 

"Damn you." 

"I was damned many centuries ago," he assured her smoothly. " Let us hope it is enough to convince the Jinn to seek easier prey." 

Juliet sucked in a startled breath, instantly distracted by his words. 

"Jinn?  Are you certain?" 

"Regrettably." 

"I thought they were a myth." 

He shrugged, still turned to face the oncoming danger. 

"The Commission has sought to keep them from mingling among the humans," he said, referring to the ruling council among the demon world. " But they occasionally flout the restrictions placed upon them and create chaos among the masses.  Which explains why the wood sprites have gone into hiding." 

Juliet unconsciously clutched her mother's amulet, a sensation of dread creeping down her spine. 

"Lovely.  How do we defeat it?" 

"We don't," he managed to mutter before a dark shape abruptly lunged from the shadows. 

Even though she was prepared, a scream was wrenched from Juliet's throat as the creature launched itself forward.  Although it had taken the form of a human there was nothing reassuring about the beast.  In fact, there was something highly unnerving about the delicately carved features and thick mane of golden blond hair that gave the Jinn its luminous beauty, when combined with the malignant lust for pain glowing in the large, lavender eyes. 

Venomous beauty. 

Clutching her mother's amulet in her hand, Juliet futilely wracked her brain for a spell.  Not that she possessed the power to actually harm the Jinn, but she might be able to distract him long enough—

There was an unholy roar and Victor launched forward, his fangs fully extended and his frigid power blasting through the air. 

Juliet instinctively stumbled backward, wise enough to give the two ferocious predators plenty of space.  It was a common tragedy for harmless humans or lesser demons to be crushed when caught between more powerful species.  Besides, she needed room to draw her circle if she was struck by a sudden inspiration. 

A possibility that was increasingly unlikely as Victor and the Jinn collided with terrifying force. 

In fascinated horror, she watched the massive battle, realizing that there was no means of casting a spell without risking Victor. 

Her stomach clenched as the two warriors savagely fought, Victor's fangs ripping deep gouges in the Jinn's perfect skin as he shoved it against the wall.  In return the Jinn filled the air with staccato jolts of energy that brought down showers of jagged stones smashing onto Victor's head. 

Juliet bit her lip as she caught the exotic scent of Victor's blood.  As a vampire he could not bleed to death, but the loss of blood would quickly drain his strength. 

Victor again slammed the beast against the wall, his fangs striking over and over with sickening force.  The Jinn, however, appeared indifferent to his vicious injuries.  No, it was more than indifference. 

The violet eyes sparkled with an unmistakable pleasure, as if the nasty creature relished the pain.  Or perhaps he simply enjoyed the battle. 

In either case, Juliet sensed that the Jinn was merely toying with Victor, and that when he wearied of the game, something very bad was going to occur. 

For both of them. 

On the edge of panic, Juliet absurdly found herself searching her pockets, as if she might discover a hidden weapon.  It was hardly shocking that she found nothing more than a bit of lint and the small crystal from her father.  She had come to the docks to rescue Levet, not to wage war against a mythical demon. 

Juliet cursed in frustration, gripping the crystal tightly in her palm. 

She needed—

She gave a jump of surprise as the crystal abruptly flared with heat, almost as if it were feeding off her terrified emotions. 

With a frown she opened her hand, realizing that the soft glow that always surrounded the crystal when she held it was decidedly brighter, the pulsing center seeming to echo her heartbeat. 

For years she had attempted to call on the gifts of her imp blood with little more to show for her efforts than minor hexes and lingering headaches.  Now she could actually feel the tingles of power darting through her body. 

She stilled in shock.  Was it truly possible? 

Before she could consider whether it was all nothing more than a fluke, she heard a low rumbling from the Jinn. 

Good lord, was that . . .  laughter? 

A sickening horror filled her as a familiar sensation of prickling electricity swirled through the air.  She had suspected that bad things would happen when the bastard grew tired of playing.  Now her fears were about to be confirmed beyond her wildest nightmare. 

Instinctively she charged forward, but it was already too late. 

With a massive shove, the Jinn freed himself from Victor's grasp and tossed the vampire against the far wall.  Stunned by the brutal impact, Victor crumpled to the ground, his pale face marred with blood and his arm hanging at an odd angle.  Without giving Victor the opportunity to recover, the Jinn raised his hand and a sizzling bolt of lightning erupted from the tip of his finger. 

Juliet was blinded by the violent burst of light, her ears ringing as the solid rock wall shattered.  She cried out as she dropped beside Victor's unmoving form, leaning over to wrap her arms around him in a protective motion. 

"Victor . . ."  she breathed, cruel pain wrenching her heart as she held him close, planting frantic kisses over his pale, beautiful face. " Please . . ." 

She tasted his blood on her lips and felt the dampness of her tears falling down her cheeks, but her thoughts were consumed by the sense of the Jinn moving ever closer. 

Did he intend to kill them both with his undoubted command of the elements? 

Or was he plotting something even more hideous? 

Squeezing shut her eyes, Juliet refused to accept failure.  If she could not defeat the Jinn, then she must find the means to escape with Victor. 

An easy enough task had she been a full-blooded imp. 

Imps with any talent were capable of producing portals that could move them from place to place in the blink of an eye.  Her father had been particularly skilled with such magic. 

But, of course, Juliet had never managed more than a weak gateway that collapsed the moment she attempted to enter it.  And even that had left her exhausted for days. 

Tonight, however, she did not allow herself to recall her innumerable failures. 

Instead, she poured her thoughts and energy into the crystal still clutched in her hand, along with her mother's amulet.  If she'd ever needed her parents' assistance, this was it. 

Burying her face in the rich satin of Victor's hair, she willed the portal to form around them, sending up a silent prayer she did not kill them both. 

* * *

Victor could feel Juliet wrap herself around him, obviously attempting to protect him from the advancing Jinn.  With an ancient curse, he struggled to regain command of his battered body to push her aside. 

By the gods, he would not allow Juliet to be harmed. 

Not even if it meant—

His uncharacteristic flare of heroism was rudely interrupted as Juliet tightened her arms around him and the entire world shifted beneath him. 

As a vampire, Victor was incapable of sensing magic, but he could not fail to notice the tunnel melting away to utter blackness before he landed with jarring force on a damp cobblestone street with the night breeze blowing in his face. 

Briefly disconcerted, he held himself perfectly still, absorbing the realization that he was lying flat on his back in the middle of London with Juliet sprawled on top of him. 

He rolled to one side, carefully cradling the tiny, unconscious woman in his arms as he scanned the area around them. 

Bloody hell. 

Juliet must have created a portal to rescue the both of them from certain death, but at what cost? 

The stench filling the air warned him that they were still dangerously near the docks, but thankfully there was no scent of the Jinn.  Nor any other predators besides those who owed their loyalty to him. 

Sensing one of his servants hurrying in their direction, Victor grimly rose to his feet, holding Juliet against his chest.  An unfamiliar torment twisted his dead heart as he noted her unnatural pallor and the pain that tightened her features even in her deep state of slumber. 

She had come perilously close to draining herself beyond the point of no return. 

Too damnably close. 

"Johan," he called softly, knowing the young vampire would hear him despite being several blocks away. " Find a carriage." 

"Yes, master." 

There was a short delay, then the sound of horseshoes striking against cobblestones broke the thick silence.  Victor watched the elegant black carriage turn the corner and come to a halt in front of him. 

Leaping from the driver's bench, the massive vampire was forced to calm the nervous horse before moving to offer Victor a deep bow. 

"Master."  Although attired in rough wool clothing with his blond hair pulled into a simple braid, there was no masking the brewing danger that shrouded Johan.  He was a warrior poised to kill.  Straightening, the younger vampire narrowed his gaze as he took in Victor's slowly healing wounds and the unconscious female draped across his arms. " You must feed, my lord.  Shall I find a host?" 

"Later."  Victor easily dismissed his need for blood.  At the moment his only thought was to get Juliet to the safety of his lair. " Return us to my estate." 

"At once." 

With a blur of motion, Johan pulled open the carriage door, waiting for Victor to settle on the leather cushion before slamming the door shut and returning to his seat atop the carriage.  Then with a mental command he had the horse racing through the narrow streets with a reckless indifference to the occasional vehicles or even pedestrians that crossed their path. 

Within a half hour they were wheeling up the long drive to his isolated mansion.  As they pulled up to the wide veranda, Victor did not wait for the carriage to come to a halt, simply opening the door and leaping onto the flagstone courtyard.  With the same impatience, he charged up the stairs, fully prepared for a uniformed servant to tug open the wide double doors. 

"Uriel," he called, crossing the marble foyer and heading toward the private rooms at the back of the mansion. 

With commendable speed the angelic vampire appeared at Victor's side, his brows arching as he caught sight of Juliet in his arms. 

"Do you wish me to call for a human healer?" 

Pausing before the door at the end of the corridor, Victor released a trickle of power to open the heavy locks.  No one, not even his servants, was allowed in his personal lair without his permission. 

"Not yet." 

He glanced down at Juliet, a frustrated fury racing through him at the tumble of fiery curls that were in such contrast to her ashen face and the bruises already visible beneath her closed eyes.  She looked like a crushed flower, he painfully acknowledged before viciously pushing the thought away. 

No.  She was merely exhausted.  He would accept nothing else. 

"You have food prepared?"  he growled. 

"Yes, the"—Uriel stumbled over the unfamiliar word.  It had been several centuries since the vampire had eaten solid food—"chef was most uncooperative, complaining at being taken from his bed and then insisting the markets were closed and he could not discover the necessary ingredients to prepare a meal." 

"I assume you managed to convince him to comply with your request?" 

"Certainly.  He promised a seven-course meal would be awaiting your approval." 

"Ensure he keeps it warm until Juliet recovers." 

Uriel gave a dip of the head. " The guests have been removed from the property and the upper chambers have been prepared for the female." 

Victor's arms tightened. " The female will remain with me." 

A rare shock rippled over Uriel's face. " But . . ." 

"You have something to say, Uriel?" 

"It will soon be dawn." 

"I am well aware of the time." 

Uriel's gaze shifted to the woman in his arms. " Then you are taking the woman to your lair?  Your private lair?" 

Victor's lips twisted; he did not entirely blame his young servant.  He had never, in all his countless years, allowed a female to enter his lair. 

"Your swift grasp of the situation is what I have always admired most about you, Uriel," he said dryly, stepping into the small, conspicuously plain room. " Be certain we are not disturbed." 

Expecting his command to be obeyed, Victor slammed shut the door and crossed the floor to pull the lever hidden behind a particularly ugly oil portrait.  Silently the paneling slid aside to reveal stone steps that led to the deep chambers beneath. 

Passing through several more heavy doors, Victor at last reached his private resting place, crossing the barren room to lay Juliet on his bed. 

On the point of covering her with a thick fur blanket to ward off the chill of being so deeply underground, Victor slowly froze, dumbfounded by the sensations that were quietly settling in the center of his heart.  Sensations that he had barely noticed in his frantic haste to get Juliet to safety. 

Now he couldn't deny the shocking truth. 

He could actually feel Juliet. 

Not just as a vampire conscious of another creature in his lair.  Or with the awareness of a man near a beautiful woman. 

But deep inside him. 

Barely aware he was moving, Victor leaned down and with a jerk he had ripped open the sleeve of her loose linen smock. 

"Bloody hell." 

Victor allowed his gaze to study the intricate crimson tattoo that was forming beneath the inner skin of Juliet's forearm.  A tattoo that was unmistakably the mark of his bonding. 

He was mated. 

To Juliet. 

Irrevocably and eternally. 
Chapter Five

Juliet opened her eyes.  It was odd.  One moment she had been deeply asleep, and the next she was wide awake, her heart pounding with fear. 

With a small gasp she abruptly sat upright, anxiously glancing about the unfamiliar surroundings.  She was not reassured by the stone walls that were covered by ancient tapestries or the heavy wooden furnishings that spoke of a splendid but barbaric past.  Only the vast fireplace that was blazing with cheerful flames offered a hint of welcome. 

"Victor?"  she breathed. 

There was a cool rush of air, then Victor was at her side, his raven hair left loose to frame his pale, perfect face and his muscular body covered by a brocade robe. 

Juliet shivered, a strange yearning stirring in the pit of her stomach.  Stripped of his elegant attire that added a layer of civilization, the vampire was savagely, irresistibly handsome. 

"I am here."  Settling next to her on the wide bed, Victor held out a crystal glass. " Mulled wine, little one?" 

"Thank you."  She was relieved to discover her hand did not shake as she reached to take the goblet and sipped the warm wine.  It was perfect.  Spiced just as she liked it, with only the faintest hint of cinnamon.  She cleared her throat. " Where are we?" 

"My private lair."  A smile curved his lips, but his eyes were watchful, predatory. " Dinner will be served whenever you wish." 

Juliet blinked in surprise.  Not only at the notion that Victor would consider she would be hungry when she awoke, but that he would bring her to his lair. 

It was . . .  inconceivable. 

And strangely exciting. 

She licked her dry lips, her heart leaping as his gaze dropped to watch the nervous gesture. 

"How long have I been asleep?" 

"Several hours."  His brows drew together in a sudden frown. " You risked far too much by creating a portal.  You might have killed yourself by calling on so much power with no training." 

She drank her wine, ruefully accepting she was a fool if she'd expected gratitude for saving this vampire's life. 

"It was not as if there was a lot of choice," she muttered. 

He looked as if he intended to continue his lecture on her foolishness, only to give a faint shake of his head.  No doubt accepting that she was beyond his ability to train. 

"We will discuss this newfound desire to play with fire later."  He reached to gently tuck a stray curl behind her ear, his slender fingers lingering to brush her cheek, his cool touch sending sparks of heated awareness through her blood. " There are more important matters we must address." 

Feeling as if her mouth were suddenly as dry as the Sahara, Juliet took a large gulp of the wine, indifferent to the dangers of drinking on an empty stomach.  Perhaps if her head was a bit fuzzy then she would not be so acutely aware that she was completely alone with Victor . . .  in his lair . . .  on his bed....

"Of course," she managed to mutter. " We must consider what is to be done with the Jinn." 

Easily sensing the rapid beat of her heart and the rush of her blood, Victor settled closer on the bed, his hand reaching to tug aside the heavy fur cover. 

"Later." 

"But Levet . . ." 

"It is still daylight.  The gargoyle will be in statue form for at least another three hours.  There is no means to rescue him until he awakens." 

Victor reached to pluck the empty glass from her fingers, leaning across her to set it on a low mahogany chest. 

"Are you not going to have any wine?"  she inanely demanded, shivering as he deliberately brushed against her body. 

"Not tonight, I think.  I prefer that my senses not be dulled when I am in your company.  Your mere presence is quite intoxicating enough."  His voice was husky with a thickening accent; the scent of sandalwood filled the air. " Have you fully recovered?" 

"Yes, of course," she said, even as she wondered if she were speaking the entire truth.  It would be convenient to blame her giddy excitement on the events of the day, but she was not completely naive. " In fact, I should be returning home." 

He laughed softly.  Just a breath of sound but it flowed through her body, as potent as the mulled wine. 

"You are home, little one." 

Home. 

With Victor. 

Her heart clenched with a dangerous longing. 

"Ridiculous," she whispered. 

The smoldering silver gaze lowered to her unsteady lips. " It is perhaps lacking a feminine touch, but I assure you that it will be refurbished to suit your pleasure.  Whatever you desire shall be yours." 

It was a flamboyant promise but oddly she did not doubt him. " My lord . . ." 

"What is it?" 

Juliet spoke the confusion that had besieged her since the moment she had awoken. 

"I did not think a vampire would allow others to enter his private lair." 

He stilled, as if considering how best to answer her.  Juliet watched in fascination as the firelight danced over his perfect features, adding a hint of mystery.  Suddenly she possessed the most desperate urge to shove her fingers into the rich curtain of his raven hair and tug him down so she could drown in his kisses. 

"A vampire will share his lair with one other," he said, at last breaking the silence. " His mate." 

She abruptly tensed. " Mate?" 

He moved to take her arm, laying it across his lap.  Then, with a deliberate motion, he pushed aside the torn sleeve to reveal the crimson tattoo that shimmered beneath her skin. 

"Mate." 

Juliet forgot how to breathe as she stared at the unmistakable marking. 

For two years she had struggled to keep Victor at a safe distance.  She had sworn to herself that she would never become a mindless toy for the vampire. 

But over the past hours she had been forced to admit that she had been far from successful in keeping the beautiful demon out of her heart.  Why else would she have preferred to die than to watch Victor harmed? 

But to become his mate.  Good Lord. 

"How did . . ."  She lifted her head to meet Victor's unwavering gaze. " How is this possible?  I thought that you must exchange blood to complete the bond." 

He shrugged. " You must have taken some of my blood during our journey through the portal." 

A heat stained her cheeks as Juliet belatedly recalled her frantic kisses over his bloody face. 

"And now we are mated?" 

"Not . . .  precisely." 

She frowned in confusion. " I do not understand." 

"I am mated to you, but until you are prepared to accept the bond and offer your blood, it remains incomplete." 

"So."  She took a moment to consider the implications, a rather wicked smile slowly curving her lips. " You are bound to me, but I am at liberty to find another?" 

"You are mine."  He leaned forward, the silver eyes shimmering with a dangerous purpose as she hastily pressed back against the pillows.  He stretched his long length beside her, remaining raised on his elbow to study her pale face. " I was a fool not to have recognized the truth the moment I met you.  There has never been another female who has fascinated me as you have.  Even when you are at your most infuriating I still crave to be in your presence." 

A shudder of anticipation wracked her body even as she narrowed her eyes. 

"I am infuriating?" 

"Admit it, little one.  You do love to challenge me." 

"Only because you are so insufferably arrogant, my lord—"

"Victor," he interrupted, his fingers running through her curls and spreading them across the pillows. " I want to hear my name upon your lips." 

A delicious heat curled through the pit of her stomach, sending tiny tremors through her body.  For once, however, Juliet made no effort to deny her scorching reaction to Victor's touch. 

She was done fighting a battle she could not win. 

"Victor.  It suits you." 

His hand moved to cup her cheek, his touch flowing through her until her toes curled in response. 

"Just as Juliet suits you," he husked, his fingers drifting down the length of her throat. " You intrigued me from the moment I first caught sight of you.  The candlelight shimmering like fire off your magnificent hair.  Your features as pure as those of an angel.  The elegance of your every movement.  It stirred a hunger in me that haunts me no matter where I go." 

Some deep part of her whispered that she should be frightened as his fingers briefly lingered upon the pulse at the base of her throat before gliding along the opening of her smock. 

Not that he would physically harm her.  That had never been her fear.  And, of course, now he was bonded to her.  A vampire would destroy the world to protect his mate. 

No, he would not injure her, but she was not so foolish as to believe that she could give herself to Victor without consequences. 

Fright, however, was the last thing Juliet was feeling as his fingers brushed over the curve of her bare breast.  She arched upward as a jolt of pleasure burst through her. 

"Victor." 

"Look at me, little one," he whispered. 

Allowing herself to become lost in the silver gaze, she made no demur as he tugged the smock over her head and tossed it aside.  The remainder of her clothing swiftly followed until she was lying naked on the satin sheets. 

The world had somehow slipped away.  There was nothing but the dark eyes and the slender fingers that tenderly explored her body as if he were memorizing every angle and curve of her. 

"This is madness," Juliet whispered. 

The faintest smile curled the corner of his mouth. " This is fate." 

"Fate?" 

"Destiny."  His head lowered, his lips brushing her mouth as he spoke. " I have waited an eternity to find you.  I will never harm you." 

Of their own will her hands lifted to grasp his shoulders.  The brocade was smooth and delicious to the touch and she found her fingers stroking down the wide width of his back. 

A low sigh hissed through his lips.  His kiss became more demanding, his tongue dipping into her mouth with a sweep of wetness.  At the same moment his hand cupped her breast and his thumb rubbed over the tight peak. 

Juliet bucked against him as the shock of sensations jolted through her. 

"Oh." 

He pulled back enough that she could see herself reflected in his shimmering silver eyes.  Or at least someone who looked vaguely like her. 

Her curls were tumbled like a river of fire onto the pillows, her face flushed with pleasure, and her parted lips still damp from his kiss. 

She looked like a decadent sacrifice offered up for some sensual beast. 

"What has brought that frown to your beautiful brow?"  he whispered. 

Her attention returned to the man poised above her.  Good heavens, he was so beautiful.  Astonishingly beautiful.  Unable to resist temptation, her fingers lifted to plunge into the heavy thickness of his hair. 

Ah . . .  yes.  It was just as soft and silky as she had imagined. 

"I have wanted you from the moment I saw you in the ballroom," she confessed in soft tones. " But that does not mean I intend to complete the mating bond." 

His chuckle slithered down her spine. " You are my mate.  You hold my heart and soul.  We are one, whether you are too stubborn to admit the truth or not." 

Holding her gaze, he pulled the brocade robe from his body.  Her eyes widened at the sight of the hard, chiseled muscles that rippled beneath the ivory skin that was tattooed with a beautiful dragon.  His shoulders were broad, his chest so pale and smooth the nipples appeared startlingly dark in contrast.  Her gaze refused to lower beyond the contoured ripple of his stomach.  Her body already felt as if it were burning from within. 

Holding her gaze, he slid slowly downward.  The rub of his skin against hers made her breath catch painfully in her throat. 

His lips touched her collarbone, tracing the delicate line with the tip of his tongue before slowly traveling down the curve of her breast.  Juliet shifted restlessly beneath the teasing mouth.  Good Lord, nothing had ever felt so wondrous. 

"You are so warm," he whispered against her skin, turning his head just enough to capture the tip of her nipple between his lips. 

"Blessed Mother." 

She arched off the bed and her hands slid to frame his face in silent encouragement.  Whatever she had thought she knew of passion had never included the tender caresses that were sending a storm of sensations lashing through her body. 

With obvious expertise he used his tongue and even his teeth to torment her nipple to a hard peak.  Her eyes squeezed shut as she groaned low in her throat.  He turned his attention to her other breast, his hands sliding down the curve of her waist. 

Juliet was lost in the tide of building sensations when his arms encircled her and without warning he had rolled onto his back.  In one powerful motion she discovered herself perched on top of his hard frame.  Her eyes widened as she regarded the fiercely handsome countenance. 

"Victor?" 

"Do not fear," he murmured as his hands smoothed down the curve of her back. 

"What are you doing?" 

His lips twitched in soft amusement. " If you have not noticed, I am a rather large vampire, while you, my beloved, are delectably tiny." 

She smiled wryly. " Even if I had not noticed our size differences, your habit of calling me 'little one' would have given me a hint." 

His expression settled in oddly somber lines even as his hands continued to send shocks of pleasure through her body. 

"I have never made a secret of how desperately I want you, Juliet," he said, his voice husky with need. " But what happens, or does not happen, in this bed will be decided by you." 

An unexpected thrill of power raced through her as she gazed down at the compelling man beneath her.  She better than anyone understood the effort it took Victor to relinquish control.  He was an ancient demon who had gained his position by brutal force. 

Such a gesture revealed not only that he truly understood her freshly discovered need to take command of her life, but also a trust that was nothing less than astonishing. 

Quite willing to prove her gratitude, Juliet leaned downward, outlining his sensuous lips with the tip of her tongue. 

"Does this please you?"  She nibbled a path down his clenched jaw and then the strong column of his neck, savoring his intoxicating taste. 

He growled, his mouth parting to reveal his fully extended fangs, and a cool surge of power washed over her. 

"You please me." 

She slowly retraced her path, a heat pooling in the pit of her stomach. 

"Are you certain?"  she husked. " I fear I am not overly experienced in such matters." 

"Allow me to show you." 

Grasping her face in his hands, he lifted himself upward, capturing her mouth in a kiss of stark hunger.  Juliet shivered with pleasure, her mouth parting to allow his tongue to tangle with hers. 

Sinking into the bliss of his devouring kiss, she stroked restless hands over the satin smoothness of his chest.  A delicious excitement swirled through her body as she felt the hard thrust of his arousal pressing against her lower stomach. 

As if sensing the growing urgency of her desire, Victor pulled back, his body mesmerizing in the soft glow of the fire. 

"Juliet, I need you," he said. " I need to be inside you." 

His voice flowed over her skin like honey, flooding her body with liquid heat and making her fingers dig into the hard muscles of his chest with a flare of aching desire. 

"Yes," she breathed, shuddering as his hands drifted over the curve of her hips. 

With infinite care he explored the length of her thighs and then, with a small tug, he parted her legs until they fell on either side of his body.  Juliet muttered her approval against his lips, but even prepared she gave a strangled cry when his clever fingers stroked through her damp heat. 

"Sssh," he soothed softly. " Soon we shall be one.  One soul.  One flesh." 

His low words seemed to echo deep inside her, but she ignored the dangerous warmth that settled in the center of her heart.  Instead she concentrated on his finger that teased the tiny pulse of her pleasure. 

"Not soon . . .  now," she muttered. 

His low growl filled the air, his erection pressing eagerly against her damp heat. 

"You are certain?" 

Certain?  Her nails dug into his chest until she drew blood.  She had never been more certain of anything in her entire life. 

"Please, Victor." 

"Yes." 

Victor's hands were pressing at her lower back as his hips lifted and he was entering her in one sure stroke. 

Her breath caught, but not from pain. 

Searing pleasure rushed through her and she pressed her face onto his chest.  She could feel him stroke into her before pulling out and returning with a slow, relentless pressure. 

"Dear Lord." 

"Mate," he whispered as his hips lifted over and over. " My mate." 

"I did not know anything could feel so . . ." 

"How does it feel, sweet Juliet?" 

"Wondrous," she breathed, her body moving in perfect rhythm with his. 

His soft chuckle filled the air with a thick satisfaction. 

"You are mine," he vowed. " Mine for eternity." 

She moaned as her body began to tighten with a shimmering anticipation.  His steady, relentless pace was building a fire deep within her that threatened to burst out of control. 

"My mate," he breathed, lifting his head to nuzzle at her neck. 

His slight shift was enough to press him even deeper within her and with a force that caught her off guard the tension that coiled between her legs abruptly burst into a thousand pieces. 

She cried out and squeezed shut her eyes, struggling not to swoon beneath the tide of sensations.  It was overwhelming.  A joy that edged perilously close to pain. 

"Victor?" 

With a moan, he laid his head on the pillows.  For a moment she simply gazed into the handsome countenance, telling herself that what had just occurred was no more than incredible sex.  Victor had, after all, near a thousand years and countless women to perfect his expertise, but something deep in her heart refused to accept the lie. 

Staring into the silver eyes she knew she was bound closer to him than any other person in the entire world. 

They were one. 

One soul. 

One flesh. 

Mates. 
Chapter Six

Seated across the table from his mate, Victor ruefully accepted that any hope that Juliet would be more compliant now that she was his lover was doomed to abysmal failure.  Polishing off the last of the roasted duck, potatoes stewed in a delicate mushroom sauce, and freshly baked bread, Juliet sat back in her chair and offered him a stubborn glare. 

"You can roar and bellow all you wish.  I am not going to change my mind." 

With an effort, Victor attempted to ignore the captivating sight of Juliet wearing nothing more than his brocade robe, her mane of fiery curls spilling down her back and her ivory features tinted with a delicate flush. 

Not that he was particularly successful. 

There would never be a moment that he would not desire his mate. 

Even when she infuriated him. 

"I do not comprehend why you must be so unreasonable." 

"Me?"  She arched a brow. " It was your decision to go on the hunt for the Jinn." 

"Because he cannot be permitted to linger in London.  Not only do his powers attract the attention of the humans, but his mere presence is a threat to my position among the demons." 

She appeared remarkably unimpressed with his logic. 

"So you are allowed to risk your life to remain clan chief, but I am forbidden from rescuing a friend from potential death?" 

He paused, his vast experience with women warning him this was a trap with no escape. 

"I would not use the word 'forbidden.' " 

"Then what word would you use?" 

"Strongly discouraged," he suggested. 

She snorted. " I do not consider a threat to tie me to the bed as strong discouragement." 

He growled, his fangs fully extended and aching with a hunger that would never be sated. 

"Me either," he husked, leaving his chair and rounding the table with a slow smile of anticipation. " I consider that an invitation to paradise." 

Juliet hastily rose to her feet, her expression stern although she could not disguise the heat simmering in her beautiful eyes as her gaze skimmed down his body, covered in nothing more than a loose pair of satin pants he had brought from his recent journey to China. 

"Victor, you are not going to distract me." 

Easily scooping her off her feet, Victor headed directly for the nearby bed, tumbling them both onto the silken sheets.  With a swift roll he managed to end up on top. 

"I will admit that was my original intent," he murmured, burying his face in the curve of her neck. " But I believe I have been hoisted on my own petard.  You are delectable." 

Her arms circled his neck, her body instinctively arching beneath him. 

"Victor." 

The intoxicating scent of peaches filled his senses. " Hmmm?" 

"This changes nothing," she muttered. " I am going with you to the docks." 

Victor pulled back at her stubborn insistence, an unfamiliar pang twisting his gut. 

"Why does this Levet mean so much to you?" 

She blinked. " Are you . . .  jealous?" 

"Of a stunted, outcast gargoyle?  Do not be absurd." 

The emerald eyes narrowed. " Victor?" 

"You belong here with me," he said before he could halt the revealing words. " Not with Hawthorne and that creature." 

She studied him with an all too knowing gaze. " You believe if I rescue Levet I will return to Justin?" 

Victor shied from the mere notion he was jealous of the mage, or the deformed gargoyle.  He was a powerful vampire.  A clan chief.  The most honored creature in all the demon world. 

"No, I believe it is a fool's errand and I will not let you deliberately put yourself in danger." 

She smiled, not fooled for a moment. 

"Justin has no claim on my affections," she assured him softly, her fingers threading through his hair. " He offered me protection and that is all I ever desired from him." 

He studied her pale face, searching for . . .  what? 

Reassurance? 

"You care for him?"  he gritted. 

"No." 

"Then why do you remain with him?" 

Her fingers continued to stroke through his hair, no doubt sensing his unnerving vulnerability.  Perhaps in a century or two he would be accustomed to his overwhelming need for this woman, but for tonight he was still raw from the aching desire to complete the bonding. 

"Our arrangement was mutually beneficial.  My talents offered Justin the means to acquire his magical collection and I was given a roof over my head and security from all but the most persistent demons." 

"I can offer you greater protection," he said, infuriated at the mere thought of Juliet depending on another man. " Nothing would be allowed to harm you while you are in my care." 

She smiled wryly. " That I have never doubted." 

"Then why do you hesitate?" 

She shrugged, the movement causing the robe to gape, offering a tantalizing glimpse of her naked breasts.  Victor swallowed a groan, his body fully aroused. 

"At first I feared becoming another willing victim that you used and then tossed aside." 

"And now?" 

She met his gaze squarely. " Now I fear becoming your puppet." 

Victor clenched his jaw, offended by her words despite the numerous women who had drifted in and out of his life.  They had been mere dalliances. 

Or dinner. 

Juliet was the other half of his soul. 

"Even if I wished such a ridiculous thing, I am not capable of enthralling you," he informed her, his voice edged with a distinct chill. 

She gave a sharp tug on his hair, a rueful amusement shimmering in her emerald eyes. 

"No, but you are capable of insisting upon others obeying your every command." 

A portion of his pique was eased at her obvious teasing. " That is only because I know what is best for my people." 

"And your mate?" 

"Of course." 

She rolled her eyes. " There, you have proven my point." 

Victor shifted so he could cup her face in his hand, knowing that while his instinct would be to protect his mate, he would have to learn not to ride roughshod over her. 

"Juliet, if you wish me to admit that I am an overbearing brute who is accustomed to being obeyed, I will do so," he said, giving a wry shake of his head. " I have been a clan chief for a number of centuries, while being a mate is all rather new." 

She stilled, studying his face with wide eyes. " What are you saying?" 

"That your happiness is more important than my need to control you." 

"Then you will allow me to make my own decisions?  Even if you do not agree with them?"  She narrowed her eyes as he hesitated. " Victor?" 

With a grim determination, Victor thrust aside centuries of absolute authority.  To be mated meant compromise.  Even if that compromise threatened to drive him to utter madness. 

"Yes, but I hold the right to attempt to change your mind." 

Knowing just how difficult his concession had been, Juliet readily smiled, her hands drifting down his bare back in a sweet promise. 

"Agreed." 

Shivering in ready response, he brushed his lips over the soft skin of her temple, sensing the rapid beat of her pulse.  The hunger to taste her blood was near unbearable, but he ignored his ravaging thirst. 

"I have conceded to your demands, little one.  Now it is your turn." 

"Does this compromise include removing my robe?"  she husked. 

He chuckled. " It is my robe, although what is mine is now yours, and it most certainly is going to be removed." 

She allowed her nails to scrape lightly over his skin, the sensation sending pleasure jolting through him. 

"So confident, my lord?" 

He pressed a hard, hungry kiss on her lips before pulling back to regard her with a brooding gaze. 

"Desperate.  But that is not the compromise I speak of." 

"Then what do you desire of me?" 

"I want you to leave Hawthorne," he said, his voice revealing he was unwilling to bargain on this point. " Your place is in this lair with me." 

"But our bonding is not yet complete," she said softly. " Would that not mean we were living in sin?" 

He frowned at her foolish words.  The connection between them was sacred. 

"You are my mate." 

"But you are not yet my mate." 

A bleak, ruthless pain spread through his body.  He had rarely given thought to taking a mate.  Most vampires never encountered the one destined to make them whole.  But on the few occasions he had considered the possibility, he had never envisioned binding himself to a woman who did not desire him in return. 

"I see." 

She bit her lower lip at his frigid tone, her expression rueful. 

"I do not think that you do, Victor, and it's no wonder.  I am making a complete muddle of this." 

"Of your wish to return to Hawthorne?" 

"Of my very awkward proposal." 

"Proposal?" 

She licked her lips, the nervous gesture astonishingly charming. 

"Victor, would you be my mate?" 

A wary hope replaced the icy chill of rejection, although he was careful to hide it behind a scowl.  He might be mated, but that did not mean he had lost all pride. 

"Juliet?" 

Her breath caught, a hint of distress marring her beautiful face. " What?  Did I do something wrong?  Are women not allowed to—"

He captured her lips in a kiss of urgent longing, allowing her to feel just how desperately he wanted to complete their bonding. 

"You are certain?"  he muttered between frenzied kisses. " The mating is irrevocable." 

Her hands moved in a restless path up and down his back, each caress sending sizzling sparks of heat through his body. 

"This mating has been irrevocable from the beginning," she muttered. 

"Thank the gods."  Kissing a path along her jaw, he paused to revel in the poignant scent of peaches and willing woman. " I did not believe you would ever come to your senses." 

She chuckled. " There are many who would claim I have lost them completely." 

He pulled back, his fangs throbbing in protest.  This was too important a moment to rush. 

"And what of you, little one?" 

"Me?" 

"Does the thought of becoming my mate please you?" 

Her expression was somber as she framed his face in her hands. " Victor, since my parents' death I have sought a place to call home." 

He frowned at the tender ache he could feel blooming in the center of her heart.  It bothered him that he was helpless to protect her from the wounds of the past. 

"You have never revealed how your parents were killed," he said gently. 

She winced, but she did not pull away.  A victory, considering Juliet had never before trusted him enough to share her secrets. 

"My father was considered beautiful, even among the fey," she said, her voice so low even his acute hearing struggled to catch the words. 

His gaze skimmed over her delicate features, lingering on the wide emerald eyes that spoke of her fey blood. 

"That I well believe." 

A tremor shook her slender body, her nails unconsciously digging into his back.  It was a pain Victor welcomed, wishing he could take away her wounds. 

"Unfortunately, he attracted the attention of Morgana le Fey." 

Victor was startled by the mention of the queen.  It had been centuries since she had retreated behind her protective mists. 

"I did not know she ever left Avalon." 

"It was rumored she was hunting for some mystical weapon that is destined to kill her."  The emerald eyes flashed with a long-brewing hatred. " Instead she found my father." 

"And desired to take him as her lover." 

"Yes." 

Victor had heard rumors of the queen's insatiable lust for beautiful men, as well as her habit of treating them like pretty baubles that were inevitably destroyed when she grew bored. 

Juliet's father had been destined for death from the moment he had caught the eye of the fickle Morgana le Fey. 

"I presume your father declined her royal invitation?" 

"He was not foolish enough to publicly reject her, but he attempted to flee with my mother and myself." 

"Morgana was no doubt displeased." 

"She commanded that we be hunted down and slaughtered." 

Victor flinched as his bond with Juliet allowed him to feel the savage intensity of her loss. 

"They died to protect you." 

"Yes."  Her gaze lowered, as if she could hide the tears that filled her eyes. " They died and I was alone." 

"Never again," Victor swore, cupping her chin and lifting her face until he could capture her bruised gaze. " I will be at your side for all eternity." 

Her hands swept up his back, the shadows lingering in her eyes. 

"Victor." 

"Yes, my love?" 

"I want you to be my mate." 

A fierce surge of savage hunger combined with pure joy in a potent explosion that left Victor reeling from the impact.  Suddenly he felt as uncertain and awkward as a newly turned fledgling. 

"Now?"  he husked. 

A smile of pure invitation curved her lips. " Now." 

"Bloody hell." 

Any hope of a slow, dignified mating that would reveal to Juliet just how much she meant to him was lost as he muttered a curse and swept her heavy curtain of hair to one side, exposing the vulnerable curve of her neck. 

He had an eternity to prove just how much he adored her. 

For now, he was desperate to make this woman his. 

His lover, his partner, his mate. 

With one smooth strike his fangs slid easily through her skin, the taste of her blood hitting his tongue with staggering force. 

It was perfect. 

She was perfect. 

Juliet moaned as he fed from her throat, her hands impatiently lowering to tug at his pants, her body arching in silent need.  A need that Victor was quite eager to sate. 

Reaching down, he ripped off the pants with one vicious jerk and tugged open her robe until there was nothing left between them.  They were skin to skin, her delectable heat wrapping around him. 

Allowing himself one precious moment to savor the anticipation, Victor chuckled softly as Juliet wrapped her legs around his hips with obvious impatience. 

"Victor . . .  please." 

Victor reluctantly tugged his fangs from her neck, using his tongue to close the bleeding wounds.  He could not afford to be greedy.  Not when Juliet was determined to rescue the ridiculous gargoyle.  Any loss of blood might weaken her. 

Besides, there was more than one means of being a part of her. 

"Yes, little one," he husked, settling between her spread legs and entering her with a slow, steady thrust. 

Closing his eyes in pure bliss, Victor sent up a prayer of thanks to whatever god had seen fit to bless him with this beautiful, magnificent woman. 
Chapter Seven

After a hot bath, Juliet pulled on a clean smock and pants that Victor had borrowed from the son of one of his vast stable of human servants.  Like all vampires, he considered any sort of manual labor as being beneath him. 

Unfortunately, he also possessed the vampire habit of forbidding any mirrors to be brought into their lair. 

Brushing out her tangled curls, she awkwardly pulled her hair into a braid and tied it off with a thin strip of leather.  No doubt she could have requested Victor to assist her, but she sensed that such an intimate act would soon have led them to the wide bed just behind her. 

It was not that she wasn't eager to feel Victor's arms around her.  Or to experience the intoxicating pleasure of having him feed from her vein.  Good Lord, if she had a choice she would keep the delectable vampire in this private lair for the next century. 

Unfortunately, the same bonds that allowed her to sense Victor's unwavering love and commitment for her also revealed his heavy sense of duty. 

He was clan chief.  And that meant ridding London of the Jinn before the powerful demon could bring harm to Victor's vampires. 

"Juliet." 

The sound of Levet's voice whispering through her head had Juliet on her feet, her heart slamming against her ribs in startled surprise. 

"Levet," she breathed, ignoring his rude intrusion as a wave of relief rushed through her. " Oh, thank God.  I have been so worried." 

"Indeed?"  the gargoyle said peevishly. " If you were so excessively worried then why have you not yet rescued me?" 

"You might have mentioned that your captor is a full-blooded Jinn," she snapped, stung by his unfair accusation. 

"Ah . . .  well, I . . ."  He coughed in embarrassment. " Does it truly matter?" 

"Does it matter?  I very nearly was skewered by a bolt of lightning.  If it had not been for Victor I would not have survived to rescue you." 

"Sacre bleu.  Why would you tell the bloodsucker that I was captured?"  Levet demanded in a horrified voice. 

"It was not as if I had a choice.  He followed me to the docks." 

"That is no excuse for revealing my very private business.  I thought our trust was sacred." 

"Do you wish to be rescued or not, Levet?" 

"Oui, but I do not desire to be made the source of mockery throughout London." 

Juliet thrust aside her annoyance, reminding herself that the tiny gargoyle was inordinately sensitive when it came to his manly reputation. 

"I can promise you that Victor will tell no one you were captured by the Jinn," she soothed. 

There was a moment of startled silence. " Since when do you speak for the vampires, ma belle?"  Levet at last demanded. 

"Just be patient.  I am coming for you," she said, in no mood to endure her friend's outrage when he discovered her recent mating. 

Levet detested vampires. 

"Please hurry," he said, then without warning his scream of pain echoed through Juliet's mind. 

"Levet?"  She grasped her head, her ears ringing. " Levet?" 

"That bastard just destroyed my wing," Levet panted, clearly in considerable agony. " When I get free I am going to turn him into a pile of steaming fairy dung.  No . . .  wait.  Let us be reasonable—"

There was another scream and with an unpleasant wrench the sensation of the gargoyle was abruptly gone from her mind. 

"Levet?" 

She was distracted as the door to the lair was shoved open with enough force to make it snap off the heavy iron hinges, revealing Victor with his eyes glowing and his fangs fully extended. 

"What has happened?"  he growled. " I felt your distress." 

Juliet shivered, caught between a terrified awe at Victor's power and a smug pleasure at the knowledge he would battle through the fires of hell to protect her. 

"Levet," she said, forced to halt and clear her throat. " We have to find him." 

Not surprisingly, Victor's brows snapped together at the mention of the gargoyle. 

"I should have known the ridiculous creature would be troubling you the moment the sun set." 

"He has been hurt." 

He planted his fists on his hips, the long caped coat doing little to disguise the various swords and daggers strapped to his lean body.  With his hair pulled back to reveal the elegant beauty of his pale face and the lethal shimmer in the silver eyes, he appeared to be an ancient god come to earth. 

"I do not care." 

She lifted a warning brow. " Victor." 

His jaw tightened, but with a muttered curse he turned to lead her down a narrow corridor to a door hidden by a cleverly woven enchantment. 

"The carriage is waiting for us." 

Ignoring his cold disapproval, Juliet smiled wryly and followed him through the narrow tunnels that crisscrossed beneath the vast estate.  Despite their intense connection, they were both strong-willed individuals who were destined to quarrel on occasion.  And while she might not have much experience with being a mate, she did know that Victor's natural arrogance would overwhelm a woman who did not have a stiff backbone. 

"Good," she said. " I need to return to Justin's house before we go to the docks." 

"Why?" 

"Because there is an amulet that might be helpful to us." 

He turned into another tunnel, this one with a flight of stairs at the end. 

"What is its power?" 

"It is capable of absorbing our scent." 

He paused at the base of the stairs, glancing over his shoulder in puzzlement. 

"Forgive my ignorance, but how would that be helpful?" 

She shrugged. " It can be divided and left in several tunnels, ensuring our scents are in many places instead of just one." 

The silver eyes flashed in appreciation. " Clever." 

"We shall see."  She grimaced. " First I must find the means to take the amulet without alerting Justin.  It is one of his more valuable possessions." 

He turned to smoothly climb the carved stairs, pushing open the trapdoor at the top. 

"You have no need to fear Hawthorne." 

Juliet gritted her teeth as she hurried to catch up with her aggravating mate, not surprised when she stepped directly into the stables.  Vampires delighted in being able to travel from place to place without fear of sunlight. 

"Victor?" 

He inspected the sleek black carriage that was already attached to a pair of restless black steeds. 

"Yes, little one?" 

"You are feeling remarkably smug," she accused. " What have you done to Justin?" 

He turned to meet her frown, casually leaning against the back of the carriage. 

"Hawthorne arrived at the front door demanding to see you." 

She shook her head, not surprised by Justin's brazen stupidity.  Indeed, she had expected him to arrive hours ago.  Not out of any love for her, but out of sheer greed.  And, of course, a petty refusal to allow Victor to steal what he considered to be his personal property. 

"Is he . . ." 

"Dead?  No, but he was foolish enough to threaten Uriel with a nasty spell."  A cruel smile touched his lips. " My servant decided the intruder was in need of a lesson in manners." 

A chill inched down her spine. " I do not think I want to know." 

"He will survive."  With a sudden motion, Victor straightened and opened the door to the carriage. " Which is more than he deserves." 

Rolling her eyes, Juliet climbed into the carriage, waiting until Victor was settled at her side before offering her opinion on overly arrogant men. 

"I am not certain who are more annoying, vampires or mages." 

He flashed a smile that would have been a great deal more reassuring if it had not revealed his massive fangs. 

"You shall have an eternity to decide, my love." 

She settled back in the soft leather of the seat as she watched several vampires appear from the shadows, one climbing on the carriage to urge the horses into motion while the others ran silently at their side.  It would be a waste of breath to continue the argument.  Besides, Justin no doubt deserved a bit of punishment for being idiotic enough to enter a vampire's lair uninvited. 

Leaving the estate, the vampires once again disappeared, no doubt headed directly for the docks while the carriage turned toward Mayfair.  Their pace slowed as the streets became flooded with vehicles rushing from one glittering society event to another.  Juliet smiled as their frantic gaiety filled the night breeze with the sound of laughter, for once not feeling the least pang of envy. 

She at last had what she had always desired. 

A home with a man she loved beyond all reason. 

They halted just long enough for Juliet to dash into Justin's townhouse and retrieve the amulet she had discovered during their travels through Spain.  Then, returning to the carriage, she used the short time during the drive to the docks to activate the amulet with her and Victor's scents before splitting it into several small pieces and handing half of them to Victor to spread through the tunnels. 

All too soon they had reached the docks, and not giving herself the opportunity to consider just how insane it was to deliberately enter the lair of a Jinn, she shoved open the door and climbed out of the carriage. 

In the blink of an eye, Victor was standing in front of her, his expression somber as he wrapped his arms around her in a protective motion. 

"Juliet." 

She tilted back her head to meet the fierce emotions smoldering in his silver eyes. 

"Must we repeat the same arguments yet again?"  she asked softly. 

"If you are harmed it will destroy me, little one." 

Her heart melted at the stark simplicity of his words.  Lifting her hand, she pressed her palm against the cool skin of his cheek. 

"I promise to take the greatest care." 

"You free the gargoyle and leave the docks.  Do you understand?" 

"Very well, but if you do not return to me—"

He bent down to cover her lips in an achingly sweet kiss. " I have sworn to be at your side for all eternity.  I love you, Juliet." 

With a last kiss, he was turning and disappearing with a speed her eyes could not follow. 

"I love you, Marquis DeRosa," she breathed before reluctantly making her own way to the nearby warehouse. 

With none of Victor's talent for tracking his prey, she was forced to retrace her path from last eve and simply hope she stumbled across Levet.  Not the best plan, but the only one she possessed. 

Entering the warehouse, she crossed to the gaping hole in the floor and lightly dropped to the cavern beneath.  Then, moving to the various openings that led to tunnels, she scattered the tiny pieces of the amulet before heading down the nearest passageway. 

Her heart was thundering in her chest and her palms were sweating, but she took pride in the realization that the stench of human fear that had been prevalent hours before was beginning to fade.  They had at least managed to save a number of prisoners. 

She bypassed the tunnel where they had battled the Jinn, shivering at the memory.  Victor had sensed Levet nearby....

Juliet abruptly paused, tilting back her head.  She might not possess Victor's vampire senses, but she was certain she could catch the faintest scent of gargoyle. 

Hoping that she was on the track of Levet and not some other gargoyle, Juliet squeezed through a narrow opening, banging her head on the low ceiling as she struggled to follow the scent.  Good Lord, another inch on her backside and she would never fit. 

Her hands were scratched and her clothing was ripped in several places by the time she managed to reach the end of the tunnel, but her heart gave a leap at the sight of the entrance carved into the stone wall. 

Bending low, she wiggled through the opening, cursing as she sacrificed several strands of hair and a small part of her scalp to a low-hanging rock.  But at last she was in a cavern large enough for her to stand upright and even to drag in a deep breath. 

Better yet, there was a tiny gargoyle only a few steps away, hung to the wall with silver manacles. 

With a muttered prayer of thanks, Juliet rushed to tug on the cuffs.  Her witch blood gave her immunity to the silver, while her imp blood gave her enough strength to loosen the metal and allow Levet to squirm free. 

"At last," the gargoyle muttered with a distinct lack of gratitude. " I thought you had decided to leave me to rot in this godforsaken cave." 

Juliet futilely tried to knock the dirt from her pants. " It is a notion with growing appeal.  Are you hurt?" 

"Of course I am hurt."  Levet turned, wiggling his one remaining gossamer wing. " Can you not see I am missing a wing?" 

She grimaced. " Are you able to walk on your own?" 

Levet sniffed. " Gargoyles are renowned for their ability to overcome pain and perform heroic feats that stun and amaze the demon world." 

"Yes, well, the only heroic feat I desire is getting out of here."  She shivered. " As swiftly as possible." 

"That is my specialty." 

Expecting Levet to leave the same way she had entered, Juliet frowned as the gargoyle instead crawled between two large boulders and disappeared from sight. 

With a shake of her head, Juliet bent downward, discovering a small tunnel. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Following the night." 

"But . . ." 

"Trust me." 

Condemning the cramped tunnels and annoying gargoyles to the netherworld, Juliet crawled through the small space.  Once she returned to Victor's lair, she intended to spend hours soaking in a hot bath. 

At last reaching a connecting tunnel, Juliet straightened to find Levet waiting with an impatient expression. 

"This way," he urged, waddling with surprising speed through the darkness. 

"You are certain?"  she demanded, only to sigh in resignation as he continued on without so much as a backward glance.  Following in his wake, she ruefully reminded herself that she had willingly chosen to rescue the aggravating gargoyle, even if at the moment she longed to give him a good shake. " You have not yet explained how you were captured by the Jinn." 

"He"—Levet halted to clear his throat—"caught me off guard." 

"Hmmm.  You are hiding something from me." 

He hunched his shoulders, refusing to turn as he doggedly continued down the tunnel. 

"It was not my fault." 

"What was not your fault?" 

"I thought there was a nest of pixies, so I decided to perform a bit of magic to impress them." 

"Oh, Lord," Juliet muttered.  She was familiar enough with Levet's dubious magic to presume that it had been nothing less than a disaster. " What happened?" 

Levet paused, then turned down a side tunnel, his tail twitching behind him. 

"There might have been the smallest of explosions." 

Juliet frowned.  Although she suspected that Levet's notion of a small explosion was a good deal more spectacular than her own, she knew there must be more to his tale than he was revealing. 

"Did you wound the Jinn?" 

"No, but a part of the tunnels were exposed." 

"And?" 

"And it happened to be the part where the Jinn had stored his treasure." 

"And?" 

Levet impatiently waved his stubby arms. " And I might have taken something he considered of value," he grudgingly admitted. 

Ah.  They at last were coming to the truth of the matter. 

"Then why do you not simply return it?" 

He turned into yet another tunnel. " I lost it trying to escape." 

Juliet's stomach clenched with dread.  She knew very little about the Jinn, but she did know a great deal about demons in general and there was not one species that did not consider the theft of its treasure a suitable reason to maim, torture, and kill. 

"Maybe we should hurry," she suggested. 

"My thoughts precisely," Levet agreed, his remaining wing fluttering and his tiny legs churning. 

They rushed through the darkness in silence, both acutely aware of the heavy sense of dread that was beginning to crawl through the air.  The Jinn was near. 

Too near. 

Intent on keeping pace with the gargoyle, Juliet nearly tumbled over the top of him when he came to an abrupt halt. 

"Mon Dieu.  I smell it." 

Juliet regained her balance and glared at her companion. " What is it?" 

"Continue north, ma belle.  There is an opening less than a mile away." 

"Levet?" 

She watched in disbelief as the miniature demon scrambled up the side of the wall, pushing his small body through a crack that hardly appeared large enough for a bat. 

Well. 

She did not expect Levet to grovel at her feet with gratitude at her heroic rescue, but to actually abandon her? 

She had thought they were friends. 

Thoroughly vexed by the unexpected betrayal, Juliet stomped down the tunnel, dangerously distracted by her flare of anger. 

Not that being on guard would have prevented the wall of the passageway from suddenly exploding inward as a body was thrown through it.  Or her scream of fear as she recognized her mate lying in a pool of blood at her feet. 

Falling to her knees, she reached to brush the raven hair from Victor's face, her heart contracting at the deep gash that marred the ivory skin of his forehead. 

"Victor?" 

His lashes slowly lifted to reveal remarkably clear silver eyes, his wounds already healing.  She shook her head.  Only a vampire could be shoved through four feet of pure rock and appear barely worse for the wear. 

"I thought I told you to rescue the gargoyle and leave," he growled, flowing to his feet. 

She straightened, glancing toward the gaping hole in the wall. " And I thought you intended to rid us of the Jinn." 

There was a cloud of foreboding, then the booming voice of the Jinn echoed through the tunnel. 

"Where is the gargoyle?" 

Victor stepped in front of her as the Jinn slammed his way through the wall, the air crackling with electricity. 

"If you have any other tricks, little one, now would be an appropriate moment to reveal them," Victor rasped, pulling a large sword from the scabbard on his hip. 

"What of your warriors?" 

"Dead or wounded." 

Shaking off the clinging dust, the Jinn pointed a finger directly at Juliet, his eyes glowing with an eerie light and his hair floating as if caught on a breeze. 

"Give me the gargoyle," he roared. 

Drowning in the potent presence of the Jinn, Juliet was caught off guard when Levet abruptly appeared on a rock above the Jinn's head, his expression smug. 

"I am here, you putrid saddlebag of rotting fungus," Levet taunted, holding up his hand to reveal a wooden box ornately decorated with gold and precious jewels, including a ruby the size of Juliet's fist. " And look what I discovered." 

Wondering if her friend had taken complete leave of his senses, Juliet shook her head. 

"What the devil is that?" 

Victor stiffened with a tension that Juliet did not need to be a mate to sense. 

"The Jinn's tiglia.  It holds his anchor to this realm.  Without it he will be forced to return to his own world," he whispered softly. 

The demon's power surged through the tunnel, making the earth shake and the air so thick it was nearly impossible to breathe. 

"Give that to me." 

Without warning, Levet launched the box over the head of the Jinn, directly at Juliet. 

"Catch." 

Too stunned to think clearly, Juliet snatched the box from the air, her heart nearly halting at the malevolent magic that slammed into her. 

Victor instinctively swept an arm around her, keeping her upright even as his wary gaze remained on the Jinn, who was already turning his fury toward Juliet. 

"Can you destroy it?"  he demanded. 

Juliet's first instinct was to deny the necessary skill for such a task.  After all, she had never been properly trained in magic.  How could she possibly destroy such a powerful object?  And in truth, she simply wanted to drop the vile thing and run as far away as possible.  The mere touch of it seemed to taint her. 

But, drawing on the bond with her powerful mate, she steadied her nerves and forced herself to actually study the box with her innate talent. 

The magic was unfamiliar, but she ignored the complex weave and instead concentrated on the odd tentacles she could sense flowing from the box to the demon.  It was almost as if the very essence of the Jinn was in the box while the physical body was allowed to move around the world. 

So what if she severed the connection? 

She sucked in a deep breath, lifting her head to meet Victor's steady gaze. 

"I will need time." 

His smile was filled with a savage determination. " I can give you that." 

With a growl that made the hairs on her nape rise, Victor launched himself at the Jinn, the sword in his hand a blur of silver as he attacked.  At the same moment, Levet jumped off the rock, directly onto the beast's head. 

Momentarily paralyzed, Juliet watched in horror as Victor ignored the massive blows from the Jinn, striking the demon with enough force to halt his desperate attempt to reach his tiglia.  She had never witnessed a battle between two such mighty foes.  It was . . .  terrifyingly beautiful. 

It was only when Levet sent a fireball over her head that she came to her senses. 

"Sacre bleu, Juliet, you must do something." 

Juliet shook her head in sharp self-disgust, turning her rattled attention to the box she held in her hands. 

She made no effort to destroy the actual tiglia.  Such magic was beyond her skill.  She doubted there was a witch in all of England who could perform such a spell.  Instead she studied the tentacles that floated toward the Jinn like the strands of a web. 

They were magical, but they did not draw their strength from the box or the demon.  Instead she could feel the steady pull from their surroundings.  The air.  The earth.  The water of the nearby river. 

It was no wonder the Jinn could control lightning and earthquakes. 

He was a creature of nature. 

"Little one, you must hurry," Victor rasped, the chill of his power making her shiver. 

"Do you think I am not trying?"  she gritted, keeping her attention on the tentacles as she summoned her mother's magic. 

She did not bother with a circle.  She was not attempting to cast a spell, but rather to destroy an existing power.  Ironically, it was a task that was easier for a half-breed than a full witch. 

Needing a tangible means to focus her vision, she jerked off her loose shirt and wrapped it around the box, at the same time imagining she was smothering the tentacles.  If they could not draw on the powers around them, they would die.  And with them, hopefully the connection to the Jinn. 

In the distance she could hear the sound of the vicious battle, smell the fresh blood spilling around her, feel the promise of death in the air, but she refused to be distracted.  Not even when the Jinn's roar of agony sent a shower of stones falling on her head. 

The end was close. 

She could feel it. 

Trembling from the effort of holding her vision in place, Juliet fell to her knees, her stomach heaving at the scent of burning flesh that suddenly filled the tunnel. 

She had to persevere . . .  she had to . . . 

"Juliet." 

Wearily lifting her head, she watched as Victor lunged toward her, abruptly covering her with his much heavier body.  It was not until the ceiling collapsed, however, that she realized the Jinn was now no more than a smoking pile of charred flesh and they were about to be buried alive. 

Not precisely the honeymoon she had been hoping for. 

One week later

Seated at the small table he had situated before the fire in his lair, Victor sipped his aged brandy and watched Juliet absently nibble a piece of marzipan candy. 

A frown touched his brow.  She looked delectable, of course.  Wearing an emerald satin nightgown that perfectly matched her eyes, and her fiery curls left loose to spill over her shoulders, she was the perfect image of Eve. 

Feminine temptation at its very best. 

But it was her obvious lack of hunger that caused a familiar stab of alarm to clench his heart. 

"Shall I have the chef replaced, my love?"  he demanded, his tone revealing he would happily go in search of a superior chef without hesitation. 

"Good Lord, no.  This food is heavenly."  Juliet dropped the candy on the tray as she regarded him with astonishment. " Why would you ask such a thing?" 

He waved a hand toward the table that was laden with lobster in butter, braised ham, creamed potatoes, steamed asparagus, and fresh pears from the hothouse. 

"You have not eaten more than a few bites." 

She gave a choked laugh. " Because I am still stuffed from the enormous meal you served when I first awoke.  Are you attempting to fatten me like a Christmas goose?" 

"You need food to regain your strength." 

Leaning forward, she offered a slow, wicked smile that sent a predictable flare of hunger blazing through him.  Juliet had only to be near for him to be hard and aching to be buried deep inside her heat. 

"I would say that I effectively proved that I have fully regained my strength," she husked. " Or have you so easily forgotten?" 

He reached to grasp her slender fingers, his gaze searing over her beautiful face. 

"I will never forget a moment of our time together." 

"Me either," she breathed, holding his gaze as she deliberately allowed him to sense her stirring arousal. 

Over the past days they had rarely left the lair as they gloried in the explosive passion between them.  Now he savored her ready response even as he glanced around the candlelit chamber, for the first time noting the hint of shabbiness. 

"We shall need a larger bed," he abruptly decided. 

"It seems just the perfect size to me," she murmured. " Besides, it is very old.  You must have owned it for centuries." 

He shrugged. " I have no sentimental attachment to the furnishings.  In truth, I prefer they be disposed of so you can choose what pleases you.  We can begin tonight if you are feeling strong enough." 

Hoping to please his mate, Victor was disappointed when she pulled her fingers from his grasp and studied him with a wary expression. 

"Victor, are you . . .  perfectly well?" 

"Why would I not be well?" 

She shook her head in bewilderment. " Since we defeated the Jinn you have hovered and fluttered about as if I were as fragile as Venice glass.  For God's sake, you even allowed Levet to visit when I said I wanted to see him." 

He shuddered at the hideous memory. " Do not remind me." 

"Is there something you are not telling me?"  Rising to her feet, she circled the table and settled her hands on his shoulders, covered by his brocade robe. " Did my spell to break the Jinn's connection to this world do something horrible to me?  Am I dying?" 

He surged to his feet, shocked by her question. " No.  You are perfect, Juliet." 

She tilted back her head to meet his narrowed gaze. " Then why are you behaving so oddly?" 

With a grimace he accepted there was nothing to do but confess the truth.  No matter how it might expose his vulnerable heart. 

"I want you to be pleased with me and with this lair," he confessed, his voice raw with need. " I want you to feel as if this is your home." 

Her eyes darkened with an unwavering love that instantly soothed his fears. 

"Victor, this lair is merely a place where we are currently residing."  She pressed a hand to his chest, a smile of satisfaction curving her lips. " My home is here . . .  in your heart.  And nothing, absolutely nothing, could please me more." 

With a smooth motion, he swept her off her feet, headed for their bed.  The cold emptiness that had claimed his soul centuries ago was melting beneath the tender heat of her gaze. 

"You will never leave me?" 

"I am yours, Marquis DeRosa," she promised, "until the end of time." 

He tightened his arms around her. " Until the end of time and beyond."