by Sharon Page
“Before he became a soldier. According to Frederica, he was madly in love with Lady Margaret Primworth, but she died, and he went off searching for battles.”
Heavens. That was why he had become a soldier. That was what he’d wanted to forget: losing the woman he loved.
Was that why he was willing to be destroyed now? Was he still in love with Lady Margaret? Jade had kept him from ever reuniting with his lost love, even in the afterlife, by giving him immortality.
* * *
Ravenhunt had been kept here as a prisoner. He had been forced to do this woman’s bidding. He had been forced to kill for her.
Ophelia’s heart clenched as she alighted from the carriage. They had stopped at the end of the street on which Queen Jade had her house. As they gathered in the shadows—Althea, Brookshire, de Wynter, her brother, and her—Ophelia peered down the block. The block consisted of a row of new townhomes. The fronts were of white stone, the windows clean, the railings freshly painted black.
Lord Brookshire, tall and blond, rested his crossbow on his broad shoulder. His black greatcoat snapped around his legs, lifted by the breeze. “This is how we will get into the house. Jade will have it heavily guarded and her servants will be both mortal and vampire. She no longer needs anything from you, Ophelia, which puts you in danger when you go in.”
Althea shook her head. Moonlight glinted on her large eyes. “I do not think that is true, my husband,” she whispered. “Why was Ravenhunt sent to take her power?”
“Jade wants it.”
“True,” Althea answered. “And she has forced Ravenhunt to return to her. I have conversed with Guidon, and he has explained the rules of this transfer of power. Ravenhunt needs love to survive when he gives the power to Jade. I think Jade was in love with Ravenhunt.”
Ophelia gasped, but it made sense. They had been lovers once. “You mean Jade wants him back. Could her love save him?”
“Not if he does not return it,” Althea said. “He needs true, unconditional love. Both received and given. That is why she cannot hurt you.”
“Because he would hate her if she did, do you mean?” Ophelia asked.
Suddenly she saw the truth. She had survived giving up her power. What a fool she had been. The very fact she survived must mean he loved her.
“She may need you to save him,” Althea answered softly.
Ophelia suddenly understood. “Then she will take him for herself. But until he gives the power and survives it, she does need me.”
“That is exactly what I am thinking,” Sebastian de Wynter said. “She will not hurt you.”
But she had no idea how to attack a vampire queen or how to break into a house. Though she had experience in breaking out. “I could be a distraction,” she said. “I could demand to see Ravenhunt. Just knock on the door and say I have come for him. They might let me in and they might take me to him.”
“It is very dangerous,” Althea warned.
“The risk is too high,” Harry said gruffly. “I won’t allow it.”
De Wynter looked to Althea. “What do you think, my dear? Too dangerous?”
Althea let out a fierce breath. “I think it would work. I would go with you. They would not see me as a threat. I could easily convince a queen that we females decided to do this alone, and we snuck away from the men to come.”
“No, as head of my household, I forbid this—”
“I promise you, Darlington, I will not let your sister be hurt,” de Wynter vowed. “And it would give us a good opportunity to get in. If Lady Ophelia, Ravenhunt’s beloved, is on Jade’s doorstep, I guarantee she will be distracted.”
Ravenhunt’s beloved. She had realized she might truly be loved by him. Althea had been right. She didn’t believe in herself, and she must.
“I think it will work,” Althea declared.
“I am not happy about it, either,” Brookshire protested. “I know, however, my worries won’t stop my wife. All right.”
Althea linked her arm. “Have courage.” Together they hurried down the street. It didn’t matter if they were seen, since they wanted to be a distraction. Ophelia was first up the steps and she put out her hand to halt Althea. “Wait at the bottom, please. I don’t want you to be in danger.”
“No, we are in this together.”
She had never had a friend. It was a heart-warming, wonderful thing. Ophelia grasped the knocker, and slammed it hard against the door. She would believe in herself. Believe there could be a happy ending and she would make it happen.
The door slowly creaked open. Yet she didn’t lose her nerve. Ravenhunt was in there and she must get to him.
She expected a footman, not a young blond man with long hair tied back with a velvet ribbon—hair that reached his hips. He wore no shirt, but he was dressed in black trousers and boots. Straps of leather wrapped around his bare biceps.
“I think,” Althea whispered, “we can guess exactly what sort of woman Jade is.”
Ophelia could not comment. Her mouth gaped open. Another young man stood inside the foyer, in the stance of a servant, and he was equally scantily dressed.
“We wish an audience with the queen,” Althea said.
“Yes.” Ophelia found her voice. After going to that naughty club with Ravenhunt, she couldn’t be shocked. Certainly not at the very moment she had to be brave.
“Her Highness is not receiving,” the young man said. The door began to close.
Ophelia stuck her booted foot in it. No, she was not going to be beaten by a shirtless footman and a door. “She will see me. I am the only woman who can save Ravenhunt. Tell her that and I know she will insist I am brought to her at once.”
His eyes seemed to roll back into his head. The blue irises vanished, replaced by whites. He jerked and trembled. Then he stopped twitching, and his eyes became normal again. He bowed briefly to her and Althea. “You may come with me.”
Eight doors led off the octagon-shaped foyer. The servant strode to the one directly opposite the front door. She and Althea went through the door, held open by the blond, and Ophelia gave a cry of surprise.
Two men waited in the corridor on the other side. They wore only loincloths slung low on their hips. They were hewn of solid muscle, and their hair flowed long over their shoulders and down their backs. The ends of their hair brushed the firm, rounded shape of their rumps beneath the cloths.
“Take the two ladies to Her Highness,” the blond instructed.
Althea clapped her hand to her mouth as they walked down the corridor. It was dimly lit, and other muscular, handsome men stood in a line along its length. Two at the very end, flanking a door of gold, were utterly naked.
Could a woman surrounded by these men, who obviously had her own harem, care so much about Ravenhunt, she would let Ophelia carry out her plan?
The doors opened, and Ophelia rushed through.
Jade’s drawing room looked like a Drury Lane stage set. A raised dais ran along the opposite wall of the rectangular room, and it was made of polished ebony. Upon it sat a throne of gilt and red velvet, and a slender woman lounged elegantly on the large chair. She wore a gown of gold lace, and her black hair spilled over her. A heavy gold necklace set with rubies encircled her throat. At her sides, two brawny men in loincloths fanned her with palm fronds. Another young man sat at her bare feet, massaging oil into the sole of her right foot.
She looked like a queen of Egypt, or something fanciful like that. Queen Jade gazed at her and Althea scornfully, then she kicked lightly at the lad at her feet, so he quickly jumped to attention. Jade waved him to the door. Her fingernails were inches long, like talons.
“Bring him,” she commanded to the lad.
Ravenhunt was not here. Ophelia whispered to Althea, “If he is not here, and he is still alive, it means she hasn’t tried to take his power yet.”
“I think she has been afraid to,” Althea murmured. “She is afraid to lose him.”
Althea must be correct. Queen Jade loved Ravenhunt. It meant her pl
an would work, but first she had to make sure.
Ophelia stepped forward and curtsied. “I hope this is the correct way to approach a vampire queen. I’ve never been presented at court, so I am not sure.”
Jade’s dark, arched brow lifted. “It will do, mortal. You may address me.”
“I wish to know, Your Highness, if you love Ravenhunt. I must know this.”
“You make demands of me?”
“Is he special to you? Is he the one man who has captured your heart?”
“You are impertinent!”
“I must know,” Ophelia insisted. “I cannot surrender him to a woman who does not love him completely.”
“Surrender him?”
Now she had the queen’s interest.
Jade pushed up from her throne, in a shimmer of gold lace. “You will give him to me.”
“I will save his life and then I will give him to you. If you promise that you will not hurt him, and you will give your word his sister will go free, and you will never hurt her again.” Ophelia tipped her chin up, facing the gorgeous woman. “But I also will only do it if I know you will not hurt him, and you will not force him to kill for you again.”
“You are in no position to bargain. I have everything; you have nothing. You do not even have your magnificent power anymore.”
“I love Ravenhunt and I know he loves me.”
Hatred flashed in Jade’s black, reflective eyes. “I love him also. I loved him long before you were even known to him.”
“But he does not love you in return. Not yet. That means you cannot save him. I can. I know you will not let me take him from you, but I cannot leave him if you are going to keep him your prisoner and force him to kill.”
“I could destroy you.”
“Yes, you could,” Ophelia said, yet feeling no fear. “But if you want his love, you cannot force it from him. You cannot keep him a captive and hope he will grow to love you because he has no other hope. You must be worthy of his love.”
“Blast and damnation, I’ll shoot you both,” shouted a male voice.
A door across the room flew open, and Harry was shoved into the room. Ophelia’s heart plummeted. Two footmen followed him. They gripped his arms and dragged Harry between them, hauling him to Jade. They were enormous, muscle-bound men, and Harry was no match for them. They had tied his hands behind his back.
One held him by the arms, while the other man stepped forward. “We caught him in the rear of the house. He was attempting to break in by the kitchen doors. He was armed with this—” The brawny servant held up Harry’s crossbow.” We lost one man to him, but overpowered him.”
“Hold him there,” Jade commanded. Then she yelled, “Bring Ravenhunt to me now!”
A raspy voice came to Raven in the damp darkness of his cell. Listen, my lord. Lady Ophelia has come for you.
“Guidon? Where the hell are you? Damn well get me out of here.” Then his wits took charge. Guidon had spoken through thought. He’d slumped against the wall, and he lurched upright. His heartbeat thundered. “Felie is here? She cannot be.”
She has come to rescue you.
“How do you know when you aren’t here?”
It was the tea I gave her. It allows me to see her when I must—when she is in danger and she needs help.
In danger? Has Jade taken her prisoner? He barked the question in his thoughts. Panic clawed at his heart. Damn, why did she come?
She loves you.
She has no right to risk her life for me. I am not damned worthy.
Close your eyes, Ravenhunt, and I will allow you to watch and listen.
Raven did as the vampire asked. He gripped the bars, and they creaked under the force of his crushing hands. He shut his eyes. He could see the room in which Jade kept her throne and her male court attendants. The queen was on her feet, barely covered by a gown of gold lace.
In his vision, a woman wagged her finger at Jade. A woman with golden curls, but who wore a man’s coat, trousers, shirt.
It was Felie. Another woman stood beside her, also wearing men’s clothing. He recognized the lady’s auburn hair. Lady Brookshire, a vampiress and member of the Royal Society.
Jade glared with rage. Her smug queenly confidence had been eroded by Felie. “I could destroy you,” Jade snapped, her usually sultry tones shrill with anger.
Ophelia had never looked more courageous. Then Raven heard her words.
“Yes, you could,” she said coolly. “But if you want his love, you cannot force it from him. You cannot keep him a captive and hope he will grow to love you because he has no other hope. You must be worthy of his love.”
Guilt writhed in him like a serpent in his gut. Everything she had said could apply to him. How could she love him once she knew the truth? As she had said, he couldn’t just take her prisoner and hope.
He saw Ophelia’s brother hauled into the room, and a servant showed Jade a crossbow while another man held her brother captive.
“Bring Ravenhunt to me now!” Jade screeched.
Everything blurred, and vanished and all he saw was darkness.
He opened his eyes. Guidon, what in hell is going on?
Lady Ophelia is trying to rescue you. She has bargained with Queen Jade. She will save you and let Jade have you, if Jade spares your sister and does not keep you as a prisoner.
I have to save Frederica. And Ophelia. But I can’t live as a pet to Jade. I would rather be destroyed. That would leave Jade with Ophelia’s power. He couldn’t let her wield that kind of destructive force. He knew Jade. She would destroy vampires and mortals by the thousands.
Guidon, is there a way I can destroy Jade?
You will be destroyed, too, Guidon warned, his tone nervous.
I know that. But if she gets Ophelia’s power, she will kill thousands of innocents. I must stop her.
Heavy footsteps sounded on the stone steps. The servant Jade had left to watch him was an enormous demon. Soon his cage would be opened.
He would see Ophelia for one last time. He knew Lady Brookshire was a member of the Royal Society but one who could be trusted. If she was here, Brookshire must be. And de Wynter, Lord Brookshire’s brother. He would ensure they rescued the two women he loved.
Then he would ensure he was destroyed and he would take Jade with him.
Guidon’s voice came into his thoughts again. You can touch Lady Ophelia, Ravenhunt. You won’t hurt her.
He knew what that meant. He could touch her for the last time.
17
Deepest Love
Relief washed over Ophelia as Raven staggered into the room. His clothing was torn and his face was covered in freshly healing bruises. He must have fought with the enormous creature that pushed him into the chamber—the creature looked like a man but horns protruded from its head, the eyes glowed red, and its skin was a shiny silver-gray.
Raven had no boots; his feet were bare. Heavy iron shackles were clamped around his ankles, and thick chains joined them. Chains also connected to iron bands around his wrists. A leather collar buckled around his strong neck, and the monstrous demon held the silver chain leash attached to the leather. The chains that captured Raven looked as if they weighed hundreds of pounds. Yet when he met her gaze, he straightened.
She hated to see him as a prisoner. She admired him so much. She had capitulated to imprisonment until Raven had spurred her to rebel and to finally grasp freedom. She had been a prisoner because she had been afraid; he was a prisoner now because he was courageous and noble, willing to give his existence to save his sister.
His dark gaze remained on her, even as the beast shoved him forward. Jade’s servant held a two-sided ax at Raven’s back and prodded him roughly with the edge of the blade.
Ophelia, you should not have come here, Raven said harshly in her thoughts. This is too dangerous. You should have left me to my fate. Though I have to admit, you in trousers is one of the most enticing things I’ve ever seen.
Raven, this is not the tim
e for that! Was she doing the right thing? She did not know how else to get him out and protect her brother. Her distraction would bring time for Brookshire and the other slayers to arrive.
Firmly, she answered, I want to believe your fate is to survive and to find happiness.
Love, it is too late for me, he answered stubbornly.
Jade reclined on her huge chair, her legs crossed to reveal their remarkable length, their beautiful shape. The queen stretched sinuously. “Come here, Lady Ophelia. It is time to take the power from Ravenhunt. Time to see if love can save this wretched, beautiful vampire.” Jade laughed in an affected, thoroughly evil ripple. “Bring him to me,” she snapped.
The horned creature pulled Raven forward by the chains. Raven stumbled, then followed obediently. He kept looking at her, as if he were afraid something would happen to her.
Althea came to her side. Her friend clasped her hand in a gesture of support.
The large demon shoved Raven to his knees in front of the raised dais and Jade’s throne, slamming him so hard Ophelia heard the crack of his kneecaps.
“Don’t hurt him,” she gasped. She jerked forward, but Althea held her back. Perhaps that was why her new friend had taken her hand. To restrain her and keep her from invoking Jade’s anger.
Raven remained on his knees, his head bowed, but beneath thick locks of black hair, he glared at Jade.
“Quiet,” the queen commanded. She literally floated down the steps and stopped in front of her prisoner. Smiling down at him, she slowly caressed his grizzled cheek and cupped his chin. Her lashes dipped, her lips softened.
Ophelia’s heart stuttered. The queen did love him. She could see it in the woman’s caressing touch and her soft smile. Had Raven ever loved Jade? He jerked his face away from the queen’s caressing hand.
“Don’t, Jade.” He grimaced. “I don’t want to be touched by you. There is too much cruelty between us in our past. I no longer want your world.”
Do not make her angry, please. I don’t want to lose you.
I can’t pretend, Felie, to care about her.
“You will not speak to her, not by thought,” Jade commanded. Then she cooed to him, “You are mine, Ravenhunt. I made you and I never let you go. To take your power, I will touch you. You will find great pleasure when I do.”
