She pulled her gaze away and looked at Guy. “It’s big.”
“I probably shouldn’t have asked until you’ve had a chance to see the inside.”
She pasted on a smile. “That’s a good idea. It’s kind of overwhelming.”
The limousine pulled up the circular drive and stopped in front of a massive wood door. The driver got out and opened her door, then went around to the trunk and removed their luggage. Guy came over and offered her his hand and helped her out. Servants had lined up along the cobblestone walkway, their heads bowed, waiting for Guy to acknowledge them.
“Good day. I trust everything is in order?”
A plump middle-aged woman with short, wiry hair that curled around her face like little silver springs stepped forward. “Indeed, sir. And glad to finally have you home. Your father is awaiting you in his study.”
“Thank you, Clarisse.”
She offered up a small curtsey, then stepped back in line.
An elderly gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair approached Guy next. He had a stilted gait, yet moved with dignity. His gaze swept over Melody boldly, indicating he was more than a servant.
He gave Guy a hearty handshake and a wide smile. “I’ve missed you, sir.” He looked back at her, then winked at Guy. “I had a room prepared for the mistress. Shall I take her up?”
Guy clapped the old man on the back. “You think of everything.”
“I try to, sir.”
She crossed her arms, a little peeved that they’d been so sure she’d choose Guy as her bachelor, but when he looked at her, his blue eyes sparkling, his pleasure at being home so evident, her irritation faded.
“Melody, this is Blakesley. He’s like a surrogate father to me.” He placed his arm around her waist. “And this is Miss Melody Johnson, my soon-to-be wife.”
Blakesley bowed slightly, lifted her hand, and kissed it. “Pleasure to meet you, miss.”
“Thank you.” She glanced over the top of his head at the servants behind him, all chattering gaily. It was evident they thought highly of their master and were pleased he’d found a bride.
“Now that the introductions are over with, I’m sure Melody would like to freshen up a bit,” Guy instructed.
“Right this way, Miss Melody.” Blakesley held the door open for her.
She looked over at Guy. “I’m fine, really. I’d much rather stay with you.”
The servants gasped, and Guy frowned. There was no denying his disapproval at her objection.
“You know what. I do need to freshen up.” She covered her mouth to stifle a pretend yawn. “And I’m feeling a little tired too. Please excuse me.” She followed Blakesley inside and felt like the heroine in a B-movie.
A musty smell permeated the castle. The only light glowed from candles flickering eerily against high stone walls, changing shape and casting shadows where none should have been. Was it too much to hope this was done simply for effect? “No electricity?”
“I hope that won’t be an inconvenience for you.” Blakesley led her up a long, winding staircase.
“Oh, of course not,” she said sweetly, then mumbled under her breath, “If I’m going to be a vampire, I guess I’d better get used to the dark.”
Blakesley turned and looked down at her. “Did you say something, miss?”
She ran her hand over a flocked wall covering, fingering a hole chewed away, no doubt by mice. “I was just admiring the tapestry.”
“It’s quite old. Dates back centuries.”
Along with everything else in this place. It’s not that she didn’t appreciate antiques, but this place was just downright creepy.
They came to the top of the stairs and headed down a narrow, dimly lit passage.
Blakesley unlocked a door, then pushed it open. “Here you are, miss. I hope it’s to your liking.”
And if it’s not, will you let me stay with Guy? “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She stepped inside and wanted to bite back her words. If this was where they put the master’s bride, what did the other rooms look like?
A large four-poster bed encircled with worn red velvet draperies caught her eye first. Beside it, she noticed an overstuffed chair with the same gaudy fabric, and an ornate carving that covered the high wooden back. A stuffed bird of some sort with long black feathers stared at her with beady eyes.
“I’ll have your bags sent right up, miss.”
Melody forced a smile. “Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”
Blakesley closed the door halfway, poking his head back inside. “Oh, and miss?”
“Yes?”
“I’m pleased that you’ve come. I hope that you’ll be happy with the count. He’s a fine man.” Blakesley closed the door softly, and she heard his footsteps disappear down the hall.
Guy was a fine man, and that thought helped to cheer her as she plopped onto the bed. A dust cloud encircled her. She covered her mouth while she coughed. What had she been thinking when she agreed to come here? Well, she knew one thing for certain. If she was going to live here, this place was getting a makeover.
She strolled over to a tarnished wall mirror and raked her fingers through her hair. Guy had been right. She did need to freshen up. Melody checked out the adjoining bathroom and prayed there’d be running water. When she turned the faucet, she was greeted with a trickle and some rust, so she let the bathwater run until it turned clear before she put the stopper in. A few minutes later, it was near to overflowing. She leaned over, turned off the water, and Ann’s gold cross dropped into the tub. Lucky she had the plug in, she thought, fishing it out. She set it on the sink to dry as a knock sounded at her door. Must be her suitcases, at last.
She went back into the bedroom and swung the door open. Her heart did a flip-flop. No servant stood before her. It was the sexy Romanian with the curly blond hair and deep chocolate eyes. Guy’s brother.
— : : —
“Melody, it’s so nice to see you again.” Theo smiled broadly and pushed past her before she could slam the door on him.
“What do you want?” She glared at him, fear evident in her gorgeous eyes.
He reached out and took hold of her hand, bringing it up to his mouth. He ran his lips over her soft, smooth skin before kissing it.
She pulled back, wiping her hand on her jeans. “Get out!”
Theo laughed at her attempt to order him, as if her words would cause him to leave. “My dear, why on earth would I do that when I’ve only just arrived?”
“Guy will be here any second, and he won’t be happy to find you in my room.”
He chuckled again. “Is that what you call him? Guy? How very endearing.”
“That’s not his name?”
“Well, yes, I suppose it is. I’ve just never heard anyone call him that before. He’s known here as Guystof.”
She glared at him. “As I said, Guy will not be happy to find you in my room.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not staying. And neither are you.”
“What?” She took a step toward the door, but he grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her to him.
“Ah, you don’t think I’d let you go, now do you?”
She pummeled his chest with her fist.
“While I do find your resistance arousing, I can’t have you fighting me right now.” He pulled a white linen handkerchief from his pocket and placed it under her nose. Her body relaxed, and she fell against him, limp as a rag doll.
He carried her out of the room. Melody’s golden hair fell in long spirals over his arm. Her lashes fanned the tops of her high cheekbones, and her facial muscles were relaxed as if she were merely asleep. It would be quite some time before she woke, though. Theo was very familiar with the drug he’d used on her. The root of the tamerine plant, mixed with some ten other herbs, made a powerful sedative when inhaled. He’d been using the concoction for centuries on women he planned to turn into vampires and add to his harem.
He zigzagged through the dark corridors easily, for he knew them well. Soon
, he came to a wing of the castle which hadn’t been used for centuries. When he came to a narrow stairwell, he stepped carefully down the slick, mold-covered stairs. At the bottom, he used his magic to open a trapdoor in the floor. The passage was low, and Theo had to crouch as he walked.
It was a relief when he reached the cavern with its twenty-foot ceiling. He placed Melody down gently at the edge of an underground lake. Ripples broke the surface of the otherwise still water, and he watched the red-haired beauty row a small boat toward him. Saliva formed in his mouth, and his fangs broke through his gum line.
Gelda brought the boat ashore and stepped out gracefully. It took all his willpower to keep from sinking his teeth into her sweet flesh. She took great pleasure in being fed upon, but today, despite how tempting the vampire might be, he had more important matters to attend to.
“A new member of our family?” Gelda’s brows rose as her gaze scanned over Melody.
“She will be soon. I need you to prepare her for the turning ceremony.”
Gelda smiled, exposing long, pearly fangs. “With pleasure.” She reached for Melody, but Theo caught her by the waist first.
“Not so fast. There’s no hurry. The girl won’t wake for a while yet.” He ran his hands down Gelda’s muscular back. He’d almost forgotten how good she felt.
She purred with delight, and he teased her further by tracing his fingertip over her collarbone.
When she lifted up her hair, offering him her long, slender neck, he whispered in her ear, “Not now, love. There’ll be time for that later. Just checking to make sure you haven’t forgotten me.”
She kissed his cheek, then moved her mouth down, letting the tip of her fang press into his throat. “Never,” she whispered back.
“Good. Would be a pity to have to kill you.”
She laughed, but he knew she was fully aware that he wasn’t joking. Theo had killed vampires in his harem before. If one of them fell out of favor, he would let the others feed upon her until they had drained the offender of all blood.
He kissed Gelda’s soft lips before releasing her. “Have Melody ready at midnight.”
— : : —
Guystof leaned back in the leather chair, sipped a cup of tea—Earl Grey, black no sugar—and studied his father. A usually robust man, he now looked haggard. Dark bags hung beneath his clear blue eyes, the same shade of blue as Guystof’s. He came around the large mahogany desk that separated them and placed his hands on Guystof’s shoulders. “Have you some news for me, son?”
“Ah, you’ve been dying to ask, haven’t you?” With a chuckle, he set his teacup on the table. “Indeed I do. News that will be sure to please you.”
“Dare I wager a bet on what it is?” He offered his son a tired smile. “Or should I simply ask her name?”
Guystof placed a hand over his father’s and squeezed. “It’s Melody Johnson. And you’re going to love her.”
“If you do, then I shall too. Besides, it will be nice to have a daughter finally after all these years.” He walked over to the wall that held a row of family portraits and scanned each of them, stopping when he came to Guystof’s mother. “I loved her very much. She was a mortal too. Just like your Melody.” His voice was low, as if he spoke only to himself. “It’s a difficult path for them—those mortals who chose to become like us. Especially for woman. Painful. Right at the start and at the end.”
Guystof’s father was thinking back to long ago, rehashing old wounds. It would serve him no good, though he had to admit he’d also been thinking of his mother and of her death… No matter what, he would not let that happen to Melody. He would watch over her night and day. “Shall I bring her to you?”
“I can see you’re anxious to show her off, but we have some business to attend to first.”
Guystof knew exactly to what he referred. Dragesa. His legacy.
His father pulled a document from his desk drawer and smoothed the curled parchment with his hands. “Although I love Theo, he is my son, too, but he is not the rightful heir to the kingdom and would make a terrible ruler to boot. Much too selfish.” His father took out a feather pen and dipped it in the well. “And since you have fulfilled your obligation and have chosen a bride, I see no reason to wait any longer.” He scribbled his name at the bottom, then handed the pen to his son.
Guystof set it down on the table. “But you can’t be ready to retire. Not yet.”
His father picked it up and slipped it into Guystof’s hand. “My rule is finished. It’s time for a future generation to take over. A kinder, more considerate one.” Lines crinkled around the corners of his eyes as he smiled.
Guystof smiled back and put his signature beside his father’s.
“Well, son, all that’s required now to make it legal is the royal seal. We’ll set that upon it on your wedding day.” His father rolled the document back up. “And we mustn’t forget this.” He reached into the neckline of his cape and pulled out a black leather cord, on which hung a gold lion-head pendant. He took off the necklace, then put it around Guystof’s neck. “Now let’s have a look at that bride-to-be of yours.”
“Yes, sir.” Guystof raced out of the study and nearly bumped into Blakesley in the great hall.
“May I assume everything went well with your father, sir?”
Guystof flashed him a huge smile. “Indeed you may.” He bounded up the staircase two steps at a time. When halfway up, he turned and looked down over his shoulder. “Which room is—”
“Third floor, last door on your right,” Blakesley said, before he could finish asking the question.
Guystof raced up the rest of the stairs, then down the long, narrow hall. He couldn’t wait to tell Melody the news. Dragesa was almost his, and that meant Theo’s days of lying and cheating to get what he wanted were over. He would now have to abide by a new set of rules—Guystof’s rules.
Although out of breath when he reached Melody’s room, that didn’t take away his excitement about the future. Their future together. He knocked on her door. After getting no answer, he opened it a crack and peeked inside.
The room was dark. Only the glow of moonlight shining in through the window provided any light. His gaze immediately focused on the four-poster bed. The velvet draperies around it were closed. Poor darling. She must have fallen asleep. He could tell she’d been exhausted by their long trip. He contemplated whether to wake her or leave her to sleep a while longer, but a young servant boy arrived with her luggage and made such a racquet surely she’d wake on her own.
But she didn’t. What a sound sleeper she was! He stepped over to the bed and drew back the drapery. His chest tightened. The pounding of his heart thrummed in his ears. The bed was empty.
“Melody!” He looked around the room, then over to the bathroom. The door was ajar. He strode over to it in three large strides and pushed it open. The tiny room was empty. A glint of gold caught his eye. Melody’s cross lay on the edge of the sink. “I told you to never take it off.”
A murderous rage filled him. There was no doubt in his mind Theo had taken her. But where?
“If you hurt her in any way, brother, you will pay dearly,” he shouted at the empty room.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Melody’s body ached. Her head pounded. When she opened her eyes, the room spun. A wave of nausea took hold, and she fought back the need to vomit. What in the world had happened to her? She blinked a few times to bring the room into focus. An eerie world of stalactites and stalagmites sparkled in the light of dozens of candles. Their flames eerily danced and flickered over slime-covered stone walls. A damp, moldy smell permeated her nose. Where the heck was she? Melody tried to sit up, but steel clamps held her wrists and ankles to a limestone table.
Her cloudy memory began to clear. The last thing she remembered was seeing Theo’s evil face. She shivered, not just from cold but at the thought of that monster. It was then that she realized she was naked. What happened to her clothes? Worse yet, who had taken them off her? Her stoma
ch churned when she thought it may have been Theo.
“Help!” Her scream echoed through the cave. “Please, someone, anyone. Help me.”
From the shadows, a tall, Amazon-like woman approached. Her bright red hair was sleek and bobbed with short straight bangs that showed off dark, finely arched brows. The effect made her pale skin look alabaster. On top of her head, worn like a band, were silver goggles with a skull and crossbones etched in each eyepiece. She wore a black lace corset, baggy trousers tucked inside tall, shiny platform boots with lots of buckles. The woman was reminiscent of a 1920’s Amelia Earhart with a weird Goth twist. Her green eyes were rimmed with black liner, and they glistened like emeralds. Her full, blood-red lips curved up at the corners, not in a smile exactly, more like a smirk, and exposed a pair of pearly fangs. In her hands she held a black velvet robe.
“It will do you no good to scream. Only make your head ache more.” Her voice was low-pitched and gravelly.
“Who are you? And how do you know my head hurts?”
The woman raised a pencil-thin brow. “The drug you were given is very powerful. It makes everything hurt.”
“Please, let me go. Guy—Guystof—heir to this whole kingdom—and I are going to be married. If you help me, I’ll see that you’re rewarded.”
“Melody, you are so naïve.”
“You know my name?”
The woman laughed. “I know everything about you. And I know you are not going to marry the count, nor is he going to inherit Dragesa.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because if he doesn’t marry you or some other rich woman by the end of this week, Theo inherits it all.”
She knew that. Guy had confessed everything. “You’re wrong. Guy loves me. Truly loves me.”
The woman dropped the robe and came to stand beside her. Using her pointer finger, she ran the tip of her long, red nail over Melody’s arm. “Oh, poor thing. You really do believe he was going to marry you for love.”
Of course she did, but maybe she could use the woman’s words to her advantage and play along with her. “Maybe I shouldn’t have believed him. If I promise not to marry him, will you let me go?”
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