by Marie Medina
Maggie nodded. “Ah. Just as well. We have a visitor coming. You’ve met him before, but I think it’s been about five years. Just a few months after you came to live with me.”
Kit nodded. “All right. Want me to make up a guest room?”
“Yes, go ahead, though I’m not sure if he’ll stay here. I’d like for him to, at least for one night. But he might end up staying with Gregor.”
Kit had been heading for the stairs, but that made him stop. “He’s friends with Lord Gregor?”
“Yes. He’s a vampire. Lord Byron. He helped a girl who’d been thrown from her horse and then went to fetch her family. I had you bring him some wine. It was that night you tripped with a knife in your hand and cut your palm so badly.”
Kit glanced down at the scar on his palm. He remembered that night, but he couldn’t recall much about the man. He vaguely remembered a dark-haired, tall vampire who’d spoken softly, but he couldn’t really recall his face. “Yeah, I remember that happening. He stayed and talked with you a long time. You’re good friends?”
“Yes, he’s a very dear friend. I like him very much, and I think you will, too.”
Kit nodded. Maggie always insisted he try to be friendly around vampires, and he cooperated out of gratitude. She’d been so good to him, as had Lord Gregor. But even after five years, he still had nightmares some nights. He tried to hide that fact, but he felt sure she knew the bad dreams still came to him. “If he’s your friend, I’ll be glad to meet him. Again.”
Maggie beamed at him. “Good. I’m excited about his visit and hope he’ll stay a while. I can probably convince him to if you two hit it off.”
Why in blazes would that matter? Kit nodded again, unsure what else to do before heading upstairs to air a room and change the sheets. He stopped halfway up and called down, “When will he be here?”
“Maybe tomorrow or the next day. Lord Vane is his brother, so he’s going to stop there. His letter’s dated last week, when he set out from the palace.”
Kit blinked. “The royal palace, you mean?”
“Yes. He’s good friend with His Majesty, too.”
“Ah. All right.” Kit hurried upstairs. He’d heard dozens of stories about the king and queen. The queen sounded lovely. He’d seen her once when she’d come alone to visit Gregor and his sister, and to this day Kit thought her the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Everyone had spoken well of her and gone on and on about her kindness and generosity. But the king was a mystery, one Kit didn’t really care to solve. Gregor was really the only vampire he liked being around. He knew it wasn’t the fault of any vampire that Akar had killed his family, that the poor man’s brain had snapped and given him twisted delusions. But vampires could be evil or crazy just the way humans could. And based on stories he’d heard, insane vampires could wreak havoc in a very short time and do far more damage than any human. He was wary of lots of people at first, but the memories of that night refused to leave him. He could tell himself a thousand times a day that Akar hadn’t actually been a vampire, but his own horrors were irrevocably intertwined with the violent scene he’d witnessed and memories of the blood dripping from the man’s mouth. He had no trouble dealing with blood when it came to helping Maggie with her work, or even seeing a vampire drink blood from a goblet, but the idea of a vampire’s bite gave him chills.
Kit opened all the windows in the room across the hall from his and then looked around. He’d dusted just a few days ago, so the room was pretty clean. He went to the bed and took the blankets off, setting them aside so he could take them out and beat them first thing in the morning. He stripped the sheets and gave them a sniff. They weren’t dirty, but they did smell a bit musty. Vampires were supposed to have keen senses, so Kit wadded the sheets up and tossed them into the empty laundry basket before going down the hall to get fresh ones. Even if Kit wasn’t looking forward to meeting this man, he wasn’t about to let one of Maggie’s friends sleep in a room that wasn’t clean and fresh.
****
Byron stopped on the crest of a hill, dismounting and patting Saint on the neck. The stallion glanced over at him but then found some flowers to munch on by the side of the road. Byron could see Maggie’s house from where he stood. He was so close he probably could’ve gotten Maggie’s attention if she’d been standing outside. There didn’t seem to be much activity going on. Struggling to stay calm, he took Saint’s reins and walked the rest of the way. It looked as if some improvements had been made to the ancient homestead. Something in the yard had been dug up recently, and a cart full of tools was secured to a post by the road. The horse harnessed to the cart seemed restless, and Byron looked around for its owner.
Approaching the barn, Byron heard voices. His ears pricked up when he heard someone say, “I’m just not ready. Please, stop doing that.”
Whoever was in there, he needed help. The voice sounded young, and the possibility it might be Kit had Byron’s heart racing. He rounded the corner and looked around. He spotted a big, dark-haired man crowding someone else in a corner. When he saw a flash of red hair, his blood began to boil.
“No! I don’t want to do that!”
The bigger man crowded Kit, one hand under Kit’s shirt while the other held his arm in what looked like a fierce grip. Kit’s green eyes glinted with fear, or so Byron thought. His focus soon shifted to the other man. Barely hanging on to his control, Byron grabbed the man by his shirt collar and yanked him away from Kit.
Ignoring Kit’s gasp, Byron focused on the man glaring at him. “I don’t know who you are, but you obviously need to be taught the meaning of the word no.” He threw the man up against the wall. “Get out of here and do not come back. Ever.”
“You think you can throw your weight around just because you’re a vampire?” the man said, although he was already backing away. “This isn’t your dominion.”
“No, it isn’t, but that’s not the point. I’d aid anyone who needed help no matter, who they were or where it was. Right and wrong don’t have anything to do with dominions and jurisdiction.” He knew his eyes were red now, and he tried to calm down. Vampires had white irises, and they changed color with mood. Red meant bloodlust or extreme anger, and right now, Byron felt both. “Now, you have one minute to get out of here.”
“Just go, Rowan. I don’t want to see you anymore,” Kit said, his voice loud but still shaky. “Not ever. And you can tell Lord Gregor you won’t be coming back. The other men can finish up the last little bit without you tomorrow.”
“You gonna tattle on me if I don’t?” Rowan said.
“I’m going to beat you senseless if you say one more word to him!” Byron said. He pointed to the door. “Go!”
Rowan left, throwing one final glare over his shoulder.
Byron immediately turned back to Kit, unsure what to do or say. Kit had his head lowered, but he looked up at Byron uncertainly, his chest heaving. Licking his lips, Kit said, “Thank you, my lord. I don’t think he would’ve really hurt me, but … I was scared.”
Byron closed his eyes, hoping they would return to a more normal color than red. “I’m glad I came in time. Arrogant men like him think they can do whatever they want with no consequences.” He opened his eyes and held out his hand. “I’m Byron. You’re Kit, right? We met briefly once. Maggie’s told me how much of a help you are to her.”
Kit hesitated but then slid his hand into Byron’s for a very brief shake. “Yeah. I’m Kit. We’ve been expecting you.”
Just touching Kit sent a shiver up Byron’s spine, and he clasped his hands together to try to focus on the conversation at hand. Byron gave Kit a quick once over. His shirt was partially untucked, his left sleeve torn at the shoulder. “Are you really all right? Please tell me if he hurt you.”
Kit touched his shoulder, looking at his torn sleeve. “He grabbed me. That’s all. It wasn’t just, you know, random. We’ve been spending time together. Talking and all. We liked each other. It, uh, I mean, I wasn’t ready…” He trailed of
f, blushing. “You heard. I’m not hurt, so I don’t wanna talk about it, my lord.” After a moment, he said, “Please.”
“Call me Byron. Maggie is a very dear friend.” And you’re my mate. I want to pick you up and take you away with me right now. Byron swallowed. “And we don’t have to dwell on this. I’m looking forward to getting to know you. I have to go pay my respects to Gregor one day, but I’d hoped to stay here.”
Kit nodded, though he still looked upset. “I made a room up for you. Maggie wants you to stay, so it’s fine. We have plenty of wine, and Maggie can get blood from Lord Gregor. She usually only keeps one bottle around for vampires passing by.”
Byron hoped he wouldn’t need any bottled blood, but he couldn’t say that. Kit had almost been sexually assaulted moments earlier. Now was not the time for Byron to show his true desires in any way. “That’ll be fine. I fed at my brother’s home before coming here. I’m Lord Vane’s brother.”
“Maggie mentioned that. You only need a little each day, right?”
“For the most part, yes. I’ll be fine.”
Kit brushed his pants off and looked to the door. “Don’t tell Maggie what happened. She worries about me.”
Byron hesitated. He wanted to give Kit whatever he wanted in all things, but he didn’t like the idea of hiding this. “I worry he might come back. I’d like for her to know. And Gregor, if there’s trouble.”
Kit’s pale skin turned bright red. He looked down at the dirt floor. “I’m a guy. Things like that don’t happen to guys.”
“Unfortunately, they do. All the time.” He sighed. “Look, I’m a guest. I won’t say anything if it bothers you. But I still think Maggie should know. And it goes without saying I’m going to be watching for Rowan.”
Kit looked up, his expression wary but opening up a bit. “Thanks. I’ll think about it.” He straightened up. “Maggie had to go deliver a baby early this morning, but she shouldn’t be away too much longer. This lady has had a few before, and they were all easy deliveries.” Kit moved past Byron and started toward the house.
“I need to put my horse away. Any stall that’s open all right?”
Kit turned, his complexion flushing white this time. “Oh, forgive me. I’ll see to that.”
Byron held up his hands. “No. I can do it. You go change and clean up. Drink some water and sit down.”
Kit fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. “Maybe you’re just really nice, but … do you know about me?” He looked up into Byron’s eyes. “Seems most people do.”
“Yes, I know what happened to your family, and I’m very sorry.” He tilted his head. “Have I done something to bother you? I’m sure my eyes probably turned red, but I was angry to see you being treated that way.”
“No. It’s just, like I said, you’re really nice. You haven’t done anything wrong. I only thought you were being extra nice because you knew.”
“It won’t bother me if you’re wary of me at first, as I can’t imagine what your experience was like. But I’d like to be friends.” And more, if you’ll let me. “But go. I can find everything, I’m sure. I’ll be in shortly.”
Kit half turned, but then he said, “Thanks again.” He gave a little nod and rushed away and into the house.
Byron watched him go, battling both the desire to run after him and the urge to jump back on Saint and chase after Rowan. Taking a deep breath, he returned to Saint and led him into the stable, murmuring to the stallion about how complicated his life was becoming.
End of sample chapter
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