Page 60 of Wynter's Bite

The second one frowned. “But we can’t just leave her here, alone in the dark. She could be set upon by brigands.”

The first one scoffed, while the second scratched his chin. “You’re right. ’Twouldn’t be proper. We’ll escort her to the village on our way to delivering this scoundrel to His Lordship.”

Bethany couldn’t hold back a sigh of relief, even if it just meant that her parting from Justus would only be slightly delayed. However, perhaps she could discern where they were going.

“And who would His Lordship be?” she asked, lacing her voice with aristocratic scorn. “Perhaps my father, Lord Wickshire, may be acquainted with him. It would be rude of me not to pay a call upon a family friend.”

“His Lordship has more friends than he can keep track of, and very little time to cater to social niceties,” the vampire grasping her said loftily. “Have your father post him a letter if he is so keen.”

“How am I supposed to do that if you will not tell me who he is?” Bethany feigned irritation, though the vampire had unwittingly confirmed an important piece of information. The Lord Vampire of Gloucestershire was part of the peerage. “And what does he want with this gentleman who was escorting me?”

“That is none of your concern,” the vampire snapped, eyeing her with derision.

“Of course it is my concern!” Bethany cried out. “This gentleman is accompanying me to my destination and ensuring my safety. My father will have something to say about this.”

“This rogue is no gentleman,” the vampire laughed. “He’d have a carriage and you’d have a chaperone.”

Justus spoke for the first time. “Actually, I am indeed a gentleman. I’m the Viscount de Wynter.”

The vampires laughed harder, their leader elbowing Justus in the ribs. “Right, and I’m Duke of Devonshire! Enough out of you, cad. Anything you have to say isn’t fitting for the Lady’s ears.”

Bethany understood the veiled warning. They did believe she was an ignorant mortal, and they didn’t want Justus to say anything that would reveal the truth of the situation. She prayed the deception would hold, for if they knew that she was privy to their world, the Lord of Gloucestershire would likely kill Justus— if he wouldn’t already. And who knew what they would do to her.

Her heart ached with misery and terror as they walked. How in the world would they get out of this disaster? Justus was outnumbered, and she was a weak human woman with no hope of fighting three vampires.

“Well, I don’t like the shifty look in that one’s eyes,” Justus retorted, giving Bethany a lingering look. “How do I know you’ll ensure her safety?”

Bethany caught Justus’s message. Don’t look any of them in the eyes. That way they couldn’t feed on her or banish her memories. Her chin dropped to look at her boots. She’d never be able to find Justus if she didn’t remember what happened. Another thought made panic grip her lungs. What if they made her forget Justus altogether?

“The woman is no concern to us,” the leader said loftily, looking down his nose at Justus. “We only want her out of the way so we can deal with you.”

“Out of the way does not sound promising,” Bethany grumbled, trying to sound petulant rather than frightened. “Perhaps I may accompany you to your lord and he may provide me his carriage.”

“Quiet, woman,” the sandy-haired vampire snarled. “His Lordship wouldn’t loan so much as a spoonful of sugar to a ragtag female that may or may not be a lady.”

The grass they trod upon turned into a path, and gaslights gleamed off in the distance. Time was running out.

Bethany willed herself to be calm. Justus had said that the last time he’d been arrested, he’d been imprisoned before he was sentenced. Hopefully that meant the Lord of Gloucestershire wouldn’t kill him outright. And she’d have time to break him free. Somehow.

When they arrived at the edge of the village, the vampire who held her turned her to face him. “Look at me, my lady.”

She lifted her chin and stared at his nose.

His lips turned down in a scowl. “I said, look at me!”

“I am!” she said stubbornly.

“I mean—”

“If I may,” Justus interrupted placidly. “I’m certain she’d rather look at me, if you catch my meaning. And I would very much like to tell her goodbye. I may be a rogue, but I am no scoundrel. I still need to return her money and her luggage.”

The three vampires exchanged glances before the one who must be their leader nodded. “Fine. Do what needs to be done. And if you try any funny business, you will regret it.”

They were going to allow Justus to erase her memory, only she knew he wouldn’t. The vampire holding Bethany released her reluctantly. She ran to Justus and threw her arms around him. In his embrace, their enemies momentarily vanished.

Justus cupped her face and gazed into her eyes. Instead of his hypnotic power, she saw only his love for her. When he bent down and kissed her, she felt that electric spark again and tasted his blood.

When he broke the kiss, she felt like her heart had broken as well. “Goodbye, Bethany,” he whispered. “Even though you won’t remember,” a touch of emphasis imbued the last word, “I’ll always love you.”

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