Page 77 of Wynter's Bite

“Justus de Wynter and a blonde mortal woman.”

Deveril leaned idly against the stone balcony. “What was de Wynter’s crime?”

“He was a rogue trespassing in my lands.”

The Lord of Cornwall shrugged. “And this woman’s?”

The squire made an exasperated sound. “She shot my third in command!”

Deveril lifted a brow. “Is that not your third standing beside you?”

Ridley spluttered again. “He is healed, yes, but that does not change the fact that she attacked one of my people!”

Deveril glanced over his shoulder. “Lord de Wynter, Miss Mead, come here.”

On leaden legs, Bethany made her way onto the balcony, clinging to Justus’s hand. After coming this far, all was lost. Ridley and the vampire she’d shot would identify her right away. Something the Lord of Cornwall would not view in a charitable light.

She peered over the edge of the stone balcony and got her first glimpse of Squire Ridley. He was exactly as she’d pictured him. Short of stature, gaudily dressed in a puce surcoat over canary yellow trousers, and a mustache so thin it looked like a caterpillar perched on his upper lip.

“That’s the wench!” the other vampire roared, pointing at Bethany. “Peppered me with lead balls, she did!”

Deveril regarded Bethany with an expression that was either amusement or disapproval. “Why did you shoot him?”

“He was coming towards me with his fangs bared. I had to protect myself.” She didn’t know what else to say.

“I see.” Vincent turned back to look over the parapet down at Ridley. “So he showed his fangs to a mortal and tried to attack her. It seems your third was the one violating the law, which caused me to arrange for her to be Changed sooner than I’d have preferred.” He gave Bethany a warning glance as he inclined his head toward Justus. “As for Lord de Wynter, he is no rogue. He’s a citizen of Cornwall who’d forgotten his writ of passage. So you see, you have no cause to take one of my people.”

Bethany clung to Justus, hope blossoming in her soul. Was the Lord of Cornwall truly defending them and declaring them to be his people?

“That chit is no youngling.” Ridley pointed. “She looks as human as my breakfast this evening.”

“As does my lovely wife.” The earl put one long arm around his petite countess, tucking her against his side. “That is the way with younglings.”

“You’re lying,” Ridley spat. “And that doesn’t change the fact that the woman broke into my home and stole one of my prisoners.”

“A prisoner you were holding for no reason, as he is one of my people,” Lord Deveril fired back. “As for Miss Mead’s trespassing, which was truly a brave rescue, you should have had the human authorities handle her rather than revealing our secrets to her.”

Ridley’s beady eyes bulged with rage. “She already knew! That bloody rogue told her. And she’s clearly still a human!”

Deveril yawned. “I grow weary of this conversation, Ridley. Take yourself back to Gloucestershire and do not trouble me or my people again.”

The Lord of Gloucestershire and his third in command moved forward as if to charge the door. Five Cornish vampires blocked his path wielding swords.

“Do you truly wish to risk a battle with me?” Deveril purred.

The squire’s mustache twitched in impotent fury. “The Elders shall hear about this. And this time you will face more than a fine.” With a final huff of indignation, the Lord of Gloucestershire spun on his heel and marched off as if he’d been the one to deliver a crushing set down.

Bethany slumped against Justus in relief. He grasped her shoulder and looked up at the Lord of Cornwall. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Call me Vincent,” Deveril said tiredly. “And I didn’t do it for you. There is no way I would relinquish anything to that sanctimonious pipsqueak, not if I want to maintain my authority and the respect of my people and peers. I do not know who he bribed to become a Lord Vampire in the first place. He’s barely over a century old.”

Bethany placed her hand on the ancient vampire’s forearm. “You told him we were citizens. Do you mean it?”

He frowned down at her so severely that she snatched her hand back. “Ridley gave me no choice. I warn you, my decision is on a contingency basis only, provided the pair of you give me no more trouble than you already have. And as for you, you must be Changed immediately, before one of the Elders catches me in a lie.”

“Immediately?” she squeaked, overwhelmed by the sudden paradigm shift. Just like that, her humanity would end.

Vincent glowered at her. “I presumed you knew what wedding Lord de Wynter entailed.”

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