The fencing master disguised as a lady’s companion exited the carriage next. From the abrupt stiffening of the viscount’s shoulders, it appeared that Thornton couldn’t tell what to make of the odd person either.
The mystery captivated Rhys like nothing else. What kind of woman travelled with a fencing master? And did her father know about the companion’s identity? The disguise was very well done, as if the man had been playing the part for decades. But Rhys and Viscount Thornton had their own ways of seeing through such subterfuge, no matter how clever.
“Vivian,” Thornton’s voice carried in the wind. “Come with me to my study. There is something we must discuss in private.”
Oh, how Rhys wished he could be privy to that discussion. But now the beauty had a name. Vivian.
Before he risked being seen, Rhys melted back into the shadows and quickly made his way back to his haven. His mind spun with all he learned. His plan would be the most dangerous endeavor of his long life, but worth it if all went right. But the danger could not be ignored. Not only was Aldric Cadell the Viscount of Thornton, he was also the Lord Vampire of Blackpool.
Rhys licked his fangs and shivered. And he’d come so close to feeding on Blackpool’s niece. If he’d succumbed to temptation, the Lord Vampire would have had Rhys’s scent, and all would be lost.
When he returned to the seaside cliffs concealing his cave, Rhys paused and scented the air once more for signs of vampires from either Preston or Southport. Yes, his hiding place was a no-man’s land, but legitimized vampires often did not care about such scruples. To them, rogue vampires had no rights even for a moment’s safety.
But if Rhys pursued the madcap plan forming in his mind, he’d forsake all rights to safety of any kind. He would be committing the worst of crimes under vampire law. All chances of eventually becoming a legitimate citizen would turn to ash.
The tired eyes of his cousin Emily—in truth she was his great-great-great grandniece—and the wan faces of her children flashed in his mind. If Rhys succeeded with his plan, his family would be saved. And that was all that mattered.
Once the safety of his kin was assured, Rhys no longer had a reason to live anymore.