He looked like this man, who was Ophelia’s brother.
The man he’d killed must have been her eldest brother.
Raven released his grip on her younger brother, and it broke the spell that held the young man transfixed.
“Ophelia told you!” the slayer shouted. “That’s what you mean. You are the monster who killed my sister?”
“Your sister is alive.” Raven snapped it out before he had time to think. She was supposed to be hidden.
This time, the brother grabbed him. “Where is she? Take me to her. I’ll spare your existence, vampire, if you take me to her.”
At any other time he would have laughed. He was in control here.
But this knowledge of what he’d done left him stunned.
This was something she could never forgive him for. She could never love him. This would break her heart.
Without a love given and received, Ophelia would die when he took her power. He could not take her power, which meant he could not satisfy Jade.
He shifted with speed, so he grabbed her brother by the shoulders. Before the boy could stake him, he threw the lad across the lawn. With a howl, the slayer landed in a lilac bush. Unharmed, but it gave Raven time to turn and run.
He was running for his house, for his sister. He had to get to her to protect her. It would terrify her to discover what he was, but he had to keep her safe from Jade—
A woman’s scream split through his skull.
Raven ran toward his house, moving at preternatural speed. Gravel sprayed as he rushed up the drive like a hurricane’s wind. He could no longer see the bats in the sky. The damned things were gone.
His heart hammered with fear. “Frederica!” he shouted.
A jolt of pink lightning flew out from the doorway of the house, struck him in the chest, and sent him flying back down the stairs. Gravel bit into his back as he sprawled on the drive. He jumped to his feet.
Jade stood in the front of his former home. She floated a few inches above the foyer floor. Her long gown rippled with the night’s breeze, and her hair swayed and danced around her. A seductive smile played on her full lips, which were rouged to a deep scarlet.
“We have taken your sister,” she said softly.
Raven ran at her, ready to tear her apart, moving so fast a human would not see him. But it was no match for Jade’s speed. She easily danced away from his grasping hands. She laughed lightly. Then she lifted her hand, and a bolt of pink light flew from her hand. It compressed into a thin, powerful beam that shot right through his chest below his heart.
The pain drove him to his knees. The wound began to heal over as he forced his weakened body up from the ground. “Let her go, damn you.”
“I no longer trust you,” she said smoothly, her voice cold. “You have been stalling and I have waited long enough. I have taken your sister as a hostage. You must take Lady Ophelia’s power now, if you wish to free your sister.”
“I cannot, damn it,” he roared. “There is a chance it would kill Ophelia. I need more time to know for certain.”
He knew what he had done to hurt her—he had killed her brother. If she forgave him for that, she could survive . . . hell, how could she forgive him? It was impossible.
“You have until midnight tomorrow night to make your choice,” Jade commanded. “Either take her power and kill her, or watch your sister die.”
With that, Jade threw bolts of sizzling light and energy at him from both hands, knocking him onto his arse.
When Raven struggled back onto his feet, his chest smouldered where his clothes had burned away, and the vampire queen was gone.
15
Lost
Raven leapt to the side. A crossbow bolt narrowly missed his chest.
Damned Royal Society.
He stood in the shadowy, mucky mews that ran behind the yard of his town house. Fixated on returning to Ophelia, he had not noticed the two men positioned in the mews, until they’d jumped out and starting firing at him with crossbows.
“I don’t have time for this,” he roared. He shifted shape and flew at them, darting from side to side to avoid the hurtling arrows. Panic made the men clumsy. They messed up their loading, and he had his chance.
But instead of killing them, he transformed back into human form and threw one down the mews. The slayer landed on his arse, scrambled to his feet, and ran away. Raven knocked the other unconscious.
With that, he jumped up onto the tall fence that separated his small yard from the mews and dropped over the side.
Landing softly on the grass, he called in his thoughts to Guidon. Jade has my sister and will kill her unless I take Ophelia’s power. Is there a way I can fool Jade, make her believe I took Ophelia’s power when I didn’t? Make it look like I have the power to kill people with just my touch?
You could tell Lady Ophelia the truth, Guidon answered. About her brother.
So you know I remembered that. Damn it, are you reading my thoughts?
Of course not, my lord. It is in my records of the vampire world. I knew you would remember it.
I don’t want her to know the truth, Raven growled. She will hate me.
Her brother was an evil being. Jade only told you part of the truth. If Ophelia knew—
He was her brother, Raven snapped, his tone harsh, filled with anger. I don’t believe she will forgive me. Can’t you give me a spell that would make Jade think I took her power?
You can take her power, Ravenhunt. I have researched through many ancient books, and I believe Ophelia will not be hurt. Since you will have betrayed her love, you will pay the price. Ophelia will not be hurt, but you will die.
Do I have enough time to take the power to Jade, or do I die right away?
You will have enough time.
Ophelia met him in the foyer, wearing the thick robe he’d acquired for her. It hung open, giving a glimpse of her sweetly rounded breasts, her slim waist, the enticingly soft and beautiful golden curls between her legs.
“Where did you go?” she asked. “We only had four orgasms and it wasn’t enough. I am ready to try for the fifth.”
He grinned. The sweetness of her serious expression touched his heart. He could lie about where he had gone, but he had to prove he loved her by giving the truth. “I went to see my sister. I never let her see me, but I like to know she is safe.”
“Is she?”
Now he had to lie—lie by omission. “Yes, she is safe.” For now, she was. For now, Frederica would not be harmed, as long as Jade thought he would take Ophelia’s power.
Ophelia suddenly gave a soft cry and flung herself against his chest, hugging him tight.
She needed touch. He had to remember that. He had to give her all the touching he could before he was destroyed.
“Guidon spoke to me.” She tipped her face up and met his gaze.
“He did?” Why in Hades had Guidon done that?
“He told me that it was still too dangerous to take my power—that I would be safe, but you would be killed. I will not do it. I will not let that happen.”
He cupped her chin and lowered to her mouth. It had been years since he’d had love like this—
No, he had never had love like this. Not from his fiancée. Now, he knew what love was.
Ophelia was willing to sacrifice for him. That was love.
But he intended to sacrifice himself for her. Now that he knew she would be safe. He brushed his lips against hers. “I’ve changed,” he said softly. “You’ve changed me. I can never take another mortal life. But I’m a vampire, and I am one who is cursed to kill. I’m not one of the gentle ones who can drink his blood from crystal glasses and who can behave like a human. I’m a monster. Before, I didn’t care. Now I do. Let me take your power and be destroyed, Ophelia.”