Taken by Darkness

Unconsciously Juliet pressed her fingers to her lips, feeling…shattered.

She had sensed the volatile emotions that lurked just below the surface when Victor was near. It was like standing in the middle of an alchemist’s lab, acutely aware that the brewing concoctions might suddenly explode.

But she had never realized that his kiss, any kiss, could snatch the earth from beneath her feet.

Hearing a faint noise, she smoothed the shock from her face. The last thing she desired was for anyone to guess her unwelcome vulnerability to Victor.

She was prepared as Justin moved to her side, a scowl marring his handsome features and his dark eyes smoldering with hatred.

The man was accustomed to being the master of any situation. He was not only a powerful mage, but with Juliet’s assistance, he had acquired a massive collection of magical weapons that would make anyone hesitate to challenge him.

Now Victor had effectively proven that he was capable of ripping out Justin’s throat and leaving him another corpse in London’s gutters. It was little wonder his hand was not quite steady as he patted the precise folds of his cravat.

“Damn the bastard,” he bit out. “How did he slip back to London without my knowledge?”

Her lips twisted, her gaze skimming over the dark, seemingly empty garden.

“A demon does not survive a thousand years without acquiring the skills necessary to travel unnoticed,” she pointed out dryly.

Justin was far from appeased. “Skills or not, I intend to have a word with my servants. They clearly have grown lax in their duties.”

“Lax? Highly doubtful,” she said. “They are terrified of you.”

With a shake of his head, Justin made an effort to pretend that he had not just been tossed across the terrace by an infuriated vampire.

“And you, Juliet?” he demanded, his fingers trailing a suggestive path over her flushed cheek. “Are you terrified of me?”

She took an abrupt step backward. Justin was handsome and, when he made the effort, a charming companion, but she had no interest in becoming his mistress. As far as she was concerned, their relationship was strictly business.

“Not particularly.”

“Hmm.” He studied her with a rueful smile. “I wish I believed you, my dear.”

With a restless shrug, Juliet turned to pace toward the edge of the terrace.

“Perhaps we should leave London.”

“You have a sudden desire to travel?” There was a hint of surprise in his voice.

Perfectly understandable.

Juliet had never made a secret of her aversion to their constant touring from place to place. It was not that she didn’t understand the need to avoid settling in one area for too long. Humans were not particularly perceptive, but eventually they did notice if their neighbors did not age. But it did not make the constant upheavals in her life any easier.

Now, however, she could not deny a cowardly urge to flee from Victor and the dangerous sensations he inspired.

“Why not?”

“For one thing, there is a pesky war being waged throughout Europe, if you will recall, my love,” he drawled, “and while the winter months always put a damper on the generals’ enthusiasm for battle, if my sources are not mistaken, the foolish Archduke Charles is planning a futile uprising in Austria, which of course will spark all sorts of nasty retaliations. We can only hope that Vienna is not damaged by their stupidity.”

She shrugged. “The Continent is not the only place beyond England. We could visit India or the Americas or—”

“Juliet, you are well aware that I dislike the colonies,” Justin interrupted, a hint of impatience entering his voice. “The society is tedious, the entertainments are rustic, and the natives little better than savages. Besides, my negotiations with the fey are not going as well as I would desire.”

Her heart sank.

For all of Justin’s magic, he was still human, and it was only with a potent mixture of rare herbs that he managed to hold back his mortality.

Herbs that could only be grown with fey magic.

Which meant that Justin would not dare to leave London until he was certain he had enough of the potion to last him for several weeks, if not months.

“What is wrong? You have never had trouble bartering for your potion before.”

Justin grimaced. “The fey are…unsettled.”

“That is hardly a shock. They are always flighty and unpredictable.”

“It is worse than usual. For the past three months I have sought to meet with Yiant, offering him a number of my finest possessions for the privilege, only to be told the Prince is not receiving.”

Juliet frowned in puzzlement. As she had said, the wood sprites were flighty creatures, but they were also cursed with an insatiable craving for magic. Nothing less than the threat of impending death would prevent a wood sprite from collecting a magical object.

“Did you offend him?”