The King's Vampire (26 page)

“Don’t you realize you’re a good man and a good king and the love you hold in your heart comes from the goodness within your soul?”

“I think I believe Catherine and Nelly are the only two women who have ever truly loved me, and that’s why I can trust them.” Charles then gave Elizabeth a shy look saying, “I think you might possibly love me, too.”

“I do love you, Charles, in my own way. That’s why you must believe me and become Catholic the way your wife so desperately wants you to. It will keep your soul safe.”

His mouth quirked downward and he spoke. “I didn’t think your faith was enough to keep you protected.”

Elizabeth stared into the orange glow of the fire. Suddenly, she understood where she’d gone wrong. “My faith wasn’t enough to save me because I became too self-absorbed. My faith couldn’t protect me from my husband’s vampire bite. I lacked faith because I thought I could fight Michael through my own strength. I was wrong.”

“I believe you’re the strongest woman I know.” He took off her right glove and softly kissed each fingertip.

Elizabeth tried not to be distracted by her sudden rapid heartbeat. While the king wasn’t as handsome as Darius, he had a charisma and charm difficult to resist. She regained possession of her hand and tried to stay focused. “Don’t you see if you convert to your wife’s faith, it will prove to her how much you love her?”

“How can that help my kingdom?”

“It would mean so much to the queen. It will also prove you believe in a higher power that will take care of England after you’re gone.”

Charles strode over to the bookshelf, running his fingertips along the spines of his books, his finger resting against The Confessions of St. Augustine. “My kingdom will never accept my becoming a Catholic. To my people, Catholicism is almost as bad as embracing the Satanism of Louis’s mistress.”

“At least give it some thought.”

“I’ll consider the matter, my dear. Right now we have more pressing worries. Can you get the vampires together to tell them they must leave England soon?”

“There’s a meeting later tonight. I’ll warn them.”

Sadness and regret tightened his features. “Elizabeth? I know you want to help me, but I’m afraid you’ll no longer be safe at the palace. You’ll have to leave Whitehall.”

“Of course, I understand. I’ll pack my things right away, Your Majesty.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look at him. “I’m sorry. I still care for you, but I can’t put my kingdom in more jeopardy.”

She stepped away from him and curtsied low. She prayed he wouldn’t notice the tears stinging her eyes. “As you wish, Sire,” and with a whirl of her skirts, she left him.

Paying no attention to the groups of people thronging the hallway and stairs, Elizabeth dashed toward her room. Castlemaine stopped in the middle of the hallway, attempting to block Elizabeth from her apartments. Without a word, Elizabeth shoved her aside.

Tossing clothes in her trunk, she fought back the tears burning the back of her eyelids. She struggled against the feeling of betrayal she felt at Charles’s abandonment. She hadn’t been in love with him—she hadn’t—but it still hurt to be dismissed from the palace with such cynical casualness. It convinced her even more in her belief she was something unclean that must be sent away before she contaminated everyone with her poison.

Before she had a chance to ring for a servant to pick up her baggage, her serving girl knocked at the door, announcing the Duke of Buckingham wished to be received.

Distracted, she brushed her hand across her eyes. “Send him in.”

Buckingham entered with a swirl of his black cape. His royal blue brocade suit gleamed immaculate. His elaborate blond periwig created a startling contrast to the way he’d darkened his eyebrows and mustache. “All hell has broken loose,” he said with a wave of his hand.

She dismissed her maid who lingered in the doorway. “Shut the door on your way out, Rose.”

The girl closed the door, but left it opened a crack. Elizabeth walked over and slammed the door. She pressed her ear against the door, waiting until she heard the maid’s footsteps echo down the hallway. Facing Buckingham, she asked, “What are you going on about, Your Grace?”

“Don’t play innocent with me. I know you were just with the king. Surely, he told you what’s happening across the Channel with Louis’s court. Now all the immortal vampires are in an uproar. They have no choice but to join us, since we can control any of the witch finders that might be sent to London.” Buckingham didn’t trouble to hide his pleasure.

“What did you do to Obadiah?”

With a veiled expression, Buckingham said, “He’s been taken care of.”

“They’ll bring other witch finders to destroy us.”

“You forget, my dear, we psychic vampires control the abyss for our protection. When we descend into the abyss, no one can harm us. We need not fear more witch finders.”

Buckingham strolled across the room and stood in front of Elizabeth, looking down at her. She remained perfectly still. He let his eyes sweep up and down her body before he raised his hands and clasped them around her slender neck.

Elizabeth shivered at his icy touch. She tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip until she let out a cry of pain. When she started to choke and gasp for breath, he dropped his hands to his sides, panting heavily. He stared at his hands as if they belonged to someone else. He couldn’t have killed her by choking her, so she wondered if he’d just meant to frighten her. Ashamed it had worked, she slipped away from him, putting a rosewood settee between them.

“Why have you come here? What is it you want from me, Buckingham?” Fear made her voice harsh.

“If you don’t agree to cooperate in making Charles a vampire, then you leave me no choice but to remove you from the situation. He’s so desperate for a male heir, he’ll agree to almost anything now.”

She felt her teeth elongate. She shoved the settee out of the way, stepping near him and pointing her finger in his face. “Don’t threaten me, Buckingham, or touch me again either, or else you’ll be mighty sorry.”

Buckingham blinked in surprise. He backed up, lifting his hands, palms outward. “Don’t let’s do anything foolish. I’ll stay out of your way, so long as you keep out of mine.”

“We’re in perfect agreement then. Let’s begin now, shall we?” She gestured for him to leave, and then spun around in dismissal.

Even after Buckingham left, the faint scent of rotting sulfur filled her antechamber. Elizabeth wasted no more time. She pulled the bell for the coachman, gave him orders before clattering down the marble staircase, and racing to the courtyard, arriving even before all her trunks were brought down. She stood tapping her foot, watching the servants pile her luggage onto the carriage. She scrambled inside before anyone could assist her. “To the Boar’s Head Inn,” she said.

Traveling down the cobbled streets, she struggled to gain control of her feelings. She looked out the window and noticed the streets, usually bustling, were oddly silent and deserted. A cold, hard moon shone down, while the eaves of the buildings dripped water, but thankfully, the rain had stopped.

What were the vampires to do if Charles turned against them? She felt a stab of pain at the thought of his betrayal. When the carriage arrived, she ordered the driver, “Take my belongings to my rooms, please. She drew her shoulders back and flexed her fingers, preparing herself for whatever she might find at the tavern.

Chapter 27

Elizabeth entered the inn and spotted Darius leaning against the mantle of the fireplace in the great hall. She rushed over and he wrapped her in his arms, nearly lifting her off the floor.

“Thank God, you made it. I was so worried. The meeting between the remaining vampires and the shape-shifters is going to start at half-past twelve.”

“Dare the shape-shifters join us?” She touched his arm.

He brought her hand to his mouth, kissing the palm, before saying, “That’s why we’re having it at the Boar’s Head instead of the George and Dragon, so we can throw off the demons.”

“Will the wolves be safe?”

“Julian is furious Lance helped you rescue Sir Michael, especially since Lance refuses to tell Julian where Michael is hiding. The shape-shifter, with his preternatural animal senses, knows Julian will unleash all the demon vampires and control much of humankind. The wolves want no part of the psychic demons now.”

“Will Julian kill the wolves?” She didn’t take her eyes off him.

“I don’t think anything can kill a werewolf except a silver bullet.”

“Still, the demons will be set free and destroy the entire world. Buckingham wants nothing more than to make Charles a vampire. After what happened in France, I don’t think the king wants any part of it, but Buckingham keeps tempting him with the promise the Stuarts will rule until the end of time, if only he agrees to become a vampire. It’s only a matter of time before Charles weakens.”

Darius shuddered. “The world would be bad enough under an eternal Stuart rule, but with all the demons unleashed, it will be worse on earth than in the bowels of hell. So you heard what’s happened across the Channel?”

“I was there when Charles got the message from King Louis.”

He cupped her face between his hands with his eyes fixed on her. “I’m going to protect you, Elizabeth. I’ll not fail you again. Everything is going to be all right. You believe me, don’t you?”

She leaned into him, allowing his mouth to open hers, feeling the swirl of the tip of his tongue inside her mouth, probing him with her own tongue. Her heart pounded, and she felt his heartbeat matching her own. Yes, she believed him. She could hear their blood thrum together, pulsing loudly.

After what seemed an eternity, or perhaps an instant, Elizabeth pulled away from him. “I trust you, but it’s going to be bad, isn’t it?”

Darius frowned. “This is a battle between good and evil, and only one can win, so yes, it’s going to be very bad.”

“If the psychic vampire demons win, what will happen to us?”

He gently stroked her cheek. “They won’t win. We’ll never allow such a thing to happen.”

“The psychic demons are so powerful.” Elizabeth bowed her head.

With his forefinger beneath her chin, he tilted her head upward. “In the balance between good and evil, evil has never won out, nor will it, now or ever.”

“I’m sorry, Darius, but what if I’m not strong enough, or good enough to fight this battle? What if I fail you when you need me most?”

His hand grasped her wrist hard. “You have the most courage and are the strongest woman I know. You have an indomitable will that few have. Never let me hear you say you’re not strong enough. Even without a soul, you have a purity of spirit no human can match.”

“Charles sent me away from the palace. He says none of us are safe after what King Louis’s mistress has done, and we must all leave London.”

“If the rumors are true, and Louis’s mistress actually sacrificed a baby in satanic rites, then no vampire is safe from the wrath of the humans. Now Charles has made you leave, this changes everything.” Darius wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer. In his arms, she felt a wild yearning and passion to stay by his side forever.

She stared into his pure gray eyes, watching them gleam in the firelight. A thrill coursed through her body when he nuzzled the side of her neck with his full lips.

“I’ll never let anyone hurt you, but I’m afraid you’ll have to escape to Transylvania with the others and stay there for awhile,” he said.

She pulled back in the circle of his arms, breaking away from him. “Have you forgotten Christmas is only two days away? I can’t leave until I regain my soul.”

“The weather is uncommonly mild for this time of year.” Darius spoke as though she’d not spoken. “If we can find a captain willing to sail now, we’ll send all the vampires in wagons to Southampton, from there, they can sail to Constanta in Transylvania. Even if they have to wait until spring, they’ll be safer in Southampton than here.”

“Much good I’ll be to you if I’m sailing away on a ship,” she said. “Haven’t you been listening to what I said?”

Darius frowned. “Of course I haven’t forgotten your greatest desire. It’s what I long for most, too.” He clasped her cold hands between his own, hands so warm they actually broke through her icy chill. “My life was a meaningless existence until you came along. You must let me protect you, because without you, my life means nothing.”

“I thought you said you believed me to be brave? It doesn’t sound like you believe in me, or you’d not be insisting I run away to Transylvania.”

“Didn’t you say you were afraid you weren’t strong enough to face Julian? Since Charles isn’t willing to protect you, you’re not safe anywhere. I can’t protect you if I’m fighting Julian’s demons, and there’s no one I trust to look out for you now that John is dead.”

She jutted out her chin. “I’m not the helpless creature you seem to think. I’ve dealt with Julian and his demons, I’ve dealt with Buckingham, and I’ve dealt with shape-shifters. I can take care of myself.”

“Didn’t you just tell me you were scared?”

“Of course I’m frightened. Only an idiot wouldn’t be scared, but I’m not leaving London without you. I’m going to fight to regain my soul and help you defeat the psychic vampire demons.”

“I’ve always known how brave you are, and I certainly didn’t mean for you to think I thought you helpless. It’s just that . . .”

Before he finished his sentence, a pack of wolves came snapping and growling through the back entrance of the kitchen. Beth stormed in behind them, brandishing a wooden spoon and looking angrier than the wolves.

“I’ve shown a great deal of patience with you and your set of unnatural creatures, my lord, but I’ve got no toleration for them miserable beasts charging into my establishment, what with their dreadful gamy smell and their yelping and growling. It’s lucky for you all my normal guests are upstairs and sound asleep, or there would be trouble, I can tell you that.”

“Forgive us, Beth.” Darius made a gesture toward Lance, and he transformed himself into a human, snatching a white tablecloth from one of the wooden tables and tying it around his shoulder in the style of a Greek toga. Lance then made a signal to his pack. They lay down by the fire, heads resting on their paws, appearing poised and waiting further instructions.