Page 9 of The Duke’s Bloody Bargain

“Am I embarrassing you?” I asked.

She flushed. It had to be the first time I’d seen her blush.

“No, of course not. Dark witches are never embarrassed.” She let out a nervous chuckle. “That’s all, I suppose. Thank you for the information.” She left the room in a hurry.

I didn’t understand how magic worked, but breaking things was easier than repairing them.

4

IT’S ME

Irene

The bond between Alex and me gave a tug the moment I woke up the next morning. I didn’t remember when he’d drunk from me that first time, but I cherished the special connection between us.

As an undead, he had no aura, and I couldn’t detect his feelings with my power, but the bond was a good substitute. I’d learnt to understand his mood by the way our connection pulled or throbbed. When it became tense and taut, he was nervous. When it softened and vibrated gently, he was happy.

Another tug came. He needed to feed, and the thought sent a thrill through me.

I donned my dressing gown and opened the door before he knocked. “Good morning.”

He raked a slow glance over me, and something clenched within me as the bond purred. His pitch-black hair made his pale skin look even paler.

“You look lovely.”

In my crumpled dressing gown and dishevelled braid? Hardly.

The scent of his musk and of the lemon soap he used wafted from him. He’d dispensed with the jacket, and the dark waistcoat fit snugly across his torso, bringing out the width of his shoulders. The couple of undone buttons on his shirt showed a strip of his muscled chest and pale skin.

I let him in. “Have you been out all night?”

“I went to see Lucy and asked a physician to examine her. Then I searched Whitechapel for Graves and Rothbart.”

At the mention of Rothbart, some of my enthusiasm evaporated.

“News?” I sat on the edge of the bed.

He remained standing, towering over me, and for some reason, I found it exciting. “On Graves, not much. He’s been spotted in Whitechapel by one of Knight’s werewolves a couple of days ago, but why he hasn’t visited his sister is a mystery.”

“If the Moon Court had more resources and a wizard like Darius, we would have already found Graves.” I fiddled with the gold cross my mother had given me for protection. She’d been absolutely right. The cross would have no effect on a vampire unless he meant to harm me, to kill me. “Graves is probably ashamed of what happened here and doesn’t want Lucy to know too much. What about Rothbart?”

He released a breath through his teeth as the bond tensed. “He killed another young woman.”

“Oh no.” I put a hand on my stomach, guilt gnawing at me. Rothbart had to be stopped. He fed on pain and fear, and preying on lonely women was what he preferred.

Alex caressed the top of my head lightly. “She was the daughter of a wealthy gentleman, found dead in her house that had been set on fire. But the cause of death is blunt force trauma.”

Just as it’d happened to me. Rothbart must have beaten her savagely. “You were right. He’ll never stop.”

I’d been against killing, but Rothbart had made me change my mind.

“Things are different now.” His voice softened. “We know who he is and how he operates. We’ll find him.”

I nodded but without enthusiasm.

“It’s not your fault.” He traced the curve of my jaw with a fingertip. “It’s terrible that another woman was killed, but don’t feel guilty.”

“But that woman was a human without any special powers. I’m a soul searcher and a wili, and killing Rothbart is my job.” My duty.