Kiss of the Rose (10 page)

“You want me as much as I want you,” he murmured, his teeth nipping at her lower lip, his tongue dueling with hers. “You fight the same demons I’m fighting.”

This time she managed to wrench her head away from his, and to push him backward. He didn’t stop her, and he didn’t move far, but it was enough for her to gather her scattered wits. She wiped a shaking hand across her now sensitive lips.

“I was going to agree that we work together to find the rogue Vampire, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Why not?” He frowned at her, all evidence of his passion immediately erased from his face.

“Because if you are unable to restrain your lust, sir, I would fear for both my reputation and, in certain circumstances, for the continuation of my life.”

He smiled. “I’m quite capable of separating business from pleasure, my lady. I can assure you that I’ll never leave you unprotected or in danger.”

“And that’s another thing.” She closed the gap between them again. “If I agree, it will be to work as equal partners. I do not wish you to protect or coddle me. I’m quite capable of looking after myself.”

He bowed extravagantly. “You’ve already told me that on countless occasions.”

“I mean it.” She held his gaze.“If you cannot agree to treat me as a partner, I won’t help you.”

He regarded her steadily for a long moment. “Does that include my partner in pleasure as well?”

“No!”

“Because you already have Rhys Williams.”

She glared at him. “Because I do not wish to bed
you
.”

He shrugged. “I’ve heard that Druid women enjoy many lovers, particularly at festival times. Is that not true?”

Anger stirred in her stomach, drowning the awakening lust. “Are you suggesting that I would merrily swive any man who asked me?”

“I’m not suggesting anything other than perhaps we should scratch this itch before it becomes bothersome.”

She stared pointedly at the black codpiece that covered his groin.“I suggest you scratch it yourself. I’m sure you are more than capable,” Rosalind said.“Now please leave me alone.”

His face sobered. “We need to catch this Vampire.”

“I know!” She walked past him and then looked back. “That’s the only reason I’m willing to be within a sword’s length of you.”

“The only reason you will admit to, anyway.”

Rosalind bared her teeth at him.“You are im possible.”

“So I’ve been told.” He bowed. “Why don’t you go back and enjoy the masque? I have an appointment with Elias Warner at midnight. I’ll keep you informed.”

Her smile this time was full of satisfaction. “I have the same appointment. He obviously considers me just as important as you.”

He frowned.“I don’t need to warn you about him, do I? He likes to play games and he will not hesitate to kill to achieve his grisly ambitions.”

“He’s a Vampire. Of course I know that.”

“Not all Vampires are the same.”

She hesitated as she recognized something like pain in his voice. “Why do you care so much about a bloodsucking race devoid of humanity?”

His mouth thinned. “Why do you care about yours?”

She sighed. Standing here exchanging kisses and insults with Sir Christopher wouldn’t help her catch a Vampire. He was a temptation she must resist. She curtsied. “Good night, sir.”

Rosalind headed back into the main hall. The dancing had stopped and the floor was now occupied by a group of tumblers and acrobats.

Soon it would be May Day, she realized, and commoners and courtiers alike would erect maypoles and celebrate the old festival of Beltaine. Morris dancers would replace the tumblers and fools, if only for a day, and the pagan festival that the Christian Church had tried to bend to its own use would be upon them again.

Rosalind smiled to herself as she threaded her way through the throng. She was eager to celebrate Beltaine in the traditional way of the Druids, to reunite with her kin, and to be reminded exactly why joining her fate to Sir Christopher’s was a very bad idea indeed.

Chapter 7

T
welve faint bells sounded from the king’s chapel as Christopher made his way to the meeting place behind the stables that Elias Warner had suggested. He’d changed out of his elaborate finery into simpler black clothing, supple thigh-length leather boots, and a variety of weapons that served more than an ornamental purpose.

His dark mood matched his clothing. If Rosalind Llewellyn wasn’t bespelling him, what was wrong with him? He’d never been attracted to a Druid before, and he was definitely attracted to her. His prick throbbed like a nagging toothache. Before leaving for the rendezvous, he’d had to break the ice on his water jug and splash his torso with freezing cold water or risk embarrassing himself by grabbing Rosalind’s hand and suggesting she aid him.

He smoothed an impatient hand over his loins as his body responded with enthusiasm to the mere thought of Rosalind touching him. He needed to calm down. Elias Warner was far too astute not to notice his strange reaction to Rosalind. And if Elias could, he’d use that knowledge for his own ends. Dagger in hand, Christopher slipped around the corner of the abandoned brick building and stopped to survey the scene. In front of him sat Elias and Rosalind, their expressions as wary as his own, their weapons on display. Elias still wore his fine coat with the gold lace, but Rosalind had changed out of her red kirtle into her boy’s clothes.

He nodded at them both, and settled between them on an old stack of hacked-off stone.

Elias cleared his throat. “I have a message from the Vampire Council.” He paused to study them. “They have decided to allow you to work together to defeat this Vampire.”

Christopher let out his breath.“That is very… generous of them.”

Rosalind shrugged. “That’s all very well, but I’m not under their jurisdiction. They can’t tell me what to do.”

Christopher tensed as Elias’s gaze went stony, and he hastened to intervene. “They can, however, warn other Vampires not to kill you on sight while you are working with us. Surely that warrants some appreciation?”

She turned to him, her brown eyes thoughtful and the contours of her arresting face enhanced by the moonlight. “I suppose that will make my task easier.”

“
Our
task.” By God’s teeth, she was an irritating wench sometimes. “We will work together, aye?”

She folded her hands together on her lap. “I must wait for word from my grandfather.”

“By the time you hear from him, Lady Rosalind, half the court could be dead, as well as the king,” Christopher said. “Doesn’t your grandfather trust you to make your own decisions?”

“Doesn’t yours? Or do you always meekly do whatever the Vampire Council tells you?” Anger flashed across her face, leaving her cheeks flushed.

“My uncle trusts me. I have his full support.” Christopher hoped he sounded more confident than he felt. His uncle could be a difficult man and he found it hard to believe that Edward had agreed to this unlikely pact. Allying himself with a Druid would probably be anathema to his guardian whatever the consequences to his race.

“If I might have your attention?” Elias asked. “The Vampire Council has spoken to both your families, and both have consented.”

“Are you sure?” Christopher and Rosalind asked the question at the same time.

Elias looked pained. “This isn’t the first time your families have worked together to overthrow a threat. And this threat is unusual. It has been foretold both by the Vampire book of prophecies as well as the Druids’.”

“Long ago our priests prophesied a dark, bloody time for the Tudors and that we would be needed,” Rosalind said slowly. “But I did not know that Vampires believed in prophecy as well.”

Elias stirred and recited softly.

“The kiss of the rose is death to kin

And three will stand alone.

The bonds of blood will reunite

And enemies become one.”

“How peculiar. That’s exactly the same wording as our prophecy.” Rosalind frowned as if the idea that the three of them might share anything other than the air they breathed troubled her.

“Not so peculiar, Lady Rosalind, if you consider that Vampires and Druids are descended from the same stock. It’s hardly surprising we share some of the same ancient texts,” Elias reminded them, his silver gaze resting curiously on Rosalind. “Surely, what is more interesting is how we should interpret the prophecy.” He turned to Christopher. “Does not the wording suggest that Lady Rosalind is at the very heart of the matter?”

Rosalind made a face.“Hardly, Master Warner. Surely the prophecy speaks of the Tudor rose and the possibility of the king’s death.”

“Elias could be right, my lady. It might explain why you were called back to court.” Christopher saw that Elias was nodding and went on.“And then there are the three who will stand alone.”

“I suppose you think that refers to you, me, and Elias,” Rosalind replied.

“Or, if you are indeed the center of the prophecy, the three might include Rhys Williams. That seems to make more sense.”

Rosalind fiddled with her braid as if impatient for the conversation to be over with. “None of it makes sense. We have no bonds of blood!”

Elias stood. “Just as the Vampires and Druids share the same prophecies, we certainly share the same ancient blood. It will be intriguing to see what Sir Christopher adds to the equation.” Elias gave Christopher a sidelong glance. “Whatever happens, I am pleased to offer you my assistance in your efforts to trap the rogue Vampire.”

“Thank you.” Christopher managed to be courteous even as his unease grew. He did not like the Vampire’s insinuation about blood bonds— or his apparent fascination with Rosalind. “We might need your help.”

Rosalind stood up and brushed at the grass on her knees. “Is there anything else, Master Warner?”

Elias bowed. “No, my lady.”

Christopher rose as well. “There is something I’d like to ask you, Elias. Is it possible that Lady Rosalind can use magic?”

“All Druids use magic. What particular kind?” Elias asked, one eyebrow raised.

Christopher grimaced. “The kind that makes a man behave like a rutting fool.”

“It’s possible, I suppose. Druids use magic in their sacred ceremonies. Outside of that, they tend to leave such spells to their wise women. Lady Rosalind could have obtained a love potion…” He paused to study Christopher’s face, a sudden stark interest dawning on his own. “Do you think you have been bewitched?”

“I’m not sure.”

Rosalind gave Christopher a small complacent smile. “On my honor, I would hardly bother to go to all that trouble to bewitch
you
. And how on earth would I gain access to your vittles to add a potion? As I said, Sir Christopher, the problem is all of your own making.”

“Hardly that, Lady Rosalind.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “We shall have to agree to disagree on this matter, sir.”

“And both strive to restrain our unruly appetites.”

“I’ll leave that to you.” She nodded at Elias and headed for the crumbling archway that connected the deserted building to the stables.

Christopher caught up to her in less than a moment. “Where are you going?”

She sighed.“Just because we have the Vampire Council’s consent to work together doesn’t mean that we have to do everything together.”

He barred her way with his arm. “Aye, it does.”

“I’m going to see if Rhys has returned from London, and then I’m going to bed.”

“Whose bed would that be, my lady?”

She pushed past his arm and kept walking, her long legs taking her away from him, her braided hair bumping against the back of her blue woolen jerkin. He called after her, his voice low, but easily audible in the vibrant stillness of the night.

“Are you going to tell him you kissed me?”

She stopped walking and he found himself tensing with anticipation as she spun around. It was almost too easy to bait her, and yet he couldn’t seem to stop.

“Of course I’ll tell him.”

“Even if he comes after me with his sword? The Vampire Council won’t be pleased if he skewers me.”

She met his gaze, her brown eyes clear. “I tell him
everything
.”

“Then he is a lucky man.” He wondered how that might feel, to have someone you could let down your guard with, someone who truly cared about you, and loved you just the way you were. He had no family except his uncle. The rest had been killed serving the Council, or in the bloody disputes common in the Vampire community.

His smile disappeared and he resumed walking until he joined Rosalind at the door leading up to the sleeping quarters above the stables. “I’ll wait here for you while you check on Rhys.”

She glanced up the rickety dark staircase. The smell of horse dung and sweat curled around them. “I’m not going up there. It’s full of men.” She stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled softly, but there was no reply. She whistled once more, and then sighed.“I didn’t think he’d be back yet, anyway.”

Christopher bowed. “Then
I’ll
escort you to bed. Which would you prefer? Yours or mine?”

She didn’t answer, her expression troubled, as if her mind was still with her lover rather than on him. “I’m not going to bed yet. I have to check on the queen.”

“I’ll come with you.” He took up a position behind her and to her right, so as not to impede his sword arm. “Are you worried about the queen?”

“I am concerned because she has lost the king’s favor.” She frowned, her voice quiet. “He never visits her, and her court has dwindled to a mere handful of loyal servants.”

“She is growing old.”

“I know.”

“And as she can no longer give the king an heir, I fear he has grown increasingly dissatisfied with her.” He leaned closer. “It is said that Cardinal Wolsey is seeking the pope’s help to annul the marriage.”

She turned her face up to his, her expression shocked. “How can he do that when it was the pope who gave him dispensation to marry his brother’s widow in the
first
place?”