Kiss of the Rose (32 page)

“Why would I do that? I act solely on the orders of the Vampire Council.”

“Their dislike of this particular Vampire seemed very personal to me.”

“You think so?” Elias managed a tight smile. “I have no idea why.”

They stopped by the door to the queen’s apartments and Rosalind hesitated. She decided it was best to speak to Christopher before she proceeded to air her suspicions. “You are probably right, Master Warner. I am a little overtired.”

His smile was tender and she was reminded of the images she’d seen in his mind: his fascination with her, his desire to have her in his thrall. “That isn’t surprising considering your recent victory, Vampire slayer.” He bowed low and kissed her hand. “I assume you’ll be leaving court now.” Elias sounded a little disappointed.

“I haven’t heard from my grandfather yet, but I am sure he will want me home.”

“I will miss you, my lady.”

Rosalind summoned a smile. “I’m sure you’ll find plenty of other ladies to amuse you, sir.”

“I’m sure I will, but they won’t be you.” Elias smiled beguilingly, but she refused to comment on his pro-vocative remark so he carried on speaking. “And Sir Christopher?”

Rosalind shrugged. “I have no idea what he will be doing.”

Elias paused. “You have not seen him?”

“There is no need for me to see him. The Vampire is dead.”

“Ah. I should imagine that this is difficult for you both.”

Rosalind stared intently at Elias. Was that a hint of sympathy in his voice? Surely not.

He continued. “I suspect Sir Christopher has enough Vampire blood in him to bond for eternity.”

At that, Elias bowed and turned away, leaving Rosalind standing alone. As usual, he’d stirred up her thoughts and made her imagine things that could not be allowed to happen. Rosalind checked that Elias had indeed disappeared and turned back toward the stables. She needed to talk to Rhys.

Christopher rested his crossed arms on the door of the stall and spotted Rhys crouched in the straw, his horse’s foot stuck between his knees as he picked at a loose nail in the shoe. Christopher waited until Rhys released the horse’s foot before announcing his presence. He doubted Rhys would appreciate being kicked in his manly parts if the horse took fright.

Rhys stood up and wiped his hands on his leather jerkin. “What can I do for you, Sir Christopher?”

Christopher followed Rhys to the pump in the stable yard and waited while he washed his hands. “Something’s been bothering me.”

Rhys half smiled. “Let me guess. You’ve finally realized that you have been behaving like a complete fool by ignoring Lady Rosalind and you want to make your peace with her before you leave.”

Christopher frowned. “No. That’s not it.”

“Are you sure? Because you have been a fool.” Rhys paused. “She loves you, despite who you are and what you mean to her family. That is a gift I would never turn away.”

Christopher set his jaw. “Be that as it may, there is something else I need to speak to Rosalind about. Something the Vampire said.”

Rhys looked away from him, past his shoulder.“Then you are in luck. Lady Rosalind is here. You can ask her yourself.” He bowed and took himself off, leaving Christopher staring at the water pump, painfully aware of Ros alind’s sweet scent behind him, the sudden catch of her breath, the imagined warmth of her skin…

“Oh…”

She sounded disappointed. He turned around and she frowned. “I wanted to ask Rhys about something…”

He fixed on a smile. “Can I help you?”

She regarded him steadily with her beautiful brown eyes. “I thought you didn’t want to have anything more to do with me.”

“Needs must, my lady.” He inclined his head the bar-est inch. “I believe we have some unfinished business.”

Her face softened and she clasped her hands together like a supplicant.“I’m so glad you’ve decided to give me a chance to explain. When I was in the Vampire’s thrall, she made me choose one of you to save, and naturally I thought of you— ”

“Naturally.” He snorted. “And then naturally you chose Rhys.”

“Because I had to.”

“As you keep saying.” He ran a hand over his face. “This isn’t what I wanted to discuss, and you are not saying anything you haven’t already said before. Please excuse me.”

“Don’t walk away from me.” She grabbed hold of his velvet sleeve and he stopped moving.

“Let go of my arm.”

“Or what?”

He palmed his dagger and brought it to lie against her flushed cheek. “Or I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

She stared up at him. “As if you would hurt me.”

“As if you’d let me.” He took a deep, steadying breath. “I do not want to listen to you, Rosalind.”

“Why not?”

“Because you have already made yourself very clear.”

Anger glittered in her eyes. “Do me the courtesy of hearing me out, and then I will let you go without a single murmur.”

He put his dagger away and she released her grip on his sleeve. With an elaborate bow he gestured at the ruined bathhouse and she sailed past him, her brown silken skirts rustling in the straw. She took up a position in the center of the space and he strolled toward her, hands clasped behind his back to stop them from shaking.

“Well?”

She glared at him and lifted her chin. “As I was saying, the Vampire was going to kill all of you unless I chose one to save. I quickly realized I didn’t need to save Elias, for the Vampire had implied that she thought he might be of use to her when she ruled the kingdom. That left you and Rhys.” She sighed and looked away from him. “I thought I would go mad having to make such a choice.”

“Yet you managed it.” He was proud of the lightness of his tone, glad that his hard-won defenses still worked against her.

She shot him a death-glare. “Because I remembered something important. Blood ties are vital to the Vampire kind. Protecting their bloodlines is an instinct, like a human woman protecting her young. I knew that she would never willingly kill one of her blood. I knew she would never kill you.” She let out her breath.“So I chose Rhys. He was the only one of us who was of no use to the Vampire, and had no claim on her.”

Christopher let Rosalind’s words sink slowly into his mind, felt them heal parts of his soul he hadn’t even realized were hurting. He’d felt that terrible reluctance to kill his own blood, had only conquered it when the fate of his bond mate was in the balance. The once impenetrable walls of his defenses crumbled even more and he struggled to speak.

“It was fortunate for you that your wild gamble paid off, then, wasn’t it?”

“My wild gamble?”

He raised an eyebrow. “What else would you call it?”

“A reasoned decision in the face of appalling odds.” She scowled at him. “That, no doubt, is what you would call it if a man had to make such a choice!”

“I don’t think I would have been able to make such a choice,” he said wonderingly. “I don’t know that I’m strong enough.”

“It doesn’t make any difference, though, does it?” She sighed and her head drooped forward like a wilting flower. “You’ve already decided I don’t deserve to be forgiven.”

“It’s hardly as simple as that.”

She held his gaze. “Yes, it is, Christopher.”

“As I said, perhaps I don’t have your courage.” In truth, he could hardly believe her ability to stand in front of him and share her feelings so easily. She humbled him, made him want to leap the abyss for her instead of standing back in the shadows afraid to draw attention to himself.

Her brown eyes snapped fire. “Then perhaps you should find some.”

He took a deep breath. It was time to jump or fall to his death. “And tell you that I love you, and that I wish to God I could be worthy of you?” He smiled. “That is all true, my lady, and it doesn’t change anything at all.”

She blinked hard and he realized she was close to tears. “How can you say it doesn’t change anything?”

He took her trembling hand, brought it to his lips and kissed the palm. “You’re right. My love for you has changed everything for me and it will always endure. In my soul I am yours, my lady. You have made me whole again. I will never forget you, and I’ll never find your equal.”

For a moment he let her inside his thoughts. She experienced the truth of his words, of his love for her, and of his complete conviction that she was better off without him.

“Do not think like that! You are one of the most worthy men I have ever met.” She cupped his jaw. “I have never doubted your courage or your ability to survive the most difficult of birthrights.”

He was saying good-bye to her, withdrawing his mind from hers even as he stood in front of her. Physically present, and yet not with her at all.

She reached out to embrace him. “Christopher— ”

A shout from behind him made him pull away and turn. Rhys stood waiting, his expression resigned.

“The king wishes to see us in his private chambers.”

“All of us?” Rosalind asked.“But I have already seen the king.”

Rhys gave her a searching glance as he took her elbow. “All of us, my lady, and we’d better hurry.”

“His Majesty the king will see you now.”

The king’s servant flung open the doors of the audience chamber and bowed low. Rosalind took a step inside and then stopped at the sight of all the people gathered around the seated king. Christopher’s warm hand flattened against her back and urged her forward.

The king nodded genially at them. “Lady Rosalind, Master Williams, Sir Christopher. Thank you for attending to me.”

As if they’d had a choice. Rosalind curtsied low and rose to see the anxious, tearstained face of Queen Katherine.What had the king told her about the death of one of her favorite ladies-in-waiting? Rosalind tore her gaze from the obviously distraught queen and stiffened at the amused glint in Elias Warner’s eyes.

King Henry smiled. “I wish to extend my thanks to you for preserving my kingship.”

All three of them murmured something about it being an honor to serve the king, who then gestured at Rhys.

“Master Williams, we shall pay you a royal pension for the rest of your natural life.”

Rhys dropped down onto one knee. “Thank you, sire.”

King Henry nodded and then turned his gaze to Christopher. “And you, Sir Christopher, will become a baron. Our secretary and the Guild of Arms shall consult with you about the disposal of your new lands and your responsibilities.”

Rosalind glanced at Christopher as she felt tears threaten.At last he would have somewhere to call home, something that belonged to him alone.

Christopher knelt too. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I am… overwhelmed by such generosity.”

Rosalind was still smiling when the king’s benevolent gaze fell on her. “And as for you, Lady Rosalind, we have an even greater prize.” He winked at her and nudged the queen, who tried to smile. “What could be sweeter than to help the cause of true love?”

Rosalind swallowed hard. “I don’t understand, sire.”

The king nodded. “The queen tells us that one of the reasons your grandfather sent you to court was to find a husband. Is that true?”

“It was certainly on his mind, sire, but— ”

The king continued to speak over her pathetic squeaking.“And she has revealed a sad story of love lost between you and Sir Christopher.”

Rosalind’s throat went dry.

“It seemed to us, that in addition to ennobling Sir Christopher and endowing him with land, the least we could do was double your present dowry and present you to him as the perfect bride.”

“But— ”

The king waved his hand. “Do not thank us, Lady Rosalind. We’ve already sent a letter to your grandfather and one to Sir Christopher’s uncle apprising them of my decision.” He smiled. “You will be very happy together.”

He rose to his feet and ushered his private chaplain in front of Rosalind and Christopher. “Let’s have the betrothal ceremony now while we are present.”

Christopher got to his feet and cleared his throat. “Your Majesty is most generous. But, sire, I’m not sure— ”

The king’s good humor abruptly deserted him and he scowled. “Are either of you already betrothed?”

“No, sire, but our families will not approve of this match. In truth they— ”

King Henry cut him off. “Then this union will bring them together.”The king’s thin lips narrowed.“I’m tired of feuding families. You will obey.”

Rosalind cast an anguished look at Rhys, but he shook his head.They could not afford to offend the king to his face. Her grandfather would have their heads, if the king did not.

King Henry gestured at Rosalind.“Take his hand, my lady, and all will be well.”

It would not, but Rosalind did as the king said and heard the chaplain speak the sacred words of betrothal over them. Even as she stood obediently in front of the king, her mind scrabbled like a trapped rat to work out a way to escape this disastrous ambush. But she could think of nothing, and Christopher stood just as silently by her side.

Within a heartbeat they were betrothed by the king’s command and neither of them could do a thing to stop it.

Chapter 23

“W
hat in God’s name are we going to do?” Rosalind said beseechingly to Rhys. The king had stayed for only a moment to kiss Rosalind heartily and slap Christopher on the shoulder before departing with the queen and Elias in tow. “What was the queen thinking, telling the king we were in love?” Her voice had risen to an unladylike screech.

“Stay here, my lady,” Rhys said, headed for the door. “I’ll catch up with the king.”

She was left staring at Christopher, who appeared as astonished as she was. “How did this happen?”

Christopher shrugged. “The king’s will is indeed allpowerful.”

“You don’t sound very angry.”

A smile quivered at the corner of Christopher’s mouth. “Well, it is rather amusing, isn’t it?”

“In what way?”

“We’ve spent our entire time together denying our attraction because our families are sworn enemies, and the king decrees we should be married.”

She stormed up to him, her hands on her hips. “And that is amusing?”

His smile died. “Perhaps not to you, but for one glorious moment I felt as if my every desire had been granted.”