Blood Curse

3 Jade

Twilight had settled on London, blanketing the town with a purple-gray gloom. Raven walked through the streets, using his preternatural powers to move so quickly he was invisible to mortals. He walked in the center of the road, dodging carriages. Horses whinnied and reared as they sensed him pass. Nervous coachmen steadied them, and when these men saw nothing in the road, they crossed themselves.

Raven reached the house that had once been his: a huge home of golden stone on Grosvenor Square that spanned half the block. His cousin lived here now. His cousin was mortal. When Raven had left the world to believe him dead, his cousin Anthony had inherited the title of Marquis of Ravenhunt.

Some vampires who were peers attempted to live normal lives. They kept their titles, lived in their mansions, and tried to act like humans. He knew of many. The Earl of Brookshire was a vampire earl who also worked for the Royal Society. So was the Earl of Blackmoor. The Duke of Greystone was a vampire and a dragon hunter.

There was only one thing Raven missed of the mortal world. Tonight he was going to go and see her. His heart ached already at the anticipation of laying eyes on her for the first time in a week.

With lightning speed, he crossed the lawns, strode over the flagstones of the terrace, and reached the side of the house. He needed to remain clothed so he could not shift shape and fly.

His heart rate, normally so slow as to be almost undetectable, sped to a thunder.

It was these moments that made an eternity of hell bearable. This was the only reason he did not walk out into the light and destroy himself.

He did not destroy himself because he had a girl to protect. His sister, Frederica. Even though he could never let her see him, he could watch over her and keep her safe.

At first, given his black-hearted disposition and his natural enjoyment of violence, he had enjoyed being a vampire. He’d reveled in the power. But having so much power quickly became boring. His prey was too easily hunted.

At least, when he’d been a mortal solider, he had stood a good chance of getting blown off the face of the earth with a well-placed pistol shot or a cannon ball. The risk of death made it more fun.

He’d gone looking for death.

Unfortunately the moment it had almost been handed to him, it had been snatched from his grasp by a vampire queen who had wanted him to be her lover for eternity.

As he approached the house, Raven took a breath. The sooty smell of hundreds of burning candles touched his nostrils. He detected hundreds of blends of perfume, along with the heady smells of bouquets of flowers and a lavish supper.

Over all those smells, he was flooded by an overwhelming coppery-smelling wave—the aroma of blood given off by hundreds of mortals.

His fangs shot out.

Hades, they were more unruly than his cock—always lengthening at the wrong time.

“Calm yourself,” he muttered to them. “You will not be feeding here tonight. We are here for another purpose entirely.”

Likely he should feel something—some anger, some regret, some bitterness—to be reduced to climbing the wall of his former home instead of walking in the front door.

The stone blocks of the house wall cut into his bare hands, but each wound healed instantly. Hoisting himself over a railing, he landed lightly on the terrace on the upper floor. Below was the ballroom, but he entered the window of his sister Frederica’s bedchamber.

Her scent lingered. Light, lavender, sweet as a meadow of flowers.

Her bed was turned down, ready for her to slide into it at dawn, exhausted after a night of dancing. His portrait hung across from her bed. That gave him a good dose of guilt. His sister missed him. She wanted his picture where she could see him every day.

Frederica thought him dead.

This was her second London Season. His cousin Anthony, the marquis, was her guardian and overseeing her introduction to Society now that she was eighteen. She would soon find a husband.

Raven wanted to ensure the gentleman she accepted was worthy of her. He could do that by standing in the shadows, learning whom she became engaged to, then hunting down the truth about the man.

Frederica’s silken pillow, her folded nightdress, her brush and perfumes on the vanity—all the signs of her happy mortal existence—brought up too much guilt and pain.

Raven stalked out of the room.

The house was filled with servants, but he moved so quickly no one saw him. He slipped through the crowd, to the receiving line, where his cousin stood and his sister glowed. Her honey brown curls were threaded with a white satin ribbon, decorated with emeralds. Pink shone on her cheeks, her green eyes sparkled for every guest.

Folding his arms over his chest, Raven could tell which callow young men were already in love with her.

Then he saw a gentleman he did not know by name, but he recognized the type. The kind of man he’d used to be before he had fallen in love.

Three words described the handsome man smiling at his sister.

Scoundrel. Libertine. Rogue.

Frederica blushed. Her lashes fluttered. Suddenly she appeared awkward. The damned seducer—a fair-haired bastard in impeccable dress—lifted her hand to his lips and gave a slow, sensuous kiss to her fingers that was intended to make her melt.

Raven knew what the rogue was doing. Picturing her naked.

He wanted to step out of the shadows, drag the bastard into an empty room, and drink his blood dry.

He couldn’t do it—it would break his sister’s heart if the man just disappeared. Frederica had sense. And if she did not see through the blackguard’s intentions, then he would kill the man and get rid of him.

He watched her through the ballroom windows, from the darkness of the terrace.

Frederica danced twice with the rogue. In fact, she danced every dance with an admiring gentleman.

Raven wanted to lock her up in her room where men could not get at her.

Of course he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t even go near her. What would he say? That he had never died, he had been turned into a vampire?

He watched until the guests began to leave. Dawn was close and he had no choice but to go. He couldn’t stay out long in daylight—meeting Lady Ophelia that late afternoon at the museum had almost turned him to dust, for example. Frederica’s beau had left, so he felt it was safe for him to go.

He walked out across the terrace, into darkness, striding with vampiric speed.

“So here you are,” said a sultry voice. “Why do you come here, you foolish boy? There is nothing for you here.”

Raven stopped. He turned. He knew the voice, and it made him curl his lip with hatred.

It was a testament to the vampire queen’s power that she had been able to approach him from behind and he had not heard or sensed her.

Ever since he’d left her, since he’d refused to be her sexual plaything, she had left him alone.

Why in hell had she come after him now?

Queen Jade smiled at him, flashing marble-white teeth and two long, curved fangs. She was adorned in a fur-trimmed pelisse. Her pale skin appeared to sparkle in the moonlight, as though she were dusted with diamonds. Long and black, her hair spilled down and almost touched her ankles.

“I come here because there is only one woman I love on this earth,” he muttered. “And that is my sister.”

For years, he’d been Jade’s pet. She had turned him into an assassin of vampires—commanding him to kill the demons she wanted rid of.

Jade cocked her head. Her face was exquisitely lovely—her eyes large and silvery-green, her features smooth and perfect. But she not only had no soul, she was cruel and vicious.

She gave him a loving smile. It made him want to vomit.

“I have allowed you to have your independence for long enough.” She held out her hand to him. “You belong in my services. I have allowed you to help other vampires and the Royal Society—and kill for them—because it suited me. Now, you have something that I want very much.”

He did not move toward her. He snarled. “What is that?”

She came to him. Her long-fingered, beautiful hand stroked the side of his face. When he had first been turned, he had craved her every touch. He’d lusted for her every moment of the night. Now he felt nothing but revulsion and hatred.

“The girl. Lady Ophelia. I need to take her power away from her.”

How did she know he had Lady Ophelia? She could not read his thoughts. Raven grimaced. She probably had spies watching him. “Why?”

He used his jaded, unconcerned tone. But he was worried.

He didn’t understand why he felt that reaction. Why should he care about Lady Ophelia? Was the girl not just a nuisance to him? Yet, he pitied her, while he hadn’t felt anything but disgust for mortals and their weaknesses for a long time.

He had teased her with his threats to pass the time by pleasuring her. It was entertaining to make her angry.

Maybe that was a sign he spent too much time alone.

“Does the power kill our kind?” he asked Jade. “Why the hell do you want it?”

“Yes, it does kill vampires.” Jade floated around him, her hair fluttering on the cool breeze. “It kills us very slowly. At least, it would kill you slowly for now, but her power will become stronger. If she keeps her power, it will become so strong she will be able to kill a mortal without touching him. And she will kill against her will. I mean, she will not want to hurt anyone, but she will not be able to control it. You, Ravenhunt, can take her power away from her. You would be doing something kind for her, freeing her of her curse.”

Poor kid. He knew what it was to be a monster—to kill against his control. But he did not trust Jade. “How would I take this power?”

“By making love to her.” The queen laughed. “Is that not always the way? By giving her pleasure, by touching her heart, you will cause her power to become stronger. Then you will have the ability to take it from her.”

“What does that do to her?”

Jade shrugged. “It might kill her. Such strong power could not be taken without a great cost.”

“I’m not interested.”

“You will be. For if you do not do it, your sister will be destroyed.”

He lunged for her, but Jade lifted her hand and he found he could not move. She was extremely powerful for a vampiress. “Remember, dear boy, if you kill me, you die. And I have acquired insurance. Other vampires are instructed to kill your precious sister if you do anything to me.”

Hades, he hated Jade. When he retreated, she gave peals of high-pitched laughter.

“If you are an obedient boy and bring me her power, nothing will happen to your sister.” Jade wagged an ivory white finger at him. “You will be tempted to drink Lady Ophelia’s blood,” she went on. “Insanely tempted. It will lure you. In truth, if you were to drink her blood, it would be the most pleasurable experience you’ve ever had.”

“I’ve had many pleasurable experiences,” he said coldly. “But I know I can’t drink her blood. That would kill her, and I can’t do that if I have to take her power to protect my sister.”

“No, you cannot drink from her,” Jade warned, her gaze haughty, “because it would not only kill her, it would also destroy you. I will give you a week to acquire her power. You must do it by making love to her.”

“How can I do that when I can’t touch her?”

“As I said—her power will kill you slowly. As you grow closer to the point where you can take her power, you will have developed immunity. But first, you must start giving her orgasms—without touching her. Unless you give her pleasure, unless you can make her climax, you cannot take her power. I will come to you again to tell you more.”

“Damn you, Queen, I need to know more now. How do I take her power? Is it by a spell? What in Hades am I supposed to do?”

“You begin by making her come. That is all you need to know for now.” She lifted her arms and rose into the dark sky.

Over the roof over his former home, he saw enormous bats circling.

If you hurt Frederica, Queen Jade, I will destroy you. He sent the threat through thought to Jade.

I will not touch her if you do as I say, Jade answered in his head. But the bats stay—they will not hurt her, but they will prevent you from double-crossing me.

Raven spat at the grass. There were dozens of bats. He could try to fight them, but he would lose. Then Frederica would be hurt.

He had no choice. To protect his sister, he had to do as Jade asked.

He had to seduce his captive.

It had been a long time since he had touched anyone without the intent to kill.

Arms folded over his chest, Raven leaned against the door frame and watched Lady Ophelia rattle the glass doors that led to the terrace. Ornate metalwork crossed each door, acting as bars. They covered all the windows and doors in the house, making an effective prison.

“Worked your way through the rest of the house, did you?” he asked.

A sharp gasp escaped her. She whirled around. Moonlight poured in, touching her pale oval face with a silver-white light. “How long have you been standing there, watching me?”

She amazed him. Most women would be swooning and weeping at being held prisoner. But fury radiated from Lady Ophelia.

“Not long,” he said.

Even when she was angry, her voice was husky and beautiful.

“I take it you’ve kept many prisoners here,” she said. Again, when she should show fear, she snapped at him. Her large indigo-blue eyes burned with condemnation.

“No, my dear. You are the first.”

“Then why is your house like a prison?”

“Look at it from the outside, Lady Ophelia.”

“What on earth do you mean?”

“From the outside it’s not a prison. It’s a fortress. I am tempted to let you leave this house, just so you can learn what awaits you out there. You will come scurrying back.”

“I would not.”

Ravenhunt grasped her chin, forcing her blazing gaze to meet his frustrated one. “There are men out there waiting for the chance to drag you into a laboratory, strap you down, and cut you open to examine you. You wouldn’t survive it, and your death would be slow, lingering, painful.”

Smoke rose from his fingers, from the contact of his skin with hers.

“Don’t touch me,” she cried, shoving his hand away.

Her chest rose on fast breaths. Her face was white. So many emotions were written on her face he could not read them all. But one stood out—pain. He saw deep pain in her eyes. He knew what raw pain looked like. He’d seen it in his own eyes after the first time he’d killed. He’d seen it in the eyes of men on the battlefield. He’d seen it in Frederica’s eyes, after she’d been told of his “death.”

“You never touch anyone, do you?” he asked softly.

“Of course not. I can’t.”

“No kisses?”

“N—no.” She hesitated. She winced. So there was a tale there. She had kissed, so what had happened? The mortal must have died.

“No embraces. No holding hands. No dances?”

She wrapped her arms around her chest. “I cannot touch anyone at all. Even gloves don’t help if the touch is prolonged, like a dance.”

“Do you like to dance?”

Wistfulness replaced pain. “Yes.”

Raven stroked his chin. “There is something I want to do. It will hurt eventually, but not for a while.”

Before Ophelia could move away, he came to her, pulled her into his embrace. His head bent to hers, and as she reeled back, realizing what he meant to do, his mouth touched hers. Softly. Then he pressed more. His mouth opened, coaxing hers to open, too.

His tongue touched hers.

He was kissing her. An intimate, passionate kiss.

Her lips sizzled. A burning sensation washed over them. Smoke rose between her and Ravenhunt.

She fought to push him away. Her lips did not hurt, yet there was no question her kiss was burning him. Hurting him.

But he was not going to let the kiss end.