Whispered Music (London Fairy Tales #2)(70)

“I believe we’ve scandalized the entire countryside.” Isabelle sighed.

“To the devil with them all,” Dominique growled. “I love you, my beauty.”

“And I you,” she answered.

They lay in silence for a few minutes before Isabelle asked, “What do you hear now?”

Dominique chuckled. “The most beautiful music I’ve ever heard in my existence.”

“Can you sing it to me?”

Dominique kissed her cheek. “I’ll do better. I’ll show you.”

They quickly dressed and tiptoed down to the music room.

Dominique walked to the piano, the instrument that had been a part of him his entire life, took a seat at the ivory keys, and began to play.

It was a slow melody at first that turned into a ferocious blend of the most beautiful song he had ever played. The music was no longer haunting but life-altering, so beautiful that he knew it had to be a representation of the completeness he felt.

When he was finished, he turned to his wife.

Apparently, all he was good for was making people cry when he played. A little defeated, he walked to her side and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry it made you sad.” Could he do nothing right?

“I’m not sad.” Isabelle sniffled. “I’ve just never heard anything so beautiful! What’s it called?”

“Isabelle.”

He didn’t think it possible, but she cried harder.

He kissed her hair. “It is what I hear with every breath you take, every sigh that escapes your lips, every little moment I share with you.”

“It’s perfect.”

He smiled. Yes. It was perfect.





The Wolf’s Pursuit


London Fairy Tales Book 3

His mission was dependent on his obsession.





Prologue


1805 London, England

She loved flowers; the pink frilly ones that made a man roll his eyes in disgust. Yet Hunter could not bring himself to deny her anything. She was his soul mate, his love. And after being married for a year, he could no longer manage being away from her. The life of a spy was unapologetic. Hunter would be gone for weeks at a time, spending many sleepless nights tossing and turning, aching for Lucy, the Royal Duchess of Haverstone.

Knowing he lacked the maturity of romance given his young age of one and twenty, he had poured countless hours into this meeting, into her surprise.

He crossed the street and smiled thinking of the way she would throw her head back in laughter, and jump into his arms. Never a conventional bride, she didn’t care a whit about propriety and often kissed him in public, much to the ton's dismay.

He wanted one of her kisses now. Needed to taste her lips.

Hunter pulled out his pocket watch and examined the numbers. A tad late, he had spent a ridiculous amount of time picking out her favorite flowers and daydreaming on the way to their meeting place.

As he crossed the final street to Gunther's, he watched as Lucy waved wildly in the other direction. She raised both hands high above her head, frantically aiming for someone’s attention. He picked up his pace. Excitement overtaking him, as he watched his tiny wife begin to jump up and down. Something must be truly exciting her for her to be acting so rash. Truthfully, her behavior was reminiscent of when she saw him for the first time after being away for weeks.

And then, she stomped her tiny foot, and began marching across the street.

Alarmed, he began to run.

But it was too late.

The carriage was moving too fast. She looked to her left just in time for the carriage to jolt out of the way, but not enough.

She fell to the ground.

Hunter swore, his legs feeling like lead as he screamed and ran to her side. Blood trickled from her mouth; her petite body was bent at an odd angle. Tears streamed down his face into his mouth, the taste of salt revolting, for it reeked of her death.

“Lucy, love, can you hear me? Everything is going to be fine, just fine.” He grasped her lifeless hand. She tried to shake her head. “Don’t move, just lie still. I love you. I love you so much.”

A single tear ran down her face. “I l-love you.” Voice hoarse and weak, her lips trembled as she tried again to speak. Her breath came out in short gasps.

“No, stay with me, you can’t leave me, Lucy! Do you understand? You can’t, you just can’t.” Hunters tears clouded his vision but not enough, for the last thing he saw was her blue eyes turn lifeless as her chest heaved her last breath.

“No, no!” Hunter wailed, not caring that he was still in the middle of the street. His body trembled. Surely this was a nightmare that he would wake up from! The flowers in his hand, the anniversary flowers, were never meant to cover her grave.

Strong hands grasped his chest, pulling him away from the street. He heard a voice barking orders and looked up into the eyes of his twin brother.

Eyes that held guilt, shame, and remorse. “She thought I was you, I didn’t know, I didn’t...” Ash’s eyes held unshed tears. “I was too late, I didn’t know. Oh no, what have I done?” Ash’s face was pale and haunted as he embraced his brother.

Hunter was unable to say anything. No words would come, nothing. He felt lifeless, an empty void. And he knew, without a doubt, that he would forever remember this day, not purely because the love of his life had died in his arms, but because in her death she had taken his very soul with her.