My Lord Immortality (Immortal Rogues #3)(34)

The question continued to gnaw at him as he paced from the heavy table to the rack of drying herbs. It was not until a sudden intuition about Amelia permeated his body that he came to an abrupt halt. Something was wrong. He could sense her sharp discomfort, as her presence grew ever closer.

With swift movements he was at the door and, pulling it open to watch as the maiden rushed through his narrow garden with her obviously reluctant brother in tow.

"Amelia," he called softly, instinctively searching, for any hint of Drake in the vicinity. There was a faint sense of him in the distance, but nothing that could threaten Amelia at the moment.

He stepped aside as she continued to bowl forward, not pausing until she was through the door and steering her sleepy brother toward the table. Even then she continued to fuss over her brother, pulling open a large bag she had set beside the chair and placing a battered blanket about his shoulders.

"William, I need you to stay here while I speak with Mr. St. Ives," she said in low tones.

"William tired," the boy muttered, laying his head upon the table.

Sebastian's heart gave an odd twitch as he watched Amelia reach out to softly stroke her brother's hair.

"I know, darling. Just rest here for a bit and I will soon be back."

Slowly straightening, Amelia turned to meet Sebastian's worried gaze. He had only to note the pallor of her complexion and the unmistakable glitter of fear in her beautiful eyes to have him abruptly striding forward to take her hands in his own.

"Amelia." A soft snore from William stirred the thick air and with an impatient glance at the sleeping young man, he pulled Amelia's arm through his own. "Come with me."

In silence they moved through the dark house, heading directly for the library. Once there, he pressed her into a chair and swiftly poured a large measure of handy. Returning with the filled glass, he pressed it Into her nerveless fingers and crouched beside the chair so he could closely watch her tense features.

"Tell me, my dear, what has happened?"

She sucked in a shuddering breath. "It was ... Mr. Ramone."

Sebastian bit back the curses that threatened to spill from his lips. "What has he done? Did he harm you?"

"No, I am well."

She did not sound as if she were well. It did not take the heightened senses of a vampire to hear the raw panic in her voice.

"Bloody hell." Sebastian shoved a hand through the hair that lay loose about his shoulders. "I should have known it was a trap from the beginning."

Surprisingly, a hint of sympathy touched the pale face. "Your housekeeper?"

"Yes. She is gone."

Amelia reached out a hand to lightly touch his arm. "Oh, Sebastian, I am sorry."

He shook his head. He would have to save his regrets for later. For now he had to concentrate upon Amelia.

"Tell me of Mr. Ramone. What did he do?"

There was a short pause as she took a deep drink of the brandy, coughing and sputtering as the fiery liquid slid down her throat. At last she lifted her haunted gaze.

"I was in bed when I heard a noise in the garden, went out to see what was occurring."

"Damn it all, Amelia," he burst out before he could stop the words. "When will you learn a measure of caution?"

Her lips thinned at his frustrated chiding. "It is very fortunate that I did go out to investigate.

Mr. Ramone was there and he ..."

The words stumbled to a halt and Sebastian's brief flare of annoyance faded at her barely hidden distress.

"What is it?"

"I think he had just murdered another young woman."

"Oh, Amelia." He reached up to cover the fingers that still lingered upon his arm. "I am sorry you had to witness such a ghastly thing."

"It was horrible." A shudder raced through her body. "I do not think I have ever been so frightened."

Sebastian frowned, struck by a pang of guilt. "I should have been there. What did he do?"

She shook her head, as if attempting to rid herself of the horrible memory.

"I was hidden behind the tree, but somehow he seemed to know I was there. He turned and came toward me and I could see the blood upon his lips. Ho was drinking her blood."

"Oh, my dear."

There was a wrenching silence before she met his steady gaze. "Did you know, Sebastian?"

He stiffened at the unexpected question. "Know?"

"That he is a vampire," she demanded, closely regarding his expression. Far too closely, he ruefully acknowledged, as her eyes slowly widened. "You did."

Sebastian grimaced, realizing it would be impossible to lie. Damn Drake. His revelation threatened to reveal the truth about himself. Just when she needed to trust in him the most.

"Yes."

"How?" Her fingers tightened upon his arm. "How did you know?"

"That is something we can discuss later," he forced himself to say in firm tones. "For now, I need to know what occurred."

She shivered as she pressed deeper into the soft leather of her seat. "He admitted that he was the one who had committed the murders. Then, he told me he wanted my amulet."

"Your amulet?"

Her brows furrowed together. "He claimed that it was a piece of some Medallion that belongs to the vampires."