Ophelia gasped and managed to sit up. The shaft of an arrow protruded from the queen’s back. It had gone through her heart.
The Earl of Brookshire swiftly reloaded his crossbow in the moment while everyone stood, stunned. De Wynter trained his weapon on the large demon. Ophelia saw Harry come to her side, and he held a wooden stake in his hand, ready to attack.
“I did not want to have to kill her,” the earl said, “but it was necessary.”
Warm, strong arms went around Ophelia. She turned, only to be captured by Raven’s dark, fierce gaze. He gathered her into his arms, lifted her off the floor, cradling her against his broad chest. “Are you all right? Do you hurt still?”
It felt so good to be cuddled against him. Her head fit in the crook of his shoulder. She breathed in his wonderful, male scent. “No, I am just weak.”
With complete seriousness in his eyes, he admonished, “Ophelia, you shouldn’t have done that.”
She rolled her eyes. “I could not let you die or be destroyed, Raven. If you thought I would do that, you are mad. I love you.”
“I know. It’s something I can’t quite believe.”
Althea came up to them. “I think we should have our conversation later. Right now, we should attempt to survive,” she pointed out. “We are in enemy territory.”
“Indeed, my dear Althea.” De Wynter motioned toward the demon with the crossbow. “All of you, on your knees.”
None of Jade’s servants obeyed. They wore mocking smiles. “You have the weapon, slayer, but you are outnumbered.”
It was true and Ophelia’s heart lurched. After all this, were they to lose? “How will we get past them?” she whispered to Raven.
He glanced to Brookshire and Mr. de Wynter. “I suspect they would not be so foolhardy as to come with so few men.”
Footsteps sounded in the corridor, and many armed men burst into the room. Raven had been right.
At their side, Althea laughed with delight. “It appears my husband sent servants to the Royal Society to bring help, and they came with the Society men.”
With so many armed men, and de Wynter barking commands, the queen’s servants surrendered completely. They got to their knees, their hands behind their heads.
“Your sister,” Ophelia gasped. “We must go to her.”
“She is safe,” Raven said hoarsely. “Now she needs to be freed.”
Her brother ran to Raven’s side. “Where is she?”
“Come with me, Darlington. I will take you to her. Unless you want to shoot and destroy me.”
“You were willing to die to save Frederica and Ophelia—my beloved and my sister.” Harry looked at Raven with genuine admiration. “I would never dream of attacking you. You have my undying gratitude.”
Ophelia let Raven hug her closer. “I can take you, Darlington,” he said, “but I cannot see her. She’s afraid of me.”
“No!” Ophelia cried. “She mustn’t be. Let me speak to her. I will make her see that you are still the brother she loves.”
Raven tenderly, slowly, kissed the top of her head. It was so sweet, so loving a gesture, Ophelia almost burst into tears. To be loved was a dream she had believed would never come true.
18
Tasting Him
“I can walk now,” Ophelia insisted as Raven carried her to a heavy oak door. He had gently taken her down the stone cellar steps and along an unlit, stone-walled passage, stopping here at the end of it. Light gleamed through a small gap between the door and the frame, allowing her to see. It was a door to a prison, with large iron hinges, but the thick padlock dangled from a hasp.
“No,” he growled. “You went through hell up there. I am trying to make amends.”
Her hands held his powerful arms. “You went through just as much. You don’t have to do this.” She loved being in his arms, but it was strange to be cossetted, treated as if she was broken. She didn’t want to act like a fainting ninny with no endurance, no capability of facing risk.
In truth, she had never felt stronger.
“I’m a vampire. To me you are as light as a feather.”
“I want you to be ready to embrace your sister,” she insisted. “You cannot do that if I am in your arms.”
He was sweet, showing her a kindness she hadn’t known for much of her life, but also arrogant. She had saved him by coming after him, but she had overheard him talk with de Wynter and Lord Brookshire. He would not excuse them for allowing her to come into danger.
She hadn’t yet told him she had agreed to be a distraction so they could break into the house.
Suddenly she realized she was afraid to tell Raven. He had been an assassin. What did a man like that do in rage? She owed their lives to Brookshire, his brother, and Althea. She dare not say anything that would make him hurt them.
Showing his strength, Ravenhunt shifted her, so he had her perched on one arm, and he opened the oak door with his free right hand. In here, torches burned along the walls. Not much light but enough to blind her eyes.
“God,” he muttered. A thud sounded. It had to be his hand hitting the door.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
Something slightly rough and warm touched her chin. His fingers, and they tipped up her chin. In a low voice, he said, “I cannot do this. When she saw I was not dead, she fainted. She doesn’t know yet that I am a demon—a predator and a monster. Or she does know, because your brother has told her.”
“He wouldn’t.” But he might have. He wouldn’t have thought he would have to hide it. “I will speak to her.”
“I can’t face it,” he growled. “Not her horror, her hatred. Her rejection.”
Footsteps sounded. Ophelia blinked as a dark shadow emerged from the light. Her eyes focused and she saw it was Harry.
“I have told her,” he said heavily. “I heard footsteps. Thought it would be you, so I wanted to tell you she knows you are a vampire. It was a—a bad shock.”
Raven kissed the top of her head. Ophelia looked up after he did. His eyes shone, but not because they were a vampire’s eyes. It was due to the watery film of tears. “I can’t go to her,” he muttered. “I told Jade I wanted Frederica released, but it cannot be by me. This is wrong, and it will only hurt her. I can never see her again.”
“No,” she gasped.
Her brother nodded. “As you wish, Ravenhunt.” Harry turned and ran back down the corridor to where Frederica must have been imprisoned.
“You
“No.”
“Don’t be stubborn and ridiculous. She will accept you, especially once she knows how you heroically risked your existence for her.”
“She should never accept me.”
He set her on her feet, and though she’d wanted to walk herself, the way he did it made her nervous.
“I am going now.”
“Going? Without seeing her?”
“It has to be this way. You do not have to come with me if you don’t want to. You are free now, Ophelia. Not my captive anymore.”
