My Lord Eternity (Immortal Rogues #2)(6)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"And you, sir. However, I have a task I must complete on this evening, so if you will excuse me?"

Realizing that she was about to slip from his grasp, Amadeus smoothly blocked her path.

"May I offer my services in performing this task?"

Forced to halt, she barely managed to hide her flare of impatience. "I merely wish to speak with Molly."

"Molly?"

"She can always be found on this street."

Amadeus raised a hand to his heart and offered a soulful shake of his head. "Oh, my dear."

She frowned at his sudden expression of sorrow. "What is it?"

"Does this Molly have red hair and a freckled countenance?"

"Have you seen her?"

"I very much fear I have."

Forgetting her revulsion of him, Miss Kingly suddenly stepped forward. "What is it?"

He pretended to consider the matter for a moment before speaking. "I am uncertain how to tell you this, but she was discovered in a nearby alley just half an hour ago."

Her hand reached up to clutch the Medallion upon the chain as if seeking strength.

"Discovered? What do you mean, discovered?"

Amadeus briefly recalled the sweet delight as he drained the life from the struggling, terrified whore. It had been a hurried affair, without his usual finesse, but the blood still raced through his body with a potent force.

"She has been murdered," he announced simply.

Predictably the maiden’s eyes widened in shocked horror. Humans could become so illogi-cally attached to one another.

"Dear heavens," she breathed.

"A shock, I know," he sympathized.

"Are you certain it was Molly?"

He heaved a deep sigh. "Unfortunately it was I who found the body."

There was a moment of silence as Miss Kingly struggled to come to terms with the disturbing news of her friend, then she abruptly straightened her shoulders with commendable fortitude.

"Where have they taken her?"

Once again she managed to catch Amadeus off guard with her display of courage. His brows rose at her firm words.

"No, you must not attempt to see her," he retorted in solicitous tones.

"Of course I must."

"My dear, it would not be at all prudent."

Her expression hardened to one of determination. "I do not care for prudence. She may have been a prostitute, but I cared for her."

It was the opportunity he had been awaiting. He would display just how kind and compassionate he could be.

"A most honorable sentiment, my dear, and I fully applaud your generous nature. I myself have pledged my life to helping these poor wretches who nightly struggle just to survive.

However, my desire in preventing you from joining the poor child stems from the knowledge you would be deeply disturbed by her grievous attack. The murder was quite savage."

She paled at his soft words, her hands trembling as they clutched the shawl. "Oh."

"It is truly best that you return home."

Clearly disturbed by the unexpected end to Molly, the formidable woman gave a reluctant nod of her head.

"Yes, perhaps you are right."

Once again Amadeus held out his arm. "Shall we?"

"No, no, I thank you," she stammered, still uneasy in his presence. "I prefer to be on my own."

Incensed, Amadeus took a step forward, his fangs instinctively lengthening in anticipation of the kill. He would teach this vexing chit a lesson in daring to defy him. Then, with an effort, he regained his composure.

All things would come to him in their proper time.

Patience.

"As you wish." He performed a stiff bow. "I do hope that you will not hesitate to seek me out if you ever have need of my services. Until then, good night, my dear."

"Good night." With an absent nod the maiden turned and soon disappeared around the corner.

On his own, Amadeus clenched his hands in frustration. The evening had not progressed nearly as well as he had hoped. Miss Kingly had not readily embraced him as her savior, nor had she eagerly turned to him for his assistance. Instead, she remained wary and far too distant.

Still, he would not allow himself to press matters. Unlike Tristan, who was always brutal and impulsive, or Drake, who was far too arrogant, he knew that it was his keen intelligence that would allow him to succeed.

He had planted one further seed this evening. In time it would lure Miss Kingly into his clutches. Of that he did not doubt.

Until then he would simply enjoy the undeniable pleasures of his various experiments.

Watching Miss Kingly safely walk away from the deadly vampire, Lucien slipped the dagger beneath his jacket.

It had been rather a nasty surprise to nearly stumble over the traitor. When he had impulsively decided to follow Miss Kingly through the dark streets, he had been more concerned with the mundane dangers. Thieves, ra**sts, murderers. The sight of the Inscrolled slaves, followed closely by Amadeus, had made his blood run cold.

Keeping close enough to rush to the maiden if the vampire desired to harm her, Lucien had remained in the shadows to discover precisely what the renegade would do. For all his frivolous ways, he knew it was imperative that he understand precisely how Amadeus intended to acquire the Medallion.

It had taken only moments to realize that the renegade was intent on wooing the maiden with his supposed sympathies to those poor individuals who littered the streets of St. Giles. And that he was quite willing to kill without remorse to achieve his goal.

The realization hardened his determination.

He would not allow Miss Kingly to be harmed. For once in his existence he possessed a true responsibility. He would not fail.

Waiting until he was certain that the maiden was on her way home, Lucien silently stepped from the shadows and confronted the vampire with a mocking smile.

"My, my, Amadeus," he drawled. "How terribly clever of you to save Miss Kingly in such a daring manner. But then, you have always been clever."

With a smooth motion Amadeus turned to confront him, a cold glitter in his pale eyes.

"Ah, Lucien, I have been expecting you."

Lucien narrowed his gaze in dislike. He had always found the vampire a pompous, ill –

humored man. He was also cruel in nature and took unpleasant delight in causing pain in others.

Unfortunately he was also cunning and dispassionate. Two qualities that would ensure that he would not make a foolish mistake.

Keeping his guard raised, he leaned against the derelict gin house and folded his arms over his chest.