My Lord Immortality (Immortal Rogues #3)(30)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

A gasp echoed through the air as Amelia hastily clutched the amulet about her neck. She did not even seem aware of the protective motion, although Sebastian noted it with a sense of satisfaction. Amelia might not understand the power of the Medallion, but she was clearly not willing to hand it over.

Most reassuring.

"You desire my necklace?" she demanded.

"Be at ease, Amelia." He lifted a comforting hand. "I do not covet the amulet as does Mr.

Ramone. My only interest is ensuring that it does not fall into his hands."

She continued to eye him warily, her fingers still tightly gripping the Medallion.

"How could you possibly have known that I possessed the amulet?"

He carefully considered his response. Blast, but he felt as if he were waltzing through a quagmire. One misstep could ruin his tenuous relationship with this woman forever.

"I was told it was given to you."

"By the Gypsy?" She frowned, then gave a pained shake of her head. "No, Mr. Ramone claimed that she was not a Gypsy at all, but a vampire."

The brief but revealing display of her confused vulnerability struck fiercely at Sebastian’s heart. Standing there in the thin muslin nightrail with her tousled raven curls, she appeared to be little more than a child. Far too young and fragile to bear the burdens she had been forced to shoulder.

Worst of all, he had no notion of how to make any of this easier to endure.

Not when he was destined to cause her even more grief.

He winced before grudgingly squaring his should ders. He could avoid the unwelcome revelations no longer.

"Nefri," he said in clipped tones.

"Yes," she agreed slowly. "That was the name that he gave her."

"She is the most powerful and wise of all vampires."

A shadow drifted over her face as she absorbed the significance of his confirmation of what must seem to her a figment of her worst nightmares.

"How… how do you know that?" Her gaze frantically searched his features, perhaps desperate to reassure herself that he had not changed into a monster before her eyes. "Sebastian?"

"You are certain that you desire the truth?"

She bit her lip until she drew blood, but with that stubborn courage that he so admired, she kept her gaze steadily locked with his own.

"I must know."

Sebastian heaved a sigh, his hands clenching at his side. Bloody hell. He wished that Lucien, or even Gideon, were here. They were both far more experienced in handling the peculiar emotions of mortal maidens. No doubt they had easily managed the women they had been commanded to protect with perfect ease. He, on the other hand, was far more comfortable hiding behind one of his books. He was bound to make a botch of this.

Pushing back the heavy strands of his hair, he heaved an unwitting sigh.

"It was Nefri who sent me to London. She wanted me to protect the amulet, as well as you, from Mr. Ra-mone."

She was shaking her head in denial even before he finished speaking. Her expression was nearly undoing Sebastian.

It was more than fear, or even dread. There was a poignant ache of disappointment that he did not believe he could endure.

"Amelia." He instinctively stepped forward, only to halt when she hurriedly backed from him.

"Why would she send you?" she demanded, still unwittingly clutching the Medallion as if she could gain courage from it.

"Because I was chosen by the Great Council of Vampires to come."

"No." Without warning, she sank to her knees, her head bowed so that her hair tumbled forward to hide her face. "No."

Moving swiftly, Sebastian was kneeling at her side, his arm gently cradling her shoulders.

"Please look at me, Amelia."

He heard her choke back a sob of distress. "A vampire. Dear God."

Sebastian was out of his depth and utterly uncertain as to how to comfort the poor maiden.

Silently he cursed Nefri for thrusting Amelia into such danger, and himself for not having the skills that were clearly needed.

"Amelia, you must not fear me," he murmured, pressing his lips to the soft satin of her hair. "I would never harm you."

She shivered, but much to his relief she slowly lifted her head to meet his anxious gaze.

"I do not fear you, Sebastian," she said softly. "As ridiculous as it might be, I somehow know you would not hurt me."

He released a shuddering breath, his hand moving of its own accord to cup her pale cheek.

She had not fled, nor fallen into hysterics. She had not even condemned him as a villain. Instead she had willingly listened to the whispers of her heart, rather than giving in to panic.

Her astonishing valor never failed to amaze him.

"It is not at all ridiculous," he assured her. "It is the bonding."

Not surprisingly, her brows drew together in bewilderment. "The what?"

"The bonding." His thumb shifted to absently stroke the corner of her mouth. Inanely he recalled just how sweet those lips had tasted. How they had tempted him to drown in their promised pleasure. "It gives one the power to sense and feel what is within the soul of another."

She merely gazed at him for a long moment. "Oh."

"What is it, my dear?"

"This is all so bewildering," she whispered at last, closing her eyes as if wanting to shut out the vast upheavals that had tortured her so this evening. "Heavens above, I did not even believe that vampires existed just a few hours ago. Now I learn I am being hunted by one and protected by another."

Pulling back, Sebastian regarded her pale features. Even in the shadows, he could not miss the lines of brittle strain. His heart clenched. Brave or not, Amelia was near to total collapse.

Unfortunately, the stubborn woman would never admit to such a weakness. It would be up to him to in-sist that she have a care for herself.

"You are tired, my dear. I will take you to your chambers and then escort William to his own.

We will speak of this further on the morrow."

"Yes," she agreed wearily, allowing Sebastian to tenderly pull her to her feet. Only when he reached down to firmly scoop her into his arms did she seem to come out of her fog of bewilderment. "Sebastian?"

He smiled deep into her eyes as he smoothly moved out of the library and toward the stairs.

"For once allow someone else to care for you, my dear," he commanded softly. "You do not have to be strong tonight."

To her utter astonishment, Amelia discovered herself tumbling deep into sleep the moment her head was laid upon the pillow.