It Happened One Bite Read online

  Blaire took a sip of her own tea to give her time to answer. What was she to say to that? Alec is just watchful because he thinks a monster is after me. And while James is a monster, I don’t believe it’s him. Blodswell, is just keeping an eye on me. No, they’d think she’d lost her mind. And they might be right. “I’ve kent them a long time is all,” she lied. “They’re all like brothers, in a way.”

  “What can ye tell me about Captain Lindsay?” Heather Fyfe’s green eyes implored Blaire to give her something useful. “How do I get his attention?”

  Blaire was fairly certain the lass already had it, but she decided to offer a bit of assistance anyway. After all, if Aiden was occupied with thoughts of Heather Fyfe, he might not pay too much attention to the vampyres invading their residence. “He has a sweet tooth,” she offered. “Do ye bake well, Miss Fyfe?”

  Crissa giggled again. “She’s terrible.” Then she sobered at her sister’s quelling glance. “But I’m proficient enough. I’ll see what I can whip up for ye.” Crissa then speared Blaire with a look of her own. “They’re all like yer brothers, ye say?”

  Blaire nodded. “Aye.”

  The lass grinned. “Then what can ye tell me about Lord Kettering?”

  That he’s mine! Blaire choked on her own tongue. Why had she said something so utterly foolish? They’re all like brothers, in a way. What a ridiculous thing to have said.

  “Does he have a sweet tooth, too?” Crissa asked, hope filling her blue eyes.

  Aye, he had two of them. Though the sight would probably send both Fyfe sisters running for cover. Blaire took a steadying breath and very calmly returned her cup to her saucer. Giving insight into Aiden’s tiny mind was one thing, but James? She was not about to give up one bit of useful information. Blaire shook her head. “Trust me, ye doona want ta focus any of yer attention on Lord Kettering.”

  “Why no’?”

  “He’s a bit of an ogre,” Blaire lied. Then inspiration struck. She could actually tell the truth, or part of it anyway. “I ken he looked dashin’ at dinner, but he’s been kent ta go forever without bathin’. Quite disgustin’ ta be honest.”

  The young blond turned up her nose. “Truly? He seemed so…clean.”

  “We actually had ta burn a set of his clothes just ta get rid of the odor.”

  Before she could continue to fill Crissa Fyfe’s ear with less than complimentary tales about James, the parlor door opened, and Aiden, Mr. Fyfe, and Alec rejoined them. Hmm. They hadn’t been gone terribly long. Perhaps her brother couldn’t stand to be separated from Heather Fyfe any longer than was necessary.

  As Aiden made his way toward the Fyfe sisters, Blaire found herself in Alec’s company. “I think your brother is a bit besotted with Miss Fyfe,” he confided softly.

  Blaire giggled. “Aye. And she has most definitely set her cap for him.”

  Alec sighed. “Well, then I wish him the best of luck. Works much better when the lass returns your affections.”

  Any fool could see the pain Alec suffered from. Poor man. Blaire still couldn’t believe Cait had married some stranger. Still, she’d never known Cait to do something without reason. If her friend had married this Brimsworth fellow, she must have seen it, must have known he was her destiny. But even so, seeing Alec suffer tore at her heart. Blaire reached for Alec’s hand and squeezed it with her own. “I am sorry. I wish I had somethin’ more than my condolences ta offer.”

  Alec looked down at their clasped hands. “She kept saying she wasn’t for me.”

  Then she wasn’t, but Blaire couldn’t bring herself to say the words, not when he looked so forlorn. “Cait always could drive one ta the edge of insanity.” She laughed, hoping to cheer him a bit. “Poor Sorcha has begged her for the last year ta tell her what the future has in store for her, but Cait willna say a word. Rhiannon gave up hope of even a clue long ago.”

  Alec’s warm brown eyes focused on Blaire. “She won’t tell any of you your futures?”

  Blaire shook her head. “Doin’ so could jeopardize the natural course of events. It’s no’ fair of us ta ask her, but still it does make ye wonder what she sees in yer future. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it somethin’ ye never would have guessed?” Something like a big, strapping vampyre for example.

  “Wouldn’t it be comforting to know?” Alec whispered.

  Blaire shrugged. “Perhaps, but if it’s no’ what ye’re hopin’ for, it can be disheartenin’ as well.”

  “And is she always right? Has a seer never been wrong?”

  “I’m no’ certain.” Blaire released Alec’s hand and folded her arms across her middle.

  “What does that mean?”

  Blaire shook her head. Cait’s mother had been wrong at least once that they knew of, or she had lied about her vision. Neither of which was comforting. “Too much knowledge about yer future is dangerous. Trustin’ too much in a vision is dangerous. It’s best just ta live yer life the way ye feel it should be lived.”

  Alec rose to his full height. He clearly couldn’t understand all of this. “Then what is the point of even seeing the future?”

  “Well, sometimes the natural course of events needs a little help.” Was that what the previous coven had done with James? What had they seen about him that would inspire them to lock him up? The image of Sarah Reese and Mr. Trevelyan flashed again in her mind. What if the reason James had been trapped had something to do with the malevolent pair she’d met earlier that evening? James Maitland had a lot of explaining to do about that situation.

  She must have frowned or looked off, because Alec leaned in closer. “Something else on your mind, Blaire?” his asked, his gaze full of concern.

  Blaire frowned. “I was just thinkin’ about Kettering.” She must sound as besotted as Heather Fyfe. In all honesty, she probably was, but at the moment, her overriding concern was wondering what sort of danger she and her brothers were in because of the vampyre.

  Alec sighed. “Why don’t you go check on him?”

  “Because Aiden will slowly murder me if I abandon his guests again.”

  With a nod of his head, Alec gestured to where Aiden and Heather Fyfe sat side by side on the settee, speaking in hushed tones. “I can’t imagine he’ll notice your absence, Blaire. And I can entertain Miss Crissa. No one will be left unattended.”

  She smiled at him again. “Ye really are wonderful, Alec.”

  He winked at her. “Go on.”

  “If Aiden asks where I’ve gone, will ye just tell him I’ve retired early?” The last thing she wanted was her brother interrupting her interrogation of their vampyre guest.

  Alec shook his head. “It’s really too bad you aren’t feeling well, Blaire. Perhaps you should retire a little early this evening.”

  If they weren’t in a room full of guests, she would have kissed his cheek.

  ***

  James paced back and forth across the great hall while he waited for Blaire to return from her social responsibilities. Meanwhile, Matthew lounged in a settee as though he didn’t have a care in the world. How could he be so relaxed? Did such ease stem from living six hundred and fifty years?

  “Sit down,” his maker said. “Wearing a path in the rug won’t do you any good.”

  James scowled at his friend and increased his pace. At the very least, Matthew could help him think of a plan. What in the world were they going to do? After all, they didn’t have many options. They were connected to Sarah, and, though they had no desire to be in such close proximity, she and Trevelyan would not retreat any time soon.

  Blaire stormed back into the room and slammed the door shut behind her. “All right, ye will explain, Kettering!” she snapped. Fury made her all the more lovely. He absently shook the thought away.

  James scrubbed a hand down his face and heaved a sigh. “Of course, I will,” he said slowly. “Though you may not believe a word I say.”

  “I’m waitin’.” She blew her hair from in front of her eyes with an impatient gust of breath.


  Blodswell leaned forward in his seat. “Well, those two people—” he began.

  But Blaire raised her index finger at him and said, “I said ‘Kettering.’” Then she swung back around to James. “Now, out with it.”

  James watched as Matthew bit back a grin and regarded her with newfound respect. It wasn’t often a chit stood up to a vampyre who was centuries old. “We’re all connected in an odd sort of way, Blaire,” James started, not entirely certain where to begin his tale. He shot a look at Blodswell. “It’s his fault, but that’s neither here nor there.” He was mumbling now. He knew, he was, but blast and damn, he didn’t know how to explain the situation so it made sense.

  “She called ye Jamie. What was she ta ye?” Blaire’s silver gaze was so clear it was nearly painful to look into her eyes. But he forced himself to do so. “A mistress?” she pressed.

  “Nothing quite that grand,” James muttered.

  “No’ so grand as a mistress? So, she was a whore?”

  She was just that. A whore. “Yes?” he tried. What did Blaire know of such things?

  “Are ye askin’ me? Or tellin’ me?” Her foot began to tap impatiently on the floor. “Bloody hell, it’s like pullin’ teeth ta get the truth from ye vampyres,” she groaned.

  Well, it wasn’t the sort of thing a man liked to admit to a woman he cared about, was it? Still, he had to tell her. She was in danger because of him. James stood tall, ready to get this all over with. “Long ago, Sarah was a whore I knew for a short time back when she was alive, during her first life. Do you understand?” He watched her face, trying to gauge her reaction. Blodswell still sat silently across the room, as though this was all a stage and he was the audience.

  Blaire waved impatiently at James. “Aye, I understand. Ye wanted a tumble, and ye met a willin’ lass. How did she become tied ta ye?”

  She would never cease to amaze him. “She was injured by one of my kind. It was somewhat my fault. So I made the decision to save her. She seemed like such a sweet chit at the time. But I was wrong.”

  “We all were, my boy,” Blodswell said quietly as he rose from his spot and came forward to squeeze James’ shoulder. “Having a woman with us helps with the ruse,” he explained to Blaire.

  “So Matthew gave her a ring,” James blurted. He was going about this so poorly.

  “My mistake compounded his,” the earl said slowly as he held up his hand and pointed to the ring he wore. “Our rings symbolize life. Our hearts. Love. They allow us freedom to move as humans do without detection. They were gifts from your coven centuries ago.”

  “My coven,” Blaire breathed as she sank into a chair and laid a hand on her chest, as though feeling beneath her gown for something. He’d seen her do so before.

  “Three rings. Thrice blessed, after I saved the life of a warrior witch in battle. It was my reward.”

  “Ye’re the knight,” she whispered.

  Matthew nodded. “Yes, in the flesh, so to speak. I gave one of the rings to James. And one to Sarah after she joined us. But her heart was long gone before her life was ever taken. So, she gets little benefit of it, though it does connect her to us.”

  “My family!” Blaire looked stricken. “We’ll have ta leave. Go back ta Edinburgh at first light.”

  “It’s too late for that, Blaire,” James said. Though, even to his own ears, it sounded like a death toll. “They will follow. Simply because I care about you.”

  “You weren’t very good at hiding that little fact.” Blodswell snorted.

  Blaire dropped her head into her hands and growled in frustration. “I doona understand!”

  He stepped close to her and pulled her from her seat. “I care about you.” Her mouth dropped open slightly as her eyes danced across his face. “And she’s finally speechless,” he laughed.

  She punched him none too delicately in the side. He was unable to bite back the wince she provoked. His witch was strong; he’d give her that.

  “Unfortunately, Trevelyan knows I care about you. So does Sarah. That’s why she was so annoyed by your very existence. She still is a small bit jealous.”

  “Over ye?”

  James nodded once.

  “And how long since ye were together?” she asked softly, almost as though she didn’t want to know.

  “Several lifetimes,” he whispered as he traced a finger along her jaw.

  “I’ll just excuse myself,” Blodswell mumbled as he started for the door.

  “It’s about time,” James tossed back at him.

  “You know there’s only one way?” Matthew asked with a raise of his eyebrows.

  Yes, he knew. James nodded tightly.

  “There’s only one way for what?” Blaire yelled to Blodswell’s retreating back. Then she refocused on James. “Out with it, Kettering.” She punched him again. “Let me hear all of it.”

  “If you’ll stop trying to do me bodily harm, I’ll tell you, you little witch,” he grunted as he rubbed at the offended area.

  “Is that supposed ta be an insult? And I’m no’ little.” She stood up even taller, reaching his chin.

  “You are to me,” James laughed. He forced himself to sober when she didn’t laugh with him. She had a right to be worried. “Blodswell and I can protect you all. And we will.”

  “Why do I imagine that the word ‘however’ is comin’?” she muttered.

  “However,” he said loudly, “Sarah and Trevelyan know I care about you.” Blaire’s eyes softened momentarily. “That means you will be their first target. The others will be after.”

  “I’m no’ worried about myself,” Blaire insisted. “But Brannock. She wanted him. I could see it.”

  She had indeed, and the memory made James shiver. He pushed the thought away and tucked a fallen lock of hair behind her earlobe. “He’ll be safe, and I’m worried enough for all of us,” he said as he bent to kiss her lightly on the tip of her nose. James took a deep breath. “But the only way for me to protect you is for me to have you first. Otherwise, they won’t stop until they’ve destroyed you.”

  “Have me?” she croaked. “Ye mean as in for dinner?”

  He laughed. His witch made him laugh more than anyone had in decades. “Well, yes and no.”

  “Again with the riddles? Aye, ye want ta have me for dinner? Or no, ye doona want ta have me for dinner?”

  “I want to have you for everything,” he said quietly. “But yes, for dinner, as you so indelicately put it.” He tweaked her nose, which made her grimace.

  “Ye’ll turn me inta a vampyre?” she whispered, showing the first obvious bit of fear she’d ever displayed in front of him. “Is that how ye think ta protect me?”

  “No,” he laughed. James bent and placed his lips at the side of her neck. “It doesn’t work that way. I’ll simply mark you as mine and take from you, as you’ll take from me. It will help protect you.”

  “How will I take from ye?” Her eyes darted from place to place in her confusion.

  “Pleasure,” he said quietly by her ear. “It’s a bit of a sensual experience.”

  “Ye mean in the biblical sense?” Her voice shook a bit.

  “Biblical?” he asked, raising his head. “I’m not certain that’s the word I’d use. But I think I know where your thoughts are leading.”

  “Ye’ll take my innocence,” she clarified quickly. And she didn’t look sad about it at all. In fact, she looked excited. Her heart began to beat faster. He could hear it in his head, like the clip of hooves on a runaway horse.

  He couldn’t help but smile at her eagerness. “Tempting as that is, Blaire, it wouldn’t be honorable.” Giving her pleasure and taking a bit for himself was one thing, but James could never take her innocence. Men of flesh and blood could offer her more than he ever could, and he would never take her future from her.

  She surprised him by wrapping her arms around his neck and touching her lips to his. “And are ye honorable?” she whispered.

  He’d always tried to be, though
she was making it much too difficult at the moment. It would be easier if she didn’t put such trust in him, if his honor wasn’t tested. James pressed a hand to where his heart used to be as a sudden flash of pain hit him unaware. He’d not felt pain like that in a very long time.

  “Are ye all right?” She took a slight step away as though to inspect him.

  James fought through the ache and took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips one by one and placing a gentle kiss there. “Never better,” he lied. Thank God, she believed him. He could see the relief cross her face.

  “When?” she asked. “When will ye have me? We’ll have ta do it soon.”

  “We have hours yet. Before the dawn. They won’t be back tonight.”

  “My brothers and the others…” she began.

  “Blodswell is nearby, looking over them. I can sense his presence.” He kissed her quickly and then stepped back from her. He wanted nothing more than to devour her. “So for now, go to your bedchamber and get some rest.”

  “Rest?” she echoed. “Wh-where will ye be?”

  Counting the minutes until he could join her. “I’d like to check the perimeter, make certain everything is secure and be sure Captain Lindsay is in his own bed and fast asleep before I join you.”

  “Oh, of course.” Blaire blushed, which was a delightful look on her. “Well, then, I suppose I’ll just wait for ye.” She smiled nervously and then rushed from the room.

  Sixteen

  Blaire darted up the steps that led to her bedchamber. She didn’t have to run. James wasn’t even following her; but she needed to be alone. To drop across her bed and think about the situation she somehow found herself in. Upon entering her chamber, she tossed her spark to a couple of candles by the bedside and took her first calming breath of the night.

  Her hand went to the cord around her neck. She tugged the ring from inside her dress and weighed it in her hand. There was no need to inspect it; she’d seen it her entire life. Still, she could not help but do so. It looked identical to the ring the Earl of Blodswell wore on his right hand. Was this the ring James sought? It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t be. It had been her mother’s ring and the ring of every battle-born witch before her. Hadn’t it?