Ian chuckled. “There is no reason for you to be jealous, my love. I must feed at least twice a night—more, in fact, due to our passionate nights together. I am afraid that you alone cannot sustain me, though I will accept your offer for tonight.”
Angelica sighed and attempted another compromise. “Could you at least try to only feed on men?”
His arms tightened around her and his hair fluttered in the wind, brushing across her cheek. “Already acting like a wife, I see. Very well, my treasured bride, I shall indulge you in this whenever possible.”
“Whenever possible?” she scoffed, vexed that he would not make an outright promise. “How would you feel about me placing my mouth on other men?”
“Do not press me, imp,” he growled with mock ferocity. “My hunger already makes me fierce.”
She grinned and licked his earlobe. “Ooh, promise?”
***
“Rosetta?” Thomas called as he ran down the narrow alley. “Please, slow down. This fog is devilish enough to navigate through without me having to chase you! Why do you have to run like a spooked horse anyway?”
Rosetta wheeled around and glared at the vampire. “If you didn’t spend every night in brothels drinking opium-laced blood, your senses wouldn’t be so dulled that you can’t keep up with a youngling like me.”
In truth, she was spooked. The duke’s new bride had spent an inordinate amount of time staring at her. As the duchess’s dark eyes stared into hers, all she could think was: She knows! And when the duke left with his bride without further instructions regarding the search for John Polidori’s whereabouts, her suspicions rose tenfold.
Surely the woman was telling him all she knew, whatever it was. But what could the new duchess know? Rosetta was certain they had never met. Still, all the duchess would have to do was mention Rosetta to her husband, and Ian’s suspicions would fall upon her. After that, it was only a matter of time before she was caught.
“Now, there’s no call to be insulting,” Thomas interrupted her inner tirade. “I have some news that might interest you.”
“Oh? And what is that?” she asked, not slowing her pace. She was anxious to get home to John. She needed to make sure he was safe.
“I heard that Ben Flannigan, the vampire hunter, is in town. I heard the news from my Beth, who lives in Surrey.” His voice rose in frustration. “She was on the verge of moving here before His Grace banned petitions for relocation. We still write—”
“Ben Flannigan?” she interrupted, heart lodging in her throat. The most dangerous mortal in Britain was nearby, and all the fool could talk about was his lover?
Even a vampire as young as Rosetta had heard of the famous Irish vampire hunter. He was reputed to have more than a dozen vampire kills to his name. The Elders had not only given permission for any vampire to kill him, they encouraged doing so. Rumor had it that the man had become such a menace that they were thinking of offering a bounty upon his head. Another thought struck her cold. If Flannigan was in the area, then he was most likely responsible for Blanche’s disappearance.
“Have you told the master?” she asked, stopping and turning to face him.
Though obscured by the fog, the scorn on Thomas’s face was visible. “It was apparent to all that our lord was far too occupied with his new duchess to heed anything we underlings had to say. I cannot believe his blindness! To take a mortal bride…”
Rosetta shook her head, baffled by his outrage. “Such has been done before many times in this city, as well as the rest of the world. Love is one of the main reasons we increase our numbers.”
“Yes, but Rosetta,” Thomas cried. “He has no intention of Changing her! It was obvious from his words and how he cut me off when I tried to bring up the subject.”
“I derived no such thing. Besides, I cannot see a reason why he wouldn’t Change her if he loves her,” she protested. If only I was old enough to Change my Johnny, then we wouldn’t be in any danger.
Thomas snorted. “Who can say? Lately Burnrath behaves as if his mind is addled. Regarding this vampire hunter, I propose that we hunt him down ourselves. Perhaps His Grace would waken from his stupor if one of us presented him with Flannigan’s head. Though, with the way he’s behaving, he almost deserves to have that hunter camped at his back door, sharpening a stake.”
At the other vampire’s words, an idea struck Rosetta with a force that nearly sent her reeling. The question was: did she dare?
“Who else have you told about this?” She hoped her voice didn’t waver.
If others knew, especially the Spaniard, she would think no more about it. Her plan would be too dangerous then. She shuddered, remembering Rafael’s burning amber gaze that seemed to see all of her secrets. She added a silent prayer of thanks that the Spaniard was too busy supervising the lord vampires who were visiting for the Duke’s wedding, as well as investigating Blanche’s disappearance.