Angelica’s jaw dropped as the woman walked farther into the room. Her breeches and jacket clung to her lithe figure as if they were tailored for her. Her cravat was immaculately tied, and her hair was short, though not in the style ladies were beginning to favor, as the locks teased about her elfin face in wild midnight wisps.
Though she was the most interesting person Angelica had ever seen, it was the naked love on the woman’s face that caught her breath. The mutual adoration on Polidori’s face as he returned her look told Angelica that though he may have loved Lord Byron, his former flame was eclipsed by this woman entirely. As her eyes traveled back to the vampire’s face, she realized she had seen this woman before, when Ian had presented her to his vampires.
“It is nice to meet you again. And your name is?” she asked with polite sarcasm, unable to curtsy in restraints.
“I am called Rosetta, Your Grace,” the vampire replied.
“Very well, Rosetta, I would be more pleased to see you under other circumstances.” She inclined her head in what she hoped was duchess-like regality. “But why is capturing me and tying me up your ‘only option’?”
The vampire had the decency to look down in shame. “His Grace was hunting for John. I couldn’t let him kill my love, so I’ve been hiding him. But if he discovers what I have done, he will certainly kill me for betraying him.” Her eyes welled with tears. “I had John take you and delivered a note to the duke’s home. If he agrees to let John and me go, with a letter of safe passage into other territories, I will set you free unharmed.”
“Ah, so you are holding me for ransom?” The situation now became clear. At least they didn’t intend to kill her. That gave her room to reason with them. “But why do you need to do this foolish thing? Why didn’t the pair of you just leave the city?”
Rosetta sighed. “It is not that easy for vampires, Your Grace. One must request permission from their lord to leave their city and then petition the lord of another city with a request to stay there. And His Grace suspended all petitions until John was found.” Her lower lip trembled. “He could have fled to safety, but he refused to leave without me. Your Grace, I love him! I would do anything to keep him from harm!” Her face flushed with the passion of her words.
Angelica nodded, completely understanding, but then she gasped as comprehension dawned. Anything, Rosetta had said. Angelica’s blood went cold as her suspicion rose. “You sent that man to kill my husband, didn’t you?”
Rosetta’s eyes widened in fear and she averted them from Angelica’s glare, confirming her guilt.
“He meant to kill John!” the vampire sobbed. “Don’t you understand? Wouldn’t you kill for the man you love?” She stepped back from the glow of the candles, retreating into the shadows as if they would protect her.
“Thanks to you, I have killed for him,” Angelica hissed, once more struggling in her bonds. “You are very fortunate that you had the foresight to restrain me, for I would thrash you if I could.”
“You killed the hunter?” Rosetta’s stunned expression would have been comical if Angelica wasn’t so infuriated. “A dainty creature such as yourself? How very remarkable…” Her voice softened. “You must love him very much.”
“Yes, I do.” Her gaze remained fixed on the vampire, still vexed at this ludicrous situation.
Rosetta took a tentative step forward. “I don’t suppose an apology would do me any good?”
Angelica took in the vampire’s tear-stained face. She saw the devotion in Rosetta’s eyes when she spoke John’s name and in the way she leaned toward him as if the longing to touch him was an unstoppable compulsion. She felt that way about Ian. If she believed another vampire was going to kill him, would she hire an assassin? The answer came back as a resounding yes.
She sighed. “No, I don’t think I could accept your apology under such unseemly circumstances, but I suppose I do understand. Just answer me one thing. Did you truly, with every fiber of your being, believe that Ian meant to kill Dr. Polidori if he found him?”
“Yes!” Rosetta cried, pacing in front of Angelica and casting continuous anxious looks her way. Angelica squirmed in the chair, wishing she could pace as well. “His Grace ordered all of us to deliver Johnny to him if we found him. What else could he intend?”
“As far as I know, he only wished to question the author on his inspiration for the story that put the duke’s reputation in danger. He never said anything about killing him.” Angelica paused as the situation became clear. “Though if he knew that you lied to him, then sent a vampire hunter to kill him, then abducted his wife…” She trailed off, dread seeping in as she pictured Ian killing this poor love-struck vampire.
Rosetta gasped as she, too, saw the truth. “Oh, my God! What have I done?” Tears ran unchecked down the vampire’s cheeks.
John took Rosetta into his arms. “Hush, love. Don’t cry.”