Kiss of the Rose (14 page)

Rhys finally stopped glaring at Christopher and nodded at her.“That’s an excellent idea.” He bowed.“I must see to the horses. Until tonight.”

Rosalind watched him leave, his back stiff, his stride eating up the ground as if he couldn’t wait to be away from her. She sighed and then went still as she realized Christopher was watching her closely.

“I see Rhys is the jealous sort.”

She opened her eyes wide at him. “Jealous of what?”

“Of you and me.”

“There is no ‘you and me.’ ”

His smile widened and he gently traced the curve of her lower lip with his gloved finger. “Aye, there is.”

She jerked her head away. “Rhys will do what my grandfather tells him to do.”

“Poor man.”

“You are in a far worse position. You serve two masters, the Vampires and your family.”

His gaze sobered. “Verily, but I don’t have to stand back and watch my lover with another man.”

Rosalind bit down on the retort that sprang to her lips. Her grandfather had ordered her to be nice to Christopher, not bait him at every turn. He frowned and stepped closer, angling her back against the wall of the chapel until there was nowhere else for her to go. “Now I am concerned.”

“Why?”

“Because instead of spitting out some caustic retort, you stand there like a wooden quintain waiting to be whacked by my lance.”

Eagerly, Rosalind clutched at the chance to change the subject. “You joust, sir?”

His smile was wary. “Of course. I’m considered quite proficient. You should come down to the lists one day and watch me.”

“And will you ask me for my favor to carry with you into battle?”

“Naturally.” His gaze swept over her, settled on her mouth. “I’d be honored to be your champion.”

Rosalind licked her lips and his blue eyes narrowed. He braced one arm over her head and leaned into her. “Yet again you hesitate to bait me. Is there something I should know? Have your feelings toward me changed for the better?”

She tried for a light, teasing tone.“My feelings are my own business, sir.”

He closed the space between them, his mouth brushing hers, his breath soft on her cheek. His finger traced the stiff lace ruff at her neck, and then dipped lower to stroke the hollow at the base of her throat.“Indeed they are, and mine too, if you would let me cherish you as I wish.”

Rosalind closed her eyes and inhaled his spicy scent. It would be so easy to capitulate, to melt into his embrace and allow him to believe he had conquered her affections, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. She sensed he wasn’t the sort of man who loved easily. He would demand things of her she wasn’t yet prepared to give.

She unclenched her fist and shoved at his shoulder, but found no give in his rigid stance. At her back, the wall vibrated as the single bell in the tower called the faithful to Mass. “Sir Christopher, we are in the chapel. This is scarcely the place for declarations of love.”

“On the contrary,” he whispered. “Isn’t this the perfect spot for you to plight your troth to me?”

“You wish to marry me?”

He went still and eased a little away from her. “I didn’t quite mean that.”

“Of course! You only wish to use my body to rid yourself of your annoying itch. You should be careful that God doesn’t strike you down for displaying such immorality in His very church.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Rosalind, you are incorrigible.” The door opened behind him and several people entered. He took her hand and placed it on his arm. “Let’s find somewhere to stand.”

“Are you sure that you don’t need to visit your confessor first?”

He winked at her. “My confessor is well aware of my sins. What about yours?”

Rosalind chose not to answer, and swept past him into the nave of the church. She hoped the heat from the banked candles would disguise the source of her blushes, but doubted the man at her side would be fooled. Beneath his easy charm was a far more complex and determined man than she had anticipated. The thought of entangling herself with him made her simultaneously curious and repelled. In some ways, he reminded her of her Vampire foes, but then, there was that annoying protective streak he sometimes showed, which unfortunately made him all too human.

With a sigh, she sank to her knees and crossed herself. Her grandfather always insisted that temptation came in many disguises. Until she’d met Christopher Ellis, she’d always believed she had the strength to defeat anything. Now she was no longer sure. He was her enemy, her reluctant partner,
and
the man she was supposed to seduce. Her task wouldn’t be easy. He’d already demonstrated that he was far too sharp not to notice her changing moods. Any attempt to fool him would probably be doomed to failure.

Rosalind bent her head as the queen and her ladies hurried down the aisle to the front of the church and the bell rang to begin the Mass. She started to rise and Christopher’s strong fingers closed around her elbow and brought her to her feet. Even through the thick cloth of her riding habit, she could feel the heat from his body, the subtle strength within his deceptively slender frame.

Not an easy man to deceive at all… She stared at the priest and tried to turn her thoughts to more spiritual matters. All she had to do was let her unfortunate inclination to lust after Sir Christopher follow its natural path. Surely it was not so complicated? Rosalind tried to relax as she contemplated the days ahead. If she could behead a Vampire, she could certainly ensnare a lover.

Christopher watched Rosalind walking back to the palace surrounded by the queen’s ladies. She’d introduced him to the king and he’d been granted far greater access to the royal personage than he could ever have dreamed possible.The Vampire legend about the Llewellyns’ pact with the Tudors was obviously far from fiction. He must remember to tell his uncle about it.

At that thought, he grimaced and increased his pace. He would’ve preferred to stay close to Rosalind, but he had far more pressing business to attend to. Uncle Edward had arrived at court, and he wasn’t the kind of man who appreciated being kept waiting. Mindful of his uncle’s preference for security, Christopher had arranged to meet him in a private chamber procured by Elias Warner far away from the prying eyes of the court.

He nodded at Warner, who stood guard outside the door, and went in, pausing at the doorway to try to judge his uncle’s mood before he had to speak. It was an old habit, painfully learned in childhood… and a pointless task. His uncle had made no secret of his distaste for rearing his brother’s cursed son. Sometimes, when he looked into those cold blue eyes that were so like his own, Christopher thought it was a miracle he’d survived at all.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Good morning, Christopher.” His uncle’s critical gaze swept over him and found him wanting as usual. Christopher straightened his spine. His uncle was dressed in rich brown and gold clothing that suited his tall, angular frame and pure white hair. “I suppose you are wondering why I bothered to come and seek you out.”

“It is an unexpected pleasure, sir.” Christopher kept his tone and his expression agreeable. He’d learned early in life to present an amicable face to the world. No one looking at him would ever have guessed the boyish fear lurking behind his every action. Fear that he would be found wanting, unworthy of the Ellis name, that his tainted blood would somehow show through and that his uncle would have him killed.

“Scarcely a pleasure, nephew.” Uncle Edward grunted. “You don’t like me any more than I like you.”

“And with good reason, sir.You’ve always treated me with the deepest suspicion.”

“Yet, until now, you’ve done quite well for yourself.”

Christopher frowned. “Until now?”

“Aye, I sent you to court to aid the Vampires, and so far you haven’t done a damned thing.”

“You know the situation is complicated. We must act with the utmost discretion. While we deal with the threat, we must ensure that there is no panic at court.”

Uncle Edward took the high-backed chair beside the fireplace and sat down. “When you say ‘we,’ are you referring to that Druid spawn Rosalind Llewellyn?”

“Yes, and Elias Warner,” Christopher said evenly. “You know that. You gave the Vampire Council your blessing.”

“I know it, but I don’t like it.” Uncle Edward shot Christopher a glare. “You with your mother’s
beauty
. You’ve always been too comely. I expected by now you would have that girl eating out of your hand.” He chuckled. “Or any other part of you she fancied nibbling. Those Druid women are notorious wantons.”

Christopher’s fingers flexed in an instinctive desire to wrap themselves around his uncle’s neck. “Are you saying you wish me to seduce her?”

“I’m telling you that she needs to be contained and nullified. Put her on her back, keep her well satisfied in bed, and she’ll give you no trouble.”

“Why would you want me to contain her when you have already agreed to her working with me to catch this rogue Vampire?”

“What I agree to and what I expect you to do are completely different matters.”

“Are you saying that you lied to the Vampire Council when you agreed to this arrangement?”

“Certainly not, nephew. I’m just suggesting that you take the upper hand with the Llewellyn wench and make sure she has little to do with the whole business.”

“Have you met Lady Rosalind, uncle?”

“Of course not.”

“Then I pray you never do. She’d probably slit your throat in an instant.”

Uncle Edward half rose from his chair, his complexion coloring. “Are you suggesting I’m too weak to fight a woman?”

“No, I’m suggesting Lady Rosalind is as well trained as any man, and twice as brave. She also has certain skills I do not possess that will help me catch this Vampire.” He held his uncle’s gaze until the man subsided back into his chair again.“I need her help. If you don’t believe me, ask Elias Warner.You probably trust him more than you trust me.”

“I don’t trust anyone.”

“Obviously, sir.” Christopher inclined his head and turned toward the door. “If you have finished telling me how to manage my business, I’ll take my leave of you.”

“Don’t be insolent!”

Christopher swung back round.“By God’s blood, just tell me the truth! If you didn’t think me capable of handling this task, why give it to me? Why not deal with it yourself?”

His uncle’s smile wasn’t pleasant. “As I said, nephew, your visage is far more pleasing than mine.”

“You chose me because I am handsome?”

“Partly.”

Christopher barely hung on to the remnants of his temper. “I have fought well against the Druids and, when necessary, the Vampires. I refuse to allow you to belittle me.”

“Why so offended, Christopher? Don’t you think the Druids selected Lady Rosalind for exactly the same reason, to entice you?”

Christopher let out his breath. “So this does have something to do with the prophecy after all.”

“Of course. You’re not without wits, my boy. I knew you’d work it out.”

Christopher strode back to the fireplace to tower over his uncle. “I’m not sure I appreciate being used in this fashion. The prophecy speaks of death. Am I so expendable?”

“You are serving your family’s best interests. A family that took you in despite the circumstances of your birth.” Uncle Edward lowered his voice. “Do not forget your sacred vows to Mithras and to me. Don’t you owe us everything?”

Inside Christopher, old loyalties and new emotions fought an unceasing battle. Since ancient times, every member of the Mithraic cult had vowed to annihilate the Druids, though recently the sect had spent as much time cultivating its links with the Vampires as chasing after the few remaining Druids. After his initial youthful euphoria at being deemed worthy to join, Christopher had come to realize he had no stomach for the slaughtering of innocents, whatever religion they might practice.

The doubts he’d been having had only doubled since he’d met Rosalind. He hoped his distaste didn’t show too plainly on his face.

“I am loyal to you, sir. Don’t ever doubt that.”

His uncle sat back. “Then you will do as I say. Get rid of Rosalind Llewellyn. Swive her into loving submission and then abandon her or kill her—I care not. But the Vampire must die.”

“The Vampire will die, Uncle.” Christopher hesitated. “May I ask why the Council is so afraid of this particular Vampire?”

His uncle’s blue gaze flicked away from him. “Be-cause the Council is made up of weak fools who can no longer control their own race.”

“You sound almost contemptuous, sir. I thought the Vampires were our allies.”

A flicker of distaste crossed his uncle’s fine features. “They are what they are.”

“You don’t respect the old alliance anymore?”

“I didn’t say that, nephew. As long as the Vampires exist, we will protect them.That is all that concerns you.” He waved his hand in dismissal.

Christopher inclined his head. “Good-bye, Uncle.” He swung open the door and started back toward the queen’s chambers, rage churning in his gut, his vision tinted red. It wasn’t until he was well on his way that he realized Elias was walking beside him.

“Your uncle is a hard, difficult man, Sir Christopher.”

“He is indeed.”

“And yet he allowed you to take on this Vampire alone.”

“Hardly alone. I have you and Lady Rosalind to help me.”

“But why did he send you?”

Christopher sighed. “You were listening to our conversation, were you not?”

Elias shrugged. “I might have caught the odd word.”

“Then you know why he chose me, because he thinks I will be able to seduce Lady Rosalind from her cause.”

Elias cocked his head to one side, an amused glint in his eyes. “And you believed him?”

“Why wouldn’t I? My uncle has no compunction about speaking the truth as he sees it.”

Elias’s smile was full of sly amusement.“You’re probably right.After all, your handsome visage does seem to have a decidedly promising effect on the lady in question, does it not?”

Christopher scowled and walked away, his step slowing as he considered his uncle’s words. It was interesting that Edward seemed to have doubts about the Vampire Council. Was it possible that the Ellis family sought to extricate itself from the old ties? A flicker of hope awakened in Christopher’s soul. He realized he would be more than willing to relinquish his bloody vows, especially those to the Cult of Mithras.