Victoria nearly jumped as Vail jogged to her side and said he would walk her home. This was most unexpected of him. He didn’t seem to care at all earlier, yet he did now. Perhaps a part of her words got through to him in the end. She kept quiet for a few moments but then glanced at him. “Thank you..” She reluctantly replied sheepishly. She didn’t feel like he deserved it having just fed on her and nearly leaving her to the wolves, but he seemed to dislike ungratefulness as much as she did. They had something in common there. So, she would at least make him feel that his gesture was in fact appreciated by the stubborn Lady. But there was no way she was apologising for her attitude, the only thing she felt bad for was outing him in public that maybe attracted that Saint to the vampire in the first place. But she had corrected that problem by stopping the Saint from killing him. And she would do so again and again. For her father’s bargain with the Hygraces. She was nothing by honourable and loyal to her father’s cause. Even if she had to go it alone.

It wasn’t a long walk back to her manor yet in complete awkward silences, it would feel like hours. She decided to strike up some light-hearted conversation to lessen the tension between them. “So…how old are you? If you don’t mind my asking. But I have never met a talkative vampire before...” This was evident that she didn’t really know if Spencer was a vampire or not. Talkative was an overstatement on Vail’s part, as she noticed he was a man of very few words. Therefore, she knew he would only say things if they were worth saying. That way, she knew he was a genuine person beneath that colder exterior. One who wasn’t two faced or fake much like the other nobles. And also by talkative she meant a vampire that wasn’t trying to rip her throat out in a frenzy.

She wondered what the rest of the Hygraces were like too. He mentioned his father, he must be quite a powerful vampire as head of a clan. He didn’t say his father’s name at the ball, yet she presumed it must have been Peter since he mentioned their fathers met once or twice. Alex had mentioned Peter a few times, having discussed their truce. She wondered if Vail’s life was lonely since he wasn’t seen with anyone at her party and was out two nights in a row by himself, signified he didn’t have a long lie mate. Or whatever the vampire couples referred to themselves as. Did they even hunt together like a pack of wolves or were they solitary hunters like a cat?

“I noticed you don’t bring anyone out with you…is it just you - no wife or children?” She realised it was an incredibly personal question to ask and immediately apologised. “My apologies that was too forward of me. I’m…just eager to learn everything about the world my father lived in.” She sighed, knowing that as much as she read everything it wasn’t the same as hearing someone’s experiences or actually living in that world for herself. This may give Vail a clue to why she was out here each night by herself. She was trying to learn to be like her father. However futile, she didn’t give up even knowing how unskilled and unready she was. Even knowing her blood was a prime target, she showed courage. If only she had that courage to get rid of Spencer without it backlashing against her mother. He pretty much had her to ransom. How he said she might not have a lot of time left with her mother, the way he said it, chilled her to the core. She was trapped. And only the Hygrace family may be able to help stop the encroaching Wynters upon the Crests. Alex was gone and it fell to Victoria to defend the family alone.

Although she knew he may not take her up on the offer being she was a Crest, however she offered information anyway. “Feel free to ask me anything you want.” She had nothing to really hide from Vail. He knew as much as everyone else in town did and more. Engaged to a wealthy weapons dealer who happened to be a Wynter. The match was a little too convenient after Alex’s death. Victoria had an inkling Spencer may have had something to do with it in order to get to her family’s wealth. Then again as Vail kept telling himself, it was ‘none of his concern’….

Vail just lifted his good shoulder in a shrug when Victoria thanked him for walking with her. The Crest manor wasn’t terribly far from the Hygraces, so he didn’t feel like he was going that far out of his way to help her. Though he would have liked to go straight home after feeding, it didn’t seem to be particularly risky for him to accompany her either. No member of the Order would believe a vampire would walk his victim back to her front door. The idea of it was practically laughable. If anyone saw them together, they would probably assume the two were just getting to know each other or were perhaps even betrothed. The only thing that might give him away were the fresh punctures in her neck, although someone would have to get quite close to them to notice that.

He glanced down a nearby alleyway, keeping a halfhearted watch as they headed through the city. Given that Victoria’s blood had such a powerful scent to it, it was likely that there was at least one other vampire in the area, stalking her in the hopes that she would find herself alone before she reached safety. He wasn’t worried about running into any of them though. Every clan in London knew the Hygrace name. A rival of his kind would have to be quite bold to try and fight him over the Lady, especially after he’d fed on her just minutes before. His strength was at its peak now, and he could no longer feel the ache of his still-healing wounds.

Absently, Vail rolled his shoulders. It actually impressed him that he was feeling so good after drinking such a small amount of Victoria’s blood. Even when he had drained some of his past victims close to death, he hadn’t experienced a vitality like this. He wondered if it would speed up his recovery too. Though he didn’t plan to leave the Hygrace manor again for a while, it would be nice to wake up tomorrow without being in pain. Nursing wounds was a nuisance he preferred to avoid when possible.

Vail had gotten so used to the comfortable silence as they walked that the suddenness of Victoria’s voice was jarring to him. He turned to her, mildly surprised that she would be interested in striking up a conversation with the demon who had just used her for a meal. Then again, she had also been compliant when he’d subdued her and was now ambling down the street with her assailant by her side. He studied her curiously. The more he thought about it, there was hardly anything conventional about this Lady at all.

At her comment about “talkative vampires,” he nearly snorted. That was the last description he would have chosen for himself. While he had an active mind, he preferred to process everything internally, only speaking when he believed he had something necessary to communicate. It was a habit he had developed throughout the course of his life, since he had learned that men who carelessly ran their mouths often came across as fools. Though he would never call himself a skilled conversationalist—he spent far too much time away from company to practice that ability—he liked to think he was straightforward, at the very least.

Her question was an amusing one too. It was quite presuming of her to ask him his age. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been quizzed about that, since he rarely found himself chatting with humans, and it wasn’t a common subject for his kind to discuss. To the immortal, age was a rather unnecessary number to keep track of. Unless one had lived across the span of a millennia—and he doubted there were any millennial vampires left after the Order had begun hunting them down—there was no reason to be mindful of one’s exact age.

Despite this, he saw no reason to avoid sating her curiosity. It was an innocent enough question, and it had been quite a while since he’d last done the math. “It’s 1878, right?” he mused, letting his eyes wander up to the night sky as he mulled it over. “I believe that puts me at about two hundred and eleven this year.”

Though he knew he was quite a bit older than any living human, it wasn’t a very outstanding number in his opinion. The generation before his had been born in the middle ages and had seen twice as much of life as he had. The vast spans of their lives did cause for some interesting dynamics in their families though. Though his parents were twice as old as he was, they had all been around long enough to have gained invaluable experience and were all capable of taking care of themselves. The same went for every other vampire family he had met. Because of this, there was a sense of equality between the older and younger generations, and the former didn’t feel compelled to act as an authority over the latter. The only reason his own father was so involved in his life was because he was the leader of the entire Hygrace clan. His position was what gave him power, not his age.

At Victoria’s following question, Vail casted her a sidelong glance. That was something he’d been asked about even less than his age, and he found it brazen that she would be so willing to inquire about such a personal aspect of his life when they had only met three days prior. However, she clearly recognized her mistake, even going so far as to apologize for bringing it up. Her sudden bashfulness brought a hint of a smile to his lip. Knowing she meant no harm, he really didn’t mind her inquisitiveness. Besides, he hadn’t spoken about himself to anyone in decades. Although he had no intention of telling her everything, he could stand to give up some privacy. He supposed he owed her that much after she’d let him taste her sweet blood.

“I hunt alone,” he said simply, ignoring her apology as he let his gaze wander to another nearby alley. “Some prefer to travel in groups for safety, but I find it easier to be by myself.” Deciding the alley was clear, he turned back to the Lady with an amused expression. “Though… no… I’m unattached.”

As she gave him permission to ask her whatever he wanted, Vail took a moment to think. Overall, there wasn’t much he wanted to know about a member of the Crest family. He preferred to keep his nose out of human affairs as much as possible. However… there were some things about Victoria that piqued his curiosity. He snuck another glance at her. The way she spoke about her father, he got the impression that she had never been involved with the Order, yet she had quite the obsession with learning more about his kind. He couldn’t help but wonder why she was so intent on getting involved with the apex predators of London.

Unfortunately, he saw no good way to bring up the subject without pouring salt in the wound of Lord Alexander’s recent demise, so he elected to address a different query on his mind.

“Your… betrothed,” Vail started slowly, unable to prevent the hint of disgust that slipped into his voice at the mention of a Wynter. “What are your thoughts about him?” He had been curious since the Lady’s party just how much she knew about the man she was to marry. It seemed likely that she had no idea Lord Spencer wasn’t human, let alone that he was part of the most dangerous vampire clan in the city. Though he didn’t want to get involved in their relationship, he felt some pity for her dismal fate. He met her gaze quietly as he waited to hear her response.

It had not escaped Victoria’s attention that Vail had rolled his shoulders where he was shot. She wondered how long it took for a vampire to heal. So many questions, so little time to fit in a short walk. However, he did seem to have a more energetic look about him. She limped slightly from the pain in her grazed knees. She was glad he was walking her home. She was fortunate this night. She knew this was reckless and dangerous but having no prospective future that entailed freedom, she didn’t have that much to lose if she did die. At least she could say she died trying to find her father’s murderer.

Vail seemed to struggle with the maths, which indicated that he hadn’t thought about his age for a while. Though she wasn’t exactly expecting two hundred and eleven.

“Two hundred and eleven?!” She gasped quietly in shock. “You don’t look any older than twenty…” She was gobsmacked. How was it even possible to live that long. She surmised that if had no partner, it must be a very lonely existence for him. No wonder he shut people out, maybe he didn’t want to let anyone too close to his heart. If he had lived two hundred years, he must have had some stories. “Wow…you must have seen a lot in your time.” She blinked in disbelief still unable to comprehend that he lived through the entire century of seventeen hundred to eighteen hundred. He had seen humanity progress in vast amounts. Through the renaissance and into the Victorian era. He had seen England and Scotland unite in 1707. He had heard the news that Sir Edmund Halley proved the periodic return of comets in 1759. He had seen Watt's steam engine and Arkright's spinning mill invented in 1769. He had been around when all these amazing things happened in human historic milestones. She was somewhat envious of the longevity a vampire had. Perhaps that Saint was correct in saying she was a vampire sympathiser. This was rare in humans and thought as blasphemous. Her name would soon be dragged through the mud.

She knew she would regret saying he could ask her any question. As soon as he mentioned her betrothed, she instantly froze. That word left a bitter taste on her mouth. To her, he was no such thing. “Please don’t call him that……and..…he is nothing but a bully.” She was honest and she didn’t seem pleased to even talk about him. “I don’t like him at all.” She told Vail outright with a sigh. “He’s arrogant, presumptuous and thinks that women can’t do anything for themselves.” She almost growled talking about him. “But something tells me you already know what he’s like. You two had that altercation at the party.” Lady Victoria was always the observant one. One had to be in this day around nobility, never knew when you would feel a dagger in your back. She didn’t want to bore him with any more details regarding her arranged marriage about how he was making threats and clearly just after her family’s estate for himself. This was her problem and hers alone to deal with. Nobody was obligated to help her out and nor did she expect anyone to. Though it would be nice to actually have a friend who cared for once. That wasn’t likely.

Victoria’s reaction to his age was humorous to Vail. He supposed that, to a human, living over two centuries would have been quite a feat. It was hard for him not to take his immortality for granted though. After a while, life grew mundane; repetitive, even. Every day was the same with just enough variation here and there to keep things from becoming too unbearably dull. Though it was true that he had seen humanity advance in leaps and bounds as their technology grew more complex, he had always watched from a distance, never participating in the accomplishments or becoming invested enough to care. It was the way he had to live. After all, what she said about his appearance was true. While humanity aged and died, his youth was everlasting. He couldn’t integrate in society without eventually standing out or becoming ostracized or—since the inception of the Order—being killed for what he was. It was the curse attached to the gift that was eternal life.

That was why he had to hide. Isolation was the only safe place for a vampire in London. As long as he didn’t show his face in public often enough to be remembered, he wouldn’t be hunted by the Saints, nor would he be attacked by the Wynters. His eyes flickered involuntarily to another shadow-filled alley at the thought of the rival clan. Though he was confident that the other family was working on a different plan at the moment, they were the only members of his kind who would have been willing to ambush him that night. The Wynters didn’t respect or fear the Hygraces like the other vampire clans. If they saw an opportunity to murder the next heir of the ruling dynasty, he didn’t doubt that they would take it.

They were the reason why he had learned how to handle a pistol.

When Victoria answered his question about Lord Spencer, Vail wasn’t at all surprised by her response. Everything she said lined up with what he knew to be true about the Wynters. The rival vampires looked down on humans as merely a food source, believing they were inferior because of their design. It was an opinion the Hygraces didn’t share. While it was accurate that humans were the natural prey of their kind, it didn’t mean they had to trod on them or “put them in their place,” as he had heard some Wynters hatefully spit. To him, there was plenty to be impressed by when it came to human beings, particularly in the way of their creativity.

Vampires were physically superior, undoubtedly, but they were hindered by their bloodlust. In fact, in Vail’s experience, hunting seemed to be their only purpose. There was no time to be innovative when one had to focus on constantly staving off withdrawals. The strength and speed their bodies could handle were just designed to help them become more efficient killers too. No matter what anyone thought, his kind were predators through and through, and there were downsides to that fact.

At Victoria’s final comment, Vail averted his gaze. He was certain now that the Lady had no idea Spencer was a Wynter. She would have said so if she did. However, this left him with the dilemma of whether he should tell her or not. As much as he wanted to stay out of the couple’s business, it felt unfair of him to knowingly keep her in the dark. From what he could gather from the encounters they’d had so far, she wasn’t a bad person—perhaps a little rough around the edges, but who would expect more from a girl who had just lost her father? She deserved to be made aware of what she was getting into.

“Yes, well, that’s usually what happens when I cross paths with people like him,” he sighed. “The Wynters have despised my family for over a century, and they won’t soon let us forget it.” Turning back to her, he frowned. “Though I must admit, I was surprised to find out he was chosen to be your husband. Did your father not know which clan he was a part of?”

Victoria frowned. “So…he IS a Wynter….I knew it…” He fears had been confirmed. Vail knew exactly who Spencer was. In fact, Vail knew a lot more than she did. He would be a valuable font of information she sorely needed. Thus it would be vitally important to make allies of the Hygraces and perhaps an ally of Vail himself. With the promise of her blood as a reward if she had to.

He asked her if her father knew about Spencer. She shook her head. “No. Father would never choose a Wynter for me. Truthfully, my father didn’t choose him. My mother did. And if he is a vampire, then he could easily sway a human woman such as her. I suppose that’s how he weaselled his way in. Upon thinking it further...it wouldn’t surprise me if he had something to do with my father’s death.” She gave the most long drawn out sigh as they approached the Crest’s manor gate. She turned to Vail to bid him a farewell and to give her gratitude of walking her back to her home. Perhaps he did have a good heart deep down beneath that cool exterior. But at least now she understood why he had to be so distant to humans. And the fact he had no vampiric partner suggested that perhaps the vampires were a little on the thin side of the population.

“Well, having this chance to converse more with you has been quite pleasurable, Lord Griffiths.” She gave him a small wink using his fake last name he gave her. Plus, if any Saints were around, they wouldn’t hear the Hygrace name being thrown around so casually. “It must be lonely for you though…living all that time…away from people. “ She felt pity for him in that regard whereas he pitied her situation with the Wynters. Maybe that was why he went to the party. No wonder he was so brilliant at dancing, he had plenty of time to practice.

“I have no idea what the Wynters are up to. But I will find out.” She opened the metal gate quietly to not alert her mother indoors to strange activity outside. She turned to go inside her estate when she stopped. “Although…” She turned back to face Vail. “My father did uphold his end of the bargain with your family….I do plan to honour the same truce between our families in his stead.” She revealed her promise would continue between the Crests and Hygraces at least. It was her way of showing gratitude to them for not killing humans. She knew their predator instincts were a natural part of life. At least they showed regard for preserving the human race.

There was a hint of longing in her eyes as she gazed at him. She looked lost, curious, with a desire to learn everything about this supernatural world and yearned for more in this miserable life that she was subjected to as a future Wynter, through no choice of her own. Although she was Vail’s prey, and he had fed on her sweet nectar, she still regarded him in a positive light. Maybe even an ally with a common enemy. Perhaps it was that lingering feeling that he was so intoxicatingly close to her just minutes earlier. She had never felt such exhilaration from a vampire’s pheromones before. She had no idea when she’d run into Vail again, so she’d make this moment count.

“Vail…I-…I’m sorry for yesterday in the tavern. I was angry and I let my emotions rule me that night.” Obviously, she meant giving his name away that caused the Saint to attack. “How is your shoulder?” She asked, knowing he was injured there. This was also curiosity asking as she didn’t know how fast vampires healed or anything much about their physiology.

Vail nodded wordlessly when Victoria explained that her father hadn’t known what Lord Spencer was, nor had he chosen the Wynter to become her husband. The Lady’s guess that Spencer had used her mother as his way into the Crest family was probably right too. If their kind could use their pheromones to force their prey into submission, his rival could have easily done the same to manipulate Alexander’s widow. It seemed slimy to him that the other vampire would abuse his hunting abilities in such a perverse manner, but knowing the Wynters, he wouldn’t put it past any of them for a moment. They had always been willing to do whatever it took to get their way. If puppeteering humans was a means to their end, they wouldn’t hesitate to try it.

As Victoria went on to say that Spencer might have had something to do with her father’s death, Vail wasn’t sure what to say. Admittedly, he agreed with her. If the Wynters were trying to usurp the head of the Crest household, he wouldn’t have been at all surprised to find out they had murdered Alexander to secure it. It was the same trick they had tried on the Hygrace family over a century ago. However, he didn’t want to further upset her by reaffirming her belief that the man she was engaged to marry was behind her father’s early demise. If it was true, she would surely find out without his help later on.

At last, they arrived at the looming gate in front of the Crest manor. Vail slowed to a stop, lingering a short distance behind the Lady as she approached the barrier. He was relieved that the trip hadn’t been long, since he still had to walk all the way back to his own home before he could get some rest. It wasn’t a terribly far distance away, but he was glad he had managed to feed that night, otherwise he might have had a hard time getting back. His eyes wandered to Victoria’s neck. Despite the discomfort of his recent cravings, her blood had been worth the wait. It was just as satisfying as he had expected, if not more so, and he couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever be so lucky to taste it again.

Suddenly, the Lady turned back to bid him goodbye, and Vail broke out of his thoughts in mild surprise. The amiability in her voice was quite unexpected. He had just attacked her, yet she seemed to be focusing on their conversation instead. The thought nearly drew a laugh out of him. Victoria Crest was an interesting woman for sure.

“I wasn’t expecting so, but it has been enjoyable for me as well,” he agreed with a smile. It still felt strange to him that he had just walked his own victim home and chattered with her along the way, but it hadn’t been bad. He found that he genuinely liked talking with her. Her innocence and curiosity were a breath of fresh air compared to his always-serious family. He was glad they had had the chance to speak before parting ways.

As she regarded him with pity, Vail’s smile faded. His isolated life had become so normal to him that he hadn’t considered it might be thought of as lonely to someone on the outside. He and the rest of his family had been in hiding longer than any human had been alive. Staying away from other people was their method of survival. It was the only way he knew how to live. However, after his discussion with Victoria, he wondered if there was perhaps something more to life that he was missing.

He didn’t get the chance to dwell on the thought for long before the Lady changed the subject. At her determined words about the Wynters, he smiled again, amused this time. He had no doubt that she would try everything in her power to thwart the rival clan. The tenacity she had shown to him thus far was proof enough of that. Whether she would actually be able to stop them was another question though.

As Victoria turned away to go into to her manor, Vail did as well, preparing to head back to his home. However, he didn’t take more than a step before her gentle voice caught his attention once more. Looking back at her, he raised his brow at her offer to uphold the truce that her father had created between the Crests and the Hygraces before his death. He wasn’t sure what power she had to make sure a promise, since she wasn’t part of the Order, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

“Thank you,” he bowed his head courteously. When he rose again, he noticed that the Lady now had an almost melancholic expression on her face. He was just beginning to wonder what was on her mind when she addressed him one more time to apologize for what had happened yesterday.

“Don’t fuss over it,” he shook his head. Though he hadn’t originally planned to reconcile that night, he supposed there was no reason not to talk about it now that she’d brought it up. “I shouldn’t have been as inconsiderate to you as I was. I know you were just looking for answers about your father, right?” He’d made the connection throughout their last talk. “I’m sorry I was so short with you.”

As she asked about his shoulder, he rolled it again in an absent check of the healing process. “Better now,” he mused. “I must admit, feeding on your blood has helped it tremendously. I’m sure I’ll be back to normal before the end of the week.”

Some say the Lady Crest may be a glutton for punishment. But she was just eager for adventure and excitement in her mundane life. And Vail was certainly an exciting man, he was like nobody she’d ever met. She positively gushed knowing he had enjoyed their conversation as well. Perhaps he was so repulsed by her after all. He did seem to enjoy her blood very much. Though she may not be a part of the Order, she planned to change that one day. Or if not at least if she came across any members trying to hunt or hurt the Hygraces, she would thwart them any way possible. Even throw their scent off by pretending to hunt them on behalf of her father and give them false leads. She was a smart enough woman to use information to her advantage and her own agenda. Which was to get in the Hygrace’s good books. They may be invaluable allies against her plight against the Wynters, even though she knew they would want to keep in hiding and probably not get tangled up in the looming Crest-Wynter war.

Victoria was told not to fuss over it, but she tilted her head with a sigh. Men were always stubborn when it came to injuries, they always wanted to prove tough and claim they could cope. “You were shot, Vail…you may be…what you are but he still could have killed you. Maybe you need to try and control that frenzy of yours. Spencer seems to keep his temper in check around me. That’s why I thought he was …a normal person.” She had no idea he was a vampire until Vail confirmed it. Yet the way he said she was only around to satisfy his thirst, she now knew what that meant, and a cold chill flooded down her spine.

When he apologised for being short with her, she shook her head as if to tell him not to worry about it. “It’s perfectly alright. I do not blame you for reacting that way. I deserved it. Sometimes I just don’t know when to keep quiet.” Her tongue had landed her in more hot water than a hot tea kettle. “Anyway. I’m glad I could help you in my own way. Even if it was painful.” Well it wasn’t THAT painful if she really thought about it, it was kind of a turn on if she had to admit it. But she couldn’t tell Vail anything of the sort as she knew he would probably run for the hills. Human women liking being bitten and their blood drank? It was unheard of. Yet here she was, looking her attacker in the eye. Or perhaps she had simply accepted she was prey and the only way to survive was to play possum.

“Well… I should go in. Goodnight, My Lord.” She curtseyed him politely as a proper Lady would. Even though she was rough around the edges outside of the social conventions, she still knew how to act like a Lady with an air of grace about her with a refined voice and gestures. It was merely the surface that she showed to those who she didn’t allow to get any closer. Only Vail had seen the true Victoria beneath the façade. “I do hope to see you under better circumstances next time.” She smirked mischievously at the vampire. It wasn’t that she was expecting another encounter however, she hoped it wasn’t in the middle of the night being his prey again or having to stop him killing a human. Yet something deep inside of her secretly wanted him to want her an only her blood.

When Victoria argued with him about his injury, Vail rolled his eyes. Though it was a nuisance to get shot, the bullets were never fatal unless they touched the heart. He understood that to a human, it would have been shocking, but he had survived plenty worse than a hit to the shoulder. Besides that, he was already far along in the healing process from what he could tell. The constant ache in his shoulder had subsided, and it no longer pained him to move his arm. While a part of that was probably because he had just fed, he was certain he was recovering at a rapid pace. In a week, it would be as if he had never been shot to begin with.

As the Lady suggested that he should try to control his frenzy, he couldn’t stop the short laugh that escaped his lips. “It’s not that simple,” he expressed, folding his arms over his chest. “A frenzy is a loss of control. If I could prevent it, I would, but unfortunately, that’s not how it works.” He flashed her an amused smile. “You came across me when I hadn’t fed recently enough to stay in control. I’m sure Spencer is hunting regularly if he’s able to remain as calm as you say, otherwise he would be even more dangerous than I was.”

“Besides that,” his smile turned into a smirk. “You were the one who instigated it. I had no intention of coming after you until you waved your blood right under my nose. A move like that would have driven any vampire mad.” Until tonight, he had been trying to stay away from her, since he didn’t want to become a target of the Order by attacking the Crest heiress. Obviously, that plan had since been torn apart and thrown out the window. It was too late to take back what he’d done now. Even if he could, he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Her blood had been like nothing he’d ever tasted before, and he would feed on it again in a heartbeat if he had the chance. After he’d experienced it for himself, it seemed worth risking the wrath of the Saints.

When Victoria said she was glad she could help him, Vail nodded. He wasn’t sure she’d had much of a choice in helping him, since he’d had her pinned to the ground at the time, but he certainly appreciated her compliance. It had been much easier than relying on overpowering her to land a bite. Usually when he went hunting, his prey was either too woozy to fight back after spending enough time exposed to his pheromones or he would have to wrestle them into submission. There had never been an in-between before. It had been a rather pleasant change of pace. He licked his lips at the thought.

As Victoria finally bade him goodnight, Vail returned her curtsey with an elegant bow. “Sleep well, My Lady,” he said, wishing her well. When he straightened again, the mischievous look he saw on her face took him by surprise. It was unexpectedly alluring, quite different from the sweet and gentle expressions most Ladies wore in that day and age. He found that he liked the spirit behind it.

“And I as well,” he agreed genuinely. Apart from her unique blood, there was something appealing about Victoria that made him feel drawn to seek her out again. Unfortunately, it would be quite a while before he would have the chance. Now that he had been sufficiently fed, he needed to return to the Hygrace manor, where the rest of his family was hidden away from the world and where he would be safe from the Order.

Somehow, it felt just a bit lonelier than before.

“Have a good night,” he said softly, turning to walk back to his own home now that Lady Crest had been returned to hers.

The Lady bade Vail a farewell somewhat solemnly as he turned away, her gaze would linger on him before he completely disappeared into the darkness. She sighed and ventured inside the gateway to her estate. Upon entering the dark house, one lone candle remained on for her return. She picked it up and took it with her to the bathroom where she commenced the clean up of her puncture wounds. Some of the blood had already clotted up the holes. But she had to clean the blood off her neck and hands before going to sleep. It would be a few days before she could go back out with fresh puncture wounds that may attract unwanted attention.Thus she would spend the next few days in the house training with her French rapier. She enlisted the best instructor in the city to come to her estate and train her rigorously in the last six months since her father died. Without him to train her, she couldn’t allow herself to lapse. She took matters into her own hands. She managed the estate’s affairs and controlled the money net in and out flow best she could.

Whenever she wasn’t fencing, she was out horse-riding in the grounds with targets she had tied up to the trees. And although she had the crossbow and few silver bolts, what she really desired was a gun with silver bullets. Obtaining such an item would be difficult for the Lady to purchase without raising suspicion and drawing attention to herself. A normal gun mayhap with normal bullets. But that would do no good. So, for now she had to settle for the crossbow. As she rode through the forested grounds a kilometre from the main house. She rode past the summer house and took a shot at a swinging target in the wind and rain. The bolt hit the third ring. She cursed at her poor attempt as she lined up for the next target high up in the treeline. Further away but she managed to hit the second ring. Perhaps her strength lay in a longer distance shot.



Finally, she rode past a target and leaned sideways over the horse to shot back over her shoulder at the target. It completely missed this time. She cursed again as she clicked her heel for the horse to gallop harder back to the house. “Again.” She went three or four times before giving Shadow a break. She hopped down just outside the stable and walked him back to his stall where she gave him water and a feedback hooked over his nose. “Enjoy it, you’ve earned it boy.” She nodded at the stallion before sighing. “Now to get a wolf…” She couldn’t possibly fight alone. Although she would try, it was so easy for that vampire to disarm her the other night, an ally would surely help with distraction. If she hoped to attack Spencer before their wedding, she needed to get better and fast.

With her wounds fully healed over and still adorning a high-necked shirt with frilly collar under her black leather jacket, she ventured out to the market to obtain her father’s red jacket tailored to her own size. And then she would finally start to walk in his shoes. As she retrieved the tailored red velvet jacket with golden buttons, she gasped with awe when she put it on and looking in the mirror.

“It suits Madam perfectly.”

“It most certainly does…and its Ms, thanks.” She told him with a small smile as she noticed the jacket stopped just shy of her curved plump rear. How it accented her hips and buttocks, she astounded herself. She’d certainly catch the attention of the male vampires without even needing to smell her blood. The more fuss she kicked up each night looking for Gerald, the more the Order would notice her and hopefully draw them out. She needed to know what happened to her father and she wasn’t giving up. Not whilst she drew breath into her lungs. She wandered the market stalls before turning down a shadowed alleyway. She was on the lookout for a shady black-market dealer that would sell her the right gun and silver bullets. She kept her ears to the ground and her eyes peeled for shifty movements. Eventually she would spot a pattern of comers and goers from an unmarked building basement. Boxes were loaded and unloaded. She could smell the faint aroma of gun powder when she neared the building. She would walk past a few times up and down. Some of the commoner’s wolf whistled the Lady as she passed them by. She had no time to even give them a glare as she was too caught up in her own investigations.

Over the course of the next few days, Vail remained in the Hygrace manor to finish healing from the wounds he’d received from the Saint’s gun and Victoria’s dagger. The speed of his recovery was remarkable, even to him. Even though feeding on humans always helped encourage the process, he’d never experienced something like this. The morning after he’d drank the Lady’s blood, the laceration in his right leg had faded to a mere line of discolored skin, and the hole in his shoulder had closed up as well. It would only take two more days before both scars disappeared completely.

Throughout his time at home, Vail noticed that he was slowly reverting to a nocturnal rhythm as well. He continued to wake later in the day until he saw few hours of daylight before night fell. It was the more natural cycle for his kind, since they thrived and hunted in the darkness, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to continue it forever. His family had switched to waking in the morning for the purpose of being seen out and about during the day. It was another method of protection, since the Order seemed to believe vampires couldn’t handle standing in direct sunlight. While their fair skin was more prone to burning in prolonged exposure, it was easy to simply put on a tailcoat to cover the limbs and wander the town for an hour or so before returning to the manor.

Vail had a bit of a pass to sleep during the day now though. Since he’d been identified by a Saint, there was no reason for him to continue feigning being human. The Order likely knew who to look for, so the next best thing was to wait for them to either forget about him completely or sit back until the current generation died off, as he had done once in the past. He was content either way. After all, waking at night didn’t necessarily mean he would be any more restricted than he was before. He was still free to come and go from the manor once the sun went down. He just had to watch his back a little more closely while the Saints were keeping a lookout for him. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was manageable.

Of course, just because he could leave didn’t mean he was going to.

Now that he’d fed recently enough to stave off the withdrawals, Vail decided there was no more reason to risk his neck by venturing into the city. Instead, he spent most of his waking hours in his room with the curtains drawn, so no one outside would notice the constant flicker of candlelight coming from his window each night, reading or painting or practicing any other quiet activities while his family slept. He found the time to be peaceful, enjoying the silence and the comfort of his own company. However, though it was mostly good, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from occasionally drifting to something else: The Lady Victoria.

Despite the fact that his cravings were gone, he couldn’t get her out of his head—or more specifically, her blood. Every time he thought about it, his mouth watered. It was like a drug that he couldn’t get enough of. The vitality he’d experienced after tasting a mere trickle of the stuff was like nothing he’d ever felt before. As dangerous as it was to hunt down the same target twice, he wanted more of it. He wanted to feel the high of drinking the sweet blood that flowed through her veins, just ripe for the taking. It was practically consuming.

Letting out a sigh, Vail set down the paintbrush in his hand. Only a week had passed since the night he’d preyed on Victoria, but with each day, the temptation to seek her out again grew stronger. He knew it was a bad idea. She’d only allowed him to feed on her once, and she was involved with a member of the Wynter clan. If her soon-to-be husband discovered that there was someone else drinking the Lady’s piquant blood before he could, he would surely be furious. Vail didn’t want to instigate a fight between their families by stepping on Spencer’s toes.

However, knowing that she was about to become the prey of another vampire made him bristle with annoyance. Even though he’d known from the start that she was to wed a Wynter and that he shouldn’t have even dined on her in the first place, there was a jealousy blooming inside of him that wouldn’t allow him to sit idly by and watch someone else have her instead. Knowing that someone else was a member of his family’s rival clan just made it all the more unbearable.

Suddenly restless, Vail stood up from his easel to pace the edge of the room. As bad of an idea as it was, he itched to go out and look for the Lady again. He was sure he would find her if he tried. The last two times they had crossed paths was because she had been trying to learn more about her father. He doubted she had stopped since then. All he had to do was pick up her trail, stop her before she went home… and then what?

He ran a hand through his hair. It was a terrible idea. Completely awful. He wasn’t even thirsty for more blood yet, so there was no reason to hunt her down after just a week. He should just stay in the manor until he needed to go out to satisfy his urge to feed. It was the right way to go about the situation.

Despite his reasoning, he found himself putting on a tailcoat.

I’ll just walk around for a little while, he decided. If he burned off his excess energy, he would surely be able to put Victoria out of his mind, right? With no better plan, he headed out of the mansion and into the dark city streets, trying to convince himself that he would stay away from the Lady if he saw her.

Victoria watched the suspicious door to the unmarked building for the unusual activity she had spotted earlier and waited for a what seemed like hours. Until she spotted one person she recognised. The man who attacked Vail and hit her with his gun. The Saint. She narrowed her eyes as she saw him go inside. What business would a Saint have going in there? She crept over and watched him descend the stairs under the building to a basement door. She peeked over the railing above and saw him knock a peculiar knocking pattern, it was almost Morse code. Which her father had taught her. She listened carefully to the knock and she watched the door open, the Saint slipped in and the door shut behind her and the sound of a bolt slid across the frame followed suit.

The Lady frowned as she may have stumbled onto something. She straightened her jacket and held her head high. Time to be the best damn actress London had ever seen. She had the flair for the performance arts, singing and dancing at her parties and acting when it came to the theatrics of those performances. Or at least try to pass for someone who belonged in there. With a purse full of coin inside her riding boot and dagger concealed in the other, she strode down the steps taking in a deep breath. She wondered what she had stumbled upon. Was it The Order’s HQ? It couldn’t be, this building was way too small. She proceeded toward the doorway, she felt her heart thump in her throat. She raised her hand and commenced the knock she had heard the Saint make. The door opened to her and she stepped inside. She found herself in a store like environment. Black arms dealers. Bingo!

The person who operated the door didn’t give her a sideways glance, they believed she belonged here. That was one obstacle down. She glanced the room, it was filled with shady looking people, ruffians and scoundrels. She spotted the Saint across the room and immediately turned around to keep her face hidden from him. She perused the arms on the tables. Nothing was price marked, she overheard bartering and haggling from the various punters. She then laid her eyes on a very ornate silver pistol. She gasped at its beauty and hovered her fingers over it. The man selling the weapon noticed her eyeing it up. “She’s a bute ain’t she?” He asked her as she looked up at the brown eyed, grey haired male. She nodded. “Very.”

“What’re you after?” He asked with folded arms. “Um…I was after a pistol and a large amount of silver bullets…”

The room went quiet, she looked around sheepishly. “Ah. Vampire Hunter eh?” The man assumed, in a way she could class herself as that because she was going to hunt Spencer. So, she nodded at him. “Well I’d recommend this one.” He held up a Flintlock. “Powerful recoil. Good blast right to the heart. Boom.” He pointed it at her chest and pretended to pull the trigger. She nodded carefully. He could tell she knew nothing about guns. “How much?”

“One hundred pounds for the gun. Two hundred for a case of silver bullets to go with it.” She pondered, “Alright…” She shrugged and as she was to pay the man, she felt a hand on her shoulder and force her to spin around. She almost yelped but the man was pushing her away from the merchant. She wriggled from out of his grasp and turned to punch him but as she got a good luck at his face, she gasped. “You!” She pointed in annoyance at the Saint.

“You clearly don’t know what you’re doing. He was about to rip you off with the shittiest gun against a vampire. You wouldn’t last two seconds.” The Saint declared and folded his arms as he looked at the Lady with disappointment. “Your father would be turning in his grave.” He said as Victoria slapped him suddenly. “Don’t you DARE talk about my father!”

The Saint sighed and rubbed his cheek. “Guess I deserve that…vampire sympathiser…” He growled. She pouted as she turned away from him. The Saint followed her back to the merchant. Before she could open her mouth, the Saint stepped in. “Give her the Ruger Blackhawk 45 Long Colt and don’t fleece the Lady this time, Paul.” The Saint dictated to the merchant, who nodded and began to box up the gun and a case of bullets. Victoria blinked at the Saint who had just aided her. She looked puzzled as to why he had helped her. As he turned to walk away, she grabbed his elbow. “Wait. You knew my father?”

“I know of Lord Crest, I never really met him though.” He revealed. Victoria looked more disappointed than ever. “Oh...I see…well thanks for the help anyway Sir…” She let him go and turned to pick up her boxes, which she paid £150 for. They were quite heavy, but she managed to pick them up and walked to the door. The doorman opened it for her, she turned back to ask him name, but he was suddenly gone. Whoever he was, she knew it wasn’t Gerald. But perhaps he knew him. She had a feeling she would bump into him again at some point in the future.

Upon ascending the stairs, carrying her boxes of ammo she headed for home with a sigh. There was a slight nip in the air to which whisked her breath away. In a way she had been fruitful, but she was no closer to finding the truth. But with a pistol and silver bullets within her grasp, she could fight back at Spencer. If she could get a confession out of him then it would at least be a start.

Vail could see his breath on the cold air that night. It was unpleasant, but it was also sobering. The further he walked away from the Hygrace manor, the more he wondered what he was doing outside in the first place. No good could come of seeking out Victoria Crest. He knew that, but he just couldn’t bring himself to turn his feet around. He was certain now that it had been a lie to say that he would just go for a stroll and return without doing anything rash. It had been his motivation from the start to find the Lady and secure another taste of her rich blood. No matter the consequences, he wanted to have it. He couldn’t get it out of his mind.

Running his tongue hungrily over his teeth, Vail followed the road that would carry him past the most popular taverns in the city. He remembered that he had come across Victoria this way the last time. With any luck, he would find her again, asking around about whatever she was trying to learn about her father. What would come after that was still up in the air though. She knew what he was, and it would look quite unusual if he suddenly appeared by her side after a week of silence. It wouldn’t take much for her to fathom why he’d sought her out either. Before he’d made her his prey, he had kept his distance from the Lady. Anyone would be able to put two and two together since he’d only started following her after she had become his meal.

Recalling his conversation with his father, Vail shook his head. A week ago, he had found it amusing that Peter would warn him against stalking the Crest heiress, but now, here he was, doing just that. Perhaps he should have heeded Lord Hygrace’s words more carefully. Although he hadn’t had much of a choice. The Lady’s blood was so enticing to him; he couldn’t have stayed away from her on that night if he’d tried. Any time her fair skin was broken with the slightest cut, he felt drunk with desire. It really had been only a matter of time before he’d given in to his impulses.

Now, he wanted to give in again.

He peered through the windows of the taverns he passed, hoping to catch the slightest sight or smell of Victoria. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to be around. He slowed to a stop near the end of the street, clicking his tongue in disappointment. Perhaps she hadn’t left her family’s manor tonight? He had chased after her on nothing more than a hunch. Just because he’d run into her at pubs before didn’t necessarily mean she was visiting them every single night. It wasn’t unlikely that she was asleep in her bed at that very moment, and he was wasting his time by searching for her in the streets.

Vail sighed, his breath clouding in front of his nose. If she wasn’t even outside, there was no reason to keep looking for her. However, just before he could give up, his eyes widened slightly as a familiar scent rode to him on a chill breeze. He smiled victoriously to himself. It seemed Lady Victoria was still wandering about after all.

With a trail to follow, he turned and made his way down a different road, keeping a lookout for movement in the shadows as he walked. He didn’t want to come across any Saints while he was on the hunt. Closing in on his prey, he just wanted to feed again and go home without any more trouble. It was especially dangerous for him to be out tonight. Not wanting Peter to know of his recklessness, he had snuck out of the manor without alerting anyone. If something went wrong, no one would know where he’d gone or that he’d even left. For his own safety, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down this time.

After following Victoria’s scent for a while, Vail finally spotted her up ahead. He licked his lips desirously and took a step toward her only to freeze in his tracks when he watched her enter an old building up ahead. It didn’t look like a tavern. Curious, he edged closer to the place, keeping just enough distance that he would be able to run if he needed to. It didn’t smell like a tavern either. The strongest odor was gunpowder, but there was also a subtler hint of metal that made him narrow his eyes. It seemed the Lady had been serious about her intention to learn more about her father’s life. There was silver inside that building.

Deciding it was too risky to get any closer, he crouched down in a nearby alleyway to watch the door she had disappeared through. She had to come back out sometime, and he could be patient enough to wait. After all, just because she went somewhere unappealing didn’t mean he was going to give up on his hunt. He’d come too far to let her slip through his fingers now.

Luckily, he didn’t have to stay put for very long.

After about ten or fifteen minutes, Vail saw the door open again and Victoria step outside with her arms full of boxes. He wrinkled his nose as the acrid scent of silver wafted to him through the air. It was obvious what she was carting, but it wasn’t enough to deter him from going after her.

Slowly, he rose from where he’d been hiding and followed the Lady down the street, only pausing once to glance over his shoulder and make sure no one else in or around the unmarked building had seen him pass by. The area seemed clear, so he hastened his pace, eager to catch up with her before she got too far ahead. His movements were silent with practiced precision that he had mastered over the course of two centuries’ experience of stalking prey, and he appeared at her side as if from thin air.

“That’s quite the load you’ve got there,” Vail mused, eyeing the boxes in her arms carefully. Though he was still planning to prey on her, he couldn’t help keeping some distance from her while she was holding onto so much silver. It was an instinct to stay away from the metal. He would just have to figure out a way to make her part from it before she reached her family’s manor.

His feral eyes flicked away from her burden as he met her gaze. He needed to keep her talking long enough that she would be relaxed by his pheromones. “What on Earth could you need all that silver for?”

Victoria jumped as Vail’s voice came from the side of her as he quite literally just appeared from out of nowhere. It made her completely drop the boxes on the floor. Luckily, they didn’t break and spill everywhere. She let herself get caught off guard. She cursed herself as she quickly stepped out of the way of the box from hitting her feet and breaking any toes. “Jesus wept!” She gasped and held her hand to her chest as she turned to face Vail. “You scared me!” She told him off as she caught her breath.

She then bent down to pick up her boxes of ammo. “You’re quite the nosy one, aren’t you?” She asked him back playfully. “But to answer your question. It is for my fiancé. And the rest of them if needs be.” She revealed with a low growl beneath her breath. “He is not getting my estate…” She sighed and lifted the boxes up with a deep exhale and keeping her back straight. She brought them into her chest more. She was too pre-occupied to notice Vail’s feral eyes flicker. She continued her walk home.

“Out hunting, are we?” She enquired in a quiet voice to the vampire beside her. Was her blood not able to sustain him longer than a week? Was he out looking for just any prey or was he specifically after her? Either way, a hungry vampire, was to be wary of. But he needed to be wary of the silver she was packing. She knew he wouldn’t react well to silver in any form. “Didn’t get enough last time?” She asked him with a slight grin. “Or you just here because you missed my company?” She asked with a hint of sarcasm.

She glanced the alleyways and decided she ought to warn him. “In any case, I’d stay clear of me if I were you. There’s a Saint sniffing around nearby…in fact he helped me purchase my new toy today.” She mused about the new gun in the box as she gestured toward the box. She didn’t want to give Vail eye contact to draw herself into his charms. Even if the Saint wasn’t nearby it may be enough to ward Vail off her for a while. Or if he really was persistent, she would find out just how much he desired her blood. A part of her was foolish enough to think he liked her company but as with any vampire, it was just her blood they wanted. Whether it be a Spencer, Hygrace, Godding and however they dressed it up. They were all the same. She thought Vail might be different, but he was still the lion and she the zebra. He couldn’t change any more than a leopard could change its spots. Perhaps though, if he really, really wanted it, she could strike a bargain with the vampire. If he wanted to use her, she could use him back. Or namely his family’s connections.

Unprepared for Victoria’s sudden reaction, Vail tensed as she jumped. He had known his abrupt appearance would startle her, but not enough that she would drop the boxes in her arms. The loud crash they made as they hit the ground was jolting. However, his flinch was slight, and he recovered quickly to prevent her from noticing, standing aside while she collected both herself and the cargo that had slipped out of her delicate arms. If the boxes had contained anything but silver, he might have offered to help her gather them, but as it was, he didn’t want to get any closer to the ammo than he had to. Even being nearby was repulsing, since the metallic smell hung so thickly in the air, but his lust for her blood was just strong enough to keep him from backing down.

When she called him nosy, Vail just lifted his shoulders in response. Truthfully, he didn’t care what she was doing with the silver, since she had made it clear that she wouldn’t attack him out of respect for her father’s truce. He had just struck up the conversation as an excuse to stay close to her. He did find it interesting that she was arming herself against her fiancé though. It seemed she wasn’t as willing to accept her fate as he’d thought. An amused smile tugged at the corner of his lip. The Wynter who had chosen to marry her might find himself in over his head if she learned how to use silver weapons properly.

As the Lady continued to walk home, he trailed along at her side. “You could say that,” he answered vaguely when she asked if he was hunting. He didn’t want to scare her off or cause her to defend herself if she realized he was here to hunt her. The quicker he could make the ordeal, the better, but unfortunately, she continued to press him with further questions.

“Take it as you will,” he murmured, his gaze drifting warily down to the silver in her arms once more. Those boxes were the only thing standing between him and his prey. He wanted them gone, but it was probably going to take some effort to get rid of them. He could tell she was avoiding eye contact with him. She must have figured out that it was one of the ways he lured his victims in, which made it all the more difficult for him to get her to let her guard down.

As Victoria warned him about the nearby Saint, Vail wavered. As much as he wanted to feed on her again, he could still feel the ghost of the bullet that had struck him in the shoulder. He didn’t want to get caught a second time. However… His eyes wandered to her neck, and he swallowed. Now that he knew the member of the Order was out there, it would be easier to avoid him. He was sure he could get away with preying on the Lady if he was careful enough. All he had to do was take her someplace where the Saint wouldn’t find them.

“Is that so?” he queried, forcing himself to walk a little closer to her in the hopes of coaxing her to look up at him. Her feminine smell mingled with the silver, making his heartbeat quicken with anticipation. Even if it wasn’t safe, he knew he still wanted to feed on her.

“Good of him to help you,” he went on, his hazel eyes sweeping over her hungrily. “But I’m sure he won’t be a problem…” Having lingered around her for a while now, he decided to try to push his boundaries a little more. “You know, those boxes you’re carrying look heavy. Maybe you should set them down for a minute or two… Give your arms a break. I know a place nearby where you could rest, if you’re interested.”

Victoria let out a girly chortle as Vail suggested she set the boxes down and follow him to god knows where. “Oh, you must think I’m really stupid!” She asked as she turned around to face him fully. She wasn’t as afraid to look him in the eye with the box of silver in her arms to guard her. “If you’re so concerned about my arms getting tired then why don’t you carry them for me?” She teased him as she pushed the boxes toward him, knowing full well he’d back off. He had some balls to try and treat her like a drunken whore he could easily persuade to a ‘convenient’ place to rest.

She sighed and turned away from him. “Just...go home Vail.” She continued to walk home. He really was persistent, yet she liked that he wanted her so much to risk his own life. For a vampire in hiding and trying to keep a low profile, he sure wasn’t very smart. He mustn’t be thinking straight around her intoxicating scent of blood pumping beneath her veins. He was going to get himself killed at this rate. Would she really have to save his life again?

He should just go find himself an easier target. “Or just go find a drunken whore or something…your favourite no doubt…” She rolled her eyes as she strode confidently but her arms were weakening. Her heart pumped harder and faster as her breathing increased to keep up the stamina. ‘Damn these bullets are heavy…’

She had to quicken her pace to get home before running out of energy and letting the boxes drop out of her hands, then Vail could take advantage of the situation.

Vail frowned when Victoria laughed at him. She was quite cocky with a barrier between them, but there was nothing he could do about it as long as she refused to put down the silver she carried in her arms. It seemed there would be no convincing her to be swayed by his wishes as long as she was certain he couldn’t touch her. He cursed inwardly, frustrated to have come this far only to be thwarted by a few containers of metal. It would have been defeating to return to the Hygrace manor without feeding after all the work he’d put in to find her again. He wasn’t going to give up just yet.

As she thrusted the boxes in his direction, he quickly distanced himself from her with a grimace, put off by the stench of the silver they contained. “Very funny,” he muttered with a roll of his eyes. She really was bold when she had the upper hand. He hadn’t expected it to be this difficult to wear her down. Still, he continued to trail after her, ignoring her when she told him to go home. If he had been pursuing any other woman, he might have lost interest by now, but the thought of tasting her blood again made him stubborn.

“On any other night, perhaps,” Vail admitted when Victoria told him he should go after a whore instead. “But that’s not why I came out tonight.” He supposed there was no longer any point in hiding his intentions when she had already figured him out. His eyes followed her movements predatorily as he fell in step beside her again. Despite the tough act she was putting on, he could see that she appeared to be straining under the weight of the boxes she was carrying. All he needed to do was outlast her strength.

“I’ll make it quick for you,” he went on, keeping up with her easily even when she hastened her pace. “I’m sure you know already that I don’t need much… Just a taste.” He swept his tongue over his fangs. “You don’t have anything to be afraid of.”

He really was persistent, it amused her that he just couldn’t resist the taste of her blood again. She almost laughed at how he wanted something from her so badly. What would be in it for her, other than feeling his tongue sweep over her neck once again? She indulged him the first time because she had taunted him with her blood in the first place. It seemed he couldn’t get enough of it at the time. She almost felt flattered that he continued to pursue her. One taste just wasn’t enough for the Hygrace.

Victoria raised an eyebrow at Vail for his attempt at reasoning with her, as if he were justifying something normal. Nothing about this was normal, then again, she wasn’t exactly normal either. “Careful now…you may develop an addiction to me…” She warned him. “I don’t think Spencer would like to find out you were following me.” Yet here he was putting himself at risk all the more, he didn’t seem to care.

She apparently didn’t have anything to be afraid of. That was a lie, she was afraid that she would grow addicted to submitting to his vampiric charm. Her estate was within view, but her arms started to shake as she held onto the boxes. She wouldn’t outlast him as her pace slowed. “Well…” She sighed. “When you put it that way….” She pondered as if she were actually contemplating his request. “What’s in it for me?” She asked him out rightly and stopped to place the boxes down on the floor. She knelt on one knee and kept her hands on the lid, she stared up at Vail firmly. She still could easily get to her silver dagger concealed in her boot. “Last time I let you indulge for free. So, what do I get in return for letting you have my blood again, apart from a sore neck and having to keep it a secret from the Wynters? If Spencer finds out another vampire bit me, he’ll not hesitate to hunt them down and kill them.” She reminded him that Spencer was also a possessive man. All Wynters were by rights. What was stopping her from dropping Vail right in it? He had to make it at least worthwhile for her. It was if he would be paying for her services. She could ask him for anything, but she wanted to see what he could offer before making demands of him. So who was really the prey now?

“Not that I don’t enjoy it when you touch me.” She gave him a mischievous smile, she couldn’t deny he was handsome and there was some attraction to not only his demeanour and the way he held himself but to the banter he gave her, he was certainly the enigma. There was little point in keeping her thoughts to herself now, she lived a dangerous life, and anything could happen. Spencer may even kill her. It was also too exposed out here for another vampire to catch her scent and take the opportunity to attack Vail and take the Lady for themselves, though he probably wouldn’t let that happen. “It’s also too dangerous out in the open...” She flicked her long hair over her shoulders as she kept her gaze firmly on him. She knew he’d be unlikely to take her to back to her manor, risking the Lady Diana finding out. More importantly, what would HIS family think of him now? This wasn’t exactly how she thought this evening would play out.

When Victoria tried to warn him, Vail looked away from her, letting his gaze wander over the nearby alleys. He knew the risks, but he had to admit it was a little late for her advice now. Over the last week, her blood had come into his thoughts more often than he’d like to say. It was a different kind of craving, mental instead of physical. Even though he wasn’t really in a place where he felt like he needed to feed again, he wanted to bite her anyway. He was probably already a little addicted to the drug inside her veins, if he was honest. Just the thought of drawing even a trickle out of her again sent his heart racing with excitement. If that wasn’t addiction, he didn’t know what was.

When it came to Spencer, he wasn’t overly concerned either. He knew he should have been, since feeding on the rival vampire’s bride-to-be was quite taboo, but he had already landed himself in that hole after the first time he’d preyed on her. There was nothing he could do to change that, so he supposed he might as well lean into it. Was it the smartest idea? Probably not, but at the moment he cared more about satisfying his lust for her blood than he did about keeping a Wynter happy. He would just have to accept whatever consequences came with his poor decision later, if her fiancé found out.

As they got closer to the Crest manor, Vail noticed that Victoria’s arms had begun to tremble beneath the weight of the boxes. He eyed her carefully, like a wolf chasing down a tired gazelle. It was only a matter of time before she had to drop the silver, and then he would have her. However, it seemed he wouldn’t have to fight her into submission. His eyes flicked up to meet hers again as she suddenly seemed to consider his request. Her words caught him off guard though. What was in it for her? The question was amusing. He’d never had prey try to bargain with him before, as if the bite was a transaction fee necessary to acquire something more valuable. What could she want from a reclusive vampire anyway?

When she finally caved and set the boxes down, Vail slowed to a stop nearby but didn’t make any moves to touch her. He might have sought her out because he wanted to feed on her, but he wasn’t anywhere close to becoming frenzied. Now that it sounded like she was contemplating coming with him willingly, he no longer felt like he needed to pounce either. He could endure a simple conversation if it meant he would be feasting on her sweet blood at the end of it.

As Victoria explained that she wasn’t going to keep letting him indulge for free, he supposed her wager was fair. Most of the time when he was hunting, he would take a victim once and be done with them. This was the first time he was pursuing the same woman twice—at least, intentionally—and he had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last time either. Perhaps if he struck a deal with her, he could manage to persuade her to let him feed on her more regularly, so he could keep that potent drug pumping through his system all the time. His mouth watered at the thought. All that was left was to think of something the Lady might want in return.

He was just about to consider it when she spoke again, flashing him that mischievous smile of hers. Her sultry words gave him pause too. Though he was more private with his thoughts than she was, he couldn’t deny that he found it rather flattering that someone like her enjoyed his touch enough that she would desire to tell him. His gaze swept over her in a primal manner. Somehow, knowing that just made him feel drawn to her all the more.

“Which is why we’ll go somewhere else,” Vail expressed with a smile when she pointed out that their current location was too open. He was quite pleased with how the night was turning out. As long as he could make a deal with the Lady that suited her fancy, he would be able to go home full and satisfied.

“Was there something in particular you wanted from me when you asked?” he inquired, deciding she might as well tell him what she was after instead of making him guess at it. “If it’s something within my capabilities, I’m sure we could… come to an agreement.”

Victoria felt herself winning this bet. She could ask anything she wanted. To become her bodyguard, protector, to give her information, access to the Hygraces, sex, anything at all. He was at her mercy now. What did she want above all else? To find her father’s murderer and make them pay tenfold. Vail probably knew as little as she did so she doubted he could help with the investigation but she had a feeling the Wynters were responsible in some way, so they could get their hands on her wealth. “Hmmm let’s see now.” She playfully pondered, though she had to be careful not to take too long or else he may grow impatient and pounce her and take her blood anyway. She eyed him up and down slowly.

It was then she realised, Spencer was in Vail’s way too, so it would benefit them both if they rid him. It would then cause a huge ripple throughout the Wynter family and then they would send more after her. Then she would need sanctuary. “Help me get rid of Spencer and I’m all yours whenever you want.” She stood up and opened her arms as if offering herself to him. Then dropped them to her sides again. “Without him around you needn’t worry about feeding on his fiancé’s blood. You hate the Wynters just as much as I do.” She didn’t care how he did it or when, she just wanted Spencer gone so she could get on with her life. If the Wynters then came after her, hopefully Vail would have grown so addicted to her blood that any threat of having it taken away from him, would render him unable to stand idly by and let the Wynters take it. This was also a dangerous ask, she knew his family were in hiding from them. If he didn’t get rid of Spencer though, it wouldn’t be long before he would stop Vail from accessing Victoria altogether and again his blood supply cut off. She wanted Spencer gone so much she was willing to become a vampire’s human pet.

“And I have two conditions.” She extended her index and middle finger in a V shape. “Firstly, you cannot bite me in the same place twice until I’m fully healed otherwise, I’ll run the risk of infection and I can’t go to the doctors with these wounds without arousing suspicion. Secondly, you can’t bite me somewhere people can easily see it.” She then looked down at the boxes, she couldn’t just leave them out in the open, someone could steal them. Wherever he lured her she had to take them, so she hoped it wasn’t far to carry them. Her third demand was not to be taken to some dirty back alley as if it was some sordid deal. But she’d made enough demands of him already, perhaps enough for him to seriously consider getting another victim because it would be far easier. Yet there wasn’t anyone around with her blood condition, it was a 0.4% chance for someone to have it and pass it down to the next generation.

“If you go against your word, I swear I will spill everything to Spencer about this, so don’t even [i think[/i] about betraying me.” She pointed a finger at Vail in a firm tone. She meant business with this bargain. It was going to be made extremely difficult for Vail, but should he persist with hard work, he would have a very nice reward indeed. “What say you?” Victoria placed her hands on her hips. “Still think I’m worth it?” She dared him to reveal what he really thought.

As Victoria pondered over what she wanted from him, Vail crossed his arms in wait. As much as he wanted her blood, he hoped she wouldn’t make any absurd demands of him. He did have some boundaries that he wouldn’t cross, after all. If she asked him to get involved in whatever she was doing with the Order, he simply couldn’t agree. It was far too dangerous for him to get closer to the Saints, and he wanted to live to see another few centuries if he was still able to. Although, considering how reckless he was being lately, he wasn’t sure if he would make it that long anymore. He obsession with the Lady was inhibiting him from being as cautious as he used to.

When Victoria finally announced her proposal, Vail nearly winced. It wasn’t much better than the one he had been worried she would offer. The last thing he wanted was to get more deeply involved with the Wynters, and the thought of going after one of his own kind was off-putting to him. Even though the rival clan had been a scourge to the Hygraces for over a century, he didn’t want to kill them. Vampires as a whole were scarce enough as it was. It would have been far better to find a way to come to a truce with them, but, then again, the Wynters had never been a reasonable group.

And there was the matter of what he would get in return for accepting the deal.

If he accepted the offer, he would get to have her whenever he wanted. As much as he disliked the terms, he couldn’t help that he was tempted by the reward. It was even better than the compromise he would have proposed, which would have been that she would let him feed on her once a week. Instead, he could come to her whenever he had a craving for her blood, and she couldn’t resist him. He lightly bit the tip of his tongue. Perhaps getting rid of Spencer was worth the trade. He was just one Wynter, after all. As long as he kept the rest of the rival family from finding out what he’d done, it wouldn’t do that much harm, right? Plus, with the other vampire out of the way, he could have his way with the Lady as much as he wanted without fearing the consequences. The deal was starting to sound better and better.

As Victoria went on to tell him her conditions, Vail wavered. She was already asking quite a lot of him by getting him involved with Spencer, and he didn’t want to agree to anything else that went against his morality. However, he relaxed again when she explained that she was just setting boundaries to keep herself safe if they went through with the bargain. The rules were easy enough to comply with. There was nothing she said that would deter him from agreeing. She wouldn’t have to worry about him betraying her either. As long as she held up her end, he would help her get rid of her fiancé.

At her final question, he grinned, his fangs reflecting sinisterly in the moonlight. “My Lady, I think you are,” he purred, taking a few steps toward her. “If these are your terms, then I gladly accept. I’ll help you get rid of Spencer in return for… you.” His wild eyes swept over her once more, and he licked his lips. “Let’s make this a blood pact… We’re close enough to your family’s manor. There must be somewhere in the courtyard we could go where we won’t be… interrupted.”