Moonspun Magic (Magic Trilogy 3)

“Stop being a fool,” he shouted after her.

Victoria turned suddenly to see if he was gaining on her, and her leg collapsed. She fell on her face against the weedy ground. She lay there listening, knowing it was all over for her now. He was coming closer.

“Please, please,” she said, not looking up at him, “leave me alone. I won’t come back with you, I won’t.”

Rafael stood over her crumpled figure. She was quite young; he could hear it in her voice. As for how pretty she was, he couldn’t tell. She’d drawn her cloak closely about her, the hood over her head. “Whatever are you talking about?” he asked reasonably, dropping to his knees beside her.

He reached out his hand to help her, and she shrank from him. She raised her face, and even in the shadowy light from the moon, he read terror in her eyes.

“I won’t hurt you.”

“Liar. That’s all you’ve wanted to do. Now you’ve caught me, damn you.”

He stilled, even as she tried to roll away from him.

“Who are you?”

Victoria vaguely heard his ridiculous question, but her pain was too great for her to say anything at the moment, her pain and her despair. Odd, but his voice sounded a bit different, a bit less smoothly polished, like his clothing.

She said finally, “What game are you playing with me now?”

“I’m not playing any game. I’m simply trying to get you away from here safely. Where is your lover? Why isn’t he here?”

“I don’t have a lover, and well you know it.”

Rafael shook his head. He was missing something here. “Look, miss, I haven’t the foggiest notion of what you’re talking about. You’re hurt. Let me help you.”

She’d come up on her knees, but the spasms in her thigh intensified. She fell sideways. She curled up, and sobs broke from her throat. She’d tried so hard. So very hard.

He wished he could make out her features more clearly in the darkness, but no matter for now—he knew fear well enough when he heard it. She was becoming hysterical. This was all he needed, he thought with growing impatience. The girl had the nerve to come out here, of all places, and now she was falling apart. He tried to make his voice calm and soothing. “I will tell you again. I won’t hurt you. Now, let me get you someplace warm and safe. You’re already hurt.”

Victoria sucked in her breath. He sounded impatient with her, but not angry. She didn’t understand him. She felt his hand touch her and she flinched.

She raised her face to look at him. “How did you find me? I was so quiet, so careful.”

“Find you? I wasn’t looking for you. What is the matter with you? Did you strike your head?”

“Please, stop lying. You’ve won. There’s nothing more I can do. Certainly I can’t run from you, and well you know it.”

“I’m not lying. Did you sprain your ankle?”

It was too much. He was toying with her, like a mouse in some perverted game. “I can’t stop you,” she said, defeat in her voice, defeat and weariness. “Will you simply leave me here when you’re done with me?”

“Done with you? Done what with you? Did you hit your head? Can you tell me your name?”

“Stop it! God, I hate you.”

Rafael slowly got to his feet. He tucked his pistol back into his belt. He said more to himself than to her, “Save a woman’s life and she raves like a bedlamite. Look, miss, even if you hate me, even if you want me to leave you here, I’m not such a villain. No more of your hysterics, if you please. I’ll take you into Axmouth. There’s an inn there that will accommodate the two of us.”

“No. Dear God, have you forced other females there?”

“Forced other—” He broke off. She had to have hit her head. She was making no sense at all. “It would help if you told me your name.”

“I won’t make it easy for you, Damien. I will go nowhere with you willingly.”

Damien.

“My God,” he said softly, the truth hitting square between his eyes. His twin after this girl? He said very slowly, firmly, “Shut up and listen to me, all right? Good. You believe I am Damien Carstairs? Baron Drago?”