Copyright © Eve Newton, 2017
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PROLOGUE
Halyfax, England, 1506 – Elizabeth
I t had taken me nearly two days to get here. I had ridden day and night with only a few hours’ sleep in between and a change of horses to get us there that quickly. I wanted Devon as far away from Helsby as I could get him before he woke up. It would be any time now. I was so excited. I could not wait for him to wake so that we could start our eternal life together. I was still so angry that we didn’t get to complete the proper rites, but I loved him so much and we would be together regardless.
I found us an inn and procured a room in Halyfax. We were not that far from York, which was where I wanted us to
be. It was a pleasant town, fairly quiet and unassuming. After dark, I carried Devon up to our bedroom and waited. He looked so peaceful on the bed. I knew he wanted this and even though it wasn’t how we planned it, I knew we would be married and happy, together forever. I waited by his side, stroking his forehead, willing him to wake.
“When you wake, my darling boy, I will be your wife. I will love you forever and we will have our forever after,” I whispered to him as he slumbered.
I must have dozed off myself as I was roused by his abrupt awakening.
“Devon,” I said and kissed him. He pushed me away, uncertain. “Drink,” I told him and offered him my neck. He looked at me, unspeaking. I was filled with dread that he had changed his mind about wanting this. He soothed that dread as he dropped his new fangs and sank them into my neck, suckling on me deeply.
“Oh, Elizabeth,” he whispered as he pulled away, “I want you.”
Forgetting all about human blood, I let him take me. Pushing my skirts up above my waist, he took me with abandon. I let him take his pleasure as mine could be fulfilled later.
“Oh, yes,” he murmured against my lips as he released himself. “I love you.”
“I love you,” I whispered back and kissed him deeply. “I never want to be apart from you. Are you well? Do you feel this is what you wanted?”
“Everything I ever wanted. I just want you,” he said back to me and I was joyful, like I hadn’t been in a long time.
“Ask me again.”
“Ask you what?” he said in between kisses.
I hesitated. He should have known what I wanted. What we had agreed on.
“Ask me,” I insisted, but he looked at me perplexed.
“I need blood,” he said, instead of the words I wanted him to say.
I blinked at him, thinking perhaps his turning had confused him somewhat. “Devon?”
“Elizabeth?”
I decided to leave it then as he was clearly not in his right frame of mind. “Let us go and feed,” I said.
His eyes lit up. “I want to feed,” he said. “I want to…”
“Want to what, my love?”
“Kill,” he said with a wicked glint in his eye.
My eyes flashed with the same wickedness, all thoughts of what I wanted him to say to me gone.
“Shall we?” I said, offering him my arm. He took it without hesitation.
“Lead the way, my love. I am yours to guide.”
Mine, I thought with a shiver.