The Roman (The Florentine 3)

“I need you to examine my sister.”

The French Canadian gave her a scornful look. “I don’t treat human beings.”

“She’s been unconscious for hours. She may be in a coma.”

Stefan favored her with his back and began to speak to the largest soldier, who was commanding the detachment that surrounded them.

“I’m talking to you.” Raven lifted her voice in Italian, barely keeping hold of her temper.

“I don’t engage in conversations with food. Especially food that suffers from hysteria.” Stefan spoke over his shoulder before continuing his conversation.

“Hysteria?” Raven seethed. “You misogynistic asshole.”

A series of growls rose from the soldiers, and she watched as they approached her from all sides.

Stefan glanced pointedly from the soldiers to Raven. “You were saying?”

“That you’re an asshole. You all are.” She limped sideways, placing herself between the vampyres and her sister. “We belong to the Curia. She may be dying, and you’re neglecting her. What do you think the Curia will do when you show up with a corpse?”

Stefan twitched, his gaze moving to Cara.

Raven followed the path of his eyes. “Maximilian attacked her. Aoibhe gave her some of her blood in order to heal her. She’s been unconscious ever since.”

“Lady Aoibhe?” One of the soldiers laughed. “That wench wouldn’t spare a drop of blood to save her own mother.”

“She fed her,” Raven insisted. “Not much, but enough to heal her.”

Raven switched her attention to Stefan. “You need to examine my sister. Now.”

Stefan sniffed. “You don’t give orders. Your master is dead; you’re chattel to be traded for peace. I have the priest’s letter in my pocket.”

Her green eyes flashed. “We belong to the Curia. If you don’t help my sister, they’ll kill you.”

“Knock it on the head.” One of the soldiers swung his sword. “Then we won’t have to listen to it prattle.”

“Touch me and you’re dead.” Raven turned in a circle, staring each of them down. “What do you think the Curia will do if we arrive damaged? They’ll kill you. All of you. And I’ll dance around your corpses.”

“Difficult to dance with a crippled leg,” a soldier mocked, miming her disability.

“Enough.” Someone moved forward.

All grumbling and growling ceased.

He was a head and shoulders taller than the others, placing him at well over six feet. His chest was broad, and his arms and legs were wide and powerful.

He stood toe to toe with Raven, peering down at her with dark, fathomless eyes.

“Sunrise approaches.” His Italian was spoken with an Eastern European accent. “Stefan, see to the human. Then we must go.”

“You aren’t in a position to issue commands, Borek.” Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. “Prince Machiavelli placed me in charge.”

Borek’s grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, his eyes never leaving Raven’s. “I’m in command of this detachment. My mission is to deliver the females to the Curia, unharmed. Don’t make me kill you.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Stefan sputtered, uncrossing his arms. “I’m a member of the Consilium.”

Borek turned his head a fraction, and his eyes met Stefan’s.

“Fine,” the physician huffed. He turned on his heel and walked toward Cara.

“Thank you.” Raven hazarded an appreciative look at the commander.

He bent toward her, his expression unchanged. “Curia whore. If I had my choice, you and your sister would already be dead.”

Raven took a step back, surprised by his sudden show of anger.

She quickly collected herself. “We want the same thing, commander. We both want to get to Rome as soon as possible.”

“You know nothing of what I want.” He jerked his chin in Cara’s direction. “Attend to the girl and get ready to move.”

Raven returned to Cara’s side just as Stefan concluded his examination.

He stood and brushed off his hands in distaste. “She’s unconscious, but that’s likely a side effect of the blood. Aoibhe is a powerful vampyre.”

“Will she wake up?”

“Yes.” Stefan didn’t bother looking in Raven’s direction. “Don’t ask me when. I don’t know how much blood she ingested or what her injuries were. Some humans have this reaction to vampyre blood—their systems shut down, and they sleep for hours. She could awaken at any time.”

“Thank you.”

Stefan’s upper lip curled.

“You’d better hope the Curia actually wants you.” He dropped his voice. “I wonder what would happen to you and your sister if they change their mind.”

Raven’s hands curled into fists.

Her curse was drowned out by the clanging of steel as the soldiers drew their swords, faces set against the perimeter. A few vampyres positioned themselves around the tree under which Cara lay.

“What’s happening?” Raven’s gaze moved from soldier to soldier, finding their faces uniformly tense.

Something rustled amongst the trees and pounded against the earth. Then, all of a sudden, an animal leapt into the clearing, knocking one of the soldiers to the ground.

The animal roared.

“Ferals!” a soldier cried, lifting his sword. “To arms!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Raven saw something move. Before she could scream, a great hulking beast emerged from the tree behind her sister.

Chapter Three

August 2013

Cambridge, Massachusetts

“HOW DID HE KNOW?” Julia whispered to a lightless room, her hand low on her abdomen. She lay in bed with her husband, long past the hour at which they’d retired.

Still sleeping, Gabriel grunted and rolled toward her.

She examined him in the shadows—the curl that clung to his forehead, his beautiful features and stubbled face, his naked chest and shoulders.

“How did he know?” she repeated, pressing her hand to his face.

Gabriel drew a deep breath and leaned into her touch. A moment later, his eyes opened.

He blinked. “Huh?”

“The man from the Uffizi. The one who came to you in Umbria and told you I was sick. How did he know?”

Now Gabriel was awake.

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “I don’t know.”

“Dr. Rubio says it was a good thing we demanded an ultrasound. One of the fibroids has grown so large.” Julia shuddered.

Gabriel lifted her hand from his face and kissed it, lacing their fingers together. “You’re going to be fine.”

“Dr. Rubio wants more tests, but the fibroids explain so many things—the pain, the low iron, the bleeding.”

Gabriel winced. “I should have paid closer attention.”

Julia pressed their conjoined hands to her heart. “I thought the symptoms would go away.”

“You need to take better care of yourself.” His dark brows knitted together. “You have a husband and a daughter who love you. Who need you.”

He brushed his lips over hers.

She sighed appreciatively. “I promise I’ll do better. But I don’t understand how a stranger could know something so personal.”

Gabriel pulled back. His blue eyes studied hers. “I don’t know who or what he is. I’m glad you and Clare are far away from him.”

“I’m grateful he warned us. My symptoms were worsening. I can only imagine what would have happened if things had continued.” Julia shuddered once again.

Gabriel’s hand slid to her abdomen. “It’s all right now. Let’s not worry about what might have happened.”

He leaned over and kissed her, his tongue tasting the curve of her lip.

Julia res

ponded, looping her arms around his neck and drawing his body atop hers.

The baby monitor on the nightstand crackled, and a low cry was heard.

Gabriel froze, as if he were an animal trying to avoid a predator.

“I’ll go.” Julia shifted from beneath him.

Gabriel grabbed her wrist. “Wait. Let’s see if she goes back to sleep.”

Julia laughed. “You always say that, but she never does.”

He huffed grumpily, running his fingers through his thick, dark hair.

“I’ll go.” He kissed her forehead. “Mummy needs her sleep.”

Julia smiled and sank under the covers, watching as her husband pulled on a pair of boxer shorts and padded toward the nursery.

She toyed with the cross she wore around her neck, wondering why the man who had threatened her husband had gifted them with important information about her health.

She had no answer to this question.

Chapter Four