A Night of Secrets (32 page)

Meg stood by the fireplace, her hands twisting her skirt. “Thank you.”

He nodded.

He wanted to pull her close, to press his lips to hers. He wanted… Hell, he knew exactly what he wanted. He didn’t care if she was too good for him. He was a selfish bastard and he wanted Meg completely.

He stepped closer to her, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. “Marry me, Meg.”

**************************************************

Meg’s knees gave out and she sank onto the settee her father had vacated. “What?” Her entire body had grown oddly numb.

Grayson cleared his throat. “It’s the best solution.”

He didn’t look determined. He looked…ill, as if he hadn’t meant to say the words. Yet, now that he had, he was stuck like an insect in tree sap. Her mind buzzed, her heart hammered in her chest and she thought perhaps she might get sick.

“Solution? Marriage?” She couldn’t quite understand the words he said. Surely he had not just asked her to marry him. She was dreaming, or she had gone mad.

He began to pace the room, walking back and forth, back and forth in a dizzying whirl. “I’ve always wanted to marry. You would be a suitable wife. And, well, it would benefit your situation.”

“Become your wife so we have a place to live?”

He stopped and raked his hands through his hair. “Because it will be much more difficult to put you in prison when you are married to a respectable man who has money. I’ve received high respect in the military, Meg. I know people who can help you. I can help you.”

She blinked rapidly, forcing her mind to focus, her mouth to work. Marry a vampire. “It doesn’t seem like a very good situation for you. What do you get out of it?”

“I get...” He stilled, obviously floundering.

Meg released a wry laugh and shook her head. She shouldn’t have asked the question for his reluctance to speak only made her heart ache. “Blood?”

He frowned. “I can get blood anywhere, from anyone. I get … I get a good wife.”

He could get blood anywhere. The thought made her angry, disgusted. She didn’t want him drinking from just anyone.

“You’re motherly, loyal, thoughtful, honest...well, usually.”

His words were kind, yet there was something cold about them. “You make me sound like a trained mutt.”

He gave her a lopsided grin that showed off his dimple. “Well, it is easier to procure one already trained then to train one yourself.”

She gasped and Grayson’s grin deepened.

“Not funny,” Meg snapped.

He leaned against his desk, the muscles in his long legs straining against his black trousers. “Marriage will benefit us both. Will benefit your family.”

She waited for him to take back the words, waited for him to laugh and tell her he’d been jesting. The words never came. “Dear God, you’re serious.”

He didn’t respond, merely stared at her. There was something in his gaze that frightened her, as if he was asking for her very soul.

“And if we marry, will you feed on others or just…” Her face heated, the words sinful. “Just me?”

His pupils flared, his body stiffening. There was a heat there, in his gaze that warmed her soul. “Only you.”

Suddenly the air in the room seemed to fade. Meg couldn’t breathe. Only her. “I...I...”

“Meg,” Sally swept into the room like she owned the place. “Hanna said I must share a room with her. I don’t want to share a room. Surely there are enough for us each to have our own?”

Meg stood, her legs trembling and she thought for a moment they would give out. She prayed they would hold her at least until she could escape Grayson’s intense gaze. “I have to go.”

Grayson nodded, rubbing his jaw with his knuckles. He was no longer smiling. “Think on it, Meg.”

She didn’t respond but rushed from the room, taking Sally’s hand and dragging her along.

“Think on what?” she whispered.

“Nothing. Tell Hanna she will sleep here.”

“But Meg, can’t you tell her?”

“Go,” she snapped.

Sally blinked her eyes wide and Meg immediately regretted her harsh tone. “Please, Sally. Just tell her. I need air.”

“Meg,” Millie stepped into the hall. In all her bloody perfection, if anyone should be mistress to this home, it should be Millie.

“Not now, please.” She ignored the woman’s stunned face and raced down the hall, out the back door. Outside, she sank against the stone wall of the estate, grateful no gardeners were about. But the cool breeze did little to ease her flaming skin.

Marry Grayson.

Have him feed off her for the rest of her life. When the thought should have horrified her, the only thing it did was send her senses spinning with relief. She paced down the small, stone path her mind numb with shock. Had she just imagined his words, or had he actually asked her to marry him?

Her legs suddenly weak, she sank onto a patch of grass, hidden by daisies. She wrapped her arms around her waist, but couldn’t seem to stop shaking. For years she she’d been constantly worried about the future and what would happen to her family. Now… now the future was completely about her, completely about the present.

What did she want? She’d never truly asked herself that before. Did she want a life with Grayson? Her fingers went to her neck and she thought of the man. Could he ever love her as she so desperately wished? And if he couldn’t, did she still want to be with him?

“Meg,” Millie’s soft voice broke through her muddled mind. “Oh, Meg, why are you crying?”

Meg lifted her hand to her face. Her fingers came back wet. “I...I don’t know.”

Millie settled next to Meg, careless with her expensive dress, a dress that would surely feed the James family for a month. The large hat covered her face with shadows. “You’ve had a very trying month.”

Meg could merely nod.

“But there’s something more?”

“He asked me to marry him,” Meg blurted out. Immediately, she regretted speaking. With a horrified groan, she covered her face with her hands.

“Yes, I heard.”

Sniffing, Meg dared to meet the woman’s gaze. “Heard? How?”

She shrugged. “We have exceptional hearing.”

Meg’s face heated. “Wonderful, bleedin wonderful.” She turned toward the woman, daring to look into her eyes. “Millie, how often do you … that is to say… how often do you…feed?”

“Drink blood?”

Meg flinched at her words, but managed to nod.

Millie shrugged. “Depends on the vampire, but we can usually get away with once a month.”

At least once a month he would sink those teeth into her neck; he would take her very all. A shiver of heated delight raced through her body. A shiver that angered her. She shouldn’t want such things!

“What did you say?” Millie finally asked. “About marriage.”

“Say?” Meg replied, plucking a blade of grass. “I said nothing. I didn’t know what to say.”

“Meg,” Millie rested her hand on Meg’s arm. “If he didn’t want to marry you he wouldn’t have asked.”

Meg shook her head, unable to look at the woman. “He feels guilty, or...or he thinks he’ll get more information this way.” Or he wanted her blood. Meg frowned. Was that the reason why he wanted to marry her? A ready meal on hand? It must be something! She couldn’t possibly accept the thought that Grayson actually felt something for her. If she thought he held the slightest affection, she feared she’d fall so deep for the man she’d never recover.

“Nonsense,” Millie said. “I’ve known Grayson a long time, through extreme circumstances.”

Meg’s gaze jumped to Millie. Extreme circumstances? What did she mean by that? The statement made her realize how very little she knew about the man.

“Are you…disgusted because of who he is?”

Meg surged to her feet, outraged. “What do you mean?”

“Because of what he feeds on.” She stood as well. “What we feed on.”

She flushed. “No. Of course not.” She frowned. Being ashamed would mean being ashamed of Hanna.

Hanna.

If Hanna turned fully into one of them, would Grayson be able to help? “I never really thought on it, to be honest. But no. I’m not disgusted by Grayson, never.”

“And can you imagine, Meg, Grayson feeding off another?”

She stiffened. “What?”

“He must drink. If not you, then someone else.”

The thought repulsed her, made her angry in a way that sickened her. She knew Millie was playing with her emotions, yet the woman was also right.

“If the man asked you to marry him, he wants you.” She turned and started toward the house, leaving Meg standing alone in the garden.

Marry Grayson. He wanted her.

Wanted her? As if to own? And that’s truly how she’d feel with the man.

Every day would be a battle for her freedom and she feared in the end, she’d lose that battle and lose her heart as well.

Chapter 17

“Are women always so loud,” Grayson asked as Millie settled in the chair next to his.

The James’ family was seated around a card table, doing their best to pretend that all was well. He’d been in a sour mood for three days now and all because of Meg. The woman hadn’t answered his proposal of marriage. She refused to talk with him, finding her way to bed early, avoiding him. Not that he couldn’t hunt her down, if needed. But he had his limits and his limit was forcing a woman to marry him.

Millie took a deep drink of sherry. “You asked her to marry you, best get used to it.”

“
Merde
. You already know? Is nothing sacred?”

Millie shook her head. “Not with me. Your most intimate secrets will be uncovered.” She sipped her drink, watching him over the rim. Something in her eyes worried him, set him on edge, as if she knew more than she was telling.

“There’s something on your mind, something you’re not telling me.”

She slowly set her glass upon the side table. “Thomas Smith…he’s been murdered.”

Grayson didn’t react, but inside his senses were in turmoil…shock, anger, confusion.

“You remember him? You met at some ball or another.”

“Yes, a cheerful vampire, if a bit reckless with is feeding habits.”

“No more reckless than most of our kind.” She was silent for a moment, both of them watching the James family as if studying some ancient tribe they’d never truly be able to understand. “I received the missive only today. Apparently…”

She didn’t need to tell him, he didn’t need to ask. He knew how the man had died. “Murdered the same way as my family?”

She nodded, drawing her finger along the rim of her glass. “That’s five just this year. It’s happening more often now.”

Grayson swallowed hard. His confusing thoughts returned to Meg and marriage. Why had he asked her? Had he temporarily lost his mind? With someone intent on killing off blood suckers, she’d only be in danger married to him, not protected.

Meg released a low chuckle that drew his attention to her. She looked soft and delicate in the low glow of the lamp light and he knew without a doubt he would ask her all over again. Truth was, he wanted Meg James for his own, probably more than he’d ever wanted anyone.

The thought of another man touching her sickened him, the thought of not having her here under his roof made his heart clench. And the thought of drinking anyone else’s blood made his stomach churn. Besides, there was another way to protect her… if she wasn’t horrified by the prospect.

“Gray?” Millie said. “You seem a continent away.”

Startled, his gaze jumped to her. He’d been wool gathering again. How utterly embarrassing. “We need to uncover why this is happening and stop them. We will never be safe otherwise.”

“We will.” She sighed. “But don’t you dare let this stop you from having the family you desire.”

He rubbed his hand over his face, weary and confused. “She hasn’t exactly said yes. In fact, seemed quite horrified by the prospect.” He felt more annoyance over that admittance than he wished.

“I have no doubt she will agree.”

He wished he were as confident as Millie.

Hanna squealed and clapped her hands, drawing their attention. Mr. James, asleep in a chair by the fire, didn’t even stir from the noise. The man was drunk, he could smell it from here. Part of him hated the Vicar for wasting this time with his family. What Grayson wouldn’t do to be an old man surrounded by laughing children. There was something intriguing and somewhat satisfying about the prospect. But he’d never be old. Never be gray haired. And Christ, he couldn’t protect his own sister, how could he protect an entire family?

Millie leaned closer. “They make a sweet picture, do they not?”

Grayson snorted. “Their façade may appear innocent, but underneath they’re a blood-thirsty lot, make no doubt.”

Millie slapped his hand, shaking her head. “You would not ask a person who was blood-thirsty to marry you.”