Ophelia stepped forward and curtsied. “I hope this is the correct way to approach a vampire queen. I’ve never been presented at court, so I am not sure.”
Jade’s dark, arched brow lifted. “It will do, mortal. You may address me.”
“I wish to know, Your Highness, if you love Ravenhunt. I must know this.”
“You make demands of me?”
“Is he special to you? Is he the one man who has captured your heart?”
“You are impertinent!”
“I must know,” Ophelia insisted. “I cannot surrender him to a woman who does not love him completely.”
“Surrender him?”
Now she had the queen’s interest.
Jade pushed up from her throne, in a shimmer of gold lace. “You will give him to me.”
“I will save his life and then I will give him to you. If you promise that you will not hurt him, and you will give your word his sister will go free, and you will never hurt her again.” Ophelia tipped her chin up, facing the gorgeous woman. “But I also will only do it if I know you will not hurt him, and you will not force him to kill for you again.”
“You are in no position to bargain. I have everything; you have nothing. You do not even have your magnificent power anymore.”
“I love Ravenhunt and I know he loves me.”
Hatred flashed in Jade’s black, reflective eyes. “I love him also. I loved him long before you were even known to him.”
“But he does not love you in return. Not yet. That means you cannot save him. I can. I know you will not let me take him from you, but I cannot leave him if you are going to keep him your prisoner and force him to kill.”
“I could destroy you.”
“Yes, you could,” Ophelia said, yet feeling no fear. “But if you want his love, you cannot force it from him. You cannot keep him a captive and hope he will grow to love you because he has no other hope. You must be worthy of his love.”
“Blast and damnation, I’ll shoot you both,” shouted a male voice.
A door across the room flew open, and Harry was shoved into the room. Ophelia’s heart plummeted. Two footmen followed him. They gripped his arms and dragged Harry between them, hauling him to Jade. They were enormous, muscle-bound men, and Harry was no match for them. They had tied his hands behind his back.
One held him by the arms, while the other man stepped forward. “We caught him in the rear of the house. He was attempting to break in by the kitchen doors. He was armed with this—” The brawny servant held up Harry’s crossbow.” We lost one man to him, but overpowered him.”
“Hold him there,” Jade commanded. Then she yelled, “Bring Ravenhunt to me now!”
A raspy voice came to Raven in the damp darkness of his cell.
Listen, my lord. Lady Ophelia has come for you.
“Guidon? Where the hell are you? Damn well get me out of here.” Then his wits took charge. Guidon had spoken through thought. He’d slumped against the wall, and he lurched upright. His heartbeat thundered. “Felie is here? She cannot be.”
She has come to rescue you.
“How do you know when you aren’t here?”
It was the tea I gave her. It allows me to see her when I must—when she is in danger and she needs help.
In danger? Has Jade taken her prisoner?
He barked the question in his thoughts. Panic clawed at his heart.
Damn, why did she come?
She loves you.
She has no right to risk her life for me. I am not damned worthy.
Close your eyes, Ravenhunt, and I will allow you to watch and listen.
Raven did as the vampire asked. He gripped the bars, and they creaked under the force of his crushing hands. He shut his eyes. He could see the room in which Jade kept her throne and her male court attendants. The queen was on her feet, barely covered by a gown of gold lace.
In his vision, a woman wagged her finger at Jade. A woman with golden curls, but who wore a man’s coat, trousers, shirt.
It was Felie. Another woman stood beside her, also wearing men’s clothing. He recognized the lady’s auburn hair. Lady Brookshire, a vampiress and member of the Royal Society.
Jade glared with rage. Her smug queenly confidence had been eroded by Felie. “I could destroy you,” Jade snapped, her usually sultry tones shrill with anger.
Ophelia had never looked more courageous. Then Raven heard her words.
“Yes, you could,” she said coolly. “But if you want his love, you cannot force it from him. You cannot keep him a captive and hope he will grow to love you because he has no other hope. You must be
worthy
of his love.”
Guilt writhed in him like a serpent in his gut. Everything she had said could apply to him. How could she love him once she knew the truth? As she had said, he couldn’t just take her prisoner and hope.
He saw Ophelia’s brother hauled into the room, and a servant showed Jade a crossbow while another man held her brother captive.
“Bring Ravenhunt to me now!” Jade screeched.
Everything blurred, and vanished and all he saw was darkness.
He opened his eyes.
Guidon, what in hell is going on?
Lady Ophelia is trying to rescue you. She has bargained with Queen Jade. She will save you and let Jade have you, if Jade spares your sister and does not keep you as a prisoner.
I have to save Frederica. And Ophelia. But I can’t live as a pet to Jade. I would rather be destroyed.
That would leave Jade with Ophelia’s power. He couldn’t let her wield that kind of destructive force. He knew Jade. She would destroy vampires and mortals by the thousands.
Guidon, is there a way I can destroy Jade?
You will be destroyed, too
, Guidon warned, his tone nervous.
I know that. But if she gets Ophelia’s power, she will kill thousands of innocents. I must stop her.
Heavy footsteps sounded on the stone steps. The servant Jade had left to watch him was an enormous demon. Soon his cage would be opened.
He would see Ophelia for one last time. He knew Lady Brookshire was a member of the Royal Society but one who could be trusted. If she was here, Brookshire must be. And de Wynter, Lord Brookshire’s brother. He would ensure they rescued the two women he loved.
Then he would ensure he was destroyed and he would take Jade with him.
Guidon’s voice came into his thoughts again.
You can touch Lady Ophelia, Ravenhunt. You won’t hurt her.
He knew what that meant. He could touch her for the last time.
17
Deepest Love
R
elief washed over Ophelia as Raven staggered into the room. His clothing was torn and his face was covered in freshly healing bruises. He must have fought with the enormous creature that pushed him into the chamber—the creature looked like a man but horns protruded from its head, the eyes glowed red, and its skin was a shiny silver-gray.
Raven had no boots; his feet were bare. Heavy iron shackles were clamped around his ankles, and thick chains joined them. Chains also connected to iron bands around his wrists. A leather collar buckled around his strong neck, and the monstrous demon held the silver chain leash attached to the leather. The chains that captured Raven looked as if they weighed hundreds of pounds. Yet when he met her gaze, he straightened.
She hated to see him as a prisoner. She admired him so much. She had capitulated to imprisonment until Raven had spurred her to rebel and to finally grasp freedom. She had been a prisoner because she had been afraid; he was a prisoner now because he was courageous and noble, willing to give his existence to save his sister.
His dark gaze remained on her, even as the beast shoved him forward. Jade’s servant held a two-sided ax at Raven’s back and prodded him roughly with the edge of the blade.
Ophelia, you should not have come here
, Raven said harshly in her thoughts.
This is too dangerous. You should have left me to my fate. Though I have to admit, you in trousers is one of the most enticing things I’ve ever seen.
Raven, this is not the time for that!
Was she doing the right thing? She did not know how else to get him out and protect her brother. Her distraction would bring time for Brookshire and the other slayers to arrive.
Firmly, she answered,
I want to believe your fate is to survive and to find happiness.
Love, it is too late for me,
he answered stubbornly.
Jade reclined on her huge chair, her legs crossed to reveal their remarkable length, their beautiful shape. The queen stretched sinuously. “Come here, Lady Ophelia. It is time to take the power from Ravenhunt. Time to see if love can save this wretched, beautiful vampire.” Jade laughed in an affected, thoroughly evil ripple. “Bring him to me,” she snapped.
The horned creature pulled Raven forward by the chains. Raven stumbled, then followed obediently. He kept looking at her, as if he were afraid something would happen to her.
Althea came to her side. Her friend clasped her hand in a gesture of support.
The large demon shoved Raven to his knees in front of the raised dais and Jade’s throne, slamming him so hard Ophelia heard the crack of his kneecaps.
“Don’t hurt him,” she gasped. She jerked forward, but Althea held her back. Perhaps that was why her new friend had taken her hand. To restrain her and keep her from invoking Jade’s anger.
Raven remained on his knees, his head bowed, but beneath thick locks of black hair, he glared at Jade.
“Quiet,” the queen commanded. She literally floated down the steps and stopped in front of her prisoner. Smiling down at him, she slowly caressed his grizzled cheek and cupped his chin. Her lashes dipped, her lips softened.
Ophelia’s heart stuttered. The queen did love him. She could see it in the woman’s caressing touch and her soft smile. Had Raven ever loved Jade? He jerked his face away from the queen’s caressing hand.
“Don’t, Jade.” He grimaced. “I don’t want to be touched by you. There is too much cruelty between us in our past. I no longer want your world.”
Do not make her angry, please. I don’t want to lose you.
I can’t pretend, Felie, to care about her.
“You will not speak to her, not by thought,” Jade commanded. Then she cooed to him, “You are mine, Ravenhunt. I made you and I never let you go. To take your power, I will touch you. You will find great pleasure when I do.”
Jade pressed her hand to Raven’s forehead. His eyes shut. He let out a howl of pain and tried to move back, but he could not—not with the demon holding the chain.
“You begged me to take the power and finish you. We are going to do this now. Finally.”
The doors of the chamber flew open, and a small figure ran in, moving so quickly, it was just a blur of motion and color. The undressed footmen stormed in pursuit. “Halt!” they shouted together.
“No, this must halt!” shouted a familiar voice.
Jade lifted her hand, her eyes wild with fury. “What is this interruption? Why was he allowed into the house?”
The small figure stopped and dropped to one knee, bowing before Jade. “Queen Jade, your majesty, you cannot do this yet. He will be killed.”
Ophelia recognized the tufts of yellowish hair, the gnome-like face. It was Guidon.
The queen did not replace her hand on Ravenhunt’s head. “Why have you come here, librarian?” She sneered at the words as if they were an insult.
Guidon stood, approached Jade and Raven from the side, constantly bowing. “I know how this is to be done. My queen, you do not.”
“What must I do?”
“You cannot take the power from him. He must freely give it, and that would be impossible.”
“Why is it impossible?” Raven growled. A red mark marred his forehead where the queen had touched him.
“The pain will be so great he will be unable to do it. There is only one way to stop the pain. That is where true love comes in. If true love saves him, he will be able to release the power. Otherwise, he is destroyed and the power destroyed with him.” Guidon stopped, panting.
“How can I know this is truth?” Jade snapped.
“I always speak the truth. That is
my
curse. I need knowledge to survive,” said Guidon. “I must use the knowledge I obtain, or I will be destroyed by that curse. And I believe Ravenhunt and Lady Ophelia deserve happiness.”
“So she simply tells him she loves him,” Jade said. “Fine. We shall do that. Now let us begin again—”
“No, no, no!” Guidon jumped up and down. “It is never so simple.” He turned to Raven. “My lord, you cannot do this unless Lady Ophelia knows everything. It will not work. You have to bare your soul to Lady Ophelia, my lord. Only if she loves you still when she knows everything, can you be spared.”
Queen Jade muttered some words. Incomprehensible words, but she spat them and they must have been curse words. Sweeping around so her gold skirts fluttered, Jade settled on her ridiculously large throne. She waved her hand at Raven. “Go ahead. Hurry up. You must tell her the truth.”
“Then I’ll die,” he said. “She will never love me after this.”
Ophelia met the queen’s gaze. Jade tapped her chin. A slow smile curved her voluptuous mouth. “I believe she will. I believe, Ravenhunt, this girl is capable of loving you for eternity. She will love you even when she surrenders you to me. Now tell her everything.”
Raven got to his feet. He had subdued his strength, had feigned obedience to protect Felie and his sister. Standing at his full height, ignoring the weight of the chains hanging off him, he declared, “I want to touch her to tell her. It will be the last time she will want me to hold her.”
“You may do it,” Guidon added. “The power will not hurt you.”
Felie ran to him. In trousers, she moved swiftly, slamming against his chest before he expected it. She rocked him on his heels. Ignoring the chains hanging off him, she hugged him.