in Hyde Park. Even though she hadn’t known the little boy, it had shattered her heart to think he would die. That he was dead. Each time, her heart had been broken and she had been determined to bring life back. Each time, she had truly cared.
She could never care enough about these vampires to give them their lives back. That avenue of escape was lost to her.
The carriage began to slow its breakneck pace. In the space between the window and the shade covering it, Miranda saw hints of light. They were in a village now. This—this would be her chance to get free.
She turned beseeching eyes to Zayan. “Please…I am so hungry. I need…” She blushed, as a respectable lady should while discussing the privy. “I need to relieve myself. Please?”
It was Lukos who answered. “We’ll stop. I need to feed.”
Coaches clattered into the yard beside the inn. Twilight had settled in, and only a strip of soft violet remained along the horizon. Lamps burned, and Miranda noticed both Zayan and Lukos hid their faces to ensure the light did not glint on their reflective eyes.
Lukos held her wrist and she could not break free of his hold. Could she scream to the surrounding crowd—the families and gentlemen and elderly ladies leaving coaches or approaching others?
There were children in the crowd.
And she remembered the magic that Zayan had done. He could possibly kill dozens of people with his power if he threw a bolt of it into the crowd to stop her.
She had no choice but to go along with the vampires. And then find a chance to escape.
“We’ll go to the dining room and you may have a meal.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to sarcastically thank Zayan for being so kind. But she bit down. Best to let them think she was so frightened she would obey them.
Lukos shook his head. His long hair fluttered in the breeze, and his eyes gave a betraying flash of silver. “I need to hunt.”
Miranda caught her breath. He meant he was going to hunt down an innocent person and take their blood.
“No, you can’t.” She pointed to her own throat. “If you need to feed, take the blood from me. I don’t care. But I won’t let you hurt anyone else.”
“You have no choice, love. And I can’t feed from you. But if you wish, you may choose the person I’ll feed from.” Lukos waved his arm to encompass the crowd of innocent people.
She stared. A mother embraced a child. A woman urged four young boys toward a stage that was preparing to leave. A couple gazed lovingly at each other in a tender good-bye. An elderly man patted the hand of his elderly wife. She couldn’t select anyone. Each person was loved and cherished by someone. They all deserved to live.
“You’re evil!” she spat.
“Yes, angel, I am. I served Lucifer. I was born to be evil.”
“If you must feed, why not bite Zayan! Or bite a pig!”
Lukos merely inclined his head. “I need a mortal’s fresh, rich blood, angel.”
Was there anyone there who deserved a vampire’s bite? A man who abused his wife? A vicious man who preyed on children? A woman who snared innocents for brothels? A murderer? A thief?
She could not do this.
But she couldn’t let him just select anyone. “Who would you choose?” she asked softly.
“When you eat, sweetheart, do you select the dish that tempts you most? Would you choose mutton over lamb? Or tough beef over a succulent roast?”
She shuddered. “You’d chose someone young and pretty, you mean.”
“Sometimes I choose children.”
Miranda clapped her hand to her mouth. “That’s unspeakably evil!”
Should she scream? Perhaps the vampires’ magic couldn’t hurt all these people—but what if her horror led to one death?
“I would choose children who had little hope, angel, and then I would change them. I would give them unimaginable strength and speed. I would give them the chance to turn the world upon its ear.”
She shuddered. “Can you not feed without hurting someone?”
Lukos winked. “For you, pet, I’ll try.”
She didn’t believe him. But Zayan had hold of her arm and Lukos strode away. He was so tall, so striking with his long hair and cloak that he did not vanish in the milling crowd—he stood out. Men watched him warily; women stared with obvious desire. He prowled toward the shadows.
She could not swallow over the lump in her throat.
Zayan’s arm slid around her waist. There were men walking with women this way. Those women wore low-cut gowns, had rouged lips, and were obviously doxies. People would think that of her.
She choked on a laugh. They would think her a whore. They would have no idea she was going to be a vampire’s victim.
“Aren’t you going to feed?” she whispered.
Zayan cocked his head. “I do not need to yet, my dear.”
Blast, she’d hoped he would want to leave her to feed. Of course, he wouldn’t let her go. She was likely to be his meal.
“But I expect you are hungry,” he said. “Let us get you some dinner.”
“What do you plan to do to me? If you intend to kill me, why feed me?”
A stage arrived, rushing into the yard before Zayan answered. He watched it in a pensive silence. The grooms jumped down, the doors opened. Boxes were thrown down as the people began to spill out. Other grooms hurried forward to unhitch the horses.
And others rushed forward to greet friends and to make ready to take their journey.
Was he watching to choose his victim? She had to act. She turned and pointed across the yard. “Look! Our carriage is leaving! It must be Lukos!”
As Zayan spun around, she pulled away from him as hard as she could. His surprise—and anger—had loosened his grip. Her pelisse tore, but she was free!
She yanked up her hems and plunged into the crowd.
“’Ere miss, have a care!”
Someone elbowed her in the back. She tripped, almost fell, but grabbed a man’s coat to stop herself. She stumbled forward.
She heard a roar behind her. That must be Zayan and she cringed, waiting for a bolt of his magical power to strike her.
A man shouted. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man sail backward off his feet and land hard in the mud.
Zayan wasn’t using magic.
She squeezed and pushed her way between bodies.
