Chapter 16
Hester | London, 1560
Mulling on one’s eternal fate is not a wholesome pastime for a new vampire. So it is no wonder, when Darius leaves, that my thoughts become twisted and I get a little ... hungry.
Creeping to the chamber door, I edge it open and whisper pitifully through the crack, ‘Please, oh please, is someone there? I require assistance.’
One of the night guards materialises. ‘Your Majesty?’ he asks softly.
His human eyes will not detect my face in the dim light, so I ease the door open further, hiding my nakedness behind it. Ooh, what a handsome young fellow. Blond and burly in a nut-brown leather jerkin and russet hose. His broad chest and tree-trunk thighs make my mouth water.
‘Is it another nightmare? Shall I fetch Lady Hester?’
‘No, no.’ I sniff at him, catching the distinct sweet aroma of blood rushing through his veins from a sturdy thumpingheart. ‘You will do nicely.’
‘I?’ He sounds surprised and does not move. ‘For what purpose?’
‘To sit by my bedside for a little while and keep me company. That is all.’
‘Oh. Well, if Your Majesty requests it...’
‘I do,’ I say, growing impatient for a taste of him. My fangs are down and aching to bite his supple neck. ‘I order you to come into my chamber this instant.’
For I am hungry for human blood, and this vampire queen will not be denied!
‘Very well, Your Majesty.’
I step back, and the guard enters the room hesitantly, for it is an odd request. As soon as he is fully inside, I lock the door, leap upon his back, and bury my fangs in his throat. It happens so fast he barely has time to whimper. A few swift sucks of his warm gushing blood, and he collapses like a fallen tree.
***
When I summon Darius, discovering that I can quite easily project the thought into his head, he is astounded at my daring and, I think, rather envious that I snaffled one of the queen’s guards to sup on. He has been making do with the critters in Greenwich Park ever since we returned fromWindsor. But as he is also the one who has to remove the lifeless body before the queen sees it splayed out on her carpet, he is less than pleased. I am given an earful as he places his hands underneath the guard’s armpits and tugs the dead weight towards the secret door.
‘This was unspeakably rash of you!’
Drag. Grunt. Drag.
I smile, unrepentant, from the sofa—satiated after my midnight feast.
‘If the queen finds out you are murdering her nightwatch, you’ll be sent to the Tower!’
Drag. Grunt. Drag.
I lift my chin in defiance. ‘Let her.’ Kicking up my feet onto the sofa with a little sigh, I rest a hand on my full belly. Part of me is afraid of that, but the rest of me is largely devil-may-care.
‘Even worse, you drained him dry and did not leave a single drop for me!’
Darius scowls, and I chuckle. ‘Ah, so that is what you are really sour about. Next time, I will summon you earlier.’
‘There will not be a next time! Leave the guards alone. I will take you outside to hunt tomorrow night.’
The thought of chasing after rabbits, pheasants, and foxes whilst trying to manoeuver my skirts does not appeal.
‘I decline to accompany you on that adventure,’ I say sulkily.
Darius pauses. ‘There is another way.’
‘And what is that, pray tell?’
