With a sharp movement, Lerina flung the umbrella to someone behind her, and Maia caught a glimpse of a brick wall looming beyond in the low light. Then all other thoughts fled as the woman surged into the small space and pulled the door closed behind her.
“Now let’s see to this,” she said, settling on the seat across from her and Alexander. “Hold her,” she said as Maia began to struggle, trying to slip up and out of the small vehicle.
Alexander grabbed her shoulders and then her wrists, holding Maia still as Lerina moved closer. “She smells delightful,” the other woman said, sniffing delicately. “I thought as much the first time we met.” She traced a finger down into the blood still oozing freely from the bites on her neck, then brought it to her lips. With a vigorous swipe, she tasted the red drop and smiled.
“Now, now, you needn’t fear, Miss Woodmore,” she told her, seeing Maia’s eyes grow wide. She grasped her chin, holding it with strong, sharp fingers. “It won’t hurt a bit, and then I’ll see to stopping the bleeding. We don’t want you to die until Dimitri gets here. Just close your eyes now and enjoy.”
Maia would have screamed, but the woman slapped a flat hand over her mouth. “I don’t need your cries ringing in my ears,” she said angrily. “It ruins the experience.”
Maia couldn’t move, for Alexander’s weight and hands kept her body in place and her arms pinned between them while Lerina held her head immobile. The woman bared her fangs, a dark glint in her eyes, and drove her sharp teeth into the top of Maia’s shoulder.
Maia’s vision fluttered dark and light, her stomach pitched and rolled as she gagged behind the fingers clamped over her mouth. The rhythmic tug and suction from the woman’s lips echoed through her body, dragging up from deep inside. A little flutter of unwanted pleasure uncurled in the pit of her belly, just a quiet tingle within the dark world of fear and pain and Maia felt tears rolling from her eyes again.
After a long moment, it was over. Lerina pulled away, her lips full, her eyes bright red. She made a soft humming sound of pleasure, bloodscent filtering from her heavy breaths. Maia kept her eyes closed, focusing on the fact that they weren’t going to kill her. At least until Corvindale arrived.
A trap for him. Of course it was a trap, but he was smart.
And strong and powerful. Too smart to be tricked, especially again. And he had Mr. Cale and Chas and even Dewhurst and Iliana to help him. Surely he wouldn’t be hurt. Surely—
Lerina leaned forward again, and Maia tensed, feeling the tightening grip of Alexander’s hands on her shoulders. She twisted, but she was powerless, and this time, instead of biting her, Lerina swiped her tongue out. Worse than having the fangs penetrating her flesh was the feel of the woman licking her shoulder, licking and gently sucking away the last bit of blood from the fresh wounds.
Maia trembled low and deep as they held her down, both of them now lapping at the marks on her neck and shoulders, one on each side. Her skin crawled beneath the sleek whorls of tongue and lips and she tried to faint, tried to fall into some black unconsciousness so she didn’t have to feel the sensations on her sensitive skin.
She didn’t have long to wait. Mercifully, weakness overcame her, and darkness flooded her vision. Maia slipped into it gladly.
Dimitri stared down at the note. His body had gone cold and then numb, then his mind shattered into terrified pieces. Now it was working its way into blazing fury.
He couldn’t allow terror into his mind, so he focused on the fury.
I have something you desire.
That was all the missive said, but he needed no other information. Lerina’s scent, along with that of Maia’s blood permeated the paper.
Dimitri stopped his thoughts as soon as he smelled it. No. Going down that avenue would turn him mad. Focus on the facts, on what he knew.
Maia had left early that afternoon, many hours ago, to call on Bradington. She’d taken a hack instead of one of his carriages, a fact which he didn’t learn until supper when Angelica pounded on his study door to inform him that her sister hadn’t returned.
Even then, he hadn’t allowed himself to be too concerned, instead, torturing himself with the image of two lovers reuniting and forgetting the passage of time. But now…
He forced his mind to remain calm and empty. To go through a list of steps with logic and objectivity. Obviously Lerina wanted him to come. Obviously she had something planned.
Obviously Maia wouldn’t be killed, at least until he got there. He hoped. Lerina wasn’t Cezar Moldavi.
He’d need assistance, someone to have his back. He wasn’t that foolish. Giordan. Chas was still in Scotland, blast. Iliana. Even Voss. Eddersley. Gehrington. Perhaps Eustacia, the woman who sometimes practiced fighting with Iliana, if she was back from Rome.
Not that he would wait for any of them to arrive. But at least they’d be coming behind him.
Thus Dimitri kept his thoughts cold and steady as he barked orders to Crewston to send messages to Rubey’s, to the back rooms at White’s and to Dewhurst. He called for Tren and Iliana, giving Hunburgh direction on how to secure the house and whom to contact in the event the worst happened.
He wouldn’t think on that.
Where would they be? She’d given no direction, no indication…they had to be at the same place they’d escaped before. Or, at least, he had to start there and track them if necessary. He wished he had his dogs, but he never brought them to Town.
These thoughts, these cold, steely thoughts, kept him calm as he removed his waistcoat and changed into clothing meant more for a tradesman than an earl. Loose trousers with pockets and a shirt, sturdy shoes. And a coat with more pockets, where he put stakes. He picked up his sabre that masqueraded as a walking stick and walked out of the house as prepared as he could be.
He disdained the carriage that was waiting, for a saddled horse was much faster, and Tren, quick as he was, had prepared both. The carriage would follow once the others arrived.
If they did.
Dimitri galloped through the streets, grateful for the full moon that lit the world nearly as brightly as the sun. It was well into the night, and dawn would be only hours away.
When he got near the abandoned, shrouded house near the fishermen’s wharf where he and Maia had been imprisoned, Dimitri slid from the horse before he even stopped. He landed on the ground and gathered up the reins, looking for somewhere to tie the beast, or some urchin to pay to watch him. The house was several blocks away, and he wanted to approach it as secretly as possible.