Kate Pearce-Tudor Vampire Chronicles 01 Kiss of the Rose by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-08-13T11:51:14+00:00

“Because most of your kind cannot tolerate being inside a church.”

His slight smile disappeared. “I didn’t trap you down there. If I had, you wouldn’t have survived.”

For some reason, she didn’t doubt him. She fought the sudden chill his words caused in her stomach.

“And, in truth,” Elias continued, “you deserved to be trapped. You had no reason to go blundering into that chamber. You terrified those Vampires.”

“We were going after the rogue Vampire, not seeking other victims. They attacked us.”

“Why would they do that, Vampire slayer?”

She held his cold gaze. “Because the one we seek 230

Kate Pearce

stirred them up. I suspect she has her resting place down in the tunnels somewhere, and was caught unprepared when Christopher and I found her so close to her lair.”

“You found her together?” He nodded and played the last lilting notes of his song. “How interesting.”

“Isn’t that what you hoped for? That Sir Christopher and I would join together to defeat the monster?”

He smiled at her. “I hoped so, yes, but I wasn’t exactly sure what would happen between you.” He held out his hand. “May I escort you outside?”

Rosalind glanced back at Queen Katherine, but she was now listening to a reading from a book of sermons, her rosary beads in her hands, her expression remote.

It occurred to Rosalind that since she’d been back at court, the king hadn’t once visited his wife even to share her bed. It was hardly surprising that the queen sought comfort in her religion and her few attendants.

She nodded and Elias laid the harp aside. At the door they bowed to the oblivious queen. Rosalind placed her hand on his slashed and beribboned blue sleeve and he escorted her into one of the courtyards.

“Sir Christopher has surprised me. I believed he would have some unusual abilities, but even I wasn’t sure exactly how they would manifest themselves.”

“You make him sound like an interesting experiment rather than a human being.”

Elias gave a soft laugh. “Well, he is rather unusual.”

He glanced sideways at her as if daring her to ask why.

She kept her gaze uninterested.

“Indeed. As I understand it, he springs from two ancient and well- respected cultures.”

Elias stopped walking and smiled at her. “He told you, then? About his birth.”

“What he told me is between us.” Rosalind stared down Elias.“However, I would like to know if his mother turned any other members of his family.”

KISS OF THE ROSE 231

“She did not.”

“Then what about the family of her lover? Christopher might be connected by blood to that family too. Do you know if any of those females might be at court?”

Elias considered for a moment and then nodded.“That is an excellent thought. I will look into it immediately.”

Christopher walked with Rhys to the stables and tried to concentrate on what the other man was saying. It was difficult when he was so exhausted from their night in the tunnels— and from struggling with his conscience over Rosalind.

“Was Rosalind all right? She does not . . . enjoy the darkness,” Rhys said as they passed the ruins of the Roman bathhouse.

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