Darius could not believe the similarities between Gabrielle and Rose. How could two women look so alike, and yet live five hundred years apart?

Extraordinary.

For centuries, he had yearned for just one more minute with Rose. Just to stare into her eyes and memorize every feature. And now that wish had come true, for he stood face-to-face with a woman who could easily be his wife’s twin.

Aye, but a woman who was betrothed to another.

But to a man she clearly detested.

Thank goodness Demetri and Remont had managed to divert Sutherland’s attention long enough for Darius to ask her to dance. In fact, the two did their best to block the dance floor from the old man’s vision, but he doubted they would be able to hold the old murderer off for long. Especially since he had held on to Gabrielle like she would bolt at any moment.

“Are you enjoying yourself tonight?” he asked, unable to keep from staring.

“Yes, I am. And are you enjoying yourself?”

“Aye, I am. In fact, it is going to be an unforgettable night.”

She lifted a tawny brow. “Unforgettable? Now you have intrigued me.”

“Have I?” he asked, his voice lower and huskier than intended. She must have noticed, too, because a blush bloomed on her cheeks, making her even lovelier. “The night is unforgettable because I met you.”

If anyone else had said those words, she would have made light of their effort to flatter her. The intensity in his eyes made her believe what he said. “What a lovely compliment. Thank you.”

Sutherland sidestepped Demetri and Remont and walked toward the dance floor. He would not interrupt the dance, but it was obvious to anyone watching that he was ready to reclaim his fiancée, and chances were, he would make Gabrielle refuse Darius for the rest of the evening.

“Do you wish to marry him?”

She missed a step but recovered quickly. “No. I—I have no choice. My uncle had gambling debts, and Sutherland paid him handsomely for my hand.” She lowered her voice. “I hate both of them. Even my uncle. Does that surprise you?”

“No, not at all. I would despise whoever forced me to marry against my will.”

“And what about you?” she asked, glancing at his hand. “Are you married?”

“No.”

“You have not found the right woman?”

“My wife died.”

Her eyes widened, and he could see her surprise and remorse. “Forgive me. I had no idea. I did not mean—”

“It was a long time ago,” he said, reaching up and brushing aside a wayward curl from her cheek.

She started for a moment and even missed a step.

“You remind me of her.”

She grinned. “Do I? In what way?”

Where did he start? “In many ways. She was beautiful, like you. And had blonde hair and green eyes.”

“Was she Scottish?”

He nodded. “Aye, she was.”

“I have often dreamed of Scotland.”

“Have you?” he asked, pleased by her answer.

“Yes.”

“I should like to take you there one day.”

* * *

“I would like that,” Gabrielle said, leaning into Darius. How comfortable she felt with him—protected, which was something she had not felt for some time.

She pulled back abruptly. Dear lord, she had almost kissed Darius MacLeod in a room full of over four hundred people, her fiancé included.

How she wished she could take Darius by the hand, leave this place, and go somewhere quiet where they could be alone.

“Who does she think she is?”

The question brought Gabrielle back to the present, and to a group of women, slightly older than herself. Six in all, they watched Gabrielle and Darius intently, snickering and giggling behind expensive fans.

A couple of them shook their heads, no doubt thinking the worst of Gabrielle, who danced with a handsome stranger over her fiancé, even if that husband-to-be was a suspected wife killer.

Who cares what the ton thought. Amazing how wealth and prestige could make an entire social class turn a blind eye to murder. And four murders at that.

Gabrielle flashed the group a winning grin, and their eyes widened. Darius’s deep laughter made her smile. Thank goodness she had met him this evening. He had truly been her saving grace on what had been an exceedingly dark day.

However, the women’s reaction did remind her that she’d had a different agenda tonight, especially since her uncle would be arriving at any time. In a perfect world, she could marry a man like Darius MacLeod and dance and laugh and make love with him to her heart’s content.

But such was not her fate. She must forget about the Scot and the ice-blue gaze that promised wicked delights.

Plus, did men like Darius MacLeod really marry, or would he want just one night with her? Her mother had said men were untrustworthy, devious creatures, and Gabrielle’s father had proven that theory true.

Gabrielle had never been attracted to someone the way she was attracted to Darius MacLeod. The intensity of the attraction both scared and excited her, and the intimate visions had made her blood simmer and anticipate what could be between them.

Who knows, if she did marry Sutherland, then perhaps she could take a lover like Darius MacLeod?

The side of Darius’s mouth lifted in a cocky smile. I have no intention of sharing you with any man. Mark my words, Gabrielle. You will be mine, and mine alone.

Her insides twisted. He had not said a word, and yet she had heard his response as though he had whispered the words in her ear. Good gracious, he could read her mind!

Perhaps there was a reason she was hearing and seeing things since meeting him. They’d had an immediate connection, one that went beyond simple attraction. Or what if he was like her—a witch, or rather a warlock, the male version of a witch? Aside from her mother, Gabrielle had never before met another person with similar gifts. Exhilaration rushed up her spine.

Guard your heart, my dear.

Gabrielle’s breath lodged in her throat. It was her mother’s voice. The man you dance with is a creature of the night. A vampire to be feared.

She nearly tripped, but caught herself at the last moment. Darius gave her a questioning look and she quickly looked away. Vampire? How could that be?

Look into his soul, Gabrielle. Look hard, and you will see a dark mark there. The mark that proves he is a monster, damned for all eternity. You are weak now, especially having saved the child. But when you are rested, you will see him in his true form. He is a creature, a bloodsucker.

A vampire? True, he could read her thoughts, but that did not mean he was a creature of the night. Any warlock could do the same.

What of the explicit thoughts? Had he put them in her mind to seduce her into believing he wanted her, when what he actually wanted was to drink her blood?

Trust me, daughter. He is not like us. He is a vampire—a blood-sucking creature of the night.

With the last of her mental energy, Gabrielle tried to block all voices, including her mother’s. She was so tired, so drained, and the little hope and happiness she had felt while in Darius’s presence disappeared with her mother’s accusations.

Cruel, cruel world.

The music stopped and Gabrielle nodded to Darius. “Thank you. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

He nodded formerly, and she turned and started walking. Thankfully she did not see or hear Sutherland, and for that she was relieved. She wanted to clear her head, forget about everything except getting as far away from this place as possible.

The music had started up for another dance, but ended abruptly. Everyone’s attention turned to the far end of the ballroom where they had entered earlier in the evening. Gabrielle kept walking but glanced over her shoulder.

Her heart jolted when she saw Edward, the little boy she had brought back to life. He still wore the same raggedy shirt with the wheel marks across them. At his side stood a man, who had to be his father, since the resemblance was unmistakable.

Gabrielle did not have to guess why they were here.

Run, Gabrielle! Her mother’s voice rang in her ears. If they catch you, you will be charged with practicing witchcraft.

She saw Sutherland rushing toward the boy and his father. No wonder he had not been at her side the moment the dance with Darius had ended. He had seen Edward and knew why he and his father were here. To accuse her openly of witchcraft, or perhaps he would demand money for his silence?

For the first time she was actually grateful for the old man’s intervention, and even better, it gave her time to escape with everyone’s attention diverted.

The boy looked terrified when his father pulled out a knife, but Sutherland kept moving forward, hitting the man square in the chin.

The crowd moved forward and Gabrielle got caught up in the swell. She heard Darius mentally call out to her, but she ducked through the hard press of bodies and into the nearest hallway she could find.

Slipping into a room, she shut the door behind her. It was dark and nearly impossible to see even her hand in front of her face.

At first all she could hear was the pounding of her heart, but a second later she heard a strange, deep-throated moan.

What in the world?

Gabrielle squinted into the darkness and saw the couple cast in moonlight. They were on the opposite side of the large room. The woman’s gown had been shoved above her hips, and she bent over the settee in a very unladylike position, her bottom high in the air. The man’s pants were bunched about his knees, and he held onto the woman’s hips as he thrust against her again and again.

There was no question what the two were about as moans and groans filled the air.

Good gracious, of all the rooms, she would have to pick this one. Could things get any worse?

Now she would have to wait the couple out before she could flee, since they were just inches from the window. The same window she would slip out of the minute they finished doing their business.

Gabrielle hunkered down behind a chair, hoping they would be quick about it. What if Sutherland came looking for her and found her here? Or Darius? Vampire or human, it was not smart thinking about Darius just now, especially as the sounds of the lovers vibrated in her ears.

Seconds later the woman’s muffled cries rang out. The man finished seconds later with a growl that had his lover laughing wickedly. He held onto the woman’s hips firmly as he ground against her. Finally, with a contented sigh, he withdrew and quickly buttoned his pants. “Lovely, Bess. Just lovely.”

The woman’s teeth flashed in the moonlight. “You are not so bad yourself, Jasper.”

“We had best get back. My wife will be suspicious if I do not return soon. I told her I was having a cigar and brandy with Lord Atherly.”

Gabrielle opened her mouth in disgust. Men! What devious creatures.

“Go first, and I shall follow later,” Bess said, righting her skirts. “I am just going to freshen up a bit.”

Jasper kissed her noisily. “I shall see you on Tuesday then?”

“I am not certain Frederick will be away, my dear. I shall send my man around if I can meet you at the hotel.”

“Very well, love. Until then.” With a soft pat to her bottom, Jasper left the room.

Gabrielle could not believe her ears. Was anyone in this city faithful to their spouse?

The strumpet hummed gaily, walking to the gold-framed mirror that hung above the fireplace. She patted her dark hair, straightened her necklace, and smiled at her reflection. She looked quite pleased with herself.

Gabrielle almost gasped as she recognized the woman as the wife of a friend of Sutherland’s she had been introduced to upon entering the ballroom. Bess’s husband had been older than Sutherland and rude as well, so Gabrielle decided to not pass judgment.

Apparently satisfied with her appearance, Bess crossed the room, peeked out the door, and walked out, shutting it behind her.

“Shocking, is it not?”

Her breath lodged in her throat when Darius stepped out from a dark corner.

“Were you here the entire time?” she asked, fearing his answer.

“I came in shortly after you did. I saw you enter, and well, I could not resist.”

“I only stayed in the room because I feared they would alert someone as to my whereabouts.”

“You do not need to explain anything to me.”

Gabrielle could feel her cheeks turn hot. Thankful for the dark room, she moved toward the door, but he stopped her with a hand to her wrist.

“It is not safe for you to go out there right now. Sutherland is searching the hallways as we speak.”

He brushed a wayward curl off her face. “You have lovely hair, Gabrielle. So pale. I have rarely seen anything like it.”

Vampire or no, she enjoyed being touched by this man. She thought of the couple who had just made love here and wondered what it would feel like to have Darius MacLeod’s long, hard manhood inside of her.

His hands moved to either side of her face and he lowered his head, his lips inches from hers.

Part of her wondered if she should push him away.

He’s a vampire. Her mother’s words came back to her, reminding her that the handsome man before her was a dangerous creature of the night. She could not bring herself to do anything, or say anything for that matter.

He kissed her, his lips soft and gentle.

Having never kissed a man before, she had nothing to compare it to, but she enjoyed it.

Very much so.

His tongue brushed against the seam of her lips, urging her to open.

A million warning bells were going off in her head, but she ignored them all, including her mother’s warning. Her entire life Gabrielle had listened to what others told her to do, be it right or wrong. Just once she wanted to experience this, because she never knew if she would get another chance.

Suddenly, the door opened abruptly, and the woman who had just been in the room making love to a man other than her husband looked at them with wide eyes. “I apologize, I must have the wrong room.”

Darius moved in front of Gabrielle, but it was too late. “We just stepped in a moment ago.”

“Oh, I see,” the woman said, peeking around Darius to Gabrielle. “I left something here earlier.” She walked past them to the settee. Not finding what she looked for, she then went down on the floor. “Ah, there it is,” she said, pulling a fan from beneath the settee. “I cannot imagine how it got down there.”

“I am glad you found it,” Darius said with a tight smile.

“I am sorry to have interrupted you,” the woman said.

Darius followed the woman to the door. “Actually, we were just leaving ourselves.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Bess said again before slipping out the door.

Gabrielle felt her cheeks turn hot. “She will tell Sutherland.”

“No, she will not say a word.” His tone was resolute.

“I will return to the party shortly. I need a moment…”

“Do not fear. All will be well.” He smiled, and her heart jolted. How handsome he was. So virile and masculine. She desired him so much it was unsettling. Especially knowing she could never be with him.

Life was so unfair.

The door closed behind him. With a sigh of relief, Gabrielle raced to the window and threw it open.

Hopefully this attempt would work better than the one at her uncle’s house. Thank goodness there were fewer obstacles beneath the window. No trellis, and even better, there was a tree.

Gabrielle slipped out the window. Unfortunately, the tree was a bit farther away from the ledge than it looked from inside the room. Standing on said ledge, she took a deep breath and jumped, making a rather unladylike landing on the thick branch.

Looking down, she figured she had two choices, and hearing a voice from nearby, she let go and dropped to the ground, wincing as she turned her ankle.

She raced for a hedge, and just in time, too, as a young couple walked by, right under the tree she had been hanging from.

Catching her breath, she looked toward the large stone wall that surrounded the estate. Checking to be sure the way was clear, Gabrielle made a run for it.

She scratched her arm quite badly on a tree branch, but aside from that, she had no trouble. Climbing up another sturdy tree, she made her way out on a branch, and then swung herself onto the wall. Straddling the wall, she gathered her skirts in one hand and was ready to jump down onto the sidewalk when she heard voices coming from the street side of the wall. An old couple walked by at a snail’s pace. Gabrielle’s heart already pounded in her chest, and despite the cool evening, sweat beaded on her forehead.

Glancing once more at the Vanderline manor, she wondered if she and Darius MacLeod would cross paths once again. Darius MacLeod, the vampire.

The old couple’s footsteps faded, and Gabrielle looked down at the sidewalk. Throwing both legs over the side of the wall, she twisted her body and tried to drop slowly.

Her gloved hands slipped and she swallowed a scream as she landed on her bottom on the wet sidewalk.

Scrambling to her feet, she winced, seeing under the glow of the street lamp how soiled her gown had become.

Looking in both directions, she immediately crossed the street and walked at a brisk pace. She removed her wet, dirty gloves and tossed them in the brush.

Now what was she going to do?

She had no money and no clothes, save for the ill-fitting dress that would provide little shelter from the elements. Already the chill made her shiver.

Hearing a carriage approach, she jumped into the brush and crouched down, her heart pumping like mad against her breastbone. Sutherland would start searching for her immediately. Where could she go in London with no money and no friends?

Remembering the dance and kiss she had shared with Darius MacLeod made tears burn her eyes. It was just her luck that the man she had envisioned for a short time to be her savior, ended up being a vampire.

Gabrielle, trust me.

Gabrielle’s breath caught in her throat. She would swear the voice belonged to Darius MacLeod. Could he have followed her? She turned around, but no one was there.

Did he speak to her in her mind or was he nearby?

Her heart accelerated. How badly she wanted to trust him, to ask for his help, but she did not know who to trust now. She had never felt so alone in her life. And if her mother kept warning her about Darius, then she needed to heed that counsel and keep her distance.