Blood Lust by Jamie Salsibury

around to see William galloping toward her. He bent over in the saddle and scooped her up, positioning her in front of him in the saddle, turned her toward him, his mouth came down hard over hers.
    His kiss was hot and passionate, taking command of her lips, making her stomach unfurl. The kiss gentled, becoming a savoring, a creation of a memory. It went on for what seemed to be forever, as Katherine threw her arms around his neck. A last ravishing of her mouth, and William set her free, lowering her to her feet in the meadow.
    “Good bye, my lady,” he said in a rough voice. “I vow I will never forget you.” Then, with that, he turned his mount around, and rode like fire in the opposite direction.
    Katherine stood there, watching him ride away, her eyes awash in tears. It was craziness to feel this way. She had been his captive for days. She hadn’t imagined what it would feel like when his powerful presence was gone.
    She stood alone in the meadow, a thick lump in her throat. It was crazy, but that didn’t make it go away.
    It was now there again, as she stood in the library waiting on Benjamin, that sense of something missed, something vital that she would ever have the chance to experience.
    Who was he? She wondered as she had many times before. Why had he stopped the wedding? She had sent one of her footmen with a note to her solicitor. She would soon know the truth about the duke of Sussex’s circumstances. Yet she really didn’t need that final confirmation. She had no doubt that William had told her the truth.
    From the minute he took her, she had sensed an honesty about him. He had no reason to lie about this. And so she stood waiting for the impoverished duke who would have ruined her life.
    She was ready for this meeting. It was imperative it end successfully and she knew exactly how to make that come about.
    The doors swung open and the duke walked in. A pair of footmen dressed in red satin livery closed them behind him and he walked toward her smiling, his mouth a thing slash, reddened with a hint of rouge.
    “My dearest Katherine.” He brought her fingers to his lips as she swept into a curtsy before him.
    “Your grace.” He was dressed as finely as she. The fleeting thought occurred that by society’s standards he was not unattractive.
    “Shall we sit?”
    Nodding, she replied, “As you wish.” She allowed him to seat her in a large chair near the hearth, then waited as he took a place across from her.
    “Shall I ring for refreshments?”
    “No, my lord. This should not take long, and as I said I prefer that this be private.”
    He leaned back in his chair, crossed one leg over the other. She never had paid attention to a man’s calves before. It occurred to her now that beneath his stockings, Benjamin’s appeared to be padded. The bandit’s, she remembered, had been well formed and heavy with muscle.
    “This business you wish to speak of, I gather it is of a delicate nature. Do I dare to guess that this has something to do with your abduction?” He leaned forward toward her. “My dear, if your virtue is the issue of this meeting, never fear, I am not so hard as to allow such a loss to come between us. It is hardly your fault that you were so callously taken away from your betrothed. From this day on, whatever might have happened shall remain our secret, to never be spoken of again. The wedding will take…”
    “Your grace, the wedding shall not take place at all.”
    Benjamin scowled. “Don’t be ridiculous. I told you I care nothing about. . .”
    “My virtue remains intact. That is not the matter at hand.”
    The scowl deepened, pulling his brows together until they almost touched in the middle. “Then what, may I ask is the problem?”
    “I am afraid I have learned some very disturbing information. Normally, my brother Thomas would be discussing this matter with you, but as you know he is not quite himself. The fact remains that I have by whatever means, discovered your true