My Lord Eternity by Alexandra Ivy Page A

“A beast walks the streets of London. It is said he hunts someone or something.”
    Something?
    Unconsciously stepping away from his distasteful touch, Jocelyn lifted a hand to the amulet about her neck.
    What was happening?
    And why?
    â€œI . . .”
    â€œJocelyn.” Abruptly appearing at her side, Lucien wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. “There is no need to linger. The children are fed this night.”
    Shaken by the revelation of yet another murder, Jocelyn readily allowed Lucien to lend her support. The familiar scent of his male warmth shrouded her in a sense of well-being.
    â€œYes.”
    The gaunt countenance of Vicar Fallow hardened at the arrival of Lucien, but the thin smile remained intact as he regarded the shaken Jocelyn.
    â€œMiss Kingly, do not forget that I stand ready to be of assistance if ever you should need me.”
    She felt Lucien’s arm tighten about her shoulder as she gave a vague nod of her head. Clearly the two gentlemen had taken a swift dislike of each other.
    â€œThank you, Vicar.”
    â€œCome, Jocelyn,” Lucien urged, turning her around and leading her from the warehouse.
    Jocelyn made no demur. She wanted to be away from the warehouse, and even the dangerous streets of St. Giles.
    A beast did, indeed, seem to be walking the streets of London, and she very much feared he was stalking her.

    Lucien cursed himself for a fool as he carefully bundled Jocelyn in the waiting hack and then settled himself close to her side.
    He should have insisted that she not enter the warehouse. He had sensed before they had even arrived that Amadeus would be waiting. But he had assured himself that while he was near, the traitor could do nothing to harm the maiden. And that it was important he discover precisely what Amadeus was plotting.
    Besides, he had been touched by her plea to face her life without the walls of a prison, he ruefully acknowledged.
    Although life behind the Veil offered eternal peace and prosperity for vampires, he had discovered a growing resentment at being confined over the past two centuries. He did not want a tidy existence that provided for his every need. He longed for the unpredictable, for confronting a day with no notion of what might occur. Like Jocelyn, he desired to confront the delights, pains, and passions life had to offer in the fullest.
    And so he had ignored his good sense and allowed Jocelyn to accompany him into the dark streets. Now he could only wonder if he had made a dreadful mistake.
    Wrapping his arms about her, he leaned his head against her satin hair.
    â€œYou are very quiet,” he murmured.
    â€œVicar Fallow said that another maiden was murdered.”
    He grimaced, wondering if he should confess that it was Vicar Fallow himself who had committed the atrocity. It would certainly ensure that she never trusted the renegade. But it would also raise endless questions that Lucien was not yet prepared to answer.
    How could he confess that Amadeus was a vampire without exposing himself?
    And how could he possibly protect Jocelyn if she feared him as a monster?
    â€œI am sorry,” he said gently.
    â€œWhat does this have to do with me?”
    Lost in the sweet scent and heat of her, Lucien discovered himself caught off guard by her sudden question.
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œFirst there was Molly, who had a paper with my name in her hand, and then, last night, those horrid men left that note warning others would be killed.”
    Lucien tucked her closer, briefly wishing that Nefri had chosen any other maiden but this one to bind with the Medallion. He did not want Jocelyn in danger. He did not want to hear that edge of fear in her voice. And most of all, he did not want to know that Amadeus was always skulking in the shadows, waiting to do whatever necessary to gain command of the artifact.
    â€œI truly do not know, my dove,” he retorted in rueful honesty. If only he knew what