When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason Page A

but then he smiled coolly. “If it’s Victoria for whom you’re concerned, allow me to assure you that she’s happily ensconced in her bedchamber. With a smile on her face.”
    â€œAnd the painting of Circe and Odysseus in full view.” He assumed the picture in its heavy gold frame hadn’t been moved. “Not the finest rendition, but an acceptable one nevertheless.”
    Vioget’s expression darkened, validating Max’s assumption, but then his features rearranged into another smile, laced with contempt. “Does Victoria know you’ve been skulking around London, unwilling to show your face?”
    â€œThere’s no reason—”
    â€œI disagree. She should know you’re here, so arrangements can be made to see to your protection. I’ll be certain to advise her of your presence.” Vioget fairly oozed condescension and confidence and Max felt a sharp pain shoot along his jaw as he ground his teeth. “I’m certain she’ll want to see for herself that you’re safe, particularly in light of poor Briyani’s fate.”
    â€œIt would delight you no end, wouldn’t it?” Max was under no illusion. Vioget knew he would show to his best advantage next to a weakened, vis bulla-less Max, who had been reduced to living on the run. Merely a man.
    The other man’s reply was nothing more than a bland smile.

+ Six +
    A Crowded Parlor
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    Victoria knew it would only be a matter of time before the news of James’s arrival spread. But even she didn’t account for the efficiency of the gossip trail spread by the house servants—as evidenced by the presentation of Lady Melly in St. Heath’s Row’s parlor scarcely past noon the next day.
    She wasn’t alone. She’d brought reinforcements in the form of Ladies Nilly and Winnie…and a bulging portmanteau.
    â€œHello Mother,” Victoria greeted her, trying to sound more glad than she felt. “I thought you were going to the race today with Lord Jellington.” Lady Melly’s beau had nearly lost his position when she was in Rome, being wooed by a handsome vampire. A vampire who’d turned out to be Sara Regalado’s father.
    â€œI thought it would be best if I—we,” she added, gesturing to Nilly and Winnie as if their presence might protect her from Victoria’s annoyance, “paid a call to determine whether you’d recovered from your fright yesterday.”
    â€œIndeed,” squeaked Lady Nilly, her pale, slender hands fluttering at her throat. “I cannot even imagine how you must have felt after seeing that poor girl! Why, I’m sure I’d not sleep for a week, for fear of the nightmares.”
    â€œAh, nightmares,” inserted Lady Winnie in a rather carrying voice. Her hand hovered over the plate of cinnamon-iced almond biscuits that had been summoned at the instant of their arrival—despite the fact that they were three hours early for afternoon calls. “I know all about them, I do. Why, I daresay, that visit to Rome put me in a state, for I’ve nary slept a wink since the trip. I spend all night tossing and turning, dreaming about vampires and other horrific things.” She paused in her search for the perfect biscuit—namely, the largest and with the thickest swirl of icing—to pat her hand against the saucer-sized silver and gold cross she wore pinned to the side of her bodice. Its weight caused the blue floral muslin to sag slightly, pulling the scoop neckline off center just a bit.
    â€œVampires!” Nilly had no compunction about her selection. She slipped right in and swiped a most promising treat right from under the duchess’s poised hand. “I declare, I’m certain we must have talked about this before and you’re quite mistaken, Winnie. I’m the one who has been dreaming about vampires ever since Rome! You’ve only started since I told you about my