Read Online Mark of the Rose: The Tudor Vampire Chronicles by Kate Pearce - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Pearce
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brown eyes widened as he inhaled Rhys’s blood and displayed the tips of his fangs for a telling instant.
Rhys forgot that he was supposed to be sparring and moved in for the kill. Oblivious to the cheers from the crowd, he picked up his pace and focused on disposing of the Vampire as his instincts and his honor demanded. Under Rhys’s punishing blows, the man went down on one knee, his blade held out at an awkward angle to protect his head. Rhys went in to finish him, only to have his sword knocked out of his grasp by one of Lord Thomas Seymour’s men.
Rhys fought against the hands that held him back as the Vampire got off the ground and put away his sword. Then he smiled at Rhys and leaned close.
“Go home, slayer. You are not wanted here. Next time I will kill you.”
Rhys bared his teeth at the man and was finally set free. He faced Lord Thomas, who looked less than amused.
“You call that a friendly bout? You almost killed him!”
Rhys debated whether Lord Thomas knew exactly what he had unleashed. “I apologize, my lord. Sometimes I forget myself.”
“You had better not forget yourself again. This is a civilized court, not some barbaric Welsh castle midden.”
Rhys set his jaw. “As I said, my lord, I apologize. Your man seemed overly aggressive. I was just trying to contain his destructive tendencies.”
Dafydd Morgan stepped up beside Rhys and cleared his throat. “He speaks the truth, my lord. It was your man who attacked first. Sir Rhys was only protecting himself.”
There was a murmur of agreement through the crowd. Lord Thomas Seymour glared at Rhys for another full minute.
“I will not forget you, sir.”
“Or I you, my lord.”
Rhys bowed as Lord Thomas swept past with all his retinue and then returned his sword to its scabbard. His left shoulder was aching from the series of blows inflicted upon him. The shock of finding himself facing a Vampire had turned his thoughts into chaos.
He turned to Dafydd Morgan. “Thank you for your support.”
Dafydd was frowning and looking after Lord Thomas Seymour. “That man you fought. He seemed familiar. Did you know him?”
Rhys wondered if he was the only one who had realized he was fighting a Vampire. Or was he? Had he allowed his own bloodlust to overcome his common sense and seen something that wasn’t there? He swallowed and tasted bile. “I don’t recall him. Do you know his name?”
“I do not.” Dafydd studied Rhys closely. “But I can try to find out for you.”
“I’d appreciate that. One would think that such an overconfident man would have been pleased to give me his name.” Rhys picked up his heavy jerkin, which suddenly seemed to weigh more than a horse. “I should go and make myself presentable before the evening meal. Thank you for fighting me.”
“I wish I hadn’t now.” Dafydd grimaced. “I’d forgotten you were wounded earlier this year. You probably didn’t want to draw that kind of attention upon yourself either, did you?”
“Lord Thomas Seymour will forget me easily enough.”
Dafydd lowered his voice. “We’ll be available if you need us, Sir Rhys.”
“I might need you to organize some patrols for me late at night, but we can talk about it tomorrow.”
Rhys took his leave of his Druid companions and slowly walked back to his lodgings. He would pay one of the servants to prepare him a bath and hopefully that would lessen the aches from the two fights. He groaned inwardly at the thought of dealing with Verity later, but reckoned she wouldn’t give him too much trouble.
The main problem was figuring out why this man, a possible Vampire, had sought him out and tried to kill him in broad daylight. Someone knew he was back at court and wasn’t happy about it.
Chapter 6
“W e should discuss how you can best serve the queen.”
“By staying out of your way?”
Rhys raised his eyebrows and Verity looked back down at her boots. It was late at night and the palace gardens were all but
Rhys forgot that he was supposed to be sparring and moved in for the kill. Oblivious to the cheers from the crowd, he picked up his pace and focused on disposing of the Vampire as his instincts and his honor demanded. Under Rhys’s punishing blows, the man went down on one knee, his blade held out at an awkward angle to protect his head. Rhys went in to finish him, only to have his sword knocked out of his grasp by one of Lord Thomas Seymour’s men.
Rhys fought against the hands that held him back as the Vampire got off the ground and put away his sword. Then he smiled at Rhys and leaned close.
“Go home, slayer. You are not wanted here. Next time I will kill you.”
Rhys bared his teeth at the man and was finally set free. He faced Lord Thomas, who looked less than amused.
“You call that a friendly bout? You almost killed him!”
Rhys debated whether Lord Thomas knew exactly what he had unleashed. “I apologize, my lord. Sometimes I forget myself.”
“You had better not forget yourself again. This is a civilized court, not some barbaric Welsh castle midden.”
Rhys set his jaw. “As I said, my lord, I apologize. Your man seemed overly aggressive. I was just trying to contain his destructive tendencies.”
Dafydd Morgan stepped up beside Rhys and cleared his throat. “He speaks the truth, my lord. It was your man who attacked first. Sir Rhys was only protecting himself.”
There was a murmur of agreement through the crowd. Lord Thomas Seymour glared at Rhys for another full minute.
“I will not forget you, sir.”
“Or I you, my lord.”
Rhys bowed as Lord Thomas swept past with all his retinue and then returned his sword to its scabbard. His left shoulder was aching from the series of blows inflicted upon him. The shock of finding himself facing a Vampire had turned his thoughts into chaos.
He turned to Dafydd Morgan. “Thank you for your support.”
Dafydd was frowning and looking after Lord Thomas Seymour. “That man you fought. He seemed familiar. Did you know him?”
Rhys wondered if he was the only one who had realized he was fighting a Vampire. Or was he? Had he allowed his own bloodlust to overcome his common sense and seen something that wasn’t there? He swallowed and tasted bile. “I don’t recall him. Do you know his name?”
“I do not.” Dafydd studied Rhys closely. “But I can try to find out for you.”
“I’d appreciate that. One would think that such an overconfident man would have been pleased to give me his name.” Rhys picked up his heavy jerkin, which suddenly seemed to weigh more than a horse. “I should go and make myself presentable before the evening meal. Thank you for fighting me.”
“I wish I hadn’t now.” Dafydd grimaced. “I’d forgotten you were wounded earlier this year. You probably didn’t want to draw that kind of attention upon yourself either, did you?”
“Lord Thomas Seymour will forget me easily enough.”
Dafydd lowered his voice. “We’ll be available if you need us, Sir Rhys.”
“I might need you to organize some patrols for me late at night, but we can talk about it tomorrow.”
Rhys took his leave of his Druid companions and slowly walked back to his lodgings. He would pay one of the servants to prepare him a bath and hopefully that would lessen the aches from the two fights. He groaned inwardly at the thought of dealing with Verity later, but reckoned she wouldn’t give him too much trouble.
The main problem was figuring out why this man, a possible Vampire, had sought him out and tried to kill him in broad daylight. Someone knew he was back at court and wasn’t happy about it.
Chapter 6
“W e should discuss how you can best serve the queen.”
“By staying out of your way?”
Rhys raised his eyebrows and Verity looked back down at her boots. It was late at night and the palace gardens were all but
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