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Authors: The Seduction of an Unknown Lady
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before, before he came to his present position. But there was the occasional period of complete sanity.
And he knew that Fionna hoped to someday have her back.
She wouldn’t, of course. Her mother…well, she had gone too far into the most distant realms of the mind to ever return.
But Fionna was, as much as he, a creature of the dark. A creature of the night.
Sometimes he walked with her, her silent companion. Sometimes he just watched, unmoving.
For they were meant for each other. To be together. Forever.
For always.
With that, he rose and slipped into the shadows as silently as he had come.
Fionna tucked up her hood and buried her chin in the warm depths of her fur-trimmed mantle, pulling the velvet-lined interior tighter around her body.
It was horridly, wretchedly cold, so cold she fancied she could almost see her breath freeze as she expelled a rounded puff of air. She wished she’d stayed indoors tonight, where the fire burned warm and cozy…but Raven and Rowan had finally settled in over the last few days, and she was quite happy with the way Demon of Dartmoor was coming along. She needed one of her nightly walks to inspire her creativity.
And then, all at once…she felt it. A shiver touched the base of her spine, a chill that had nothing to do with the frozen air ran up her back until it prickled the very hairs on the back of her neck.
She paused, every sense screaming, then glanced quickly around, executing a full circle that she might see in all directions.
There was nothing. Nothing but the endless blur of the night, the eerily patterned glow of the gaslights behind ice-encrusted panes. Across the street, naked, gnarled branches twined in a mating that was almost macabre.
Good heavens, what was she thinking? It was like something out of one of her books. She was being utterly ridiculous.
Nonetheless, Fionna quickened her pace. But only to warm herself, she told herself stoutly. She rounded the corner. Four more houses and she would be home.
But then there was a crunch of snow. She spun around. And then she saw it…a shadow trespassed on the frozen walkway. In her mind it was black as the devil’s soul…Her stomach churned. She hated the way she suddenly felt…as if the night was no longer her own…and she was angry, bloody angry.
And terrified as well.
“Come out, you wretched dog,” she cried. “Show yourself.”
A form stepped from the shadows just as she whirled. A man, she realized. Big. Dark-skinned…
Fionna screamed.
Hands clamped down over her shoulders. To her they were like iron manacles.
She twisted madly, but she couldn’t escape.
“Fionna! Fionna, stop! It’s only me—Aidan. For pity’s sake, stop before you wake the entire city.”
Aidan. Aidan. “It’s you, isn’t it?” A cry. A gasp. An accusation. “You followed me before. You came to the shop. You follow me now! Why? Why? ”
“I did not follow you, Fionna! I was just returning from my brother’s. I usually walk from there. Then I saw you—again.”
Oh! How dare he accuse her ?
“So you followed me out of concern? I don’t believe you!”
His town house was directly to the right. Taking her arm, he guided her up the stairs. A sleepy butler opened the door. Aidan dismissed him with a nod.
In the drawing room, he guided her to a settee angled before the fire. “Sit,” he ordered.
Golden eyes sparked like fire. The air of command he possessed grated.
“You were a military man, weren’t you?” she demanded.
“Whether I was or wasn’t has nothing to do with…” He suddenly caught her meaning.
“Please,” he said grittily, “please sit.”
He lit several lamps, then stirred the fire with a poker. The fire blazed anew, orange tinged with blue. When he turned back, his expression was still stony.
Fionna sat on the edge of the settee, her features schooled into an expression of decided defiance as she peeled off her gloves.
“You are the damnedest woman I know!” he growled.
And he knew that Fionna hoped to someday have her back.
She wouldn’t, of course. Her mother…well, she had gone too far into the most distant realms of the mind to ever return.
But Fionna was, as much as he, a creature of the dark. A creature of the night.
Sometimes he walked with her, her silent companion. Sometimes he just watched, unmoving.
For they were meant for each other. To be together. Forever.
For always.
With that, he rose and slipped into the shadows as silently as he had come.
Fionna tucked up her hood and buried her chin in the warm depths of her fur-trimmed mantle, pulling the velvet-lined interior tighter around her body.
It was horridly, wretchedly cold, so cold she fancied she could almost see her breath freeze as she expelled a rounded puff of air. She wished she’d stayed indoors tonight, where the fire burned warm and cozy…but Raven and Rowan had finally settled in over the last few days, and she was quite happy with the way Demon of Dartmoor was coming along. She needed one of her nightly walks to inspire her creativity.
And then, all at once…she felt it. A shiver touched the base of her spine, a chill that had nothing to do with the frozen air ran up her back until it prickled the very hairs on the back of her neck.
She paused, every sense screaming, then glanced quickly around, executing a full circle that she might see in all directions.
There was nothing. Nothing but the endless blur of the night, the eerily patterned glow of the gaslights behind ice-encrusted panes. Across the street, naked, gnarled branches twined in a mating that was almost macabre.
Good heavens, what was she thinking? It was like something out of one of her books. She was being utterly ridiculous.
Nonetheless, Fionna quickened her pace. But only to warm herself, she told herself stoutly. She rounded the corner. Four more houses and she would be home.
But then there was a crunch of snow. She spun around. And then she saw it…a shadow trespassed on the frozen walkway. In her mind it was black as the devil’s soul…Her stomach churned. She hated the way she suddenly felt…as if the night was no longer her own…and she was angry, bloody angry.
And terrified as well.
“Come out, you wretched dog,” she cried. “Show yourself.”
A form stepped from the shadows just as she whirled. A man, she realized. Big. Dark-skinned…
Fionna screamed.
Hands clamped down over her shoulders. To her they were like iron manacles.
She twisted madly, but she couldn’t escape.
“Fionna! Fionna, stop! It’s only me—Aidan. For pity’s sake, stop before you wake the entire city.”
Aidan. Aidan. “It’s you, isn’t it?” A cry. A gasp. An accusation. “You followed me before. You came to the shop. You follow me now! Why? Why? ”
“I did not follow you, Fionna! I was just returning from my brother’s. I usually walk from there. Then I saw you—again.”
Oh! How dare he accuse her ?
“So you followed me out of concern? I don’t believe you!”
His town house was directly to the right. Taking her arm, he guided her up the stairs. A sleepy butler opened the door. Aidan dismissed him with a nod.
In the drawing room, he guided her to a settee angled before the fire. “Sit,” he ordered.
Golden eyes sparked like fire. The air of command he possessed grated.
“You were a military man, weren’t you?” she demanded.
“Whether I was or wasn’t has nothing to do with…” He suddenly caught her meaning.
“Please,” he said grittily, “please sit.”
He lit several lamps, then stirred the fire with a poker. The fire blazed anew, orange tinged with blue. When he turned back, his expression was still stony.
Fionna sat on the edge of the settee, her features schooled into an expression of decided defiance as she peeled off her gloves.
“You are the damnedest woman I know!” he growled.
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