Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

He said it close to my ear as he picked me up and laid me on the bed. “I see you as someone I will do anything to keep safe.” He slid those britches down my legs and tossed them aside. Then he unlaced my bodice so that my breasts fell free. He took one into his hand and made love to it with his mouth until I sighed his name.

“I love you too, Jeremiah. But safe can’t mean I’m locked up like a prisoner.” I was being distracted deliberately. He hadn’t answered me, damn him. I fought against it, trying desperately to win my points before this became another night of mindless lovemaking. We’d had hundreds of those. Distractions from our differences.

He leaned back and stared at me. “I almost lost you to a poison arrow. Can you understand how that made me feel? Do you remember almost losing me not so long ago?”

I did remember. He’d been injured and had been near death. I’d wept, I’d given him blood, I’d begged the gods to let him live. He’d made it through but I’d been so terrified that I would lose him I would have done anything to keep him safe. But lock him in a room? I knew he’d never stand for it. Why did he think I would?

“Yes, I know that was hard for you.” I touched his lips. “I lived. As did you. It may happen again. To both of us. But we have to forget those times and move on, Jeremiah. We are immortal. We’re supposed to be anyway.” I saw him about to argue, to tell me all the ways a vampire could die, and I shook my head.

“Don’t start. You have to know that if you try to keep me safe by burying me in my bedchamber or making rules I can’t abide, I’ll go mad. And hate you for it.” I closed my bodice. It was hard to be taken seriously when you have your breasts on display. His eyes kept straying to them. Men will be men. It was an oft repeated refrain these days in my mind. If I didn’t love him, I would hate him.

“There are so many dangers in the world, Gloriana.” He lay back and stared at the ceiling.

“You hired Valdez for me. That’s the best you can do. Let me learn to defend myself and then trust that I’ll be careful.” I leaned over him. “Can you do that?”

“I don’t know.” He was at least being honest. He pulled me down so that my head rested on his shoulder. “I like to control my men, my cattle, my life. You are part of that. When you go off and do something dangerous…” His hand on the back of my head tightened. “Well, it drives me mad.”

“I don’t deliberately seek trouble, Jeremiah.” I smiled against his chest. When had he taken off his shirt? I was glad of it as I touched his smooth skin. “I would hate to leave you, but that will happen if you don’t stop trying to control me like you do your cattle.”

He drew in a breath. “You sound as if you mean that.”

“I do. I have been poor before and I survived. I have been alone as well. I will be sad if I have to live without you but it won’t kill me.” I sat up and looked into his eyes. “You won’t make me leave, now will you? We love each other, surely we can work this out.” I kissed him with all the love in my heart. I would so hate to give him up. Sad? What a meek word for the pain I’d feel if I had to turn my back on him. He looked into my eyes and saw that I meant every word.

When he rolled me under him and devoured me, I sighed with relief. He was going to see reason.

“I hope you are happy.” Flo had put on a lovely dress but her face said she was in a sour mood. “Obviously you and Jeremiah enjoyed time together when he saw you in those britches. While I had to stay in my bedchamber alone with my drawing for company while waiting for you.” She pulled out yet another beautiful fan. I’d learned she painted them herself. This one was a bower of flowers with two lovers entwined. She might scandalize the maids below stairs with it. “Angus is still out on that dannata ship.”

“I’m sorry it took so long, Flo, but I believe we have finally come to terms about my wearing them. Now Jeremiah is meeting with the captain at the barracks and we can go see Lady Anne and her mother. You do look very pretty.”

I wore one of my nicest dresses. I hoped her mother wasn’t going to ruin Lady Anne’s wedding, which was the next night.

“Ladies. Where have you been? I thought we were to have a fitting tonight.” Madame Clotilde’s assistant Jolie caught us before we could knock on the door to Anne’s solar. “Madame is waiting.” The woman fluttered around us, almost pushing us down the stairs. “You really don’t want to keep her waiting.”

“Has she forgotten who is paying her?” Florence really was in a mood. “She has certainly kept us waiting.” She actually swatted Jolie with her fan. “Stop pushing me. We are coming. I am actually excited to see what Madame has made for me.”

“Oui, but of course, you will be pleased, I think.” Jolie stepped back.

I noticed the woman’s fingers were chapped, the tips very rough and red. It was clear who must have been doing the sewing on our dresses. By the time we arrived at the workroom off the great hall, I was as excited as Flo was. What woman wouldn’t be at the idea of a new gown made by a famous modiste?

“There you are!” Clotilde was sitting next to a table, adding beads to a bodice.