it caged. It was the only thing that saved his neck from the guillotine. Vickers wanted to know how he did it but wouldn’t believe the answer. I tore me own sister apart , Blade had said. I won’t ever let it out again. I won’t ever lose control again .
Emily . The memory of her kept him strong.
He blinked the memories away. They were so vivid, as though they’d happened yesterday. Emily’s smile, the sweet one she reserved just for him…
But it was Colchester’s smile he watched now, tight and thin.
“Then someone’s keepin’ ’is cards close to ’is chest,” Blade said. “Someone ain’t reported a blue blood gone missin’. If it’s a rogue unable to control ’imself, then who infected ’im?”
“There are rules against that,” Debney bleated.
Blade never took his eyes off Colchester. “Are there?” he asked, silky soft. “And yet ’ere I stand. A living testament to the lie. No matter ’ow many times you lot tried to ’ave me killed.”
Colchester shifted.
Barrons watched the interplay with a curious eye. “Vickers was reprimanded severely.”
“It weren’t enough,” Blade said. “But ’e’ll pay. One day.”
Colchester jerked. Blade had the knife to his throat before he could move. “I wouldn’t if I were you, ducky. Or I’ll slit you ear to ear. A little present for me good friend Vickers. ’E’s fond of you, ain’t ’e? ’Is favorite little cousin.”
“That’s enough,” Barrons said. “You’ve delivered your message. Now be gone. Before we take this as a trespass.”
Blade looked up. Smiled. “Aye. But you’re on my turf. I ain’t the one trespassin’.”
A roar went up from the crowd. The sounds of a dying gurgle came from the ring. Colchester was trying not to breathe. A thin line of blood sprang up against his collar.
Blade held Barrons’s gaze for a moment longer, then stepped back.
Colchester sucked in a breath. “You son of a bitch,” he spat, trying to rise.
Barrons caught his arm. Forced him back into his seat. “Sit down! People are watching.”
“Then they can watch me kill this bloody cur!” Colchester retorted.
Debney looked around. “Not here,” he said.
Colchester’s eyes narrowed with hatred. “You’ll pay for this.”
Blade shrugged. “Mebbe. But it ain’t goin’ to be you.”
Barrons’s gaze suddenly caught on something in the crowd. His eyes widened, and then he looked away, far too swiftly.
Blade swung a leg out over the rail and glanced out to see what had caught his attention. There was nothing but a sea of people. And then he froze. Honoria was making her way through the crowd, her face barely visible behind a charcoal wool shawl she’d draped over her head. She hurried along in Will’s wake as he shouldered his way up toward Blade’s box.
Barrons gave the crowd another seemingly disinterested sweep with his eyes, but his gaze lingered on her a second too long. He knew her, knew her well enough to identify her from the brief glimpse of her pale face. And he didn’t want anyone to know.
How? Something vicious screamed through Blade for a moment, and his fingers dug into the rail. Something brutal and primal that wanted to go for Barrons’s throat. Was she an old friend, a lover? Why would Barrons try to hide the connection between them? If he was any friend of Colchester’s, he’d have pointed her out. Colchester could drag her before Vickers to collect the handsome reward.
Over my dead body .
Blade gave them a chilling smile. “Have a fine evenin’ gents. Enjoy me ’ospitality for the night. I wouldn’t recommend tryin’ it again if I were you. I’ll keep in touch.” He touched his fingers to his hair in a mocking salute, then leapt off the rail.
Surging through the crowd, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He was going to wring her neck! And Will’s, for daring to bring her here. What the bloody hell were they thinking?
Blade caught Honoria by the arm as they reached the stairs to
Emily . The memory of her kept him strong.
He blinked the memories away. They were so vivid, as though they’d happened yesterday. Emily’s smile, the sweet one she reserved just for him…
But it was Colchester’s smile he watched now, tight and thin.
“Then someone’s keepin’ ’is cards close to ’is chest,” Blade said. “Someone ain’t reported a blue blood gone missin’. If it’s a rogue unable to control ’imself, then who infected ’im?”
“There are rules against that,” Debney bleated.
Blade never took his eyes off Colchester. “Are there?” he asked, silky soft. “And yet ’ere I stand. A living testament to the lie. No matter ’ow many times you lot tried to ’ave me killed.”
Colchester shifted.
Barrons watched the interplay with a curious eye. “Vickers was reprimanded severely.”
“It weren’t enough,” Blade said. “But ’e’ll pay. One day.”
Colchester jerked. Blade had the knife to his throat before he could move. “I wouldn’t if I were you, ducky. Or I’ll slit you ear to ear. A little present for me good friend Vickers. ’E’s fond of you, ain’t ’e? ’Is favorite little cousin.”
“That’s enough,” Barrons said. “You’ve delivered your message. Now be gone. Before we take this as a trespass.”
Blade looked up. Smiled. “Aye. But you’re on my turf. I ain’t the one trespassin’.”
A roar went up from the crowd. The sounds of a dying gurgle came from the ring. Colchester was trying not to breathe. A thin line of blood sprang up against his collar.
Blade held Barrons’s gaze for a moment longer, then stepped back.
Colchester sucked in a breath. “You son of a bitch,” he spat, trying to rise.
Barrons caught his arm. Forced him back into his seat. “Sit down! People are watching.”
“Then they can watch me kill this bloody cur!” Colchester retorted.
Debney looked around. “Not here,” he said.
Colchester’s eyes narrowed with hatred. “You’ll pay for this.”
Blade shrugged. “Mebbe. But it ain’t goin’ to be you.”
Barrons’s gaze suddenly caught on something in the crowd. His eyes widened, and then he looked away, far too swiftly.
Blade swung a leg out over the rail and glanced out to see what had caught his attention. There was nothing but a sea of people. And then he froze. Honoria was making her way through the crowd, her face barely visible behind a charcoal wool shawl she’d draped over her head. She hurried along in Will’s wake as he shouldered his way up toward Blade’s box.
Barrons gave the crowd another seemingly disinterested sweep with his eyes, but his gaze lingered on her a second too long. He knew her, knew her well enough to identify her from the brief glimpse of her pale face. And he didn’t want anyone to know.
How? Something vicious screamed through Blade for a moment, and his fingers dug into the rail. Something brutal and primal that wanted to go for Barrons’s throat. Was she an old friend, a lover? Why would Barrons try to hide the connection between them? If he was any friend of Colchester’s, he’d have pointed her out. Colchester could drag her before Vickers to collect the handsome reward.
Over my dead body .
Blade gave them a chilling smile. “Have a fine evenin’ gents. Enjoy me ’ospitality for the night. I wouldn’t recommend tryin’ it again if I were you. I’ll keep in touch.” He touched his fingers to his hair in a mocking salute, then leapt off the rail.
Surging through the crowd, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He was going to wring her neck! And Will’s, for daring to bring her here. What the bloody hell were they thinking?
Blade caught Honoria by the arm as they reached the stairs to
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