Page 111 of Dukes Are Forever
A hint of bergamot scented the air.
He looked around sharply.
It could have been in any perfume or cologne. It was a popular base scent, after all. But as the clammy sensation spread across the base of his spine, Malloryn couldn't help feeling as though someone had walked over his grave.
He didn't believe in coincidences.
His worst nightmare was here.
Somewhere.
And his wife was missing.
Chapter 23
Gemma ran along the hallway at the back of Lady Haynes's house, holding her skirts out of the way.
She'd been caught between two drunken fools who were threatening fisticuffs, and had lost visual on Thomas Mowbray for a second.
"Obsidian?" she whispered, putting her hand to her earpiece.
"Yes?"said her lover.
"I've lost Mowbray."
There was a moment of silence."I've got Sir George in sight. He's prowling the garden folly."
"Good. Stay on him. I'll find you."
Blood flavored the air as she turned a corner. All of Gemma's senses awoke, the hunger surging to the surface and darkening her vision.
"Oh, heck," she said.
"What?"
"I think I've found Mowbray." Turning another corner, she saw the elderly gentleman crawling across the marble floors, a bloodied trail behind him.
"Sir!" She slid to his side and rolled him over. "What happened?"
"There was a woman," he gasped, one hand clasped to his chest. Gemma could see hot, red blood spurting between his fingers in pulses. A human. He was not long for this world.
She tore his waistcoat off and wadded it against his chest, though there was little hope of staunching the bleeding. Heart blood, by the look of it. She could smell it in the air and her mouth watered as the predator within her awoke. "What sort of woman? Blonde? Was she very blonde?"
"Yes." Blood flecked his lips. "Hair like... snow."
Oh, heck. It had to be either Dido or Jelena. Gemma drew one of the knives attached to her thigh. "What did you give her?"
Mowbray blinked, as if his vision was fading. "Are you... an angel?"
"What did you give her?" Gemma shook him a little.
"The keys..." His breath started rattling in his throat as he clutched at her arm. "To all my... automatons. They're going to... burn it all... down. You have to... stop them." His breath started to wheeze and panic filled his eyes. "Stop them...."
"I will," Gemma promised as Mowbray's fingers loosened from her arm and he slumped to the floor. "Damn it."
Footsteps slapped on the marble as Obsidian sprinted around the corner, skidding to a halt when he saw Mowbray.
"Sir George was the diversion," she growled. "Either Jelena or Dido is here, and they took what they needed from Mowbray. Hurry. We need to find Malloryn. Because if it was Jelena, then she won't be able to stop herself from striking at him."
