Page 102 of When Bones Whisper
I can hear you, little lamb.
Her steps pounded the maze of hallways, the gas lamps flickering light onto wispy figures watching her from the shadows of rooms where the doors had been left open, disappearing when she whipped her head around.
Each breath stabbed painfully into her lungs, her heartbeat in her ears as she ran down into the gardens, almost stumbled into a bed of fragrant, blooming roses.
Weathered paths, glossy from the recent rain, guided the way to enclosed, hedged areas, where metal furniture stood surrounded by arches overflowing with thorny roses.
She hurried past a large fountain, the gentle babbling of the water following her as she gazed upon statues watching her from the center of vibrantly blue, neatly trimmed flower beds, their stone limbs slowly moving.
The demon’s voice echoed in her thoughts, haunting her with each step.
You are mine. He will kill you. He kills everything he loves.
She halted, eyes wild when the demon appeared at the edge of the garden, standing by an iron fence, death hounds growling around her. Katherine said they’d been taken care of.
It only took one warning bark for Charlotte to back away, its low growls sending shockwaves through her. She accidentally bit her cheek, tasting blood. A foolish mistake to make when being hunted by a vampire.
Nathaniel’s voice taunted the fringes of her thoughts, his warning reverberating down the bond.
Not the grounds, little lamb. My dogs will tear you apart before I can.
Damned!
With the last bit of strength she had, she sprinted back inside, her feet slipping on the wet stone, the drizzle of rain cooling her face.
Once inside, she glanced around, taking a second to catch her breath. Wheezing, she squeezed her eyes shut when tiny stars sparked in them.
I’m coming for you.
Nathaniel’s tone caressed her mind, just as the demon’s cold voice greeted her ears.
As am I.
She ran through the kitchen, where copper pots hung from walls, and bulbs of garlic hung next to the door. There were no staff around, likely sent to their rooms for the duration of The Hunt.
After making it through the scullery, she found her way back to the grand staircase and climbed up to the hallways.
Footsteps pounded behind her. She turned right, her pulse quickening when she glanced at a passing clock in a blur.
I told you I would find you.
Damned and Hell.
She plucked the vial of purple liquid from between the curves of her breasts and pulled out the stopper, quickly tipping the honey and rosemary liquid down the throat before throwing the vial on the ground and fleeing in the opposite direction.
The cloying liquid clung to her tongue, coating her throat, tingling slowly through the roof of her mouth as she turned a corridor, hiding behind a wall, listening to his steady footsteps getting closer.
With one hand spread over a wall panel, the other hiking up the skirt of her dress, she inched closer to edge before peering around the corner, spotting him under the dim light of a gas lamp, his lips curving when he saw her, fangs protruding.
A panicked whimper left her lips, and she took off, the soft carpet pounding under her bare feet. She reached the balcony overlooking the foyer, grasping the balustrade as she looked down, panting.
Strong fingers wrapped around her neck from behind, gently pressing against the sides in a possessive hold, turning her to face him.
“You almost got away from me,” he said when her back hit the polished rail.
“Would you even have let me go?” she asked, her voice raspy as she sucked in deep breaths.
“No,” he admitted. “I told you before, I amneverletting you go.”
