I was blissfully displaying my gorgeous engagement ring to anyone with a pair of eyes willing to admire it when Isabelle finally raised the question of what to do about both Lady Margaret and Lord Rufus.According to vampire law, Lord Rufus was first to impregnate me and therefore was my official husband. Since it was rare for a vampire to find a mortal he or she wanted to mate with, this was a law that was supported and held sacred by every vampire on the planet.  Every vampire except Duncan, that is. Duncan stayed away from other vampires as much as possible while integrating with mortals on a daily basis in an attempt to lessen his vampirism. Even so, just because he seldom associated with them, it was still necessary to abide by the laws put forth for vampires; which was why he’d agonized so heavily over what to do about me.  My only saving grace was the fact that I’d aborted the child before Rufus learned of his actual success.  He only had his

I was angry.I was angry at Duncan because he hadn’t mated with me vampire style to assure I’d be considered his. I was angry at Rufus because he had mated with me so many times since he’d brought me from the cave to his estate that I’d lost count.I was angry with Elizabeth because she wandered in and out of the room to tend to my needs, yet didn’t believe she could help me escape. I was angry with Rosalie for not being strong enough to battle and win against a dozen vampire witches by remote.I was angry with Isabelle for dying. I was angry with myself for stupidly being the catalyst for all of this by going back in time.In short, I was just angry.On top of that, my entire body ached.I was never as grateful to have Duncan’s vampire blood in me as I was when Rufus bedded me with such fury that I wondered if I’d survive. I’m sure, my body having only re

I held tight while her dragon carried us swiftly back to her encampment.  During the flight, she filled me in on what happened during my absence.Duncan went into a rage, declaring his regrets about allowing us to convince him to let me go into the cave in his stead. This information was of no surprise to me. Even so, I was sorry to hear it.Lady Margaret was brought before the coven and her powers were bound.  She was then handed over to the Earl of Winter Spring to do with as he will.  The fact that she’d tried to kill his only heir and caused him to become vampire didn’t sit well with the earl. Although it was a crime punishable by death, he sent her to the dungeon instead. A kind man by nature, he couldn’t bring himself to hang the girl he’d accepted as his ward and helped raise.I’d lost track of the time and learned they’d been looking for me for the better part of a month.  Rosalie actually complemen

It was a week since I’d convinced Duncan to speed up my recovery by giving me some of his blood.  He’d hesitated for fear of Rosalie’s concern of my turning vampire would occur, but he eventually gave in. I really didn’t need his blood to heal. I was healing well without it, but I didn’t tell him that.  When I had Duncan’s blood flowing through my veins all of my senses were heightened and my powers more acute.  I needed all the advantage I could get for what I was about to do.I’d managed to connect with Elizabeth’s spirit. She wasn’t as easy to summon as Isabelle’s, but I eventually managed.  My heart ached as she told me how Lady Margaret learned of her association with me and arranged to have her killed.  She laughed at the irony of how she’d feared losing her life to her vampire brother instead of her human mistress.  The danger of being in Rufus’ company was so blatantl