His smile returned as he recalled Jocelyn's astonishment at having been bested. Tomorrow he would challenge her to a game of cribbage, he decided with a flare of anticipation.
And for his prize ... well, another kiss was certainly tempting, but so was the thought of nuzzling that slender neck or tasting the inner skin of her arm.
His fingers tightly clenched the glass. The dangerous heat once again threatened to rise.
Lucien closed his eyes with a faint sigh. He possessed an unsettling premonition that this restless ache was destined to haunt him for many nights to come.
Deciding that another brandy was definitely in order, Lucien moved back toward the sideboard. Lost in his thoughts, he was unprepared when the peaceful silence was shockingly pierced by a sudden scream. Pausing only long enough to slip the dagger from beneath his coat, he was charging from the room and sweeping up the stairs in a blur of movement.
The upper corridor was shrouded in shadows, but his vampire sight made it easy to detect Jocelyn backing from the open door of her chamber, her hand pressed to her mouth.
He charged forward, reaching her side in a mere beat of a heart.
"Jocelyn, what is it?" he demanded, his gaze swiftly ensuring that she had not been injured.
Wide-eyed, she turned to face him, not seeming to notice he had managed to reach her side far more swiftly than humanly possible.
"In my room," she breathed in unsteady tones. "I saw someone creeping beside the bed."
"Remain here," he commanded, not hesitating as he stepped forward.
He was brought to an abrupt halt as she reached out to firmly grasp his arm.
"No. We should call for the Watch," she said, her expression one of concern.
He could not halt a faint smile. Although he did not sense the presence of Amadeus in the house, he was quite certain that it must be one of his In-scrolled servants. A poor human beneath such a powerful spell would be a dangerous foe. They would fight without concern for their own welfare and to the death if necessary. Far too dangerous for the Watch.
"There is no time, my dove," he said softly.
Her eyes darkened even as her fingers clutched into his arm. "But he might be dangerous."
"Not nearly dangerous as I."
"Mr. Valin..." Her words trailed away as she gazed into the grim determination etched onto his countenance. Clearly she sensed that he was not to be swayed.
"Believe in me, Jocelyn," he said, covering her hand with his own. "I shall not fail you."
Their gazes met for a silent moment in the shadows, and then she gave a small nod of his head. Lucien felt his heart swell at her ready faith in him.
"Stay here," he commanded yet again, turning to swiftly move across the corridor and into the dim room.
Scanning the small chamber, he located the shadowed form crouched beside the bed. He kept the dagger held low as he silently slipped over the rough wooden boards. Even without his heightened senses he would have been able to locate the miserable servant. Locked in the spell of Inscrollment, the man was slowly rotting from the inside. The smell was nearly overwhelming as Lucien neared.
Perhaps sensing he was no longer alone, the servant awkwardly turned to confront the approaching vampire. His eyes were blank and his lips slack as he faced certain death without fear.
"The woman," he spat out in slurred tones. "Pretty necklace. Pretty necklace."
Lucien discovered himself hesitating. What could Amadeus be thinking? Even if the mindless servant managed to force the Medallion from Jocelyn, it would be powerless. Nefri had bound the artifact to the maiden, and it must be given freely. To steal it would forsake all he had hoped to gain.
"The woman." The man moved forward, suddenly revealing the short but deadly sword he clutched in his hand. "Necklace."
Lucien carefully backed out of reach of the sword. He was an Immortal, but that did not mean he could not be injured, or even knocked unconscious, leaving Jocelyn at the mercy of this soulless man.
"Be gone with you," he ordered in stern tones. "You shall not be allowed to have the woman."
"Pretty necklace," he rasped, moving relentlessly forward.
Realizing that he had no choice but to rid the house of the dangerous intruder, Lucien backed toward the center of the room, where he would have more space to maneuver. Thankfully the man eagerly followed his path, not realizing his danger. Keeping his gaze upon the sword, Lucien feinted with his dagger, leaving himself seemingly open to attack. As expected, the intruder lunged forward for the kill, unprepared for Lucien to swiftly vault to one side and come at him from behind.