Betrayal (5 page)

He wanted her, this beautiful, fresh woman. When he’d first met her she’d been a victim, half-drugged and afraid. Then she’d cared for him and been shy and unsure of herself. Now, she was right, he didn’t know her. Certainly, she was no shy flower to be taken advantage of. His arousal increased, but he stepped back, bowed, and left the room.

He washed and crawled into bed. In spite of his pains and exhaustion, sleep evaded him.

* * * *

Still early, Reece managed to drag himself out of bed after only five hours of sleep. He dressed and went in search of Elizabeth. He knocked on her door, but the room stood empty. She must still be on guard duty. He searched the yard in front of the estate but found only the pudgy student who had been on her team the night before, patrolling the edge of the clearing.

He said hello, but turned to search elsewhere.

“Are you looking for Elizabeth?”

His heart sped up at the mention of her name. “Do you know where she is?”

“She and Miles are on the roof.”

Reece looked up into the dawn and could just make out someone standing on the north end of the roof. He turned back toward the student. “You are William, correct?”

He stood up straighter and rested his right hand along the belt of knives across his chest. “Yes, sir.”

“How did you happen to be on this watch, William?”

“I asked to be assigned to Miss Elizabeth’s watch, sir.”

“And Miles?”

William nodded. “Miles and Joseph also asked to be assigned to her.”

“Because she fought well last night.”

Looking at his feet, he frowned and met Reece’s gaze. “Because she said to stay close, and we stayed alive by doing just that. She didn’t let a single demon get near us. I’ve never seen anyone, man or woman, fight like that. No one has ever put themselves in harm’s way to keep me alive before.”

“She is quite passionate.” Reece had nothing to do with training her, but still, pride swelled in his chest.

The shadow of a second person joined the first on the roof.

“Miles and Joseph thought they had drawn the short straw when Brice assigned us to a girl just out of school herself. They sure changed their tunes once they saw her in action. We saw the way the master looked at her, and all of us decided we had to do what we could to protect her, since she fought like she would have died to save us.”

Reece looked for the right words, but none came. They were right of course. She would have died to protect them, and the master’s interest in her troubled all of them. Shame washed over him. He’d only been thinking about himself, how he would feel if she was hurt or worse. Three students had put him to shame. They had decided to watch over her, but also to fall within her protection.

Amazing.

“Good man.” Reece slapped William on the back and left to search the roof.

Miles was tall, with dark hair and tanned skin. The kind of young man women of the ton went on and on about. He wore a tailor-made, green coat and leaned one arm on the hilt of a sword strapped to his right hip. Not many people fought left-handed. It could often be an advantage.

The breeze blew her hair away from its braid, and Elizabeth pushed a stray hair out of her face while engaged in a conversation.

Reece stepped forward, and both of them turned, grabbing for their blades.

“What are you doing up here?” she asked.

“I wonder if I might have a word?”

Miles stepped back. “I will watch the south and east.”

Elizabeth walked to the northwest corner of the rooftop, and Reece followed her.

“I am an ass, Lizzy. Forgive me.”

She scanned the horizon. “You are. I forgave you almost immediately.”

“I will endeavor to improve.”

Her smile was worth eating crow a hundred times. “I spoke to Brice this morning. They have sent for reinforcements and Mrs. Higginbotham.”

“Who is that?”

“You remember; we met her at Lillian’s wedding. The witch.”

“Oh yes.” He had met a woman who Drake hired to cast spells and protect The Company building and holdings.

“She is coming to shield the house or some such thing. I admit, I did not quite understand.”

“I see.”

“They will be arriving in a few days, and we are leaving for London tomorrow.”

“Are we?”

“We are, unless you have some objection.” She stared out to where a man walked near a stone wall at the west end of the property.

“Who is that?”

“Joseph.”

“You seem to have won all these boys over.”

She looked at him and raised her eyebrows. “Have I?” She shrugged. “They fight well.”

“I met William in the front of the house. They are all quite devoted to you.”

“Are you jealous, Reece?”

He made a small bow. “If I had any right to be, I assure you I would be green with it by now.”

A bubble of musical laughter spilled from her and sent a jolt of happiness to the center of his chest. “I have to finish my watch. You should go for a long walk. I noticed you were exhausted from the short jaunt across the field last night. You don’t want to fall behind on your training.”

He tried to remember when anyone had ordered him about so much, but nothing came to mind. “Anything else?”

“Have you broken your fast?”

“Not as yet.”

“Better do that first. You need to put a bit of weight back on.”

He shook his head. “Is this how it is to be then, you ordering me around like chattel?”

She cocked her head and smiled.

What he wouldn’t do to wrap her in his arms, pull her full bottom lip into his mouth, and suckle it until she moaned his name. Every moment in her presence became a clinic in restraint.

“You are my first assignment. My job is to get you back in fighting shape, and that is exactly what I intend to do.”

“And after that?”

She shrugged. “Drake will probably set me up with a less experienced hunter, and you will get a more advanced partner. Then you can order me, I suppose.”

She planned to leave him once he recovered. The knowledge sat in his gut like a cannonball. “I am quite sure that will be a great relief to you. I agree, the sooner we get to London, the better. I am tired of being a burden.”

He walked along the roof away from her, ignoring her calls for him to come back.

Climbing the stairs to the roof had worn him out. After having a small breakfast, he returned to his room, slept, and then went to watch the hand-to-hand combat training. He liked to watch a good fight. However, the trouncing of the young woman in the fight ring became unbearable. She had been pinned three times, but would not give up. No amount of padding on the floor would help the bruising she’d receive.

“Please stop,” Reece commanded.

“Sir?” The young man who had won the match stood close to six feet tall. He outweighed the girl by at least two, maybe three, stone.

“What is your name?”

“Rodney, sir.”

“And you?” He pointed at the girl.

Her hair had come loose, and a long dark braid hung to the middle of her back. Her eyes were the color of sky at dawn, and she poured sweat from the beating she’d taken. “I’m just Jane, sir.”

“Well, just Jane, do you know why you keep losing?”

“Because he’s bigger and stronger than me.” She kicked the soft floor and bit her bottom lip.

Reece had seen smaller women take down giants. “No.”

“He’s not?”

“Oh, he is and the demons you encounter will be too, but that is not why you lose, just Jane.”

She met his gaze. “Why then?”

Several other matches had stopped, and the students moved closer, listening to his conversation with Jane. “Because you think to best him you have to use more force than him.”

Even Brice had stopped instructing to watch and listen.

“I just need to get a bit stronger and I can win,” Jane said.

“No. You will never win with strength. There will always be a man, woman, or demon stronger than you.”

Her brows drew together. “I know I’m not big, sir, but I can do this. I must do this.”

“If you know you are not bigger than your opponent, then you must also know you will never be stronger than him.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I am very good with a sword.”

“Ah, but you are in battle, and your sword has been lost, just Jane. You might run, but your fellow hunters are still in battle. What will you do? Will you leave your friends?”

“Never. I will stay and fight.”

“Then you had better think of a way to win.”

“But you just said I cannot win.”

“No. I said you will not overpower this opponent. If that is the case, what are your other resources?”

She stared blankly. “I’m smart.”

“Are you?’

“Yes.”

“What else?”

“I’m faster.”

“Good. Now we are getting somewhere. You are also lower to the ground, which means you are harder to topple.”

Jane looked from Reece to Rodney who stared down at her. “How do I use that, sir?”

Reece smiled as her idea of winning expanded. “You must go even lower. Attack me.”

“Sir?”

“Come on. I am barely able to stand on my feet. I am an invalid, poisoned by demons. You should be able to best me, just Jane. If you cannot, then perhaps demon hunting is not for you.”

She rushed him.

He slid to one side, stuck his foot out, and knocked her to the ground with a push to her back.

She got up and came at him again.

He crouched low, stopped her punch with his forearm, and flipped her over his thigh. Standing over her, he smiled. “Do you see? I used very little force. Frankly, I have little to offer.”

She took the hand he offered to get up off her back. “I understand.”

“Good. Now fight Rodney.”

The entire room watched as the big man and a woman a head shorter squared off. Instead of rushing in, Jane waited, crouched low and circling.

Reece said, “Look for weaknesses in your opponent. Does he favor one side over the other? What can you use to gain the upper hand?”

Rodney moved forward and swung at her.

Jane ducked the blow, stuck her foot between his legs, and pulled his left foot out from under him.

He hit the floor hard, his eyes closed and his legs spread.

Jane leaped on him and held him down at the throat.

“Very good, Jane. I knew you were not just Jane. In battle I would suggest keeping a few well-placed knives handy to finish your enemy once he is down.”

The crowd applauded her success, and she smiled, revealing a charming gap between her front teeth. Once she stood up, she helped Rodney to his feet.

He smiled too. “I’ll have to work on my balance. Well done, Janie.”

Reece headed for the door, but Brice stopped him. “You would make a fine instructor.”

“Thank you.”

“There is no shame in staying here and teaching others what you know.”

“No, there is not. It would be a fine way to contribute if I am unable to fight again as I once did.”

Brice nodded. “Keep it in mind.”

Reece turned and left the room.

Elizabeth did not appear until dinner, and even then, they sat at opposite ends of the long table.

During dinner, students related the battle and the events of the day. A solemn moment fell over the room when they turned to the topic of funeral arrangements. Then they recounted the dead in tales of better times.

By the time he climbed the steps to his room, his muscles ached, yet less than he would have expected after a busy day and little sleep. Once he’d removed his coat, he pulled his blouse from his trousers and washed. His bedroom door opened while he dried his face.

He pulled the cloth away to find Elizabeth leaning against the door with her arms crossed over her full breasts. “I heard what you did today.”

“Good evening. Should you be in the bed chamber of an unmarried man or any man for that matter?”

She narrowed her eyes on him. “Do not speak to me of manners and customs. Are you going to stay here and become an instructor?”

“Brice made me an offer.”

“Did you accept?” Her face and neck reddened.

“I gather from your tone you do not approve of the notion.”

She looked away and huffed. “The students talked about what you did as if you had worked a miracle.”

“I only pointed out what she was missing. It was nothing.”

“It was not, but that is not the point. Are you going to stay here and give up hunting?”

“I had not planned on it. No.”

Relaxing, she stepped forward. “I’m happy to hear that.”

“Worried you will fail on your first assignment before you even get started?”

Her eyes darkened. “You are a hunter, Reece.”

“Brice was once a hunter. Do you think he made the wrong choice by becoming a teacher?”

“We are not talking about Brice Lambert. We are talking about Reece Foxjohn.”

“Maybe I have had my fill of battle.”

“That is not what I saw last night.”

“No? What did you see?”

She moved closer. “I saw a man determined to win. I saw a ferocity, which will not be satisfied in the classroom.”

His chest drew so tight he struggled to draw breath. “It may have to be enough.”

“No. I do not accept that. Not yet.” She had to crane her neck to look him in the eye.

He could pull her into his arms and devour her lips. Maybe he’d be able to convince her to stay in his bed, or maybe she’d drop him on his ass. Either way, he liked the idea. “As I said, I did not accept Brice’s offer. I intend to follow your mission through to its conclusion.”

“Our mission.” She touched his cheek. “We are in this together.”

Turning his face, he kissed her palm. “What happened to the frightened little girl who we rescued from the sacrificial altar? Who is this fearsome woman before me?”

“I am the same girl. A girl with nothing to lose, no family, and few friends. The only difference is now I have a purpose.”

Sorrow tightened his throat. For the rest of the world, she appeared confident and assured. To him, she was separate and alone. “You are wrong, Lizzy. You have much to lose, and I am your friend.”

“What do I have?”

“You are valuable. Your life is priceless.”