The Vampire And His Lady (Silver Hills #2)

Chapter 1- 1862

October 1st 1862- England

Lord Victor Thornwood hadn't been on English soil for centuries, despite the fact it was his homeland. Though he'd spent most of his immortal life prowling the murky town of Silver Hills, he found he missed the grey skies and tempestuous weather of Britain.

Even if he had been called back for an unsavoury reason.

Hiding in the bushes wasn't the most dignified thing for a vampire lord to be doing on a Sunday morning, yet his duty to the council obliged him to. He kept the hood of his cloak up, however, to stave off the certain shame of being exposed.

The church he was intently staring at had been staring back at him in silence for too long when, finally, mortals began to stream through the open doors. He could almost taste them from the way their scent carried on the wind. Delectable mortal snacks waiting to be plucked like hens from their pens.

But he was a patient fox. He would get his work done first.

After what felt like an age of temptation, the Thorpe family clambered out of the church door and right in his direction.

Those witches have as much a place in that church as I do, he thought bitterly. Unlike him, they could actually enter the building without suffering a severe reaction.

Fortune was in his favour that day: the family halted right outside the bush he was hidden in. Of course, he had planned it that way, but it was satisfying that they played so easily into his hand.

Lord Thornwood carefully began to do a headcount. He had been informed of the Thorpes- one of the most powerful witch families- in great detail by Lucinda Crane before he left.

There was Edward Thorpe, the tall and ginger patriarch of the family, and his pretty dark haired wife, Ivy.

Then came the children. The heir, William, had inherited his mother's lovely dark curls but also his father's crystal green eyes. It made a striking combination but Thornwood had met far too many handsome heirs to be impressed.

He turned to investigate the two sisters when his heart- which had not beat for centuries- felt as if it had pounced against his rib cage.

The most beautiful girl he had ever seen stood in front of him. Pale blue eyes and deep auburn ringlets, she had inherited the best traits of her parents. She stood tall and proud, her chin pointed and face imperious. She exuded power and confidence.

Katherine Thorpe, the prodigy of the Thorpe family.

The youngest Thorpe was a girl of eighteen, rather dull when stood next to her family. Her face was thin and pale, her stature lanky and lacking in a certain pride of being. Diana Thorpe had long copper orange hair that was as straight as a pin and electric green eyes. Unfortunately, none of those traits made her interesting.

Lord Thornwood would barely classify what he was doing as eavesdropping; after all, it wasn't his fault he had sensitive hearing.

"You all remember your roles?" Edward asked his family. They all nodded clandestinely, except for Diana who looked downtrodden and almost... embarrassed.

"I think perhaps Katherine would be better off with my job," she said. Her voice was deep but not quite melodic. It reminded Thornwood of a length of ribbon that had twists and turns in it.

Katherine let out a low laugh of disbelief. Now her voice was perfect, a ribbon with no twists or turns to speak of. The sound of it sent a jolt down the length of his body; he hadn't felt such a desire for a person in a while. It created an ache in his fangs.

"Diana, I know this isn't ideal but there isn't much else you can do," Edward sighed, his face serious but not harsh.

The youngest daughter flushed a bright shade of crimson but didn't speak any longer.

Lord Thornwood had heard enough; he had all the proof he needed to prove the Thorpes were pulling off elaborate scams on the locals of their small town. Yet, vexingly, he still had stay and observe it all, even gather physical evidence if the opportunity arose.

The family quickly dispersed walking in opposite directions. If felt as if a thread were pulling at him to follow Katherine, yet Diana was walking in the direction of where he had been told to go.

Buxley Hall. Home of the ancient Buxley family and also the site of an oncoming scam.

Thornwood let Diana get a head start before he followed slowly. The sun was high in the sky as he wandered along the dusty paved roads.

When he next saw Diana she had changed out of her demure brown dress and into one of emerald green silk that showed off more bust than any respectable person would find morally acceptable.

The way the green dress skimmed the curves of her body, showing off her more desirable aspects... it almost made the vampire lord smile.

She'd been cast the role of the seductress then.

Their scam was a simple one. Down on their luck, the Thorpes sent out their young daughter as a distraction whilst Katherine and William snuck in to steal valuable heirlooms to pawn. That on its own would've been no issue to the council. The problem was how they were using magic to aid their heists. And that was why Katherine wasn't playing the seductress: she was considerable more powerful than her sister.

With a reluctant sigh, Lord Thornwood prepared to approach Diana Thorpe. He cast aside his clock, so only his gentlemanly state of dress remained to be seen. His black hair fell past his shoulders in thick waves that wasn't stylish for the time but he doubted anyone like Miss Diana would call him up on it.

He managed to trial the witch almost all the way to Buxley Hall before she paused and spun around to accost him.

"Despite popular belief, not all women were born without brains," she seethed, eyes sparking. "And I am a witch. I know when I'm being followed."

Lord Thornwood bowed low, playing at respect. In reality, he was fuming at how the girl had dared to address him- the lord of all vampires- as if he were some commoner trying to corner her in an alley.

I'd like to grab that hair of yours and dangle you over a cliff. He didn't say that out loud, no matter how much he desired it.

"Since you're so smart," he uttered through gritted teeth, "I suppose you already know who I am."

She smirked, the expression taking over her whole face.

"Lord Victor Thornwood," she said, enunciating each syllable of his name with a sharpness like the tip of a needle, "unfortunately for you, your face is well recognised."

"Hmmm..." he groaned. That was an annoyance indeed! "Do you know why I've come then?"

She shrugged and shook her head, that sheet of red hair falling in her eyes. "I'm afraid, my lord, I don't know for sure. Could it perhaps have something to do with the... ignoble behaviour of my family?"

Her eyes pierced into his. Often, when a woman looked at him like that it invoked a desire to place his fangs around her neck and take her as his own. Diana had no such effect on him. She was as alluring as an octopus.

"How observant." He forced a grin.

Diana tilted her head and contemplated for a second. "You have no real stakes in this situation," she pointed out. "And though the council pretend to be concerned, I know they aren't, or else they would've taken action a long time ago."

"Your point, Miss Diana, is?"

She cast one last scathing glance at him before turning. "Leave," she simply said. "Go back to whatever hellhole you climbed out of."

Her words were so unladylike and crude- not to mention too-the-point- that Lord Thornwood couldn't help but to chuckle slightly.

He even took her advice and left.

It wasn't long, however, before he was called back.

A/N- this story is dedicated to someone with the initials G.E.T- you know who you are and what you did (aka force an image into my head of a certain character.)