Daughters of Dracula (The Stoker Sisters #1) Read online

  “You’ve no idea what happens to young ladies who dare to splash a lord.” For a moment his eyes were hooded with darkness and she worried she’d truly angered him.

  His grip on her tightened while he strode into the water without any regard for the fine clothes he would no doubt ruin.

  “My apologies, Milord.”

  By now she felt droplets of water splashing up to dampen her dress. The length of it was no doubt trailing in the water and Sadie could already imagine the questions her mother would put forth. But none of that mattered.

  She was in his arms, his breath close and mingling with hers. His strength enveloped her as he held her aloft of the waves with ease.

  “You’ll not throw me in. I can’t swim.”

  “Perhaps that thought should have preceded the notion to splash water on my fine clothing.”

  Anger still played on his darkened eyes and with the water now up to his waist, she worried about his intent. “Please, sir.” Her quiet plea carried more of her fear than she’d intended.

  In an instant the darkness left him and his playful grin curved his lips while his eyes filled with concern. “Would you truly have me dropping something so lovely into the depths of the ocean?”

  A strong wave crashed into them, thoroughly soaking her, but the power of the wave did little to shake him. He smiled and gazed down at the effect the water was having on her dress.

  The fear of the water she’d felt a moment earlier was replaced by the sudden fear of the hunger she saw in his eyes. His eyes narrowed and he licked his lips as he stepped out of the waves and laid her back on the sand.

  He leaned over her, his hands pushing off the damp bonnet and exposing her fair hair. “This past month has been excruciating; watching you, seeing you every night and day, longing to just…”

  Sadie felt the rise and fall of her bosom as her heavy breaths tried to fill her lungs. Never had she felt so alive, yet so exquisitely close to death. His lips were inches from hers and she fought to keep her eyes open as he came closer still.

  Her lips parted while her hands rose to play along the planes of his shoulders. How could a man be so strong? How could he hold such power? “I’ve longed as well. Your presence has left me with many sleepless nights and many fitful dreams.”

  His cockeyed smile displayed his pleasure on hearing of her feelings for him, but his eyes were suddenly shut out from her. Though he clearly looked straight at her, she felt he was no longer there with her.

  He rose, grabbed her hand and brought her to her feet. She swayed unsteadily for a moment, trying to get her bearings as her body adjusted to the sudden shift in emotions.

  “I think it’s time we returned to the manor.” With no further explanation, he guided her home.

  Chapter 2

  “Lord Ashwin.”

  Though the manor was dark and the occupants fast asleep, Alexis knew he was in the library reading. Over the past few weeks his routine remained virtually unchanged; a pleasant dinner after his negotiations with the mayor and a quick withdrawal into the library where he read a variety of books, most surprisingly Pride and Prejudice.

  “Miss Alexis.” He set his book down and gazed up at her.

  She knew very well the effect the backlight had on her nightshift and in Lord Ashwin’s eyes; she saw the effect it was having on him.

  “I’ve not been able to sleep and thought I could perhaps keep you company for a little while.”

  “I’d be delighted.” He rose and dropped another ounce of cognac into his empty glass. Holding his glass up to her, he silently enquired if she’d like some as he resumed his seat in a Regency bergere.

  “No, thank you.” She sat on the ottoman facing him and wondered if the backlight still clung to her silhouette. “I’ve noticed the late hours you keep.”

  “I enjoy the peacefulness of the night.”

  “Yet you always rise and are ready to start the day when I’ve just barely opened an eye.”

  “I’ve never been a heavy sleeper. Just a few hours and I am entirely invigorated.”

  “I must say I’m impressed with your stamina. You are quite an impressive man.”

  “Of course, I can’t say enough about the company who shares the roof over my head.” He set his glass down and leaned closer to her. “You display a unique quality I’ve rarely seen in women of your standing.”

  She noticed the quick drop of his eyes into the opening of her shift and instantly felt the effect his gaze had on her breasts. Blushing was something she was unaccustomed to, but she felt the instant wave of heat rise to her cheeks. The sensations his mere glance caused were new to her and caught her off guard.

  Though she liked to consider herself worldly in the ways of men and their passions, ultimately she was innocent when it came to the true workings of a man and a woman.

  “A man like yourself; I’m sure you’ve been in the company of far more worldly and elegant women than the likes of me.”

  “Yes.”

  His blunt answer cut through her, dashing her confidence for a brief moment.

  “But none of them have ever intrigued me the way you do.”

  She smiled, her ego boosted to an unimaginable high.

  “I see your innocence, dear Alexis. Yet there’s a fire beneath it all that makes your innocence all the more appealing.”

  “”I must admit I’m happy to see you’ve noticed. It’s not every day that I meet a man who is as handsome, as dashing and as witty as you are. For the most part, the men I’ve met have been pansies or louts.”

  He chuckled and reached for her hand. She’d long yearned for his touch and the sudden cold of his skin against hers took her breath away.

  “I’ve never been a pansy, though I’ve been accused of being a lout.”

  “Somehow I doubt the validity of that, but rest assured, I’ve certainly never thought of you that way.”

  His fingers trailed up her arm and played with the hem of her sleeve.

  “Have you thought of me at all?”

  She smiled and did her best to look as sultry as she could. Though the little girl in her was nervous and unsure, the woman who pounded beneath her breasts and below knew she wanted him.

  “There hasn’t been a night where you’ve not entered my dreams.”

  His fingers tugged at the sleeve, revealing more and more of her shoulder. The thin fabric tingled against her breast and she was suddenly painfully aware of every sensation. She looked at him, his eyes riveted to the breast he was slowly exposing.

  She swallowed, considered getting up and leaving, but was thoroughly mesmerized by his actions and the hunger that clung to his parted lips.

  “And what do I do in these dreams of yours?” His voice faltered and became jagged.

  The fabric now clung to her body and his eyes widened in anticipation. Alexis glanced down at the swell of her breast. Though she’d always been proud of her body, never had she imagined the pure pleasure the mere sight of breasts could bring to a man.

  “My dreams could never live up to this very moment. The sensations I’ve awakened to could never measure up to what you're putting me through right this minute.”

  Her breast released its hold on the fabric and was completely exposed. She inhaled a deep, long breath, additionally swelling her breasts and was rewarded by the enraptured gaze of Lord Ashwin.

  He bit down gently on his lip as his fingers released her sleeve and cupped her breast.

  “Ah.” The soft but surprised exclamation seeped through her lips before she could contain it.

  Smiling, he gazed at her. “You are, indeed, innocent.”

  For the first time in her life, her mind was blank. She managed to lick her lips, but had to close her eyes beneath the wave of unexpected pleasure that took over her.

  Just as quickly as he’d started, he released her, pulled her sleeve up to her shoulder and leaned back.

  Her eyes remained closed a moment longer as she tried to understand what had just happen
ed. When she finally pried her lids open, he was smiling, his glass to his lips and his eyes intently fixed upon her.

  “You're an intoxicating creature, Alexis.”

  She waited for more.

  “But I think you should go back to your room before this gets out of hand.”

  **********

  Alexis sat on the edge of her bed, watching the moon slowly rise to brighten the black night. When suitably high, illuminating the grounds with its ghostly glow, she approached the window and looked at the garden far below.

  He never sleeps, she thought. For the past week she’d watched him and virtually every night it was the same. After hours spent in the library, he’d emerge, disappear beyond the garden walls for over two hours only to return strangely sated, but clearly disturbed.

  Tonight, he roamed through the gardens a while longer, hesitant in his every move. Gathering her shawl about her shoulders, she hurried out to follow him, but he’d already disappeared. She refused to let the chill force her back inside and for the next three hours sat by the poppies, waiting for his return.

  She heard him, his steps slow, his boots scraping along the stones. His breathing was heavy and labored, though from strain or pain, she couldn’t tell. As he approached, she prepared what she’d say to him, but as he came closer, she realized he hadn’t even seen her. Without even glancing her way, he walked past her, his feet dragging as though every step required the greatest exertion.

  “Lord Ashwin.” She stood and waited for his response. “Lord Ashwin.”

  He made no sign he’d heard her. Alexis rushed towards him, determined to get an answer. She stepped around him to block his way and with a thoughtless sweep of his arm, he pushed her aside.

  Undeterred, she tried again, this time grabbing a hold of his arm. “Lord Ashwin.”

  He looked at her, or rather through her. His eyes were glazed and his hair disheveled. The knot of his cravat was askew and the line of his fine jacket at an odd angle.

  “Lord Ashwin, it is Alexis. Please, look at me.”

  “You’ve no business being out here. Go inside.” His deep throated growl sounded nothing like the voice of Lord Ashwin she had come to know so well.

  “I watched you leave.”

  “Go inside, Alexis.”

  “The city is virtually asleep at night. There’s nowhere to go.”

  His silence was heavy with guilt, though of what, she hadn’t a clue.

  “What mysterious life do you lead, Lord Ashwin? Why would a man of your standing roam the streets under cover of darkness?”

  He turned to her and his face was suddenly bathed in moonlight. Alexis took a step back from the man she didn’t recognize.

  “You have blood on your cravat.” She stared at the tiny droplets, eager to hear his explanation.

  For a second, he stared at her, at her throat, and her breast. Hungrily like a beast that had smelled the blood of his prey.

  Alexis stepped further back, her feelings of infatuation suddenly turned into fear.

  As quick as sand Lord Ashwin’s haunting expression shifted. He smiled then, his face suddenly back to the boyish charmer Alexis desired beyond anyone else. He walked up to her, his blue eyes meeting hers. “You have seen nothing tonight, Alexis. Nothing at all.” Then he turned and walked inside.

  **********

  The summer was unusually warm and long. Lord Ashwin’s stay extended well into September, news that left Sadie relieved and uncertain. Since their embrace on the beach, she’d thought of little other than returning to his arms, and while he’d humored her on a number of occasions, he never pressed for more.

  Delighted to see the true gentleman he was, she was nonetheless perturbed by his lack of passion for her.

  While having her morning tea on the terrace, she spotted him circling around the garden and stepped out to block his path. “I don’t understand why you insist on remaining so distant and aloof.” Her patience wearing thin, she decided to confront him before his stay came to an end.

  “There is much you don’t understand about the workings of a man and his passions.”

  “Then enlighten me, kind sir, for you seem to have the uncanny knack of touching deeply on my emotions only to turn away once you have me enflamed and longing for you.”

  He circled past her and continued his slow, steady stride amongst the roses and hydrangeas.

  “Please don’t disregard me in such a fashion.”

  “It is not my intention to disregard you, simply to protect you.”

  “Protect me?” She brought her prim fists to her hips. “Protect me from what?”

  He turned to face her, his eyes pained under the dark veil that had descended upon them. When he reached up to grip her shoulders, she was surprised by the gentleness of his touch.

  “From me.”

  **********

  A light yet endless drizzle of cool rain had fallen as Delilah prepared for art class in the back foyer. She was joined by a figure, all too happy to help her set up.

  “I’m not as easily charmed as the Stoker girls, Ashwin.” Delilah’s voice was a soft purr that was quickly followed by Ashwin’s amused chuckle.

  “I wouldn’t assume a woman of your experience would be the slightest charmed by my gauche attempts, Delilah. I have far too much respect for you. As for the Stokers, it is I who has been charmed. They are a delight and I’ve no doubt the artistry you bring to them is partly responsible.”

  “I know you far more than you realize. Your innocence doesn’t quite fool me.”

  “Innocence?” He walked up close to Delilah, close enough to use his body to guide her up against the table.

  “The boyish charm you display. The playful way you have with both Sadie and Alexis, though I’ve noticed how your play can be a tad more passionate with Alexis.”

  “Jealous, are we?” Ashwin had cornered Delilah, his lips a few inches away from her neck.

  “Hardly,” Delilah said, pushing Ashwin lightly away and stepping out around him. “I enjoy spending time with you, idly chatting about nothing in particular and watching you try your charms on me, but I must warn you, Ashwin.”

  “I’m tingling to know more.”

  Delilah chuckled, a sound that was devoid of amusement.

  They stood close to one another; Ashwin smirking with a trace of arrogance; Delilah frowning and determined to get through to him.

  “It may not be wise to play one sister against the other,” she finally said.

  “Do I sense your desire to steer this conversation in another direction?”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Stoker have expressed their concern over your interest in the girls.”

  “We’re more alike than you want to admit, aren’t we?”

  “They are of the belief that Sadie would be better suited to the title you could bring to her, Lord Ashwin.”

  “My fondness for the sweet young woman runs deep, but I can’t deny the strong attraction I feel for the heated passion of the eldest sister. And what is your interest in these girls, Delilah?”

  “I have a love for the girls that runs far deeper than that of tutor/student, Ashwin. Family ties and obligations extend far back, perhaps as early as your time.” She turned away from him, her eyes filled with pain and aching. “I won’t sit by and watch you ruin them. I won’t let you turn them.”

  “I’ve no intention…”

  “What you intend and what occurs are of two minds.” She whirled around to face him again. Her smile had disappeared and the friendly discussion was set to become grim and sinister. “I know of your lineage, of our lineage.”

  Ashwin cocked a brow and smiled, but his unease was apparent in the subtle shifting of his weight from one leg to another.

  “When it comes to love and passion, many men of our lineage lose their wits. Women, too. We are ruled by the thirst.”

  “I know of what you speak of, Delilah. I assure you I have no intent of giving in to the thirst with the girls. I do not wish them the same fate
as ours.”

  “I’m watching you, Ashwin. Be aware of that. I don’t know what game you are playing, but I have taken a stance, that of Dracule’s. I’m sure you are aware these girls are the last remaining human descendant of Vlad Dracule himself. His human bloodline runs through their veins. Even their adoptive parents, the Stokers, do not know of it. I’ll not allow you to ruin the bright future both these girls have.”

  Ashwin surveyed Delilah from head to toe, taking her petite, but womanly frame in. He licked his lips seductively, his eyes never leaving Delilah’s eyes. “I do not wish to challenge you, Delilah. It has been a while, hasn’t it, since we’ve been acquainted. Much too long, yet I remember it as clear as yesterday.” He traced his finger along Delilah’s shoulder. “You’ve taught me much,” he said wistfully. Delilah stepped back. Ashwin straightened. “Dracule himself cannot have chosen a lovelier guardian for his girls.”

  Delilah’s eyes widen before her pupils turned amber, revealing her passion. “Dracule is not a Strigoi, Ashwin. Remember that. He is not what the Romanians call the evil undead. My tutelage under him has taught me to control my thirst, to control the dark rage within.” Delilah’s hand shot up to Ashwin’s neck in a firm grip, before loosening it to gently touch his face. “You will find, contrary to popular legend, Dracule loved humans. And more than anything, despite his curse as an undead, he loved his family.” Delilah dropped her hand. “Do not make me regret my kindness towards you, Ashwin.”

  Chapter 3

  “Girls, I would like to introduce you to Dr. Franz.”

  Alexis looked at her father then turned to the odd looking man. For a doctor, he was strangely dressed and had a demeanor that carried a touch of something evil and unpleasant.

  “Pleased to meet you, Doctor.” She held her hand out to him and barely contained a grimace when he grasped it with his cold, clammy fingers and brought it to his wet, blubbering lips.

  Sadie approached and received the same treatment, though her ability to tactfully hide her disdain was far superior.