Chapter 3: Lover's First Meeting

One hour later, by Adrian's command, Ember was sitting in a carriage, wrapped in a warm coat and sipping on some hot tea under the watch of Malcolm who was standing guard just out the door.

Her mind raced over the events of the last few hours as she waited for Adrian and the others to do a sweep of the manor for Reign. So far Ember only saw house servants escaping the residence with only what they could carry and terrified looks on their faces.

Apparently finding out that you've been under the employ of a blood-sucking vampire doesn't sit well with mortals.

Ember could only imagine the scandal this would cause in the village come morning time.

Just as the thought passed through her mind, she noticed that the sky was brightening ever so slightly as the dim gray light of morning started to illuminate the estate and expansive gardens.

If Donovan had truly escaped, then he was hiding from the impending daylight that would be flooding the grounds at any minute.

With that thought in mind, Ember settled her head back against the cushion of the seat and watched the front door of the manor, waiting for Adrian and the others to finish their search.

She remembered the day she'd walked up the steps to the enormous home and knocked on the door.

There was a soft flutter in her chest as she had pushed down the anticipation of meeting Donovan Reign for the first time. But it wasn't a flutter of excitement that caught her breath in her throat, it was one of fear.

Months before the fateful day that Ember had ascended the steps of Donovan's home, Adrian was hired by a man to infiltrate its walls. The man's name was Oliver Hadmen and his daughter, Eleanor, had gone missing.

Oliver was a lanky pale man with an inheritance and who had lost his wife to a sickness. When his daughter had gone missing, Oliver was willing to lose every dime he had to find her.

That's when he'd hired Adrian and William to find Eleanor.

Little did Oliver know that he'd hired a team of vampire hunters and they were exactly who he would need to hunt down his daughter's kidnapper.

The two of them had been investigating Eleanor's disappearance for weeks when finally their search led to other cases of missing young women. As fate would have it, all of the missing girls led to one common factor.

Donovan Reign.

All Adrian and William needed now was a decoy to infiltrate Donovan's home to see if he'd been the one responsible for the missing women.

As well as find proof of Donovan's vampirism.

Ember, who'd joined Adrian's team only a short year ago, was perfect for the job. Not only was it her life's mission to eliminate the vampire species from the planet, but she was also trained to defend herself.

That's how Ember ended up at the front door of Donovan's estate.

Ember closed her eyes and remembered the fateful day that she met Count Reign. A couple weeks ago posing as a journalist, Ember lifted a shaking hand to knock on the polished oak.

But it was not Donovan who answered the door. Ember smoothed out her dress as the door swung open slowly and schooled her face with a sweet smile.

It faltered ever so slightly when a frail elderly man with a long face and gray hair greeted her on the other side.

"Can I help you, madam?" he asked in a quaking voice.

"Um, yes, my name is Ember Woods. I have been in recent contact over letters with Donovan Reign. We have an engagement tonight at sundown," Ember said sweetly, holding out the last correspondence she'd had with Donovan as proof.

The steward did not take the letter, but instead scanned the horizon behind Ember's shoulder.

"It seems you are early, madam," he said pointedly. "As it is not yet sundown."

This had been by design, of course, Ember wanted to see whether Donovan would greet her in the sunlight. However, the man's question sent off her alarm bells as Ember searched for an excuse.

"Yes, I apologize, the coach was early so there was no other option I'm afraid," Ember lied swiftly.

The steward watched her for a moment before nodding curtly. "There is no helping it then. Please come in."

"Thank you," Ember said with a sweet smile before dipping down to pick up her bag and follow him inside.

He shut the door behind her and escorted her further into the receiving hall before turning to her.

"I shall inform Count Reign of your arrival," the steward said shortly before stalking away.

Ember watched him disappear through two grand double doors. Taking a deep cleansing breath, she set her bag at her feet and looked around the room.

Her eyes traveled up the grand staircase that ordained the center of the hall.

As she took in her surroundings, she tried to tame the pounding of her heart. While she had been preparing for this moment for weeks, now that she was here the reality of her situation was starting to sink in.

Whether Donovan Reign was a vampire or not, Ember was willingly walking into the lion's den.

Steeling herself with one last deep breath, she waited for Donovan's arrival.

"Miss Woods?" a chillingly deep voice said just behind her shoulder.

With a gasp, Ember spun around in shock.

She hadn't heard a single sound of his approach which unnerved her to no end.

Her eyes found the onyx set of Donovan's who was watching her with an expression that sent electricity across Ember's skin.

"Count Reign," she said breathlessly, her hand clutching her chest in surprise. "I presume?"

The corner of Reign's mouth turned up in a dangerous smirk.

"That's right," he said in his dark throaty voice.

They observed one another for a few long moments and Ember tried her best to contain the swirls of dangerous desire as she took in his features.

Part of her had expected some shriveled-up shell of a man or a plump pompous bureaucrat. Nothing in her imagination would have prepared her for the Adonis-like creature that stood before her.

Tall and brimming with muscle that was adorned in a trimmed black suit, Reign was the most intimidatingly striking man Ember had ever laid eyes on.

Reign reached for her, making her heart skip a beat before hammering in her chest and she let out a soft breath of surprise.

A flare of hunger lit up his eyes as he brought her hand to his lips. "Welcome to my home."

A knock on the carriage window startled Ember out of her doze. It took a moment to gain her bearings and catch her breath before she looked through the glass to see Adrian standing there with a soft smile.

Ember smiled weakly before reaching for the door and turning the iron handle.

Adrian slipped inside and sat in the seat across from her.

"Any sign of him?" Ember asked, already knowing the answer.

With a small shake of his head, Adrian scrubbed his chin with a sigh.

"The d*mned coward escaped. How are you feeling?" he asked genuinely.

The look in Adrian's eyes was one of deep concern that he was unsuccessfully trying to hide.

"I'm fine," Ember said trying to reassure him.

But Adrian didn't seem convinced as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Really, I am," she said ruefully with a soft laugh.

They sat in silence for a moment and Ember took in the features of Adrian's face. His skin was sunkissed and his hair like burnt gold. But it was Adrian's burnished copper eyes that always gave Ember pause.

When Adrian reached for her hand, Ember realized that she was staring at him. He took her cold fingers into his own before bringing them to his lips.

She watched fascinated as he kissed her knuckles before pressing them to his cheek.

"I was so scared for you, Ember," he said gruffly. "For weeks with nothing but your letters to get me by, I have been a complete wreck."

This confession shocked Ember. Yes, it was true that they'd grown close over the course of the last two years of knowing one another, but they'd always kept their relationship professional.

Ember would be lying if she said that she wasn't attracted to Adrian in any way, so when he pulled her into his arms from across the carriage she gasped softly as he wrapped her in his embrace.

The warmth of his body was too comforting to resist. With a sigh of relief, she allowed herself to sink into his chest. He held her tightly and stroked the soft strands of her golden hair.

"I'm just so glad that this is over," Adrian whispered.

At this Ember stiffened.

"But it isn't over," Ember said pulling away and looking into Adrian's eyes with a hint of confusion. "We still have to find Reign, we have to make that b*stard pay."

"Ember, there is no way that I'm letting you near him again," he said firmly. "I should have never agreed to let you come here alone."

"That wasn't your choice to make, Adrian," Ember said calmly. "I chose to come here. You and the others aren't the only ones who have lost others to those demons. I have as much at stake here as you do. Besides, I won't prove William right by cowering in the corner while you search for him."

"F*ck William," Adrian bit out. "What he thinks doesn't matter."

Ember shrugged sitting back against the cushion of the seat. "Well, what he said isn't wrong. I f*cked up tonight. I let Reign get under my skin and that is why he escaped."

Adrian's eyes narrowed at her words and Ember knew that he was wondering how exactly Donovan had "gotten" under her skin.

Ignoring the cold expression on his face she gathered her hair behind her neck and sighed.

"So, what is our next move?"