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He stumbled, cursing as he tried to free himself too late.

I darted forwards and shoved the stake deeper. The fool, like others, died, and I sought the survivor. He bolted for the door and ran down the stairs.

I shot after him in hot pursuit, but he made the open door before me and ran straight into Julia. Julia broke his neck none too gently and finished him off.

“Jacques, you’re bleeding!” Julia exclaimed, kneeling in the muck and pressing against my stomach. I looked down and saw a large gash across my stomach muscles. I cursed under my breath, and she grinned, rising to her feet.

“It wasn’t that deep, and you are healing already.”

“Thank God. What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded.

“I was looking for you. Some bloody idiot of a vampire attacked me last night. I asked your butler where you were, and he said you’d gone out. So, I decided to find you. How many was there?” Julia questioned.

“Fifteen in total. One was old and a second a Drainer.”

Drainer was our name for those who got strong by drinking the blood of older, stronger vampires.

“A Drainer! A few of them are beginning to appear,” Julia remarked.

I looked down at the mess on Julia’s clothes and the state I was in.

I led Julia away from the scene before anyone could ask us what the commotion had been about. Until we were clear of the house, we never spoke a word as I hurried Julia through the back streets of London.

“What’s up?” Julia asked.

“The Master wasn’t home. He mustn’t learn we were there. Let him think a hunter has killed them off, I’ll get him later tonight or tomorrow.”

“That is, if he returns there,” Julia said tartly, trying to straighten herself out.

Julia shook my guiding arm off and marched next to me.

“My house or yours?” she asked.

“Yours. Can you provide me with a different shirt to wear?”

“What do you think I am? Li’zel or Ami?”

Mockingly, I raised my eyebrows, and Julia laughed and nodded. We went through the servant’s entrance, and luckily, it was empty. Ascending the stairs, I surveyed the house. Like mine, it was richly furnished and decorated in deep rich colours. I liked Julia’s taste in decor and told her so.

“Jaq, I’m not tacky!” Julia said, laughing as we entered her bedroom.

Julia had an old four-poster bed, which dominated the room. Lace curtains surrounded it, offering a romantic look. Julia’s clothes were nowhere in sight, and I thought that she possibly had a walk-in wardrobe.

Julia disappeared through a door and flung a white muslin shirt at me.

“Thanks,” I said, stripping off my ruined one. In distaste, I dropped it on the floor. Julia sat on the edge of the bed and studied me through narrowed eyes.

“You’re still in good shape, Jaq, aren’t you?”

“There is nothing else I can be. Frozen forever, remember?” I teased and laughed. “Unfortunately, Julia dear, I am not a plaything.”

Julia giggled too and relaxed back on the bed.

I joined her and lay on my stomach next to her. I’d missed this.

Chapter Nineteen.

Julia ran her hands through my hair and smirked.