Lady Crest acknowledged the vampire’s order they were to leave and had no time to even concur as Vail swept her up from the seat no sooner than he had stood from it. She wrapped her weak arms around his neck to help stay stable as he manoeuvred about the lodge. She stayed deathly silent to allow him the concentration he needed. She was very touched at how protective he had become of her despite only knowing her less than a month or so. 

Gerald led the charge straight to the summer house. “I see lights!” He pointed over yonder to the others. “She must be in there!” Although it wasn’t too far away and Gerald breathed a sigh of relief at her possible location. He was still anxious what he would find when he got there. Would Victoria be angry or upset? But his anxiety turned to one of fear as soon as the door to the lodge flung open to reveal her vampire lover was holding her in his arms.

A gasp escaped his mouth as only one thing came to his mind. “He’s taken her! Stop him!” He grabbed his pistol from its holster as Vail whisked the Lady around to the side of the summer house. Victoria shivered immediately in the cold night autumn air. She clung to the vampire closely and overheard Gerald shouting that Vail had taken her, which was so far from the truth as one could get. He was protecting her from him as she had requested. Yet his two subordinates immediately gave chase to the couple as they had no reason to doubt their leader. 

Ray, however, knew this wasn’t the case. He approached Gerald’s side quickly before he could break away from him. “Perhaps there is a simple explanation for all this?” He didn’t wish to exactly divulge that he knew of the Lady’s affair with Lord Hygrace but he didn’t want Gerald jumping to the wrong conclusion.

“What in the God’s name do you mean, Pierce?” Gerald grit his teeth and shook Ray’s hand from his shoulder and broke into a run. “AFTER HIM!” He barked his orders as Ray watched him run off with a sigh. He then ran after him a few seconds later. Lady Diana fretted as she was helpless to save her daughter. She wasn’t sure what was going on but her daughter had claimed to be in love with the vampire, and if that was indeed the case, it was her choice and Diana would have to accept that. 

Victoria only wished how they could see how Vail treated her with tenderness and care he had displayed, not only on this night but on their previous encounter. How he held her, stroked her, made her feel so content just to be within the arms of another. It didn’t matter if he were a vampire or human, he was a man who treated her right. And that’s all she’s ever wanted. He was the complete opposite of Spencer, another vampire who [i]did[/i] display monstrous behaviour. Vail had never conducted such violence against Victoria.