Regina Jeffers - Vampire Darcy's Desire

Reaching the site, he slid from his mount, surveying the area before taking the ax from the saddle. No one could see him unless they came the way he had from Longbourn. He still had time to right one of Wickham’s wrongs; he would not let this victim become one of the walking dead.

He bent by the body and forced himself to withdraw the cloak. From his neck, he removed the cross on a chain. First, he touched it to the woman’s forehead. “In the name of the Father,” he began. Then her chin. “And of the Son,” he continued. Finally, he laid it between her breasts.“And of the Holy Ghost,” he whispered.“Dear God in heaven, take this woman’s soul and guard it from the evil it knew recently. Ask her to forgive me for what I must now do to her body.”

He rose to his knees, where he might have more leverage. It took three sharp whacks of the ax to sever the head from the body, but he did so without remorse. Otherwise, the woman—whoever she was—would become like Wickham, searching the land for innocent victims. With no blood circulating through her veins, it was a matter of bone and tendons. Afterwards, he adjusted the head to make it look as it had when he and Bingley last saw it, retrieved his cross, covered the woman again with Elizabeth’s cloak, and mounted his horse to leave.

When he reached the cover of the tree line, Darcy looked back to see Bingley and Colonel Forster riding towards the site. Overweight and out of shape, the constable lagged behind, but Darcy watched as he joined the others. Bingley pulled back the cloak he placed there less than an hour earlier. All three held handkerchiefs to their noses as they examined the body. Eventually, the colonel touched the head, and Darcy watched their reactions of shocked alarm.

After a few moments, during which he uttered another prayer, Darcy turned his horse towards the main road leading to Longbourn. He would meet Bingley’s party there once he hid the ax among some bushes along the road. He would return it that night to the woodpile when he came to Elizabeth.

“Darcy,” Bingley called when they saw him approach, “how is Miss Elizabeth?”

“The lady puts up a good front, but she suffers greatly.” Darcy said.“Please be kind to her, Sir.”

The local magistrate puffed with self-importance. “Of course, Mr. Darcy.We will treat Miss Elizabeth with all decorum.”

“That is all I can ask, Sir.”

CHAPTER 7

True to his word, the magistrate asked only a few tactfully phrased questions of Elizabeth. Her story echoed what Darcy and Bingley said earlier. During her interrogation, Darcy stood close behind her, filling in details where she seemed unsure. With Darcy’s impeccable reputation, Bingley’s new status in the country, and the presumed innocence of Elizabeth Bennet, their retelling satisfied the law. Colonel Forster asked a few probing questions, but nothing Darcy did had not anticipated. When both gentlemen left, Mr. Bennet issued an invitation to dinner for Bingley and Darcy.

“We cannot impose, Mr. Bennet,” Bingley said quickly.

As she motioned Bingley to the side, so that Elizabeth could not hear, Jane Bennet pleaded,“Please, Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth is still distraught; Mr. Darcy’s presence seems to bring her peace. Please remain for a few more hours.”

Bingley looked at Darcy, seeking his approval.With a nod from his friend, Bingley readily agreed. “Thank you, Mr. Bennet. We accept your hospitality.”

As her mother still suffered from a case of nerves, Jane Bennet took care of details.“I will go tell Mrs. Hill.”

Elizabeth stood upon hearing the news.“I am in need of some fresh air. Mr. Darcy, would you accompany me to the garden? I do not believe I care to be outside alone.”

“Wait, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Bennet and I will join you.” Bingley wanted to ensure they were properly chaperoned.

“That is not necessary, Mr. Bingley. Mr. Darcy and I will go no farther than the nearest bench.We will be seen by any eyes that wish to observe us.” She continued,“Please do not judge me as impertinent. I want to feel the fresh breeze on my face—feel clean air in my lungs.The house seems so confining right now. If I felt entirely

Mr. Bennet watched her closely, trying to judge what was best for his daughter.“Stay close to the house, Lizzy.”

“Yes, Papa.”

Elizabeth headed for the entrance hall, and Darcy dutifully followed her. She reached for her wrap on its usual peg. “Where is my cloak?”

Darcy stepped up behind her and spoke softly into her hair. “You left it in the field, Miss Elizabeth.”

She spun around, her eyes filled with remembrance.“It was slowing me down as I ran.” She paused, totally consumed by the mental image of herself in flight.“I have no cloak.What will I wear?”

“The cloak was ruined, Elizabeth. Mr. Bingley and I finally used it to protect the woman’s body from the elements.” He kept his voice even to allay her fears. “When I brought you home, I wrapped you in my coat.”

“I remember now.” Elizabeth’s glazed-over eyes told Darcy she was replaying in her mind the whole scene of his finding her in the field.

“You will use one of your sister’s cloaks this afternoon.” He reached for a plain brown wrap and placed it over her shoulders.

Elizabeth’s hand tightened around his wrist. She looked up at him, her fathomless green eyes luminous with need. “What will I wear tomorrow?”

He swallowed hard.“I will buy you a new one, the most beautiful cloak you can imagine.” He would give her anything if she would continue to look at him with those mesmerizing eyes. He whispered,“I will buy you a hundred cloaks if you wish.”

Elizabeth giggled nervously with the absurdity of what he said and the absurdity of the situation in which they found themselves. “I cannot accept even one from you, Mr. Darcy.”

“That is where you are wrong, Miss Elizabeth.” He continued to fasten the brown cloak’s clasp at her neck.“I will insist. It is my and Mr. Bingley’s fault we could not salvage your other one.” He hooked the button under her chin. “I will claim extreme shame

“After the riding habit, Mr. Darcy, I put nothing past you.” She sighed. “Come, Mr. Darcy, we will finish this conversation in the garden.” She led him out the front door; they proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse.

Once seated among the trees, Darcy slipped her hand into his. They sat with their backs to the house; no one would notice them from the window views.“Do you wish to speak of today, my dear?”

“We should.” Beneath it all, Elizabeth felt fearful, but she was unsure of the source of her apprehension. Part of it was the terror of the afternoon, but some of it also lay in her growing feelings for the man who sat next to her.

His apologetic manner spoke of his true feelings. “Elizabeth, I am deeply sorry I inadvertently placed you in danger.” His slightly husky voice was serious and passionate. “It will be on my conscience until the day I die. I hope someday you forgive me; you deserve so much better than the horror I brought into your life.” He caressed her hand, stroking her palm with his fingertips.

“Fitzwilliam, you did nothing . Nothing at all to harm me.”

His icy blue eyes remained fixed on hers.“Tell me what George Wickham said to you,” he said in a quiet, dangerous voice.

Through tear-filled eyes, she related her complete conversation with Wickham. “I was wrong to speak to him without your knowledge.” Darcy did not push further; he simply waited for her to continue.“Wickham spoke of your cruelty to your cottagers and to the villagers. I am ashamed to say there was a time when I would have believed him.The man has a way of playing on a person’s sensibilities. We need to do something, Fitzwilliam.”

Darcy knew she would reach this point eventually. He had the argument with himself often enough that he expected it from her. “And what would you suggest, my dear?”

“We tell the authorities.”

For years, Darcy had avoided emotional involvement with any woman. It was all in the past now, however; this woman looked How does Mr. Darcy come by this information? And you disclose that my family is cursed, thanks to our ancestors’ love affair, and I could be as evil as Wickham if I chose.We would be ruined. My reputation—Georgiana’s future—your future and your sisters’ futures—your entire family’s status in the neighborhood—some will believe the tale and believe I am also evil. Others will consider your words madness.”

She glanced at him, her thoughts scattered.“You are right,” she finally acknowledged,“but we cannot let him get away with killing that woman.”

“From what I know of Wickham’s pattern, he will not strike again for a week or more, other than the occasional animal—a dog or a sheep.”

“I cannot believe you speak so lightheartedly about this wickedness,” she said challengingly.

Darcy’s face reddened with anger. “You are mistaken if you think I find no contempt in this situation. I have lived with it longer than you. It has been my existence, and what I relay are the absolute facts. Forgive me if I am aware that evil corrupts absolutely.”

Elizabeth wondered momentarily what she would be doing right then if Darcy had not entered her life—certainly not considering how to kill a vampire before he struck again. “So we cannot go to the authorities.What do we do, then?”

“First, I need to lure Wickham from the area—get him away from you. His normal mode of operation means he comes looking for easy victims. He chooses very vulnerable targets; rarely does Wickham select a woman of circumstance. If he did, he might draw more notice from the local law officers. In most small villages and towns, the law is incompetent, at best. By the time someone makes a connection, he is gone.”

“That does not make these women not worth saving!” she

He spoke coldly and curtly.“I never meant to imply otherwise, Miss Elizabeth.” He belatedly realized his rudeness.

“Did Wickham kill Vivian Piccadilly?” she blurted out in frustration.

Darcy spoke unguardedly.“I always assumed he was the perpetrator. Miss Piccadilly’s body was found close to a stream. Her father was devastated by the condition in which he found her. I always felt the shame in my part of his pain.”

“ Your part?” Elizabeth seized upon the words. “What part did you play inVivian’s death?”

Darcy seemed reconciled to his role in the murder. “Does it matter?”

“It matters to me, Fitzwilliam.” Elizabeth stood suddenly, staring at Darcy as if seeing him for the first time.

“If I tell you, you will turn away from me.”

Suddenly, she saw things in a sharper focus; she remembered her aunt’s description of Vivian’s body. In a voice of resigned contempt, she said,“You prevent them—Wickham’s victims—from following him, do you not?” She was acknowledging as much to herself.

“The only way I know to stop them from becoming one of the walking dead is to break the connection between the body and the soul…letting the soul out, so to speak, to make its way to heaven, rather than dwell in hell.” His words pierced the air, increasing the cold, which invaded their bodies.

“How can you do such a thing?” she insisted.

“It is the most responsible thing I do. I offer prayers of redemption for the victim’s soul and forgiveness for mine, and then I do what must be done.” His eyes were dark with anger at the injustice.

A frown creased across her forehead.“Did you do the responsible thing today?” she whispered.