I straighten and pull him up. He looks a little dazed, but very happy. I grin in delight and resist the urge to pat his wonderful ass. If I do that, I’m not sure if I will be able to stop myself from ravishing him on the ballroom floor.

“See you at dinner,” I say, as if I truly am a gentleman.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he replies with the sweetest of smiles.

As we walk our separate ways, my heart is fluttering like a crazy thing. I just need to get rid of Gregory and then the rest of the day is going to be wonderful.

My feet crunch on the gravel. It’s four in the afternoon and the sun is setting. I truly hate winter. I’m so glad January is nearly at a close, and Imbolc is tomorrow. The turning of the seasons towards spring is always a welcome relief.

Unlike the sight before me.

Gregory is on the other side of the wrought-iron gate that leads to my property. And I know damn well that it is not the metal that is holding him back. He’d let himself in if he could.

“What’s with all these wards?” he bellows in exasperation as soon as he sees me.

I stop several paces from him and cross my arms over my chest.

“What do you want?”

He flinches at my tone, and tendrils of guilt coil within me. This is my oldest friend. My closest friend. My only friend, come to think of it. Everyone else is merely an acquaintance.

Gregory huffs. “I want to apologize, old chap.”

His expression is sheepish and his ridiculous hair is as unruly as ever. Falling into his eyes and making him look pathetic.

An image flashes of him bending Luci over a chaise lounge while Luci sobs like a lost and broken soul. My fists clench and my stomach heaves. But was that awful night really Gregory’s fault? He asked, and I gave him permission.

Who was Luci obeying? Who was Luci desperate to please? Who is the real monster?

I suck in a jagged breath of ice cold air and the pain feels nowhere close to what I deserve.

“I can’t let you in. I won’t have my consort upset,” I say.

Gregory scowls, and I see surprise cross his blue eyes. Damnit. I called Luci my consort, not my vessel, and that’s a thousand times more intimate. I’m referring to our marriage, claiming him as my spouse. Not just my vessel. Not only a tool for magic. Not merely my property. My consort.

I grind my teeth. My feelings for Luci are personal and private. I didn’t mean to share them. But I can’t take my words back now.

“How about you come here then?” says Gregory. “So we can talk man to man?”

I suppose that won’t do any harm. Though it does feel like betraying Luci. I should just tell Gregory to fuck off, but the blame for that horrendous night is mostly mine. I should have protected Luci. Kept him safe. Not subjected him to that ordeal.

“For god’s sake man!” bellows Gregory. “Don’t make me yell my apology through this blasted gate!”

Fine. That’s fair enough. I step up to the gate and fiddle with the combination lock. The gate creaks slightly as I pull it open just enough for me to slip through. The magic of my wards tingles over me as I step over them. They keep people out, not in, and as their maker, they do not restrict me at all.

Gregory grins at me. A big predatory grin, with an evil gleam in his eyes.

“Gotcha” he says.

And the world goes black.

Chapter twenty-eight

Luci

The clock is ticking loudly. Each click announcing Drew’s lateness. The table has been set perfectly. George is standing with perfect form, waiting to serve dinner as soon as my husband joins us.

But where is he? Drew is normally very punctual. Has he lost track of time? That’s not like him at all.

My gaze flicks back to the clock. Ten minutes late. I look at George. He shrugs.

I sigh. My mother would have fired him on the spot. George should have quietly stepped outside and asked someone to look for his lordship. It’s a shame it is the butler’s day off. Not that he is much better.

Nevermind. I’ll look for my husband myself. It will be better than sitting here twiddling my thumbs.

As I get to my feet, George has the sense to open the door for me. I thank him and head for Drew’s study. It’s chilly out here in the hallway. I wrap my cardigan tighter around myself and try to pretend that it is only the cold that is making me shake. Drew is fine. He has to be.

His study is empty. As is his sitting room, drawing room and bedchamber. I check his bathroom too. Then the ballroom, in case he has gone back to glare at the broken chandelier.

Nothing. Nothing but empty rooms and an eerie silence.

Katy finds me by the grand staircase.

“Have you found him?” she asks.

I shake my head and fight back my tears. Crying really will not help the situation.

“Okay, I’ll get the staff to sweep the house and the gardens,” she says. Her tone is calm but there is concern in her blue eyes.

“Have you tried calling his mobile?” I ask.

Maybe I do need a new phone after all. I barely used my old one. But now I have someone I want to call. And it’s not like Drew can be by my side all the time.

“It’s just ringing out,” she says.

And my stomach fills with dread. I watch as she hurries off to organize the search party. Everything is fine. It has to be. He has gone for a walk or to run an errand and he forgot to tell anyone. He will be back any minute now and scoop me up into a big embrace and apologize for scaring me.

I hurry to the garage and count all the cars twice before I’m forced to admit that they are all here. My lungs feel tight and my eyes are prickly and hot. He still could be walking around the grounds somewhere. In the dark. At the very tail end of January.

Perhaps he has fallen. Had an accident.

A distraught whimper bubbles out of me. I need to find him.

Drew is my everything. He is my entire world. The other half of me.

Of course. That’s it. How am I so stupid? Claiming he is my other half is romantic nonsense, but for us, it has some grounding in reality. I am his vessel, he is my mage. Magic that once was mine, flows through him. I should be able to sense him.