isn’t like my father at all.”
“Maybe he’s doing more research.”
She covertly looked around her before she took a step closer, her voice lowered. “My father’s research is...different. You see, he specializes in the...in the supernatural.”
Cristian hadn’t been prepared for her words. His blood drummed in his ears as he waited for her to point to him and announce to the village that her father had come here for him.
Instead, she continued on, unaware of the havoc her words caused.
“Before he left England, he’d gotten a message from a friend telling him there was something in the Carpathian Mountains. The next day my father left for Brasov.”
Somehow Cristian managed to keep his voice even as he asked, “Do you know what he came for?”
She lifted a slender shoulder. “You’ll think him daft, but he was after a supernatural creature. He didn’t tell me which one.”
But Cristian guessed she knew which one it was by her silence. “I wish I could help, Miss Little, but I can’t,” he said before he turned and walked away.
“I was told you were heading into the mountains tomorrow morning,” she said as she hurried to catch up with him, her skirts in her hand.
He stopped suddenly and turned to her. “The mountains are treacherous, even in the summer. I’m sure you’ve heard the townspeople talk of the wolves, but there are more than just wolves out there. There are bears, lynx, and chamois, to name a few.”
“In other words, you don’t think I can keep up, that I’ll slow you down and scream at every little sound I hear.”
He shrugged. “As a matter of fact, yes.”
“I’ve hired six men. I am going up that mountain in the morning. I’d rather have someone like you with me, and I’m willing to pay for your services.”
He paused at her words. He could certainly use the money to fix up the manor, but was it worth the risk of her discovering just what he was?
“You’re going anyway,” she continued. “Why not get paid for it?”
“I’m going to regret this,” he murmured and raked a hand through his hair. No matter how much he didn’t want to take Juliann, he knew she’d be safer with him. “How much are you willing to pay?”
“Money isn’t a concern. My father is. How does a hundred pounds sound?”
“Three.”
Her chin lifted as her eyes narrowed slightly. “Two.”
“Deal,” he said and stuck out his hand.
She took it. “I’ll pay you half in the morning, and the rest once we return.”
“Be here at dawn.”
She flashed him a bright smile and turned on her heel. He watched the bustle of her gown sway gently as she walked. Already he regretted agreeing to take her with him, but the money had been too good to pass up.
Besides, he could almost guarantee that within two days she’d want to return.
* * * *
Jules was waiting for Cristian before the sun peeked over the horizon to shed soft rays of light upon the gray morning. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he might very well leave without her if she was even a second late. Sleep had been near impossible, but she had managed to catch a few hours.
The six men she’d hired stood around her, each with a bag full of coins tucked away somewhere. She had one bag left, which held the money for Cristian.
She shifted the small satchel on her shoulder that held a change of clothes. As much as she longed to wear her trousers, she knew Cristian would look for any excuse to leave her in town, money or not. So, she planned to wait until they were in the mountains before she removed her skirt.
“You’re early,” Cristian said as he strolled up.
“And you’re late,” she retorted. Anxiety made her snap at people.
She handed him the last of her money while she prayed she wouldn’t need to spend any more. She would face his wrath as well as the other men when they returned and she couldn’t pay them the rest. No need for them to know that now.
Cristian looked her over with his unusual
“Maybe he’s doing more research.”
She covertly looked around her before she took a step closer, her voice lowered. “My father’s research is...different. You see, he specializes in the...in the supernatural.”
Cristian hadn’t been prepared for her words. His blood drummed in his ears as he waited for her to point to him and announce to the village that her father had come here for him.
Instead, she continued on, unaware of the havoc her words caused.
“Before he left England, he’d gotten a message from a friend telling him there was something in the Carpathian Mountains. The next day my father left for Brasov.”
Somehow Cristian managed to keep his voice even as he asked, “Do you know what he came for?”
She lifted a slender shoulder. “You’ll think him daft, but he was after a supernatural creature. He didn’t tell me which one.”
But Cristian guessed she knew which one it was by her silence. “I wish I could help, Miss Little, but I can’t,” he said before he turned and walked away.
“I was told you were heading into the mountains tomorrow morning,” she said as she hurried to catch up with him, her skirts in her hand.
He stopped suddenly and turned to her. “The mountains are treacherous, even in the summer. I’m sure you’ve heard the townspeople talk of the wolves, but there are more than just wolves out there. There are bears, lynx, and chamois, to name a few.”
“In other words, you don’t think I can keep up, that I’ll slow you down and scream at every little sound I hear.”
He shrugged. “As a matter of fact, yes.”
“I’ve hired six men. I am going up that mountain in the morning. I’d rather have someone like you with me, and I’m willing to pay for your services.”
He paused at her words. He could certainly use the money to fix up the manor, but was it worth the risk of her discovering just what he was?
“You’re going anyway,” she continued. “Why not get paid for it?”
“I’m going to regret this,” he murmured and raked a hand through his hair. No matter how much he didn’t want to take Juliann, he knew she’d be safer with him. “How much are you willing to pay?”
“Money isn’t a concern. My father is. How does a hundred pounds sound?”
“Three.”
Her chin lifted as her eyes narrowed slightly. “Two.”
“Deal,” he said and stuck out his hand.
She took it. “I’ll pay you half in the morning, and the rest once we return.”
“Be here at dawn.”
She flashed him a bright smile and turned on her heel. He watched the bustle of her gown sway gently as she walked. Already he regretted agreeing to take her with him, but the money had been too good to pass up.
Besides, he could almost guarantee that within two days she’d want to return.
* * * *
Jules was waiting for Cristian before the sun peeked over the horizon to shed soft rays of light upon the gray morning. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he might very well leave without her if she was even a second late. Sleep had been near impossible, but she had managed to catch a few hours.
The six men she’d hired stood around her, each with a bag full of coins tucked away somewhere. She had one bag left, which held the money for Cristian.
She shifted the small satchel on her shoulder that held a change of clothes. As much as she longed to wear her trousers, she knew Cristian would look for any excuse to leave her in town, money or not. So, she planned to wait until they were in the mountains before she removed her skirt.
“You’re early,” Cristian said as he strolled up.
“And you’re late,” she retorted. Anxiety made her snap at people.
She handed him the last of her money while she prayed she wouldn’t need to spend any more. She would face his wrath as well as the other men when they returned and she couldn’t pay them the rest. No need for them to know that now.
Cristian looked her over with his unusual
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