A picnic at a picturesque lake, a night at the theater, two more high society parties, a tour of the military garrison, a dinner with the Duchess, a half a dozen horse riding lessons, and more with James was what it took to get through her thick skull that she was the object of his courting. There was little unconsumed time for her to try and find the portal, but she managed to search a bit each day, marking off on a small map in her room where she had left off. Her lack of success was disturbing, as was the fact that no one had come searching for her yet. She had been positive that Jacks would be able to find her anywhere, or one of the men he had working for him.

She was putting a fine line on the map when there was a knock on her door. It was late, she was writing by the light of a few candles and the fire in the hearth, the past few days had seen the temperature drop significantly. Having already dismissed Sasha for the evening she was at a loss at who could be at her door. Her gaze moved reflexively toward the window but Sasha had done that ritual of hers and blocked them off completely, going so far as to bar the shutters. When she questioned Sasha on the ritual she said that the past few months at the full moon women had gone missing so they were taking extra precautions as the moon turned its full face to the earth.

?M?lady Summers, are you decent?? The voice was unmistakable, she?d been spending so much time with him lately, not to mention how similar it was to Jacks. She considered telling him she was in no state to take company but some part of her thought he might prefer her in that state, why else come so late at night?

?One moment, Lord Winter.? Her hands smoothed down her nightgown, far more modest than what she had ever worn just to sleep at home but still quite feminine. Not satisfied with that she grabbed a robe from the closet, slipping it on before she pulled the door open to allow him entry. Once he stepped inside and the flickering light hit his face she thought that she should have kept him out but it was too late for that so she pressed on. ?It is late, m?Lord, I was just about to go to sleep.?

He stepped in and far too close to Summer, something was off in his manner that was starkly different than what she?d seen of him so far. ?I have asked you to call me James. What must I do to get you to comply?? As he spoke he slipped an thickly muscled arm around her waist and pulled her in against his body, taking far too much liberty, another oddity. Up until this moment he?d been stiffly formal about any physical contact, asking her permission to take her arm as they walked and the like.

She gasped as she felt his grip tighten. ?M?lord, I am unsure what brings you here this evening but you are causing me discomfort and I would ask that you release me.? She was a Daniels, and there were few things that scared her -- even when they should -- but she could feel a shudder wanting to rise up her spine and a scream preparing itself.

It was then that she noticed his eyes, they were red. Not just red, they were a blood red, crimson to the core and inhuman. She had seen those eyes before, on the first day she?d met Jacks. He had demonstrated, beyond her ability to deny, that he was a vampire. The scream that was released was very much like the first one she?d done when Jacks had snapped his fangs less than an inch from her face. Her mouth clamped shut, silencing the noise so she could think.

That day she?d been held in chains and the grip James had now was no less binding than those metal cuffs had been. ?Please, please James, let me go.? She wanted to sound strong, giving a reasonable request, but she could hear her voice tremble.

?Let you go? Summer, I have just now gotten a hold of you. It is funny, is it not? Your name will be Summer Winter.? His other hand was now at her face, his fingers closing around her jaw, almost in a caress but too harsh to be considered such a loving action.

?It would be funny, if I planned on marrying into your family. I don?t, just in case that wasn?t clear.? It was difficult to speak, her body was shaking with the fear she was trying to suppress.

?Most women go insane with the terror by now. I knew you were different.? His fingers held her jaw tight enough that she was sure there would be bruises. ?I was not asking, Summer.?

?What is it with powerful men? Why do y?all think you can just take what you want?? Steeling her spine as she tried to think of someway to get out of his grasp. ?I ain?t your huckleberry and I ain?t never going to be anything more to you than a ship passing in the night.? Oh gods, she could feel the river of nonsense as it passed her lips but she couldn?t do anything to stop it. ?Beside what would your mother think of this behavior?? Really? Her brain went to the what about your mom?s approval route?

?You have a ton of women just beating down the doors to be all yours, why not just take one of those and be happy?? She tested the waters, jerking her head back, it didn?t move at all.

?You mean my sire? She approves of my choice. I need someone stronger than the specimens that surround me here, Summer. Someone that can handle all of my ... aspects. When the events of tonight are done you will be happy. One night of necessary pain and then we can begin our life together.? The smile that appeared was predatory and triggered a flee response in Summer; her whole body jerked as she tried to get away from him.

There was a whimper that she registered as being her own but she still tried to get herself out of this. ?James, listen, you don?t have to ... to... do anything. We were doing well, weren?t we? We were having a grand courting time. If...if you want to get married, I suppose I can do that but you have to do it proper like, it?ll be my first wedding and I want all the special memories.?

There was a loud crack as something heavy crashed into the shutters of her window, a sound that nearly made her lose her fragile hold on coherence. She was far beyond her fear tolerance level, James was forcing her face up and away, leaving a large expanse of her neck exposed. ?James!? It was a desperate plea to the man she had come to know, or thought she?d come to know.

?Do not worry, it will not hurt for long.? He sounded like he was trying to calm a favored pet so that a vet could do his work, the tone a mixture of concern and determination that this was the right course for the beast. When his teeth sank into her throat it definitely hurt but her scream was choked off as his fingers wrapped tight on her neck cutting off her air.

Time slowed, she could feel each pulse of her heart as it fed her blood into his eager mouth, draining the life from her slowly. Her vision had begun going dark when she sensed, rather than saw, the shutters splinter apart and a dark form flew into the room. It crashed into James, and her by extension, sending all three to the floor.

If she had thought she was in pain before this interruption she was provided ample evidence that she could feel more. The sensation that ripped through her body was stunning, she wasn?t sure what was causing her the paralytic pain but as James was pulled off his teeth tore out a chunk of flesh. His fingers had gripped so hard that she felt bones break, but she was free. There was a part of her mind that still functioned and it said she should staunch the flow of blood from the gaping wound in her neck, her body wouldn?t comply with the thought.

Blood was pooling as a slick river ran down her neck and to the floor where she lay, aware but unmoving. The dark shape roared and reared up, and she recognized Gregor by his unique markings. She?d seen him in his were form more than once and had always thought he looked so very pretty, dangerous, but pretty. There was noise, and angry growls, and then there was a release from the pain as the darkness reclaimed another bit of itself.