Jessica found a quiet corner of the huge forbidding house and tried to blend into the shadows. Although the expected year for mourning a parent had expired, she still wore black. Her father had been a harsh man and it somehow seemed appropriate to extend the period of mourning still further than society deemed necessary.

The gown made her light complexion wan, its high collar and boned corset complementing the strict formality, which the prettily pleated skirt could not combat even with the aid of a high fashionable bustle. Even her brooch was mostly Jet with very little gold on show, and the only relief to the outfit was her auburn hair and soft green eyes.

The eyes she was unable to alter, but her hair was ruthlessly pulled back, a severe centre parting leading into two plain buns on either side of her unadorned head. Jessica felt that she was suitably sombre in spite of the festive atmosphere around her.

The other females at her cousin Isabella's gathering were beautiful butterflies, fluttering at the admiration of as many men as they could induce to notice them. Her heart sank at the vivid tableau seemingly enacted for her benefit, was this the fate that awaited her once the drawn out refuge of mourning was denied?

'Jessica.' A feline voice jolted her from her reverie. 'Do come out of that corner child, I wish to introduce you to someone.'

Cursing her pale complexion that accentuated the vivid blush suffusing her face, Jessica stepped out of the comforting shadows without even attempting to smile a welcome.

'Isabella, thank you for inviting me to your party.'

'Think nothing of it child, James and I felt you needed to be with people again.' The smile did not reach the older woman's cold eyes. 'Jessica, may I introduce Mr Adrian Drummond, Mr Drummond, Miss Jessica Barrett.'

The reluctance of the introduction made Jessica feel like a poor relation, someone to be barely tolerated. Her cousin always made her feel this way, but her discomfort slipped away as she finally took note of the gentleman to whom she was being introduced.

'Thank you Isabella.' It was a dismissal. 'Jessica will be quite safe in my care.'

Isabella hid her temper well. 'Yes - well, I think that James requires my assistance.' Then with a sly look at Jessica, 'Do be gentle with our little virgin Adrian.' Her malicious jibe was instantly regretted when she saw his face.

'Your husband needs you I believe Mrs Cowley.'

His icy voice danced formally down Jessica's spine, she could not believe the familiarity of her companion's address, nor the turn in the conversation. She watched in further amazements as Isabella's beautiful face drained of colour.

'Adrian?' Isabella's voice took on a sensuous pleading and she arched her body discreetly towards the tall unyielding man. 'Adrian, darling - I was teasing, trying to shock our dear Jessica back into life once more.'

'Miss Barrett, I apologise for your cousins lack of breeding.' He removed Isabella's caressing, clinging hand from his arm with obvious distaste. 'Please allow me to escort you in a turn about the garden. I believe that many of the flowers are in full bloom at this time of year.'

Without waiting for Jessica's consent he firmly gripped her arm and gently extracted her from Isabella's jealous presence.

The garden was cool and strangely quiet after the throng of the party, yet Jessica barely noticed as she strived to compose herself. This man was having a strange effect upon her senses, his bearing, his manner and even his scent were all conspiring against her.

'Good heaven's - I am excited.'

'Did you say something my - Jessica?' He smiled.

'I - no - I - I do not think that you should be so familiar Sir!' She ended in a parody of firmness while trying half heartedly to release herself from his grasp.

The prim, stumbled statement brought the smile back to Adrian's generous mouth and she watched its indolent upward curve with fascination.

'Do not speak so Jessica, it is not you. You are a sensualist not unlike myself. You enjoy human contact, the touch of bare skin against your own.'

His dark voice flowed over her; Jessica felt her lips part as his knuckles grazed upwards against her sensitive cheek causing her breath to hitch in her constricted throat.

Unable to help herself, she tilted her face into his touch and her eyes lazily drifted closed. She gasped as his mouth moved against the vulnerable curve of her neck. There was a pleasant hard friction as his lips trailed up and down, over and over. Jessica vaguely realised that the small hooks of her high collar were somehow undone, but she was too besieged with unknown sensations to halt Adrian's love making.

His arm snaked around her small waist jerking her into the length of his solid body; suddenly she felt a sweet sharpness about her neck causing her body to involuntary arch upwards in reaction and thrusting her closer still to the edge of reason as a languid warmth flooded her limbs. Her breathing became more shallow and rapid, pushing her sensitised heaving breasts against her lover's chest with a growing friction of sensation.

Her lover - the thought penetrated Jessica's passionate absorption brutally and with a strangled exclamation she tried to force some breathing space between their entangled bodies. Her struggles were impotent against his strength and fear clawed through her chest as she began to whimper, trying desperately to turn away from this unexpected awakening.

Adrian finally tasted her fear and forced a withdrawal back into himself, eyes glittering he took a small unsteady step backwards and Jessica watched with horrified longing as his tongue flicked out to lick deep red lips. He remained silent, yet she could feel his pull growing stronger again with every caress of his sea green eyes and she swayed towards him.

A warm stinging sensation forced her attention a little away from Adrian; she raised a tentative hand to her neck. Her fingertips encountered a foreign slickness; with a puzzled frown she held her hand up for inspection, her movements slow and languid.

Precious red fluid covered her fingers; Jessica raised confused eyes to Adrian, shaking her head in a daze. Her hand strayed back towards the small wound and she had to stop herself from probing.

She watched helplessly as his lips drew back revealing several elongated incisors, which his quick tongue emphasised within his gentle smile.

'I had to withdraw quickly, I had no wish to alarm you.' His voice thick with passion seemed to shroud her whole body. 'Jessica?'

She quickly pulled a handkerchief from a concealed pocket in her dress and pressed it to her throbbing neck. Adrian's eyes followed her actions and he swallowed in remembrance.

'No!' Her voice was shocked and unwilling in its tone and it drew his attention back to her drawn face. 'I do not want this!'

Jessica managed to step back; intending to remove herself from his reach, but she quickly realised that physical aloofness alone would not be enough.

'I have finally lost my mind', she thought. This cannot be real. She started violently at the sound of her tormentor's voice.

When he spoke it seemed as if each word were a ribbon floating gently around her body joining the two of them together in an impossible knot.

'You know what I am Jessica.' His gaze reached inside her, willing remembrance. 'I have filled your dreams. You know me.'

'I have heard of your kind of creature.' She cried. 'You wish to feed off me, destroy my soul!' She would admit nothing to him.

He deftly caught her agitated hands. 'I want you to join with me, be my mate.'

Jessica tired to free her hands. 'I saw the way Isabella was with you and you barely know me, yet you presume to say such things… Parasite!' She spat the word at him in passionate denial.

Alarmed, she fell back at the raw emotion on his face somehow managing to pull her hands free and a new fear invaded her breast. She watched as Adrian struggled with his rage at her words. Swallowing as his hands reached out.

Gently he grasped her shoulders, managing to control his feeling, he turned her towards the house and gave her a gentle push. 'Go, you must tend you wound before rejoining the party.'

'The party? But -'

He remained behind her, their bodies almost touching and deftly removed the protective hand she had returned to her neck. Taking the handkerchief almost scarlet with blood, he placed it briefly against his face then quickly pushed it inside his jacket pocket.

Softly his lips brushed across the mark of his possession. No other part of their bodies touched, and Jessica's head fell back eager to accommodate him.

'You will come to me Jessica.' He uttered fiercely against her skin, his tongue quickly thrusting into the small wound.

She moaned and felt her merge resistance ebbing. She almost fell to her knees when he abruptly withdrew his touch.

'I can not talk further with you at this time.'

His expulsion of her was less than gentle, the coldness and rigid control were back in his sonorous voice, and more chilling fore it was now directed at her.

'Leave me.' He commanded.

The fog of desire started to clear, yet it was with worrying reluctance that Jessica managed to comply. Not understanding why she suddenly wanted more than anything, to stay, and horrified that she did, she managed to restrain the protest that leapt to her lips and with out turning hurried back into the house before she could do something unconscionable.

That man - creature was an abomination and she wanted no part of him, she coached herself over and over again as she walked unsteadily back to the house. As the harsh edifice came into view at last Jessica forced herself to concentrate on unobtrusively re-entering and not on the dark longings swirling inside her soul.

However, no one was particularly interested in the small pale woman hurrying through the throng.

Jessica was grateful that she managed to make her way to a rest room without comment from the other guests at Isabella's gathering, she was even more relieved that she had somehow managed to avoid her cousin.

Once inside the small sanctuary, Jessica leant against the porcelain washbasin, weak and bewildered. Thoughts of Adrian Drummond were inevitable, spinning through her tortured mind, his lush dark hair, unfashionably long, curling against the white of his shirt. The strength in his hands as he had…

Jessica jumped as the door opened crowding her back against a large claw footed tub.

'This room is occupied.' She breathed weakly.

'I know, that is why I came. Isabella wished me to render aid.' James Cowley closed the door behind him and lounged against it. His attempt at a soothing smile merely looked predatory.

'Mr Cowley.'

'I see Adrian has introduced himself, you must call me James cousin, after all we are family.'

'You know what he is?' She questioned weakly.

'But of course, we have known Adrian for over a year now.' He emphasised 'known' with a salacious wink and laughed at Jessica's stunned expression. 'In fact, it was just before the death of your father.'

At the mention of her father, Jessica could feel the phantom bruises all over her tender body; they were the ghosts that haunted her, not the graven image of Robert Peel's gin soaked face.

'Had not the old man begun beating you again?'

His comment barely qualified as an idle question and he did not await her response, but this statement caused Jessica's heart to leap, surely Adrian had played no part in her fathers untimely death? Her wild conjecture was abruptly cut short as James Cowely droned on.

'I would say it was high time to come out of mourning for the old goat.'

That did surprise her. Isabella's social climbing husband had always shown her father the utmost respect. James had been on of the few people that Robert Barrett had actually approved of.

He advanced on her pushing her legs hard against the rim of the tub, hands reaching for the open collar of her dress. The smell of Brandy choked her instinct to scream as his breath, hot and clammy, assaulted her senses.

'Mr Cowley - Please - ' She barely managed to speak.

Her dress ripped. 'Anything you desire, Adrian does not mind sharing things, you need have no fears on that score.'

The very idea sickened her and the room seemed to be spinning madly about them.

Jessica felt his hands grabbing her body, despite her protests and feeble attempts to resist. Tears stung her eyes and she wished that she had stayed in the dark revelations of the garden.

She could not stop a loud cry escaping her lips as her legs buckled and sent her sprawling into the large tub with a sickening thud. She lay winded, waiting in dread to feel the heavy loose body of James Cowley come down on top of her trapping her inside, she had no energy left, all she could do was wait, eyes closed against him.

Her stomach lurched as strong hands gently pulled her upwards. 'You - you did this!' Her voice rose in shocked recognition. In panic she quickly searched for James Cowley, but she and Adrian Drummond were alone in the room, the door once again securely closed.

'No! I have no need to resort to such base methods.' Adrian almost shouted. 'If I wanted to take you I would. I could make you fall to your knees and writhe in the dirt if I wished it!'

Jessica gasped at the surety in his voice. 'All this time, you have been toying with me.' she fell to the floor clutching the ruined dress about her. 'My father?'

Adrian had composed himself once again. 'He was the parasite!' His scorn seared her. 'You can not tell me you are sorry he is gone.' His voice softened. 'I will care for you through eternity Jessica; your place is with me… it has always been so. No one will ever hurt you again.'

With every breath the need pulled deep inside, her traitorous mind was seducing her into believing his velvet words. Her lover's, it weaved through the threads of glass-veiled twilight, surrounding her, filling her treacherous vessel with dark unknown desires.

She gasped, eyes widening with shocking self-knowledge. She wanted this, to be the hunter; it no longer mattered that she had once been prey; the feelings flooding her body washed all such irrelevancies aside. She could almost feel the power emanating from Adrian, its tendrils reaching for her, urging her to accept its embrace, but he was the real temptation.

It was fate, all she had to do was take her dark angels outstretched hand and step into the long dark night.