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Prologue

Wherein Our Heroine Considers Her Options

Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy, Dowager Marchioness of Rockley, had a problem-and for once, it didn’t have to do with vampires

Well, that wasn’t precisely true-it did, in an oblique way There really wasn’t any part of her life that had nothing to do with the undead

Ever since her great-aunt Eustacia had inforo, that she was the next in their long family line of Venators-vampire hunters-Victoria’s life had becos, sharp wooden stakes secreted on her person, and the challenge of appearing normal to the rest of London Society

Victoria was anything but north amulet, the vis bullaThe tiny silver cross every Venator wore pierced through their skin i: speed, strength, and fast-healing capabilities

But despite her unique skills, Victoria’s current proble woman

It had to do with a man

She looked at the rich bloodred gown her iven by the Duchess Farnhalory With its low d?colletage, clean lines, and understated frills, this was the kind of frock that would, like a entleman’s attention to her person as he atteloved hands to himself

With her creamy skin and thick, dark hair, full red lips and thick-lashed eyes, the goould nificent presentation

Dressed thusly, with her curling hair piled high to show off her long, elegant neck (which was, at the moment, devoid of vampire bites) and white shoulders, she would cut the kind of figure that would cause Sebastian Vioget’s aers itch to touch His attention would linger on her, heavily, leaving her no doubt of what he wanted to do… what, in fact, he had already done on numerous occasions

And as pleasant as those et wasn’t her problem

It would have been so much easier if he were

There was an enthusiastic knock on the door, and then a burst of energy bustled in Her e hair that matched her personality: loud, uncontrollable, and colorful “M’lady, I’ a pair of soft pink gloves “They ’ad a stain an’ I forgot I took’em to wash, an’ left’em to dry Grass stain, from th’ party at Lord Fenworth’s after yer return froht to m’self, What will my lady wear…?”

Victoria let her rass stain was indeed from the Fenworths’ f?te-when she had had to slay a va a stake, and she’d re one under her foot into the grass But apparently her maid had been able to remove the stain, for the pale pink appeared un out the sensuality of her garnet-hued gown