The Angel Wore Fangs(85)

What is that all about? “Why can’t she go herself?” Andrea hissed at Cnut.

“Trust me,” Cnut whispered. “I have my reasons.”

I bet you do.

Just before he left, Cnut grabbed one of the doughnuts, took a huge bite, and closed his eyes in delight. Then, he licked his lips and mouthed to her, Thank you. Then, to Zeb, he said, “Don’t touch my doughnuts.”

Zeb had already been reaching.

Once Cnut and Reynilda left, Zeb slid over onto Cnut’s seat and said, “So, Andrea, how would you like to go home to Philadelphia?”





Chapter 20


Road trip with a demon . . .

Cnut had no designs on Reynilda. In fact, he was doing his best to avoid her blatant attempts at seduction. But he had a job to do, as a vangel, and it required his getting her alone, in private.

“Where is your maid?” he asked when they reached his bedchamber, which she’d taken over, as evidenced by numerous gowns and other feminine items strewn about. “I’ll wait out here while she helps you undress.”

“I have no idea. Hedvig disappeared right after I came to the hall late this afternoon. Likewise, her brother Kormak. I sent for them numerous times, but they are nowhere to be found. Some skin is going to be flayed on the morrow, that I promise you. If they are off . . .” She let her words trail off, probably realizing how harsh she sounded, but Cnut understood. The brother and sister who allegedly shook the sheets together were suddenly gone.

Which reminded Cnut of something else. Finn had told him a short time ago that Red Ranulf went off in a huff that afternoon when chastised for bothering one of the laundresses, and he hadn’t been seen since. Ranulf and the late departed Igor were the ones who’d supposedly raped some village women.

The dominos were falling in place. Ping, ping, ping. Ranulf disappeared. Two of Reynilda’s entourage, who clearly smelled to high heaven of lemons, disappeared. And he would bet others who’d accompanied Reynilda would be found missing, too. Then Zeb the demon vampire arrived. What a coincidence! Cnut had a pretty good idea what was going on. Lucipires were having a grand old feast, and not the one inside his hall. Outside, the main entrée was evil humans.

Luckily there weren’t that many truly evil people left at Hoggstead for the Lucies to hang around. Except . . .

Which led Cnut to his reason for accompanying Reynilda upstairs. If he didn’t move quickly, the immoral princess was going to find herself in a palace named Horror. “Reynilda, I have something to say to you, and it is important that you listen carefully.”

“Will I be naked when you are telling me this important thing?” she asked coyly.

“It matters not to Him who created you.”

“Huh?”

“There is no way to lead up to this. I am a Viking vampire angel sent by God to kill demon vampires, and save evil humans before it is too late.”

Reynilda’s blue eyes went wide, then she burst out with a fit of giggles. “Oh, Cnut! You are so funny. Really. I have no idea what a vim-pyre is, but an angelic Viking man? I do not think so.”

“’Tis the truth.”

“And which god did you say it was who sent you?”

“The One-God. There is no other.”

“A Christian now?” Reynilda rolled her eyes. Then she turned serious. And bluntly aggressive. “Are we going to have a quick swive in yon bed, or not, before returning to the hall? Hopefully, your cock did not shrink like the rest of you has. No matter. It will be big when I am done with you. Come now, best you help me out of this gown. It laces up the back and—”

“No swiving, m’lady.” And my cock is just fine, thank you very much.

“Because of that harlot down in the hall?”

That and other things. “Because I have work to do if I am to save you.”

“Save me then,” she said, and tugged the neckline of her gown downward so that her breasts were fully exposed.

They were very nice breasts, Cnut noted. Large and dark-nippled. He shook his head to clear it and with a whooshy sound, elongated his fangs.

Reynilda didn’t even notice. She was too busy feeling him up.

And a traitorous part of his body noticed.

Reynilda smiled like a cat who suddenly discovers its bowl of milk is actually cream.

Pushing her hands aside, he held her arms firmly at her sides and said sternly, “Reynilda, you have committed grave sins. Repent and I can save you.”

“By fucking?”

Nice talk for a princess! “By taking a bit of your tainted blood with my fangs and injecting a bit of my blood into you. Do you repent?”

She finally noticed his fangs and said, “Eeew, Cnut! What happened to your teeth?”