"Lillies-of-the-valley", he murmured, "the sweet scent of innocence". Yet his kisses had been anything but innocent as he fed her deepest desires while honeysuckle and wild roses perfumed the languid air.

Lord of Darkness...

"Steyning Hall. It is a cold place. And melancholy", he warned, "almost as if it is...waiting for someone. Perhaps your coming will change all that".

House of Shadows...

Wedded mere hours, Madeleine gazed up at the windows of the mansion, stained the color of blood by the dying sun. A shiver passed over her, as though someone had stepped on her grave. Was it caused by longing for the ardent lover who'd wooed her, or fear of the distant husband he'd become? In the shifting moonshadows, she heard voices calling, an infant wailing, and knew not whether to flee for her life or offer up her heart.