Fitzwilliam Darcy, Werewolf Hunter: Pride and Prejudice and Werewolves, #2

By Susannah Barton and Jane Hunter

Summertime in Meryton is heralded by the arrival of new officers to join the militia garrison before their march to Brighton, but this summer, something sinister waits in the darkness of the woods, and a cold moon is rising over the countryside.

 

A masquerade ball at Netherfield Park seems like the perfect distraction from the chilling discovery that ruined Charlotte Lucas' birthday celebrations. And while Elizabeth Bennet is determined to discover the truth of what haunts the summer nights… the search for truth is a dangerous thing, and Elizabeth is running out of time to keep her sisters (and herself) out of harm's way.

 

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Werewolf Hunter is a sensual and steamy paranormal Pride and Prejudice variation that is best enjoyed by readers over 18 years of age.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Red Thorns Press
• Release date: Jul 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393761372

Book preview

Chapter 1

Darcy smiled to himself as the young woman walked away from him. He knew that he should not have kissed her, but she was so haughty and aloof, it had only seemed fair.

He would have to remember to compliment Caroline on her idea for the party theme, as it was proving most entertaining. Although he found himself wondering who had been under the silver mask. It was clear that she knew the young woman who was dancing with Charles, but that had not stopped him from speaking more than he should have. There was something about the determined set of her chin, and the way her mouth tightened when she was angry that intrigued him. Then there was the way her eyes had flashed with annoyance that had captivated him... He could not have resisted stealing a kiss if he had tried. And he had not tried very hard. 

He watched Charles and his partner whirl across the floor, and briefly entertained the idea of asking the woman in the silver mask to dance, but then he thought better of it. He would be more likely to be rewarded with a slap than a smile.

He had judged Charles’ partner to be of a lower standing based purely on the virtue of their surroundings. Country manners, of course, would come with typically watery country bloodlines, and what was judged a ‘good family’ in this end of the country would more than likely not be welcome in the halls of the company he usually kept. He could not allow Charles to make this same mistake his cousin Beatrice had. She was mother to a pack of children and mistress of a house whose fortunes were shared by her husband’s three other brothers. Hardly an ideal state of affairs. They could not afford an estate of their own, and Beatrice’s inheritance had gone to settle the debts of her beloved husband’s title and family estate. Entirely disagreeable. 

It did not help matters that his friend looked far too happy at that very moment. Darcy spied Caroline lingering at the edge of one of the damask pillars, her eyes also trained on her brother and his graceful partner. Her golden mask glittered in the candlelight, and he made the same assessment of her as he had of the young woman who had just been standing at his side.

Caroline’s sun goddess was harsh and unforgiving, as capable of blinding and scarring as the moon was of leaving one feeling isolated and small. The sun could be oppressive and powerful, while the moon was aloof and distant… Caroline suited her mask well, and he could not abide her mercurial turns of mood and fiery opinions. She sparred when there was nothing to challenge, and while he sometimes enjoyed her banter, her barbs grew tiresome after a short time. While Charles’ eldest sister may have held out some hope that she would see Caroline as Mrs. Darcy, he had no illusions about who Caroline really was, and he could never have been convinced otherwise.     

As though she could hear his thoughts, Caroline turned her face in his direction, and a smile curved her lips, which had been painted with gold dust. The effect was meant to enhance the exotic look of her mask, but on her complexion the gold made her look flushed and somewhat sickly. Darcy nodded in her direction and turned away before she could be encouraged to join him. He did not particularly want to hear Caroline’s opinions on how the evening was unfolding or take the risk that she would ask him to dance. 

The room was warm, and while he wanted to take off his mask, it was expressly against the rules of the evening. Charles and his rules. He wound his way through the guests towards the conservatory. The young woman in the moon goddess mask stood near a small knot of other ladies, engaged in conversation with one who was wearing a mask depicting the bold scarlet face of a cardinal. However, as the moon goddess spoke to the bird, her eyes followed him, and he suppressed a smile and lengthened his strides. A breath of fresh night air would do him good. The whiskey he had drunk to fortify him before the ball had begun was burning in his stomach