“I think I’d rather stay outside in the sun,” I remarked.
“It’s kind of cute,” Vail countered, flopping down on the bed. Grateful for the blackout curtains that most hotel rooms have, we kept them closed for Vail’s sake. I hung theDo Not Disturbsign on the door and went to the bathroom.
Thoughts of Connor crept into my mind. He was probably waking up for work, expecting to see me. I grabbed my phone, fingers hesitating over the keys before typing:
“Hey, something came up. Let’s rain check.”
I couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment that settled into my chest. I brushed my teeth and slipped into a white, fluffy robe.
Emerging from the bathroom, I found Vail already cocooned in the bed, engrossed in some trashy reality show on the hotel TV. I climbed into bed next to her, the sheets feeling crisp but not quite as soft as I’d hoped. With the lights off, the only illumination in the room came from the TV, casting a cool glow on Vail’s face. Memories of the last time we shared a bed danced at the edge of my mind, but I pushed them away.
“Stop looking at me,” Vail said, and I felt a flush of embarrassment and turned my gaze away. She turned off the TV, leaving us in darkness, and then rolled over to face me.
“Want to talk about it?” she said in almost a whisper.
“Talk about what?” I replied, though I already knew what she was referring to.
“About you asking Vladimir about Draven?” Vail propped herself up on her arm, her eyes searching mine in the darkness.
“I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask,” I admitted quietly, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air.
“Rosie,” Vail’s voice was soft, her hand warm as she reached out and placed it on mine, resting on the pillow. Her touch was comforting, grounding me. “Don’t you think that if he were still alive, he would have found you by now?” she asked gently.
“Yeah,” I replied, but the uncertainty lingered in my heart. Despite my attempts to convince myself otherwise, a small spark of hope refused to be extinguished. Deep down, something whispered to me that Draven was still out there. Maybe that was why I kept moving, why I couldn’t stop. Because some part of me still believed I’d find him again.
A tear rolled down my cheek, and Vail, sensing my distress, pulled me into her comforting embrace. “It’s okay,” she reassured, pressing her lips into my hair. “I can distract you if you’d like,” she offered with a hint of humour, playfully pinching my nipple.
“Hey, don’t make this weird,” I said with a chuckle, playfully kicking her under the sheets. The lighthearted moment was a welcome distraction from the weight of my thoughts.
“Do you think you will ever tell Connor that you’re a Vampire?” Vail’s question cut through the air.
“He would kill me if he found out. He’s a Slayer, Vail. And besides, I just met him two weeks ago,” I confessed, the weight of the truth settling heavily on my mind. I was always going to have to keep my guard up with Connor. As much as I’ve thought about being with him, there would always be my secret standing in the way.
“If you’re so afraid of him, why do you keep seeing him?” Vail’s question hung heavy in the air, probing the depths of my uncertainty. “Clearly, you two have been intimate with each other.”
I paused, searching for an answer amidst the tangled emotions. “I’m hoping he might provide some insight into the drug.” But I didn’t tell her that there was something about him, a magnetic pull that I couldn’t resist.
“He’s going to find out eventually,” Vail insisted.
I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. “Let’s just go to sleep, and when we wake up in the evening, we will find this Sable.”
I drifted to sleep in Vail’s arms, and it was the first time in a while that I didn’t dream.
TWENTY-SIX
September 19, 1891
I stood in front of the ornate mirror, my reflection wavering in the candlelight as I carefully pinned part of my hair up, leaving the rest down in cascading ringlets. I decided to wear the crimson dress since it was the most elegant and grand garment I owned.
Tonight was the night I would pledge myself to Draven forever, the man I loved. Yet as I stared at my reflection, doubt crept into my mind like a shadow. Did I see myself in this situation mere months ago? Never.
My fingers traced the delicate chain of my mother’s necklace, adorning my neckline, and my mind started to wander back to my childhood.
A soft knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and Draven’s voice pierced the silence. “Rosalia, may I come in?”
Draven stepped into the room, his eyes light with affection as they met mine. “Is everything all right?” he asked as his brows came together.
I forced out a smile. “I … I am feeling a little nervous, that is all.”
