A second human man approached us, his suit identical to the one worn by the man at the door. Judging from his soft smile and slightly vacant expression, Albie had spoken with him on his first visit to the hotel.
“This way, Mr. MacLean,” he said in accented English, a dreamy quality in his voice. “I have your room prepared.”
I spoke in Albie’s ear as we followed him. “You told him your real name?”
“I’ll make him forget it,” Albie said under his breath.
The human led us to a wide corridor lined with sets of double doors. A bell dinged, and I spun around, one hand going for a weapon. But, of course, I didn’t have one.
“It’s okay,” Portia murmured, squeezing my forearm. “It’s just an elevator.”
Elevator?
A second ding rang out, and a pair of doors slid open, revealing a metal box inside. A third man in a black suit poked his head out.
The man guiding us rattled off something in a foreign tongue, then turned to us. “This way, please.”
Albie started forward.
I stared at theelevator, apprehension tingling over my skin.
“Tavish…” Portia said, tugging at my arm.
“What’s that box do?” I asked.
She grinned. “It carries people up and down between floors so they don’t have to climb the stairs.”
I knew my confusion showed on my face. “Why would anyone need such a thing?”
“Well…” She glanced at the box. “There are a lot of stairs.” She tightened her hold on my arm, and she lowered her voice as she added, “The attendant is watching us.”
“Let him,” I said. “I don’t like that box.”
Something undeniably wicked glinted in Portia’s eyes. “Why all this resistance,lad? Are you afraid?”
My breath caught. She’d tossed my words back at me, using my taunt from the first day in the castle after I’d found her near the auld stones.
Humor and desire filled me in equal measure, the latter making my voice rough as I leaned into her. “You play with fire, Princess.”
Challenge gleamed in her eyes as she drew me forward. “Get in the box, Tavish.”
The uniformed human cast us curious looks as we entered. He pushed a button, and the doors clattered shut. I looked at the ceiling. Before I could lower my head, we lurched into motion, and I bit back a snarl. Albie gazed around with naked wonder on his face.
Moments later, we lurched again, and a louddingmade me jump.
“Fifth floor,” the human said.
The doors slid open, and Albie’s guide led us into a corridor much smaller than the one we’d traveled from. A thick carpet spread over the floor, the edges running all the way to the bottom of the walls. More doors greeted us, and I tensed.
“Your suite,” the guide said, unlocking a door. He pushed it open, and relief slid through me when a spacious chamber spread beyond the threshold.
Albie entered, his bright head on a swivel as he took in his surroundings. Portia followed with her skirts pinched between her fingers. My boots sank into more plush carpet, and a chamber fit for a king greeted me.
Windows dominated the far wall, the glass framed by dark blue curtains. More lights glowed on tables with elegantly carved legs. A sitting area held upholstered furniture, and an armoire stretched toward a coffered ceiling. Curtains framed a bed large enough for a dinner party.
Maybe I could tolerate the metal box, after all.
Noise from outside drew me to the window. The rising sun splashed orange on the buildings. Horseless carriages puttered past on the street below. Humans moved in and out of buildings, the men in hats and dark trews and the women in tight dresses that showed their legs. Almost every female wore her hair short like the vampire’s.
