And I know that not even this ancient, immortal warrior is impervious to wounds.
“As you wish.” His voice is hard as steel.
“Alaric, I didn’t mean?—”
“There you are.” Isis appears, completely oblivious to the tension crackling between us. “I wasn’t supposed to take so long but I got waylaid by a bunch of blooddrunk fangsters wanting refills. Callista’s friends are chugging it back like … well, like vampires at a blood bank. At this rate, everyone in the room has had some truth potion by now.AndI have news?—”
“Is everything okay?” Komal appears on my other side. She’s come from the direction of the kitchen dumbwaiter, her tray filled with glasses brimming with blood. Alaric’s eyes drop to the red liquid, his eyes flashing.
He lied to me. He said he would never hurt me, but he’s going to make me like him. After everything he told me about how much he hates what his mother did, he wants to do the same to me …
I think I’m going to be sick.
“What did you want to tell us?” I snap at Isis. I need this to be done so Ican get out of here.
“I’ve identified Baylor Godsven.” Isis shifts some of Komal’s full glasses to her tray. “See that man over my right shoulder? No,don’t look. I don’t want him to think that I’m talking about him. Laugh at something I just said.”
I throw back my head and force a laugh. Alaric chuckles beside me, but his features are grave, his laughter a harsh bark. He hisses at Isis, “Be careful around him. It’s possible he’s already husked two people. If he’s the murderer, his hunger will be a demon gnawing at his stomach. He might snap at any moment.”
“Oh, I think he’s already snapped. He’s a man of dark proclivities,” Isis smirks. “Or so he informed me while he tried to shove his hand down my shirt.”
Alaric’s dark eyes become storm clouds. “Thatbeast. I shall see him out immediately.”
I can’t bear to look at him. Is this chivalry all an act for my benefit?
“No, Alaric,” Isis laughs. “This is what I wanted! I’ll use my womanly wiles to get that confession out of him. I bet a guy like him gets off on the thrill.”
“I’ve found someone, too.” Komal nods to a woman in a circle in the corner of the room. “You know her, Alaric? Her name is Eleanor Mock of the Blood Alexandre. According to the secrets she’s spilling after three cocktails, she was sired without consent by a now-dead vampire. According to what I hear, this horny old vamp sired at least ten women before he met the justice of the Mora. What if she’s taking revenge on men who prey on women?”
“Patrick would never hurt a woman,” I cry, flashing a glare at Alaric, who turns away.
“But he did cheat on you, didn’t he?”
I nod. “But how would she know about that?”
“Oh, Winnie, this is a small village. She probably heard us all talking about what a wanker he is at the pub.” Isis rolls her eyes. “We did that a lot.”
“Because hewasa wanker,” Komal adds, liftingher half-empty tray onto her shoulder. “I’m going to get back there and see what else she feels like confessing.”
“And I’ll stick close to Mr Dark Proclivities.” Isis sashays her hips and breaks out her most dazzling smile. “Have fun, you kids. We’ll keep you informed.”
“Isis, wait?—”
She darts away, leaving me alone with Alaric.
I glance at the door. “I’m going to leave. I don’t think I can stand this a moment longer?—”
“Please Winnie … Please don’t leave.” He looks around the room, both of us conscious of every set of eyes on us. “Dance with me. Let me explain?”
He holds his hand out. Do I imagine it, or are his fingers trembling a little?
“I don’t want to dance. I am trying hard to hold it together right now, but if you drag me into the middle of this room and put on a show for these vamps after what you just told me, I am going tolose my shit.”
“I would never make a spectacle of you.” His eyes have gone back to being hard chips of obsidian. “If you leave this ballroom, I cannot protect you. And somewhere in this castle is a vampire who longs for a neck as beautiful as yours. I wish only to explain what you heard, and it will be safer on the dance floor with everyone around us.”
A knife twists in my gut, severing butterfly wings as I clasp Alaric’s hand and allow him to pull me onto the dance floor. My body is numb where he touches me. He sweeps me into his arms as the band begins a slow, mournful tune …
Wait a second …
