“She’s alive,” Gideon breathes. “But a few more minutes and she wouldn’t be. She’s lost a lot of blood.”
“She’s still bleeding,” Maisie gasps, pointing to the dark stain on Isis’s neck.
“It will stop in a moment. I’ve licked the wound.”
Komal whacks him over the head with hertray. “How dare you?”
“Ow! I washelping. Vampire saliva closes a wound quickly.” Gideon rubs his head where Komal hit him. “I thought you knew all about vampires.”
“I didn’t know that your version of first aid was to go around licking things!”
“Where’s Baylor?” Alaric demands, his eyes so stormy that I’m afraid of what he might do.
“He’s still in there. He’s subdued, for now.”
Alaric plunges into the room. Gideon picks up Isis and carries her through to the sitting room. He sinks onto the sofa, holding Isis against his body, as he orders Maisie to find something sweet for her to eat.
I slump down beside her, knitting my fingers in hers. Isis’s eyelashes flutter, and she makes a gasping sound.
“I caught him,” she croaks out. “I knew it was him. Witch’s instinct …”
“You’re amazing, Isis. But you have to rest now. We’re going to get you something to eat.”
She claws at the camera hidden in the button on her shirt. “I got it all. He said that he wanted to taste me as he took my life.”
“Fuck, Isis.” Dora elbows me out of the way. “I can’t believe we agreed to this crazy plan. I could have lost you.”
I stagger back, letting Dora take care of her sister. Maisie runs in with a cup of Reginald’s hot chocolate, which she passes to Isis. The other book club members – except Arabella, who probably doesn’t know yet – crowd around. My stomach churns with shame.
I can’t believe I put them all in danger. And all because?—
… all because I wanted to protect Alaric. I wanted to clean up everything for him so we could be together. But it was a lie.
I whirl around and stagger from the room.
“Winnie, wait—” Gideon calls, but no one comes after me as I fumble my way back to the hidden room. Alaric has dragged out Baylor’s limp body, and he’s handing him off to Callista’s Thralls. His eyesblaze as he sees me.
“Mina’s husband has already handed over Isis’s evidence to my mother. She’s preparing for the Mora, and they’ll bring him to the ballroom.” Alaric’s jaw works. “I’m so pleased we got to your friend in time.”
“No thanks to you.” I gesture to the avalanche of stuff strewn across the hallway. “What is this?”
“It’s me.”
He says it matter-of-factly, as if he’s discussing the weather.
“But … I thought you were over this.” I toe a box in disbelief. “We did all that work cleaning your rooms. We got rid of all that stuff. I made you asystem.”
“And you did a beautiful job. That’s why I hid these things here. I’ve been so overwhelmed by your presence, I needed an outlet. So I would sneak away and paint or sculpt or …” Alaric brushes glitter from my bare shoulder. His touch makes me shudder. “I wanted to give you a gift, to capture something of your beauty and brilliance in my work, but nothing was perfect, so I hid them away. But now you’ve agreed to stay here with me. We can clean this up, together. We’ll play your music and put things in boxes and everything will be perfect again.”
“No.” I shake my head. Tears stream down my cheeks. “It won’t.”
“Winnie—”
“We’re not meant to be together.” I struggle to get the words out through my sobs. “We’re too different.Thisis who you are, and I can’t live with it. And you can’t live with me as I am. Your laws won’t allow it. We tried to make this work but our walls are just too high.”
“Love tears down walls, Winnie.” His voice chokes with emotion.
“Don’t you see? I can’t lovethis. I can’t be with someone who needs me to clean up their mess.” I turn away from him. I can’t bear for him to see me cry. “We have to get back to the ball. We don’t want to keep the vampires waiting.”
