“Oh, thank you.” I take the glass and settle into a beanbag between Isis and Mina. “This place is a Scandinavian library compared to my client’s house. He’s a Renaissance man with morehobbies and artistic pursuits than he could squeeze into one lifetime, which is makingmylife interesting.”
Isis and Komal exchange a look.
“Isis tells us that your client is Lord Valerian?” Celeste accidentally-on-purpose knocks Beth’s muffin off her plate onto the floor. The raven swoops down to polish it off before Beth notices.
“Yes. His butler, Reginald, drove me in this evening. Lord Valerian lives so far out of the village and he hasso much stuffthat I’m staying at Black Crag Castle until the job is done.”
The entire room falls silent.
“You’re … living at Lord Valerian’s castle?” Isis’s eyes are two huge blue saucers. “Is that wise?”
“It’s better than driving that winding road every day, and Alaric— er,Lord Valerianis a perfect gentleman.” I blush when I think about seeing his wet, shirtless chest last night. “It’s not a normal client relationship, but under the circumstances, I don’t think I’m?—”
“I mean on account of he’s a vampire.”
The girls fall silent.
Komal shoots Isis a disapproving look.
Are they teasing me? Because if I believed in things like vampires, I could see why they’d think?—
“Isis, don’t take the piss,” Dora harrumphs.
Oh, they are teasing me.
“Lord Valerian’s definitely a bloodsucker,” says Beth with a laugh. “And a sexy one at that.”
“He’s straight out of one of our romance novels.” Komal holds up a paranormal romance with a smokin’ hot, dark-haired, coal-eyed vampire on the cover. I squint. The characterdoeslook a little like Alaric …
“He can sample my O negative any time he likes,” says Beth.
“I think we should change the subject,” says Mina.
“Let’s review the facts.” Isis checks off her fingers. “Brooding features and mysterious past, check. Gothic castle far from prying eyes, check. Never seen in the village beforenightfall, check.”
“Never?”
“Never.” Maisie shakes her head. “Recently, he’s been having a drink at the pub in the evenings. Mostly we just see his butler picking up supplies.”
“He hasn’t attended any of my yoga classes,” Beth says, “so I can’t confirm if he has a reflection.”
“Once, he and his butler came into the market when I was buying booze,” says Celeste. “He got frustrated because the automatic doors wouldn’t register him. Perhaps sensors don’t work on vampires?”
“Those doors are always finicky.” Isis wags her finger. “Once they wouldn’t let me in even when I was dancing right in front of them.”
“I think that was because you were stoned, Isis.”
Isis rolls her eyes. “I wasn’t stoned. I was channelling the Goddess.”
“I’ve never seen him eat,” I say.
I regret my words the moment I speak them. Alaric’s habits are his private business, and as much as I like these women and their silliness, I shouldn’t be speaking about a client with them. I’m acting like I’m in college and trying to get in with the cool girls.
“He doesn’t eat?” Isis slaps her thighs. “What did I tell you? That’s a classic sign of vampirism. Only blood sustains him.”
“I don’t think he’s a vampire,” I say, laughing nervously. “He’s just eccentric.”
And brilliant. And quite funny. And with an arse so fine, Geralt of Rivia comes to him for workout tips.
