His belly twisted tightly and his head throbbed. Maia’s face filtered into his memory, then was supplanted by Meg. And Lerina. He shook his head, but at the same time, somethingsmall and warm moved in his chest. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Wayren was watching him. “Very well, then. Dimitri of Corvindale, I wish you all of the best.”
During the rideback to Corvindale’s residence from that of the sharp-eyed Rubey, Maia tried to keep her mind blank. She had so much to think about, so many emotions to sift through and to determine on which ones she should focus, she dared not begin it until she was in the privacy of her own chamber.
Preferably during another bath, where she might wash away the remnants of the interlude in Rubey’s parlor.
She shivered, a little flutter of heat streaking through her. That episode alone was enough to send her thoughts spiraling into confusion. But she dared not let herself think about it now. About:Nothing need change. We need tell no one.
Her lips tightened. Corvindale was addled if he thought nothing had changed.
When the carriage pulled up in front of Blackmont Hall, the first thing Maia noticed was another familiar vehicle parked there. Her stomach became a mass of fluttering bird wings.
Alexander.
As if she didn’t have enough to contend with. Biting her lip, she opened the little door behind the driver and asked him to take her around to the servants’ entrance.
It simply wasn’t done, of course, for a lady of the peerage to come through the rear entrance. But that would be preferable to trying to explain to Alexander why her hair was a mess and why there were four delicate marks on her neck. And shoulder. And on her gloveless wrist.
Thus, she slipped into the rear entrance and through the warm kitchen, down into the hallways that weren’t quite as gloomy as they had been when she and Angelica had arrived here. At least some of the windows were unsheathed from drapes now, so many weeks after their arrival.
Maia sent a message down to Alexander that she’d arrived and was safe, asking him to come back later in the afternoon, for she needed time to rest.
No sooner had she sent off her maid with that task, and to order a bath, than the door to her chamber was assaulted by an insistent knock. Before Maia had the chance to bolt the door—for she well knew her sister—said sister burst into the room.
“Maia! Oh, thank heavens you’re back!” She threw herself into Maia’s arms, and nearly bowled her over onto the bed, for not only was she enthusiastic, but Angelica was taller and sturdier than her elder sister. “Are you hurt? What happened?”
“I’m not hurt at all,” Maia replied, “except for the fact that you are squeezing the life out of me.”
Her sister released her and stepped back. “Is that better?” she asked. And then her face froze with shock. “Is that what I think it is? On your neck?”
Maia touched the bite marks, which were what had caught her sister’s eye. “If you think they are vampire bites,” she said in a much lower volume than Angelica, “you would be correct.”
“One of Moldavi’s vampires?” Angelica asked, sitting next to her on the bed. “Were you terrified? Did they kidnap you? All I heard from Corvindale’s message was that you’d been found safely.”
“Yes, I’m safe, and uninjured. Have you heard anything from Chas?” she asked in an effort to avoid Angelica’s question about the bites.
“Chas has not been in contact, but we’ve sent a message. He’ll be here soon. Alexander is below.”
“I know that, but I sent word that I would see him this afternoon. I need…to freshen up.”
“He’s refused to leave. He says he’ll wait here until you’re ready to come down.”
Maia closed her eyes. Noble. So noble. “It will be some time before I come down. Perhaps you can tell him for me that I am well, but I must freshen up.”
“I shall do my best, but he’s as stubborn as you.” Angelica looked at her sharply. “What happened to you, Maia? Where did you get the bites?”
“I don’t wish to discuss it,” she replied firmly. “But I do wish for a bath.”
Despite Angelica’s protests and questions, Maia managed to send her from the room with direction to talk to Alexander. Then she indulged in her second bath of the day, along with her second bout of confused tears.
Whatever was she going to do about Alexander? How could she marry him after what had happened with Corvindale? How could she marry him when she was in love with another man?
In love with another man.
Those words jumped up out of her mental whirlwind of thoughts, freezing in her mind. Maia paused, water and tears mingling and dripping from her face.
In love with another man who happened to be avampire.
