“Hmm?” Kendrick said absently, watching the rest of the vampires pack up the cleaning supplies and file below before dawn broke above the horizon and sent them to sleep.
“And there’s blood all over your shirt,” Etienne continued, sounding a little irritated now.
“Is there?” He looked down. “Imagine that.”
Etienne made a wordless exclamation.
Kendrick turned and grinned. Winding up Etienne was too easy. “What?”
Addie sighed and rested her chin on Etienne’s shoulder. “You’re so nosy.”
“I was merely inquiring about the lady’s welfare,” Etienne forced out through gritted teeth.
“Oh, was there an interrogative in there? I didn’t hear one.” Kendrick laughed. “The lady is all right. She had an…emotional moment. There’s apparently going to be another attempt on my life soon; make a note, will you?”
“‘Someone will try to kill Kendrick in the near future.’ Shall it be I or someone else?” Etienne muttered, pretending to scribble in the air.
“Is that all?” Addie asked. “She couldn’t have been weeping all over you about assassination attempts. I don’t know her well, but I believe Miss Dryden to be very sensible.”
“Well, I proposed, but she wasn’t crying about that.”
“Quoi?” Etienne exclaimed.
“Youproposed?” Addie squealed at the same time.
“You meanmarriage?” Etienne pushed his pince-nez further up his nose, magnifying his eyes. “But why?”
Addie smacked him in the arm. “What do you mean,why?”
“I thought he would ask her about improvements for the Ossuary, not plight his troth. Butmarriage…”
Addie planted her fists on her hips. “We’regetting married.”
Etienne pulled Addie into his arms and rubbed his nose against hers. “Yes, but that is different,mon chaton.” Etienne shot Kendrick a narrow look. “You didn’t know who Miss Dryden was a week ago.”
“Not very romantic of you, Etienne.” Kendrick smirked.
“Yes, Kendrick can fall in love if he wants!” Addie insisted.
Kendrick stilled.Love?
“When are you getting married, Kendrick? Oh! We could have a double wedding.”
“Or, we could not,” Etienne said. Kendrick correctly readthatresponse as,“Get your own damn wedding.”
“I only put the question to her tonight, Addie; Miss Dryden must think about it. She may refuse me,” Kendrick said gently.
Addie frowned at him. “Good grief, why?”
Kendrick laughed. “Thank you for your vote of confidence.”
She rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Maybe if you didn’t walk around in bloody shirts…”
“Time for bed,” Etienne said, steering Addie towards the tunnels. “With your leave, Kendrick, we shall make use of the rooms below instead of venturing out. I believe dawn is in a few minutes.”
“Feel free. And if you can spot who maintains the rooms, let me know,” Kendrick said. Before retiring himself, he picked up his second-favorite E.D. Saxon novel,Eardwulf of the Vale, from the table in the library. It, too, contained a shocking proposal of marriage—but in this tale, it had been the plucky girl from the Highlands offering a handfast ceremony to the stranger come among them in return for his protection.
Why had he suggested marriage? He smiled ruefully down at the book in his hand. It had seemed like the logical choice at the time to give Genevieve what she wanted most and give the Ossuary what it needed. But would she accept it? Would she accepthim?
