He tried to remove her from his mind, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
He found her attractive—not just her beauty, but her innocence. Her seeming lack of conniving ways baffled him, given that she was a thief.
The jeweler unlocked the case and removed the necklace. The gemstone was in a teardrop shape, circled by diamonds, but the diamonds were small enough not to detract from the beauty of the sparkling gem.
“I’ll take it,” Lucius said.
He didn’t need to buy the necklace—he had already gotten her a perfect costume for the masquerade—but he wanted to. He didn’t question why.
When the jeweler told him the price, Lucius didn’t hesitate, dropping all the golden coins needed.
“One last thing,” Lucius said, suddenly remembering why he had come here in the first place. “The tailor mentioned you might have tickets to the masquerade?”
“Only a handful left. Some of us merchants were given a few in case we had any high-paying guests. While it is a celebration, it’s also a charity ball.”
“Oh, they’re taking donations?”
“Yes, a donation for the Brotherhood. With the Magi Council a bit in shambles, the Brotherhood has been working to keep the peace. They’ve expanded to guarding areas, sweeping the lands for monsters and darkthings. You know how it is.”
The jeweler took out two golden tickets.
“You said you and your wife?”
Lucius nodded. “Yes.”
The charity ball for the Brotherhood.
Lucius had been asleep for a long time. The Brotherhood had always been a secretive sect working in the shadows. He was surprised to learn they were the ones who had captured him, and that Hacinda, the fae he had been besotted with, had been working with them to seek out the twisted and the corrupted.
Which, now that he was a vampyre, he was considered to be.
“Thank you,” Lucius said, dropping the coin for the tickets and slipping them into his pocket.
There were a few more things he wanted to buy, but the sun had already disappeared, and stars speckled the sky. Breaking his promise to Tavia wasn’t worth gathering the remaining items on his list.
He shuffled back to his home, balancing all the bags and boxes in his arms
When he returned, Lucius was surprised to find the fire lit, Tavia wearing his robe, and sitting on the couch, reading a book. Her legs were crossed, and just a sliver of her pale skin showed. Suddenly, Lucius forgot how to think and how to breathe as he watched her. Her hair was wet, pushed back to reveal her pointed ears at just the right height.
She glanced up at him with a warm smile.
“I see you enjoyed the bath,” Lucius said, placing all the packages on the floor.
“The best I’ve ever had,” she replied, closing the book and setting it on the table. She shifted into a sitting position, and as she did, the front of the robe opened just slightly, revealing the faint V of her chest.
“I’ve brought you something to change into, something more comfortable—but you’re welcome to stay in that robe,” he offered.
She hugged the robe tightly.
“It’s extremely comfortable,” she said with a contented sigh.
“Are you hungry?”
She nodded.
“Good, sit. I’ll make you something to eat.”
“You cook too?” she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
