“I forgot,” Vlad said. “You don’t speak Hungarian and therefore wouldn’t have understood the whole story. It was her father who had been molesting her, who had impregnated her in the first place. He didn’t want the scandal or the questions, so he committed her here with a large sum of money to make sure his problem went away. She had a younger sister at home. That was what she was crying about as they took her away. She was pleading with him to leave Lara alone.”
Clive pulled me in closer. “And she’s been haunting you?”
“All of them have. They mess with me when I’m awake and haunt my dreams when I sleep,” I said. Poor Léna. “I hate her father even more now. I didn’t think that was possible.”
“I knew I should have moved us to a hotel,” Clive murmured. “And this is why I keep finding you asleep on the couch. Are they doing something to the bed?”
“More vulnerable,” Vlad said.
“Yes. Exactly. I can sleep on the couch, and it feels more secure for some reason,” I said.
“It’s an illusion, of course,” Vlad explained, “but the back of the couch makes it seem as though they have to come at you from one direction.”
I thought about that. “I think you’re right.”
He nodded. “They don’t bother me as much as they used to, but I was watching you at the gatherings?—”
“Where?” Clive interrupted. “I never saw you.”
“There are medallions in the molding that are peepholes. I had no desire to talk with any of them, but I’d heard you were bringing your mate and I wanted to see her,” he said. “We all heard her heart beat faster, but I think I was the only one watching to know she’d been looking at the portrait when it happened. I’ve seen that madman lean out of the frame, the blood dripping from his hands as well. When I saw her reaction, I knew the ghosts had found a new audience.” He paused. “That was also why I gave her the ring, so she could get out whenever she needed to.”
“She’s right here,” I said, annoyed to be talked about rather than to.
“Apologies,” Vlad said, “but I was replying to your husband, who is not yet sure if I can be trusted near you.”
You should have told me, Clive said in my head.
“I didn’t want to screw up your chances with this job.” I answered him aloud to let him know I thought Vlad could be trusted.
“Darling.” Clive shook his head. “The decision had been made before we boarded the plane. Why they brought all of us here to go through these ridiculous meetings and tests is beyond me, though there is a reason.” He turned to Vlad. “Do you know?”
Vlad shook his head. “We’d already agreed to offer you the position. I have no idea why Sebastian called us in, or even if it was him. The email was from him, but I can’t say whether he’s being influenced. I will say that I’ve noticed Sebastian staring at that portrait over the fireplace for no apparent reason. He’s never so much as blinked at the other ghosts when they pop up, but that portrait seems to have him fixated. He’s never mentioned noticing movement in the frame, but I don’t suppose he would, as it would make him appear mentally unstable. Which, of course, is why I tell no one about seeing ghosts.”
“If not ghosts, we know Ava has some mental abilities. Maybe she’s the one influencing him,” I suggested.
Clive shook his head and Vlad said, “Not enough. She has to maintain eye contact.”
“Okay, well, what do they get from having you all here in Budapest?” I asked.
“We’ve left our homes possibly open to invasion,” Clive said.
“They already tried that. It didn’t work out so well,” I joked. “Besides, Russell’s holding down the city.”
“So why this group? Here? Now?” asked Vlad.
“Maybe it has nothing to do with you guys,” I said. “Maybe someone is using the North American Counselor position as an excuse to get Frank here or Delores or whomever to execute,” I said.
“Except no one’s done that,” Clive said. “They were here days before we arrived. To be honest, the rest of us didn’t need to be called. Invite whoever you want dead, tell them others are coming, then when they get off the plane, kill them. This is too elaborate for that.”
“It could be you,” Vlad said, staring at me. “There’s no scenario that puts Sam in Budapest right now if she weren’t here with you.” He turned his attention to Clive. “Did you decide to have her join you or was she invited?”
Clive thought about it a moment. “It was an offhand comment as we were about to hang up. Sebastian said that Budapest was beautiful in the summer and that perhaps my wife would like to see it.” He swore under his breath and stood, pulling me to my feet. “I’m taking you home.”
“Not yet,” I said.
“Whyever not? This place isn’t safe for you.”
“Clive.” I patted his chest. “It’s a haunted mental asylum filled with vampires. It was never safe. Meanwhile, as long as we’re being honest and upfront, I had a dream about someone being held here who may or may not have been a werewolf. I came down here to check out the room.”
