“Yes, ma’am. I do.”
“I’m sure I don’t need to tell you, but you have a face made for the movies. Have you ever considered acting?”
I blushed all the way to my toes. “Not really, no. I’d probably make a better extra.”
Gianna reached into her purse, pulled out a business card, and handed it to me. “Here, darling, take this and keep it safe. If you ever find yourself in need of something—anything at all—just give me a call. It’s the least I can do for a friend of Henri’s.”
“He’ll be here tonight,” I said with excitement. How great would it be for us to hang out with one of your old friends? “If you meet me back here at the end of the show, I’d be happy to reintroduce you.”
Gianna beamed. Her smile was dazzling. “Darling, I would absolutely love it. What a wonderful surprise. I know your show is about to begin, so I won’t keep you any longer, but I will be in the audience, watching youreverymove.”
I shook hands with her again and ignored the glares Sergei was giving me. He despised any mention of your name. The other day he threw me out of rehearsals because of a hickey you’d left on my neck. He told me not to come back until your chew marks were gone.
“Such a pretty lady,” Bruno said, eyeing her ass as she made her way out of the dressing room. He tilted his head as if just realizing something. “Do you think she’s…”
“No. Definitely not. She waswaytoo nice.”
Bruno shrugged. “Perhaps one day I will have a demon lover of my own.”
I laughed. Bruno was shameless. “I don’t think a demon could handle you, Bruno.”
He shoved me playfully and tried to mess up my hair, but I dodged him. It took forever to tame and slick back my mop for a production. If it weren’t for you, I’d have cut my hair by now. My thoughts began to drift again, until Bruno tugged on my arm and told me it was time to take our positions.
The curtains were about to go up, and you were sure to be watching.
24
Henri
Iwas late in arriving to your performance. Xavier, in his accommodating nature, had already groomed and dressed for the night’s festivities. He and I communicated via a journal that I’d kept a secret from you. I wanted you to believe the niceties I provided were partly due to Xavier’s efforts. It was one of the reasons I encouraged the two of you to spend time together and gave him glimpses of our intimacy. I wanted Xavier to be a viable option in the event I ever had to leave you.
In my situation, I couldn’t take anything for granted.
I arrived at the end of Act I. I’d missed the Dance of the Knights—your favorite sequence—but made it in time for the Folk Dance. You’d been cast as one of the Capulets, with most of your stage time having already taken place in the ballroom scenes. I resolved to attend a future showing to catch up on what I’d missed.
I’d also forgotten, in my haste, to procure a bouquet. I’d need to remedy that as well, or perhaps make a note of it for Xavier to follow up. I was distracted throughout most of your performance, my thoughts still lingering over Lydia’s lost soul and the remorse I felt in having failed at my duty. The ballet passed rather quickly, and only during the death scene was I acutely aware of the deep ache I harbored inside me like a festering wound.
At the end of the performance, I let myself into the back of the auditorium and waited outside your dressing room for you to finish changing. It seemed to be taking longer than usual as I watched several of your contemporaries filter out, including Sergei, who, upon seeing me waiting, shot me a cold, reptilian smile. The look in his eyes made my uneasiness grow, and I wondered about what nefarious plot he might be scheming.
When my curiosity at your tardiness turned to worry, I ventured inside. There I saw you deep in a conversation with none other than my mother, still masquerading as a Hollywood starlet. From the star-struck look in your eyes, I could see you were utterly enthralled, and if there were any secrets I’d wished to keep, it was already too late.
Just as I was considering waiting in the shadows until she left, your eyes alighted on me. Blessed boy, how your face lit up whenever you saw me. On most occasions it was something I cherished, but one look at your expression, and Lena would immediately know the affection between us. You were my weakness, and for someone such as me, who had been running from his destiny for so long, you were the screw she would turn to gain my obedience.
“Henri,” you called, all lightness and joy. “Look who it is.”
Lena smiled like a serpent and gave me an appreciative once over. Incest was commonplace among our kind, even encouraged. I’d never engaged with my mother in a sexual way, but I suspected Lucian had. In any case, that was the least of my concerns.
“Gianna Russo,” you gushed to me. “Why didn’t you tell me you were friends?”
My most immediate instinct was to grab you, throw you over my shoulder, and ferry you away—as far as I could get. I’d hide you in a cabin somewhere deep in the woods and keep you safe from whatever potential schemes Lena might conjure to entrap you, and by proxy, me as well.
But that would only be a short-term solution.
“It’s so wonderful to see you again, Gianna,” I said with a small bow. Lena placed her hand in mine, and I brought it to my lips in a gesture of deference and submission. I’d gladly roll over and offer her my throat if it meant keeping you safe.
You then went on to compliment Lena on her performance in her most recent production which had released that past winter. It was a film where she was something of a vampiric queen—not much acting involved there.
“Henri wouldn’t see it with me because…” you stopped. The reason I’d told you was a ruse; the real reason was it felt too much like lying by not revealing my parentage in this B-list actor.
