Page 44 of You’re So Vein

I resist the urge to scoff.

And then an image of Komal wearing a beautiful sari dancing with a man who isn’t me appears, unbidden, in my mind. And I have to steady myself against the wall as nausea washes over me.

“I see you took down your posters.” She nods to the stack I’m holding. “Giving up so soon?”

“Your doodling skills have improved.”

“I’ve had lessons from Alaric,” she shoots back. “Even your vampire buddies want me to win.”

The comment stings. Of course, they’re not my friends. Friends are for bubbly, happy people like Komal. Not for me. Never for me.

“No more doodling on my posters. We should conduct this campaign as mature adults.” I pause. “And for what it’s worth, your friends Beth and Celeste are as good at sneaking about as a gorilla in a cat cafe. I’m not the husker, and my little outburst at Sanctus had nothing to do with Alyra’s death. Ask Gideon – he’s the one who wouldn’t let me inside that night. That’s what I was yelling about.”

Komal’s mouth hangs open. “You… you know we suspect you?”

My throat tightens as I nod. “Your friends haven’t mastered the art of speaking in a vampire-proof volume. I know you detest me, but I didn’t realise you had me pinned for a brutal and callous murderer.”

Komal’s wide eyes study me, and I see my thoughts reflected in her gaze. And I realise something.

I’m hurt.

At least some of the clenching in my chest and the hardness in my throat is because she thought so little of me…

Komal blinks, her lips forming a thin line. Her gaze rests on the stack of posters on her desk and the sweets in her hand. “Augustin, I…”

She called me by my first name.

My breath catches. “Yes?”

She shakes her head, breaking the spell.

“Nothing. It’s not important. I’m guessing you’re heading over to Black Crag,” she says stiffly. “Arabella said Gideon was there for a final strategy meeting before the delegates arrive. I’d invite myself, but honestly, I’d rather sit here and eat my way through this bag of goodies.” She pounces on the Scampi Fries. “I’ll call off my friends, but feel free to get your revenge. For the posters. Alaric can teach you how to draw moustaches.”

“I do wish this rain would let up.” Gideon frowns as he squeezes out the hem of his coat and slumps into the chair in front of Alaric’s roaring fire. “Drowned rat is not an attractive look on me.”

I’m just pleased that this time there’s a chair for me.

As Alaric’s Thrall fills our glasses with a dry-aged vintage blood, an idea occurs to me. “Reginald, Alaric tells me the castle has a fine collection of volumes on vampire history. I wonder if you have any medical dictionaries?”

“We certainly do.” Reginald perks up. “Are you looking for a particular subject? We have some vivid lithographs from the great vampire physician Victor Moroi—”

“Just the dictionaries will be fine, thank you. I’m researching ailments that might affect vampires for…” I avert my eyes, embarrassed to admit my weakness in the company of Alaric and Gideon. “Personal reasons.”

“I hope you’re not going to faint on us, Augie.” Gideon sloshes the blood in his glass as he flicks a wet curl of golden-blond hair out of his eye. “I thought you were made of sterner stuff.”

“He did run from the ballroom before my mother performed the Mora,” Alaric observes. “Perhaps he doesn’t have the constitution for our work.”

“That had nothing to do with my constitution. I merely—”

“Your books, Mr Durant.”

Reginald returns with inhuman speed, placing a stack of heavy volumes on the table beside me. I skip the first – Nosferatu Neuroses – and pick up The Cryptkeeper’s Compendium of Curious Coughs.

“Is this part of the husker investigation?” Gideon leans forward, dripping water onto the ancient parchment. “Do you have some new medical angle?”

“Hrmph. The Nevermore Coven thinks I’m the husker.” I flip past entries on moonlight madness and holy water irritations. I keep my voice steady, not wishing for Alaric and Gideon to hear how Komal’s suspicion hurts me. “Celeste and Beth have been tailing me, watching my house. That’s why I couldn’t bring Hannah tonight.”

“We can’t have them getting distracted,” Gideon says. “I’ll speak with Arabella. She’ll set them right. Is that what you want those books for? So you can inflict a curse on them, making their love spells only attract tax auditors and guys who are really into crypto?”