Thea barely spoke on the drive home from shopping. She angled her petite body toward the window, watching Paris fly by in utter silence. Judging from the bags that made their way into the Bentley’s trunk–according to Jacqueline, these were only a small portion of the purchases–the trip had been a success. But Thea remained unreachable, even though she was sitting next to me.
I shot a quick text off to my best friend.
Did you break my girlfriend?
Three dots appeared and then disappeared. I waited, but no response came. Jacqueline and I needed to have a little talk. I’d expected her to fill Thea in on some of the more delicate particulars of vampire society, but exactly what had she told Thea?
By the time we arrived back at the house, I was beginning to panic. I went around and opened her door. Thea didn’t look at me as she climbed out. Instead, she rushed into the house, passing a confused Hughes, who shot me a questioning look.
“Have you upset Mademoiselle?” he asked. “I could arrange to have flowers delivered.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said, starting up the stairs after her. I paused on the third step. “On second thought, yes. Flowers seem like a good idea.”
I went to the bedroom and found it empty. She wasn’t in the bathroom or out on the terrace. As I turned to look for her, some of the housemaids began carrying in the shopping bags.
“Shall we hang these?” one asked.
I nodded, too distracted to care what they did. They could cut them into tiny pieces and toss them about like confetti for all I cared.
She wasn’t on the rooftop. Finally, I made my way down to the library. I found her there, tucked into a window seat that looked out over a little alley below. It was the least scenic view in the house, but she stared out to something beyond the glass.
I approached her cautiously, worried she would run again. “Was it that terrible? I promise never to make you shop again.”
She glanced up at me, looking startled to find me standing there. “Shopping was fun.”
“That is the least convincing you’ve ever been, pet.” I sat next to her, but she shrank away as if she didn’t want me to touch her.
“The shopping was fine.” She turned toward me. Her green eyes were hard, glittering emeralds. “And the conversation was illuminating.”
“I see.” I clenched my jaw, wondering if I’d made a mistake. I’d known Thea would ask Jacqueline the questions she didn’t dare ask me. I thought I could guess what those questions might be. Maybe I had been wrong. Whatever she’d learned from my best friend hadn’t just upset her.
Thea was pissed.
It radiated off her. Ginger and cinnamon mixed with her floral aroma, spicy and sharp notes of warning. I’d messed up. But how badly?
“Thea, I don’t know what she told you,” I started, earning another fierce glare. “But whatever she said, it’s the truth. Jacqueline wouldn’t lie to you.”
“But you did,” she accused.
“I’ve never lied to you.” I couldn’t. I had tried. No wonder I was fucking things up.
“You told me that you wouldn’t sleep with me because my virginity was a precious gift or some other bullshit,” she seethed.
I could hardly resist the urge to smile. Whenever Thea cursed, she looked like a kitten trying to act tough.
“I meant that,” I said softly. “Whatever other reasons I had, I meant that.”
“But you let me push you, knowing that if you lost control, I would be tethered to you. That is screwed up!”
“I know.” I nodded, feeling a heaviness settle on my chest. “I won’t lose control.”
“Really?” She lifted her chin, blowing a renegade strand of hair out of her eyes, before pressing on, “So the blood-lust and the blood-rage are you being completely in control?”
“Yes,” I hissed. “I would never endanger you.”
“Liar,” she said softly. “Just being here puts me in danger, and if I can’t trust that you’re telling me everything I need to know…”
She glanced away, her throat sliding as she swallowed whatever words finished her thought. If she couldn’t trust me, what? Where did that leave us?
“I wish I’d brought my cello,” she said suddenly. “I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore.”
Her words felt like a knife through my heart. “I would never change you.”
“You made that clear,” she said in a flat voice.
“Can’t you understand the boundaries now?”
“Yes,” she admitted, but she took a deep breath. “But I’m not sure why I’m here anymore. Jacqueline said…it doesn’t matter.”
“What did she say?” I asked, but Thea remained quiet. I slipped my glove off and reached for Thea’s face. Cupping her chin in my hand, I stroked my thumb across her cheekbone. “Pet, what did she say?”
Thea nuzzled against my bare skin. “Nothing.”
“What?” I asked again.
“I need time to think,” she said, standing abruptly and knocking my hand away. “And I have to prepare for this evening’s event.”
“You don’t have to go to that,” I said quickly. The last thing she needed was to deal with my mother and a bunch of snobby vampires and familiars.
“Why? Because I might find out all the secret expectations for vampire wives?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Too late. I know that you’re trying to avoid having kids, so you’re shacking up with me–a mere mortal who can’t give you any.”
“I don’t think of you that way, and I don’t want you to go anywhere you’re uncomfortable.”
She rolled her eyes. The defiance sent a jolt to my groin. I wanted Thea every waking moment. How was it possible that I wanted her even more when she challenged me?
“I’m going,” she said in a clear, strong voice. “I’m not afraid of your mother or the others. Not anymore. Not since I know that I can never be what they want.”
“It doesn’t matter what they want.”
“Will the Council agree? You’ve bought yourself some time, but eventually you’re going to have to marry a familiar and make vampire babies.”
“Like hell I do,” I roared, knocking over a reading stand and sending an antique volume of Shakespeare flying.
“What other options are there?”
I gave her the first one that came to mind. “Pack your bags. We’ll go to Venice or Hong Kong. You name the place.”
“I’m going.” I heard the resolution in her voice, and I knew she wasn’t talking about some new city. She would attend the Salon Du Rouge, and I couldn’t stop her.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because I want to see your mother’s face when I tell her I’m not going anywhere,” she said with a wicked shrug.
“You aren’t?” But the relief was short-lived.
“Honestly? I don’t know,” she said. “I have to think about things, but since I basically blew up my life to come here with you, I don’t have a choice. You’re stuck with me for the next year. I’m not going to spend the whole time avoiding your mother.”
It was hardly reassuring, but it was better than thinking she might leave now.
“So that’s what Jacqueline told you–about how vampire babies are made?”
“That’s some of it.” But she didn’t offer to share any more of what she’d learned. “I should get dressed.”
“Would you like help?” I asked, dashing off a wicked grin.
But she wasn’t having it. “I’m still mad at you, so no.”
“Are you certain? I can be very persuasive.” I hooked a finger in the waistband of her pants.
“I’m afraid that area is off-limits until I decide.”
“Decide what?”
Thea looked me dead in the eye. “If you’re worth the trouble.”
I spent the next hour pacing the lower level. It was bad enough she knew the truth, but how much worse could it be after tonight? Why had I surrendered and allowed her to go? She wasn’t a familiar. As a pureblood heir, marrying her would cause a scandal. Our family had never fully recovered from the last one.
Fabric rustled near the stairs, and I turned to find Thea standing at the second-floor landing. She’d chosen tonight’s gown to go with the theme: the Salon du Rouge. The candy-apple-red silk twisted at the bodice, revealing the slight swell of her creamy breasts. A halter strap circled around her neck like a choker, and a silk rose was pinned to the side, over her delicately pulsing jugular. She might as well have worn her ‘Bite me’ shirt.
As she started down the stairs, her bare legs slipped through slits in the gown’s skirt. She was walking temptation.
I moved to the end of the stairs and waited. When she reached the final one, I extended my hand. “I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Her eyes landed on the glove I wore, and she swept past me. “Don’t wait up.”
“Pet,” I said softly. “It’s not too late to change your mind.”
She whirled around to face me. Her sharp eyes swept down me, an unreadable expression on her face. “Just wish me luck.”
I caught her hand and spun her toward me. “You don’t need luck.”
“I don’t?”
“No one will doubt why you’re there.”
“Why?” she challenged me with wary eyes. “I’m not a vampire. I’m not a familiar. I have no place in your world.”
I brushed a kiss over her bright-crimson lips. “No, you aren’t those things,” I murmured. “You’re a queen, and a queen directs her own empire.”
Her mouth twisted a little, but she pulled away and tucked her velvet clutch under her arm. Her hips swayed as she walked to where Philippe was waiting with the car. He opened it for her, his eyes widening, but quickly looked away.
At least he was finally learning.
Thea paused and threw a look over her shoulder. “I’m a queen?”
I nodded, my mind already thinking of all the ways I would apologize to her later, starting with stripping her out of that dangerous dress she was wearing.
“I’ll be home by morning.”
“Pet,” I growled. “I would prefer–”
But she was already in the car. The queen had made her move.
