Chapter Nine
Iwake the evening after the ball, groggy and confused by my still-new sleep schedule, with my feet aching from the long night. As I shuffle out to the parlor in slippers, I curse the existence of high heels.
“Good evening,” Benjamin says as I drag myself in. He’s sitting on the chaise with Lissa, their knees touching, and they look suspiciously cozy and disgustingly awake.
I grunt, pouring myself a cup of coffee, and collapse into a chair. I’m aware I look like a disaster in my sweatpants and messy bun, but I don’t care.
“Looks like you had fun last night,” Lissa teases.
I glower at her over the rim of my mug. I’m tempted to tease her back about her closeness with Benjamin, but I’m not awake enough to find the words.
“I’m delighted to report that you’ve received two offers of patronage,” Benjamin says. “Pending some final negotiations.”
That wakes me up. I set down my mug as my heart starts to thump faster. “Two?”
“Indeed.” He smiles warmly, sliding over two envelopes.
I carefully open one. My eyes skim over the details: offer of patronage… one year… a generous salary… before skipping to the name at the bottom.
My eyebrows knot together. “Lord Joseph de Camelia…”
“The gentleman who took the last slot on your blood card,” Benjamin reminds me.
“Right, of course.” I try to conjure up the memory of his face, or something we talked about, but nothing stands out. My mind was elsewhere.
“He has three valentines currently, but assures me you would have an honored place among them. I haven’t spoken to him about the precise details of what you’re looking for. He may be more open to the idea of a non-intimate relationship if you’re not the only valentine in the household.”
“Right. That’s good.” Yet I can’t seem to drum up much enthusiasm about it.
Benjamin studies me across the table like he can see everything I’m not admitting and then nudges the second offer across the table.
This time, I look straight at the signature at the bottom, and my stomach twists oddly.
“Lady Katherine de Celeste.”
“Ah, yes. I did have the chance to broach the topic of intimacy—or lack thereof—with her. She seemed disappointed, but it’s a good sign that she was still willing to make an offer. Perhaps she’s reconsidered, or…”
My mind drifts as Benjamin continues talking.
I remember Katherine from the end of the night.
She was kind, a bit flirty in a coy and soft-spoken way, certainly attractive.
She’s from Celeste, which Benjamin suggested would be the best court for me to sign with.
From what he says, we could be a great match.
So there’s no reason I should be disappointed that the second—final—offer was from her and not someone else. No reason that I should have been hoping to see one particular name written at the bottom of one of the offers.
I realize Benjamin has stopped speaking, and glance up at him. He’s giving me a knowing look that makes heat rise to my face.
“I was expecting Lord Claude to offer as well,” he says. “I couldn’t say why he didn’t. His interest was obvious.”
“I mean, it’s good that he didn’t,” I say quickly. Perhaps too quickly. “We wouldn’t have been a good match. Obviously. I’m just… surprised, is all.”
Benjamin studies me for a moment. “There are a dozen reasons why he may have declined to offer, and few of them have anything to do with you,” he says. “I wouldn’t worry about it. As you say, it’s for the best.”
I bite my lip and nod, trying to force down the confusing emotions threatening to rise up. “So… how should we proceed with these two?”
“If you don’t have a strong preference for either one, I’ll contact them each and negotiate. Make sure that they are on the same page as you when it comes to matters of intimacy.”
“Right,” I say. Another sip of coffee, and my brain is finally starting to wake up. I need to push aside these annoying thoughts about Claude and focus, because this is really happening. I have offers of patronage. I could be a valentine, not just for a night.
It doesn’t feel real yet. If this is actually happening, I should let my roommates know… and withdraw my attendance at college in the fall, since I won’t be able to attend. The thought puts a pit in my stomach. I’m putting off the future I want once again.
But it’s only for a year. One year, and I’ll have enough money for school and rent and whatever the hell else I want. I’m securing my future by doing this, even though it doesn’t feel like it right now.
“Everything okay?” Benjamin asks, noting my silence.
“Um, yes. Just tired.” I rub the bridge of my nose. “But, yes, that sounds good. See what you can find out, and I’ll think about it.”
While Benjamin heads out to make phone calls to the two offering vampires, I return to my bedroom and curl up under the covers to rest. No matter how hard I try to logic myself out of it, I can’t fight the weird disappointment souring my stomach.
There is no reason I should feel like this.
I should be honored that I received an offer, let alone two, and excited that I might be able to find a match when we both thought it was such a long shot.
I’ll spend one year being pampered and well-paid, and then I can have everything I’ve always wanted. It’s not a bad deal.
But try as I might, I can’t stop thinking of Claude’s blue eyes. The way it felt when he bit me. I can’t help but imagine what it might be like if I were a different person, with a different life, and was ready to free-fall into the unknown with him.
Rain drums against the window as if reflecting my mood.
After a couple of hours of tossing, turning, and scrolling mindlessly on my phone, I jump at the sound of a knock on the door.
I expect Benjamin with news of the offers I received, but instead I open it to find Lissa on the other side, wearing a Cheshire grin.
“What?” I ask, eyeing her. “Why do you look like you’re up to no good?”
She cups a hand around her mouth and whispers, “I don’t think I’m supposed to be telling you, but you have a visitor.”
My heart leaps. I shove it back down. “What kind of visitor?” Probably one of the two offering vampires here to negotiate in person.
“The kind of visitor who wanders in from the rain with a sopping-wet coat and big blue eyes, asking about you.”