Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
I pulled the emerald-green gown from the hanger. Philipe had requested a formal dinner, though from what Bella told me, Fiona had been hoping for a quiet dinner in the salon. Who would have thought it was the male that wanted the fancy meal? I hugged the dress against me and studied my reflection. Maybe. I tossed the dress on the bed next to the navy-blue one and wandered back into the closet. If it was a solo dinner with Lucas, I’d already be decked out in the red, one-shouldered silk number with the fitted bodice and layered skirt.
I sighed. Maybe I’d put it on after we got back to our room. It would be worth it just to have Lucas strip it from me. I tugged down the copper-colored gown. It was a simple A-line sleeveless dress, but the material shimmered, and the back dipped low. It was sophisticated. It was perfect.
I laid the dress over the back of a chair and drew a bath. Lucas wouldn’t be back for at least an hour. He wanted to call Sergi and see if he could reach Devon. When he’d asked Philipe what he knew about dreamwalkers, I had no doubt Lucas would tell Philipe the truth. Then, maybe Philipe would show us the book.
But Philipe had ended the conversation, preferring Fiona to be in attendance before anything more was revealed. So, the topic was paused until the customary drinks before dinner. And that gave Lucas too much time to think.
“You don’t have to ask approval,” I’d told him once we got back to our room.
“It’s not approval. I want them to be aware of the situation.” His tone held an edge, and he punched the wall before leaning his forehead against it. “Ever since I heard of the De f?rste dage , and Cressa asked about the Renaud libraries, I’ve thought of nothing else. Until now, it’s been nothing but a rumor, just like the dreamwalkers. But once we learn the truth and hold the book in our hands, there won’t be a question of civil war."
It was rare to see Lucas so upset, but he was passionate about the topic and seemed to think it all rested on him. I pressed my body against his back and wrapped my arms around his waist. “You’re not the one making the decision on sharing the contents of the book to vampire society. Devon. Colantha. Hamilton. The Wolf. They’re all ready for this next step. The book is just one piece.” I stepped back and grabbed his hand, turning him toward me. “Even if they weren’t involved, and you learned about the book and dreamwalkers on your own, you wouldn’t be able to keep it to yourself for long. You always do the right thing. That’s what I love about you most.”
He hugged me for the longest time. Then he picked up his cell and walked out the door.
I slipped into the bath and breathed in the mixed floral scent, reveling in the warm, silky feel of the water. I let my mind wander as I considered the days we’d chased the book while vampires hunted us. Almost losing Lucas had shaken me to the core. But something good came out of it. I learned more about him, parts of himself he kept hidden. There was so much more for us to learn about the other.
Then I smiled as an idea began to form. Maybe Santiga Bay wouldn’t be our next stop.
An hour and a half later, I completed the last touches of makeup and tugged at a few tendrils of hair that a housemaid was kind enough to put up for me. I was still in my bra and panties when I strolled out of the bathroom and jumped when Lucas walked out of the closet.
I plastered a hand against my chest. “You scared me.”
He grinned. “Sorry. I didn’t want to disturb your hair and makeup session. Besides, I wanted to see the end result. You look rather delectable.” He stepped close and pulled me to him.
“Don’t mess up my hair.”
“I wouldn’t think of it.” He pressed a kiss to my neck and then my collarbone before pushing a knee against my upper thigh. He knew all my hot buttons.
“That’s not fair.” I pushed him away.
“Put on your dress. I want the full effect.” He wore a deep-chocolate suit, and his blond hair and beachboy look made me gooey inside. It was going to be a long evening before we could be alone. He worked on his tie while I disappeared into the closet.
The housemaid had hung the dress on a nearby stand along with the matching shoes. She’d laid out gold dangling earrings on the dressing table next to a long slim black box. Curious, I opened the box and took a step back.
A small gold charm in the shape of a dagger lay in black satin. It was strung on a thin, gold, twist-chain necklace.
I finished dressing and put on the earrings. I rolled a finger over the charm. Interesting.
Lucas turned when he heard me behind him. His gaze glowed with the force of the beast—bright electric blue. My nether regions heated instantly. This would definitely be a long night.
I held out my hand with the necklace in it. “I found this in the dressing room.”
He stepped toward me, reaching for the necklace. “Turn around.” His voice was deep and lustful, and I did as he asked.
He fastened the necklace and turned me around. “The dress is a perfect color on you, and I can’t imagine anyone filling it out like you. But this necklace…” He picked it up and rubbed a thumb over the dagger. “This was made with you in mind.”
“I don’t understand.”
“This isn’t part of Renaud’s collection. I had this made in Fayetteville. Let’s just say between an amazing jeweler, Rom, and a little persuasion, I was able to have this fashioned. I noticed you wear charms on a chain and thought I’d add a new one.”
“But why now?”
He didn’t answer and appeared to be weighing the correct answer. In the end, all he said was, “Can’t a guy buy something nice for his girl?”
I threw my arms around his neck. “As often as he wants.”
He kissed me, his lips soft and gentle and full of promise. “As beautiful as you look, I can’t wait to strip that dress off you.”
His words, so similar to my earlier thoughts, made me shiver.
“Why are you in such a good mood? Did Sergi and Devon give you the advice you were looking for?”
“I didn’t call them.”
I tilted my head, instantly curious at what could have made him change his mind so completely. “Why not?”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “You gave me all the advice I needed.”
Philipe, Rom, Jacques, and Bella were already in the sitting room when Lucas and I arrived for drinks. It didn’t seem unusual to see Philipe and Rom in such fine attire, but Jacques was like a new vamp, and it was apparent he wasn’t overly comfortable in the suit and tie. Bella, on the other hand, fit into the burgundy gown as if it had been made for her. And I lifted a brow when Rom’s gaze appeared to note it as well.
“Wine or something stronger?” Philipe asked.
“Wine for me.” I glanced around the room that was filled with paintings and sculptures. If I were Cressa, I might channel my internal Pandora and determine what a fence would pay for each treasure. I held in a snicker as Philipe handed me a glass. And though I never heard Lucas answer one way or another, Philipe passed him a scotch, seeming to pick up on his growing tension.
We’d barely sat when the men stood as a young woman entered the room, her elegant gown of navy blue complementing her white-blonde hair that had been pulled back into a chignon. She looked my age, though her sharp gaze held centuries of wisdom, considering she had to have been at least a hundred years old to have been a custodian in the 1920s.
“I’m so sorry for my absence until now.” Her voice was melodic, and her smile sincere. “I’m sure Philipe told you I tend to lose myself in the stacks. I would have been here sooner, but we rarely get visitors, and our cook was beside himself on what to prepare. Then he became flustered thinking the soufflé had been ruined. He’s really too much of a perfectionist. I can’t remember him ever serving a bad meal.”
“Except that one time when Father came to visit and brought several pounds of crawdads,” Philipe reminded her.
Her laugh was full-bodied. “Oh my, yes. But that wasn’t the cook’s fault. Somewhere along the way, the crawdads had thawed and then were frozen again. They were quite bad. I don’t think any of us have been able to touch one since.”
They both laughed at the memories as Philipe poured her a glass of wine. Introductions were made, and the couple sat together on a sofa and turned their gaze on Lucas.
“Sorry to put you on the spot, as they say, but Fiona and I haven’t been able to talk about anything else since you mentioned dreamwalkers. They’re a myth among vampires, you know.”
I wasn’t sure what direction Lucas would take the conversation, but he squeezed my wrist, and I knew he’d be fine. Rom shifted in his chair, and though he knew part of what Lucas had to share, it only skimmed the surface.
“Vampire society has been led to believe they are a myth, but I think you know better.” When Philipe’s stoic expression didn’t change, Lucas wasn’t deterred. He settled back and sipped his scotch. “It all started with a simple trade. The services of a human thief for a debt owed. You said you’d heard of the tragic Trelane accident and Lyra being the only survivor. She’d been horribly traumatized by the event with the loss of her parents and Hamilton, her first love. At some point during her recovery, she began hearing voices and spoke of horrible dreams. Everyone thought she was lost to insanity—all except Devon and Sergi. Instead of sending her to an asylum, Devon hid her within the manor, creating a livable environment where she could be safe.”
Lucas spoke briefly of Devon’s absence due to the Poppy and his eventual rise as House leader. Then he shared the rumors Devon had heard about dreamwalkers and his belief they might somehow help Lyra. But his decades of research came up empty until The Wolf brought him Cressa.
Then Lucas told them about Devon’s and Cressa’s shared dreams.
“You’re telling me her dreams were prescient?” Philipe asked, his astonished gaze meeting Fiona’s.
“From what I understand, not all of them are, but we know of one that came true and another that was close enough to a real occurrence.” Lucas accepted a refill of scotch from Jacques, and he took a long moment to appreciate it.
I was so proud of him, I wanted to kiss him. But he was on a roll, and I didn’t dare touch him in case it broke his concentration.
Once he had a moment to prepare for the next reveal, he continued. “Cressa eventually asked her mother about the dreams and learned of her father and the medallion he’d had made for her. It was Devon who convinced her mother to help, and she gave him a single name.” He hesitated and took a large swallow. I wasn’t sure if he’d done it for dramatic effect or to calm his nerves.
“Colantha Dupré.” He shared Cressa’s story of her travel to New Orleans to find the woman who claimed to be a dreamwalker. Then he jumped to Cressa’s abduction by Venizi from an accident eerily similar to Guildford’s.
“Devon believed the only way to find Cressa was by reaching her through her dreams. But he needed help, so he went to New Orleans to find Colantha Dupré. At first, he thought she might be using strong voodoo, but it didn’t take long for Devon to realize she was the real deal.
“Colantha came to Santiga Bay to help with our search.” Lucas shifted in his seat and set his glass down, holding the gaze of Philipe, Fiona, and Rom. “The others in this room will back me up. Colantha is, in fact, everything she says she is. She took us to what she calls a construct. A dreamworld where you believe everything is real.” He scooted to the edge of the sofa, completely engaged with our hosts. “All your senses are alive—touch, smell, taste, hearing. Quite frankly, it’s almost indescribable.”
“And you’ve both been there?” Fiona turned to Bella and Jacques, and, looking extremely uncomfortable, they both nodded. “Why do I feel there’s more to the story?”
“We learned two things during our rescue of Cressa from Shadow Island. First, we learned that Colantha can bring non-dreamwalkers into a construct and hold them there unless they have the mental training to break the connection.”
Lucas was aware this would be the sticking point between the vamps and dreamwalkers, so he gave them time to digest the information. While Rom turned a shade paler, Philipe and Fiona didn’t appear surprised.
“And the second item?” Philipe asked. He appeared to have moved beyond doubt of the existence of dreamwalkers and was merely confirming details.
“During Cressa’s time on Shadow Island, she discovered Venizi was holding a prisoner in a guarded building. She became aware of the prisoner when he reached out to her in a dream.”
Fiona edged closer, and Philipe reached for her arm as if to hold her back. “Who was this prisoner? Was she able to save him?”
Lucas nodded. “It required a team of vampires, shifters, and Colantha, but we managed to extract him.” He took a deep breath before delivering the bombshell.
“The prisoner was Hamilton.”
Lucas followed the group into the dining room, letting Bella and Jacques bear the brunt of the questions over what it was like to be in a construct and the brazen rescue from Shadow Island. Ginger tapped his arm several times before he realized he was gripping her hand too tightly.
“Take a deep breath,” Ginger suggested. “It’s going to be a long night, but you’re doing great.”
“I hope I’ve done the right thing.”
“Of course, you did. It’s important for Philipe to hear Bella’s and Jacques’s opinions.”
The conversation at dinner shouldn’t have been a surprise after everything Lucas had revealed. Philipe and Fiona were amazed that Hamilton was still alive and, after getting a shave and a long bath, didn’t look much older than the last time Lyra had seen him. No one knew dreamwalkers lived that long, but everyone admitted they knew next to nothing about them other than secretly guarded myths.
“You said something about Lyra getting better once Cressa arrived at the manor?” Fiona swallowed a bite of salmon and washed it down with a sip of wine.
“She’d been having better days through the years, though she’d revert without warning.” Lucas nudged Ginger to pass the potatoes, but a server was there in an instant. “From what Devon shared, she was more aware—and more precocious—after Cressa’s arrival. But her recovery was most notable when Devon was framed for Boretsky’s death and leadership of the House fell to her. It prevented a sanction on the House.”
“I heard about that episode,” Philipe said. He moved the mashed potatoes around his plate, mixing them with the glazed green beans. “The Council moved much too quickly in recommending sanctions. No doubt Venizi drove them into a frenzy.”
“I’m still curious about one thing.” Lucas chuckled. “I guess my list is longer than one item, but it was something Colantha mentioned when attempting to convince Hamilton to trust her.” He gave Bella a brief glance and was surprised to see she’d stopped to savor the wine. She seemed as curious as the others about his question. He’d forgotten that much of what he’d learned about Colantha hadn’t been completely shared with the cadre. Not because of mistrust, but because events in the House had been moving too rapidly, and their focus had been on information critical to the security of the Family.
“She mentioned she was an heiress to the Seven Tribes and the daughter of someone named Adelice.”
Fiona, who had been buttering a roll, dropped her knife while Philipe’s fork of mashed potatoes and beans stopped halfway to his mouth. They looked at each other.
“It couldn’t be the same Adelice,” Fiona said.
“It’s just a coincidence. It has to be.” Philipe set down his fork and glanced around the table. “You mentioned a medallion at the beginning of your story. Do you know what it looks like?”
Lucas had continued eating, expecting a lengthier discussion about Colantha’s claim, and wasn’t prepared for a question about the medallion. Fortunately, Ginger jumped in to answer for him.
“The medallion is embossed with three objects—the Blood Poppy, an ibis, and something called the Dagger of Omar. On one side, they’re represented in that exact order. On the back side, they’re in the opposite order. From what Cressa told me, or what Colantha told her, the specific order of the items on the two sides represents the connection between vampire and dreamwalker. The medallion also acts as a conduit to provide more control in a construct.”
Philipe stood, his chair almost toppling over before one of the servers grabbed it. “Please, finish your meal. I’ll meet you all in the library for dessert and brandy.” Then he rushed from the room.
Fiona finished the rest of her wine and held the glass up for the server to pour more. “This is all so much more than I’d expected. Please, as Philipe asked, finish your meal. Cook spent so much time preparing it.”
Bella and Jacques tried to hold their grins, and Ginger was giddy. Lucas wasn’t sure which part of their discussion—either Colantha’s ancestry or the objects on the medallion—caused Philipe to race out of the room. But he could only wait and see if it had been enough for Philipe to share what he knew of dreamwalkers.
Rom kept the conversation flowing for another half hour, as it was clear Bella wasn’t going to stop eating anytime soon. Not wanting his partner to feel alone, Jacques continued to clear the plate of his second helping. But Lucas pushed his plate away, his nerves playing havoc with his stomach.
When the group finally left the dining room and arrived in the library, Philipe stood next to a lectern. It had been turned to face the row of chairs that had been positioned in a half circle around it. On the lectern, easily visible from the chairs, a book lay open. The only thing missing was a spotlight to shine down on it.
Lucas didn’t need to be told that the book was the De f?rste dage .