Chapter 9
Penser
CLAIRE
The inn grew rowdier as evening stretched on.
Bastien’s guard—composed mostly of human soldiers—was clearly enjoying the well-earned night off.
They approached us where we sat to exchange a few words with the Duke.
I, however, sat in silence, gazing out the window at the cluster of log homes crowded beside the lake, contemplating how to proceed.
I propped my chin in my hand and crossed my legs, nervous energy coursing through me.
I was running out of time to come up with a plan.
If Bastien caught me spying on him and Natalia, it would do little to forge the trust I was supposed to be gaining.
I was playing a dangerous game with a vicious enemy.
A game my family had been fighting for centuries.
We were so close to eradicating the last sources of dark magick in the Unified Territories.
Still, doubt prickled in the back of my mind.
How could I avoid being heard by a vampire?
If I was caught and he sent me away, would Mama’s choker kill me?
Unable to hold still any longer, I turned from the window to find Bastien studying me.
He immediately focused on the table when he realized he’d been caught.
Picking at a scratch in the wood with one of his long fingers.
I didn’t know why, but the fact that he had been watching me caused a burst of heat and adrenaline to flush my cheeks. Which infuriated me.
The peace House Allard claimed to protect was a farce. My coven knew the truth. The vampires sided with Dark Witches more often than not. The fact that we were sitting inside a Dark Witch’s den was proof enough. So why? Why did the vampire’s attention make me feel so… warm?
I went to pick up my mug of mead, just to do something with my hands, but the vampire pushed the mug out of my reach. Gaping at him, I said, “I’m thirsty.”
He reached across the table, grabbed a pitcher and a cup, poured me a glass of water, and then pushed it into my hand. Lifting a brow, I took the cup and drank slowly, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat and watching him as I did.
Why the refusal? I considered the full glass of wine sitting in front of him.
I’d heard Mama lecture Sera a hundred times about how important it was for her to practice restraint, although she rarely listened. Did Bastien have the same philosophy? Did he want to remain sober because he was in charge? It was a plausible explanation. But why disallow me?
Then it hit me. He didn’t want alcohol in my veins. Maybe it would affect him too. I let that thought bounce around in my head. How could this play to my advantage? If alcohol affected him as it affected me, then perhaps other things would, too.
A wicked plan took shape in my mind. One that might help dull his senses so that I could spy on him later tonight.
The only problem with my plan was that it wouldn’t affect Natalia, so I’d still need to be careful, but something told me she wasn’t as attuned to me as he was.
Besides, she had drained a glass of wine at the table.
Maybe she’d have another after her feeding.
It wasn’t a perfect plan, and I had no idea if it would work, but it was worth a try.
When I finished my stew and chewed as much of the black bread as I could stomach, I found the Duke staring at me again.
His steady gaze was impossible to look away from, almost like there was a tether connecting us.
“Are you ready?” Bastien asked.
What he left unsaid made my spine straighten: are you ready… for our feeding.
His lips would be on me again. Those soft lips. And his hands. Holding me tight to him. Crushing our bodies together. Taking what he so desired from me. The thought caused something hot to twist in my stomach.
I was the only person who could satiate him.
This powerful, strong warrior. This prince.
He might deny it, but he did need me. And knowing that I was desired and needed was a feeling I’d never had before.
A heady, intense throb that was impossible to ignore.
But my family needed me, too. They needed me to keep my head and not allow whatever strange desire was burning between us to ruin my mission.
And familial obligation overrode everything else, especially this feeling.
“Yes,” I replied as casually as I could.
Bastien stood, offering me his arm. I stalled to collect my thoughts by taking another gulp of water. I needed time to procure some ingredients from my trunk, and I couldn’t have him sinking his teeth into me beside the fire.
“Could I freshen up first? I’m filthy.”
Bastien clenched his jaw, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. “Of course. Whatever makes you more comfortable.” He inched his arm closer to mine, and reluctantly, I took it.
A jolt of excitement tore through me as I set my hand on the crook of his arm and let him guide me to my room. As we passed through the crowded dining room, making our way toward the staircase, heads turned. Rowdy conversation dulled to whispers.
When we approached where Okeri and Tyson were seated, his nephew stood, nearly pushing his chair into the hearth fire.
“Your Grace,” he said with a bow. Lady Okeri curtsied.
Bastien waved him off with a grunt and a dismissive hand.
The sour look on Tyson’s face made me smile, and I dipped my chin and covered my mouth with a hand so as not to offend him. .
He caught me smirking, and a smile kicked up one side of his lips. “Didn’t you enjoy your time with my nephew?” he asked as we ascended the stairs.
I took a second to consider how best to answer and decided on the truth. “I’ve never met someone so… spoiled.”
Bastien laughed, and, by Diana, the sound was deep and musical. Almost as entrancing as his scent, which carried notes of bergamot and fresh pine. “Something else we agree on.”
He paused in front of a door and extracted a key from his pocket.
Nerves twisted in my stomach as he unlocked it and opened it for me.
Inside I found my trunk beside the bed. I was sure his guard had searched it, but Mama had planned for that.
However, it wasn’t the only trunk in the room.
An unfamiliar black trunk sat beside mine.
One that looked much more lavish, with gold detailing and buckles.
And that bore the sigil of House Allard.
Suddenly, my throat ran dry. “Your Grace, whose trunk is that?” I asked.
The vampire cleared his throat. “It’s mine.”
My mouth fell open, and I couldn’t stop a surprised breath from escaping my lips. There was only one reason why his trunk would be in my room.
“It is customary for sanguine partners to share a room with their vampire when traveling. For your protection,” he explained. All humor gone. His face a stoic mask.
While his intentions might be noble, they did nothing to quell my nerves. “We wouldn’t want to go against tradition, would we?” I said. I ran my fingers through my hair, wanting to scream. I hadn’t planned to share a room with him.
“You should know that I have no use for a bed, so there’s no need to share.”
I nodded and forced a smile, as if that solved everything. “Could you give me a moment of privacy?”
“Of course.” He closed the door behind him. I expelled a tight breath that did nothing to relieve the ache in my chest. Share a room. With a vampire?
Diana. How was that going to work?
Flustered, I crossed the room quickly and opened my trunk.
Now, more than ever, it was imperative that the sleeping draught worked.
Rummaging through folded garments and supplies with shaking hands, I searched for the damned vial, tossing dresses and skirts on the floor, but the only thing I could think about was sharing a room with Bastien.
How could I sleep with him looming over me? I couldn’t.
When my fingers closed around something smooth and cool, I wrenched it free, grateful it hadn’t broken in travel.
“By your light, please let this work, Diana,” I prayed.
Uncorking the small blue vial, I dripped three drops of a sleeping draught on my tongue, letting the floral-tasting liquid soak in.
I knew exactly how this draught affected me.
I had thirty minutes before I’d be battling its effects.
Bastien needed to feed on me during that time, which didn’t seem like a problem, considering he was standing outside the door.
It seemed smart to plan for contingencies.
All would be lost if the draught lulled me to sleep while I was out spying.
I needed something to counteract the effects.
Thankfully, Mama had instructed me to pack a small apothecary.
I found the pouch of telareyon root powder, which I could take after Bastien fed.
It would negate the tiredness and give me the energy to carry out my mission.
I quickly changed my clothes, donning a sleeping shift and robe, and splashed some clean water from a basin on my face, toweling off the droplets. The telareyon root tucked safely inside my pocket.
Everything was ready. All that remained was letting him bite me.
My skin prickled with anticipation of the press of his lips, the sharp sting of his fangs, the rush of warmth that had left me weak-kneed.
At the very same time, I wanted to run from the room and let the lake swallow me whole.
Desire and dread battled inside me, tightening my throat until it was hard to breathe.
I looked at myself in the mirror, smoothing the wispy strands of silver lilac hair around my face.
There was no going back. I drew in a deep breath through my nose, reminding myself that I couldn’t pass out.
I had to maintain my constitution through this.
I had to push aside this phobia so that I could spy on the vampire and learn more about the relics.
I’d seen what a body cursed by dark magick looked like: I’d smelled cursed flesh charring from the inside out, seen graveworms in my Gran’s heart, and heard the wails of my aunts, uncles, and my mother.
All the while, vampires like Bastien watched on.
Taking no action against these wicked witches.
I’d promised my sister I’d do anything to keep her safe.
Brave, beautiful Sera. The Witches of Darkness must be stopped at any cost.
Even if I was that cost.