CHAPTER 20 #3
Shame curled inside of her next to her fear. It was her weakness; even before she knew what Valeria was, she still knew the woman was dangerous. She never should have let her stay.
“Yet I have shared your bed, and you haven’t drunk from me. Even now you’re starving, but you’re only trying to scare me.”
“I’m not trying to scare you, cara. I have scared you.”
“Fine,” she spat out. It was a difficult point to argue as her entire body trembled. “But you still haven’t drunk from me.”
“That doesn’t mean much,” Valeria frowned; her tone was still cruel, but her eyes wavered as more emotion filtered through. “I was saving you for last.”
“You’ve been starving for days, and I just stopped your meal. Perhaps I am scared of you. Maybe I’ve been scared of you for a while, but I’m not scared you’ll hurt me.”
Valeria’s fingertip kept up with the heavy rhythm of her heart. So much of what Caroline was doing was a bluff, but not that. Valeria would do a great deal of things to her, but she was sure she wouldn’t kill her.
Mostly sure.
“Foolish little girl,” Valeria hissed, getting closer, but she still didn’t bite. “My teeth could go straight through your jugular. Even as weak as I am, I could plunge my hand into your chest and squeeze your heart until it popped.”
Her finger pressed into Caroline’s chest, but it still didn’t hurt. Even now she was being gentle.
“Then do it.” Caroline’s fingers shook as she moved her hands up to unbutton her high-necked dress. Valeria’s eyes flared—though Caroline wasn’t sure if it was the exposed skin or the offer of blood that enticed her. “I’ve seen your victims; I know where you like to feed.”
Valeria’s hands shot over hers, stilling her when she had just exposed the hollow of her throat. “Don’t,” she said, her voice hoarse. “I’m too hungry; my control is hanging on by a thread. I will sooner drink you dry.”
“I’m not frightened. Not of you. Never of you.”
“Foolish, cara.”
“It’s not foolish if you still haven’t bitten me.”
Valeria’s eyes darkened, and she growled before she ripped the rest of her dress straight to Caroline’s waist. Buttons scattered around them as she held the wool garment open, her corset and shift exposed to the cool night air.
“What does my heart rate tell you now?”
“That you don’t know what’s good for you.
If my heart was capable, its racing beat would rival yours.
” Valeria dipped her head to Caroline’s neck, running her nose down the column of her throat, over her clavicle, stopping on the top swell of her breast. “I’ve dreamed of your blood for so long I know even one drop will be my ruin. ”
Her tongue flicked out to taste Caroline’s skin.
She groaned and Caroline swayed, but somehow stayed upright.
Fear ran through her, but also a perverse desire.
She longed to know what her teeth would feel like.
She felt them lengthen as Valeria dragged her mouth back and forth in a line across her chest. Her hand tightened on Valeria’s brittle hair, holding her in place.
The door opened, and Caroline jumped, hurling herself away from Valeria, who remained frozen.
“Miss Blythe, are you ready for dinner?” Mrs. Thomas asked, as if there was nothing unusual about the scene before her. “I wasn’t sure you had returned home until Miss Lucy found me. The table is being set now; should I set the table for one or two?”
Caroline gathered the tatters of her dress and held them to her chest before she turned to Mrs. Thomas.
She schooled her face and prayed she looked at least a bit normal.
The housekeeper stood in the doorway holding a candelabra, the soft light flickering over her thunderous expression.
Lucy was behind her, looking fierce as she held a broom like a cricket bat.
“My apologies for not alerting you, Mrs. Thomas. I came straight here upon my return so I could check on Lady Valeria.”
Mrs. Thomas’s face darkened, as if she knew what happened here tonight. Caroline supposed she did if Lucy had fetched her. She wouldn’t have been discreet if she believed Caroline wasn’t in danger. And clearly both women thought she was in danger.
“I can escort you to your room so you can change for dinner.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Thomas. If you’ll give me a moment, I will go with you.”
“I’ll stay right here.”
Caroline’s face burned as she turned back to Valeria. She had a thousand things she wanted to say, but only one thing she needed to tell her. “Please, don’t go—”
“You cannot ask that of me.”
Caroline flenched at the venom in her tone, but was undeterred. “My offer still stands.”
“It shouldn’t. It was stupid of me to even consider. Just go. Now.”
Caroline scampered back to the safety Mrs. Thomas provided. She was never a motherly figure to her, but her presence meant something when she reached out to squeeze her shoulder. Part of her wanted to fall into her arms and sob, but hysterics wouldn’t help.
She looked back to Valeria one final time, but the room was empty, the white curtain just floating on the soft breeze of the early spring night.