Chapter 10
Vittorio lifted his gaze as I walked into the kitchen. “Miss Shaw, good afternoon.”
“Hi, Vit. I... What is all this?”I surveyed the island.
Vittorio was leaning against the counter, doing the same. “Ingredients, Miss Shaw. For dinner tonight.”
“That’s…a lot of stuff. You know I don’t eat all that much.”
“Master Laurent requested dinner in the dining room this evening.”
“Is he having friends over?”
“No, Miss Shaw. Household only. Has Zola found you something to wear?”
I faltered. “Me? But…”
“You are expected to attend.”
My mouth went dry, eyes darting over all the ingredients again.
What would it be like sitting around a table with vampires?
Would they look at me like dessert? Or would they be like Laurent?
Consider me a useless human. The thought of sitting around a table with them—with Laurent—left my skin clammy.
“Can’t I just eat in my room? I’m not part of his little vamp club.”
Vittorio huffed. “You are part of House Sarkas now, Miss Shaw. Part of the family.”
Despite how nice those words sounded, they were a lie. Still, I swallowed and nodded. There wasn’t any point in arguing. Not with Vittorio.
I rubbed my palms against my leggings. “Do you need any help?” I tried to disguise the hope in my voice.
Vittorio’s expression flashed with amusement. “That bored, hmm?”
“All I’ve been doing is reading. I know you don’t really need it but…please, Vittorio. Help a girl out.”
“Can you cook?”
I hummed, thoughtful. “I mean, I’m not awful.”
“Not awful.”
“Okay, I’m not…like you, but I do enjoy it. Besides, look at all these veggies. How about you put me on scullery maid duty or something.”
He made a noise that almost counted as a surprised laugh. “Scullery maid, indeed. All right, Miss Shaw. Get started on the salad.” He turned into a blur, moving around the island. Ten seconds later, he’d siphoned off a stack of items that were intended for the salad. “Knives are over there.”
I stalked over to the block, looking over my options. I grabbed a large chef knife and walked around the island. “Wait, I can’t kill a vampire with one of these can I?” Vittorio’s head whipped in my direction. “Hah! Kidding, Vit. Well, actually, sort of? What does it take to kill one of you?”
“A bit of garlic, holy water, and a stake,” he deadpanned. “Bonus points if you have a cross.”
I stared at him, blinked, then burst into laughter. “That’s a joke. You just…” I laughed harder. He was so serious. I’d never seen anything of the sort. But it was a joke. A good one at that. “Zola told you, didn’t she?”
“Told him what?” came Zola’s feminine, smoky voice. There was a blur as a body materialized beside me.
I jumped slightly, still unused to their quick movements.
“Told him about my skewed understanding of vampire abilities.”
“I might have let a few things slip.”
“Zola!” My rebuke was half-hearted. I set to work, positioning everything around my cutting board.
“What is this, Vittorio? You’re putting her to work? Does our fearless leader know?”
“She asked.” Vittorio offered Zola a meaningful look before turning away to continue his work.
“I did. I was bored.”
“Well, let’s go figure out what you’re wearing tonight. That won’t be boring. I’ve already selected several gowns.”
My chopping stopped. “Vittorio was being serious? I have to dress up for this thing?”
“Of course! When Laurent calls for a dinner party, it’s a very serious matter.”
I guarded my distaste, instead saying, “Well, I want to help Vittorio first—“
“I haven’t need of it,” he called from somewhere in the pantry.
“Yes, you do!” I called back.
“Oh, very well.” Zola sighed. “When you’re finished, come to my room. There is time yet. We have until eight p.m.”
I glanced at the clock. It was only four thirty. Wow. Vittorio was really getting a head start. Then I considered the kind of meal he was preparing.
“I’ll come find you later,” I assured her.
“Very good, darling.” She disappeared.
I continued my cutting: four different types of lettuce, baby tomatoes, cucumber, red onion.
Everything was placed in separate bowls so that Vittorio could build each salad individually.
After that, I worked on yellow onions, celery, and carrots for the soup.
Those were also placed in bowls beside the others, until I had a nice display for my efforts.
I had just moved on to the asparagus, trimming the ends for our main course, when the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I knew without looking exactly who stood in the doorway to the kitchen.
I didn’t like that. Knowing. Having this strange sense of his presence. An awareness that left my thoughts jumbled and my blood heated.
“Master Laurent?” Vittorio looked up from his work.
“What’s she doing here?” Laurent’s voice was flat, the question making my hackles rise. I refused to look in his direction.
“She wished to assist, sire.”
“And she knows what she’s doing?” His voice held an equal measure of surprise and doubt. A direct contrast to his usual emptiness.
Angry heat washed my cheeks. “Spoiled party girls are perfectly capable of wielding knives,” I snapped under my breath, resuming my chopping with perhaps a touch more aggression than necessary.
I wondered how much—despite my comment earlier—it would hurt if I plunged it straight into Laurent’s chest. Maybe it wouldn’t kill him, but damn, it would still be worth it.
Footsteps sounded, crisp and clipped on the kitchen tile floor. I kept my face forward, ignoring him as he came up behind me. So close, I could smell the clean scent pouring off him. So close, that if I backed up a single step, our bodies would be pressed flush together.
An arm shot out around me, brushing mine in the process.
My entire body tensed on high alert. His sleeve was rolled to his elbow, showing off a beautiful forearm with ropy veins beneath his skin.
I forced my gaze away as he snatched up a cucumber medallion from the bowl.
I didn’t dare turn as he placed it in his mouth.
But I heard the muted sounds of his chewing.
I felt the unnecessary exhale of his breath near my hair. It sent shivers racing across my scalp.
“Delicious,” he purred, lips brushing my ear.
I flushed.
Just as suddenly, the presence at my back vanished and I exhaled.
“I’ll see you at dinner, Miss Shaw.” I didn’t turn to acknowledge him as he departed. Instead, I finished my cutting, then set my knife beside the sink and bid Vittorio farewell.
When I returned to my room, I plopped down on the sofa, attempting to straighten my thoughts. I hated Laurent so much—or, wanted to—and yet, each time he got near me, I was cast adrift. Stuck between what I knew I should feel and the traitorous way my body reacted.
I scrubbed my hands over my face, groaning. Why couldn’t he be grotesque? Why couldn’t he smell like blood and death instead of that intoxicating clean scent that made me want to breathe him in as deeply as my body would take him.
I thought of Ania and an ache formed deep in my chest. She would know what to do, what to say. If only I could just pick up the phone and call her.
I had already tried my luck. I’d checked for phones, expecting to find at least one. But these vampires all used cell phones now. No one kept a landline anymore. I’d attempted to break into Marco’s office, which had been locked every time.
The one time I’d found Laurent’s unlocked, I’d been dismayed to discover his laptop was password protected. Even more dismayed when the door had clicked open and I’d quickly acted by pulling out drawers like I was searching for something.
“What the fuck are you doing?” That question had been cold and calm. Because he’d known.
“Looking for pen and paper,” I’d lied, keeping my face hidden as I rustled around in a drawer.
“Get out.” That low command had sent me scuttling, and I hadn’t been able to look up at his face as I’d fled. I knew what I would see if I had. His soulless eyes glittering with all the things he thought of me.
There would be no contacting Ania unless Laurent permitted it. But that was okay. Because soon enough, I’d be free of this place.
Getting up, I sought Zola in her room and found her stretched across her sofa wearing another glitzy gown, because I’d never seen her in anything else. Had the woman never heard of casual clothes?! “Ah, darling, there you are.”
“Is that… Are you eating chocolate? What book is that?”
“Yes. I’m rereading the Claimed series.”
I sputtered. “The werewolf one?”
“Mmm…” she made a distracted humming sound, not looking up as she lifted another chocolate, plopping it into her mouth. The book rested upright on her chest. There was a half eaten bowl of popcorn on the low table, along with a soda can.
I moved over and took a seat on the armchair, leaning forward to grab the box of chocolates from her lap and picking through it.
“Which one are you reading?” I leaned around, trying to get a look at the cover.
“Claimed by Dane,” she murmured.
I snorted. “You do realize that whole series is about humans and werewolf mates. Wait—“ I sucked in a gasp. “Werewolves are real too, aren’t they?”
They’d mentioned demons and witches. Why hadn’t I considered other supernatural creatures? There were probably elves too. And fae? What about mermaids? My head started spinning.
“They’re all real, darling,” she said, still distracted.
“You’re in the middle of a spicy scene, aren’t you.” I jumped up and snatched the book.
She let out a sound of protest but failed to get up. I was one hundred percent sure she could stand and come after me if she wanted. Could stop me before I blinked. But she didn’t.
I let my eyes drag over the pages, because yes, I’d read this series too.
“…and he spread my thighs, dropping his face to lick upwards along the length of my slit. My, my, Zola.” I clicked my tongue.
“Oh, please. As if you’re shocked, considering…”