Charlotte recalled the night they first got to Francis’ house, when he covered the coffin lid for her. She remembered how kind his face looked.
Valek changed the subject. “Are you returning to your room?”
“I figure I’d better, before someone kills me.”
She meant it as a joke but Valek didn’t crack a smile. He pressed both his hands to the wall behind her, entrapping her there. He leaned in close. “I love you, Lottie.”
I love you so much, Valek.
“I want to come with you,” he said.
“You can’t handle it.” She ducked out from between his arms and started up the stairs.
“No. I can’t.” He turned to follow her. “But if I sit there and watch, I expect they would be less inclined to take advantage of the situation.” He smiled. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine, now. But I think it’s better if I just handle this alone.” She stopped on the second to final step and looked at him, her hand on the banister. “You keep a lot of secrets from me, Valek.”
His face fell. “I’m going to make all of this up to you.”
Charlotte pressed her forehead to his, shaking her head left to right in a sort of nuzzle. She pulled away, leaving him smiling.
“What was that?” he asked.
“I was attaching my brain to yours. I know it already is, but maybe if I keep doing that, I’ll be able to read your mind, and then you won’t be able to keep anything else from me.” Charlotte smiled and continued walking.
“Lottie?”
Charlotte stopped and looked at him again.
“No more secrets.” He smiled.
She smiled back before disappearing down the dark hallway into her room.
Dusana was already sitting on the bed, waiting. Broken glass still shimmered on the floor like the fangs in her mouth.
“Where did we leave off?”
“Where’s Lusian?”
“You seemed a little apprehensive before so we thought it would be better for you if we did this separately.” She opened her arms wide, beckoning Charlotte to her side.
Charlotte glanced behind her to see Valek had defiantly slipped in after her. He stood with his arms crossed, staring at Dusana.
“How the guardian protects his virgin ever so fervently,” the dark Vampire said musically.
Charlotte could have sworn something red swelled under the moonstone surface of Valek’s face, but that was indeed impossible.
Dusana was beginning to finish up. Valek sent a wave of anger smashing into her consciousness from his side of the room. She opened her eyes, glaring up at him, as she pulled away and licked the wound on Charlotte’s wrist clean.
“Done.” She smiled and got up from the bedside. She walked out of the room with a stained grin toward Valek.
Once she was gone, he hurried over to his Lottie, taking her small hand in his. She was too weak to get up, or to even lift her head to look at him. He scooped her up in his arms.
“You were right. I cannot handle this,” he murmured as he dashed out of the room.
“Where are you taking me?” Her head rolled back onto his shoulder.
“To finish my conversation with Francis.” Valek flew down the lavender hallways and staircases to the hallway with the basement trap door.
“I need Sarah first.” Her eyelids slit open as she appraised where they were going.
“No, my love. You’ll be okay. He must see you like this to understand.” Valek kicked open the wooden door and plummeted into the darkness.
He landed easily, interrupting Lusian mid-thought. The coven turned to look at him.
“Ah, Valek you’re just in time, my friend.” Francis dramatically extended his arms as he stood. “And you have made a delivery.” He licked his chops at the sight of the girl.
Charlotte grimaced and rolled her head toward Valek’s shoulder in an effort to hide.
“Francis, I’m sorry, but this is going to end now. Not even Sarah’s potions can keep her healthy anymore. Perhaps if there were less of us. But for her sake, I am taking both of us away from here. Thank you for your hospitality.” Valek turned to ascend up to the house, but he was instantly met with Francis blocking the way.
“I’m afraid we had an agreement, Valek.” Francis’ jet eyes shifted once toward Lusian and back.
“Well, I’m revoking it. If you could kindly step aside,” Valek ordered.
“I will kill her.”
“I am stronger than you.”
There was silence for a moment. Francis kept his thoughts guarded.
“I know you won’t hurt her,” Valek finally spoke. “Look at her. She cannot live another night like this. We must find another way.”
Francis frowned and looked at Lusian again. “You…cannot leave us. We won’t survive.”
Valek smirked. “Do you think because I survived the Regime once, I can overthrow the entire court?”
“You survived the Regime twice,” Andela murmered from her seat near the fireplace. “You are the only Vampire to have ever done that.”
Valek lowered his eyes. He thought for a moment. “Fine. We stay. But there must be a new agreement. I insist it. Charlotte is not to be confined, or fed upon like a caged rat.”
“Then you cannot feed on her either,” Francis proclaimed quickly, the bottom of his cane striking the dirt floor.
Valek’s nostrils flared. “I agree.”
“Good. Also, I own you again. I will be your master, as when I first created you.” Francis raised his eyebrows.
Valek’s face quivered at this.
“I was once your liege. I made you. I shall be again. If you do not agree, then you are free to go, but I cannot promise your safety once you cross the threshold of this house.”
“Fine,” Valek concluded finally.
“That means you will follow my orders as I give them.”
“Fine,” Valek said again. “But Charlotte will sleep down here with me. If…she wishes.” His voice broke on the last part.
“Fine,” Francis faltered.
“Good.”
“Good,” said Lusian. “Valek, there are plans we have been discussing that we wish to share with you, if you lovers are done quarreling.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Et Tu, Brute?
A shrouded figure made her way through Old Town. In the dankness of the late autumn evening, no one noticed her. Beggers on the street didn’t ask her for petty change as she walked past. Her shoes seemed to make no sound on the wet cobblestone. The astronomical clock pointed its long, antique-gold arm at Aquarius.
The cloaked woman, who had many a satchel slung at her side, slid around corners of the large buildings to the dark alleys. The face of the moon illuminated her fresh, pearl skin when she gazed up at it. It would be full at the beginning of next month. A harvest moon. She smiled and let her hood hide her face again.
She slipped back out onto a main street. Now in Wenceslas Square, she effortlessly dodged mortals passing around her. Like a cat, she kept to the shadows and avoided the bustling streets and the golden illumination of the streetlamps. She was a master at keeping herself completely concealed. Sounds of mortal automobiles whizzed past her, but she ignored them as the city ignored her.
Once again, finding that she was in the bowels of another alley, she was met by the only human who did pay her any mind. The drunken, burly man grabbed her delicate shoulder and spun her around to face him. If she were human, it would have been violent enough to snap her arm out of its socket.
“Where do you think you’re going, woman?” He had a nearly empty flask in his hand, and she saw most of his teeth were gone, too. When he looked into her flawless face, he instantly fell to hypnosis.
“Pardon?” Her voice was delicate and musical, like a single lilac in the harsh night air.