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She had gone completely pale. Her mouth opened and closed silently and her eyes threatened to bug right out of her head. “Itspoke to you?!” she finally managed to snarl. “And you didn’t bother to tell me untilnowwhy we’re speeding across Italy?!”

“I didn’t want you to freak out, like you so obviously are,” Sebastian replied, his weariness increasing with every word. He yearned to take her in his arms, stroke her hair, and tell her everything would be okay. But the way she pushed herself into the farthest corner of the cabin told him to keep his hands to himself.

An uneasy silence overtook the cabin until the soft sound of Isabel snoring broke it. Sebastian rested his head against the window and just watched her sleep again. As exhausted as he was, he refused to rest until they were safely within the coven keep. She shivered and Sebastian draped his heavy leather coat over her shoulders.

All he wanted to do was keep her safe. That’s all he’d ever wanted to do. But life after life slipped through his fingers, unbothered by his attempts to stall their endings.

Four hours later, the whistle blew and the train began to slow. Isabel stirred, knocking the coat to the floor. “We should be at the station any minute,” Sebastian said softly. She nodded and rubbed her eyes, yawning widely.

“Hungry…” she murmured, then yawned again.

Sebastian frowned. Again with having nothing to give her! “I’ll buy you something to eat as soon as we get off the train. You slept through the food trolley going around.” On second thought, he probably should have just bought her something instead of waving the trolley on…

Isabel pouted, but didn’t seem to be awake enough for a real emotional reaction. She curled back up into a ball, but the train lurched to a stop just as her eyes closed. A groan slipped through her teeth and she shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable.

“Come on,amore.It’s time to get off the train. You can go to sleep in a proper bed when we get to the keep.” Sebastian gathered up their belongings and gently brushed Isabel’s hair away from her face. “I’ll carry you like a little baby if I have to,” he teased.

Isabel’s nose wrinkled and her eyes opened. “No,” she replied, her voice thick with sleep. “I can do it myself.” One limb at a time she uncurled herself and stood next to the seat, swaying slightly as she gained her balance.

Sebastian shook his head, but smiled. He put their bags on his back again and wrapped Isabel in his coat. “It might be cold out there. Come on. Let’s go.” He offered her his hand and she took it without issue.

Soon the pair stood on yet another station platform, this time in the cool Venetian air. “Alright, let’s get you a snack and to bed.” He scanned the platform, scowling when he saw all the food stalls were closed. “Looks like we’ll have to go a bit farther into the city for food.”

They walked across the platform, through the station, and out into Venice proper. Isabel remained quiet, but her eyes were wide open by this point. “How far is this coven place or whatever? Is it a long walk?” She looked up and down the streets, visibly nervous.

“It’s a little bit of a walk, yes. But you are safe, I promise. Just…don’t look at your reflection in any of the windows, just in case.” He meant it as a joke, but Isabel’s fingers tightened around his own. She obviously didn’t find it funny in the least.

One stop at a bakery which had opened to catch any early-morning travelers later, Isabel munched on a pastry while Sebastian led her down the ancient streets into the oldest part of the city. The air was silent and heavy, and only felt thicker with each step he took toward the keep. Most of the coven should be out and about at this hour, so he hoped they would be able to slip inside moderately unnoticed.

“We’re almost there. Everyone inside will be vampires, and some of them are friendlier than others. Don’t speak to anyone unless I’ve spoken to them first and introduced you. And whatever you do, don’t let yourself be alone with Remus. As long as you stay by my side, you won’t have any problems.”

CHAPTER19

Venice, Italy. 8 June, 2007

“None of that makes me feel good about going in there.” Isabel stood outside the door, which Sebastian had just unlocked with an old brass key. She crossed her arms not out of stubbornness, but because acting tough made her feel less afraid.

Sebastian hovered just inside the doorway, a concerned look on his face. “But we’re already here,dolcezza. I can’t send you back home now. And while I suppose you are free to wander the city instead, I can’t guarantee your safety that way.”

“I don’t want to stay out here, no. But I need a little bit of encouragement, not a reminder of how much more danger I’m in if I don’t go inside.” She shivered and hugged herself tighter. Sebastian’s face softened and he stepped back onto the cobblestone street. He wrapped his arms around her, and despite her misgivings, she felt her muscles melt into his embrace.

“Sorry…I’m just a little nervous about what I have to do, and I guess I was trying to reassure myself by reassuring you.” He grimaced, guilt heavy in his cheeks and eyelids. “Let’s get in and get you to bed, okay? No one will bother you in my private quarters.”

She nodded a small nod and Sebastian walked the pair of them inside without releasing his embrace. It was cold and dark, especially when the door clicked shut behind them. Sebastian locked it and resumed holding her. Everything was made of stone: the floors, the walls, even the ceiling. Just like Sebastian’s castle, the passageway flickered with torchlight that gave very little warmth.

What struck her the most was the deafening quiet. It felt heavy on her eardrums, like the silence was laying siege on her hearing. Her own breathing sounded like roaring winds that she tried to still. As they walked down the passageway, her shoes shuffled against the stone and echoed away as if announcing their arrival. Her subconscious expected a rabid and snarling vampire around every corner, spiking her heart rate over and over.

It only took three or four turns for Isabel to feel completely lost. All the passageways looked exactly the same. If somehow this had all been a long-running trap, well? She was well and truly trapped now.

After what felt like forever, Sebastian stopped in front of an unassuming steel door. He pulled another key out of his pocket and inserted it into the lock. A loud click accompanied the key turning, and the door swung inward with a grating creak.

But inside was just a bedroom. Isabel scanned the room, taking in the little details. The paintings on the walls, the scattered brushes, and the half-finished canvas assured her that yes, this was Sebastian’s space. But the thick layer of dust over everything was off-putting.

“Sorry I haven’t cleaned my room in like four centuries,” he said, a sheepish smile gracing the corners of his lips. “Let me at least get the dust off the bed so you can rest. It’s been a long day and I can only imagine it feels longer for you.” Sebastian pulled the blanket off the bed and took it into the hallway, where he shook it vigorously and beat it against the wall a few times. He did the same with the pillowcases, then remade the bed.

Isabel watched from the border of the dust zone, not understanding what she was feeling. She felt warmth in her stomach and a flutter in her chest watching Sebastian work so hard to make sure she was comfortable. She wanted to be close to him, while also being afraid of him.

The feelings only intensified when he shot her a bright smile and gestured to the bed broadly. “Your bed, m’lady. You can rest and relax in here. Nobody can get through that door without this key. And even if they could, the laws of vampires still apply to private quarters. As long as you don’t invite them in, none of the coven members can pass the threshold.” He waved the key, then dropped it in his pocket.