Page 31 of Brushed By Moonlight

My aching head got the better of me, and I obeyed. I made it to the plush chair in the corner of the dining room and sank down there. Roux kneeled by my feet.

“I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”

“It’s fine.” I tried waving him away.

“It’s not, and I’m really, really sorry.”

“Henrik’s fault,” Bene muttered, carrying in a platter of steaming eggs.

Henrik growled from beside the fireplace, startling me. “You expect me to stand there and take his punch?”

“Better you than her, asshole,” Bene said cheerfully.

Henrik’s scowl said he didn’t agree.

My eyes drifted to Roux’s hands, then Bene’s, and even Henrik’s, looking for a match to the pair that had held me so tenderly. But my vision had been so hazy, I couldn’t be sure, except for eliminating Henrik. Other than the obvious — not a tender bone in his body — his hands were more manicured than the others’, andmanicureddefinitely didn’t fit.

Then I snorted to myself.Noneof these guys had a tender bone in his body. I’d probably imagined the whole thing.

“I’m really sorry,” Roux repeated, sounding truly miserable.

“It’s fine.”

Henrik pointed to my face. “That’s not fine.”

“Thanks,” I grumbled.

“I think you look great,” Bene declared as he set out plates. Then he caught my incredulous look. “Okay, maybe not. But it’s what’s inside that counts, right?”

Leave it to Bene to see the bright side of things.

I glanced around. “Where’s Marius?”

“Yes. Where is Marius?” Bene echoed with a heavy subtext.

Everyone went quiet, and their eyes avoided mine. I looked from one to the other. Something had gone over my head. But what?

Roux shot Bene a look, then reached for the phone he’d left on the table. Henrik lunged forward, slapping a hand over it.

“Who are you calling?” the vampire demanded.

“Gordon, like I said,” Roux retorted.

“No, you’re not.” Henrik pulled the phone away.

“Yes, I am.” Roux raised his voice.

I covered my ears and leaned away. “Stop! Please. No more.”

They glared at each other like a couple of gorillas, then finally stepped apart.

“Why call Gordon?” I asked.

Roux glared at Henrik. “To tell him we’re leaving.”

“Leaving?” I bolted upright, then slumped as a wave of nausea hit me.

“Leaving,” Roux said firmly.