Page 10 of The Vampire Curse

I pluck at the material of the skirt. It’s lighter than any other material I’ve worn before, and the built-in corset is so tight I can hardly move.

There are no pockets, and the material is too thin to strap the dagger to my thigh, let alone hide it anywhere else on my person.

It seems I have no choice but to leave it behind. Alaric will be with me, and I have to hope that his presence will be enough.

Obey. Obey. Obey…the thought of doing everything someone else demands twists my stomach into knots. I’ve never obeyed anyone before and I've survived well enough. Of course, survival has always meant, doing what is necessary, and it seemsthisis necessary.

Dealing with vampires is not the same as what I'm used to. This is akin to walking into the forest in the dead of night and challenging a demon to possess me just to seehowit would rip me apart.

I wring my hands. The longer I have to stand here and wait until I'm summoned, the more I begin to doubt my ability to pull this off.

A knock sounds and I nearly jump out of my skin.

“Come in,” I call.

Mr. Steward enters and looks me up and down, appraisingly. He tsks and stalks over to the foot of my bed where the thick choker necklace still sits.

“Turn around,” he says.

I do. He clasps it around my neck, and I have to resist the urge to rip it off. It feels like I'm being strangled.

“They will see you do not have the marks without it,” Mr. Steward admonishes. “You haven’t touched your food either.”

I shrug. Who in my position could eat? “I’m ready,” I say.

Without another word, he motions for me to follow. I take a deep breath and blow it out, focusing on calming my heartbeat, then I stride after him.

Mr. Steward stops when we reach the library and turns to me. “You will do just fine, Miss, Valmont.”

I stare slack-jawed. For someone who isn’t fond of me or my presence here, he is strangely encouraging. I would say almost fatherly with his concern and making sure I’m ready, but I don’t know what to expect from a real father.

My father has only ever demanded I do whatever was necessary to bring home money for his gambling and to put food on the table.

Of course, it hadn’t started out that way. At first, I had done so willingly at his request as he struggled to save the floundering trade business. But after Mother was claimed and reported back to us as dead, his addiction to spirits overwhelmed him. Within a few years, the responsibility of keeping the roof over our heads had fallen on my shoulders. My thoughts turn from him to Kitty…

I miss her. I hope she is doing well. With these guests here, I don't know how or when I can return to her.

I don’t trust Father to get her the medication she needs. I hope she used the money I stashed and secured herself a decent marriage with one of the younger men in town. But she mentioned nothing about the money or her medicine in the one letter I've received.

She expects me home soon, and I can only guess that's why it remains the only letter I’ve received since coming here.

We turn down a hall, away from the drawing room near the front of the manor, and the dim lighting pulls me from my thoughts of home.

“Are we not going to the drawing room?”

Mr. Steward lists his head to the side. “No, the music room is more suitable for this occasion.”

The doors are closed and he motions for me to stay. The butler straightens his shoulders and puffs up his chest, then opens one door, taking a single step inside.

Voices float out into the hallway, but not loud enough to make out what they are saying. Then Alaric’s warm timbre silences the room with a single word.

Mr. Steward clears his throat and bows. Then he straightens and says, “Introducing, the Lady Clara.”

I swear my heart freezes in my chest.Lady?I'm no lady. Why didn’t Alaric warn me I had to act like aladyon top of everything else?

The butler backs out of the room and motions for me to enter. I take a shaky step forward, and steeling my spine, I focus on slowing my pounding pulse.

My feet move forward. Slow and steady. My mind races wildly, too fast to take everything in. Somehow I manage to keep my features placid and emotionless.