Page 18 of The Vampire Curse

He sniffs at the blood and throws back his head, swallowing the contents in a single gulp. His eyes open slowly, and he gives me a wicked grin, his blood-stained fangs on display.

“Do not worry yourself,LadyClara. I will not bite you. After all, youaremarked by Alaric,” he says.

His tone is mocking as he recites the lies Alaric and I have told. I don’t know if he knows the truth or is guessing at it.

I dip my chin, more than aware I don't have Alaric’s mark. The skin on my neck is untouched by a vampire’s fangs. Loose strands of my hair fall over my shoulders to hide the evidence.

I give him a tight smile, shrugging a shoulder. Not the truth, but not a lie either.

He snorts. “Was the title of lady your idea, or his? Because I think the three of us all know you are not of any notable birth—I saw the hovel you lived in.”

My heart stutters, my head jerking up to meet his narrowed gaze. I refuse to confirm or deny any of his suspicions.

He could be trying to trick me into revealing too much. And I’m sure he’d know a lie if I dared to utter one, so I stay silent.

“You are curious, little human,” he says then waits as if expecting me to ask him to continue.

I press my lips into a tight line but raise a single eyebrow.

Apparently, that is all the prompting he needs. “What is it you want?”

“What do you mean?” I ask before I can stop myself.

“I mean. If you could go anywhere, be anywhere without obligation, where would you choose?”

“At home, taking care of my sister.” It’s an easy enough question. I would always choose her—she needs me.

Lawrence tsks and wags a finger. “I said without obligation. Where would you go if no one wanted or needed you or decided for you?”

His question stings in a way I wouldn’t have expected. I open my mouth. Close it. Finally, I say, “I don’t know.”

Lawrence stands, and in a blink, he rounds the table to stand next to me. Another quick movement and he has my chair turned to face him. He leans forward, looking down his nose.

I swallow my heart back down.

He reaches up and brushes my hair back from my shoulder. “Strange though, how you don’t have a bite mark on you where our dear Alaric had his mouth all over you during your little joy ride around the field yesterday.”

My hand clamps down over the side of my neck. The memory of Alaric’s mouth on my skin comes back. Stinging heat works its way up to my face. “That’s… he didn’t… he didn’t bite me then. That’s—” I stop talking, not sure what I am even trying to say.

A pleased smile stretches across his face as he straightens. “I suppose,” he says, rubbing a hand along his jaw. “There are far more…deliciousplaces to bite.”

My mouth parts to deny I have been bitten at all, but he is already walking away. Which is good, because I almost said far more than I should. Not even a day, and I’m already putting our plan in jeopardy. And somehow, we are supposed to do this for two months?

Just as he’s leaving through the open door, Alaric enters. They exchange a brief greeting. I turn away as Alaric’s eyes drift to me. My cheeks still burn from my exchange with Lawrence.

I focus on Cherno as if that would make both vampires disappear. Alaric’s reflection is mirrored in the demon’s large eyes as he approaches.

Both Cherno and the rat move to my discarded plate and begin picking at the food.

“I need to speak with you,” he says, his words clipped.

I bite down on the inside of my cheek and raise my chin to look him in the eye.

His expression is unreadable. Knots form in my stomach. Had I failed last night? Lawrence’s visit a moment ago was proof enough of that. I drank too much. I was careless.

The worst thing is that I have no idea what kind of punishment I will have to face.

Alaric holds out his hand to me. I slip mine into his and a sense of foreboding twists at my heart as his long fingers wrap around my hand.