Page 29 of The Vampire Curse

She is silent. When I look at her, she blushes and averts her eyes, then offers me a sheepish smile. “I will tell you a secret… but you have to promise not to be upset with me.”

I list my head to the side. What kind of secret could she have to share with me now? And one that might be upsetting…

I nod. My stomach knots as I wait for her to get on with it.

“No, you have to promise,” she insists.

I don’t like making such agreements without knowing more about the situation, but this is my sister. “I promise.”

She stops in her tracks and pulls on my elbow until I face her. “I never meant to make life harder for you, but… I’m not as strong as you. I don’t have the skills you do…”

“Kit-Kathrine, out with it already,” I admonish.

“All that hard work would have calloused my hands and made them rough, and then I never would have been able to secure my engagement with Abraham. It’s okay because it’s all worked out in the end. I have Abraham and his family, and you have a nice Lord to take care of you.”

My mouth parts as I struggle to put everything together.

“I was never sick. I didn’t need the medicine, and with me being weak… father would leave me alone.”

She watches me, waits for a response. But I have none.

Life would have been easier if she’d helped. We might have had more food on the table, some extra money, and I wouldn’t have spent precious coins on medicine she never needed.

I wait for the anger I know I should feel to rise, but it doesn’t come.

Kathrine stares at me with large doe eyes. “Remember, you promised you wouldn’t be angry with me…” she says in a soft voice.

I look at her. She is small, nearly half a head shorter. And even well fed, she is still willowy. I suppose she wouldn’t have survived having to do those things.

“I’m not upset,” I say. What surprises me more is that I think I believe it too.

I’m not angry, though there is a splinter of hurt that has wedged itself into my heart. Kathrine’s deception all these years stings. She’d revealed the truth so casually. I’ve spent so long trying to protect her, trying to keep life from breaking that soft, gentle girl—she’s only guilty of doing the same.

I give her the best smile I can manage, and it seems to be what she needs. Tension melts from her shoulders, and she pulls me down the hall, heading down the stairs to meet her guests as they arrive.

I suppose I was not the only one keeping secrets. But there is something calculating and devious about this secret she’s kept all these years.

It makes me wonder if we ever really knew each other at all.

Chapter Eleven

Alaric

Black clouds blockout the moon and stars, blanketing the world in a nearly impenetrable darkness. The front door closes with a solid click as my foot lands on the gravel drive.

A low rumble emanates from Victor’s chest. His hunger lends a desperation to his movements as he steps forward.

I block his way with my arm, forcing him to come up short. He glares at me as if he’s debating ripping the limb off to get by.

“Remember, we areallto conduct ourselves in the way I have instructed.” I glance at Victor from the corner of my eye. “This is my town,myfood source, and I will not have my arrangement with the humans damaged because one or more of you failed to control yourself. Any humans you feed on must agree of their own free will, so compulsion is forbidden. Do not harm or frighten them.”

I pause and look at each of the others in turn. Lawrence and Della stand side by side, taking in my words. This is not their first time here.

Cassius crosses his arms as if my orders mean little to him. But Victor struggles to pay attention.

“Above all, these humans are to be treated with respect.” I lower my voice and focus in on Victor. “I do not want a repeat of what happened a month ago.”

Victor’s gaze finally snaps to mine, wide eyes narrowing into a glower at the mention of his second night here. Being held accountable for his actions seems to be a new situation for him, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go easy.