Page 41 of The Vampire Curse

This was never home to me. I am a stranger in my own world.

I push down the self-pitying thoughts and turn to Kathrine.

“Don’t listen to that old demon fart. Boy or girl, your children will be beautiful and perfect,” I say.

Her shoulders relax. “Thank you, Clara. I’m so glad you could be here for this.” She pauses and sniffles, eyes shining from unshed tears. “You know,” she says after a while. “When you were taken, I thought my life was over.”

Her words send a stab of pain through me and I wish she never had to experience that fear and uncertainty.

“Oh, Kathrine…”

She lifts her head and gives me one of her brightest smiles. “It was as if the Otherworld sent a miracle to make up for ripping you away from me.”

I tilt my head, not sure what she means.

“The money you left wouldn’t have made for a decent dowry, so it is a good thing our uncle heard you were claimed. Otherwise, I don’t think he would have come offering to be my benefactor—”

“What?” I blurt.

We don’t have an uncle. Both our parents were only children. I swear if some demon or vampire has tricked her into some bargain, I will hunt them down and drive the blade of my dagger through the spot where their heart should be.

“Yes, Mr. Steward—oops!” Kathrine slaps a hand over her mouth. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything…”

I gape at her, my breath hitching inside my chest.

Mr. Steward… that’s… My brain ceases to function for several heartbeats. Kathrine continues on, but I stop listening.

The only man I know by that name is Alaric’s butler. There’s no way he… unless—

My mouth goes dry.

Alaric sent his butler to Kathrine and arranged this marriage…

My stomach twists into knots. Had he compelled the family into accepting Kathrine? What exactly had he done?

Alaric had orchestrated this entire thing and had said nothing.

He deceived me. He told me it was hopeless, that I was doomed to go to Nightwich with him. And all the while, he was manufacturing the very excuse to grant my freedom.

This is what I wanted, so why lie?

My head spins trying to understand. I can’t focus on Kitty, or the horse under me—nothing besides the letter that was wrapped up with the night-forged dagger.

Why hadn’t he said anything?

Chapter Fifteen

Alaric

“Alaric,”a soft voice whispers.

My eyes flutter open. Clara stands at my bedside, hands clasped in front of her. She looks down at me with a frown on her lips and a wrinkled brow.

“Clara?” I reach out to her as I sit up, but she side-steps just out of reach. “What are you doing here?”

She doesn’t answer. Her frown transforms into a scowl, her eyes accuse me of betrayal.

She makes a movement to leave and I am on my feet in an instant.