Page 83 of The Vampire Curse

I pause near the door when the glint of firelight reflecting of metal catches my eye. Sitting on the bedside table is the night-forged dagger. I quickly pocket it, then close the door behind me.

I meander down the hall to his office, but the room is empty, not even the warm light of coals sits in the fireplace. Night has fallen. I must have slept the entire day away.

A spark of irritation and hurt alights in my gut. I wonder if Alaric is avoiding me again. But the insecurities fade as quickly as it came on.

More aimless wandering through the manor reveals that I am once again alone.

A meal waits for me on the table. I eat quickly then return to walking the halls until I end up in the music room. I think of the first and only dance lesson I’ve had in my life. If I’m to accompany him to Nightwich, it might be a good idea to resume them again.

I stop by a window and pull the heavy drapes to the side. I lean against the frame, entirely bored. The mark will send me to the Otherworld by insanity if this keeps up. Whatever Alaric is doing right now, it must be enough to distract him from the effects—if he even feels anything.

He's probably in the forest hunting the demons again. He and Oliver hadn’t gone into detail about the issue, but he had promised to spend time dealing with them before we leave.

I wonder what Nightwich will be like. If I thought four new vampires were intimidating… what would dozens be like?

A shiver runs down my spine.

“Are you cold, Lady Clara?”

I spin to find Victor once again standing close and leaning in as if he means to pick up on the dance where we left off. His toad—demon—croaks from the doorway and draws my attention.

“You startled me,” I say, barely stopping myself from reaching for the dagger. “I’m not sure I like this new habit of yours.”

He gives me a quarter smile at that. I move to the side, wanting more space between us. I don’t know if it’s his habit of sneaking up on me, or if it's the lingering effects of the second mark that unsettle me.

“What brings you to this part of the manor alone, so late at night?”

I tilt my head, glancing at him over my shoulder. “Is it late?” I hum thoughtfully. “I hadn’t realized what time it was.”

Demons and saints, in my search for Alaric, I was too busy pining for him to bother glancing at any of the clocks in this manor.

I chew the inside of my cheek and drag a finger along the edge of the piano.

I am losing myself.

Inhaling a breath, I mentally shake off my melancholy and continue my slow walk around the room, testing the vampire’s movements.

Victor shadows me.

“It seems someone is always occupying your time. I haven’t had a chance to get to know you yet,” he says.

With each step away I take, he manages to close the distance. He stops any further retreat by placing his hand over mine, pinning it to the top of the piano—not hard enough to hurt, but enough that I would have to struggle to get free.

“Alaric has been keeping you to himself lately. I’m a bit jealous.”

“Well, he did claim me…” I tug on my hand, hoping he will take the hint.

He doesn’t.

“I would so enjoy a snack right now,” he adds quietly.

I process his words, swallowing the lump that has formed in my throat. “Didn’t you just return from hunting?”

Victor smiles, wider this time—the same smile that he wore when he first arrived, but there is nothing sensual about it.

Red rings his irises, but the color is broken up by thin, black lines that slowly extend from the center of his pupils. The veins lengthen, edging out into the whites.

“Do not worry, Lady Clara. I only want to play a little.”