Page 146 of Vampire so Virtuous

He stirred. “I think we should leave. It isn’t safe here.”

“You are right,” Belle said, her tone taking on a more serious edge. “We have done what we need to do. Take her away, Antoine. Keep her safe.”

“I’m not leaving.” Cally folded her arms. “This place is massive, it must have a library. Even a database. There must be records we can look through.”

“Têtue et impulsive, mais très séduisante,”Belle said with amusement.

Antoine ignored her, addressing Cally. “This place will be swarming with vampires soon, as they come in from the night. We should leave now.”

“It’ll be dawn. Won’t they go to sleep? What better time to search the library?”

“Why do you not just drag her out?” Belle asked with genuine curiosity.

Again, he ignored her. “Not all of them will sleep during the day, and I can’t protect you from those. Please?”

“‘Please,’ he says,” Belle remarked, “when what he should do is put you over his knee until you learn obedience.”

Cally purposefully didn’t look at her. “Oh very well. But you can take me back to my apartment, not your house.”

“We can stop there and you can get what you need,” Antoine said. “But you need to stay close to me now.”

“Hell no,” Cally said. “You’re not babying me just because I’m your only food source.”

“If you die, I die.” That was the easiest part to accept. He’d tasted other blood, and it was nothing to him. He could only imagine how much worse it would get with time.

“And if you die, she dies,” Belle added, clearly enjoying herself. “Fatum coniunctum.”

“Goddamnit!” Cally burst out. “You fucking vampires have fucking ruined my fucking life!”

“Such language,” Belle said, shaking her head. “You may need to put her across your knee more than once.”

Cally glared at her then retrieving her jacket, walking toward the door. “Fine. We’ll leave.”

Antoine rose to intercept her. “Let me go first.”

“And again, without a proper goodbye,” Bella said in mock dismay.“Au revoir, mon amour.”

Cally waited until he opened the door, then deliberately walked past him, head held high.

The hallway was empty, save for the two thralls still lying unconscious on the floor. Cally stopped when she saw them. “You did this, didn’t you?”

“They wouldn’t let me in.”

She gave him a long look, then turned away and walked on.

A half-dozen vampires loitered in the main living area, glancing up as they entered. Cally hesitated mid-step, then headed straight for the front door, eyes fixed ahead.

Matteo moved in a blur to intercept them, and Cally stopped abruptly—from her perspective, it would’ve seemed as if he just appeared before her. Antoine stepped up beside her, close enough to brush her arm, offering silent support.

“Yes?” he drawled.

“Why do you bring a chattel here? Why is she still alive?”

“What I do with mine is none of your business,” Antoine replied, his words dripping with indifference.Channeling my best Belle.

Matteo sniffed the air. “She smells of sex,” he said, running his tongue over his fangs. A mocking laugh followed. “Are you fucking your chattel?”

Cally stiffened, her fists clenching at her sides.