Chapter Twenty-six

As the party dispersed, Elise watched Damien offer his arm to Grace to leave. What was he playing at? She couldn’t help turning the thought over and over in her mind. She had met with Damien and Grace a few times since his return, but she had never begun to question an ulterior motive until this evening. What good could he possibly think would come from presenting Reina with a slave? A hand brushed against Elise’s and she pulled herself from her train of thoughts to see Phaedra standing beside her.

‘Go to him. I’ll stay with Reina.’ Elise smiled her thanks and quickly followed Damien, moving as fast as she could without raising cause for suspicion. Lance was standing at the bottom of the staircase, staring after Damien; his face was a mask of fury, but Elise ignored him as he reached out to stop her. In truth she cared little that he had not received payment for something that had taken place over one hundred years ago. Reaching Damien’s rooms, Elise pushed on the door wanting to catch him and Grace off guard. She was surprised to find the door locked and her suspicion increased. She had never known him to lock his doors; he’d told her when Reina had been human he’d locked them mostly for her protection. With this in mind she began hammering on the door, not caring if she caused a disturbance to the few other residents on the floor.

‘How could you?’ she said, pushing past Damien as he opened the door. ‘Are you determined to destroy her as Master Vrykólakas did her sister?’

‘Of course not, how could you think I would want that?’ Damien locked the door once more and ushered Elise into his bedroom, closing the door. He was clearly worried about being overheard and Elise felt her suspicions beginning to work in overdrive. She looked at Grace; the woman was sitting on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair. She looked uncomfortable and out of place.

‘The last thing either of us wants is to hurt Reina. But this was the only way I could come back: with another woman and an offering of slaves. And, as much as I hate to admit it, Master Vrykólakas is right. Reina needs to learn to feed from humans.’ Damien sat beside Grace and offered for Elise to sit with them, but she shook her head and crossed her arms firmly over her chest. She had not come for a friendly chit-chat.

‘And you think gifting her a slave is the way to go about this?’

Damien looked uneasy; setting down her brush, Grace turned to Elise. Her silver eyes were dark, but Elise could spot the first signs of exhaustion.

‘How would you do it? I have been here for a short while but even I can see that this is the best way to protect Reina. How much longer do you think Master Vrykólakas will tolerate her refusal before he simply picks a slave and forces her to feed? Sarah knows what she is doing—’

‘Sarah?’ Elise ignored Grace and rounded on Damien. He jumped to his feet, his face appealing to her calm sense. But Elise, fuelled by her anger, began hitting him. ‘What are you up to? Have you not done enough already? Flaunting your latest asset—’

‘Stop it, leave him be!’ Grace said, grabbing Elise by her shoulders and pulling her off Damien. ‘We know what we are doing. You do not have to trust me, you do not even know me, but you should trust Damien. Please.’ Elise coldly met Damien’s eyes, but he refused to elaborate on what he and Grace seemed to be plotting. Sighing, Elise relaxed in Grace’s grip.

‘Did you really know nothing about Lance?’

‘No. Reina never liked him, but I thought it was just because he was a vampire. She was scared of everyone, but Lance was the only one she had some form of contact with. I asked her if she had ever seen the vampire who brought her to Tenebrae, but she never answered. She didn’t want to talk about her capture.’ Elise thought back to Lance and how he had tried to stop her. Would he want revenge? She didn’t think so. He was mad now but she was certain he would calm down. The fine Damien and Don had been ordered to pay more than compensated for his loss. She smiled, thinking of how Don would react to the news when he found out.

‘Damien, please…whatever you’re planning, be careful. Reina is putting on a strong face but I’m not sure how much more she can take. How much more I can take…I’ve only just gotten you back, please don’t leave me again.’ Before he could reach out for her, Elise turned and made her way back up to the sixth floor. She stared at the grand door to Master Vrykólakas’s quarters but knew she needed to compose herself first. If he questioned her over Damien she was sure she would crumble.

Phaedra was stretched out on a chaise longue; for a second Elise thought she was asleep, but Phaedra’s eyes opened and turned to look at her.

‘Reina is fine,’ Phaedra answered before Elise could open her mouth. ‘He tried to get her to feed from that slave, but she just argued with him. I think she’ll be safe for tonight; he told me to pass on the message to you that he wanted privacy.’ Sitting up, Phaedra opened her arms and Elise gratefully collapsed into her embrace. Phaedra’s floral perfume was comforting, and Elise closed her eyes, feeling sleep began to tug her. ‘I am sure things will go back to normal soon. You and Damien are both back in favour.’ Her tone was hopeful, and Elise wished she could think of something reassuring to say, but after seeing Damien she was doubtful normal would be an option for them. How could they go back to normal? Damien’s choice to Create Reina had thrown everything into turmoil; there would be no fixing the repercussions from his decision.

‘You’re frightening Reina,’ Elise said, changing the subject, and Phaedra pulled a face. ‘She can’t quite understand why you’re being nice to her, especially when the others are intent on scorning her.’

‘She seems nice…for a slave. And if we ever were to leave…’ The sentence hung in the air between them, neither daring to hope for the day when they could leave Tenebrae. Out of the courtesans only Madeleine had been granted permission to come and go as she pleased. She was the one constant in Master Vrykólakas’s life; she would always return to him. ‘Did you ask Damien about Lance? How could he have not known? The two of them have always been so close; Damien was the one who introduced Lance to Tenebrae.’ Elise nodded but she was too tired to go into detail. Yawning, she stood up and, linking her hands with Phaedra’s, retired for the day.