Page 65 of To Vanquish Darkness

“Done what?”

He motioned to her eyes. “That squint. Where your right eye gets a little smaller than the left. You do it when you’re ready to go to battle.”

Amalie dropped her eyes to the baguette.You’ve always done that.She wanted to ask since when? But the words died on her tongue. He wouldn’t answer her, and that would hurt more than pretending not to care.

The air in the kitchen felt thicker than the preserves in front of her. Amalie struggled to expand her lungs.He knew things about her.

“Theo!” The kitchen door swung open, and Amalie froze.

Ren wore dark pants with leather boots that laced up his calves. He swept his hair back from his forehead before setting eyes on the two of them. "Well, well. Hope we’re not interrupting.” His lips curled. “Amalie, what a pleasure. With Theo looking so well-fed today, I wasn’t expecting you’d still be with us. I’d love to hearallabout your evening.”

Amalie clenched her hands into fists and stepped back from the counter. “Good morning, Ren.” She needed to stay calm. “Theo and I have an agreement.”

Clémentine stepped in behind Ren, her movements predatory despite the flowing skirts of her dress. Her curls tumbled over her shoulders, and she placed one long white finger to her lips, smiling when her amber gaze landed on Amalie. “Please tell. I love games. Especially Theo’s.”

Amalie swallowed against the fear and felt resolve build in her chest. She wasn’t frightened. Not anymore.

They wouldn’t kill her. Try to possess her, yes. Consume her, absolutely. But they would have no reason to take her life if they knew who she truly was. With that knowledge, she no longerimagined escape. Instead, she found herself fantasizing about holding that sword in her hand. Plunging it into their chests.

She glanced down at her hands. She could nearly feel the weight of it.

“Amalie is under my protection while she’s here.” Theo rounded the counter. “Including from myself.”

Clémentine’s expression hardened. “You put too much trust in his restraint.”

Theo stopped next to Amalie, his hip brushing hers. “You should know better than most about my self-control.”

“I didn’t see you leave the castle to feed,” Clémentine snapped. “Do we have other guests I’m not aware of?”

“My evening didn’t progress as smoothly as I would’ve liked,” Theo said coolly. "Would you like me to knock when I leave next time? Wear a sign stating how many hours it's been since my last meal?"

Clémentine's laugh tinkled through the air, and she moved like water across the stone floor. "No need. I can smell it on you." She stopped short of the counter, inhaling deeply before closing her eyes and letting out a satisfied sigh.

Amalie’s heart sped. Could Clémentine smell her blood? Could she sense that Theo had fed on a guardian, not a human?

“It seems Theo’s made his choice. He prefers pain over pleasure. Or maybe it’s possible for them to be the same thing,” Amalie snapped, glaring at Clémentine as Theo tensed next to her.

The vampire’s grin faded. “For now.”

Amalie cocked her head to the side. “Is that how it is? You bide your time, waiting to strike instead of being loyal to your friends?” She’d been thinking of it since the rooftop. When Ren threw his friend into the sunlight. How they’d remained a coven was beyond her. They should have torn each other apart.

Clémentine’s lip curled. “Our loyalty runs deeper than you know.”

“Clearly. A new body in bed every night?—”

Clémentine lunged over the counter, but Ren clamped his arms around her chest, dragging her back just as Theo bore his teeth, shoving Amalie behind him.

“Shh, darling. She’s an ignorant human,” Ren purred, his eyes locked with Amalie’s as he nuzzled Clémentine’s cheek.

“Get off me, Ren.” Clémentine shoved at his arms, but he didn’t let go until she stopped struggling. Clémentine shifted to the end of the counter, glaring at the three of them.

Ren sighed. “While I’ve always enjoyed a bit of female on female action, I don’t think it wise to push her further, Amalie.”

“It wouldn’t be wise for Clémentine to approach my—” Theo caught himself, and Amalie’s breath hitched.My what?She was suddenly desperate to hear what words he’d wanted to end that sentence with.

Ren chuckled. “Researcher? Historian? Quite fond of her after only a day, aren’t we, brother?” His gaze was assessing, and Theo immediately relaxed, moving out from in front of her.

“If you’re going to keep her as a pet, you should at least teach her manners.” Clémentine glared at her, but Amalie didn’t look away.

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