Page 9 of The Vampire Castle in the Sky

For the first time in four years, our eyes held. “Thea,” he breathed out, “for the love of the sky, what are you doing here?”

I pulled myself straight, throwing my hands up in the air, exhaustion and indignation washing over me in alternating waves. “I don’t know, Hector, maybe I’m here because you didn’t bother to tell me that Esperida and Eron are dead!”

I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. I was hurt. No, I was grief-stricken and more heartbroken than words could ever express. The very ground seemed to have lost its point of gravity. All I could do anymore was float aimlessly in the vastness of their absence. But ifIfelt like that, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how devastated Hector was.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered, nervously brushing my palms over my skirt. “I came here to see you, not to yell at you.”

Hector rubbed at his temples, his dark, feathery lashes lowering over his cheekbones. “Wait a second. Last night did I…”

“Pinned me to your bed and licked my neck?”

Now he looked even worse than devastated. He looked utterly appalled, which made me wish I’d kept my silence all the more. “Did I hurt you? Thea, did I touch you?”

Something inside me twisted. I’d never seen him like this before. Hector had always been the stronger one between us. Now he seemed to be just as lost as I was, and I had no idea how to help either of us.

I crossed the distance and took his hands in mine. So many things were different about him, but his hands were the same.I know these hands, I thought, and found more comfort in his touch than I’d felt in years. “Please don’t give yourself a heart attack over this. You were drunk, and I did ambush you, but nothing bad happened.”

He recoiled from me, his face as hard as granite. “Tell me the truth, did I do something to offend you?”

“If you’d done something to offend me, I wouldn’t have left you with anything between your legs to swing around now,” I huffed.

Hector shook his head, unwaveringly horrified. “I swear, I will not touch another glass of wine in my life.”

At that, I almost burst out laughing. “Okay, now you’re just being dramatic.”

“I thought I was dreaming,” he murmured.

“I know. Your mystery woman.”

“Mystery woman?”

“The one you kept ranting about last night. The one who smells like honey and a baby unicorn’s breath, apparently.”

He blinked in comical bewilderment. Well, comical for me, at least. “What?”

“Themystery woman. The object of your darkest desires and most unutterable longings. Are you having some kind of illicit affair? Is she married? Oh, is she a priestess? Did you make her break her divine oath of celibacy with your irresistible vampire charm?”

Hector groaned, slumping on the bench at the foot of the bed. “What are you talking about? What is happening right now?”

I pressed my lips together, stifling a rather fiendish chuckle as I settled down next to him. “I’m sorry, Hector dear, but you know me. Confusing intelligent men is my favorite pastime.”

“Can we start over?” he asked wearily, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. “I think I’m still a little drunk.”

“Sure,” I chirped.

This was good. This was normal.

And yet, for every part of him that was familiar, there was one I did not recognize. His shoulders did not slouch like they used to. His hands did not fall awkwardly at his sides. His limbsarranged themselves with perfect grace as if for a painter to capture.

“You look different,” I said, half-praise, half-accusation.

It surprised him. “I do?”

“Your face.”

He touched self-conscious fingers to his temple. I felt bold enough to lean in, cup the back of his hand, and guide it gently to the plump bow of his mouth. “Here,” I said, then moved it lower to trace the firmness of his jaw. “Here.” Lower still, to the base of his neck where his skin began pulling tight with muscle. “Here.”

As he swallowed, my fingers threaded between his and rode against the motion. It was with great difficulty that I managed to untangle my hand from his, drawing back on the bench.

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