Page 127 of Vampire so Virtuous
A strange flutter of something warm twisted in her chest, but she quickly smothered it. She wasn’t a damsel, and he wasn’t her knight.
“Oh,maismon amour, it is customary to present a visiting Curia member with a gift, is it not?” She resumed her circle of him, trailing her fingernails over his leather-clad shoulders, leaving faint scratch lines behind. “You are being lax in your courtesies.”
“To be fair,” he said carefully, “I’ve had no time to prepare one. Your visit was rather unannounced.”
“Yet not so unexpected, I think?” She gave a musical laugh. “Don’t fret, my pet—ah, too far.Je suis désolée,” she said, not sounding in the leastremorseful. “You are no longer my pet, but a vampire with his own territory andconsiderablepower.” She leaned in again. “Did you think I would not notice?”
Antoine said nothing, standing stiffly, but a muscle twitched in his clenched jaw.
“Where did you find such power,mon amour? Have you been…naughty?”
“I learned the lessons you taught me, my lady.”
She laughed again, though this time it sounded more forced. “So, it explains why that loathsome Minh was complaining so vociferously to Roberto.” She gave the ‘r’ a soft, throaty sound with a hint of her French accent. “Did you bite him, my pet?”
“I told you once already,” Antoine growled. “I am no longer your pet.”
“A fact that disappoints me daily, more than you’ll ever know,” she said. “You left just when you were becoming interesting.” She ran a fingernail over his ear, and he jerked away. “But we were talking about the now, not about then.” She pushed her hand into his hair and gripped tightly, shaking his head with every word she uttered. “Did you bite the disgusting spawn of Roberto?”
Antoine had tensed initially, but as she finished her question, his eyes blinked several times. “Roberto is Minh’s sire?”
“Oh! How foolish of me!” Belle cried theatrically, releasing him as she stepped around to his side, her hand held to her mouth. “How careless. I’ve told you something I shouldn’t have.” She offered a Gallic shrug. “You don’t need to answer; I can tell you did. I am surprised that one so weak could grant you so much power, but mixing bloodlines is unpredictable,n’est-ce pas?
“Feeding on another vampire,” she breathed the words, clasping her hands before her, twisting back and forth, the epitome of innocent playfulness. “So dangerous. So reckless. So…” She gave a mock shiver, like it thrilled her. “… Bold.”
She turned away from him, her attention shifting to Cally, who swallowed nervously. “And now the Curia has relaxed the rules,” she said, still addressing Antoine though her eyes were locked on Cally—like a cat watching a mouse. “You’ll need allies and friends, will you not?” She waved dismissively, then spoke to Cally conspiratorially. “He has never been very good at making friends, you know. So much the loner, all the time. He never cares, you see?”
“You’re wrong,” Cally said, damned if she was going to play the mouseany longer. “If you believe that, you don’t know him at all.”
Belle stopped, cocking her head to one side and studying Cally as if seeing her for the first time. “My gift, Antoine,” she said, her voice low and velvety. “I won’t take much. This girl will do.”
Cally couldn’t help the alarm that swelled inside her, her eyes darting straight to Antoine’s.
“She’s marked,” he said sharply.
“Of course she is,” Belle replied, crossing the room toward Cally, each step deliberate.
“Thank you for your interest,” Cally said, forcing as polite a tone as she could, “but I’d prefer to stay here.”
Belle laughed again. “She’s so delightful,mon amour.Wherever did you find her?”
“Any gift is mine to choose,” Antoine said.
“But I have chosen already.” Belle wasn’t to be gainsaid. “How do you expect to have the allies you need if I’m not given the gift I want?”
“I have not asked for your help,” he replied, an edge of urgency in his tone.
She turned, wagging a finger at him. “You think you can take on a Curia member without my help? When his spawn has allies, and you don’t?” She tutted. “Without me, you will be destroyed.”
Cally hadn’t followed the whole conversation, but this part was clear enough. She glanced from Belle to Antoine, noting the recognition of Belle’s truth in his eyes. Cally had had enough of being a piece on someone else’s chessboard, of her life being dictated by others. If she was going to make a stand, was this the time? Her mouth tightened, a brief stillness before she spoke. “Will she hurt me if I go with her?”
He looked at her, his jaw clenching.
“Ah!Jeune amour,” Belle said. “Do not fret, beautiful girl, I won’t damage his property.” She paused as if contemplating. “Well… not permanently, anyway.”
“No,” Antoine said, and deliberately shook his head.
“I think it is her choice, hmm?” Belle turned expectantly to Cally.
