Page 98 of When Bones Whisper
“Duke!” Charlotte exclaimed from her place on the bed, legs crossed behind her, lying on her front with fingers guiding over symbols and incantations. “It’s concealment magic that will mask my bodily sounds, breathing, footsteps, and anything other noise made by my body to anyone else’s ears. If I can layer it with acloaking spell for any scents, then I should be able to evade Nathaniel. He’ll be counting on his inhuman hearing and sense of smell to find me.”
Duke meowed and her shoulders slumped. “I cannot do it just yet. I need the element of surprise and it’s only an incantation. I can perform it during the countdown.”
His yowl shuddered through her. Duke was right. It was risky, but she had no choice. Grateful to Katherine, who she had learned about layering spells from watching, she flicked between the three pages and worked on her intonement of the words to ensure she got it right.
By the time she’d practiced it a few times, there was a knock at the door, this time from Alexander who entered holding a simple ivory dress with sheer sleeves made from voile, and a gold and ivory mask of a lamb.
“How theatrical,” Charlotte said, and Alexander smiled.
“He had it made just for you.”
“I’m certain he did.”
“We usually wear masks of lions and deer,” he explained, placing them on her bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better from the hex, but still a little discomposed.”
“I am not surprised.”
Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet his, her heart pounding. “Do you truly think he will kill me?”
His lips fell into a hard line. “I cannot stop him.”
“If you could?”
“I am content being a vampire, at least, for the rest of your lifetime.” He pulled a bottle from his pocket filled with crimson,complete with a tiny stopper covered in red wax. “This is for you. It’s my blood in case you are forced into performing the ritual.”
Her lips fell open. “He will hurt you if he finds out you gave this to me.”
“I do not care,” he said and she leaned forward and hugged him.
Once she pulled back, she said, “Won’t that affect the ritual’s outcome?”
“I do not know. None of us do but if it does, I will not be upset. We are survivors, Miss Lovett. Take it only if you must.”
“Thank you.” She pushed it beside the other bottle, concealed from his view. “I truly believed he felt something for me.”
“I think he does,” Alexander confirmed, making her heart jolt.
“I thought you said it was a bond?”
“It’s more than bloodlust,” he confessed. “I’ve seen the difference in him, but it doesn’t matter what he feels for you. He’ll still kill you anyway.”
“Why?” she asked breathily.
With an incredulous stare, he said, “Because, that is the price of being loved by death.”
Her heartbeat tumbled over itself.Loved? He did not—could not. Love had no place in murder or ritualistic sacrifice.
With a strained smile, he added, “I shall meet you in the ballroom.”
Her mouth dried. She barely managed a nod before he walked out, hesitating at the door before disappearing.
With a heavy heart, she pulled on the dress, the neckline so low it revealed her cleavage, and secured the mask to the top half of her face.
Chewing on her lip and running her fingers through her curls to tame them, she looked at her reflection in the window, her stomach dipping when the room behind her was empty. The demon was gone and she still didn’t know who let it out, or if she accidentally had during her memory loss.
With a shake of her head, she dismissed those anxious thoughts. She had to focus. It was almost time to face Nathaniel. A spike of adrenaline washed through her, and she wetted her lips, contaminated with thoughts of being caught by the devil wearing the mask of a wolf, imagining pulling it down to kiss him, so he could devour her once more before she met her death.
