She didn’t wait for an invitation. She jumped out of the car and gave him a big hug.
“Thank you,” he said into her hair. “Thank you for helping to save Isabeau. And Claire. And…just thank you.”
“I didn’t really know what I was doing, but if I had to do it over again, I still would,” she said, and although she hadn’t thought about it that way before, it was still true.
He pulled back, held her at arm’s length, and looked her over. “I swear you’re taller than you were when I left university,” he said. “It’s really obscene.”
She kicked at his shin playfully. It was the kind of teasing she and Tait used to do, before he became all Mr. Proper Businessman. It set her instantly at ease.
“Hey!” He backed away, laughing.
“I hate to break this up,” said Dagmar. “But we should really go inside.”
Just like that, Oliver stopped laughing. He nodded and gestured toward the door. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
He led them into the house. Dagmar stuck by the doorway, trying to give them at least a bit of privacy. The house was beautiful, or had been. But many of the pieces of furniture visible from the atrium entryway were covered in white dust cloths. A small stack of boxes stood at the foot of the stairs, topped with a pile of packing tape.
Liss took this all in carefully, wandering through the room, trailing her fingers over the backs of the furniture. She wouldn’t have blamed them for coming home from court, throwing some things into a bag, and getting out of town for a few days. But this wasn’t just a few hours’ worth of work.
“You’ve been packing up to leave,” she said. “Before court even happened?”
Oliver nodded. “Isabeau’s not very interested in all the backstabbing and politicking, even before it nearly killed my sister. Viktor was such a snake, and it was exhausting trying to anticipate his next strike. So we’d planned to leave as soon as Claire was presented. We’re going to Isabeau’s house in North Dakota.”
Liss looked around. “Where is Isabeau, anyway?”
“She’s taking a bath and heading to bed.” Oliver shifted from foot to foot in uncertainty. “I could get her, if you need her…?”
Liss shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I just wanted to… meet her, I guess. I’ve heard so much about her, and it would be nice to talk to a vampire who I can respect.”
Oliver looked confused. “What about Gregor?” he asked.
Liss snorted. “He’s been manipulating me since moment one.”
“What do you mean?”
She told him all about Gregor’s not-quite-proposal and his general lack of communication. Oliver took it all in thoughtfully.
“I don’t know, Liss,” he said. “If he just wanted to use you, he could have kept you a thrall, forbid anyone from touching you, and that would be it. If he marries you, I imagine you’d become queen, wouldn’t you? That’s not a position you offer to a pawn on a chessboard.”
“Yes, but…” But Liss couldn’t come up with an argument to that. Oliver had a point. Gregor hadn’t needed to propose marriage. If he’d simply wanted to make a political move, he could have come up with a million of options. Instead, he’d chosen her publicly, and it was a decision that would make him as many enemies as it would friends. Probably more.
She sighed. “I wish things weren’t so complicated.”
Oliver put an arm over her shoulder and squeezed. “Hey, you could always come with us. Get away from court for a while. See some sights.”
“Are there sights in North Dakota?”
“There are sights!” he replied with mock indignation. “Lots of sights.”
“Can you see them, or do your eyes freeze shut the minute you cross the state line?” she teased.
He threw up his hands. “I can see there’s no reasoning with you.”
“You should know this by now.”
“Yeah, well…” He locked eyes with hers. “Just remember that we owe you. And even if we didn’t, if you needed me, I’d come. So you don’t hesitate to call if you need anything, okay, queenie?”
She made a big show of getting offended by the nickname, but underneath, she was really touched. There was no need to say it, though. Oliver knew without being told. They chatted a while longer, and then the baby woke up and needed a bottle, and soon enough it was time for them to leave. Liss gave Oliver a long hug and wished them well, then piled back into the limo for the ride back to the casino. She had some thinking to do, but first, she needed sleep.
Chapter 10
Consciousness came quickly as the sun sank beneath the horizon. One moment, Gregor was aware of nothing. The next, he became instantly alert. He vaguely remembered what it was like to slowly wake up, groggy from a good night’s sleep, dreaming of concertos and adoring audiences who applauded his virtuoso music. But that life had been a long time ago, and he hadn’t played a violin in years. Viktor had wanted him to, but he’d claimed to have lost his muse. It was the one small rebellion he’d been able to get away with. Viktor might have been a brutal dictator, but he’d had an unexpected respect for the arts.
Maybe he’d have someone on his staff find him a violin. Now that he thought about it, his fingers itched to play, like they’d been set free after years of restraint. Which wasn’t all that far from the truth when Gregor thought about it.
He’d definitely get a violin. By the time he made it to the sink to brush his teeth, he’d decided. And perhaps he’d redecorate his rooms. His bedroom sat in what amounted to a bank vault, with walls of reinforced steel that would keep out the sun even if the building around him collapsed. He didn’t want to lose his unlife to an earthquake, not now when it felt like it was just starting. But he had to admit that his room felt like a bank vault. It was furnished luxuriously, but in a spartan, cold sort of way. No color. No decoration. Everything in shades of grey or black, with the exception of the plain white walls. It felt like a tomb, like no one lived there. For years, that was how he’d felt. But now, things had changed in so many ways, thanks to Liss.
Perhaps she’d like to help him decorate. He didn’t know what her style of choice was, but he felt secure in the assumption that it would be impeccable. He’d seen new thralls come to court in fluffy monstrosities of bridal gowns, running under the assumption that opulence would make them look sophisticated when it fact it only made them look silly. But Liss had chosen the understated elegance of silk. She didn’t need to put on a front, piling on frippery to hide behind. Surely, she’d bring that sense of restraint to their rooms.
There, he paused, tapping his toothbrush on the black marble bathroom countertop. He needed to remember that, although he might dream about them sharing rooms one day as equals, Liss had some say in the matter. He had chosen not to take advantage on the balcony, and it was a decision he would stick with. He wanted her to want him as much as he was growing to want her. Otherwise, their relationship would be empty. So, if Liss chose not to share his rooms, he wouldn’t push it. But still, he would enlist her help, and maybe that would help make his case, that he wanted her in a relationship of equals. Her intelligence, power, and beauty demanded no less.
Plus, he was hoping that the offer would make her happy. She’d clearly been upset last night, although he hadn’t been able to manage a private moment to talk it over. He couldn’t blame her for that, but maybe with some help, she’d see that she’d done them all a service by making Viktor kill himself. Or at least quit feeling quite so guilty about it.
That would be his first stop, then. He needed to see Liss first. Then, he’d confer with Tait and Konstantine about the casino and the status of his gift of shares to the vampire nobles. He would eventually have to face Chandra. Perhaps he’d fire her and give her position to Isabeau. Dagmar had phoned him after they’d spoken to the Archambaults and reported that they were leaving, but the promise of that kind of position might be enough to make them stay. Liss would like that.
His plans made, he dropped his silk pajamas
on the floor, ran a hand through his tousled hair, and turned on the shower. Some day, Liss would stand here with him. She would get into the shower alongside him and press her lithe body to his hard one as the water ran over them. She would complain that the water was too cold or too hot.
A man could dream.
As the patron of the Lorensson family, Gregor had every right to enter their penthouse apartment whenever he pleased. If that wasn’t enough of a reason, they were living in his building, which technically made him their landlord. Their apartment sat in the bowels of the casino, far from the noise and smoke of the main floor. And if those two reasons weren’t sufficient, he was also their king. He could enter any of his subjects’ homes and demand that they bow to him if he really felt like it. Not that he’d ever dream of doing such a thing. It had seemed unspeakably rude when he’d seen Viktor do it, and he’d always felt the urge to apologize on his sire’s behalf. No, he would retain some measure of civility, and hope to rule with a light touch except when necessary. If some rogue vampire decided to run rampant through the streets of Las Vegas, he would crush them. But otherwise, he’d prefer not to use force unless all other options were exhausted.
So he rang their bell and waited politely.
Tait answered the door, already dressed in suit and tie, his hair perfectly arranged in the kind of tousled style that looks effortless but probably took a good ten minutes to achieve. He gave Gregor an uncertain smile.
“Majesty,” he said. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Are we still meeting on the floor in an hour? I imagine you have a lot to do.”
“We’re still meeting. And please, call me Gregor. At least outside of court.”
Tait thought this over. “That makes sense. I wouldn’t want to get into the habit and slip in front of the human staff. Of course. Gregor it is, from now on. Thank you, sir. What can I do for you?”
“I was hoping to have a word with your sister.”
Gregor clasped his hands behind his back, trying to project an image of self-confidence and ease. But inside, he felt a little more like an eager schoolboy waiting to get a glimpse of his schoolyard crush. What would she say? How would she look? Did she feel this strange attraction too, or was he finally going senile after all of these long years? Vampires weren’t usually subject to senility, but there was a first time for everything.
“She’s in her room,” said Tait. “Shall I get her for you?”
“If you don’t mind, I’ll go visit her there. I wouldn’t want to interrupt whatever she’s doing.”
Tait gave him a strange look, as if he was taken aback by Gregor’s deference. But all he said was, “Of course, sir.”
Gregor had been in this apartment many times, so he knew where Liss’s room was. He’d never been inside, of course. That seemed like a gross invasion of the privacy of a girl he’d never met, and to be honest, he hadn’t really been interested before now. He’d known of her achievements, of course, and had been looking forward to the day when she returned from her schooling and could take her place in his household. But he hadn’t in a million years expected her to become more to him than just another thrall in such a short amount of time. He didn’t take his thralls for granted—they were people rather than tools, as some vampires saw them—but he didn’t expect to become infatuated with them either. If someone had brought up the possibility before he met her last night, he would have said it was preposterous.
But now, he found himself stilling his nerves before rapping on the closed door to Liss’s room.
“Come in,” she called from inside.
He opened the door to find exactly the kind of room he would have expected from Liss, if a bit messier than anticipated. The large bed was neatly made with pristine, ice blue sheets and hung around with gauzy white curtains. The open closet was perfectly arranged, an effect that was only slightly marred by the stack of suitcases and boxes in front of it. A plum colored fainting couch added color to the room and served as a home for a stack of textbooks. The desk was a pale wood, polished to a bright shine, and Liss sat there with an open book before her. She looked at him with her mouth open in surprise for a moment before shutting the book and rising abruptly.
“Majesty,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I thought you were my mother.”
He stopped cold. Had he offended her by coming here like this? He certainly hadn’t meant to.
“I beg your pardon,” he replied. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I just didn’t want to take you from whatever you’re doing, and I wanted to…” But now that he was here, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. He wanted to put her at ease, but the problem was that he didn’t know how.
After a moment of awkward silence, she took pity on him and filled it. But her voice was formal and stilted, the kind of polite one that you use with a boss rather than a fiancé. His heart sank.
“You’re not interrupting anything. I’m just reading more about blood magic. I’d be happy to stop,” she said.
“It isn’t going well?” he asked.
She met his eyes squarely with her pale ones. He was struck by how closely they matched the sheets on her bed and wondered if she’d planned it that way or if it was just a happy accident.
“I’m afraid not. I haven’t been able to do any more,” she said.
“Why do you think that is?”
“I’m afraid of it,” she replied simply. “I don’t want to do it again, but I know that I have to.”
The coldness of her demeanor stabbed at his heart. Obviously, she didn’t feel the same pull between them that he did. Maybe she even resented his proposal of marriage. At the time, he’d been thinking of nothing but saving her. But no, that wasn’t true either. He’d been assuming that she instantly wanted him, the way he’d wanted her. But it wasn’t true. Her attraction was just a matter of biology, brought on by the pheromones in his saliva. This was no different than any thrall relationship after all.
He squashed his feelings of disappointment. It had been a silly fantasy, anyway, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a positive relationship. It would simply be a political marriage of convenience for now. Perhaps, over time, he could prove to her that he was worth opening up to. Maybe she would grow to love him.
Now he really looked at her and saw the dark circles under her eyes. She’d made a valiant effort at hiding them, but his eyes were too keen. She looked tired and afraid. How could he expect her to contemplate romance under such a situation? He could imagine her, sitting here all night, trying and trying to get the magic to work, terrified of what would happen if she couldn’t. She didn’t know what he would do, but she was confessing her failure to him anyway. That was a gesture of trust that he barely felt he’d earned. But now, he would start to rectify that. He would take care of her and show her firsthand that she would be safe under his protection, whatever that took.
“You don’t need to push so hard. I imagine I’d be afraid in your position. Feeling like I had to produce something right away to justify my continued existence. But you have much more to offer than blood magic. You needn’t feel so pressured.”
Spots of color bloomed in her pale cheeks, and a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said. “I…”
He cut her off in excitement.
“Come with me. Close the book and take a break. It will do you good. I promise,” he said.
“Come where?” she asked, looking startled.
“I go to the casino floor every night and watch people. Sometimes, I make up stories to explain their ridiculous behavior. It’s… it’s stupid. Never mind.”
He couldn’t believe he’d just confessed that. It was the kind of thing he’d never said to anyone. They’d all thought he was out there searching for thieves or making some kind of occupancy estimate or some other important business activity. But now, the truth was out, and he felt foolish for admitting it.
“That…sounds fun,” Liss said hesitantly. “I’ll come, if you want me to.”
“Only if you want to. I won’t be offended if you don’t.” She shot him a look of exasperation, and he held up his hands disarmingly. “Never mind. Why would you agree to go if you didn’t want to? I’m sorry. I’m not very good with people. I’m used to Viktor filling up all the air while I hide in the corner.”
She tilted her head, looking at him oddly. “I wouldn’t say that at all. You’re very good with people.”
“Since yesterday, maybe. But a lot of things changed yesterday. Viktor’s death was only one of them.”
The moment the words came out of his mouth, he regretted them. Sure enough, all of the animation drained from Liss’s face as she thought again about what she’d done. Her eyes went to the book on the table again, and he could see the uncertainty as she weighed her options.
“I should stay here and study,” she said. “The court won’t just roll over and accept me, no matter what you do to protect me. I have to be able to prove my usefulness. To them and to you.”
“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” he said.
But now she didn’t seem so sure. She looked uncertainly between him and the book on her table.
“Perhaps…” Now an idea occurred to him. “Perhaps I could help you study instead.”
Her face crinkled thoughtfully as she mulled this over.
“I don’t study well in groups. And there’s only one book. It’s a kind offer, but I don’t think it would work.”
He shook his head, gripped with a growing excitement. “No, that’s not what I mean at all. I’m wondering. What blood are you using to practice with? Yours, I assume.” He scented the air. “Yes, I can smell it. In the garbage bin next to the desk.”
The Supernaturals of Las Vegas Books 1-4 Page 8