Death be Charmed

by Epstein, Katie

  “I’m not a vampire,” I said, putting my lipstick away. “I’m a human. I came with Bernard Vostreux. He’s my husband. My new husband in fact. He brought me here to meet those who he considers his family. I’m Terra Vane.” I held out my hand and paused for a second. “Actually, scrap that. I’m Terra Vostreux now, thinking about it. I’m going to have to get used to saying that out loud.”

  Adalyn chuckled and put her hand in my own. My gift didn’t quiver once, although her handshake was brief. “I’ve heard of Bernard. He is a hunter, is he not?”

  “He is. He’s friends with Ramses from the House of Osiris. We’re staying with them. What did you say your name was again?”

  “I didn’t. It’s Adalyn Lemaire. I’m from the House of Strigoi.”

  “Adalyn Lemaire?” I asked, a frown upon my face as I began my pretense. “I know that name.” I tapped my chin as if I was rifling through my memory. “Oh … wait a minute. Do you know Romeo Lovejoy?”

  “W-what?” Adalyn stammered, and she took a quick step back. I didn’t think her pale face could have become any paler than it was, but it did.

  “I’m sorry. I thought you dated for a time. But I could be wrong.” I waved my hands as if to dismiss it. “I recognized your name, that’s all.”

  “How did you recognize my name?” she demanded, her voice tense.

  “I’m an Enforcer Field Agent. Didn’t you know?”

  “No. No, I did not.” That was strange. It looked like Lillith hadn’t passed on the memo.

  “Oh, don’t worry about it,” I told her quickly. “I’m not on duty or anything. As I said, I’m here with my new husband to visit his friends. It’s just … Well,” I pretended to look embarrassed, “I don’t mean to bring up any old memories for you. But I’ve been assessing a few cases of late, and Romeo Lovejoy was one of the people I was profiling. Your name came up in the files. I’m sorry if—”

  “It’s fine.” She cut me off, and her eyes filled with tears.

  “Look. I genuinely am sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you with the mention of his name. I speak before I think sometimes. It was just, when I saw your name, and then meeting you …” I shook my head. “I’ve been so involved in looking through his case files, trying to understand his behavior, that I forgot myself. I really do apologize.”

  “There’s no need to be sorry,” Adalyn said, rifling in her bag for a tissue. “His name brings back some horrible memories for me, that’s all. What he did …”

  “It was awful,” I finished for her. “I can’t even begin to think where his mind was at when he did those terrible things. I don’t think he was very stable to begin with.” Adalyn glared at me. “Sorry.” I changed tactics, satisfied I’d prodded enough. “I didn’t mean to insinuate that you knew he would have been capable of such destruction. I only meant that you shouldn’t blame yourself for what he did. He couldn’t have been very stable to begin with. Not every person would have reacted that way from a mere rejection.”

  “It wasn’t a mere rejection,” Adalyn replied, as if defeated. She sighed and moved off to sit down on one of the cushioned chairs situated off to the side in the large bathroom. “He walked in on me with another vampire while we were together. It broke him.” She sniffed and wiped her nose with the tissue. “I’m to blame. Me. Those women he raped and killed …” She fisted her hand against her chest. “I may as well have bitten them myself to save them all from the torture he bestowed upon them. I signed their death warrant with my stupid choices.”

  Walking over to sit next to Adalyn, I put my hand on her arm. “You are not responsible for anyone else’s failures,” I told her, all facade falling from my voice. “Just as you’re not responsible for their successes. Romeo had a choice in what he did. And he made a bad one. That’s not on you.”

  “Isn’t it?” She laughed mirthlessly. “Vampires tread the line of civility on a daily basis. It doesn’t take much for us to snap if we sail too close to the need for the bloodlust. For the rage. And for the pain. Romeo was always passionate. He was always domineering. And he was always in need of more. He was ripe for snapping. And I was the final straw.”

  “Still not on you, I’m afraid. And it’s not your responsibility to police every vampire here to assess whether they’re close to the edge or not. Just as it’s not my job to do so with every citizen in Portiside. Everyone’s actions are their own and all we can do is either choose to react or not react to it. You didn’t kill those women, Adalyn. He did. And he’s now being punished in prison for it.”

  She sniffed again and nodded. I saw no break in her movements, or any physical reaction to what I’d just said. And if I had to gamble on it, I would say the odds were that Adalyn didn’t know anything about the escape.

  Unfortunately, it also meant she hadn’t heard from Romeo. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t here. Darkwood was a large place. And if Adalyn had taken what Romeo had done so badly then the deadly vampire might be keen to stay out of her way.

  “I heard they wanted to keep him here for punishment,” I said in a low voice. “That they didn’t want him to go to the prison at first.”

  “I know. It worried me. And Lillith. She’s been amazing by the way. And she helped me to fade into the background for a while to recover. She’s been my rock. She mentioned Bernard Vostreux became involved and pushed the prison thing. I’ll always be grateful to your husband for that.”

  “Was there anyone here who would have specifically wanted to keep Romeo out of prison?”

  “Not that I know of. He disgusted everyone with his behavior, and they wanted him punished in Darkwood where he would truly suffer. But Marco Perduto is the one to watch if Romeo ever makes it out of prison.”

  “And why would you say that?”

  “Lillith told me that Marco pushed for it. He pushed for one of his own to be sent to the prison instead of dealing with him here like we always do. No one believed his claim that it would save face for the vampires by sending Romeo off to prison. Marco is someone who is always out for himself.” She let out a deep breath. “But it doesn’t matter right now, does it? I was glad he pushed for it, at least. And hopefully, the day that Romeo passes his reform evaluations will never happen and he’ll be put to death. Maybe then I will be able to breath easy again.” She stood up and shook out her skirts. “I need to go back before Lillith worries.” She faltered slightly before leaving, as if she’d remembered that she’d come in to grill me, not the other way around. “You’re really here for your honeymoon?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t say honeymoon. But Bernard wanted me to meet with Ramses and Nephthys as they’re dear to him. I’ve always had a biased view of the vampires, aside from my husband. And I think Bernard wanted to cure me of that.”

  “And what’s your view now?” she dared to ask, her eyes curious.

  “That there’s good and bad in everyone.” I smiled. “It was wrong of me to judge many by the actions of a few. And he’s put me right on some things.”

  “He sounds like a good person.”

  “He’s the best.”

  Moving off toward the door, Adalyn hesitated, her hand hovering on the handle. “Then you’re very lucky to have someone like that.” She turned to face me. “It was nice to meet you, Terra.”

  “You too, Adalyn.”

  And with that, she was gone.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  ALLOWING MYSELF A few moments to reflect before heading off back to the ballroom, I remained in the middle of the empty bathroom wondering what the hell we were doing here. I hadn’t expected Adalyn to shout ‘ta da - I know where Romeo is’ but it was another lead that had fizzled out to nothing.

  Cole would be pulling me back soon if I didn’t have something valid to give him. And who could blame him? Especially with the lead on The Mutuari’s security footage.

  Marco Perduto kept coming up though. And he had made sure to meet with me in private without Bernard around. Why? There had been nothing untoward about the conversation
we’d had. No probing questions or attempt at manipulation. But I sensed he was playing a game, one where I was a pawn. He may be the next string to pull at once I’d updated Bernard on all I’d learned. I still needed to tell my fake husband about what I’d discovered from the vision I’d seen when I touched Nuo. Maybe he would be able to connect the dots I was missing.

  Pieces were hovering all over the place, and the clock was ticking. Hopefully the request order would come through soon and we could approach the vampires more directly. This skirting around potential witnesses or allies was draining. And I was sick to death already of dressing up pretty for all the balls they liked to have here. I swear, if I received one more invitation, I would ram it down that vampire’s throat.

  Straightening my gown, I figured I’d spent enough time wallowing in my thoughts and I headed back out to Bernard. When I neared the place I’d left him, I heard someone call my name.

  Turning around to where I’d heard it come from, I saw Bernard waving me over from a table where he now sat with Lillith and her crew. Great. I wish he knew I’d already cornered the one vampire I’d come to speak with and found out nothing. Now we were going to have to sit next to Lillith, who looked like she wanted to jump Bernard’s bones from across the table. Bernard’s assessment of Lillith’s disinterest was way off the mark. She was practically salivating over the table.

  Keeping a straight face, I headed over. “Hey,” I said once I reached him. Smiling at Adalyn, she nodded her head at my approach. She didn’t look so upset now. In fact, she looked totally and utterly besotted as she sat next to Lillith. Bernard remained seated as he wrapped an arm around my waist and urged me onto his lap.

  “Lillith and her friends want an introduction with you,” he told me, a forced smile on his face. “You’re a popular guest in Darkwood, my darling.”

  I raised my eyebrows in question, wondering what the hell he was playing at before I faced my audience. “It’s lovely to meet you all.”

  “But it’s lovely to meet you,” Lillith said, a hint of a smile on her ruby red lips. “You’re the ‘in’ thing at the moment. Everyone is talking about Bernard’s new wife.”

  I smiled and stroked Bernard’s hair. “I don’t know why. I wouldn’t have thought I was the first human to sacrifice myself by wedding a vampire.”

  “Sacrifice?” Bernard asked with humor. He leaned his head up to mine and kissed my lips hungrily. “You are totally and utterly besotted with me, woman. Don’t even begin to deny it.”

  A laugh left my lips, and I kissed him on the cheek. “I would never deny it.”

  “So wonderful,” Lillith said as if bored. She continued to look at Bernard as she spoke to me. “It’s a wonder a human can keep up with his needs though. You must be one hell of a plaything in the bedroom.” She looked at me then, and I tried to understand what she was up to. I didn’t sense a hint of challenge in her voice. She was merely amusing herself.

  “I’ve been trained to take out a number of species,” I replied, keeping my voice neutral. “Pleasuring a vampire is easy in comparison.”

  Lillith laughed, and those seated near her responded in kind. “I like her, Bernard. She’s feisty.” She looked back at me. “Excuse my forwardness, Terra, but here we tend to be very direct with our words. Humans have a way of prettying up the truth to save people’s feelings. Here, we don’t have that luxury.”

  “Oh, I would say being direct is more of a luxury.” I smiled. “Sometimes the truth hurts, but at least it’s the truth.”

  “And you’re someone who likes the truth. Being an Enforcer Field Agent, of course,” she stated.

  “I like the truth when I’m taking down the bad guys. But personally? I prefer the white lie. I am human, after all.”

  Lillith chuckled and took a sip of her drink. She glanced over at Adalyn, and I wondered if she had said anything about our bathroom tete-a-tete.

  “Tomorrow night it will be my turn to host a ball,” Lillith told me. “I appreciate that we’ve been keeping you up so often, late at night, but I would be honored if you would join us? The both of you.”

  Cringing inwardly, I plastered on another fake smile. “We would love to. Thank you for the invitation.” I didn’t think it wise to ram anything down Lillith’s throat. She would probably enjoy it.

  Before anything more could be said, Ramses and Nephthys entered the ballroom and headed our way. “Bernard. Terra,” Ramses said in greeting. “How are you both enjoying Darkwood?”

  “It’s beautiful, Ramses,” I replied as I stood up to greet them. “Thank you for letting us stay with you.”

  Nephthys leaned in to kiss me on the cheek as Ramses greeted Bernard. “We hope all is to your satisfaction?” Nephthys probed as she glanced over at Lillith.

  Nephthys was as striking as the female vampire who ran Strigoi, but she had more of a maternal edge about her. The contrast in the two vampires was as different as chalk and cheese.

  Nepthys leaned in close and lowered her voice. “This came for you while you were out.” She handed me a white envelope. “It was received at the front gate, and they sent it to our house. We said we would bring it over with us. The messenger claimed it was urgent.”

  “Thank you, Neffy,” I said as I discreetly took the envelope from her hands. When I looked down at it, I could see the words: Terra K. Vostreux imprinted on the outside. The House of Osiris was written underneath. Whatever the K stood for, I didn’t know. I didn’t have a middle name. And only Kaleb, Mayra and Cole knew I was playing at being married to Bernard. I quickly tucked the message away into my clutch.

  “You’re welcome,” Nephthys replied. “There’s a quiet drawing room. Third door on your right as you step out of the ballroom. You will have privacy if you wish to read it there.”

  Not liking that a private missive had come to me at Darkwood, I pushed the feeling of worry aside and thanked Nepthys once more.

  Nephthys nodded and gave her husband a gentle tug on the arm as he chattered away to Bernard. “Come, my love. Let us chat with Lillith for a while and leave Terra to have some time with her husband.”

  Ramses stopped talking and smiled at her. “Of course. I’m sorry, Terra. Please. Have a good evening.”

  “Thank you,” I said on a chuckle, finding it funny how reluctant he was to leave Bernard. I hoped they’d had some time to catch up earlier. And I also hoped that Ramses would be able to forgive Bernard for his deceit regarding a fake wife when all this was over.

  “We will speak to you soon,” Bernard told Ramses then he turned to Lillith. “Lillith, Adalyn, Gomez. A pleasure.”

  I assumed Gomez was the vamp with the goatee who’d walked in with Lillith.

  “We shall see you tomorrow, shall we not?” Lillith asked again, and Bernard nodded before linking my arm through is.

  “But of course.” He bowed, and I stood there not knowing what to do. I gave them a little wave and hoped it would be sufficient enough before Bernard led me away.

  “Are you alright?” he whispered as I gently urged him toward the door.

  “I’ve had an urgent message sent to the Osiris House. Nephthys brought it over.”

  “A message? Who from?”

  “I don’t know. It just had Terra. K. Vostreux on the cover, addressed to the House of Osiris. Neffy directed me to somewhere quiet to open it.”

  “Come on,” he said, urging me outside. I tried to stop him, to tell him that I could read it in the place Nephthys had directed me to, but he kept on going.

  Before I could argue anymore, he ordered me to climb on his back so he could run to the House of Osiris. A vampire’s speed was about twice the speed of a top athlete, and I held on tight as he rushed us back to the room where we were staying.

  “Bernard?”

  He said nothing as I slipped off his back. He engaged the magic in the stones.

  “Read it,” he said, urging me to open the message I’d received. What the hell had gotten into him?

  “Bernard. What’s
wrong? What’s going on?”

  “Before I left, I told Kaleb to send any urgent messages to the House of Osiris, marked with that name. The K in the middle stands for Kaleb.”

  “Oh.” Rushing to open my clutch. I yanked the message out and ripped it open. With shaking hands, I unfolded the piece of paper, then my heart rushed into my throat.

  “What is it?” Bernard demanded when he caught sight of my face. I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t, as fear caught hold of me. I needed to move. I needed to freaking move.

  Bernard snatched the piece of paper out of my hands. “It’s from Cole?” he asked, and I managed to nod. Thoughts sailed through my head as I tried to work out how the hell I was going to get out of here and back to the Indicium Quarter. Then Bernard dropped the note. “Kaleb’s been injured. He’s in a healing coma.”

  “I know that,” I managed to get out as I forced myself to get a grip. “We need to leave. We need to go now.”

  Spinning on my heel, I headed for the door.

  “Terra. Terra, wait …”

  “No.” I put my hand on the door knob, fear of Kaleb being hurt so badly finally hitting me. The thought of him being put in a healing coma stoked my worry and ignited my anger at the same time. I had to get the hell out of this damn place. “I’m going. Now.”

  “Wait,” he said, standing in front of me. “Let me order a car to get us there faster. And put on your jacket. That’s all. That’s all I need you to do. Okay?”

  My breathing was in overdrive, and my skin was cold. I couldn’t quite piece together what he’d said, but I’d managed to understand ‘get there faster’. I nodded and he moved off toward the phone by the bed.

  Walking into the closet, I slipped on my leather jacket. I kicked off my shoes, dangerous thoughts threatening to break down my last resolve, and shoved on my black boots. My watch comms was still on the dresser so I snatched it up and wrapped it around my wrist. When I walked back into the bedroom, Bernard was putting down the handset.