“I do.” Probably. “I chose not to.” Or ever again, actually. At the thought of her sword, a small trill of energy zipped down her spine. She ignored it. Like she always did.
“When’s the last time you had it out?”
“I’m a librarian. The opportunities to wield a sword are few and far between.” Which made this job perfect for her. “Now, back to what I’m going to do for work if this job doesn’t pan out.”
“Something will turn up. There’s plenty of other stuff you could do in this town.”
“But I want to be a librarian. It’s what I went to school for. It’s what I’m good at. It’s where my heart is.” She loved books. In a book you could escape and be anything you wanted, no risk involved. No chance of hurting anyone else.
“You’ll get the job, Tessa. How could you not?”
“Because someone with more experience could come along.”
“Yes, but you have to also be a supernatural to get this job. And you don’t get much more supernatural than being a descendant of one of Odin’s shield maidens.”
Tessa tapped a finger against her lip. Duncan leaped off the couch and headed for the kitchen. By the quiver of his tail, she could tell he was up to no good. So the usual. “True.”
“And I know this is a risk, and you don’t take risks. But just this once, please take a chance. Mom and Dad are going to be touring Europe for the rest of their lives. We’ll be lucky to see them at our weddings, if we ever get married. Wouldn’t it be nice for us to be close enough to hang out whenever we wanted? We could spend Christmas together if you lived here. We could go shopping and do spa days and all that kind of stuff together.”
Tessa’s librarian’s salary didn’t allow for much shopping or any spa days, but she got what her sister was saying. “It would be nice to be closer.”
Jenna went on. “Also, isn’t Ohio like completely covered in snow and ice? Winter in Georgia isn’t nearly as bad.”
“I don’t mind the snow, but it would be nice not to have to scrape my windshield every morning.” She looked around at her cramped apartment that her job barely paid for and thought about her sister’s house in Nocturne Falls. She’d seen pictures. Not only was it pretty and on a street with big trees, it had a backyard, which meant Duncan could go out and run around. Fresh air. Sunshine. A chance to wear himself out.
And the chance for her to be near her sister.
“Come on, throw that cat into a carrier and start driving. I’ll talk to one of the Ellinghams and see about getting you a tour of the school before your interview so you can see for yourself exactly how amazing it is.”
“I can’t just leave like that. There’s a ton of things I’d have to take care of first.”
“Like what?”
“I still have to give the library my notice that I’m quitting and turn off my water and electric and let the landlord know I’m breaking the lease and—”
“Find your inner warrior and make it happen. Besides, I already submitted your name. They’re expecting you.”
“What? Why did you do that?”
“Because you never would have done it.”
“I might have.”
“Tessa. This is the kind of change you need. The kind of job you deserve.”
Tessa squeezed her eyes shut. She and her inner warrior hadn’t really communicated in a long time, but she knew Jenna was right. She needed a change, and being near her sister would be great. “I can be there in four days.”
“You can be here in one.”
“Impossible. Two is the absolute minimum.”
Jenna whooped into the phone. “Yes! I knew I could talk you into it. See you in two days, sis!”
“Wait—” But Jenna had already hung up. Like she knew she’d just talked Tessa into something she’d only change her mind about.
Tessa blew out a breath. She was already having doubts. What had she just gotten herself into? She shook herself. No, this was a good thing. She really wasn’t happy at her current job. And this apartment was dreadful. A change would be good. Being near her sister would be great. Jenna was so brave and daring and didn’t let a thing stand in her way. Tessa wanted to be more like that. In theory.
She walked over and pulled Duncan out of the trash can, then hugged him against her chest for a second before holding him up to look him in the eyes. “I realize you’re just getting the lay of the land, but don’t get too comfortable. Change is afoot.”
He meowed at her, a loud, squeaky sound that made her grin. “I know! This is a big step for both of us, but Jenna will be there and she’s got a yard you can play in. Plus, I promise you can take all of your new toys, too.”
He tried to eat a piece of her hair.
She pulled it out of his mouth and shook her head. What on earth had she just agreed to?
Sebastian would be lying to himself if he tried to deny the slightly righteous pleasure that he’d taken from keeping Evangeline waiting. It had been only three days. And after all, she’d kept him waiting nearly three hundred years. Seventy-two hours seemed a drop in the bucket in comparison.
It had been a calculated move. Not just to keep her waiting, but to time things so that his meeting with her happened the morning of interviews at Harmswood. He’d be dressed sharply and have a place to go afterward, giving him a reason not to linger.
He also wanted her to know he was a busy man. Occupied with many things. None of which were her. He sighed. If only that were true. She did occupy some of his time, which irritated him to no end, but it was a responsibility with which he’d learned to live. A duty.
A chore.
And then of course, there was the matter of the time they were meeting.
Eight in the morning. A time that, despite the blazing sun high in the January sky, did nothing to deter his ability to be outside. Unlike most vampires. He had the bespelled amulet that he and all the members of his family wore to thank for that miracle. Unless Evangeline had found similar magic on her own, she had no such amulet. She’d left him before Elenora Ellingham, his grandmother and the woman who’d turned him, had saved the life of a very powerful witch.
In thanks, the witch had created the amulets for them.
Being able to daywalk gave Sebastian an edge over Evangeline. Something, quite frankly, to hold over her. Had she stayed, she’d have an amulet too. Not that he was about to reveal that. The amulets were a closely guarded family secret.
And so, because he’d chosen to meet her at such an early morning hour, they were meeting at the bed-and-breakfast in which Evangeline had ensconced herself. When Sebastian chose to leave, she’d be unable to follow.
That’s what he wanted. The complete advantage. After all she’d put him through, it was only fair. On some level, he continued to feel something for her. He must, he supposed. Not even the vampire council would consider them still married, but they were bonded and always would be. He’d turned her. The council took the role of sire very seriously. For that reason, and another that had been decided before they’d married, he was responsible for her. So yes, he was always going to take care of her. But she’d left him.
He needed her to suffer a bit before he took her back.
He froze. What was he thinking? Before he took her back? At best, it was if he took her back. He reminded himself that was the attitude he had to adopt if he was going to come out ahead with Evangeline. She was far too cunning for him to assume things would go off without some sort of hitch. He would be aware of everything she did, keenly appraising her moves and words and gestures for some deeper motive.
He would not be made a fool of twice.
He pulled his Aston Martin into the small parking lot of the Black Rose. The establishment was a known D&B, or dead-and-breakfast—a small inn that catered to vampire clientele and other supernaturals. There were three in town, but it was no surprise Evangeline had chosen the Black Rose. It was the most luxurious of the trio.
He locked his vehicle and went inside.
&
nbsp; He could hear Mrs. Turnbuckle, the D&B’s owner, in the dining room talking to some of the other guests. She was elf or hobbit or some such creature, and known for her hospitality and small talk. The latter being a loathsome practice he considered a waste of air. And since he had neither the time nor the desire to engage in such a purposeless activity, he headed straight for the stairs and Evangeline’s room.
“Mr. Ellingham?”
He’d almost reached the landing too. He steeled himself and turned, keeping his tone civil but free from encouragement. “Mrs. Turnbuckle.”
She was a spry thing in her seventies, with piercing brown eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses and pointed ears that peeked through her wiry blue-gray curls. “Visiting a guest?”
Why else would he be in this miserable establishment? “Yes. Good day.” He attempted to take his leave.
“Wouldn’t be the pretty one in the Thorn Suite, would it?”
He sighed. “Yes. And she’s expecting me.”
“Eva Wynn?”
Was that the name she was using these days? At least she hadn’t used Ellingham. “That’s the one.” He forced a smile and what he imagined would pass for a jovial nod and a polite dismissal. “Good day.”
He escaped the innkeeper and knocked on Evangeline’s door as quickly as possible.
Evangeline let him stand there until he was just about to knock again. His hand was raised when the door opened.
She smiled like she’d just seen him yesterday. She wore a slinky, floor-length black negligee with a matching robe and feathered mules. Her hair was shorter, a darker brown and streaked with deep red, but otherwise, she looked the same. She sucked in a breath and put her hand to her chest. “Sebastian. It’s so good to see you. Thank you for coming. I wasn’t sure I was going to see my husband at all after you made me wait all week.”
“It was three days.” Seeing her combined with the flood of her perfume and the sound of her voice hit him like a punch to the gut. The edges of his vision seemed to dim and blur, and his mouth went dry. He wanted to kiss her and shake her and run from the room all at the same time. Get ahold of yourself, man. He pulled himself together and frowned. “And I hardly think you have the right to call me husband after all this time.”
Her smile widened and she backed up, opening the door to let him in. “Oh, Sebby, come now. Sure, it’s been a few years, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re married.”
A few years? Is that how it felt to her? The woman had never been good with sums, but she was certainly aware of how much time had passed. He walked into her room with a great deal more composure than he felt. “It’s been more than a few years and our marriage exists in memory only. There isn’t a court of law in this world that would uphold that bond after the length of time we’ve been separated.”
She closed the door. “Yes, I’m sure you’re right. And I’m terribly sorry about that, I am. Mistakes were made, but I was hoping we could move past that. After all, you are still my sire.” She sidled past him to take a seat in one of two chairs by the windows, bathing him in a cloud of her scent.
He filled his lungs with it, then immediately wished he hadn’t. With every passing moment, he was growing more intoxicated with the need for her. Damn his weakness for her. Damn his sense of responsibility to her.
Maybe that’s all it was. His sense of duty kicking in. Or maybe it was the fact that he’d not had the companionship of a woman since Evangeline had left him.
Oh, he’d thought about other women. Desired them. But he’d never done anything about it. Another wretched side effect of loyalty and duty and bloody responsibility. And perhaps his desire not to have to explain the mess of his life to anyone else.
He distracted himself by studying the suite. The windows behind the alcove where she sat were covered with room-darkening shades on the inside and UV film on the outside. That was standard in every D&B.
She poked at the other chair with the tip of her shoe. Her toenails were painted blood red. His fingers itched to touch her skin. He liked to imagine he still remembered what it felt like to hold a woman in his arms. To feel the press of a woman’s soft curves against his own unyielding angles.
She fluttered her lashes. “Please sit. I can’t bear to have you standing there, judging me.”
“I’m not judging you.” He should be, but he wasn’t. Instead, he was judging himself. Taking the measure of his weaknesses. He took the seat.
A sharp laugh burst out of her. “Now we both know that’s not true. But I’m okay with it. I’ve been a very bad girl. Just awful to you, my darling. I deserve your judgment.”
“I suppose you do.” She had been awful to him, especially when she’d made him realize all those years ago that he wasn’t enough. Not for her. Maybe not for any woman. So why was she waltzing back into his life now?
She lowered her eyes and pursed her lips as a dramatic shudder went through her. “Do you hate me, Sebby?”
He sighed. The answer to that question was not a simple one. And whatever game she was playing, he wanted to know what she hoped to accomplish and fast. Before he made a foolish decision based on another foolish decision made centuries ago. “Why are you here, Evangeline?”
“That’s the Sebastian I know. Right to the point.” Her expression saddened and she folded her hands in her lap. “I did you a terrible wrong, Sebastian. I acknowledge that and I ask your forgiveness.”
He’d heard this before. Well, not heard exactly, but over the years he’d read versions of it in letters, telegrams, and emails.
“How much money do you need?” He was fully prepared to advance her some funds, just as he’d done in the past. Just as he always had. Just as he’d promised to do.
She put a hand to her heart. Assuming she had one. “I’m not here asking for money. I have enough of my own, thank you. And if that’s all I needed, I wouldn’t have come here in person.”
“Then what?”
She stared at him, truly stared into his eyes, as hers went soft and liquid. “I miss you, Sebby. I was stupid and foolish and I know enough about life now to realize that you were the best thing that ever happened to me.”
He narrowed his gaze, mostly unmoved by her outpouring of emotion. He’d seen similar displays from her too many times to be fully drawn in. And focusing on the pain she’d caused him helped temper any soft feelings that arose. “You told me becoming a vampire was the best thing that ever happened to you.”
She nodded. “And it was. For a long time. But life without you just isn’t…life. And I’ll be honest, because you deserve that from me. The men I’ve met, well, none of them has compared to you. You and I? We were meant to be together. I know that now. After all, what’s eternity without your soulmate?”
She’d never called him that before. He tried very hard not to react. He’d dreamed about her coming to him like this. Begging for his forgiveness. Telling him she would be faithful and true and how he was the only man who’d ever meant anything to her. “What are you saying, Evangeline?”
She reached out and took his hand. “I’m ready for you to be my husband again.”
His lips parted but he was momentarily speechless. She was ready for him to be her husband again? What about what he was ready for? What about what he wanted? Her assumptions were numerous and staggering. And where was the groveling and the promises of fidelity? She’d just admitted there had been other men. Was he just supposed to forgive the many affairs she’d undoubtedly had while she’d been cavorting her way around the world? Where was her apology? Her sense of contrition? Her profession of love? “Just like that.”
She grinned. “Just like that. We can go right back to being husband and wife. Just like old times. I can move in tomorrow. Or tonight!” She fluttered her lashes at him. “We could get reacquainted.”
A curious anger built in him. He’d once thought this was what he’d wanted, to have Evangeline back in his life. But now that the opportunity faced him, he realized that she was taking his lo
ve for her for granted. Like she always had. Everything inside him shifted. What he thought he’d wanted and what he actually wanted were two different things.
He might not have been enough man to keep her at his side all those years ago, but time away from her had taught him that he could do just fine without her. Perhaps not as happy or as content as he would have liked. Maybe even a little bit lonely, but he’d managed.
Time had also taught him he didn’t need to be at her side to keep the promise he’d made. Not so long as he defined taking care of her by financial standards, which is all she’d allowed these past centuries.
He shook his head, flush with the power of his new realization. “You’re assuming I haven’t moved on.”
She laughed and waved a hand at him. “Come now, Sebby. You still carry a torch for me. You know it. I know it. Let’s stop playing games and get on with our life.”
His anger breached the boundaries of common sense. He stood and glared down at her. “For your information, I have not only gotten over you, but I am involved with someone else.”
Her smile disappeared. “You’re not serious.”
“I bloody well am.”
Her mouth tightened into a little knot of disbelief. “If you’re trying to get me to fawn all over you and tell you how much I missed you, fine, but let’s not pretend that—”
“Are you calling me a liar?” He was lying, of course, but falsehoods were not something to which he’d ever been disposed so she had no reason to doubt him.
She crossed her arms and the twinkle of a challenge danced in her eyes. “You expect me to believe you’ve found another woman who is as equally enthralled with you as you are with her? A woman who can bear your moods? Who doesn’t weep with boredom when you go off on your academic tangents? Sebby, I grew to love you despite those things. Our match, arranged as it was, worked because you are a good man, as loyal as a hunting dog and as predictable as the chimes for dinner, not because you kept me entertained. But I’ve always been a resourceful woman and capable of doing that for myself. Why do you think we hosted so many balls and dinners and house parties?”
The Vampire's Fake Fiancée (Nocturne Falls Book 5) Page 2