moveor wield a sword.
Threethings became very clear to him. One was that Marissa was a woman ofmany secrets. Two was that he was very glad he was not Arnaud. Andthree was that his desire for her showed no signs of diminishing.
Hedidn’t see her again until mealtime. When she entered thedining room in a simple flowing gown of white silk, her long blondhair pulled back and woven through with a few thin braids, it wasdifficult to accept that this was the same woman who’ddispatched Nero so effortlessly. He lost himself in her glow and thesugary perfume that surrounded her. “Bella. You lookbeautiful.”
Hersmile was hesitant. “Does that mean my sword skills haven’tchanged the way you feel about me?”
Helaughed. “No, your skills have definitely changed the way Ifeel about you. Al for the good, I promise. And I will be verycareful not to upset you.”
Shereached up to touch his face the way she’d done earlier.
Herhands were so warm he pressed his cheek farther into her palm as shespoke. “You are the most interesting vampire I’ve evermet. Why are you so different from your brethren? You make me thinkdangerous thoughts about the future.”
“Afuture together would be dangerous, would it not?” The joy inher eyes died at his words and her hand slipped from his face, but hecaught it and held it to his cheek. “To me, that makes it allthe more interesting. I understand why so many of my kind call uponme to end their boredom. Life grows my kind call upon me to end theirboredom. Life grows commonplace.” He turned and kissed herpalm. “With you, life would never be commonplace.”
“So,you’re still willing to proceed?”
“Withall my being.” He stared deeply into her eyes. “I feellike you have rescued me. For many years now, I have been a slave tothe responsibilities of the nobility. My need to serve them andplease them outweighed my true passion—the quest to discovernew things, to expand my abilities, to conquer new difficulties. I nolonger feel that way anymore. I feel…free.”
Sheshook her head, the smile still on her red lips. “Am I your newdifficulty?”
Helaughed and pulled out a chair for her. “Is that so terrible?”
“I’vebeen called worse. And will be again after I ask Arnaud forlibertas.”
Dominicrang the crystal bell beside his wineglass. A servant entered and puta rare steak and a steaming baked potato before Marissa. “Isthat what you like to eat? I guess it’s what they prepare forCatarina. I must pay more attention.”
Shedug into the steak. “The better a comarré eats, thebetter their blood tastes.” She took a bite and chewed.
“Speakingof comarré, what will become of Catarina if— when—weleave?”
Marissaswallowed and tipped her head. “The easiest thing would be foryou to grant her freedom.” She took a sip of water.
wouldbe for you to grant her freedom.” She took a sip of water.
“Thenshe can live at the Secundis Domus and do whatever she likes. Thereshe can choose whether to make herself available for another patron.”
“Verygood. That is what I’ll do. I can have a message sent to theSecundis Domus tomorrow.”
“Notso fast. We’ll need her with us when we get to Arnaud’s.”
“Why?I’d prefer not to involve her in this.”
“Inorder for my request for libertas to be binding, it must be witnessedby another vampire—you—and another comarré—her. Otherwise, Arnaud can ignore the claim and we’ll be backwhere we started.”
“Youthink Catarina will do this for you?”
“Inexchange for her freedom?” Marissa smiled. “I don’tthink it will be an issue.” She went back to her food.
“Afterthis is over and we are free to leave—or forced to leave, whichmight be more likely, as I am sure I will be made anathema—wherewould you like to go?”
Sheadded butter to her potato. The pale yellow melted into the snowywhite flesh as she thought. “Somewhere…fresh. A placewhere we can start over without prejudice. Maybe somewhere warm. I’mtired of Romanian winters. Do you have any ideas?”
Hesat back and tapped his fingers on the table. “I will findsomewhere perfect. Somewhere exactly as you wish.”
Sheate a little more, both of them in silence until he broke it She atea little more, both of them in silence until he broke it once again.“Are you afraid?”
Herface went solemn with thought as she swallowed Then she nodded. “Yes.Everything changes the moment I utter that word. Everything.”
Henodded. “I’m glad you said that. I would be worried ifyou weren’t.” He twisted his wineglass, causing smallripples in the Brunelo. “Few good things in life come easy.”
Sheset her fork down. “Are you afraid?”
“Iam a noble vampire with more strength and power than most men everdream of.” His eyes stayed on the wine. “Even my bonesfear what is about to happen.”
“Thenwhy do it? What do you have to gain?” Even as the words lefther mouth, fear dulled her eyes.
Helooked up and smiled, trying to reassure himself as much as her. “Ihave lived this life a very long time. It has been good to me. ButArnaud is about to change all that. I will either become his slave orsuffer the consequences of refusing him.” He looked deeper intoher eyes. “What do I have to gain by helping you?
Freedomfrom Arnaud and a new life. A life with something this one has longbeen lacking—companionship.” He relaxed as the fear inher eyes faded. “We will go through this together.”
“Toa point.”
Hissmile disappeared. “What do you mean?”
“Iwill tell Arnaud you had nothing to do with this. That I refused toallow you to touch me or alter my blood in any way refused to allowyou to touch me or alter my blood in any way despite your efforts.Then, if he kills me, you can go back to your life without incident.”
Chapter Ten
Marissahad spent the last three weeks very simply. Training to fight Arnaudand spending time with Dominic. He sat with her while she ate, wentfor walks with her in his garden, listened to her hopes and fears,entertained her with
