I wrench open the door, slamming it behind me. Then, I tear through the manor until I find the man I’m looking for.
“Master—” Oskar starts, but I wave him off.
“I need you back outside Grace’s quarters. Have one of the humans bring her Pad Thai.”
“Pad…what?”
I don’t let myself explain. The servants will know what she likes. Right now, I need to get back to my quarters. Lick my wounds and pretend I didn’t just get rejectedandstill call for her preferred dinner.
18
YOU KISSED ME FIRST
GRACE
Iam back in the auditorium, practicing magic with Cora. It’s the same exercise: keep a vampire on his knees for as long as possible. Only this time, it’s not Sebastian knelt before me. It’s Theo. He’s the youngest vampire in Sebastian’s inner circle, and I’m surprised I can feel the difference.
In my mind, a vampire is a vampire is a vampire.
With Theo knelt before me, I realize that’s not the case. It makes sense, then, why I was able to hold two of my attackers down in that hallway. Sebastian is extraordinarily difficult to contain. Other vampires? Not so much.
“All right,” Theo moans. He’s trembling, face clenched with pain. He’s managed to get one foot beneath him, but the other knee remains on the floor.
It’s oddly satisfying, watching him struggle. I’ve spent too much time in this manor, I decide. Too much time around death and pain and grotesque rules. It’s moments like this where I wonder if I realisticallycouldreturn to the human world. I don’t know what I’d do in Aberlena.
After this long fearing for my life, the thought of getting an internship at a newspaper seems ridiculous.
I might be too damaged, too broken to return now.
“C’mon,” he groans.
I don’t let up. It’s not my rule. It’s Cora’s. I’m waiting for her to call it. Until she does, I keep Theo in place, smirking when his escaped knee smashes back to the hardwood. He glares at me, eyes thick with hatred.
“Stupid, fucking, foul witch,” he says. He’s still vibrating, and a flicker of guilt punctures my chest.
I’m not just keeping him on his knees. I think I’m hurting him.
For the first time since we started, I glance at Cora. She’s at her usual place beside the wall, leaned back, arms loose, eyes watchful. It’s only a momentary distraction, but that’s all it takes.
By the time I look back at Theo, he’s already on his feet. He lunges, hands clenching my shoulders. He hits me hard enough that we both fly backwards, him landing on top of me. His mouth splits into a grin, and a set of fangs pierce through his gums.
I blink, sure I’ve imagined it.
He forces my hands above my head, but there’s no time to feel fear. Just as his lips touch my throat, his weight disappears. I watch as he’s ripped away, up into the air, landing in a heap at Cora’s side. I prop onto my elbows, eyes wide.
“Can’t give them that in,” she says.
“That had to be a record,” is my response. “What was it, six minutes?”
“More like four,” she says with a scoff. “Doesn’t matter if you get yourself killed at the end.”
“I imagine we can break your stupid cursewithoutme needing to fight a vampire army,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Isn’tthis just to ‘awaken my magic’ or whatever? I feel like this is proof we’ve done it.”
Theo groans, moving to his haunches. He glances at me before glaring at Cora.
“Hells, woman,” he says. “Was that necessary?”
“You should be thanking me,” Cora says, not looking at him. “If you drew blood, Sebastian would have slaughtered you as fast as he did the others.”
