“What can we do, if the obelisk cannot be destroyed and Nedas is already bound to it?”
“Two things. We must prepare for the worst, and expect that Nedas will succeed. We shall commence with that discussion shortly and put our preparations into place immediately, for we have less than two days. The only other possibility is for someone to get close enough to assassinate Nedas and steal Akvan’s Obelisk before its power can be
transferred to another.”
“I will do it,” volunteered the same Venator who’d first suggested assassination.
“You will not get close enough to do so,” Eustacia told him. “The moment the Tutela recognized you as a Venator, you would be slain. As would any of you.” Her eyes lingered on Victoria. “Except perhaps one.”
“I have already agreed to do it,” Victoria said, rising. “In London I agreed. There is no question that it must be me.” She had not told Aunt Eustacia what occurred at the opera house last night—that she had been seen by the Imperial, who would recognize her as a Venator. Or of her conversation with Max.
She opened her mouth to speak, then decided better of it. There was no one else who could do it. The others here would more certainly be recognized as Venators than she would.
There was a chance—slim, yes, but a chance—that the Imperial vampire had not betrayed her to the Tutela, or that he did not know for certain she was a Venator.
And then she remembered what Max had told her: Nedasis going to win. He is too strong. You will be needed after this is all over.
However and for whatever reason Max had become involved with the Tutela and with Nedas was no longer important. The worst was going to happen, and he accepted it. He would allow it to happen. Somehow he knew Nedas would succeed.
At that moment her last vestige of deep-seated hope poofed like a staked vampire. There would be no help from Max. From anyone.
She really was on her own.
+ 20 +
Lady Rockley Dines Out
* * *
When Victoria arrived home from her visit to the Consilium, a carriage waited in front of the villa.
It was past teatime, nearing supper—late for a casual social caller.
Her steps were quick as she hurried up the stairs to the entrance.
“You have a visitor, signora,”the butler told her; but she was already flinging the parlor door open.
Sebastian looked up from the newspaper he was perusing. “I don’t know who you were expecting, my dear, but I’m sure you must be disappointed. Such enthusiasm could not have been meant for me, much to my regret.” His attention wandered over her figure in a way that reminded her of the last time they were in this room.
And then of his threat to call on the Tarruscelli twins when he became inexplicably angry with her.
And then back to last night, when he’d called her mine.
Then casually invoked the name of a powerful vampire.
“It’s a bit late for tea, Sebastian,” she said coolly, trying to keep her breathing easy and her stomach from fluttering. The way he was looking at her…it made her want to cover her cheeks to hold back the blush, to touch his thick, golden brown hair, to back out of the room before he put his hands on her, as it was clear he intended to.
Apparently something had changed since he’d chased the vampires away from her neck.
“We must talk,” he said, but there was a wholly different message in his eyes. Now she couldn’t stop it—the unfortunate warmth billowed up from her bosom over her neck and to her cheeks. “Will you permit me to take you for a drive?”
“It is unfashionably late for a drive in the park,” she countered.
“Other than my attire, I thrive on being unfashionable. Will you come with me?”
Victoria knew if she accepted his invitation, it would be tantamount to accepting whatever was to develop between them. They would continue—and finish—what they’d started in this very room only a few days ago, but what had been simmering between them for more than a year.
And then there was the minor fact that he had questions to answer, and having him closed up in a carriage with her would be conducive to getting those answers…among other things. She gave him a thoughtful look, then said casually, “I’ll freshen up, and then I’ll be delighted to accompany you.”