As Shadows Fade (The Gardella Vampire Hunters 5)

But she hadn’t forgotten Max’s statement… one that sounded almost as if it had been wrung from him.

As soon as Verbena quit the room-after having rested a tray laden with food on the dressing table-Victoria simply raised a brow at Max. And waited.

“For the Trial,” he said. “All of the vampires have quit London, but I need one if I’m to undertake the Trial again. ”

Suddenly assaulted by a variety of emotions, Victoria fell to examining the victuals brought by her maid. Fear… a sudden thrust of fear, accompanied by a thrill of excitement… and the soft nudge of some other gentler emotion. Tenderness?

“Max,” she began.

But he held up his hand, turning at last from the window to face her. “I’d already decided, before… last night. ” Was it her imagination, or did his voice falter a bit at the end? Grow a bit husky with memory? Or was it merely wishful thinking? “But if we’re to go to Prague, and find the rings…” He stopped. His mouth tightened and she saw, even felt, the ripple of tension settle over his body. “I presume Lilith has the other two. ”

Victoria nodded. According to Sebastian, Lilith had managed to retain only two of her rings. When she saw the expression on Max’s face, her stomach turned into a ball of lead.

They would have to find some way to retrieve the last two Rings of Jubai from the vampire queen-either by her cooperation, for the protection of her race as well as theirs, or by violence.

And she knew if Max survived the Trial and became a Venator again, he’d be in the thick of whatever it was.

If Victoria thought that things with Max would change completely after he divested her of that pink froth (which, incidentally, Verbena had found crumpled beneath one of the tables at the top of the staircase… in two pieces), she was wrong.

It felt as if they wore new clothing that didn’t fit quite right yet.

Offering a vague excuse, Max left the bedchamber shortly after Verbena did, grabbing up a chunk of cheese wrapped in crusty bread and casting a lingering look over Victoria as he slipped out the door.

He didn’t kiss her… though she could tell he wanted to.

She sighed in exasperation after he’d gone. He was definitely not comfortable with this new arrangement. However, she stretched and smiled and rolled onto her stomach to bury her face in the sheets, inhaling his scent still imprinted on the pillow… taking a rare moment in her stressful life to simply enjoy something that most people took for granted.

Soon enough-tomorrow-they’d be traveling posthaste to Prague, and then on to wherever Lilith was, and there would be little time for pleasure of any kind.

If it wasn’t enough that Victoria suddenly felt odd in her skin around Max, she also had to contend with her mother, for Lady Melly called not more than two hours later.

“My dear Victoria,” Lady Melly said, frowning at her daughter, “whatever is the matter with you?”

Victoria blanched a bit, her hand moving to her neck as though to feel for… what? Vampire bites? Love bites? “What do you mean, Mother?”

“Why, you look as though you can barely walk. Did you have a fall?”

Victoria’s face warmed and her hand fell from her throat. “No, indeed. I’m simply a bit… tired. ”

“Well, you certainly don’t look tired,” Melly said, eyeing her critically. “You look… well, if I didn’t know better, I’d think… well . ”

Was that a flush settling over her mother’s cheeks?

“Mother, I’m sorry that I don’t have time to visit, but I was just leaving. ”

“Leaving? Are you making calls? Perhaps I’ll go with you… but you aren’t dressed for calls, Victoria. You simply cannot wear-”

“Mother,” Victoria interrupted, gesturing at Charley to call for a carriage that she didn’t really need. Desperate circumstances required desperate acts.

“I’m not making calls. I have to meet with Aunt Eustacia’s barrister,” she explained, thinking quickly. “It appears I might have to travel back to Rome to attend to business there. ” That, at least, was true… the business being retrieving the copper ring from the Consilium. But from there, it would be on to Prague.

“You are going to the barrister, instead of him calling here? Why that’s simply not done, Victoria! Not by a marchioness, indeed not. And where are your gloves? I daresay-”

“Mother,” Victoria said, enunciating clearly, “I must not be late for my appointment. Was there something you wished to speak with me on?”

“Why… why… and did you say going to Rome? To handle business ? But, Victoria, that’s why you have a barrister to manage all of the inheritance from your aunt. There’s no need for you to dirty your hands with that. Speaking of which, where are your gloves? And”-her voice became more strident as her daughter opened her mouth to respond-“aside of that, the apparent Marquess of Rockley has arrived in London this day… which was why I hurried over to notify you. ”

“Thank you for that pertinent information, Mother,” Victoria said drily. She glanced longingly toward the door.