Dracul nods. “Very well. I will stay with you and eliminate this threat to us all.”
Lizzie nods and then stifles a yawn.
“Go up to bed,” Devon says to her. “You have had a rough day; you need your rest.”
She nods and tilts her head for a kiss, but he knows he isn’t off the hook yet.
“We will talk tomorrow,” she murmurs to him.
“Linc, will you stay with Constantine and the baby, just in case?” she asks.
“Of course,” he says quietly and stalks off. As he brushes past her, she grabs him and pulls him to her. She whispers something to him so quietly Devon doesn’t hear, but he sees the Wolf’s face relax and he gives her a kiss. She has promised time with him.
More than she has done for me, her supposed husband-to-be. Devon can’t help but feel bitter as he watches them all file out.
“Frederick, are you okay to stay?” Lizzie suddenly turns to ask the foreboding Vampire.
Frederick inclines his head. “Of course. I work for you now, mi’ lady,” he says with a small smirk.
Devon tenses as he sees her return it. He is beyond curious as to what happened with them all those centuries ago.
“Vito, come with?” she asks and holds her hand out to him. He rises from his brooding by the fireplace and takes it immediately. Again, resentment flares up in Devon. He needs to take care of that and soon.
He follows them all out of the library and lingers for a moment as they troop up the stairs. He has no idea where he is supposed to go. Back to Lizzie’s old room? Seems to be the only place for him.
He makes his way upstairs and sees Lizzie disappear down into the right wing to see to her new baby, so he ducks in quickly, leaving the door open.
He strips off and climbs onto the bed and stares at the ceiling. Time ticks away, slowly. He hears Lizzie go to bed after popping into see Delinda. He hears Lincoln, in Wolf form, padding up and down the corridors, patrolling. He hears Lizzie and Vito murmuring to each other until she must fall asleep as it all goes deathly quiet.
He is just dropping off when a noise in the doorway wakes him up instantly. He is on alert, realizing only belatedly that he is in the nude. Not exactly the best way to greet that whore ex-charge of his.
Only it isn’t Jess, it is Marguerite.
“Hi,” she says softly.
“Hey,” he replies, equally as quietly, flicking the covers over himself.
She closes the door gently and then approaches him with a predatory air.
It piques his interest as she was almost too eager to escape him before in the kitchen.
“Look,” he says. “I’m not…
“It’s okay,” she says. “I’m not looking for anything other than someone to talk to.” She heaves a sigh and sits down on his bed, regardless of his naked status.
“Oh?” he asks. “What about?” It’s polite to ask, even though he has no idea how he can possibly help her.
“Anything. Everything. I have no friends,” she says, turning to look at him. “I rattle around here, looking after everyone. Don’t get me wrong,” she is quick to add, “I love it, but I have no personal interaction. I have been watching you. I don’t think you do either. Except with Aefre.”
He gives her an astute glare. She is not wrong. Now that Cole is gone, he feels about as friendless as an ugly, stinky Troll living under a bridge.
“You want to be friends?” he asks with a raised eyebrow.
She shrugs. “Only if you want to be. We can talk about stuff. I won’t blab to anyone.”
“Uhm, sure,” he says and gives her a small smile.
They sit in silence for a minute and then he adds. “Anything you want to talk about now?”