Mal gave up the pretense of his human face and growled, showing his fangs. The elder comarré retreated a few steps to one side, but the look of judgment on her face remained.
Chrysabelle came up behind him, touching him lightly on the elbow as she moved to stand beside him. ‘Madame Rennata, I’m going to my suite. If you’d like to accompany me, we can talk on the way. Otherwise, this conversation is over for the time being. My aunt needs me and my time is running out.’
‘And leave this creature here? I think not—’
‘Stop calling him a creature. He’s a bloody vampire,’ Chrysabelle snapped.
Rennata gasped. ‘You will not take that tone with me, nor use such language. Not in this house or anywhere else. And leaving him here is unacceptable.’
‘My apologies.’ Chrysabelle sighed. ‘He cannot go beyond the common areas. The wards prevent that.’
Interesting. Mal gave Rennata the once-over for good measure before speaking to Chrysabelle. ‘How long will it take you to do what you need to?’
‘No more than ten minutes.’
‘Fine.’ He glanced at the mantel clock. ‘I’ll wait outside for that long. You don’t show by minute eleven and hell breaks loose.’ He shot Rennata the toothy grin he’d once used on victims right before going in for the kill. ‘And you’re not going to want that.’
This time she had the good sense to flinch.
He swiveled for the door as the two women headed farther into the house. At least this would give him a chance to get away from the torturous perfume rattling his control. He paused in the foyer for a moment to study a portrait of one of the earliest comarrés. Their history paralleled the noble vampire Families, as though some higher power had created them to keep the vampire hungers in check. For the most part, it had worked. Until someone like him had come along.
He stood thinking as the minutes ticked by. He shook his head. He really had no right to be in this place. Chrysabelle hadn’t wanted him to come in, but he’d insisted on it. And hadn’t kept his mouth shut. Better get to the car before Rennata had him thrown out.
Mal had the door open two inches when the stench hit him.
Brimstone.
He wheeled around and chased after Chrysabelle but came to an abrupt halt in the great room. Several doors fed off the room and he had no idea which way led to the suites. He listened for her, hoping to home in on which direction she’d gone.
Eerie silence greeted him.
Not her heartbeat, not Rennata’s, not the girl who’d opened the door, no one’s. How could that be? Certainly there were plenty of comarré here. Chrysabelle had said as many as several hundred.
Frustration bore down on him. This was not the time for guessing games and comarré secrets.
He leaned back, opened his mouth, and yelled Chrysabelle’s name.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chrysabelle lengthened her stride as she and Rennata left the great room and Mal behind. Making him wait wasn’t a very good idea, but what else could she do? She needed this time with Rennata, if for no other reason than to smooth things so that upon her return, she would be able to access the Aurelian on Mal’s behalf. He deserved that for what he’d been through.
Suddenly, she realized Rennata had said something. ‘I’m sorry, what was that? I’ve got so much going on in my head, I can barely concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.’
‘Understandable, given the circumstances.’ Rennata, cane long ago discarded, kept pace beside Chrysabelle. ‘I was saying that if you attempt to rescue your aunt, you will expose us. Do you expect the Families to believe you’re an aberration? That you trained yourself to fight and kill in your spare time?’ She sighed with great effort. ‘I cannot allow you to jeopardize all for the sake of one. I am sorry.’
Chrysabelle shook her head. ‘I’m sorry too, but I will not allow my aunt to die because of something I’ve done.’
Rennata stopped and grabbed her arm. ‘You mean you killed Algernon?’
‘No. I just meant because of my running after I discovered his body. This mess wasn’t made any better by my actions.’ She eased her arm out of Rennata’s grasp. How far had she fallen in this woman’s eyes? ‘Do you think I’m capable of murdering my patron?’
The older woman’s brows lifted slightly. ‘We are all capable of that.’ She started walking again, and Chrysabelle joined her. ‘And you did bring that unwelcome creature, er, vampire into our house.’
‘He is not unwelcome. He’s my patron.’
‘He’s anathema. How under this heaven does a comarré of your value end up with a vampire like him? Of all the comarré in this house … You were raised better than that. You were our best.’ She shook her head. ‘You have much to explain, including how he came to hold your blood rights. I’m sure it’s a very interesting story.’
Rennata had been like a parent to Chrysabelle, a very strict one, but a parent nonetheless. Still, there was a time for being scolded like a child and a time to understand that lives were at stake and things needed to be dealt with. Now was strictly the latter. ‘You’re right, it’s very interesting. Perhaps we can sit down over tea when this is all over.’
‘At the very least, I’d think.’
Saved by the proximity of her suite, Chrysabelle reached for the handle of the door to her rooms and turned. ‘If you’ll just excuse me, I won’t be a moment.’