"I see that you do not." He appeared genuinely surprised. "Victoria, you cannot think to marry the marquess, so why do you continue to play with his affections? It is clear that he is smitten with you. Perhaps not in love, but at least smitten."
"I cannot… Not marry him? I fear it is much too early to be discussing such a possibility, but should it come to pass, there is no reason I could not accept his proposal. I realize that, coming from Italy, you may not understand the machinations of Society here in England, but—"
"It has nothing to do with your position in Society." The level tone was gone from his voice; now he merely sounded angry. "Do not be obtuse, Victoria. You are a Venator. You cannot marry. You cannot even take a lover!"
Though she later berated herself for it, Victoria could not stop her gasp at his words. Warmth billowed up her neck and into her cheeks as she responded, "You needn't be crude!"
"Crude? As if being bitten by a vampire isn't the greatest form of crudeness. Victoria, you are a hunter of violent creatures. You cannot allow yourself to be divided or distracted by something so mundane as a husband or family."
Victoria could hear the return of footfalls. She spoke quickly and quietly. "If I choose to love or marry a man, I will do just that. And I'll continue to kill vampires while I do it."
The door opened and Kritanu strode in, carrying a very large tray. He glanced curiously at Victoria, and then Max, likely noticing the tension in their faces, but he said nothing. Placing the tray on the sideboard near Max, he gestured to the teapot and cups. "Please, Miss Victoria, you may pour your tea and perhaps help yourself to a biscuit."
At Aunt Eustacia's home, it was an informal affair, as they were all treated as equals in the fight against Lilith.
"Eustacia will return momentarily. Our guest has arrived."
"Guest?" Victoria asked, assessing Max. Yes, he'd known—just as he knew the purpose for this meeting, and she did not. Why did everyone appear to know everything except for her?
As she poured her tea, adding a dollop of cream, Victoria stewed. Certainly she was the newest Venator, but Aunt Eustacia had made it clear that she was an instrumental part of the group. Why, then, did the rest of them talk about things that she knew nothing about? Keep information from her?
It was Max. He'd said it earlier—if he had his way, she wouldn't be a Venator; she would have turned away the opportunity to wear the vis bulla and help rid the world of vampires. Why was he so set against her? Merely because she was a woman? And young?
Were they testing her? Keeping things from her until she proved herself?
All of the Venators were equally skilled, and all had the innate skills and sensitivities to fulfill the Legacy once they received their vis bullae. Did Max truly believe she thought of nothing but balls and gowns and beaux? When she knew that there were hideously evil creatures wanting to take over the world?
True, many young women her age did think of little but finding a husband; after all, that was what had been drummed into their heads since the moment they were out of leading strings. But surely he'd seen by now that she was more than just another debutante. After all, she'd staked a Guardian vampire as he was biting her!
The door to the room opened and in walked Eustacia, followed by a tall, sapling-slender woman. She appeared to be several decades younger than Eustacia, but older than Max by a decade or more, and she brought with her an unusual, earthy scent. Her pale blond hair, as fine as the most delicate of silk threads, was gathered away from her face in a decidedly unstylish tail that hung down the center of her back. She wore a flaxen gown that looked more like a night rail; it was floor-length and fell straight from her shoulders to her feet, yet still managed to portray the shape of her body. Her gray-blue eyes glinted intelligently in a pale, serious face, and her lips were a surprisingly vibrant color of pink. She looked ethereal and clear-sighted, as if she could see things that others could not.
"You are Victoria?"
"I am, but I am afraid you have the advantage of me." Victoria didn't know whether to stand and curtsy, or remain seated with her cup of tea as the woman moved to stand in front of her. The earthy scent, which was not unpleasing, followed her.
"Victoria, this is Wayren. She is not a Venator, but she is a valuable help to our cause," Eustacia explained. "She has deep knowledge of ancient cultures, legends, and mysticism through her extensive library. She acts as a resource to us when we need her assistance."
"I'm very pleased to meet you," said Victoria, meaning it.
"Hello, Max," Wayren said, turning. Max stood, and although she was a tall woman, he loomed fully a head taller than she.
He took her hand and raised it to his face, gently brushing it with his cheek instead of his lips, then releasing it. "Wayren, how wonderful to see you again. You look well."
"And so do you, Max," she replied with a smile that transformed her face into one of delight and humor. "It has been well over three years since the last time we worked together. Apparently you are no worse for wear."
Max laughed gently and Victoria stared. It was the first time she had ever heard him laugh with real delight. "Indeed not. Now, you are here to tell us about the Book of Anwarth."
Aunt Eustacia gestured to a chair, and when Wayren took her seat, Victoria noticed that she carried a large satchel that appeared to be quite heavy. It thumped awkwardly when she let it slump to the floor.
"Yes, and also to determine what Lilith wants from it. Eustacia contacted me as soon as she learned that she was trying to obtain the book. It took me some days of travel to arrive." Wayren looked at Victoria. "I come from a long distance."
"Did you find anything in your library that might help?" asked Eustacia, taking a seat herself in the chair that was always reserved for her, next to the piecrust table.
Wayren leaned down toward her satchel and, flipping it open, pulled out a sheaf of paper and a battered book. "My library is organized in such a way that it is simple to locate nearly anything by following a number system by topic. I found several mentions of something called the Book of Antwartha; Max, is it possible that you misunderstood the word and that it is Antwartha instead of Anwarth?"
He nodded. "I would say. I was in a situation that did not provide a perfect environment for listening."
"I am not surprised to hear that." Wayren smiled. "That makes things easier, as I wasn't able to find anything referencing 'Anwarth.' Apparently…" She paused, and dug back into her satchel. When she straightened, she was wearing a pair of square-shaped spectacles that gave her face a completely different look. More austere than fey, Victoria thought. "The story behind this book has its origins in the Indus Valley, in the country of your ancestors." At this she nodded at Kritanu, who had taken a chair next to Eustacia. "You were correct that there is a connection with the goddess Kali."