The escort they gave me was kind of a meathead. Over muscled and silent even when he moved. He almost reminded me of Marcus. A pang of misery hit me in the heart.
Clearing my throat, I shot a look over at my escort. “So, are you going to say anything?”
The guy made a humming sound but didn’t answer.
Annoyed, I walked around the fountain in the middle of the courtyard and glowered. “That’s not really an answer. Are you just going to trail after me like a little dog because your master said so? Don’t you have your own thoughts? Your own voice?”
“Don’t bother with him.”
I jerked around to a nearby window. The only window open inside the courtyard. I knew all of them only opened into more of the mansion and I shouldn’t get my hopes up but a part of me saw an open window and thought, freedom.
Odette sat on the edge of the window, her flouncy skirt filling up most of the space. She held a doll in her hands, combing its hair absently while staring down at me.
Stepping toward the window, I squinted up at her. “Why not?”
“None of the human servants will help you. They’re all bound to Tuma or Caleb. They won’t talk unless allowed and they are under strict orders not to interact with you.”
“None of them are bound to you?” I didn’t know why I asked but it just came out of me. I should have turned on my heels and walked out of the courtyard the moment Odette appeared. Out of all the council members Odette was the creepiest. I didn’t know if it was the way she talked or if it was the fact that she was a few hundred-year-old vampire stuck in a child’s body that freaked me out the most.
Odette sighed longingly. “No. They won’t let me turn anyone anymore.”
“Why not?”
She held her doll up and held it over the edge of the windowsill. With a bored look she dropped the doll to the ground, the sound of it shattering echoed through the courtyard. Without a thought she flipped her legs over the side of the window and dropped out, her little Mary Jane’s crushing the glass beneath her feet.
“Oh, I see.” I didn’t really but also didn’t want to have this conversation anymore. In fact, I had the sudden urge to be anywhere but near here. I pivoted on my heel ready to make for the door but she was quicker than me. Odette’s little hand slid into mine, squeezing it tight.
“Don’t go.” Odette commanded in that little sing-song voice of hers. “Stay and talk to me.”
I licked my lips and swallowed hard. “What do you want to talk about?”
She giggled and bounced around to the front of me, before throwing her arms around my waist. I tried not to stiffen as she hugged me. Pushing against my need to rip the girl’s head off, I patted her head awkwardly.
Leaning back from me, Odette stared down at my stomach. “I can hear its heartbeat.”
“You can?” I arched my brow. “I’m not surprised your hearing is much better than mine.”
When she released me, I pushed back the urge to sigh. I didn’t want this kid anywhere near my baby.
“How does it feel?”
I placed my hand on my stomach and stepped back, feigning like I needed a moment to think about it. “Hmmm. I don’t know. It’s different. But a good different.”
“My mommy was pregnant,” Odette spouted out, suddenly her fangs flashing in a grin. “Before I ate her.”
I gulped and forced a smile. “Oh yeah? Did you have any siblings?”
Odette shrugged. “Not after that. I was an only child and wanted to stay that way. Mommy didn’t listen.” She said it in such a matter-of-fact way that it made me nauseous.
This fucking kid. If I had a stake, I’d kill her on the spot.
I bobbed my head and blinked. “I get it. I hated my siblings too. I wish I’d been an only child.”
“I could be your child.” Odette beamed up at me, rocking on her heels.
Taken aback, I threw my head back and laughed. “I think that would be a bit hard.”
“Why not?” She pouted, pushing her lip out and batting her lashes at me. “I like you. Don’t you like me?”