And just like that, the three vampires whisk away.
Leaving Morgana.
She steps forward, placing her hand in a pocket I didn’t know existed on her dress. “We’ll need your perspective as well. Do you have a new bloodbag?”
“I do.”
“Use them. As much as you can, Darius. I want you to record every interaction however you see fit.”
Interact more with Amber. For the sake of study.
What exciting science lies ahead.
Once Morgana leaves, I ignore the urge to run to Amber. I need to collect a few books. I need a few blank ones too. Whatever we end up doing will need to be logged. This is it. This is my chance to have something that’s entirely mine.
Not my father’s. Not my brother’s.
Mine.
One thought makes me freeze. It’s a thought that cuts my excitement into little pieces that shrivel up as soon as they hit the ground.
I’ll have to record everything for the study to be accurate.
Everything.
Including the sex.
How can I possibly admit the lust Amber inspires when I feed on her without compromising my reputation?
Chapter 7
Amber
Achyfingersneverfeltso good.
I’m trying to get a grip on my new reality while examining my brand-new dress. Taffeta is all I could get my hands on with such short notice. Though Darius came through quickly enough. He had people in town—though he wouldn’t say whatkindof people he had in town. Just people.
Uh, I just hate cryptic semantics. Even worse coming from a vampire.
Still, it’s a win. And I’ll take as many of those as I can get since Seline isn’t around to praise me.
Gods, I miss her so much.
Worry lines crease around my mouth.
I step closer to the mirror.
Iridescent green fabric shimmers with a purple tint when I swing the skirt. The blouse boasts a jovial collection of pink bows starting from the top and ending at the waist. The sleeves pause at the elbow and then burst open with white lace. The skirt of the gown is layered with multicolored flowers lining the hem. It lies flat.
And it seems like I do much the same.
French court fashion isn’t difficult to mimic—I’m just not keen on wearing a hoop skirt in this suffocating heat. Miami has enough humidity to make my hair frizzy and my sinuses ache. I swear, I’ve never had a runny nose like this.
And it’ssounattractive. If Jasper were here, he’d probably make some stupid pun about me being snotty.Get it? Snotty? Alright, lend me your neck, dear.
My heart twists up in my chest as I clutch the front of my gown. Pink ribbons swallow my fingers. I’m not eventryingto look like a French royal. I’m just mimicking it. Darius said I could add my own modern flair. I think I’ve done that well enough.
“Christ, who am I kidding?” I grab the skirt of the dress and fling it around. The rustle of fabric sounds like waves. “I’m going to sweat my ass off in this thing.”