“I am.”
“You aren’t even going to pretend otherwise?”
“Nope.”
That earned a smile.
“I’ve missed this,” she admitted.
I was confused. “The carriage rides?”
“Being looked at like I’m a person.”
Her answer was like a punch to the gut. For two centuries, she’d been treated as a servant. A governess. A nanny. A curiosity. A vampire. A possession. Athing.
Everyone had wanted something from her. Very few had simply wantedher.
I reached over and took her hand. “You deserve better than that.”
She squeezed my fingers.
The rest of the ride passed in comfortable conversation. She shared more stories from her past. I had more questions with, of course, teasing sprinkled in. This kind of easy intimacy grew every time we were together. By the time the carriage finally stopped near the river promenade, neither of us seemed eager to leave, but the driver cleared his throat, signaling our time was up. I climbed out and offered Winnie my hand.
The horse beside us suddenly snorted. Its ears flattened as it shifted uneasily.
I frowned.
The driver frowned.
The horse backed up another step.
Winnie stopped. “Oh.”
The driver looked embarrassed. “Sorry, ma’am. Sometimes he gets nervous around strangers.”
The horse was staring directly at her. Almost suspiciously. I had just enough time to wonder if animals could tell she was technically undead before Winnie stepped forward, slowly and carefully. The horse watched her approach. Then Winnie lifted a hand. Her fingers brushed the horse’s nose. Everything changed instantly. The tension disappeared. The horse relaxed and practically melted under her hand.
Winnie smiled and rubbed beneath its jaw. The horse huffed happily.
The driver blinked. “Well.”
Winnie laughed. “I’ve always liked animals.”
The horse nudged her shoulder affectionately. She scratched behind one ear. The animal looked ready to follow her home.
I watched, completely captivated. There was something almost unreal about her sometimes, and not because she was a vampire or immortal. She moved through the world with such kindness toward the vulnerable—children, animals, even lonely strangers. Toward everyone except murderous vampire sires.
She glanced over her shoulder and caught me staring. “You have that look.”
I raised my hands innocently. “What look?”
“The one where you’re trying to solve a puzzle.”
I smiled. “You’re full of surprises.”
She returned to petting the horse. “I hope that’s a good thing.”
“It really is.”
