“Why?” Compassion, more than curiosity, rang out in her voice. “Is it because of your transformation?”
“It has to do with it.” I ignored the whisper inside my head calling me a coward. “Only Darius knows. That’s why I don’t touch you. I gather you enjoyed what happened yesterday despite my coldness.”
She looked out of the window. Her heart changed rhythm, turning frantic.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I shouldn’t have enjoyed it. It was shameful of me.”
“It wasn’t. Instead, I should be ashamed for not having prepared you well enough.”
Her flush deepened. “I was raised in a certain way, and we aren’t even betrothed.” A high-pitched laugh came out of her. “So silly of me to say that.”
I opened my mouth to tell her she shouldn’t care about that, but she cut me off with a dismissive wave.
“Don’t say anything. Forget I said that. My life as a lady is truly gone.” She heaved a sigh.
She didn’t fool me. She was hurting more deeply than she admitted.
“You’re still a lady.” I touched the ray of sunlight shining on her hand.
The only things I had to offer were my strength and desire for vengeance, but I would take thousands of freezing baths if they could help me touch her.
The noises from the street became louder when we drove through London. Vendors shouting the prices of their goods, people in a hurry, and yelling hawkers crammed the pavement, and my old thief habit pushed me to search the crowd for an easy target. Instead, my vampire urge made me notice fast heartbeats, strong blood, and pulsating veins.
When she turned her head towards the window, a thick vein appeared underneath her perfect skin, and the temptation to sink my teeth into her flesh became almost overwhelming. So much for helping her.
Irene’s scent hadn’t changed after her transformation. If anything, her blood smelt stronger and richer, teasing me.
“Everything is the same.” She broke through my dark musings. “Yet it’s different.”
“Death doesn’t change a person’s heart. Being a wili doesn’t change you.”
She gifted me a beautiful smile. “And I’m glad my ability to see auras isn’t gone.”
“Your ability will make it easier for you to identify evil men.”
She returned her attention to me. “I’m not sure if I can definitely tell someone is evil. I can detect a lie or evil intentions, but that’s not the same. I didn’t realise how evil Sean was.”
“Try to study an aura longer and dig deeper. Reach the inner layers under the superficial, temporary emotions. You should catch the essence of the person’s soul itself. That’s why someone like you is called a soul searcher.”
“I’ve never done it, but I’ll try.” She had that serious expression when she was deep in thought. “Am I officially dead?”
“Yes. In the fire.” In a way, it was true. “Myrtha has her ways to make a future wili disappear from the world.”
“I guess it’s better this way.”
The carriage stopped at the kerb, and I opened the door, going out first. She came out without expecting my help.
“Concentrate on someone. That woman, for example.” I nodded towards the woman selling apples from her stall. “Stare at her aura as if you want to blur your vision.”
She frowned as she concentrated. As the thief I was, I stole the beauty of her profile, of the soft curve of her cheek, and of her pretty nose. The hat cast shadows on her face, adding details I hadn’t noticed before, like how her upper lip curved up or how her chin was slightly pointed.
“I see the usual emotions.” She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I see worry and tiredness, but I don’t know if she is a good or bad person. I caught a glimpse of something else, but it lasted a moment.”
“It’s still impressive. You’ve always been compassionate and sympathetic. Understanding others comes easily to you.”
Her smile vanished. “If I were so good at understanding others, I would have realised Sean was a thug. Instead, he deceived me easily, and Papa died. Yes, I must learn to read auras more deeply.”
