Page 129 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

My eyes caught on a suit of armor beside the fireplace. I went to it, running my fingers over the cold metal. Something from the Middle Ages. It definitely wasn’t a replica. There were dents and blemishes. It had been kept well, but didn’t hide the realities of war.

Had this belonged to Laurent? I could only imagine how frightening he would look in something like this. His opponents would have been terrified to face him.

I left the room, following him out onto the balcony. It spanned the length of our suite. My breath caught in my throat. Boats passed by below, some of them gondolas, others carrying wares or passengers. I wrapped my fingers around the iron railing and leaned over, inhaling the briny smell carried by the breeze.

A hand stroked down the length of my back. He’d been touching me a lot today. “Do you like it, little flower?” His voice was soft. There was something almost vulnerable in the way he waited for my answer, as if my opinion of his homeland mattered more than he wanted to admit.

“I love it—all of it,” I breathed. “Can’t we just stay here?”

“Some of the time we will, but I think you will like the fortress, too.”

I braced my forearms on the railing, looking out over the water. The view along the channel was spectacular. It curved at both ends, disappearing among tall buildings. I could stand up here for hours, watching people pass by in boats. Some were tourists, others were locals.

“Is this normally your room?” I asked when we went back in. I grabbed my suitcase and pulled my things out, hanging them in the armoire. It was already half filled with suits and other items that looked like Laurent’s.

“It is. It was my sire’s before mine. Perks of being the head of a household, I suppose. The others don’t always get the same room, depending on who comes and goes. Except for Catina and Paolo, who are in charge of caring for both this house and the fortress.”

“Your brother and sister.”

“In a loose sense of the word. We were all created by my father.”

“But your father wasn’t your biological father.”

“Correct. He was the male who remade me.”

“Hmm…” I looked him over, reminded of his memories. “He was an awful person, your father.” The words were out before I even processed what I’d said.

Laurent’s head twitched back, the movement almost too small to catch. His jaw tightened. “My father did what he had to.”

My lips parted. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

“He and I are no different.”

Hot irritation pricked my skin. “You’re nothing like him, Laurie. Your father was a monster. You know that—I’ve seen your memories of him.”

“We are not having this conversation.” His voice was firm and unyielding. A muscle in his jaw ticked—the only sign of the storm I’d triggered. “Get settled. I’ll be in the drawing room.”

He strode over and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I blinked and he was gone.

All I could do was stare at the door he’d vanished through. Was he…angry? I’d seen him furious, but this was different. More of a suppressed, silent anger that he didn’t want to turn toward me. So instead, he’d run away.

I sighed, unpacking the rest of my things, lingering over some of his stuff in the armoire, running my fingers over the expensive fabric of several suits. I took a seat on the bed, forcing my shoulders to relax.

I didn’t like the way he’d dismissed our discussion, but I couldn’t force him to talk about the vampire who’d made him. I’d seen how his father had treated him, the way he’d killed Laurent’s creations when he got too attached to them. I’d seen how he made Laurent do his dirty work, killing families who crossed them, even children. I closed my eyes, letting my mind drift back…

“…I have chosen you as my heir, and I will train you as such. But mark my words, the moment you are no longer useful, I’ll remove your feeling heart from your body and you will be nothing, just as you were nothing before I rescued you from that cesspool you were wallowing in.”

Did those words haunt him as much as they haunted me? I’d seen many memories where his father had threatened him. I’d felt Laurent’s panic on several occasions, which made me wonder if he feared death more than most humans. Perhaps vampires understood better, how precious life was. How quickly it could be taken.

For him to claim that he and his father were no different? I hated that. How could he think it was true? Laurent had shown me mercy, had changed, had doted on me with a tenderness his father never possessed. But trauma had a way of distorting truth, making victims see themselves through their abuser’s eyes.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Laurent had shared his memories with me, something he’d never done for anyone else. I could only imagine how vulnerable that made him feel. Bringing up his father caught him off guard. That’s why he’d fled.

I went into the en suite bathroom and freshened up. I changed from my travel clothes into a floral summer dress that fluttered down to my feet. It had an open back so I didn’t bother with a bra. It was exactly the kind of dress Ania would wear, and certainly not my style, though I was trying to bring more color into my life. Had Laurent changed me in more ways than just the blood addiction? I was becoming someone braver, more willing to take risks. Even in something as simple as clothing choices.

I grabbed my phone and took a quick selfie, sending it to her, then I went out onto the balcony, trying to sort through my thoughts. A boat floated by and someone on board catcalled up to me. I snorted, glancing down at the rowdy group of men, grateful Laurent wasn’t here to witness it. One of them shouted something in Italian. I could only assume it was an inappropriate innuendo, based on the tone. I rolled my eyes, ignoring them as they drifted by, watching the other boats come and go.

There was another balcony on this level, further down, part of the drawing room. The doors were likewise open. Voices carried out, tangled up in a heated discussion. I discerned Marco speaking, along with several others. My hearing had improved with Laurent’s generous blood supply, but it still wasn’t strong enough to listen in.