Page 108 of You’re So Vein

“Yes. With vines.” He holds a long-handled blade to his hand, drawing it across his skin in a neat motion. Blood wells from the cut. Augustin doesn’t even blink as he curls his long fingers around the vine, smearing his blood along its length. The vine grows, twisting and curling around my house on wheels until it looks like something from a Shirley Jackson novel. “If someone comes near who isn’t supposed to, they will alert me and protect you.”

“This is very sweet and slightly creepy of you.” I’m tempted, oh so tempted, to invite him in. But my family is right there, and I’m due at Black Crag in twenty minutes.

Augustin looks over at the house as a burst of laughter comes from the kitchen. For a moment, his eyes flicker with such profound sadness, and then it passes, and he’s leaning in close.

“I don’t have to words for what your gift meant to Hannah. And to me.” His breath brushes my lips as his eyes light around the edges with warm fire. “I always feel as though I’m failing her. I can’t be everything she needs. But now that she has you in her life… you’ve given me hope, which is so strange and foreign and wonderful. I’ll never be able to repay you for that. But perhaps…”

He rocks forward. His lips meet mine. His hand slides behind my neck, cool fingers angling my head as he teases open my mouth. Lips and tongues and fangs tangle, but inside I’m unravelling, all my objections and fears and hurts burning up beneath the firelight in his eyes.

Gently, he pulls away, giving me every opportunity to reject him. To run. But I’m rooted in place. It’s as if Irene has cast her freezing magic on me. But it’s him. It’s been him for longer than I care to admit.

He says, “What are you doing this evening?”

I wish I were being ravished by a sexy vampire.

Wait, no I don’t.

Don’t I?

“I have to go to Black Crag to look through dusty old library books.” I explain to him what Arabella remembered. “I don’t suppose you happen to know anything about a vampire poison?”

“Sadly, no. And if anyone at Dusk Court would know, it’s me, since I possess plant magic. The only vampire more skilled than me was my mother, and we can’t ask her.”

“Ah, well, I knew it wouldn’t be that simple. I guess I’ll have to hang out with my girlfriends, read books, and eat buckets of lollies and baked goods. So sad.”

“I’d like to accompany you,” Augustin says, making my heart flutter. “As long as I can bring Hannah.”

“Do you think it’s wise with Kael and Dante in the castle?”

“No, but I’d rather have both of you close to me, where I can protect you.”

The cold certainty in his voice tightens around my heart. “And this isn’t secretly about you wanting to make sure I don’t make any deals with Kael to oust you from the election?”

He raises an eyebrow. His mouth curves – smug, amused, unbearably kissable. “No, it’s because you attract danger the way I attract… votes.”

“You may be an excellent kisser, Durant.” I grin, lifting my chin. “But I still plan to crush you.”

Augustin gives a low, appreciative hum, like I’m a fine vintage blood he plans to savour. “I look forward to it.”

Half an hour later, I find myself in the vast gothic library at Black Crag Castle, surrounded by laughing women and brooding vampires. Reginald whisks Hannah off the moment we arrive so that the Conclave delegates don’t see her. Winnie tosses beanbags around and brings in chairs from adjoining rooms, while Alaric tries to hide behind the curtains so he doesn’t have to socialise. Celeste opens boxes of doughnuts and cupcakes. Mina wanders the vast library in a daze, caressing the books.

“Where’s di Sangro?” Augustin asks, trying to hide his distaste behind casual interest.

“When he heard you were coming, he made himself scarce,” Alaric says. “I believe he’s gone to visit Gideon at Sanctus.”

“He’s smarter than I give him credit for.” Augustin settles into a velvet armchair across from me, and from the slow smile with a hint of fang he gives me, I wonder if he’s thinking about our last kiss.

I definitely am, and my cheeks are burning. I cover my face with a book. I hear him chuckle.

“Everything in here smells amazing.” Mina breathes in deep as she wanders around the room. “Can I play on the sliding ladder?”

“You’ll break your neck,” Winnie tells her.

“It’ll be worth it to live out my Belle dreams.” Mina climbs on the bottom rung and pushes herself off. “It’s too bad I’m not going to be much help.”

“Nonsense.” Arabella tosses Mina her phone. “Open the Sepulchrr app. Look in the classifieds for any mentions of di Sangro Siphons for sale. But turn off the phone talking thing when you’re done because I will torture you slowly if that keeps happening.”

“Oooh, fun.” Mina plonks down on one of the beanbags and starts hunting.