Page 63

Just like now. It might not have been my fault directly that Adrien had reacted poorly to my witch’s blood, but he was still paying the price.

When the tears finally slowed, and the fight went out of my limbs, Yves pulled back just enough to study my face. I found the nerve to meet his eyes, and when I did, it looked like a war was raging behind them. A war I’d fought with myself a million times.

“Mr. Duval,” Yves said slowly, not taking his eyes off me, “would you consider feeding Adrien from now on?”

The room went very quiet.

“Are you proposing an unorthodox arrangement?” Duval asked.

“No,” Yves replied. “I’m proposing an illegal one.”

As he wiped the tear trails from my face, he said, “A sanguine partner feeds the vampire named in the contract. It’s how we prevent a sense of impropriety.” His eyes flicked toward the door. “Which is why no one outside this room will ever know of it. Wouldn’t you agree, Duval?”

“I would, Your Grace.” A small grin appeared on Mr. Duval’s face. “My lips will remain sealed tighter than a maiden’s legs, for a small fee. Let’s say ten thousand. I’m trying to raise money for my ship, after all.”

“Done,” Yves said. Mr. Duval looked faintly disappointed he hadn’t asked for twenty.

My mind finally caught up with what Yves was proposing. He wanted Duval and I to swap positions. Secretly. Instead of feeding Adrien, I would feed him.

I shook my head. “Your Grace, I can’t let you do this.”

“Let me?” he said, taking my face between his cold hands. “I thought I was the Duke of Valemer.”

I gave him a withering look.

“If you do not wish to feed me,” he continued, “I understand. I’ll make other arrangements.”

“That’s not it.”

His brows rose a fraction. “Then what’s the problem?”

The problem? Besides being illegal, it would mean more time alone with Yves. It would mean watching him drink my blood. But it was the only way to continue our investigation.

I pulled his hands from my face and sat back on my heels.

“Fine. I’ll do it,” I said. “Blood is blood, after all.”

It was, perhaps, the least convincing sentence I’d ever uttered.

He gave me a small smile. “It’s settled, then. Duval will feed Adrien. And when he does, we will mix a drop of your blood in, so that Adrien becomes accustomed to it before Duval leaves. And during that time, you will feed me.”

I glanced at the nightstand, at the silver cup still half full of the blood that had made his child sick. What if he had the same sensitivity? And because I have never in my life been able to leave a wound alone, I said, “Maybe you should try it. Before you bind yourself to this arrangement.”

Before you find out I’m poison too.

“Duval?” Yves said, unmoving.

His sanguine partner took the cup, and Yves drained the rest. Slowly. Thoroughly. His throat working until it was empty and there was nowhere left for my fear to hide. When he lowered it, his eyes had darkened at the edges, and his voice came out half a register lower.

“There,” he said. “Now neither of us has to wonder.” He licked the corner of his mouth. “You certainly are… spicy.”

Horrified, I lifted a hand to my mouth. Why was my blood spicy? I didn’t even have magick in my veins. I was tapped of my power. Then I remembered the word I'd understood when Yves and Severin had been conversing in Sanguisi.

Demon.

It wasn’t just my magick. It was my demon-blood.

Yves didn’t immediately get sick, but the look on his face was strained. “You don’t like it.”