Part 6 (1/2)

But as I catch a glistening tear caught in his black, sooty lashes, I realize that's going to be easier said than done.

”Please, follow me inside,” Professor Lucedio instructs, clapping his hands in stiff-upper-lip fas.h.i.+on. ”Rufus will bring your things to your rooms.” He starts up the imposing set of stone front steps, flanked by two gargoyles.

I give one last look down the now empty driveway, then reluctantly trudge up the steps, my legs feeling as if they're made of lead. I still can't believe Magnus didn't even say good-bye...

8.

About twenty minutes later, I find myself lying on a king-sized bed in a small bedroom, very similar to the one Magnus and I shared on our first trip here so long ago. (Okay, it was technically just last May, but with all that's happened this year, it feels like a lifetime ago.) At the time I didn't want to touch him- and he'd gallantly offered to sleep on the floor so as not to offend me. But instead, I let him stay, and while we both fell asleep apart, somehow, through the night, we unconsciously came together. I didn't want to admit it at the time, but I was already falling fast for him.

What I wouldn't give for another night like that now. Curled up against him, his strong arms wrapped around me, refusing to let go as we drift off to dreamland together without a care in the world. Instead I'm cold and alone and scared and he's boarding a plane to go halfway around the world. And he didn't even say good-bye.

I toss and turn in my bed. Will Magnus really keep his promise and make seeking out Jayden's one hope a top priority? Or will he get caught up in Consortium business the moment he steps off the plane and, despite his best intentions, allow the quest for the Holy Grail to fall by the wayside? How long will I be stuck here, waiting, wondering? And why can't I just trust him to do the right thing?

Is it because of what he did in Vegas? Or something deeper than that? Are my past experiences with my dad and all his broken promises still tainting my ability to believe my boyfriend? Even though my father's actions were all justified in the end and it turned out he wasn't the terrible father we thought he was, it's still hard to reconcile the feelings of abandonment I experienced through his extended absence. And that makes it nearly impossible to truly believe that there's really someone out there now who loves me enough to never let me down.

And thus I force Magnus, time and time again, to pay for all my emotional baggage. Which is so not fair to him. If we want this to work-and oh G.o.d, I do, I do-I need to work on my own issues as much as he needs to work on his. One way or another, I need to learn to trust him. With all my heart, soul, and mind. Otherwise, like he said, why are we even bothering?

Realizing I'll never be able to sleep, I slide out of bed and start unpacking. The lights are dim- probably to accommodate the manor's normally nocturnal guests-so I draw back the curtains, hoping for some kind of early-morning light. But outside, the darkness still looms and rain sluices down, thunder cracking and lightning slas.h.i.+ng through the sky. I s.h.i.+ver, then force myself to turn back to the chest of drawers.

I'm almost fully unpacked when I hear a firm rapping on the door. ”Come in,” I say, pus.h.i.+ng the last drawer closed and straightening up. I catch my reflection in the mirror and try to pat down my messy hair to better greet my visitor. But the hollows in my eyes from lack of sleep aren't so easy to fix.

The door pulls open and Rufus, the human butler, steps in, carrying a syringe. ”Sorry to disturb you,” he says in a stiff English accent. ”But I've been instructed to prepare for Master Jayden's feeding.”

Of course. I nod and sit down on the bed, holding out my arm to him to let him do his thing. By this point the needle no longer even hurts that much and soon I'm watching the blood drain from my veins, down a tube and into a blood bag.

”So how is Jayden doing?” I ask. ”Can I go see him?”

”He's fine,” Rufus replies. ”The girls are back and keeping him entertained.”

Of course they are. ”Well, I'd like to see him. Can you show me where he is after we're finished?”

Rufus shoots me a sympathetic look. ”I'm afraid that's not possible.”

”Excuse me?”

”Professor Lucedio gave me explicit instructions. You're to stay in your room until the sun rises.”

”He did?” A cold feeling starts creeping over me. ”But why?”

”This is a hotel for vampires,” Rufus reminds me curtly. ”And not all of our guests are... accustomed to sharing such close quarters with mortals.”

”You're mortal.”

”Yes. And I've had some... accidents... in the past because of it.” He tilts his head to the side and I gasp to see a myriad of white scars crisscrossing his neck. Ouch.

”Dude. I hope you got major workers' comp for that.”

He chuckles softly. ”I'm used to it by now,” he says. ”And guests are usually respectful enough just to take a sip or two.”

”Is that even legal? I thought it was forbidden to take from anyone who's not a sanctioned donor.”

Rufus shrugs. ”Sometimes, when you're on holiday, you're tempted to... let your fangs down, so to speak. And we, as a premiere holiday destination, find we're better off looking the other way when it comes to that sort of thing. After all, there's no use risking our impeccable TripAdvisor rating just over some random inconsequential indiscretion.”

”No offense, but that seems a bit more than an indiscretion...”

”Which is why we need to keep you here,” Rufus concludes. ”Especially since you're not only mortal, like me, but you've got fey blood in your veins as well -which can be very addicting to some vampires. And let's just say you don't want to put temptation directly in their paths. You may not live long enough to regret it.” He pulls the needle from my arm and presses a cotton swab to the wound. ”It's better that you just stay here and rest, trust me.”

I sigh. So basically what he's saying is I'm stuck under house arrest for my own safety for the foreseeable future. Stupid weakwilled vampires, unable to control their own bloodl.u.s.t.

”And when morning comes and all good vampires are resting in their coffins or beds, you can come downstairs,” he adds. ”I'll cook you a big delicious breakfast, then give you a tour of the entire place.”

”Great.” I feel bad-I know he's trying to be nice and accommodating. But what good will walking around in the daytime do me? Jayden will be asleep with the rest of them by then. So much for him keeping me company. I am seriously going to die of boredom in this place, aren't I?

”Look, I totally get it,” I say. ”But maybe you could send Jayden up to my room if I can't go down to see him? I want to make sure he's okay, at the very least.”

Rufus gives me another pitying look. ”Lord Magnus gave explicit instructions you're not to be alone with the boy during your stay here.”

I frown. Why, Magnus? Because he l.u.s.ts for my blood? Or because I might be l.u.s.ting for something else...?

Rufus pats my shoulder comfortingly. ”Don't worry, miss. As I told you, the girls are seeing to his every need. He is having a grand old time down there with them in the library. His laughter rings through the halls.”

Awesome. Just... awesome.

The butler rises from the bed and collects his things, then heads to the door. ”Please feel free to use the intercom if there's anything you desire,” he says, pointing to a little box on the wall. ”Your door is programmed to unlock at sunrise.”

And with that, he exits the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him. A moment later I hear an electronic click, dooming me to my fate. Because I'm a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t, I run to the door anyway, trying to force it open. But, of course, it doesn't budge.

I slide down the wall and onto the floor, hugging my knees to my chest, mixed emotions swirling inside of me. Did Magnus know this was what it'd be like here? That I'd basically be a glorified prisoner during my stay? And if so, he was okay with all that?

And while I'm stuck in vampire jail, Jayden's living it up with those ditzy girls, all wanting to jump his bones. Probably completely forgetting that I even exist.

Seriously, boys can completely suck sometimes.

9.

In the movies, we often see our heroine get trapped by the bad guys and though there's a completely obvious, easy way for her to escape, she doesn't notice it until moviegoers are literally screaming at her at the top of their lungs to stop being too stupid to live and just go through the freaking window already.

But, let me tell you, when you're in the same situation yourself, it suddenly doesn't feel all that black and white. You're scared, you're stressing out, and your thought processes aren't being lubricated by b.u.t.tery popcorn and a giant diet c.o.ke.

So yeah, it takes me about fifteen minutes and a rousing mind game of ”What Would Rayne Do?” to realize that though Rufus locked the door, the large window looking down onto the grounds remains fair game. Especially for a fairy with wings.

Of course first I have to break said window, which, I might add, looks a lot easier in the movies than in real life. In fact, it takes about thirteen exhausting attempts and the a.s.sistance of a nearby armchair to finally shatter the gla.s.s enough so I can crawl through and climb onto the ledge without cutting myself on the nasty shards jutting out from the frame.