I know the feeling isn’t mutual, and that’s for the best. I have no desire for you to reciprocate those feelings. You wrongfully attached yourself to me, and I think you know now that we would have never been a suitable match. In some ways, I saw you as the progeny I never had. It wouldn’t have felt right leading you on.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I never loved you. I never could. And I never will.”
That stung far more than it should have. Christian threw her a baleful look over his shoulder. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather borrow a broomstick and fly yourself home?”
She cast him an icy gaze that made his spine straighten. “What a dreadful thing to say.”
“That’s a keen observation coming from a woman so heartless.”
Lenore frowned. “Do you really think a Vampire can keep his heart? You’re clinging to the idea that you still need one, but it’s futile. You can’t be what we are and keep your precious heart. That’s what separates us from other immortals. There was a time long ago when makers didn’t bother teaching their younglings how to curb their bloodlust. It was a natural part of who we were. But eventually we had no choice but to teach ourselves.” She stood up and faced the empty fireplace, her arms folded. “I once loved, when I was young and full of dreams. It almost broke me. Had someone not mentored me through it, I wouldn’t be standing here today. Of all the Vampires I’ve met, you’ve always been the one with the most potential. I want to see you around in another thousand years. Not everyone has the fortitude to last that long, and it’s a lonely journey when friends die or kill themselves. Someday, when you let go of your heart, you’ll truly be the Vampire that you were born to be.”
“I already let go of it,” he said, not sure why she was digging in her heels on a petty argument.
“Yes. But you gave it to someone. When you give your heart away, it always comes back.” Lenore turned and lowered her arms. “Sometimes not all in one piece.”
Chapter 14
A knock at the door made me set down my egg roll and tiptoe across the room. Claude bent down to peephole level, and though his face was distorted and he had on a red baseball cap, it was definitely him.
I opened the door.
“What’s shakin’?” he asked.
“Do you really think that hat makes all the difference?”
“Clark Kent only needed a pair of glasses.” He waltzed in with a plastic bag. “It hides my hair.”
“Yeah. That helps,” I said, closing the door. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
He tossed the bag on the bed and frowned. “I don’t know your hotel phone number, and I couldn’t go to work without making sure you’re okay.” He tilted my chin up. “You okay?”
When my cheeks heated, I pivoted around. “Take a seat.” Once at the table, I munched on my egg roll, unable to meet Claude’s direct gaze. “Last night was embarrassing, and I don’t want to talk about it. But now I’m worried that somebody saw Christian come in.”
Claude pitched his hat onto the bed and took the opposite chair. After raking his fingers through his golden hair, he peered through the slim gap in the heavy drapes. “If our cover is blown, I’ll take the heat. I’m the one who called Christian.”
I finished the egg roll and wiped my fingers on my sweatpants. “Why didn’t you call Viktor instead? Or Blue?”
“Do you think Viktor would have popped in and given you a ride home? Blue doesn’t have clothes, let alone a car. My options were limited. I couldn’t leave work, and if I persisted, they might have figured us out. Anyhow, it’s not about that. When something goes wrong on our missions, Viktor doesn’t want to know. Not unless it’s a game changer. He wants us to take care of it. So I took care of it.”
“Thanks.”
I decided not to tell Claude what had happened in the red room. The door didn’t have a lock, and he was probably doing what he thought was right by calling Christian so I wouldn’t be left alone for the entire evening.
I sat back and straightened my legs. Though I’d tried to put last night out of my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking about what might have happened if Christian hadn’t busted in. How could