Where on earth were they coming from? While she didn’t move the curtains, she knew from memory there wasn’t anything outside the window except for a narrow strip of land with pines and shrubbery along the top of the bluff. Beyond that lay the beach.
Rolling onto her knees, she edged close to the open windowsill and strained to listen, and that was when she realized the voices came from the beach. By some trick of acoustics, the wind carried them up the bluff.
“. . . and I’m glad you came.” Xavier’s calm, quiet voice was quite distinctive.
A shiver ran along Tess’s skin. Just hearing his voice affected her profoundly in ways she didn’t understand.
“I’m glad I came too,” a woman said. Her voice was beautiful and melodious, and even though Tess was hearing it outside of a movie theatre, it still sounded familiar. “I love your place. It’s so lovely and peaceful here. Los Angeles is such a rat race.”
“You’re welcome to visit any time, Melly,” Xavier said. He sounded warm, even affectionate. The difference from how he had spoken with Tess was shocking. “We would love to have you come back. I’ve missed you.”
“Thank you. I’ve missed you too.”
A short silence followed. Were they hugging?
Oh lord, they weren’t kissing, were they?
Slowly and carefully, so that she didn’t make any noise that sharp Vampyre hearing might pick up, Tess leaned forward until her forehead connected with the wall. She wanted to bang her head repeatedly.
Please don’t let this be some sort of romantic assignation, she thought. I don’t want to hear that. I really, really don’t.
She started to realize how trapped she was. She couldn’t shut the window, because she wasn’t supposed to have it open to begin with, and no matter how quietly it might slide back into place, Xavier might hear it.
And, with the window open, the sound might carry too much if she moved around or tried to slip out of her room. After all, if she could hear them, they would definitely be able to hear her. Both the Vampyre and the Light Fae woman had senses that were so much sharper than hers.
Easing down to the floor, she sat with her knees up and her back to the wall, and put her head in her hands.
“I know I shouldn’t have lost my temper earlier,” Melisande said. “And in front of the whole Nightkind council too.”
“Well, Julian shouldn’t have lost his temper either,” Xavier replied. “The most important thing is that you both move on from it.”
“He’s always been inflexible, but I don’t remember him being so scathing.” The Light Fae woman sounded utterly miserable. “Or at least he wasn’t when we were together, until the very end. He always believed I cheated on him, but I didn’t.”
In the darkened bedroom, Tess started to chew on a fingernail. This wasn’t a romantic assignation at all, but listening to them felt just as uncomfortable. She really hated that a part of her had perked up and gotten curious.
“I’ve always been sorry that things ended between you the way they did,” Xavier said. “You were good for him.”
“Was I? Thank you for saying that, but he would probably disagree with you.”
“Julian and I don’t always agree with each other. You lightened him up, and he laughed. He doesn’t laugh anymore.”
There was another pause, and when Melisande spoke next, she sounded very sober. “He’s in real trouble, isn’t he?”
“Things have gotten tense over the last year, especially since he’s broken from Carling.”
Who’s Carling? Tess wondered. Was she another ex? Julian, you dog.
Melisande asked, “Can’t they repair their relationship, now that Carling has found some way to heal herself? She is better now, isn’t she? While she might be retired from the Elder tribunal, she’s still Julian’s sire.”
Tess finished biting off one fingernail and started on another. She didn’t know many details about Elder politics, but she did remember the high points that had hit the major news channels.
The previous summer had been full of upheaval for several of the Elder demesnes. The Lord of the Wyr had taken a mate, the Dark Fae King had been killed, and Julian had banished one of the original founders of the Nightkind demesne. From what Xavier and Melisande were discussing, it sounded like that might have been Carling.
“Whether or not Julian and Carling can mend fences remains to be seen,” Xavier replied.
Melisande laughed softly. “You’re always the soul of discretion. You have this knack for saying things without really saying anything. I can tell things are strained between Julian and the Nightkind council, and I know you weren’t happy with the thought of playing host to Justine tonight. I apologize for creating the situation.”
“Don’t worry about it, Melly. You weren’t the only one responsible for what happened, and even if you were, it was worth it to get the pleasure of your company for one night. Besides, I can handle Justine.”
He sounded so unruffled, so confident. Tess remembered what Marc had said.