Embrace the Night

Page 142



to bear a child.

To live forever and never grow old… she had to admit that had a certain appeal.

With a shake of her head, she went to stand by the bedroom door. Leaning close, she listened, but heard nothing. A sleep like death, he had said, a sleep with no dreams.

Only her promise to stay away kept her from peeking inside.
She jumped, startled, when she heard a knock at the front door. It was Maurice. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yes, just let me get my wrap."

They were rehearsing Swan Lake, but Sara couldn't concentrate on the steps or the music. Her mind kept visualizing Gabriel sleeping the sleep of the undead in her apartment. In her bed. And when she wasn't thinking of Gabriel, she was worrying about being stalked by Nina or one of her minions.

They were in the middle of the second act when the ballet mistress called a halt with a sharp tap of her baton.

"Sara Jayne, are you dancing with us today or not?"

"I'm sorry, Madame Evonne," Sara stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I'm… I'm afraid I'm not feeling well."

Madame Evonne drew herself up to her full five feet, two inches. "Do you wish to be excused?"
"Yes, please."

"Very well. Ginette, you may take Sara Jayne's place." Madame Evonne fixed Sara with a cool glance. "Shall we expect you tonight?"

Sara lifted her chin, refusing to be intimated by the dour-faced ballet mistress. "Yes."
"Very well." Madame tapped her baton on the floor and the music began again.

Sara felt Maurice's gaze on her back as she left the floor. Backstage, she settled her hat on her head, put on her cape, drew on her gloves, and left the theater, only then remembering Gabriel's admonition to have Maurice see her home.

Sara glanced up and down the street; then, with a sigh, she hailed a hack to take her to the market. The clerk looked at her oddly as she filled a basket with strings of garlic.

She stopped at a small church on the way home and filled a bottle with holy water, praying that she would be forgiven for her theft, but at the moment she felt she had more need of the precious fluid than did the priest.