I held his gaze. Roman was many things. He wasn’t a good man; he wasn’t nice, per se. But he was a man of honor, that much I knew. Vampire or not, he would back up his word and keep his oaths.
“I don’t doubt you.” I paused, not sure it was my place to say anything, but then again, I was going to be his wife soon enough. “Your sister Paulette . . .”
“I have been telling Mother for years we need to free her. To let her go. I think . . . I told you my mother turned all of us shortly after she became a vampire. I think the deed weighs on her mind. She took our lives once. Paulette was terrified. I remember that, as much as I’ve forgotten so many things through the centuries. I remember Paulette screaming as Mother came after her, trying to beat her off. Paulette kept saying, ‘Where is my mother? You can’t be my mother. Mother would protect me!’ But . . . so fresh from turning, my mother wasn’t fully in control of herself. She fell on Paulette and held her down, forcing her blood down Paulette’s throat right before my sister died. I believe that is quite possibly my mother’s biggest, greatest regret. Paulette adored her.”
I quietly settled myself on the sofa. How horrible it would have been if my father had done the same to us. Or my mother. At least with Dredge, it had been a stranger, a monster come out of the dark after me. Not someone I loved or respected.
“You need to convince her to stake Paulette. It will free her soul to move on. I know. I saw Sassy after I staked her. She was walking arm in arm with her friend Janet, and with her daughter who had died so many years before. Sassy was happy to be free. Please, if there’s anything I can do, let me know.” I wasn’t sure why, out of everything we had heard that evening, Paulette’s story hit the hardest, but it did.
Roman nodded. “I will do my best.” At that moment, Nerissa returned, fresh and clean in her beautiful gown again.
“So . . . tomorrow night we get married. As I told your mother, it will be difficult to move in before Shadow Wing is taken care of.” I picked up my purse and shawl. “I’m afraid we don’t have time to stay for that movie, but there will be plenty of time in the future.” It was time to go home and tell the others. I wasn’t looking forward to their reaction, but then again, it was no different than Camille’s duty to the Fae sovereign nation.
Roman shrugged. “No matter. But listen, I will choose a suite for you and, during the time before you move in, we can redecorate to whatever you like. You and Nerissa shall have the apartment of your dreams. Let that be my wedding present to you both.”
Nerissa grinned. “Talk to me, then. I’m the designer in this marriage. By the way, I hope you don’t expect me to quit my job.”
He shook his head. “We are not so old-fashioned as that. Nor Menolly, either. No, unless you choose to quit—and you both have the option—you may do as you like professionally as long as you don’t take up vampire slaying.” He said the last so matter-of-factly that it took a moment before we realized he was joking.
That broke the tension for the evening. Laughing, we headed to the door. Elthea was waiting to show us to the front door, and as we drove away, I thought about how much change could happen in the space of one single evening.
Nerissa sat quietly for a moment, then said, “So, we’re to be princesses? That sounds ludicrous to me, but I know it’s a serious matter. But I always think Disney when I hear the word, and now all I can think of is Vampire Cinderella, or some such mash-up.”
I snorted. “No Cinderella, please. She was a drudge.” But then I sobered. “You’re right in that this is a serious matter. The Vampire Nation is a large and old institution, and this is going to have a ripple-through effect all the way around. No matter how you look at it, Blood Wyne is defying tradition. Not by having Roman marry me, per se, but by including you.”
“Oh, I think the fact that you staked Dredge will also play into the matter. She was correct when she said some old-school vamps aren’t going to be too thrilled about this. But unless they want to lead a rebellion, there won’t be anything they can do about it.” She settled back in her seat, staring out the window.
“Don’t ever forget, Caleb is out there and until he is found and staked, he might very well try such a thing. He hates everything his mother stands for and wants a dark rule in a world run on fear.” I pressed my lips together as I skirted a slow-moving car and zipped through the late-night streets. It was nearing midnight now, and I was concerned about what might be happening at home. Suddenly not wanting to talk about tonight anymore—not till the realization of what we were doing settled—I cleared my throat.
“So, what do you think about the whole Vanzir-Aeval situation?”