Page 139 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

“I...I...” I couldn’t find the words.

“You haven’t played since magic awoke,” she guessed. She carefully placed the instrument back in its case. “If you had, you might have discovered what I have. The magic I felt before is nothing—nothing—compared to what I feel when I play now. I can only imagine how it affects a siren...”

And I’d had no idea. None. Because I’d been too afraid, too angry over the secrets that had been kept from me, and in doing so, I’d only punished myself, depriving myself of the comfort of music.

“It is good that Julian encourages the music,” she said as she returned to her chair, “but he is not the one who has to embrace it. You must do that.”

“But I need to learn about my magic,” I pressed. “I need to know how to use it.”

“I suspect there is no difference between music and magic for you, Thea,” she explained.

There was one problem with my “weapon” of choice, though. “So, I should keep a cello on me in case I need to use my magic?”

“I doubt that will be necessary.” Laughter glinted in her eyes. “Playing will allow you to find that power within yourself. You felt it when I played, didn’t you?”

I nodded.

“Then that is where to begin. That is how you will tap into your magic, how you will begin to understand it, control it, mold it.” Diana folded her hands in her lap, triumph on her face as the last of my resistance eddied away. “Find yourself again where you’ve always found yourself. Find yourself in the music.”

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

JULIAN

London was as noisy as I remembered, and the traffic even worse. A thick fog hung over the city, and every driver seemed to trust their horn more than their eyes to help them through the hazy February morning. After the relative calm of Venice, the people and the cars and the chaos threatened to give me a headache.

When we reached the hotel, I slid smoothly from the backseat, thanking the driver—one of Benedict’s men—and headed toward the hotel. Staying at the Westminster Royal was my stipulation regarding this trip. My brother had offered to let us stay with him, but I’d never quite gotten past his role in The Second Rite. Even if it has been a necessary evil. Someday I would forgive him, but it might take a few decades.

Or a few centuries.

Once inside, I paused at the reception desk. The woman behind the counter glanced at me, then straightened up and purred, “May I help you?”

“Did a package arrive for me? Rousseaux.”

A flirtatious smile curved her mouth. “Yes, I had it sent up.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Can I help you with anything else?”

“That will be all.” I turned and left her there, still fluttering her eyelashes.

I made it two feet before a male fell into step beside me. I didn’t have to look over to know exactly who was now by my side.

Fae magic simmered under his glamour, but I sensed it, smelled the slight tang of brimstone that wafted from him.

“I’ve never seen a vampire turn down a willing human.” There was a smirk in his voice. “She would have let you suck her dry.”

“Bain,” I greeted the Fae prince without breaking my stride. “It’s been too long.”

“Such a liar,” he crooned, “but it has been a long while. The last I heard, you’d vanished from public life. Imagine my delight to hear that you intended to pay me a visit.”

“I had business in London.” The less he knew about why we were here, the better. We reached the lift, and I stopped, finally turning to face him. Like most immortals, Bain hadn’t changed in years, and that had nothing to do with the glamour he’d cast to blend into the human world.

Not that Bain would ever truly blend in. Not with his pale blue eyes that skirted an unnaturally silver hue, or his platinum white hair that felt at odds with his youthful face.

“And where is the companion I’m told came with you?” He leaned against the wall, blocking me from pushing the button to call the elevator. “I’ve heard such interesting things about the new Queen. I’m eager to learn more.”

I barely suppressed a growl, but he only laughed, the sound of it like the warning peals of an emergency siren.

“So possessive, and I always thought you were more cultured than your brethren.” He dusted off the sleeve of his tailored jacket. “We aren’t going to have problems during your visit, are we?”

Not a question but a threat.

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